piercedqt78

A good point. Eating 3/4 of one slice of pizza or one piece of pizza, while filling for the WLS person, is seldom enough for those who haven't had the surgery. I think I had 4-5 pieces of pizza last night. But on Weight Watchers, a person could easily lose weight having just one piece of pizza per meal (it's at most 10 points). It's just hard (without the surgery) limiting your intake to that. Yes I agree, and I was replying to post-op people that are still in the mindset of a diet, or that you are cheating if you have something that tastes good but isn't 100% healthy. I did my post-op diet a little different that most people do and my doc is totally impressed with my progress. I have lost 130 pounds, and I went from a size 22 to a size 4 in something like 7 months. I don't diet, I don't skip out on meals with my family. I look at it like this, if I have a meal once a week that is "junk food" the other 20 meals that week that are healthy more than make up for it. I never overeat healthy or not, and I get in my Protein and most of my Water each day. My blood work is beautiful, and my blood pressure and lipid panel is perfect. So I must be doing something right.

I called my insurance and asked if they had approved anything from insure nutrition, they said no but a pharmacy out of state did get a pre-approval for 2 compound meds for me. One for Vitamins and one for a blend of meds, the cust service person didn't know what it was for (the scar cream). I asked what my copay would be and she said the liquid was billed at $299.50 and I had a $10 co-pay, the cream compound was billed at $5,000 for one med, $750 for another med, and $199 for the final component. That's a $6000 tube of scar cream. I was approved for those 2, but she wasn't showing the Protein shakes, so I was curious and called my medical insurance, they bill the shakes as durable medical equipment which I thought was weird, but it was also covered. I still haven't been called back from Insure Nutrition, so no clue what is going on with them as far as shipping, or billing etc. I guess they figure if they are making $6000 for scar cream, even if the vitamins and protein isn't covered they can still ship it and make a profit. I just don't get why I'm not being called back, or emailed about the progress. I would think that after all the calls and all the times I was told it was "in process" that the manager that I spoke with yesterday would call me back and give me an update. I'm on the east coast, and they are west coast, so there is a 4 hour time difference, but still it's after noon their time, and still no followup on his part. That's poor customer service.

For those saying that they fast after a dinner of pizza, or add more exercise, I look at it like this pre-op I would have 1/2 a pizza, now I have 3/4 of a slice, or a whole slice if they are small. I do my normal exercise. This surgery isn't a diet that I see pizza as cheating. It is a surgery that i chose because it helps me reduce my portions, and I never wanted to "diet" again.

I have called and I get a different answer everytime I call. It's usually we will be calling you within the next 48 hours, but I have been hearing that for over 2 weeks now. I talked to a manager last night, and he told me my script was just not processed, no one touched it for over 10 days, and he doesn't know why. I have several people that I would LOVE to refer to them, but I don't want them to have to hound them for service. I'm waiting for a promised call back today from that manager, he is going to see if he can get me a status update, and see if I have any copays. I told him that at this point if I don't hear something soon I am just going to forget about it all together. It's been too much hassle honestly.

I submitted my info almost a month ago, and still haven't received a response. Any idea what the hold up may be? I confirmed by calling that my script was signed and returned, and over a week ago it was "being processed by the pharmacy" still no contact at all. Can you help?

I went through exactly the same thing, my pouch had prolapsed into my band. The band came out and I was revised to the sleeve last May, and never looked back. I was told that when I had food poisoning it caused my band to slip and the pouch just collapsed into the band. I had a barium swallow test and when they asked me to take a 3rd drink it came out of my nose, it couldn't pass through the band, some days I did ok on soft foods, some days even Protein shakes were too thick to pass through the crowded opening. The surgeon explained that my stomach would shift, sometime blocking my pouch opening and sometimes it was in a healthy position, and since the slip was minor, and the complications were major, he felt that revising me was the best option. And I would get dizzy from low blood sugar, not being able to eat will do that, my mom is diabetic and we tested my sugar level during a dizzy spell, it was in the 40's. I also had very low blood pressure from dehydration and lack of sodium from not eating. I would call your surgeon NOW and tell them you need to be seen. I hope this is not your case, but it sounds just like what I went through.

I didn't read all the replies, but I was sleeved in May 2013, and have been at goal for a few months. I have pizza at a local pizza place, they make an amazing thin crust New York style pizza. They have a 3 slices and a drink for $3.99, My hubby and I do this deal, they have premade cheese pizzas and for $.50 you can add a topping per slice. I have them add tomato or spinach, and hubby has sausage or pepperoni added. I eat about 75% of my slice, and take a refill of the drink for later. It didn't slow my progress in the slightest. I also have a Papa Murphy's Pizza (their delite pizzas are amazing) they make the pizza in front of you, think subway, and you take it home and bake it to your liking. Their delite pizza is lower in carbs, and thin crust, like a tortilla. I get them with no sauce, garlic and olive oil as my sauce, chicken, spinach, 3 cheese blend, and tomatoes and artichokes. It makes a wonderful meal, and reheats great too. I just wish they made them in personal sized delite. They have regular crust in personal size, they call them mini-murph pizzas. ( www.papamurphys.com ) They also make personal and family sized salads, and cheesey bread, just crust with garlic and cheese, or dessert pizza. I only have the delite, and I LOVE their garlic parm seasoning, I have them add extra to my pizza and have bought a bottle to keep at home, we love it on chicken and I do it on grilled shrimp too. Don't look at food of any kind as evil, or cheating. When you make a food forbidden it makes you that much more likely to binge on it. So I have had the mindset to eat what I want, in a reasonable quantity, and be done. For example last year I would sit and eat and ENTIRE bag of Cadbury eggs (the candy coated chocolate eggs) in one sitting, during a movie for example. This year I bought a bag when I first saw them on the shelf, around valentines day, to use on top of mini-cupcakes for my great nieces so I used about 10 of them the day I bought them, I have had one or two here and there, and I still have a ton of them left over, that would have never happened pre-sleeve. LOL I would be on my 10th or 12th bag by now, but I'm most likely going to end of throwing out the bigger portion of the one bag I bought this year.

Hello? Anyone interested. I know there are several of us in this area, I see over 50 from my surgeon alone. Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

I just made the statement that I'm wearing horizontal stripes for the first time ever. They are pajamas, but still not only stripes but horizontal ones!!!

Thank you so very much for this post. After going through the seminar and my 6 month diet and scheduling my surgery for June, my husband basically let me know that he does not support me having the surgery. I have been very overweight since I had our first child 7 months into our marriage. That child is now 18. I have yo yo dieted for years and they weight always comes back. At my largest I was 275, and at the beginning of my surgery Quest I was 222. I am currently 201 and scheduled for surgery on June 10th. 201 doesn't sound huge but have type 2 diabetes and taking 2 insulin's is a huge health factor for me. I want to be healthy and I want to feel beautiful and have energy and Im very sad that he does not support that. You have to do what is right for you! He will either come on board, or he won't but you will live longer, healthier, and happier without the excess weight. I told my husband that I had to do this for me, and he could love and support me, or he could show me that he never really loved me at all. If you love someone you don't care what it takes to make them healthy and happy, you just care that they are healthy and happy.

I sent in my info a while ago and they called to tell me to call the dr's office and ok them to sign the script. The office signed and faxed it back same day. Insure Nutrition claimed they didn't get it, so the office faxed it in again (same day). Insure Nutrition got that one, and I haven't heard from them again. I called last week and was told it was in the pharmacy to give it a day or so and someone would call me. I waited 5 days and didn't hear back, so I called again only to be told they are having issues with their computer system and it would be another week before they called me. I don't understand others getting theirs so quickly, that sent their info in at the same time as I did. My prescription company said no one contacted them from Insure Nutrition, I was talking to them about another script for my daughter. I'm sure they will cover it, but they don't seem to be too terribly interested in getting my stuff processed. I see my doctor next week, and he asked me to let him know how their customer service is, he would reccomend them to his patients, but wants to make sure they will get good service. I don't know what to tell him at this point.

I was able to have both done at the same time. The doctor said it was a 50/50 shot but I woke up sleeved. And I had been banded a LONG time, and had some major issues. I would ask if it can be done in one shot if at all possible.

Even just starting research you have joined a new family. We are a family of LOSERS but the very best kind of losers. I have always said that when I had WLS I lost weight but gained a family and they are worth their weight in gold, and I mean their pre-surgery weight! I don't know what I would do without my little bariatricpal family. I have been around since each type of weight loss had their own site, that is why my post count is so high, and I have made friends from all across the country that have remained in my life through thick and thin. We have even met at Disney and spent the day riding roller coasters together! My bariatric family understands things my home family will NEVER understand. If you haven't walked a mile in my plus sized pants there in no way you can understand what I'm dealing with, but the people her get it.

I had surgery on May 8th, and on June 20th I rode everything at Universal Studios Orlando for my daughter's b-day. I was fine. The biggest challenge was finding stuff to eat. I had a small side of grits and scrambled eggs for Breakfast (a few bites off my hubby's plate), for lunch I had a yogurt, and a Protein shake that I made with a Bariatric Advantage pouch and a carton of skim milk, and half a bottle of Water, then for dinner I had a side order of shrimp from Jimmy Buffets. I ordered a shrimp cocktail and just skipped the sauce, I used a few extra lemons and a dash of hot sauce to give them some flavor. It was hard watching my family eat giant cheese burgers, and fries, but I did it, and was satisfied after the meal. I was comfortable with what I ate, and went home without feeling hungry. I live about 3 hours away from the park in North Florida, so on the drive home I stopped at a gas station and bought some propel to help replenish my electrolytes. Just remember to stay hydrated, avoid the beer gardens at Busch Gardens, as the alcohol will hit you much faster, dehydrate you, and are empty calories. Do your research ahead of time on what they allow you to carry in foodwise, I have a card from my doctor explaining that I eat a limited diet, so they allowed me to bring in my little lunch box sized cooler with my applesauce and yogurt in it. I also had my little carton of skim milk for my Protein Shake. If you are on your regular food stage, then look at menus online to see if they offer anything you are willing/able to eat. Now that I'm further out from surgery I just get a grilled chicken salad or a grilled chicken sandwich with no bread, and I eat the chicken, and I ask for fruit in place of fries, or just order ala carte. I was fine on the rides, it was the other changes that surprised me.

Yes, please! I'm afraid that I won't be able to get all my Water in either. I'm just not a big drinker now; can't imagine when my stomach is smaller. I get the closest to getting my water in each day when I have a water bottle in hand constantly. I have a brita water bottle that filters the water as you drink it, and I have an odd quirk. I love the ice from Sonic. Once a week I treat myself to a rt 64 unsweet tea with the splenda sweetened blackberry flavoring added to it, but when I'm there I pick up 2 bags of their crushed ice. I love the way it crunches, and it seems to keep my water cold longer than regular ice. I did a side by side test, with regular ice cubes, and and sonic ice in identical glasses and tap water, the sonic ice was still visible over an hour after the normal ice cubes were gone. And the water with the sonic ice was colder. My daughter did her science fair project on this topic, and it turns out that because the ice is in such small pieces there is more exposed surface area, so the water actually DOES get colder. So that's one way I trick myself into getting in more water. I use ice that I like. It's something that I do just for me. I know it sounds crazy, but it makes me want to drink more water. I also use a product called true lemon, it's dehydrated lemon juice, in a crystal powder. It comes in small pouches like crystal light, and I add that to my water when I get tired of just plain water, it's calorie and caffine free. I will put a pack of nectrese and a true lemon in my bottle, to make 10 calorie lemonade. They also make lime, rasberry-lemon, and orange. They are a good source of Vitamin C, so I keep a few in the side pocket of my purse. And since I love coffee, and hot tea, I bought myself a keurig, and keep a good supply of decaf coffee, and herbal teas, they are a great way to get water in too. As long as it's caffine and calorie free it counts as water.

I want to make a statement that my surgeon reminded me of this evening. I saw him at a social event hosted by my bariatric team, and I thanked him for saving my life. He reminded me that he didn't fix me, he gave me the tools to fix myself. I gave him a huge hug, and thanked him for the tools, and for believing in me, and for having a staff that is amazing cheerleaders and great support. I saw a group of post-op patients doing a fashion show this evening, and the people that walked the catwalk had lost a total of 2,200 pounds, I was dumbfounded when that number was announced. There were mother daughter teams that were sleeved together, and husband/wife pairs as well. I will say that my support came from friends, and my daughter, not my partner in the beginning, and now that he is on board things are much much easier. Going into the operating room without his support was hard, and I cried all the way down that hallway, and went under sobbing. The nurse held my hand, and told me that she would be my support if I needed someone and he didn't come around. I'm lucky and glad he did come around, and now my hubby is an amazing cheerleader, but I will say doing it with someone being negative is HARD.

We did some really fun pictures tonight with a professional photographer, and they will be emailed to us in a week or so. I will forsure post them. I didn't model tonight, but I will be up there next time.

So can I be the official May cheerleader for you guys? I'm willing to help if I can. You can message me here, or post in this thread if you have questions, or want encouragement or support. I'm here to help if I can.

the hardest part is getting my Water in each day, and also trying to keep my Vitamins in check. I seem to have something different low each visit. For example my Iron was low in my first set of labs, then without adding iron to my supplements it was fine the next time. But my b1/thiamin was low, and even with taking 2 super b tablets a day, it was still low. I am now taking 2 super b tablets and 2 b1/thiamin tablets a day and I just had labs drawn this week, and will have results next week. I am almost never hungry, and I can't stand sweets anymore. When they remove the bulk of your stomach they also remove the area that produces the hunger hormone, and the part that makes you crave sweets. I can't even do the kids chewable vitamins, they are too sweet and make me gag. So I take regular tablets, and they go down just fine. I take a handful of vitamins a day, and I'm healthy, happy and have more energy than I have ever had. I just posted a huge thread about my very emotional NSV tonight. My surgeon that is normally very composed, and not very friendly just very to the point, told me how proud he was of me, and corrected my mom when she said I had lost too much, and called me perfect and compared me to a Barbie. I joked that I gained 20 pounds just from my head swelling. I was banded in 2005 and started at 244 I lost a grand total of 40 pounds with my band. Then when I had my revision I was 206 the morning of surgery last May. So I have lost a total of 129 pounds total, but 91 of those were with my sleeve. I actually lost the 91 pounds in 7 months. I have been at goal since before Christmas.

My bariatric group hosted their first meet and greet, that was loaded with some great vendors giving out some nice goodies, and holding a few drawings for some cool stuff. Then they held an amazing fashion show using some of their patients that were willing to walk the catwalk in some beautiful outfits. They also provided some tasty Snacks, some healthy some not so healthy. (I will question that when I see him in the office next week). My mom, hubby, daughter, and daughter's best friend attended with me as my "support people" As the fashion show was coming to a close, I notice my surgeon standing in the back watching, and I slipped back to talk to him for a moment. I haven't seen him for 4 months, like I said I have an appt next week, he looked at me and seemed puzzled, he said I know you, but I don't know where I know you from. He thought I was a spouse of a patient. I reminded him that he did my surgery last May, and that I had lost 130 pounds, his mouth dropped open, and then it clicked who I was in his mind. He asked how I have been doing, and how I am feeling now that I am at my goal. I told him I feel amazing, I was so overcome with emotion that I just stepped forward pulled him into a hug and started to cry, on his very expensive suit. He hugged me back to my surprise (he is very professional, and doesn't have the most friendly personality, very to the point and blunt in the office) and said that he was just blown away with my success, and that he was PROUD of me, and wanted me in the next fashion show. My family had joined us at this point, and my mom made the comment that I was too thin, and he corrected her and said I was not too thin, I looked perfect. He said I looked like a barbie doll, and he wouldn't change a thing about me. I thanked him for saving my life, and he reminded me again tonight of something he said to me on the day of my surgery. He couldn't "fix me", but he was giving me the tools to fix myself. That has stuck with me, and when I start to think of cheating on my food plan, (I NEVER diet, I have a life long food plan) I think of the amazing tool he has given me, and how he told me it was up to me to make this tool work for me. I have worked my sleeve to it's fullest and I am proud to say that I have gone from a size 22/24 to a 4 yes that's right a 4. I am going to walk in the next fashion show, and I am not only going to walk, I'm going to strut my stuff. I am so proud of the work I have put into my new self, and I and forever greatful for the tool that Dr. Uchal had given to me. My life was changed on May 8th 2013, that will be the day I Celebrate my rebirth. I just wanted to share with you all, it was an NSV but seeing all the other women that had made the same amazing transformations that I have made brought me to tears. At the end of the show, they announced that the ladies that walked in the show tonight had lost a total of 2,200 pounds. Amazing. And my mother who needs the surgery told me that she was too old. Well tonight she met a woman that is older than her that was sleeved and lost 156 pounds. She looked AMAZING, and my mom asked her a ton of questions. I think she might actually look into being sleeved. This is something I have prayed about for the last year. My mom is diabetic, high blood pressure and high cholestrol, and she had to have back surgery, and now she needs knee surgery. I keep telling her the surgery would change her life. It would help her live longer, healthier and happier. She told me that she would do the surgery but doesn't want the excess skin, I told her I would rather have her with excess skin, and Alive, than bury her with tight skin. I don't want to lose my mom to obesity, when help is available. I think that actually sunk in tonight. I guess we will see what she does. I did my surgery to be here for my daughter, and I hope she is willing to do the same to be here for myself and my daughter. Tonight was a great night. It also made me decide to help set up a monthly meeting for my area. I posted in the local group area so I guess tonight not only made me happy, but also made me see that I have a lot of support and motivation to offer.

I would be more than willing to help in anyway I can. You can contact me at piercedqt78@gmail.com to set something up. I'm in the western burbs of Jacksonville and use one of the large bariatric groups in the area. I attended their fashion show/meet and greet this evening and had a blast. I would love to help set up a monthly meeting/luncheon/outing. I can also give you the name/number of my surgeon if you need someone for your followup care. I'm really happy with my group, the entire staff is caring and kind, and they are the best cheerleaders any patient could ask for.

My doctor says the cold is from 2 things, you are losing weight, and losing your "insulation" and you are taking in fewer calories, calories turn into energy and energy creates heat. I am almost 1 year post-op and I'm finally not taking a sweater everywhere I go, and I live in Florida. So the cold is normal, and the dizziness upon standing could be low blood sugar, or if you are taking blood pressure meds, you might need them adjusted, if not, you may just have low blood pressure now that you are losing weight and eating less. I would pick up a cheap blood sugar kit and monitor your sugar level when you get dizzy. I hope you have called your surgeon or pcp to get in for a followup. Some of the symptoms you are describing are normal, but the fact that you are having so many symptoms is worrisome. Please take care of yourself.

It gets better, honest. If you work your sleeve, I mean really use it to it's full potential you will get rid of that sound in no time. I will be your biggest cheerleader, and do everything I can to help you stay motivated! It's worth every struggle, and every effort you put into the process.

Hi Chad, welcome. I will say this, my husband has always been with heavy women, and I was no exception. He married me when I was a size 18. He wasn't totally on board on with the surgery either, and we have a 12 year old daughter. I wanted to be able to be her mom for the long haul. I wanted to be around to attend her wedding, and also to see her have kids of her own. My ever expanding waistline wasn't going to let that happen. I was on track for a stroke, type 2 diabetes, and who know what else. He didn't threaten to leave me, but he wasn't very supportive. He didn't attend my seminar, or any of my pre-op meetings. He even tried to talk my PCP out of clearing me for surgery. I did everything on my own, and pushed forward to save my own life and health. I had a lapband, for almost 8 years, and had complications, he wanted me to have the band removed, and not have the sleeve. I had only lost 40 pounds, and I was gaining that back quickly. So I again pushed on without his approval, or support. Now I'm down from 244 pounds to 115, and he is so happy with my energy level, greatly improved health, and my renewed self confidence. He now attends my followup appointments, insists on taking me to my NUT appts, and has been great about ordering foods that I can share with him, so that I can eat healthy, and not be stuck with 4 or 5 meals worth of leftovers. After he saw the amazing results, and how the surgery improved my life he sat me down and said how sorry he was for not being there for me through my struggles with my weight, and the 2 surgeries. He said he was afraid he would lose me and didn't want to even imagine life without me. And he said that seeing me going into surgery and then coming out with drains, and not being able to eat was really hard for him. He explained that he knew I was struggling, but out of fear he didn't feel able to support me the way he should have supported me. What I want to say is that you have to do this surgery for YOU, and no one else. Don't let anyone talk you out of doing what is right for you, and what is best for your health, and future. Don't let your boyfriend talk you out of getting the surgery that is being covered. I don't want to sound like a jerk, but he is your boyfriend right now, what if you break up and your insurance changes in the mean time, then you may or may not have coverage for your sleeve. Just think of this as a lifelong decision that will affect you, and who ever is in your future. Don't let someone's fear keep you from taking charge of your body and health.

I was May 8th last year. May sleevers are the BEST sleevers. Good luck to you all!! I'm always here if you have questions, or want advice. According to my doc, I ROCKED my sleeve. The time will fly by, and before you know it, you will be rocking skinny jeans, and posting NSV's.