Uomograsso

The hospital I went to wanted the full deductible up front. I told them no way would I do that. I said I would pay part of it, but when I checked in no one ever asked me for any payment. I have a high deductible policy with an HSA. So I already had enough to cover the deductible. My suggestion would be to wait until after the bills go through insurance. If they want it up front, negotiate a partial payment. You don't know which bill the insurance company will handle first and if you pay the hospital first and the insurance company pays your doctor it will be a big mess.

Just concentrate on hitting your daily Water an Protein goals for now. Remember to sip your water. A good goal is 4 ounces per hour. Get up and get walking as well. If you are feeling overwhelmed just focus on these immediate goals and then you can work on the long term goals.

Two weeks for me when I started soft food phase.

Lots of topics already out there on Slimband. I think consensus is they went bankrupt and no one is going to get much.

https://www.bariatricpal.com/search/?q=Slimband

2 hours ago, PostVSGandKeto said:

Has anyone tried ground beef yet?

Not ground beef, but had a couple of bites of NY strip that I made for my wife on valentine's day. It was very tender I chewed well with no issues. I start on regular food next week. I am looking forward to trying some shrimp.

Ditto on above posters. My worst pain was right after surgery, but nurses did a great job getting it under control. I love dilaudid! I had IV pain meds first day, dilaudid again. After that some liquid hydrocodone and liquid tylenol. By day two I really didn't need any pain meds at all. Biggest thing for me was anti-nausea meds and levsin for stomach cramping. Those were my biggest problems. Be honest with all your doctors & nurses and they will work to keep you as comfortable as possible.

As far as over drinking, in the hospital the had me sipping Water out of one ounce cups. Four per hour. I kept up with that at home. After a while it becomes second nature. Star practicing now taking small sips and small bites. You might even pick up some baby spoons to use after surgery. That helps control bite size as well until you build up good habits. Good luck with your journey.

George Carlin Funny Body Noises may be NSFW

@badwolfgirl. I hear you. I hopped back on the elliptical this week and it nearly killed me. Prior to surgery I was doing 30 minutes @ a level from 10 to 15, out of 20 max, for a distance of about 2.5 miles. I would be winded but recovered pretty quickly. Now I am doing level 4 or 5 for 30 minutes and getting about 1.5 miles. After I feel like a wet noodle. My nutritionist said to up my Protein from 60 to 80 grams daily to see if that helps my energy. I am struggling to get that much on food alone so I have gone back to some Protein Shakes and powder. I am also going back to intermittent fasting of 16:8 with my eating window starting at 10 am and ending at 6 pm, then fasting from 6pm until 10 am the next morning.

Did my weekly weigh in and was at 304 lbs five weeks Post-OP. Here is my weekly breakdown. SW was 335 lbs.

Week 1 = 11.2 lbs

Week 2 = 7.6 lbs

Week 3 = 4.8 lbs

Week 4 = 2 lbs

Week 5 = 5.6 lbs

Average lost post surgery is 6.2 lbs. This shows how weight loss can fluctuate with ups and downs, but you just need to keep doing the right thing and trust the process.

4 hours ago, sarahSingh91 said:

Spaghetti squash with a little Italian blend cheese.
Has anyone tried it yet?

I make a pretty good spaghetti squash au gratin. I am guessing this will turn out good.

You can try this bed wedge

https://www.amazon.com/FitPlus-Premium-Warranty-Removable-Recommended/dp/B01KKPKOFK/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=3EVVEKY5NSJUX&keywords=bed+wedge&qid=1582225040&s=home-garden&sprefix=Bed+wed%2Caps%2C187&sr=1-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyUkU0MjdXSEFOWkEzJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMjEyNTQwMTRVVUpJSFkwUTBBQiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNDYxMjA1MUkzVFowTjhNUlZWQSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

If your doctor says it's OK and you feel you are physically OK, then go for it. Good luck.

I had one week liquid diet and I was also allowed two cups of fruit and/or non-starchy vegetables a day. I lost 12 lbs in that week. I was also exercising during that week as well.

2 hours ago, BadWolfGirl said:

I live in Iowa. I love my neighbors and friends but hate the state. Moved here ten years ago for husband's military contracting job on the arsenal. We're originally from NJ and NY family now lives in Virginia Beach and his family lives in Colorado which is likely where we'll be moving once the kids go to college and get out of my house lol I need space and mountains and outdoor things to do. I feel trapped by flat plains and no forests or mountains here

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

WHAT! You don't love all that flat land and corn! LOL

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-mn16d8hs04

4 hours ago, PostVSGandKeto said:

Yeah, I have some canned chicken I plan on trying soon, I want to mix it with some buffalo sauce. Curious to see how I handle spice

I started off mixing in mild canned enchilada sauce with my Beans. My stomach handled that well so I tried the spi y refried beans and some medium sauce. OK with that as well. I made some buffalo chicken dip with low fat cream cheese, canned chicken and Frank's red hot sauce and that was OK as well. Start with the mild and work your way up.

Great work! Keep after it. By this time next year or sooner you could be in one-derland. That is my goal.

13 minutes ago, Geraldo67 said:

I have friends who have had the Sleeve and they have been very successful. One friend who had the bypass had lost 100 lbs. but did not maintain due to lack of motivation and stopped going to the gym. I know I had done it before without surgery but I also realize that I'm a little older at this point. I thought it would be silly for me at this point to consider surgery but I need to do something to improve my health.

Does anyone recommend a specific diet at this time? Has anyone started a bariatric surgery diet before their actual surgery and how long before?

You won't be able to do a bariatric diet as after surgery you can only get about 500 to 600 calories per day which is waaaaay to low with a normal stomach. I just did a reduced calorie diet using MyFitnessPal to track everything I ate. I started out with 2400 calories per day suggested by MFP to lose two pounds per week in July of 2019. After about a month I dropped down to about 2000 calories per day and was able stick to that. By November I was able to go to 1600 to 1800 calories per day. I did have days where I had a ton, I went to Vegas in September and took a break, but I got back after it when I got back home. I also started exercising 4 to 5 days a week. That also helped. Working on good habits prior to surgery will help you after surgery. So do what you can and build off of that.

33 minutes ago, RMaxton76 said:

I'm in the beginning of my 6th week. . .and I've hit another stall - or at least a significant slowdown. The scale is still moving down, but the speed at which the weight is dropping has nosedived. Still, any progress is a good thing. Current weight is 273. I was really hoping to get under 270 for my weigh in, but my surgeon assures me I'm right where I need to be, progress wise. I hope you're all doing well!

Don't get discouraged. Weight loss won't be linear. You will have ups, downs, stalls and yes even gains. Just keep an eye on the overall picture. As it has been said, if you lose 2 lbs a week, that will be 104 lbs in one year.

@VIKING 0424. You look awesome! Very inspiring.

My first question would be what type of surgery does your doctor recommend and why? Your doctor should able to explain why the type they recommend is best for you given your health history. As for other questions, read and research. Make sure you write down any questions that come to mind as you are reading so you can remember to ask your doctor.

I agree with the above posters. One other thing is to apply what you learn in your pre-op classes. Start tracking your food. Work on eating your Protein first. Don't drink 30 minutes before and after eating. Work on taking small bites and chewing thoroughly. Set your silverware down between bites. If you can develop good habits prior to surgery, it should be easier after surgery to continue them.

Congrats on starting your journey. You won't need much for the hospital. The can provide almost everything you might need. I took my phone, tablet and chargers. Also a short extension cord, never know how far the plug will be. I wore comfy clothes, sweats and a tshirt. I took a pair of gym shorts to wear under my gown as you will be up and walking a lot. They usually can give you another gown to wear as a robe or you can bring one. They should give you anti slip socks to wear, but some people bring slippers. Just remember everything you bring your companion will have to schlep for you so I advise to pack light. You should only be there a day or two.

Welcome and good luck on your journey. Make sure to check with your insurance on what types of WLS they cover.

21 minutes ago, PostVSGandKeto said:

I'm not sure if I'm cleared for chicken yet, at least not pureed forms. My surgeon wants me on pureed/really soft foods for 4 weeks. I need to call him though and find out if he means soft foods, or if to him soft foods is yet an additional stage. Doing my best to stick to his guidelines, but its great to hear you're able to stomach it! I desperately want some buffalo chicken! I miss spicy

My nutritionist recommended canned chicken breast as the canning process helps break it down even more than just cooking it. Canned tuna is OK as well, but I really hate it, so I haven't tried it.

I think as long as you don't have a fever you should be OK. But I am not a doctor nor do I play one on TV.

My doctor's office submitted to insurance company and I was approved a week later. Scheduled surgery for about a month and a half later. I could have done it sooner but I chose to wait until the MLK holiday so I could save a PTO day.