Calimomof3

I'm down 46lbs since June 5th

Hello. My surgeon told me bring my CPAP machine with me on surgery day. He said that I will need it afterwards. I was told that because we will still be medicated and it will cause your apnea to be worst. The muscles in your throat will be relaxed. I would defintely confirm with your doctor.

They glue electrodes on your head and face-- there's a lot of them. You get a mask to put over the lower half of your face, then you go to sleep. When you wake up, they take them out and you leave.

I'm new to myfitnesspal.com and in the nutrition area it shows a chart of the percentage of carbs, Protein and fat intake per day -- I see that my goals say 50% carbs, 30% fat and 20% protein ---- but should those percentages be different for those of us who have been sleeved??

Wow, I guess I better get moving more! I'm 8 weeks out and have been just walking and using the bands for exercises until this week. I just started using an eliptical machine today in addition to the bands and began using the ab lounge to help with the crunches. That may not sound like a lot but it's more than what I did before wls and my heart goes in and out of afib, so I don't do too much that can bring an episode on.

Wow, I guess I better get moving more! I'm 8 weeks out and have been just walking and using the bands for exercises until this week. I just started using an eliptical machine today in addition to the bands and began using the ab lounge to help with the crunches. That may not sound like a lot but it's more than what I did before wls and my heart goes in and out of afib, so I don't do too much that can bring an episode on.

I'm kind of like you, Reddrobin, I don't have the full feeling, so I am relying on measuring my food. I was sleeved on 6/5 and still on pureed foods, which is cottage cheese, refried Beans and yogurt and for a treat, I have a vanilla ice cream from McDs minus the cone, once in a while. I also get atleast a 40g Protein shake down too.

Have you tried the Muscle Milk Pro Series? it has 40g of Protein, so more than just the regular ones and they have it in vanilla, chocolate and mint chocolate!! The mint one is my fave and I don't think I could stomach the powder shakes so these ready to drink ones are fabulous!!

I am 4 days out of surgery and I've found that Muscle Milk, Vanilla Creme taste just like a vanilla shake. It's the best I've had. Honestly, I'm still not hungry so these shakes help me out. If you haven't tried thus flavor, please do. Try the ready made ones and nit the powder.

My doctor said it was ok to chew sugarfree gum, so I have Trident always with me for that need to chew!

HW: 234
SW: 229
CW: 204
Surgery was 6/5
Doing great, no problems with Protein, Water or pureed, which I am on now. In fact, for lunch I mashed up 3 oz of avocado but got full after just half of that. My pureed list is very short due to being so pickey - so it's either yogurt, cottage cheese, avocado, refried Beans, Soups or Protein shakes. I have one more week on pureed and then move on to soft foods

I was that way until I started pureed foods. Now I'm wondering when I'm going to go....

I was told that it's the weight that you start at with your first surgeon's visit that Cigna goes by but I've wondered the same thing. My starting BMI was over 40 and I had two co-morbidities that were well documented. Cigna never questioned the co-mordities because at a BMI of 40 I didn't need them Read you approval level when you get it. It's very confusing and in one paragraph they say your approved and in the next they say that the letter is not an approval and your approval is determined by facts on the date of surgery. As a precautionary note I have decided not to drop to a BMI of 35 or below just in case. My current BMI is now just a little over 37 down from 41 but I will not risk having to pay for this myself by being too successful on my pre surgical diet.
I would also advise having a 4th meeting with your nutritionist or dietician. That way there is no doubt that you have been under a supervised weight loss plan for more that 89 days. Cigna is a stickler about the 89 day rule.

Truely, this journey is ups and downs, I have never had any issues with food or the surgery, it was just to easy. Nothing to warn me of not eating, so I an eat everything. I first try and get Water and protien in, but I like to cook and entertain, so I make things I have to or end up nibing on. I continue to lose at a slow rate. I have no complaints. One week I will be up two ponds then two weeks later down 5 so making head way and living life with a few restrictions. I enjoy this site as I can share my experience and hear about everyone elses, it helps when I am on bad days. Thank you all and may the force be with you!!

I'm 3 weeks post op and when I had my Cigna paperwork turned in, they did require 2 years medical records, but in actuality, they just needed a print out of one office visit for year 2012 and 2013 - so I had asked the nurse to find the one from each year with my highest weight on them. I was approved within a week of submitting paperwork

Hi all! I had surgery on Thursday June 5th -- It went great, the dr. fixed the hiatal hernia at the same time. I had surgery at 7:30am and was home by 1pm the same day. I had kept on the nausea patch the center gave me but needed no pain meds at all. I walked the first day some but not as much as I should have and had plenty of gas for the next few days but no pain. I had a drain removed the day after surgery and walked through costco and Walmart. As for the stitches, I have 5 incisions, and the steri-tape is still on and they are starting to itch, so I guess that means they are healing.
I've done well with the clear Proteins, Water and broth the first week and now that it's week 2, I'm doing the Protein shakes as well as the week 1 things and doing well.

I'm 4 days post-op and I've gotten whey Protein shots. They have 42 grams of Protein in a 3.8 oz tube. I've gotten them at CNG and The Vitamin Shoppe. I've tried all the flavors, fruit puch, watermelon, grape and blue raspberry. They are sugar free as well. I like the raspberry the best and watermelon is the worst. The only thing is that they are real sweet and thick but two of those a day and my protein is done.
I am looking forward to next week when I can add my Muscle Milk pro series 40g Protein shakes, the choc mint is wonderful!

My dr. required a letter from the PCP but she just wrote it based on another doctor (my cardiologist) stating medical clearance was given although I am an intermediate risk for the surgery.

This is day 2 of my liquid diet 2weeks before surgery so Far its going really good when I think of food I pray and say giving up is not a option I have waited along time BE BLESSED WE CAN DO IT ????????????????????????????????

For me, it has nothing to do with shame, but of having to answer all of the follow up questions. I told one person, a neighbor, before. Then the questions started:
Why can't you just eat less and move more?
What foods are you eating?
Can't you stop eating fried foods? (I never have been a fried food person)
What are you doing for exercise?
Have you ever tried Water aerobics?
What diets have you tried? Did ANY of them work?
On and on the questions came. This person had never battled weight from what I can tell. I regretted telling them and never told anyone else after. It was a decision that worked for me.

I can't believe it, but my dr. office sent the paperwork to Cigna on May 14th, and I have a letter dated March 21 with the approval!! I just found out about it today, as I've been out of state since the 15th. Although my BMI went down to 37.4, I have severe sleep apnea so I have a feeling that helped in the decision. Surgery is next Thursday, June 5th!

Whoo hoo congrats and good luck on your upcoming journey

I'm on day 4 of a 10 day pre-op and I'm not having any bathroom issues - in fact, the opposite, rather than going daily, it's every other or third day. Considering starting the benefiber a bit early.

I am doing my pre-op diet and found some shakes that I love, I just hope and pray that I'll still like them after surgery.
Muscle Milk Pro Series 40g Protein for 14 oz and I love the chocolate Mint
Oh Yeah! 32 g protein for 14 oz, banana creme is the best!!
These aren't cheap, like almost $3 a bottle, but you can order them from Amazon.com in a case of 12.
I liked the Premier Protein, but then I got a case that had to be returned, as it got real thick and chunky... turned me off to that brand.

When I got home today, I found my letter in the mailbox! I am approved and Cigna only took a week from the date the dr. turned in the paperwork. Date is set for next week, June 5