Diana_in_Philly

It depends on your insurance if you are using insurance or your medical group. My insurance had no wait period but my team required a 3 month monitored program - which was just enough time to get all the pre-op stuff done. Psych eval, cardiology, endoscopy, etc. Plus the pre-op and post-op nutrition classes. I had my first visit with my team on May 11. I had my surgery on August 23. Some insurance plans have a six month requirement. If you are going to Mexico, it's based upon your schedule only, I believe. Check your policy.

B - Premier Protein - your choice of flavor 30g Snack 1 - Oikos Triple Zero - pick your flavor 15g Lunch - 3 ounces albacore tuna with 1 tb mayo - 20 g Snack 2 - sugar free pudding 1g Dinner - 3 ounces shredded chicken breast rotisserie with BBQ sauce to moisten used cautiously - 22g 88g protein I'm 14 months out and still use shakes for breakfast because they work for my schedule

At seven weeks, I was eating about 700 calories with 70-90 grams of protein and at least 64 ounces of water a day. So Breakfast - Premier caramel protein shake with 1/2 cup of coffee and sugar free chocolate syrup and ice - (30 g protein, 130 cal.) Lunch - 3 ounces albacore tuna with 1 tablespoon mayo. Some lettuce leaves to eat the tuna in. (13 g protein 140 cal.) Snack - Oikos Triple Zero Yogurt - flavor of your choice - 15 g protein 120 calories Dinner - 4 ounces chicken breast grilled (28 g/140 cal.) some salad. Snack - mozzarella cheese stick - 1 60 calories 7g. So that's 93 grams of protein and under 700 calories. You could even throw in a sugar free pudding or jello for dessert. Use my fitness pal or some other app to track - it helps. Concentrate on protein.

It depends on your plan post-op. Each plan is different. Mine was full liquids (yogurts, soups, shakes) the two weeks, then purees, then soft foods, then full meals all at 2 week intervals. So by 8 weeks out I was eating "normal" food. I have two teen daughters and a husband and I am a planner too. Generally before shopping each week I plan the protein for each night so I'm not scrambling with the what to cook or make with this issue when I get home. I just kept up my normal routine for them. During my first 2 weeks, I ate lots of greek yogurt and soup. Sometimes the eggface ricotta bake. I fed my family the usual stuff we would eat. In purees, if I made them meatloaf, I'd just mash mine up more - same with chili. By the third phase - it was lots of chicken and fish. For work, I don't have access to a fridge, so I pretty much pack the same thing on my office days. (I work from home a few days a week.) Chicken salad, romaine lettuce, yogurt and a cheese snack. Sometimes an apple (but I'm 1+ year out.) I didn't freeze stuff before surgery and I'm glad I didn't - my taste buds were off for a few weeks after surgery.

Anesthesia can make you feel like crap for up to 4 weeks. Also, try to remember you body is healing. I felt like crap for 8 weeks after my c-section. I was tired for a good month or six weeks after my surgery. It will pass.

I cannot speak to lumbar pain, but I have severe osteoarthritis in my knees. My ortho surgeon has been after me to replace them for years, but wanted me to lose weight first. My knees are so much better now. I'm down 105. I can move so much easier. I was taking one Vicodin a day pre-surgery to deal with my pain, along with anti inflammatories. Now, I fence 5 hours a week. I'm in the gym 3 days a week. I can walk for miles I ran a 5k. None of that would have been possible carrying 271 pounds on my 5'3" frame.

When I was a 22/24 (271 pounds, 5'3") I fit in the seat without a seat belt extender, but I'm an hourglass body type and gained my weight in a pretty even distribution over my body. I fit - not comfortably (3 hour flight was my max). I couldn't bend over to get anything from under the seat in front of me without gymnastics, but I fit.

I use Torani Sugar Free Syrups. My fave is to make a frappucino - 1 cup cold coffee, scoop of vanilla protein powder, chocolate and caramel sugar free syrup. Ice. Blend. Another is to use chocolate protein powder, 1 scoop of PB2, a shot of caramel sugar free syrup and water. Add ice, blend. Snickers shake.

I was away for almost a week about five weeks after surgery when we had to do my mother's big Italian funeral near NYC - just planned my meals and got a hotel room with a fridge so I could stock yogurt, protein shakes and other high protein stuff - I pushed food around on my plate alot when I was with the family and no one noticed. Good luck. (No one in my family other than my husband and two daughters knew about the surgery. They still don't 105 pounds later.)

I'm 13 months out after sleeve. I worked with a personal trainer, in the gym, lifting until 2 days before surgery. (Would have been the day before, but the schedule got wacky and had to go into the office.) I started developing some muscle definition before, but I've lost 105 pounds, so its' much more noticeable now. I was a competitive athlete many years ago and that form is coming back into shape. I'm certain it will be more visible after plastics (my first consult is next week). Under the hanging skin/fat, you can see the definition in my legs and arms and waist. Will I ever have a six-pack? Nope. Even in my best shape never had one. Now, I try to get to the gym 2x week and I fence (as in en garde) for about 5 hours a week. If I say so myself, my butt looks great! (My hubby thinks so too.) I would suggest you start working out to the extent you can now and see if you can find a trainer who has worked with bariatric patients. We modified my routine post op, but I was in the gym on a recumbent bike for 45 minutes 5 days after surgery. I was cleared at 3 weeks to start light lifting, and fully cleared at 6 weeks to lift as I wanted. You got this. Semper Fi, Marine! (From the daughter of a Gunny - may he rest in peace.)

When you have a date, tell them. Not before. You only have to tell them that you have to have surgery and will be out from day x to day Y. You have no obligation to tell them what the surgery is. I didn't tell my office til I knew my surgery date. Because before then - it was hoped -- it wasn't planned.

It will take your body at least six weeks to completely heal and for the swelling to go down. Give it time. I can't even find mine 13 months out and I didn't do anything. Don't sweat it yet.

I freaked out right about then, too. Yes, it's in your head. I'm now a little over 13 months out and 105 pounds down. (I was 271.5 to start, 246.9 at surgery and 166 now -- and I'm four inches shorter than you.) In order Yes, you will be able to eat, but it will be a few weeks. I enjoy eating now, but eat very small portions of just about anything I want. I'm still losing slowly but I'm pretty happy with where I am and maybe want to lose another 10 pounds. Odds are, your doc won't be drunk. Besides, you'll see him right before surgery - if he smells boozy - call it off. And, he's a good surgeon with good success rates, that's why your chose him. Yes, accidents happen, but you'll be fine. Sure, there could be complications, but you could step off the curb and get hit by the bus tomorrow or win the Powerball. Odds are about equal on all of those. It will work. You won't gain it back. You've got this. Craving foods right now is fine -yes, it's in your head. You've got this.

So, a few things, in no particular order - Your BMI based upon height and weight is generally one of the most significant criteria. So if you weigh 210 and are 5'2" - your BMI would be 38.4, which would qualify under most insurance policies. (Generally over 35 will get you covered if you have coverage in your plan for bariatric surgery). But if you are 5'7 - that makes your BMI 32.9 which might be too low for surgery - so knowing your BMI and what your insurance plans requirements are is the biggest factor. Second - losing weight is not going to change how your father or your mother in law treat you. Losing weight is not about changing them, its about making changes for you. Your father's comments and anger will still be directed at you. Your mother in law will still treat you the way she does because your husband has never stepped up and told her that she cannot treat his wife like that. (I was married to a guy like that - we got divorced. Easiest 160 pounds I ever lost.) Your relationship with your husband appears to have issues that have nothing to do with your weight. It sounds to me like you have a lot of work to do on yourself. From what I am reading, it appears you have some self-esteem issues which need to be worked out and bariatric surgery isn't going to fix those. You have to go into this for the right reasons - and part of that is getting your head right about why you were overweight to begin with. Then you need to drill down and do the hard work on yourself. I had VSG one year ago. I now weight less than when my husband married me. Am I thinking of leaving him? Absolutely not. Why? Because I love him and he loves me and we work on our relationship every day. I have my own work I need to do - I still see myself as the fat girl I once was. Please find a counselor to work on yourself before you head toward surgery. If your head isn't in the right place, it will not work. It's not magic. It is a tool which requires commitment for the rest of your life. I wish you luck and peace.

@celticNgel - I get it. It's hard to wait. I'm 14 months out. Had VSG on 8/23/2016. My program didn't have a time period you had to wait but I saw my surgeon the first time on May 11 and had surgery on August 23. Those three months were the longest time, ever. I was 271.5 in April 2016. I'm 169 right now and I think I'd like to lose another 15 pounds. (I'm very busty so I think I'll loo weird any smaller.) This has been life changing. Keep your eye on the prize. You've got this.

Usually, I order a latte with a sugar free syrup (of which they have quite a few) and skim milk. My goto is sugar free vanilla latte with skim - hot or iced. I have been known in the morning to get two shots of espresso in a large cold cup with ice and then I pour in a caramel Premier Protein pre-mixed shake. (That's a go to breakfast when I'm out of town and on the road. You can do that with the chocolate or vanilla premix as well.) The coconut milk and almond milk they use is sweetened, so I just stick with skim.

FWIW, I had a VSG at 55 years old. I have asthma and severe osteoarthritis of my knees (bone on bone, need them both replaced.) My starting BMI was 48.1 in April 2016 before my first visit with my surgeon. My current BMI is 29.9. I'm down 102 pounds and I look 10 years younger. I no longer need as much medicine for my asthma (I will always need some as it is triggered by pollen related allergies) and I no longer need narcotics for knee pain. In fact, I am a competitive fencer (en garde) and fence 5 hours a week. The biggest complication that affected my life was the fact that my primary care doc for 20 years before I had surgery said I just wasn't trying hard enough to lose weight. I've had no significant complications, other than some rashes now due to excess skin. My consult with plastics is on October 20. I don't see a downside.

I had surgery on a Tuesday and was back in the office on Monday. I'm a desk jockey. Depending on how well you handle anesthesia, you may want to schedule a full week or 10 days off.

Volume and weight are the same thing for different substances. Liquids are measured by volume - 4 liquid ounces of milk or yogurt (or a 1/2 cup liquid measure which is 4 oz.) Chicken or beef is measured by weight - 4 ounces is 4 ounces (which is slightly larger than a deck of cards or about the size of the palm of your hand if you don't have a scale or are out.) Most scales will measure fluid ounces and weight. But a good set of liquid meauring cups (the glass kind with the handle) are worthwhile to have around.

I'm 13 months out. My average day runs 60-100 grams of protein depending on what I'm doing. If I'm fencing - 2.5 hours which burns about 1000 calories, I'm up near 100 grams Morning protein shake - powder made with fair life milk - 31 grams protein Oikos Triple Zero yogurt - 15 grams of protein - snack in the am Quest protein bar 20 g - dinner before fencing Lunch - chicken salad with mixed greens - 14 grams After fencing snack - another Oikos - 15 grams - That's 95 grams. four ounces of salmon is 23 grams. 60-65 is tough right after surgery because drinking is tough your stomach is healing. But if you eat protein first, you don't need to be worried.

I started working with my trainer pre-op. I interviewed a few and told them what was planned because it was going to affect my workout routine (lifting limitations for a few weeks post-surgery). Any of them that seemed skeptical or dismissive of surgery were immediately thanked for their time and told good bye. If I'm paying you, we need to be on the same page. I worked with my trainer until August of this year (1 full year) when she moved to go to graduate school. I have a new guy who knows the drill, but I'm in much different shape now than I was then. Just remember - you are paying them, so you are the boss.

I can't imagine it would affect your medical qualifications for surgery assuming they find nothing when they remove the ovary. (I had an ovary and fallopian tube removed when I was 27 due to a very large cyst which looked "questionable.") My understanding is that they can do this laparoscopically now. They may delay your sleeve for a little while to allow you full healing before another surgery. I was back at work 6 weeks after my ovary procedure, but back in the dark ages, they operated similar to a c-section - so my abdomen was cut open. Good luck.

It may not be scar tissue, it just may be your body dealing with the pregnancy. I had 2 kids pre-VSG and remember getting those kinds of pulling feelings - just try to remember that there is a ton going on in your body right now and it's going to do some very weird things. Best wishes for you and the baby!

I'm 13 months out and about 15 pounds from my goal. I drink flavored no calorie seltzer periodically. I drink wine/bourbon/vodka perdiodically I eat a bite of cake/sweets/chocolate/ice cream occasionally I Eat bread occasionally I live a normal life. I've been drinking caffeine (with the blessing of my team) from the first day after surgery. It ensures that no felonies are committed.

Your goal appears to be to lose about 110 pounds. The younger you are, the more likely your skin will bounce back some, but with that much weight to lose, I just don't see how you avoid excess skin. I started working with a trainer in my pre-op phase and continue to this day. I work out 5-6 days a week, both aerobic/ HIIT stuff and weights. That being said, take good care of your skin. Moisturize regularly, use sunscreen, as your weight loss picks up, use "firming" creams but know that they can't make inches of skin disappear. I'm down 102 pounds. I have excess skin in my stomach, abdomen/hips, thighs and the worst is at the arms. I can live with it everywhere else, almost. At my age, I'm not going to be showing my midriff regularly in public (I'm 56). However, the batwings under my arms are driving me nuts. My arms look great if I tuck the batwings under -- they are toned and beautiful, except for the four inches of skin/flab hanging down from the bottom. I have my first appointment with the plastic surgeon (at the recommendation of my bariatric team) on October 20.