TQUAD64

Hello Vangirl: My surgery is November 11. My doctor's office requires that we lose 10% of our total body weigh, not excess weight but body weight. I have to lose 25 pounds. I have lost 12 pounds in two weeks. I have two high protien drinks (New whey 42 gram Bullets), which I find very filling. Then I have a small protien meal for dinner. If I am still really hungry, where my stomach is growling like crazy. I have another Protein Drink. I also walk and have cut out the Snacks. :-( Good luck!

I have Blue Shield and fills are part of my doctor visit, so I have a Co-pay of $15.00, which covers the visit and the fill.

Yes, I have heard this to be true as well. My surgeon and bariatric team, plus counselor warned me about this. And I believe Oprah did a special on this last year with Carnie Wilson. I believe if you have a strong support system you will be okay.:w00t:

Hello Shira: No, I have plenty of vacation time and leave time in my work accounts. FMLA can be used in cojuction with sick time, vacation time, or any other type of leave program your employer offers you. Let me provide an example: Let's say you need to see the doctor several times for a medical condition. In my case, I am going to have lot's of follow up appointments with my WLS surgeon, as she requires extensive follow up, plus I will need time off work for my fills. Thus, I am going to need my employer to allow me to go to several medical appointments throughout the year without penalizing me for not being at work. In this regards, FMLA would protect me from my employer firing me because I had excessive time off from work. You can use FMLA if you have no available leave bank hours left. Leave bank hours include, vacation, admin time, sick leave, or PTO just to name a few. OR you can utilize FMLA in conjunction with your leave bank hours. I have utilized FMLA two times before, when I had surgery last year and was off work for a month. And when I had other medical issues, which required me to have several medical appointments. There are some requirements you must meet in order to qualify for FMLA. Below are two links to help you learn more about FMLA. You can always talk to your doctor about FMLA and you can talk to your HR Department. You do not have to disclose your medical issue, health problem or treatment services with your employer in order to take FMLA. U.S. Department of Labor - Employment Standards Administration (ESA) - Wage and Hour Division (WHD) - Family and Medical Leave Act Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Good luck.

I have CALpers BC/BS and it covers the fills.

Hi Sil: I agree. It is a totally individual judgment call for each person to make.

Hi Jackie: Great question! For me personally, I do not ever discuss my medical/health information with friends or co-workers. This has been a standing policy of my own, not out of shame or fear, but just out of maintaining my privacy. I tend to keep things private, such as money matters, health matters, or family issues. As an example, when I had my gall-bladder surgery, I did not feel compelled to discuss this with friends and coworkers. Likewise, when I had to have surgery three different times for a re-occuring cyst on my right ovary, I did not discuss this with friends and coworkers. Thus, with the WLS surgery I am having on November 11, I am taking vacation time from work and my co-workers and friends do not know what I am doing. I will be under FMLA protection for follow up appointments, but my employer does not need to know my medical issues. Nor do I care to know their medical issues. My siblings know I am having surgery as I told them just in case something happens to me. If something should happen to me during the operation, my siblings will help my two young adult children with financial matters. Hope this perspective helps.:smile:

Hi Jackie: Great question! For me personally, I do not ever discuss my medical/health information with friends or co-workers. This has been a standing policy of my own, not out of shame or fear, but just out of maintaining my privacy. I tend to keep things private, such as money matters, health matters, or family issues. As an example, when I had my gall-bladder surgery, I did not feel compelled to discuss this with friends and coworkers. Likewise, when I had to have surgery three different times for a re-occuring cyst on my right ovary, I did not discuss this with friends and coworkers. Thus, with the WLS surgery I am having on November 11, I am taking vacation time from work and my co-workers and friends do not know what I am doing. I will be under FMLA protection for follow up appointments, but my employer does not need to know my medical issues. Nor do I care to know their medical issues. My siblings know I am having surgery as I told them just in case something happens to me. If something should happen to me during the operation, my siblings will help my two young adult children with financial matters. Hope this perspective helps.:smile:

I lost 10 pounds so far, but most of that came off in the last couple of weeks. I actually gained weight during the 6-months, but was losing lots of inches. It was frustrating, but losing the inches was just as good!

Hello cristalrosebud: Many of us have been placed on the 6-month supervised diet as required by our insurance provider. I started going January 2008 once a month on a Saturday, which made it very convienent not having to ask for time off work. I would meet the nutrionist, which is a free service of my insurance. However, if I could not meet with her, I would see my primary care doctor. My BC/BS insurance required at least once a month with a weigh in. And I had to receive information regarding nutrition and WLS. I enjoy meeting with my nutritionist and I continue to meet with her and will continue after my surgery. Old habits are hard to break, so I really count on support from many resources, including the nurtitionist. Good luck!

Hi Chic: I think you are being to hard on yourself. I am not banded yet, but I have been doing the required 6-month supervised diet with my nutrionist. I have been meeting with her since January 2008. I continue to see her for the support and will after I am banded. Anyway, I actually was gaining weight while under the supervised diet. I dreaded going into the nutrionist office, because I knew the scale was going to show an increase. I kept crying to my nutrionist that my exercise has increased and my calories have been cut back, but yet the scale keeps going higher. Yet, my clothes were falling off. I really don't understand it, but I was gaining weight but losing lots of inches. I bet you have lost lots of inches. Keep up the good work. You can do this. You probably just have not hit the sweet spot that everyone talks about. Best wishes!:sad_smile:

Hello Mrsace13: Well every insurance company, doctor, and surgeon has different requirements based on your personal health history. Here is my information. January 08 through August 08 supervised 6-month diet February 08 pysch eval August 2008 All paper work submitted to BC/BS approved to see surgeon September 8, 08 Bariatric Center Orienatation Class September 23, 08 Bariatric Center Pre-Op support class September 26, 08 Bariatric Center Nutrition Class October 8, 08 Meeting with surgeon October 10, 08 H-pylori test October 14, 08 Upper GI October 15, 08 All paper work sent to insurance for surgery authorization October 16, 08 BC/BS approves surgery (this took less than 24-hours) October 17, 08 on pre-op diet October 29, 08 Another appointment with surgeon November 7, 08 Pre-op lab work November 11, 08 SURGERY :sad_smile: I don't have any medical issues other than being over weight, so my surgeon only required the upper GI and the H-pylori test. I am 5'5" and did weigh 251 now weigh 241.

Great advice bandfun4me. I will definitely follow it whan I get banded November 11. PWL, Protien, Walking, Liquids. Thanks

Salome000: I was planning to purchase the IDS New Whey Bullets this Friday at GNC. They are having a sell on them. Anyway, I was just wondering how well they work, because I am on the pre-op diet and I can assure you I am having growling stomach rumbling noises, which I am sure my co-workers can hear. Which flavor bullets do you like and how did you like drinking them...On ice, in Water, mixed with juice?

I just had to respond to this older post, because I am on the pre op diet. And I am HUNGRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I want to eat and it is 9:30 am. I am drinking chicken broth, but I want food. But I really want me surgery to go well, so I am sticking to the plan.

Sorry to hear that your surgery was rescheduled. The support staff at the bariatric center I attend states that while on the pre-op and after the surgery our eating habits (crutches) change significantly. Comfort food we relied on to get us through our moments are no longer available to us. I am on the pre-op diet now, as my surgery is on November 11. It is a struggle. My stomach is growling so loudly that I am almost sure that my co-workers can hear it from their offices. :biggrin: And Halloween candy is throughout the building making it even more of a challenge.:smile: Anyway, I have felt distracted, angry, and very moody as well. I am tired and the only thing that is getting me through this is knowing that I will not be on a strict liquid diet the rest of my life. I like your plan and you are focus. No doubt you will come through this a stronger person. Best wishes.

I'm not banded yet, so I am confused. I thought the badn created a little pouch. So if there is a little pouch, how does one eat an entire foot long Subway sandwich? Won't that stretch out the little pouch? I am confused???:biggrin:

The clinic I go to and weighs me with clothes on, but no shoes or socks. My primary care doc weighs with clothes on and shoes on.

I have two choices. First choice two high protien drinks at least 42 grams each and a high protien low fat meal. Or three high protien meals that are low fat.

I'm November 11th too! Congrats and best wishes.

I spent about 40 minutes with the pyscologist. He asked many questions regarding why I wanted the surgery and he if I did research on the surgery. He then had me complete 200 yes/no....true/false questions. Those questions were odd, but basically trying to determine if I could and if I would follow the surgeon's directions.

My pre-op diet is some what flexible in that I can have three small meals that are high protien low carb and low fat with two small fruit Snacks. OR I can have two protien drinks at 42 grams each with a protien meal for dinner. I have not cheated yet. But I am so hungry. When I get real hungry, I start drinking chicken broth and that helps. I am really trying to make this work and I have lost 10-pounds so far. But I need to lose 15 more pounds before the surgery, which is November 11. :biggrin:

My son reads and has all the Terry Goodkind books. My favorite romance author is Sandra Brown. However, right now I am reading Weigh Loss Surgery for Dummies.

Hi rmartone3: You will have some type of pain reliever, but it will be different for everyone. I will not have morphine, since I am allergic to it. Good luck with your surgery.

Longtobethin, I feel your pain. I had a hysterectomy and they left both ovaries in. However, the right ovary continues to grow small cysts, which can be very painful. With each cyst, they do an ultrasound, which requires me to have a full bladder. This has happened three times and I find the ultrasound painful especially when the technician takes the wand and pushes down. My bladder just doesn't hold it like it use to. One time I did not have enough Fluid intake, so they kept me there and had me keep on drinking until they were able to complete the test. You never seen a woman jump off a table so fast rushing towards the bathroom once the test was complete. Good luck.