samuelsmom

Congratulations! I am so happy for you! That is wonderful news and inspiration for anyone else who is struggling with insurance issues.

I go out to eat all the time and it's no problem. Here are my strategies: 1) Go online for chain restaurants and review the nutrition and plan what to order. I order a full meal and have great leftovers. 2) Earlier in my recovery I would order Maryland Crab Soup or another non-cream soup which was great and took me 1/2 hour to eat. 3) salad is usually served first so I eat a very small bit of it and asked to have the rest boxed up. 4) If there is no nutrition info online, I stick with a sirloin steak or grilled fish. 5) If I get questions, I tell people I am being careful and share what I am doing (Protein and veggies) which females especially want to hear about and contributes to the conversation. 6) I skip the rolls/butter 7) Don't just pick items from the menu just for protein, make sure they are things that you actually like! Good Luck!

This is very normal with the liquid Protein diet. It's ok to drink the minimum number of shakes you need to meet your protein requirements and not get extra. Make sure you get your Water in and stay hydrated! Good luck with your surgery!

Looks like you are right on track. Keep up the good work! Also, I agree with Blerdgirl to try to not compare yourself to others as that can make you nuts!

I don't like the sugar free stuff and don't eat it. There is no reason to have any of the SF Jello or popsicles if you don't like them. I stick with a lot of yogurt and try to avoid the "nonfat" yogurt as it usually has more sugar or sugar substitutes.

As a nurse, I believe that there can be clear medical indications for tummy tucks. For example, people who have recurring infections and skin breakdown due to increased body folds. This can be very serious and put someone in the hospital on IV antibiotics. I don't see why a qualified panel cannot do the evaluation and come up with specific criteria. IMO, I don't agree with psychological effects as a rationale for insurance to cover. As Bufflehead said "Just about any cosmetic surgery could be covered if the only criterion was that it affects you emotionally."

She had surgery just a few weeks ago and you think she should just go ahead and "have it!"??? I don't think the post was meant to convey that someone just out of surgery should have McDonalds. I think the idea is to help prevent feelings of being deprived which then increases the desire for whatever "it" is. My dad did this when he quit smoking. He had a pack in the basement and would say that he could have a cigarette anytime he wanted to. He just chose NOT to have it that day. For some people this strategy is very effective.

Thanks for the recipe. I am going to try it this weekend!

Hang in there! You can do this! Mine thankfully was only a week so not so bad. If you find that you are having a hard time handling it, you might want to reach out to your nutritionist to request the addition of some lean Protein.

@humblestar25 Depending on the surgeon's practice there can be a ton of hoops to jump through. I have often felt many of these unneccessary. I was lucky in that my requirements were pretty minimal: doctor evaluation, 3 dietitian visits, blood work, psych eval, and stress test. It really wasn't too bad. I know some folks have to have a lot more. Your height and weight are not bad and you can certainly do this. Does your doctor also offer non-surgical weight management? I know many do. I would encourage you to avail yourself of the help you can get from a medical team to really get this done and develop habits to help keep it off.. Good Luck on your weight loss journey!

@@Disney_Girl36 That's fine. Most Protein shakes have at least 20 gm of protein so you are getting enough in. You may also want to add Greek yogurt as a snack if you think you need more protein/calories. If you are on a "full liquid diet" greek yogurt is ok to have. It's great that you are getting a lot of Fluid in. Keep up the good work!

Dumping is much less common with the sleeve because the intestines are not altered by the surgery. However, there are some who experience it.

I try to avoid artificial sweeteners and don't use them if I can avoid it. You can go through this program without using them excessively. You have to read a lot of labels but it is doable!

@@LDAF Greetings! I'm an RN living in PA and works in Baltimore Maryland, about an hour south. For soft foods, soup was my friend and vegetarian chili. Also cheese sticks were great buddies! If you are a fish fan, tilapia and salmon are great. I fried mine in a pan with olive oil, lemon, and a touch of salt and pepper. The oil helps the plumbing out... If you can't tolerate the oil, I'm sure Pam would work fine. Looks like you have made great progress.

@IcIemur I think there is another thing that needs to be said here. Before surgery, there is a lot to do and the anticipation is huge. Now, the surgery is done and your body is still healing and you are dealing with the aftermath which can be tough. My recommendation? Realize that your thoughts and feelings will change and that you will not feel this way forever. I remember having the same exact feeling when I could barely eat anything and wondering if it would always be this way. Of course, it wasn't and those feelings quickly passed. Hang in there. If you continue to feel depressed, there are several great ideas already mentioned on this thread.

@@Onyx999 I felt for you when I read your last post. I too am one of those who have been overweight my entire life so I have an idea of how you feel. There have been a lot of good suggestions on this thread. I would suggest you look for a comprehensive weight management center that includes a fitness center. Personally, I do think 20 is a bit young for surgery, however, it is clear you need to start something! A good center will provide a dietitian to help out, a fitness center to help you exercise effectively and track your progress and a sensible eating plan. Once you have tackled the problem, see where it takes you. With luck you'll be one of the ones who can do it without the surgical intervention. And if you do need surgery, all the documentation will be in place! Good Luck!

I can eat anything at 4 months post-op. Am very grateful for the restriction!

@@kndoster I laughed out loud when I read your description of the surgeon and his response to your question. His (IMO) stupid response tells me that he obviously he has no clue about what it is like to actually be a bariatric patient. Just glad for you that he was a good surgeon!

Blood transfusions following bariatric surgery are uncommon. This is not a surgery where there is typically a lot of blood loss. I agree with all of the suggestions listed above. There is a good article on MedicineNet about the risks of same at http://www.medicinenet.com/blood_transfusion/page6.htm#what_are_the_risks_and_complications_of_a_blood_transfusion.

Thanks, my laugh for today!

Weight for Monday (3/16): 227

@@smile121 It seems that the person you are dealing with has forgotten that you are the client and her job is to provide service. I would call her up again and confirm that she has received the information. I would also ask the questions you have and get a plan. It is the middle of March. She should have a good idea of what is happening in April! If it was just a bad day then all should be fine. If she remains unhelpful, report this to the office manager. I had an experience where the scheduler came out into the waiting area and yelled at me about not having my stress test done! I informed her it was scheduled and walked out of the office. A few minutes later, I realized that bad behavior is just not acceptable and I was not helping by doing nothing. I walked right back in and spoke with the program director. I am so glad I did. I got an apology from the scheduler, but more importantly, sent a message that there are standards of behavior that are not optional!

When I got on puree foods, I ate soups where the contents could be mashed into a puree consistency. Bean soups are particularly good for this.

Regular food that you cook yourself is a better option, however, the frozen meals can be convenient. If you are otherwise healthy, then they should not be a problem. Just be sure to eat lower sodium foods are days you have the box meals and get in plenty of fluids. If you have medical conditions such as high blood pressure, cardiac or kidney problems, then I would talk to the dietitian for professional advice.

I was never a big soda drinker anyway. Now when my husband is drinking root beer (my favorite) I will have a few sips. I enjoy it and no ill effects. It seems to me that there is a tremendous variability in what everyone can and can't eat and/or drink. It is pretty amazing to me at hour our bodies react differently to the same basic surgery. I have been lucky- so far, I can eat and drink anything I want and my tastebuds have not changed at all.