honk

My doctor doesn't have a problem with caffein. I have one cup of caffeinated a day and then switch to decaf. I also take it black with Splendra. I agree coffee drinks with lots of cream and sugar are problematic.

Ask your doctor's office (maybe the office manager) what the charge will be. You are the consumer afterall. Even if you don't have a choice about him doing the work you have the right to know what it will cost you. I had health insurance and I don't think my doctor charged for mine. At least I did'nt see it on my explanation of benofits I received.

The only things that get stuck for me are raw carrots and doughy white bread. For carrots I need to eat them with hummus (or something else but hummus is a olive oil a good fat and has high protein), doughy bread I just avoid.

I ate low/non fat cottage or ricotta cheese. I also used a stick blender on Greek yogurt that had fruit (would add milk to thin it out)

You could try adding additonal work outs. Keep in mind you are adding muscle and muscle burns more calories than fat. So success breeds sucess. Also keep in mind your body burns calories just keeping the lights on per se.

I agree you should consider the post surgery food requirements. 3 weeks preop and then 2 weeks post op of liquids would be a LONG time. You MUST follow your doctors requirements post op so consider that when deciding when to begin a liquid diet. My doctor had not given me a pre surgery diet. I put myself on a protein shake (including fruit) for breakfast and supper and a low cal/fat, high protein lunch; for several weeks presurgery.

I only took liquid tylenol was okay with that. I would NOT eat crackers at this point. You should probably only be on clear liquids. I am not being mean spirited, your stomach is healing right now and should not be churning to digest food.

I don't know if their comment was that bad. I think either they did'nt read your file very well or the doctor did not send the right documentation. If someone was a normal weight for 22 years and then gained a lot of weight in one year going immediately to WLS to me seems premature. The person may have a physical illness that is causing them to gain weight; or there may be a mental health issue behind their over eating. Someone who has been overweight their entire life wouldn't be just jumping into WLS. By 23 I'd lost over 100 pounds TWICE. I wish the band had been available when I was that age.

First I believe the law about not denying due to preexisting conditions for ADULTS does not go into affect until 2014. It became a law immediately for CHILDREN last year. I would check into whether your state has a High Risk Insurance plan that people with preexisting conditions can buy. NH has one but it does not cover weight loss surgery. I don't think your boyfriends income counts for you as you have no legal connection to him. So you may still qualify for Medicare. You son however may no longer qualify if the boyfriend is his father and now has an income. I agree with a previous poster and do all presurgery tests you can. My doctor required Pap Smear, Mammogram, etc.

I would say to substitute. Large black coffee at McD's is only 99 cents. Also Cumberland Farms has Fat Free French Vanilla drink which I mix with 3/4 large cup decaf coffee. Probably about 50 calories. Again only 99 Cents. Or I would have a breakfast with more calories. I would rather have pancakes with syrup than a coffee drink high in calories.

"I am not eating big meals just Cookies, crackers, almonds or chips" Remove these from your house! And dont buy them if you are out. These are my triggers. Sounds like head hunger. If you must have a snack make it boring string cheese or chicken breast.

It took me 6 months of fills to get restriction.

My doctor says if I can't eat solid protein 3 days after a fill I am to tight and need a small unfill. Being to tight is a problem and can lead to the band slipping I would not wait a couple weeks to see what happens.

How many calories are you eating now? Also how how do they break down protein, fat, carbs. When you exercise how many minutes is it per day?

5 incisions: 4 are about 1/4 inch and the last is 2 1/2-3 inches. My doctor used glue. My port scar (surgery 8/10) is much lighter than my gall bladder scar which is 22 years old!

I would not have surgery at a hospital out of network! Out of network usually means at least 20% more is out of pocket. Also I have heard of situations where people have to pay the anastesiologist out of pocket because they are out of network! Get a surgeon and a hospital that is in network. I once went to the emergency room and even though the hospital was in network the doctor who saw me was not. I had to pay a lot because of that. You don't get to ask the doctor in the emergency room "are you in my insurance network ?"

Those Cadbury candy coated eggs are like crack. I could eat a whole bag. Since they are my favorite; and preband I would buy multiple bags of them AFTER Easter from the discount shelve I can no longer have them in my house (keep in mind I live alone). HOWEVER if I am going to a party I will buy them and have like 5. I make sure I have eaten first (and I am now at restriction) so that when I do eat them I am not hungry and don't go crazy.

I don't drink so it's easy for me to say this. I can't imagine wasting calories on alcohol. If I was to drink I would measure it out like I do everything else that's high in calories. Like with a measuring cup. If you don't you will underestimate how much you are drinking. Alcohol messes with your judgement by definition.

I realize you blended it but even blended chili would be really heavy. At day 15 I was only allowed low fat cottage cheese/ricotta, and yoghurt. I would try those for a few days and see how that goes.

Congratulations on the approval! Now comes the fun part. I had 7 month between approval and surgery. This is the time to start developing a new relationship with food. For me some of it has become second nature the rest I have to actively make choices. Does your doctor require mindfull eating sessions with a therapist? If not ask them to the refer you to someone who specializes in eating disorders. My sessions really helped me understand my eating urges. Some people when they are upset/stressed say to themselves I need a drink; I say "What I can I eat".

The costco Vitamins I take are childrens' but I don't mind the flavor. In fact I take my misc. chewable vitamins during my commute to work as a pre Breakfast snack. I really like the Caltrate Plus calcium ones. I also take a dedicated Iron (needs to be taken an hour before the calcium or it prevents the body from absorbing the calcium), coq10 (because I take a statin), and 5000 mg Biotin

I highly recommend lap swimming with a water proof MP3 player. Makes time go by soooooo much faster. Also water aerobics is great for heavier people. It is really good on your joints and you can work out a lot longer in the water than you can on land. Ask the instructor ways to make each move harder once you are physically able. I always thought WA was for older people. There are days I leave there and I really feel it the next day. It's all about how much effort you put in. I have lost 145 pounds with water workouts being my main exercise. At first I had a bad knee problem (for which I was getting injections) and could barely walk so swimming was my only option. As I lost weight and my knee felt better I started adding in the elliptical and walking at the high school track in good weather.

Are you able to eat 3 oz of solid protein? If not you are too tight. In general I would say decline apps and just get a small meal or order an app AS your meal.

That does sound like a nightmare. I have had the nurse twirl the needle around looking for the opening. It did take me until 10.6 CC's in a 11 CC band to get restriction. I was empty at first fill and got 3 CC's. I think my next one was 2 and then it went to 1's. I would ask for the other nurse next time. I prefer one of the nurses at my doctor's office and alway make my appointments with her.

I don't want to be a downer. It took me 6 months of fills to get restriction so your first fill may not help with hunger between meals.