lvidacovich

Agree with catwoman - it seems to amplify whatever the true relationship is. If things are good then WLS usually helps that relationship get even better! If things are bad then WLS can make thing worse.

My wife was also quite concerned about this but her and I independently came to the same conclusion - which is basically what I said above.

On 11/23/2019 at 9:04 AM, Superman84 said:

Okay didn't know any of that..how or why do they sell that stuff so easily if it's so bad?

Because its lower calorie and people should be allowed to choose what they eat? But in reality its likely that the creators of those artificial sweeteners didn't know it would do the same things that sugar does.

Being frank, your doctor is wrong. Lots of people don't need plastics or have issues with skin. A lot depends on how young you are. I also highly suggest taking Biotin and collagen before and after surgery. It'll help with hair and nails too. Additionally I'd get into weight lifting as soon as you're cleared. That helps too, especially with the legs and arms.

I'd start with milk of magnesia first. Mag citrate will blow you out and dehydrate you pretty quickly. Even at half a bottle.

The thing to know about milk of magnesia is that, for me at least, it gives me the gentle suggestion that I might need to go to the bathroom. If I ignore it then it doesn't really remind me again lol.

On 11/23/2019 at 7:19 PM, Dyhan said:

I'm just shy of two weeks out from surgery and will soon be transitioning to pureed and soft foods (yay!) After drinking the same Protein Shakes for over a month pre and post op, I'm looking forward to having more options, but I'm afraid of getting a little overzealous and starting out with something too harsh for my new stomach. For those of you past this phase, what foods did you find easiest to add back at this stage? How long did you stick with pureed foods before adding back whole soft foods?

I just want a bite of chicken so bad!

Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

OP if you want some chicken then have some chicken! Something like some thighs in a Soup or chicken and dumplings would be soft enough. I was approved for those at 2 weeks post-op for sleeve. I know thats not on your plan but if one doctor approves it (and reading other posts it sounds like more) then it should be ok.

On 11/23/2019 at 11:26 PM, Metamorphosing said:

Oh, hummus sounds amazing. My doctor gave me a list of food I'm allowed to eat for each stage post- surgery for the first year. Hummus isn't on the list. The handful of foods that are on the list for my first week of food are mostly yogurt and cottage cheese. Some plain Beans the week after. No meat for over a month. 😭

I'm with you, I miss chicken so bad...

Wait - no hummus? No meat for a month? I'm reading more and more that says the earlier that normal foods get integrated the better. By week two post-op (sleeve) I was eating chicken (very very soft) and ground beef and Beans and hummus and more. Y'all need different doctors lol!

For a revision to sleeve or bypass? I don't see why you wouldn't have to go the whole 6 month waiting period that most insurance companies have unless you're self-pay. Even then most GOOD WLS clinics have a protocol you must go through that can take a while.

Are we the same person lol? I too got my CPAP in January and it was so amazing - until my surgery on Oct 22. I know I still need it because I've gone a couple nights without it and woke up tired. Problem is that I too now open my mouth which I never used to do. My mouth is SO DRY in the morning and my leak stats are awful.

I too use the pillows and I know they make a chin strap that helps keep your mouth closed. For me that's my next step. I don't do full face, I hated it so much.

On 11/21/2019 at 7:53 AM, S@ssen@ch said:

@RachaelEM There are federal laws protecting your employment when you are sick/disabled. What you're talking about above is PTO (paid time) and we all need to get paid to keep a roof over our heads, etc. However, if you are sick and unable to return to work in the short amount of PTO that you have accrued, your company is obligated to hold your job for up to 12 weeks (heard of FMLA?). If, for some reason you don't qualify for FMLA (you said you started in June and I think you need to have been employed 6 months to qualify for FMLA), ADA laws offer some protection.

Make your plans and work within your PTO. However, know that if things don't go as planned, your employment is protected by federal employment laws. These laws do not require that your employer PAY you during these medical leaves, but they are required to hold your job.

Worst case scenario that I see: you don't get paid for a day or 2 and/or you don't have enough PTO to cover a holiday (you just wouldn't get paid for that holiday)

I am a disability management specialist and have a lot of experience in HR regarding these situations. My advice: check your company policy and be ABSOLUTELY clear on your rights. Have a plan and don't fret.

Lots of good info here - work with your company but know their policy. If its not written out then its in your favor. Policy at my company was written out regarding FMLA and I didn't qualify because I hadn't worked here a year yet. However there was no policy stating I had to use all my PTO before taking unpaid time off for my surgery so that's what I did. I told HR and my manager about my surgery and when it was and how much time I needed. I took the week of surgery off (surgery was on a Tuesday) and worked from home the next week. Easily could have been back in the office. I am quite grateful they have been easy to work with on this.

43 minutes ago, MsMocie said:

Out of topic, what do you mean when you say you get 5 sick days?

In Norway you can use up to 10 single days, but no more than 3 in a row without having a doctor signing off. Over 3 days or over 10 days you need to go to a doctor to have medical leave. In theory you can be an employee in whatever company and be combined on medical leave with pay for 53 weeks.

Yeah, not here. Some places give sick days as part of time off. Some count it in a big group of just paid time off or PTO. My work gives no sick time. If I'm sick I don't get paid that day. Be thankful for your healthcare!

Might want to look into joining a local credit union and getting a loan through them.

Echoing the others here that its likely not your scale. That said I like the Eufy scales - good price, work well, mine is super accurate and precise (lookup the difference) and it works well with my iphone and all that.

I guess I'm lucky. I've only had small portions to now but I've had no issue with chicken yet. Or red meat. This weekend will be a test though, I'm going to a wedding and having steak. 1 month post-op

Good work! I'm 1 month post-op today and its our office potluck! I volunteered to make the gravy (store bought lol) and to heat up the pre-purchased ham. I don't like ham so it hasn't been hard to stay away.

I'm just going to avoid it all together today.

8 hours ago, Serengirl said:

OMGosh that's insane. WLS is necessary and being overweight is considered a disease.... it shoudl be easier to get in all countries.

I tend to agree but it's a fine line. If we made it easily accessible and free or cheap to everyone then lots of people who shouldn't get it would. I say shouldn't meaning those who aren't big enough or haven't done the head work or expect the surgery to do everything for them.

Great question. My doc hasn't said a word about it but I had one for my diabetes and epilepsy so it might be wise to get another!

Yes, a high enough BMI alone should get approval.

Just now, Heather246 said:

How do I follow someone on this app?

Sent from my SM-G955U using BariatricPal mobile app

Not sure, I use this on my PC but you'd be better off following that whole thread.

10 minutes ago, AJ Tylo said:

GNC powder is very fine and they have a men and women jug

I'm interested in this but where are you getting it? GNC website shows out of stock and it seems like they haven't made it since 2017, at least going by reviews.

Edited to add: It seems they have an energy one but it has caffeine and green tea in it, which I'm not looking for.

There's already a November sleeve group formed:

This is great info thanks! Needed for myself and I'm at 4 weeks post op.

But I disagree on the NSAIDS - those are 100% ok for sleeve patients. In fact I was told to alternate ibuprofen and tylenol post-op for pain.

I've had the foamies a couple times, glad to know why lol. sugar free hard candies might be a godsend.

My wife and I have also been quite concerned about the divorce rate but I think it just amplifies bad relationships and makes good ones stronger. At least I hope.

Congrats! This is a long journey and you're at the very beginning. This was how I started too, with a recommendation from my doctor.

No idea on medi-cal, sorry. You're best off calling them to see what you need to do to be covered anyways. And I'd fully expect it all to take closer to 6 months rather than the 3-4 they said.

Also your name is clearly visible at the bottom of the page on the left.

8 hours ago, Midnightsun said:

Hi, at 4 weeks I was cleared for a regular diet. I would do sugar free. Good luck to you! That is awesome weight loss so far!

Same here, it was just yesterday for me. I'm amazed at how long some of the nuts and docs keep people on puree and liquids and such. I think there's good research showing moving to real foods faster helps you tolerate them better.

For real, your doctors need to get on point with mine. My pre-op diet was 1 day of Clear Liquids. Most if not all of us had to lose weight to get to a goal before surgery anyways, our livers shrunk in that time. My surgeon said my liver was gorgeous when she went in there.

Good luck though! Mix things up.

50 pounds just since surgery? In 4 weeks? WOW! Also by week 4, which I just hit yesterday, I personally was cleared to eat anything other than salad and raw veggies. I had a sleeve. I know nuts are something that don't always sit well but I'd stay away from all those processed carbs.