Everything posted by samuelsmom
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Chinese food ok when?
The first thing I had was egg foo yung at about 4 weeks out. Had no problems. I have Hot and Sour soup and some type of chicken and vegetables every couple of weeks.
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incentive spirometer?
By now the effects of anesthesia should be out of your system. What problems are you having?
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March 10th starts my journey
Thank you for sharing your story. Best of success!
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Do you miss anything about being fat?
Well this topic has got me really thinking. First, I am still fat, just less so. And I am very comfortable with my body. I didn't and don't hate it. I was frankly terrified of what was going to happen to it if didn't get a handle on my weight which prompted this WLS journey. I like the compliments I get now and that i can fit into smaller clothes. I hope I will still feel like me and not weird. Will I recognize that person in the mirror? I really like her now and hope that it stays that way!
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Soul Relationships, part 1
Clearly I need remediation. When I saw "soul-mates" I thought of Peanut Butter and Jelly Apple pie and Ice cream and my personal favorite: Premium vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup!
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As Good As It Gets
This is a great post. Obesity is an incurable disease just like alcoholism, MS, and Lupus. However, isn't it wonderful that it can be treated! I think of myself as a "recovering obesiac." Not a medical term, I know! But it helps me keep things in perspective. It's easy to get discouraged. When I realize this is a disease process that I am fighting it helps me stay motivated.
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Denial from CareFirst BCBS
Since you have the documentation, hopefully it will be smoothe. There are lots of people that have to appeal and are successful doing so. As far as the doctor's office goes, I would suggest meeting with the office manager to share your concerns. Also, I would suggest writing a letter to the insurance company detailing your weight loss efforts and attaching the documentation anyway! That way you can be sure they have the information and gives you some leverage. Good Luck
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Back in the hospital.
@crissylynn82 Hang in there! What you are feeling is absolutely normal. I have been a nurse for 33 years. Many people just don't realize how much being ill or having a complication takes out of the body and the emotional toll it can take. @@Catcutie gave excellent advice. Move as much as you can, keep sipping liquids, and focus on recovering. You can do this!
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Newbee with an old band.. lol
@@bacon Lots of great suggestions on this thread. I want to applaud you for putting the breaks on your eating now and not at 50 or 100 pounds more. You can do this! Research the doctors in your area and make an appointment. It makes sense to be concerned after your bad experiences. However, this sounds like something that can be managed with a supportive doctor. Good Luck!
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Valentine's Challenge
234 Woohoo. Down 14 pounds this challenge. Hope to make it 15 by next week!
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When did you feel normal again?
Felt almost normal after 2 weeks and completely back to normal when I started on solids at 4 weeks. I'm 2 1/2 months out and don't even feel like I had surgery. If I didn't get full so quickly and have those little scars on my abdomen, I would think it just a dream!
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3rd time is a charm!
I had the sleeve done 2 1/2 months ago. It was by far the easiest surgery I have ever had. There is always a surgical risk, however, it is very low and keeping a high BMI has lots of risk too! If you really want to have this surgery, don't let fear stop you. You may also want to do some "soul searching" to decide if this really is for you and the reasons you want to have it done. I am very happy to be on this side of the surgery and down 64lbs. It has been worth it! Good Luck!
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I'm feeling a bit scared now...
@@missymac I am sorry you have had so many complications. Please CALL your doctor. I cannot imagine that anyone would want to even think about giving you advice as you have had such a hard time and are still recovering. I know I wouldn't want to offer bad advice that might set you back. Hope everything turns out alright!
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Why do people feel they have a right to be rude now?
Everyone knows how hard it is to lose weight so when i get questioned- and I am starting to get questioned a lot now, I take it as a compliment regarding my hard work! I remember when my mother turned 80 she would say to people, "I just turned 80, don't I look great for my age?!" It always made me laugh and gave me the desire to enjoy my achievements, whether it be losing 60 pounds or running a marathon, or hopefully one day turning 80!
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Sleeve or Bypass? Help!
I agree with everyone that you have to make the final decision. Honestly, I think the sleeve is a better option. But don't take my word for it-- research, talk to people who have had the surgeries and then make the best decision for you. good Luck!
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Need support!
@@portuguesegal10 Give your dad some time to come around. In the meantime, learn all you can and start implementing the strategies you will learn about food choices, activity, etc. Good Luck!
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Need practical advice (long)
@@LipstickLady Sorry- Didn't mean to be unclear. I do believe care should be individualized. When I said they were not individualized I was talking about the standard post-op diet where everyone in the practice is given the same instructions (unless there are other factors). I'm not against this and it certainly worked for me, however, it may not work as well for someone else. I don't think plans should be so rigid that someone who will be truly miserable should have to be. My NUT could have told me to "suck it up" on Thanksgiving Day, and I would have followed those instructions, but it would have messed with my head and really started me out on the wrong foot. Instead, knowing that purees are commonly started sooner she told me I could go ahead and puree the turkey, which I did. I think empathy and working with people is really important. If there truly is no other options that is one thing (for example- having nothing to eat or drink before surgery). But if there are other options, I think the health care team should be responsive and work with the person.
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Need practical advice (long)
@@LipstickLady I wish i did see more individualized care, but frankly, I don't. My practice has a manual that applies to everybody. If you look online, you can see lots of manuals from different practices. I am sure for people with unique needs there is some discussion, but that is a guess. Manuals are great, but certainly not individualized. As I recall the original poster was miserable and gagging from what was on the "approved" list. This is not beneficial for healing and really should be addressed. I think there is a time and place for "sucking it up," like avoiding the pre surgery pig out, for example! Or making good choices, or getting the Fluid in. We can certainly disagree, which is rather unusual as I typically agree with your posts, but I just don't think being miserable and gagging shortly after surgery is one of those "suck it up" situations.
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Weaning off caffeine...
@mclorrie I was a huge coffee drinker. My husband and I would experiment with different Beans and then grind our own and cook in an old fashioned perk pot. Getting rid of the caffeine was a major undertaking-- I started really slowly- one scoop of decaf beans and the rest not for several days and slowly progressed. It took me a full month and I am so glad I did it that way. I never got a caffeine headache and never felt exhausted. I would also recommend that once you get to decaf you try the Sumatra decaf by Starbucks is pretty good and for the Keurig, the Dark Magic, dark roast decaf is also good if you like a stronger blend. I have also found other brands not too bad if I add an extra scoop of coffee. If you like very mellow coffee, than please ignore the advice above
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Need practical advice (long)
I'm not sure why people feel they cannot negotiate with their surgeons and must follow plans exactly. I also picked my surgeon because he was highly rated in my area. However, that doesn't mean I can't research, ask questions, and change something that doesn't work for me. I am NOT advocating reckless behavior at all. I am advocating individualized care. Medical care is supposed to be individualized. If I have a problem with something than I should discuss it with my care team and they should help me out. If there really is nothing they can do, than a full explanation and support is in order. @ LipstickLady I'm glad his comment did not upset you. Good thing we all have different personalities!
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I feel unsupported... Can I do this by myself?
I'm sorry this happened to you. The sleeve surgery recovery was not bad at all and you can certainly do this!
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How much walking can I do? 1 wk post-op
The answer to your quesition " How much is to much walking at this point?" is only one that you can answer. Go by how your body feels. My husband took me every day to a small mall and I walked from one end to the other. After one round trip I was pretty tired, which was my sign to stop. As time progressed I could do 2 rounds before feeling fatigued. My advice would be to listen to your own body. It will tell you when enough is enough!
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Need practical advice (long)
This has an easy answer! One of the reasons (and I'm sure there are others) that there is such variability in pre and post op diets is the lack of solid research as to which is the most efficacious. Therefore surgeons make their own opinions and go with them. Everyone gets the same instructions because that is the norm the surgeon is comfortable with. Now, are there exceptions? Of course. Someone may have pre-existing conditions, allergies, etc. that result in different instructions. As more research is done, there may be more standardization of the pre and post-op diet regimen. You can already see some trends in that the majority of people have some type of liquid or lean Protein based pre-op instructions and all bariatric patients are started on Clear Liquids and progress to full liquids, purees, etc. Just the timing is different. Regarding what your surgeon said to you, I am sorry that happened to you and I am appalled at the lack of empathy shown by your surgeon. I am curious to see what the pre and post op regimens will look like in 10 years. Should be interesting!
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Need practical advice (long)
No disrespect intended, but the procedures are indeed similar as is the advice! Surgeons have certain habits based on preferences and experiences. If you are lucky, you even may get one that follows current evidence! I think "sucking it up" is not the best choice. I would suggest calling the NUT and asking for advice. If you are able to get Protein from other sources than you should do so. Eating/drinking things that make you gag when you have just had surgery is not a good idea. Some practices start purees at 3 days some wait longer. There is a great article at http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/050114p44.shtml. Good Luck!
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Stomach spasms with tummy flu
Do you have a fever? If so, then call your doctor right away. Can you keep liquids down? If no, then also call your doctor as dehydration can be an issue. If this is a stomach bug you should start to feel better very soon. Try some chicken broth when you are hungry. All that being said, since it is already Friday afternoon, I would recommend calling your doctor now instead of waiting for the weekend. Hope you feel better soon.