*slim*

This is just something else to think about... I have heard of (and experienced) taking too much tylenol or advil for headaches actually started causing more headaches. I had finally gone to my doctor and she mentioned that taking such medicines on too regular a basis can cause the same headaches you are trying to get rid of. Like I said, just a thought to add to everyone elses. I hope you get to feeling better. Headaches are no fun no matter how they are caused.

Hi Slim-n-tn, I too hope you get approved and find relief as well. Your like me, I could get a flare up one day from a food but not the next time? Immodium was my best friend! I even had a bottle of the liquid in a cup holder in my car, just in case! I was put on Nulev for my IBS but I found it didn't work AT ALL! I even doubled up and sometimes tripled the dose and it never worked. After 4-5 bottles I quit getting it filled. The only thing that ever helped was immodium. I used to buy the no name brand from Wal-Marts in the bottle. You got 90 pills and they were MUCH smaller and easier to swallow than the reg. immodium. Its nice to be rid of the horrid almost unbearable pain and the embarrassment of running to the pot after every meal or snack! Let us know in this thread when you get approved. Iam anxious to see if the surgery helps you as well!!!

Thanks! I will keep you posted!

First, I love the idea of a significant tatt. I say something with your surgery date or even just the number from your goal weight. No one but you would know what that meant.

My question to you all that already have tattoos and have already been banded, did they change after weight loss? I have several but one that I concerned about goes across the expanse of my rear.:confused2: I never should have gotten that on my huge rear, but when I went to the first place and the artist actually told me that he couldn't handle doing my art anywhere because of my size :tongue:(it was like a challenge to me)! I went and found an artist that would not only do my ink but across my, well, butt. I am so scared that it is going to look horrid after I lose some weight (not that it doesn't look horrid now:embaressed_smile:).

I am so glad you asked this question. I am not banded yet, but plan to be by the time we go back to Disney next year. We didn't buy the meal plan the last time but I wished we had. I think we will again just giving my son the adult meal and I will eat the child's meal. That sounds like a plan!:tongue:

I've had sever IBS since 2002. I had my gallbladder removed and the IBS symptoms started the following morning. I was diagnosed in 2005. My IBS was severe and I too knew where every bathroom was no matter where I was at. I would take up to 6 immodium AD's a day to control it. It did get to the point I could control it for the most part and I knew when and how much Immodium I would need before I needed it!!! My IBS was so bad that the meds I was prescribed for my IBS didn't help at all. Only immodium helped me and sometimes that failed. I've been banded 7 wks and my IBS is 90% better. Not sure why? My surgeon said that some people report its the same or better. I have not taken any immodium in 7wks and that is amazing. I bought this stuff in bulk! I've had a few bad days but even with bad days I've not needed any meds and have not had any URGENCIES or pain? What a relief.

Wow you could have been telling my story. I can only hope that once I am banded (if I get approved) I have the same improvement. My symptons started after having my gallbladder removed and continued to get worse. I now have esophagous spasms with my flares. I take levsin every four hours and it only helps the pain. I hadn't thought about imodium. I too have not been able to figure out my real triggers because something that triggers today, won't tomorrow.

Anyway, I digress, congrats on your improvement. I hope the rest of us have the same improvement!:tongue:

Hi. I am still waiting on insurance approval before getting a surgery date. I am in TN. I would love to be a friend. Everyone on here has been so nice to answer my stupid questions.:tongue:

I have always heard that if you wear some type of girdle while losing the weight, it helps bring the skin in line. Of course, since I haven't lost any yet, I can't say whether it works but it can't hurt.

I fully understand what you are going through. My doctor required me to pay a "program fee" that isn't billed to insurance.:confused2: They told me up front $250. Then they sent me to a psych and nutritionist visit at the hospital where the surgery will take place. That was another $95. I found out at the hospital that if I had used their doctors for surgery, this would have been included with my price. It does at least cover 5 more visits with the social worker if I want or need them. I still have another $1000 "program fee" that has to be paid 7 days prior to surgery. :tongue: This too is not billed to insurance. I think they just want to make as much money up front as they can.

I hope yours goes as easy as mine. I was expecting a fight after reading what others have gone through on this site. I have had knee replacement, and don't want another. I guess they figured this was cheaper than another replacement.

Thanks, I hope so too. You would think that all of the insurance companies would recognize how much easier it would be to pay for the surgery now, than to pay for all of my other illnesses later on. Of course, that would make sense and most insurance companies don't believe in making sense. Go figure.:confused2:

Yes, I was shocked when I got the call. I am approved, no appeal, no missing paperwork, just approved with BCBS, Now I am really happy and nervous. I was not expecting to be approved without a fight.

So all of you waiting out there for approval, don't give up!!!

Now I need to prepare, any help and info on pre-op and post-op foods to stock would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

CHACHA:thumbup:

Way to go! Congrats to you! :tongue:

Way to go! I am glad that you were finally approved. I can only hope that I don't have to go through multiple denials. I have been calling them everyday. I have also been emailing them daily. I am not letting up. How exactly do you get in touch with Obesity Law if you need them?

I'm not your Dr. I am not telling you what to do, I am asking you to be strong. It gets better.

I like the way you said that. It gives the feeling of such power over this. Something that we all have struggled with, we are now within our power to change.

Sassymama, you have gone through the pre-op diet and the pain of surgery. You have been strong through all of that, you can make it through this too.

Slim-n-tn...I also have BCBSIL the PPO plan and submitted my file on 8/21/08. Keep me posted on how things go and good luck! I'll keep you in my thoughts!

I'll definitely keep you in my thought also! I will also add a few steps to my ancient insurance approval dance:biggrin2:.

I was also told that BCBS of IL is one of the hardest to get an approval on the first try.

I sure hope not. If that is the case, then I hope that I am the exception. I don't want to jump through any more hoops. I will if I have to, but I don't want to.

I'm not banded yet, so take this with a grain of salt....but, when I used to make baby food for my son, the handheld (immersion) blender worked really well. (Emeril calls it a boat motor)

Check out a few baby food making websites for great recipes and tips!!

Thanks, I will do that. I have a "boat motor" too.:biggrin2: I am sure it is not near as good as Emeril's, but it might do the trick.

Hey Heartfire, I just noticed your surgery date is fastly approaching. Way to go!:smile2:

I would think the food processor would work better and make it a finer puree. Mine actually has a puree button on it. The bottom is flatter and blade is lower to the bottom as well so I would think that would help as well. BUT if you don't have a food processor and don't want to go buy one, then I'd just use the blender. Just might take a little longer to do it. Another thing too is that my processor has a small bowl with a blade that fits inside the larger bowl for smaller portions. That'll be a big help.

What is better to use, a blender or food processor to puree the food? I have used both for other things but never to actually puree anything.

I did the same thing and did most of the follow up and running for the things I needed by myself....I guess if you want some things done you need to do them yourself, huh?

This process is not for the faint of heart. If a person doesn't really want this, they would give up at the beginning.:eek: I guess that is what they want. They make it just hard enough that some people won't finish. I am not giving up.

My nutritionist recommended buying or making a chicken salad you like to puree and Wendy's chili pureed is good. I will try both when I'm at that stage. Although I must say the thought of pureed chicken sounds disgusting...but after eating food on the Medifast diet (2 wk pre opt diet), pureed chicken doesn't sound all that bad. That food is SICK!!!

I haven't done the pre-op diet yet (my diet is liquid only), but I figure by then, pureed chicken will sound good to me too.

Think baby food. Anything you would puree for a baby to eat, you can do for yourself. You wouldn't be pureeing pizza and cheeseburgers to feed them properly would you? :eek:

I wouldn't give it to a baby, but...

Yeah, I agree with MeganMatters, the pastas and milkshakes are not the best choice they are low in nutrition and high in carbs.

I saw a post on this site that recommended canned chicken and tostitos brand spinach dip pureed together for a chicken salad..I liked it. I also blended the refried Beans with queso or salsa and blended chili was also very satisfing the beans and meat are great choices for Protein (Bush's chile is pretty good).

I have to admit the refried beans sound pretty good even now. I will keep that in mind for something with some flavor to it.

Hello hello!

I am currently ending my 2 weeks of mushies. I do not recommend carbs. Carbs = Bad!! You obviously need some, but pureeing Pasta is not a nutritionally sound choice. Stick with veggies, Protein and your Protein shakes.

I tried to puree chicken, and I just couldn't eat it. I marinaded it, cooked it, pureed it--and while it was really something that I would have happily chewed. It was ICK!

My favorite foods have included:

**Pureed refried beans--I eat them with thin taco sauce

**sugar free pumpkin pie--I found it somewhere on here. 15oz can of pumpkin, 1 can of skim evap. milk, 2 beaten eggs, 1 cup of splenda, 1.5 tsp of cinnamon. Pop it in a pie tin, bake at 350 for 45 min. YUM!

**Pureed cauliflower. Boil it, add some milk or light sour cream, puree the crap out of it. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Just remember that pureeing intensifies flavors, so things will taste more salty or garlicy. . . .

best of luck!!!

Thanks. I wondered about pureed meat. It just doesn't sound appealing.:thumbup: I will definitely try thy cauliflower and the pie. Thanks again.

Good luck! I would start calling them by Friday. I honestly called every single day from July 14th unitl my actual approval date last Tuesday. I was not harrassing I just called every day to check the status of the info. It was easier for me to know if they had all paperwork and who had the info and what stage of the review process it was in. I was the first person to know about the approval. I had to call the surgeon to tell them. Unlike some people on this thread I always had a rep that was more than happy to speak with me. One day we talked over an hour as she went over every single paper they had received. Good luck !!! It was not as bad as i expected. Tamara

Thanks. That is definitely a great plan. I just might put them on my speed dial.:biggrin2:

Good luck. The time can seem to go by slowly when your wanting something so bad. Hope to hear from you soon saying it's a go!!!!!

Thanks so much. Me too. I figure I am going to bug them to death until they just tell me yes to get me off of the phone!