Patti T.

Hi Guys, I totally understand where you are coming from regarding the head hunger. I am only one week out and I am starting to think about food ALOT!. I'm too scared to stray from my diet at this point, afraid it will hurt and all that. I find myself watching FOOD network way more than I ever used to. I am determined to be strong though.

jujube and janinemm, Thanks for the replys! I thought I was going a little crazy here, not seeing the scale budge. Glad to know that I am not the only one this happened too. I guess I just have to be a little more patient.

It will be one week for me tomorrow. I feel like I am healing well. Getting my protein shakes down, still struggling to make 64oz of fluid a day though. I've only lost 2 lbs this week which isn't anywhere near what I thought I would lose the first week. It's disappointing.

Good luck, i'll be thinking about you. Just remember the worst will pass and be over before you know it. And get up and walking as soon as you can.

Glad to hear that you are doing well and that you got to go home the same day.

Hi Claire and everyone, Well I had my surgery Feb 20th @1200 as scheduled and was just released home today. The first six hrs postop were a bear as I felt like i swallowed a giant gas bubble that wouldn't let up. Thank God for the PCA drip. Got walking my first night and that really seemed to help. The best advice I can give for the first few days is walk, walk, walk. Even when you don't feel like it. I am now transitioning from clears to full liquids, drinking my first protein shake as I type. Hope everything is going well for everyone. I will have to catch on reading the messages on this board. Patti

Hi again everyone, Well tomorrow's the big day. Got to report in at 10 am. Not as anxious as I thought I would be at this point.

Technically supposed to start the prep tomorrow morning. But I don't think starting early will be an issue as long as I stick to a clear liquid diet once I start.

Lots of luck to you! Hope it all goes well!

No never had one. I teach a class in the morning and the bathroom is right across the hall. Unfortunately, I couldn't find anyone to give my lecture for me, so taking the day off is not really an option. Think I might just start the prep the evening before instead. Hopefully, the worst of it won't last too long.

Thanks Mrs Harkness, good luck to you too. Surgery will be over before we know it!

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone. I'm sitting here going over the bowel prep and wondering how I'm going to survive going to work at the same time. Claire, 14lbs in a week does seem like a lot but good for you! About the Weetabix, are you already on solids?

You have to do everything before they will approve you. The surgeon looks over you records and meets with you one on one AFTER you complete the preop list requirements. If you haven't completed the list, they won't meet with you. Apparently there are a lot of patients who go to the orientation but never complete the preop list. I guess it's there way of making sure you are committed.

Will do. Will tricare even give you that choice to go to Hopkins with WR being near by?

Sure. It's very similar to what was described for Portsmouth. Last Aug, I got my PCM to refer me to WR bariatric program. Sept I went to orientation class. Like Portsmouth, you have to do labs, EKG, sleep study to determine if you have sleep apnea, and colonoscopy (if you fall into a certain category only). I also had to meet with a dietician every four weeks. She signs you off for surgery after 3 meetings but you have to continue to see her. I did one meeting with an exercise physiologist and one with a psychiatrist. We were also required to go to five WLS support group meetings. You also had to lose a minimum of 10 lbs and keep it off. All of this had to be done before we could get an appt to see the surgeon. After that they put you on the list for surgery and they schedule you first come first serve as surgery times open up. I saw the surgical resident back at the beginning of Dec. I got lucky and they were able to put me in for surgery this Feb. They also make you do a 2 week liquid diet pre-op, which has been very difficult for me so far.