lauren8486

@@Bean80128 - I just came on the forum to post the same thing! I was sleeve 8/5 (5 weeks) and between the pre-surgical liquid and surgery I'm down 37 pounds. I stalled for about a week and then GAINED 2 pounds. I don't understand how this is possible, I have 1/4 of a friggin stomach! My eating has remained Protein, protein, protein (Boar's Head deli meat, fish, chicken, cheese and quiche). I haven't had sweets, carbs or anything from the "forbidden list". I've been getting about 64oz of Water a day (some days much more, other days it's a struggle). Please let me know what you find out!

Hi All! I was sleeved on August 5th and I couldn't be happier! I did a 2 week liquid diet and I'm on stage 2 of my post-op diet - so far I'm down 33.5 pounds (the office was shocked and made me get back on the scale, lol). I see a lot about cravings and trying to forge ahead on the post-op plan but all I can think about is MEAT! I have zero interest in sweets, fruits, veggies or snack foods. All I dream about is meat. Lately I've woken up literally salivating over a fresh crab cake topped with a poached egg and some hollandaise sauce (when my husband and I first started dating, we ran a restaurant review blog). I am one of those "follow the rules till the end" people and I know right now my new stomach can't handle meat or anything like it but good golly, these cravings are insane. Last night my husband was eating some fresh sausages and I actually licked one (bizarre, I know) but it was like I got a peak into heaven for a moment. Is anything else going through this? Tell me I can't be the only one who licks meat...

@@garbekr0118 What have you "cheated" with? Are we talking entire meals or a small bite here and there? If you're doubting yourself now, it's probably best to seek out a therapist and work through some of the issues and readdress when you're ready.

Hi All Thank you all for the kind responses and words of encouragement. I am very happy to say that day 8 is much easier than day 1 was. For all on day 1, it's the hardest but it does get easier. I felt like everything smelled 100xs better than I remembered, foods I had never craved before (Vietnamese Pho, corn tortillas and egg rolls - to name a few) I now craved. I did figure out that if I made the shake and left it in the freezer while I blow dry my hair or watered my plants made it go down MUCH easier - dare I say I even enjoyed it. My surgeon has a very strict list of what I'm allowed pre-op: protein shakes (from a specific list, most protein shakes are glorified milkshakes), broth, SF jello, SF ice pops, SF 0 cal beverages and that's it. It was a rough adjustment phase but I think I'm over the hump and I'm looking forward to the finish line. Again, thank you all for the kind responses. Best of luck to all heading into surgery in August

Hi All I'll be having my surgery on August 5th (the day after my 29th birthday) and I'm on day 1 of my liquid diet. This. Is. Not. Easy. These Protein things are not my cup of tea. I've got GNC Lean 25 in chocolate Peanut Butter and Cookies & cream. I'm finding them to be too sweet, too syrupy in texture and just...not what I like. Can anyone suggest a protein that is maybe not a "shake" or a "smoothie"? THANK YOU!

A coworker was sleeved 5 weeks ago, she says she craves raw veggies and salad like MAD. Our surgeon says no raw for 3 months so I've been eating raw veggies with spinach dip and salads.

I switched practices half way through. I was incredibly uncomfortable with the former practice and feel so much better/safer with my new surgeon. I was open with my insurance company and they supported me 100%. Make sure you fill out all the HIPAA release forms ASAP and have your records emailed to you (paper copies can get lost/damaged). Your new practice should have no problem accepting the prior doctors information. GOOD LUCK!

Hi All My new doctors office will be submitting a "conditional approval" with the insurance company within the next few weeks. I started the process with one office and will have the surgery with another (long story). Because of the sloppy work the original office did, the new office wants to make sure everything will be approved. They've suggested submitting everything for a "conditional approval" - basically, give them everything we currently have but note that 2 more weight documents and an EKG are being performed and will be included in the final submission. This way if they deny it, I have time to work on getting new tests or records and still have the surgery in mid-July. Has anyone had experience with this? Is anyone familiar with United Healthcare Oxford, my insurance company? Thank you!

@@theotherfatgirl - where are you located? The previous office I was working with used to "pre-schedule".

I'm workaholic and plan on staying home for 2 weeks but will be working from home. I have coworkers/friends who took as little as a week, as much as a month. Take as much time as you are given (paid) and if you need more time you are legally allowed it per the medical leave act. Speak to your HR department ASAP.

My insurance company told me I needed to maintain a BMI of at least 40 in order to be approved, even a slip of 39.5 could render it unaccepted. Call your insurance and ask to speak off the record. Don't give your name or your policy information. They may even have a bariatric specialist that you can speak with.

Hi All If you’ve read some of my past posts then you know the history, if not here it is in short. I started my journey with Dr. Ahmad at Mather Hospital on Long Island (where I live). After a few appointments/seminars, I just do not feel comfortable moving forward with his practice and I’ve decided to have Dr. Brathwaite at Winthrop do my gastric sleeve. It’s been an uphill battle from the start and the road seems to be getting steeper. I signed a HIPAA release form (and gave them a detailed list of everything I needed) for Dr. Ahmad to release all my records so I could provide Dr. Brathwaite with the weight history, blood work, pulmonary, psych/nutrition evaluation, endoscopy & pathology report and ultrasound results. Dr. Ahmad’s office told me it would take SIX WEEKS for them to print everything (SIX WEEKS!?!). Luckily I still have 2 months until I can submit for insurance so I figured this wasn’t the worst thing in the world. Then I get an email that the records administrator “had time” and printed everything, it was ready for pick up. Awesome! I headed down to the office that evening to get my files. They gave me my ultrasound, blood work, endoscopy & pathology and pulmonary reports – they did not give me my weight, nutrition or psych evaluation. I went back into the office (I had sat in my car reviewing everything before I went home) and asked for my weight record – the most important part of the whole packet. I was told they “don’t release clinical information”. I told them it was part of my file, I had signed a release and I needed the information. Reluctantly, they printed it – or so I thought. Again, I went to my car to review and found it was SOMEONE ELSES RECORD. It had no name on it, no date of birth, no identifying information other than dates that this person had been weighed…dates that I wasn’t even living in New York for. Again, I walked back into the (now crowded) office and asked for MY weight record. The clerk huffed and puffed and printed the correct record. It wasn’t until I submitted everything to the new office that I realized they had neglected to provide my nutrition and psych evaluation. Dr. Ahmad’s office (the old office) is now not returning my calls/emails. The other issue I’m having is with the weight record in general. It does not contain any clinical notes, it doesn’t state that the doctor reviewed nutrition and exercise information with me – it looks like a spreadsheet with weight on it. I asked the current office what this could mean for approval and they said they’re going to submit for conditional approval ASAP. They’ll give my insurance company, United Healthcare Oxford, all the information they have so far (with an explanation as to why I started with one doctor and I’m moving forward with another) and they’ll see what they say. With any luck, my insurance will accept the information and will only require my remaining weights and an EKG report. I’m so afraid that my insurance company will reject all of the information so far and I’ll be back at square one. Has anyone dealt with something similar?

Hi All! I just wanted to give everyone an update. I called the original office, Dr. Ahmad, and asked for some clarification on a few things...turns out he's not even the surgeon who would be operating! He'll be in the room but won't be the one doing the surgery...WHAT?!? After that revelation and speaking with my insurance company, I've officially switched practices. I just didn't feel comfortable with the way the old office was handling things and I couldn't allow them the chance to rearrange my organs! As if the universe wasn't pointing me in the right direction already, I reached out to a high school friend to catch up. I haven't really seen her in 11 years but for whatever reason I was compelled to touch base. Turns out she's having the same surgery with the same surgeon TOMORROW! Ok, universe -- I get it! Thanks for all the support guys!!

@@Butterfly512 - Let's get one thing very clear, the "easy" thing would be to sit on your tush and do nothing. The "easy" thing would be to live a miserable existence instead of embracing this wonderful tool. You are not taking the easy way out -- this isn't easy. Anyone who tells you this is the easy way out can suck a fat one. It took me years to finally allow myself this gift and I couldn't more excited. I've faced my share of hiccups along the way but I can't wait to begin my new life. Use this forum to air out anything you need to, I do. It's been such a wonderful resource for me. GOOD LUCK!

After sleeping on it and hashing it out with my husband (who is insanely supportive), I'm 100% going with a different practice. I called my insurance company to go over everything with them and was told that I should be seeing someone I'm comfortable with - they noted my file so that when it comes time for approval there are no hiccups. I've called the new practice and they are going to have their patient advocate call me later today -- they have a patient advocate! I'm so lucky to have found such a wonderful resource in BariatricPal.com. Last nigh in the "group meeting" I was fuming and all I kept thinking was "I need to go write a post about this and see what others have done!". Thank you all so much for the support.