Trinn

Yes. I am "off" smells I liked before, both food and non-food. And that changes from day to day. So, wait -- maybe you'll like the smells again.

Fave pureed travel food: Underwood deviled chicken. By the way, many of the things on the Kaiser list my NUT and surgeon would not have approved as pureed/mushy foods -- particularly shredded chicken Beans not pureed to mushy level.

I've been adding unflavored Protein powder to my Protein shakes, which give me 56 grams of protein at Breakfast. I do one half of another for lunch and one for dinner for a total of 112 grams protein. Right now Im still on Water and shakes, so this makes it easy for me to get it all in.

Seems like sources are mixed on the 30 grams thing: Here's one source http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/health-fitness/healthy-eating/know-your-nutrients/how-much-protein-can-the-body-absorb . Here's another:  http://www.menshealth.co.uk/food-nutrition/muscle-foods/how-much-protein-should-i-eat-each-meal .

I'd check with your NUT about it. In general though, having a lot of protein in one meal is not the same as having two meals with half the amounts.

I've been adding unflavored Protein powder to my Protein shakes, which give me 56 grams of protein at breakfast. I do one half of another for lunch and one for dinner for a total of 112 grams protein. Right now Im still on Water and shakes, so this makes it easy for me to get it all in.

My understanding is that the body cannot absorb more than about 30 grams of protein in a meal, and that anything after that is not well-absorbed or digested. Can someone else provide more info about that?

Big no on the salad. Really, what did I like most? I about lost my crap over happiness for chicken breast. I am also this week all about turkey bacon, cooked until really crisp, so that when I chew it, it becomes a sort of bacony powder in my mouth. Nom nom nom.

Nope. And it's really important you don't do this. Once you've had the surgery, no one has any incentive to get the insurance to approve; the hospital, etc, will just be trying to get it from you. You have to have that approval *before* you have the surgery.

I feel you. I have two giant bins of custom-made dresses from eShakti -- made to my measurements, beautiful dresses that looked amazing on me. Only now, they look like badly-fitting off-the-rack things. I had a huge packed closet of clothes, and now I'm down to part of half the closet. :-) But I don't want to keep them because I am ready to let go of that for good.

My NUT says "stick to double digits for Protein and single digits for sugar" when it comes to liquids. Even if it's not a Protein Drink, it needs to have single digits for sugar/carbs. By the way, I think those bottles of Vitamin Water are two servings, so it's more like 30g sugar when you drink the whole thing.

Thanks! Iso pure is to me is like thin Gelatin and leaves little pieces of goo in my mouth. I will definately try syntrax:)

That sounds gross. Nope, not like that at all. Now, if it's not shaken up well, the nectar can have clumps, but it mostly blends really well, especially if the Water is not too cold.

Are the Syntrax Nectars a weird texture like the Isopure clear fruit drinks in bottles? Thanks

I have never had the isopure, but I haven't noticed a texture. They're basically like cloudy Water. Like I said, I dilute them a bit more than they request -- make them with 16 oz Water instead of 8-12 oz.

When I am having problems with the Water and Protein thing, my solution is the Syntrax nectar flavors, diluted with extra Water. The're more like juice and not milky like most Protein shakes. I especially recommend the Fuzzy Navel (sort of Tang-flavored), Pink Grapefruit, and Roadside Lemonade. Mix them with room temp water, then add ice or chill them for a bit.

Sleeved Sept 1. Down 20 lbs since surgery, 55 or so since June 1. I have had a pretty smooth and easy recovery. This week I've really started to be able to eat things like "regular" food -- chicken breasts I carefully cut and shred into small pieces, a turkey burger patty, meatballs. I've also really gotten a surge of energy this week -- it's as if my brain had to catch up with the way my body can function now.

Let me get you a link: https://www.blueshieldca.com/provider/content_assets/documents/download/public/bscpolicy/Bariatric_Surgery.pdf

Yes, you still need comorbidities with a BMI below 40, but the list is no longer limited -- if your doctor says it's a comorbidity, it is. OTOH, they used to have a large check list of things that one needed for approval, including six months of nutrition visits, etc. That has been replaced with this paragraph:

"Patients should have documented failure to respond to conservative measures for weight reduction prior to consideration of bariatric surgery, and these attempts should be reviewed by the practitioner prior to seeking approval for the surgical procedure (e.g., Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Optifast, MediFast). The timing, intensity and duration of the preoperative timeframe should be individualized and left to the discretion of the patient and provider. However, given the elective and life changing nature of these procedures, and the necessity of proper education and instruction in the lifestyle changes inherent in both the immediate and long term postoperative management, it is recommended that three months elapse between the initial bariatric consultation and the date of surgery."

My pain level seems to high anybody else experiencing this??

Everybody feels pain differently. Were you given post-surgical pain meds to have at home? (If you're at home.) Are you taking them? How's your support system? How is your sleep? Stressors can make you feel pain more.

By the way, in June this year Blue Shield of CA did away with the 6 month requirement, and everything else --they no longer have any sort of checklist. Instead, they basically say, "Hey, doctors, tell us the patient is a good candidate." I got approved 2 months after I started seeing a NUT and surgeon with BSCA.

Honestly, I JUST got done with BS of CA, and here is the breakdown:

18k for surgery, insurance covered all but 293.67 and then 10% of hospital so 1.8k.

Theres no reason in the world they should be billing you 50+k for a surgery when out of pocket you would be looking at 18-22. Someone is ripping you off, and needs to be held accountable.

I'm of a similar mind, but I have no idea what's up without seeing your Certificate of Coverage and Benefits/Exclusions. In my case, my hospital visit came out to over $88,000 as the sticker price, but the negotiated amount (in network preferred hospital) was closer to $4500, and my share was $502. My surgeon was something like $4000, and my share was about $700, because of meeting the deductible.

The BS of CA website has a tool that lets you estimate how much things will cost you based on your benefits. So, for example, it said my max was going to be about $2200, because of the household out of pocket maximums.

I never slept in a recliner. The first week or so, I slept like I did in the hospital the first night -- on my back, with many pillows supporting my knees and arms, so I wouldn't roll over. After that, I started rolling a bit to the side, but it would be uncomfortable and woke me up. By the second week, I was sleeping on my side, and sometimes rolling over onto my stomach.

One thing though. Like many folks, I experienced a particular painful feeling in my left side for a while -- it seems to be related to the dissolving stitches or the incisions or something. That made turning over very uncomfortable, if it did it by turning towards my left side. That has now gone away, and I don't have it any more, at 5 weeks out.

Yup, had all of this, on my left side. I thought I was having a hernia, or had something caught in the wall and was getting necrotic small bowel or all sorts of things. It hurt so bad it kept me awake one night -- and then a day later, it was completely gone. It's normal. It's okay. It gets better. :-)

No no, that's not a small amount! I was 291 on my surgery date. 5 weeks out, I am just barely at 20 lbs under. That's a lot of weight to have lost! Some of the folks who have lost more didn't lose much before hand. On the other hand, I was 328 three months before my surgery, so I lost about 10lbs a month for three months before. I didn't have any "Water weight" to lose post surgery. I am just plugging along. I have to remind myself that 54 pounds in just over 4 months is a LOT of weight, and it's good. Remember, a bit slower gives your skin and connective tissue time to adjust!

In short, breathe, breathe! Happy place! You're fine!

I totally did it -- traveled 3 weeks after surgery, across country. In my carryon, I packed an empty shaker bottle and packets of Syntrax nectar to mix in to Water I got from the flight attendant. :-) I took an anti-nausea pill about 45 minutes before boarding, to make me a little sleepy and ensure I wouldn't get queasy. You need to make sure your doctor is okay with it, but I was pretty firm about it, I was going for the Jewish high holy days, and it wasn't optional. :-)

Five weeks out and my days are about half "one shake a day" and half "two shakes a day." I eat what I can, but if at the end of the day I haven't made my Protein goal, I have a Syntrax nectar with extra Water to make sure I'm getting hydrated. :-) It's funny, for 3 months before surgery I was doing a Premier Protein Shake for Breakfast, and then many days one for lunch or dinner, and the other meal small Protein stuff. So, basically, I'm eating just like I was the three months *before* surgery. :-)

My NUT and my surgeon are both just fine with supplementing with Protein Shakes, as long as they are low calorie and not being used like extra Snacks. So, I don't do any of that fancy make my own stuff, because it's so easy to make those add up to 300 or 400 calories. If I have met my protein goal, no more shakes.

Almost exactly 24 hours. Came in about 9:30 AM, surgery was started by 11:30 AM or so. Woke up in my room about 2:30 PM, maybe a bit later. The next morning, my surgeon cleared me to leave about 11 AM, but it took until about 12:30 PM to finish up my last IV antibiotic dose, "eat" lunch, and get discharged. :-)

I'm 5 weeks out yesterday, and I feel different but mostly good. I had a very smooth recovery; I think that's in part because I psyched myself up for it. I also *totally* used my pain medication, in the hospital and when I got home. Look, the thing is, bodies in pain heal more slowly than bodies that are not in pain -- it's a stress thing. So, people who make a big deal out of how they never used the pain medication, well, fabulous for them. But I did, and as a result, I got good sleep, I felt more relaxed, and I healed up really well. My surgical scars were healed after about a week! :-)

So, these days, I am feeling lighter and more comfortable; I am not on my regular NSAIDs for joint pain and arthritis and stuff any more, but I feel *better* than when I was on them. It's like I was doing everything in my day carrying around big 50 pound bags of flour, and I've just gotten to put one of them down -- wow, that feels good. :-) On the down side, I'm like a battery -- when I'm charged, I run, but when I run out of energy, I am DONE and sleepy and cranky and must go to bed. I was better with daily naps for the first 3 weeks solid, and there are still days I am so tired I have to go to bed early.

I credit some of this recovery with having gotten up and walked a LOT asap. I even participated in a treasure hunt thing the 4th day after surgery, which got me walking 7000 steps that day. I didn't have any more gas pain after that day! *grin* I also have worked to get in that Protein, even from the second day, because Protein is crucial to healing tissue.

Two weeks and some, but it would make me sore if I did it all night. Now I'm 5 weeks out and I can do it without problem.

Until yesterday, I was a "Oh, I haven't vomited once other than one time right after surgery while I was in the hospital." Yesterday, though, I was having some leftovers from a meal we had -- I was having the hot and sour Soup broth (it wasn't that spicy) and the insides of potstickers, which are soft ground pork. But then, I thought, Oooo, I miss the outside, maybe I will just have a little of the potsticker outside wrapper.

So, I ate about half of one of those. Started feeling queasy, with pain and discomfort. Eventually, yup, threw it all up. I have learned my lesson this time, for sure -- NO carby sticky Gummy bready stuff. Nope.