Ed_NW

Great job, what a difference!

I'm trying this for inflammation. It has a lot of really good reviews on Amazon So we'll see. My wife works in a wound clinic and said her patients swear by it. I suffer from gout which is a form of arthritis and NSAIDs were the godsend for outbreaks but not an option post-op.

They had a student practice on me for about 15 min then he gave up and the regular nurse got it first try. He was really apologetic but I just laughed it off all the while freaking out on the inside. haha...

Once that gas starts moving out the tail pipe, you will start feeling much better.

Welcome and good luck moving forward.

YOU'RE MELTING! lol Good work.

I'm happy for you! Good luck with your surgery and keep us posted.

I was on a 6 month pre-op diet that worked pretty good. I walked on a treadmill and rode a stationary bike regularly. I binged watched tons of YouTube videos on the different surgeries and other peoples journeys and that really helped prepare me for whatever was coming down the pike. The more I learned from YouTube and this forum, the less anxiety I felt. So basically, make sure you shrink that liver by following the recommended diet so you have a safe surgery and educate yourself so your anxiety levels are manageable. Good luck on your WLS journey!

Do you worry about not getting adequate essential amino acids or do you consume eggs and or fish? I'm assuming eating eggs and or fish occasionally is what separates vegans from vegetarians? I'm definitely going to cut the red meat out of my life. I'm just now starting to research different types of foods and I think I'm leaning towards a pescatarian way of eating. I just feel better if I eat that way. Thanks for the link.

I'm just curious where the majority of people live that get weight loss surgery? I don't run into a lot of people on WLS forums that are from the western states. Is that because we are less open about these things? It's gotta be pretty even across the United States.

You're approaching this journey the way a lot of people do and there's no right or wrong way to kick off your pre-op diet. Congratulations on your weight loss so far and keep moving forward. Starting today, your life will change for the better and you will remain motivated and on track. We will be here to cheer you on and share our experiences to help you along the way. Good luck!

HORIZON BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD NEW JERSEY PRE-APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS Weight loss surgery for treating morbid obesity is considered medically necessary if the patient fulfills the following criteria: The patient should be at least 18 years of age AND/OR the patient’s skeletal growth is complete. Weight loss surgery for patients under 17 years of age is not considered medically necessary unless full skeletal growth has been reached and the patient suffers from a co-morbid condition, such as sleep apnea or hypertension. The patient is morbidly obese (i.e. has a BMI of over 40 OR has a BMI of over 35) with a life-threatening co-morbid disease such as: Congestive Heart Failure Metabolic Syndrome Coronary Artery Disease Hypertension Cardiomyopathy caused by obesity The patient, in the 12 months prior to the surgery, has to have: Completed a weight loss program for at least six consecutive months Participated in a surgery preparation program to enhance results and lower risk of complications after the procedure. Your surgeon will typically have these available. Undergone pre-operative psychological evaluation and understands the impacts of weight loss surgery The patient should have a letter of recommendation from his/her primary doctor. The bariatric surgeon should submit the proper paperwork for approval. The patient has to fulfill all of the criteria listed above to be approved for bariatric surgery. TYPES OF WEIGHT LOSS SURGERIES COVERED BY HORIZON BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF NEW JERSEY Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey covers the following weight loss surgeries: Biliopancreatic Diversion with Duodenal Switch Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding Gastric Bypass with Short-Limb Roux en Y anastamosis Gastric Bypass with Long-Limb Roux en Y anastamosis Vertical Banded Gastroplasty Sleeve Gastrectomy These procedures are considered medically necessary for treating morbid obesity. PROCEDURES EXCLUDED FROM COVERAGE Mini-gastric bypass, gastric plication and other surgeries not listed above are considered experimental and not covered.

Aetna wants your personal doctor to refer you to a dietitian or nutritionist that will put you on a diet plan and exercise plan like walking everyday for 30 minutes or riding a stationary bike, etc. You don't have to hire a personal trainer, the exercise will be a part of your diet the nut (as they are called on here LOL) recommends for you. I had to go on a Nut's diet and exercise plan for 6 months before I could set a date for surgery.

I'm rooting for you! I hope everything turns great and you can soon experience all the benefits of WLS.

Yep, your new gut doesn't want you to put anything in there at this point in the recovery process. For the first few weeks I just focused on staying hydrated and slowly added more protein as tolerated. It's the dehydration that gets you in trouble. I still don't eat much a few months out but I get all of my required water, protein and supplements in. If you fill up on water and meds, you'll be fine. As time goes by, how much you can consume in a day will increase. Take it easy and don't force it so things can heal. That's what I'm doing.

These are awesome. I buy them from Amazon and drink 2 a day. You are also getting 20 oz of water per bottle.

I had to loose 10% of my weight in 6 months. I weighed in after 6 months and had my surgery 3 weeks after confirmation of my 10% weight loss (about 8 months total wait). The programs that make you wait a long time are frustrating but you are way more prepared than those that are fast tracked. After waiting 6 to 8 months like I did, you don't experience the buyers remorse like a lot of unprepared people do. Take the time to educate yourself and nothing will come as a surprise.

I have to take a multi with iron, a calcium citrate, a B-complex and a probiotic everyday. I wouldn't try to get by with less of the 3 golden requirements. Water, Protein and your supplements. That's when people start running into health problems after WLS. All of the horror stories you hear of when it comes to post-op complications like teeth loss and brittle bones and stuff like anemia can most often be traced back to complacency when it comes to following the nutritional requirements.

I think my son is going this route. I think I'm going with him for moral support and because... Vegas Baby! https://blossombariatrics.com/

I'm just happy to be obese and out of the morbidly obese category. Each step in the right direction is a victory!

If you weren't given a specific amount to loose like 5% or 10% in my case, you shouldn't have anything to worry about.

Yep, you can through pretty much everything in a blender or food processor or a Nutri Ninja in my case. I put chili beans, soup, tuna... What ever you can throw in there that isn't too dry goes down pretty good.

My surgeon's office doesn't require blood work until I'm 6 months out. I have a different plan of attack with my PCP. I did blood work a couple weeks ago and go in Wednesday to go over the results with him. I know through my extensive research that an improper balance of vitamins and minerals can cause a lot of problems so I'm staying on top of it. My surgeon's office is directly tied to my insurance and the cost plays a huge role in their post-op plan for me. My personal doctor is concerned with my overall health so he has no problem ordering labs outside of the agenda set forth by my surgeon's office/Kaiser. He was quick to pull me off of my BP meds when the blood pressure came down and I was getting dizzy when standing up. I know it's not the case in every situation but most of the WLS clinics are in it for the money. Service after the sale is not real high on their priority list. That's why I agree with the other posts that say "be your own advocate". In addition to that, find a good personal doctor that can do what it takes to get to the bottom of your problems by doing labs and getting you on a supplementation regimen that is unique to your situation. The cookie cutter approach that most nutritionists use doesn't work for everyone. They can give you generic guidelines like how much protein and water to consume but when it comes to supplements, the proof will be in the blood test results. I think once you get your levels under control, your body will normalize and start focusing on weight loss again. I hope you start feeling better soon. Keep us updated. We're all in this together.

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I moved to Washington State from Harrison Arkansas. That was the location of Sam Walton's second store. A lot of the people there knew him personally. He would show up at his store with his old pick-up full of watermelons for the employees. He was quite a different person than his offspring. I remember when they gutted his original store #2 and built a super center across town. None of the small businesses could compete after that. Now we have Amazon doing the same thing.