nomdeplume

I didn’t have an out-of-pocket cost, but I did get an EOB. My surgery totaled a little over $30,000.

Mine was a scrambled egg (what little I could eat of it) with just a tiny bit of reduced fat cheddar cheese mixed in. I found that I don’t enjoy whole eggs anymore. I only seem to like egg whites. My dietitian said it was all about experimentation, and it really is.

I’m partial to the Unflavored Isopure Whey Protein Powder. Since it’s unflavored, I can mix it into just about anything. They also have a variety of different flavors available.

Congratulations! It really all depends on your surgeon’s office. Sometimes there are still tests that need to be done before surgery can be scheduled. For me, I got approved within 24-hours, which was great. Not so great, however, was that I had to wait for a surgery date because I still needed clearance from cardiology and pulmonology. It took two weeks to get in to see the doctors. Then, a week later, I was scheduled for an endoscopy. I got approved on April 5th, but didn’t have surgery until May 10th. When it comes to scheduling, they’re usually pretty accommodating. They gave me a list of dates available, and I got to choose which one worked best for me.

I can’t say what is normal, as each surgeon is different. I didn’t go home with a pain pump, but when I was discharged from the hospital, I was placed on blood thinners. I had to give myself two shots a day for two weeks. Good luck to you on your upcoming surgery.

Usually some kind of chewable multivitamin. My surgeon has me on the Flintstones Complete chewable tablets for kids (I take 2 of those a day). B-12, the sublingual kind. Iron, D3, and Calcium. It will all depend on your surgeon, however, as each doctor recommends something different. As for protein, I'm partial to the Isopure 100% Whey Protein Isolate, the unflavored kind. It can be mixed into just about anything. Best of luck to you.

I wasn’t in any pain during my hospital stay, thank God. My surgeon preferred his patients to have some kind of epidural nerve block for pain management. I could feel and move my legs, but my abdomen was numb. Following surgery, after I was out of recovery, the nurses had IV medication on standby, should I need it, but I never did. I was sent home with a prescription for Dilaudid. They’re really small pills, so I didn’t have any difficulty getting them down.

It’s true—it depends on your surgeon’s recommendation. For me, personally, I was allowed only chewable multivitamins (two of the Flintstones Complete chewable tablets for kids) and sublingual B-12 immediately following surgery. I had to wait a week before starting my other vitamins.

My surgeon doesn’t want me using meal replacement shakes because they contain added vitamins, and with the vitamins I started post-op, it could cause an accidental overdose. If I’m having a hard time meeting my protein goals, he will allow 4 oz. of Premiere Protein. I tried it, just to see, but it sat too heavy in my stomach. I like to use Isopure ready-to-drink liquid protein. I’m partial to the Blue Raspberry flavor. One 20 oz. bottle contains 40g of protein. I also use the Unflavored Isopure 100% Whey Protein Powder Isolate. Since it’s unflavored, it can be mixed into just about anything. Once scoop contains 25g of protein. As an added bonus, it has zero carbs and zero sugar.