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No insurance requirements/Surgeon requirements
catwoman7 replied to ReadyForIt128's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
my insurance company had some requirements, but my surgeon only required a two-week liquid diet right before surgery, a letter of support from my PCP, and all the common tests (sleep study, bloodwork, EKG - plus I had to have a cardiac stress test since I was over 50 years old). The three- or six-month supervised diet thing is usually a requirement of insurance companies - although I suppose some surgeons might require that, too. Mine didn't. -
Unjury is on Unjury.com. Might be too late for pre-diet but definitely after surgery. Your approach with the variances sounds good…you’ll make it! Im a simple eater. Chicken and broccoli for dinner. Peppers a cukes for lunch. Three shakes.
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The weird thing that accelerated my recovery from surgery...what was yours?
pintsizedmallrat posted a topic in Rants & Raves
I had VSG surgery in September 2021, and had a REALLY rough go of it recovering. I had a really rare set of complications, ended up in the hospital for a week, and generally felt like I was starving to death for 4 or 5 months. About six months before my surgery, my husband had purchased me a motorcycle. I'm very short, and it was one of the few bikes I had even a prayer of being able to reach the ground on and be able to hold up on my own. I attempted to take the class to learn how to ride and because of the stress of attempting to hold up a 400 pound machine when it was clear my pre-surgery body was still struggling to just carry 150 extra pounds. It was too much. I couldn't finish the class, never got my endorsement on my license, and the bike sat while I was completely terrified of it. After my surgery and I got to a point where I was alert, able to safely drive my car and didn't have concerns about fainting...we traded the too-tall bike for a three-wheeled one that I didn't have to worry about being able to hold up, that fit my dimensions perfectly. At the time I was doing much better than in the beginning, but I was still struggling to eat. I was 5 months out from surgery and still only eating 4-500 calories a day because it was all that would fit. Once I got my license and started being able to ride my new toy, though, I was hooked. It BECAME the reason I pushed myself to eat more, the reason I pushed myself to keep myself hydrated, because I needed to make sure I was nourished enough to be safe, and properly fueled enough to keep going as long as I wanted to. Operating the bike also helped build back a lot of the muscle mass I lost while recovering because it's quite a workout on the shoulders, core, and hips to steer and corner. In a matter of a couple months I went from still incredibly weak, and almost still regretting the surgery, to being stronger, more confident, and having successfully lost more weight than I could have imagined when I started this process. 18 months out, I'm in so much better shape than in the beginning, I'm already considering giving two wheels a shot again, and the confidence I gained by coming out the other side of this life-changing process makes me wonder what else I am capable of that I never dreamed I would be. TL;Dr this is the story of how my weird little motorcycle helped me recover from bariatric surgery. What is your weird thing that helped you recover and get to know your "new" self? -
Not sure about the sleeve
Arabesque replied to Charisse Jordan's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
While the surgery will help with some things, it’s real success depends upon choices you make. Regardless of which surgery you have you will lose your appetite/hunger for a period of time (there are a few people who don’t & it’s with either surgery). You will also temporarily lose your taste for certain foods. It’s often sugar, as foods can become super sweet but it can be any food that smells &/or tastes awful. Neither surgery will do anything about your desire for sweet & your emotional eating. These are things you have to work through yourself. As we often say the surgery only removes some of your tummy/changes your digestive system. It doesn’t remove the part of your brain that drives your head hunger. It’s why many chose to seek therapy to learn the reasons behind their head hunger & develop strategies to help them better manage their emotional eating, cravings, etc. Both surgeries will reset your body’s set point. This is the weight your body is happiest at & is easiest to maintain. What your set point becomes can’t be predicted. Can you lose more than your set point? Yes, but it is harder to do & maintain. Can you weigh more than your set point? Yes because lifestyle demands or choice, medical conditions & medications, etc. can mean we carry more weight. Remember the average weight loss statistic at the three year mark for both surgeries is about 65% of the weight to be lost to put the person in a healthy weight range. Some will lose more & others less. I have a sleeve. I felt it would suit my life better & was less drastic than bypass. I made a number of choices to benefit my success that I knew I could sustainably follow for the long term & not feel like I was missing out. I took advantage of the too sweet phase & decided not to introduce sweet back into my diet - or avoid as much as I could - & so rarely eat real or artificially sweet foods or drinks. I chose to rarely eat take away or fast foods. I prep & cook most of what I eat from scratch & rarely eat medium or high processed foods or ingredients. I also chose not to include a lot of exercise in my life - I simply don’t enjoy it. But these are my choices. You’ll make choices that best complement you & your lifestyle. I also lost all my weight & more & have maintained. All the best with whichever surgery you chose to have. -
Eating more than I think I should be in one sitting.
Smanky replied to itami o's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Some foods are easier to eat in a bigger quantity than others. Pizza may something you're able to eat more of. For me, I can now eat three Vietnamese rice paper rolls in one sitting. I'm very full after, but I can eat all three. But if I try to eat a sandwich or other bread-based meal, I can manage a couple of bites before I have to tap out. Thin crust pizza sounds like something that could be a slider food for you, perhaps. So I don't think it's unusual so far out from surgery, it just depends on the food and why calorie counting remains so important. Ask your surgeon anyway, just because you should get the thoughts of your team on anything you're concerned about. -
Second Round of Restriction???
Arabesque replied to Jeanniebug's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Fully agree with @catwoman7 & @The Greater Fool. Your body will tell you what you need & when you’ve had enough. Don’t force yourself to eat more. Eat what you can or need, & pop the leftovers in the fridge. You might have some more of it later in the day (more like mini meals like @summerseeker does) or have it tomorrow which I do. For ages I was able to eat a recommended portion of rolled oats for breakfast 1/2cup dry oats). Then about three months ago, I couldn’t. Everyday I was putting leftover porridge in my fridge to finish the next day until I started reducing what I made. I eat - it’s 1/4 - 1/3 cup now. It’s just my breakfast though. Sometimes my restriction can kick in earlier than expected or I realise I don’t need another bite. Same with I have weeks when I’m not really hungry. Haven’t noticed any reason behind these times. Think it’s just our idiosyncratic tummies. Of course it could be something you’re eating. Like have you changed any of your food? Like are you eating more nutritionally dense foods or foods that are drier or more coarse? Have you added something extra to your diet? It may be a signal your tummy isn’t enjoying something new or not enjoying something you’ve been eating for a while. Our tummy can be fussy & temperamental. -
MGB 2 WEEKS POST OP… I THINK I REGRET IT
SuperGuuurl replied to SuperGuuurl's topic in Tell Your Weight Loss Surgery Story
Hi, yes it helps tremendously! I’m just back from my appointment with the dietitian. She spent an hour with me going through everything I have in a day (so little). She said she was worried about not only my protein intake but also my fibre intake. She’s a different dietician than the one I saw before surgery who had given me a default 4 week diet plan. I will list the tips she gave (which I might post in another thread as well to help others): *my old diet plan listed a soft cracker and cream cheese for breakfast, followed by a plain yoghurt and then runny vegetable soup for lunch. Second snack was homemade applesauce with no sugar and dinner was soup with cracker. All of that during 4 weeks! The only changed were week two pureed veggies with minced meat. Third week same diet except breakfast with hard cheese instead of cream cheese and more meat. Fourth week was same diet but introduction of some harder foods … this was not exciting to say the least. The puréed stage literally killed me and guess what… it was neither dumping nor dehydration. I was severely constipated! The minute I had a proper bowel movement (I had had 2 very small ones before) the relief to cramping and nausea disappeared into thin air. I can’t explain it. so this new dietician is like: 1) Don’t worry about water. Keep drinking hot drinks like teas and coffee, just dilute them a bit more 2) cut a banana in three and have one piece as a snack instead of plain yoghurt 3) change the yoghurt into soy, almond or coconut in case you turn intolerant to lactose which can happen after surgery 4) adding meat to your puréed veggies too challenging? Add a slice of smoked salmon even in week 2. 5) have a yokult to keep your flora alive 6) drink a couple of protein shakes instead of a meal if too challenging… anyway, the flexibility was eye opening. She said don’t try to follow rules too blindly. As long as you keep eating pretty soft foods you are fine eating toasted bread with peanutbutter (creamy)! to say that I was in a shock is an understatement… cant wait to have breakfast tomorrow! -
Agree with DebbieDoo on this. Previously, I had colon cancer and ended up developing ileus (bowel not working). I wasn't walking as much as I should have been. The treatment when I was hospitalized was very painful. After the sleeve, this was a big fear for me and I was walking laps every time I got the chance. When I go to refill my water I walk three or four times around the house. Also, make sure to take the docusate (stool softener).
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I took two weeks off after my sleeve. I will say I was much more tired than anticipated. I actually played in a tennis tournament before returning to work because I had signed up for it months prior (and I was cleared for activity). That definitely pushed me over the edge a bit as I was still struggling with hydration and obviously sweating all day didn’t help. But I was ready week three to go to work. Like you said it varies for everyone. The anesthesia hit me hard and I was nauseous and exhausted for days after, some people feel ready to go to work the next day. I applied for short term disability before going out of work for the surgery, if you haven’t looked into that with your employer I’d start there.
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I took three weeks off, but could have gone back after two. I felt fine at that point, just tired in the afternoons.
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No dumb questions here. It’s all new & strange to us all in the beginning. I get my roots done every 4 weeks & was no different before or after surgery. Had it done a couple of days before surgery & again 4 weeks later. Can’t do anything to stop that hair loss if it happens to you. It’s just your normal hair loss cycle accelerated. Your new hair is still growing just at it’s usual rate. The supplements, shampoos, etc. don’t seem to change a thing. Doesn’t matter whether you take them or not the hair loss tends to last about three months. Can’t do anything about the loose skin either. Too many factors beyond our control dictate how much you’ll have: age, genetics, how much weight you lose, how long you carried your weight, etc. There’s always surgery to remove it if you choose. Whether you’ll need a walking stick or aid is personal. I didn’t. Didn’t use a binder either. Slept on my side in bed from my surgery too. Didn’t have trouble getting up or down - was careful & went slowly just in case. But we’re all different. Speak with you surgery in regards to what activities you can start/resume & when. It may be 4 weeks until you can start cycling, yoga, etc.as they may pull at your internal stitches while you are still healing. There are lots of seated exercises you can do in the beginning but walking is best. Check with your surgeon & your prescribing doctors about your meds too. Some surgeons prefer you not to swallow meds for a few weeks so you may have to look for alternatives or other means if taking them if that’s what you’re told. I was swallowing meds in hospital. Wasn’t easy at first as I had a bit of swelling but it was fine by day 3 or 4. I spread when I took mine through out the day (but I didn’t have many to tape). All the best.
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Let us talk loose skin and muffin tops
catwoman7 replied to omrhsn's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
the surgeon who did my body surgeries will not keep patients under anesthesia for more than six hours. He starts getting tired, and some surgeons (including him) consider it dangerous for patients to be under anesthesia for longer than that. I was OK with that - I didn't want anyone operating on me if they were really tired! My lower body lift took four hours. He did the breast and arm procedures during the second surgery. That took close to six hours, I think. The face/neck lift was an afterthought - I originally wasn't going to do it. I had that done a couple of years after my body surgeries and by a different surgeon - one who specializes in faces. That one didn't take as long - maybe three hours?? the lower body lift was the worst pain-wise. It was really painful for about a week, and after that it was mostly just discomfort, but that went on for quite awhile - it's been a few years now so I don't remember how long- - maybe a month or two? I couldn't stand up straight for a couple of weeks because it was too painful. I used a walker for the first week or two. Again, after that it was mostly just discomfort. yes they were to remove loose skin. They also did liposuction and tightened my abdominal muscles, which were all stretched out (I think that's why that particular surgery is so painful - it's the muscle tightening). -
I was away for almost three weeks after my MGB. The doctor allowed me to fly back to Malaysia (from Egypt) after 10 days then I had to quarantine for a week at home. My surgery was done the old fashion (I had a big vertical incision which took longer to heal) and I had to change the dressing everyday and take some shots also. Desk job as well. I returned to work when I entered the semi-solid food stage which was just nice. I set a reminder on my phone to take a walk every now and then which helped a lot. Good luck
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Let us talk loose skin and muffin tops
omrhsn replied to omrhsn's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
Just curious, why you had three plastic surgeries? All to remove loose skin? What was the down-time while recovering from surgery? This is what worries me. The pain also lol -
unfortunately, yes. I had my surgeries (three of them) over the last four years. The first one I had three years after my WLS, so that would have been in 2018. I was told by people on this site (BariatricPal) and/or a similar one to expect to pay about $8000-$10,000 per procedure. with a lower body lift counting as two procedures since they do both front and back. I had three consultations in the US, and those estimates were pretty accurate. I had a fourth estimate by a plastic surgeon in Mexico, and his estimate was about half that, if I remember correctly (however, I decided to stay in the US) although keep in mind that it really depends on where you have it done, and the experience & reputation of the surgeon. You're probably going to pay more in New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles than you will in Knoxville, Tennessee. Also, a surgeon who's nationally known and has 20 years of experience is probably going to be more costly than someone with only a couple years of experience under their belt. Other procedures I had were breast lift, arm lift, and face/neck lift. Those all fell into that range too (each of those are considered one procedure). Face/neck lift was a little cheaper, I think - but not much. I think it was $7000. insurance usually doesn't cover it, but if you have some medical issues due to the loose skin - like a chronic rash that doesn't clear up with more conventional treatments, then it *might* cover it. Or at least some of it. If you do have such issues, go see your doctor about it so its documented. Then if you decide to pursue plastic surgery and think part or all of it should be covered because of medical issues caused by the skin, you'll have documentation of the problem - because the insurance company will want to see that before approving it.
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Let us talk loose skin and muffin tops
catwoman7 replied to omrhsn's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
it IS more painful and takes longer to recover from than WLS. And every time I had one (I had three plastic surgeries altogether), i said I'd never do it again, but then, a year later - I was back on the table doing it again! It was worth it to me in the long run since i now have a normal-looking body, but yes - those are definitely tougher surgeries than WLS. -
I had surgery at 55 years old. That was 12 years ago. I only told a very small handful of people. My boss at work, who had wls 2 years before I did, and was my weight loss/surgery mentor; and three other trusted people.. I lived 53 years of my life being fat, being called names, and put down for my weight. I was NOT going to share this journey with just anyone. I "hugged" it to myself. It was my gift to me. To health, to longevity and not to impress anyone or anything else. I needed a tool, a way to be successful. And my gastric sleeve was it. I have almost lost half of me. From a size 30 to a size 14 petite. And 12 years later I have more energy now at 67 then I did in my 40's and 50s. When asked how I lost so much weight, I admit to "the sin of omission". My answer is that I eat less and move more. That I eat protein and vegetables and fruit and less carbs. All true. If a very obese person asks, and at some point, I feel like I can trust them, I will share. But it is not my idiot cousin's business nor is it my nosey neighbors. I like wearing normal size clothing. I love fitting in every chair. I don't just tell people about my medical procedures - why would I start with this one ? You do not owe anyone any explanations. It is like asking someone who has blue and pink hair .... "Did you dye your hair ?" "Did you lose weight ??" "yes, thank you for noticing. I love your sweater" they forget they asked, and tell you about their sweater.
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Recovery TImes / Back to work
Arabesque replied to Victoria_Faith's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
We all heal & recovery differently & in our own time. Two friends & I had our surgeries within 2 years of each other. One took a week & was define. One took three weeks. Me I needed every one of my four weeks but I always recover slowly. And yes we all had office jobs. Best advice is to speak to your boss & negotiate some flexibility just in case you need it: another week off, reduced hours, etc. Lethargy & poor concentration are very common after surgery & may impact your work. All the best with your surgery & recovery. -
Recovery TImes / Back to work
omrhsn replied to Victoria_Faith's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I had a different surgery - mini gastric bypass in Egypt. I stayed in the hospital for two days and rested in my hotel for a week. After 1 week the doctor said it was OK for me to fly back to Kuala Lumpur (long trip with 1 stop). Flight was fine and I have requested assistance with my luggage which was provided by the airlines. I had to quarantine for a week at home before going back to work. So in total it took me about three weeks or so. By then, I was eating semi-solid food and wasn't feeling very restricted by the surgery. I continued to wear the compression abdominal compression garment that I was given in the hospital for three months and there were no major issues. I also have a desk job and walking around the office helped me a lot. Good luck -
Weight loss stall 3 weeks out
catwoman7 replied to Shineaiggy29's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
here are the 17,501 previous posts on the 'three week stall" (and no, I am NOT kidding). Happens to almost all of us. I wish bariatric clinics would tell their patients about this, because we get at least one post every day from someone worrying because they're only a couple of weeks out, and their weight loss has stalled. It is normal and it happens to the vast majority of us. https://www.bariatricpal.com/search/?q=three week stall -
I cannot lose any weight after 1 week post op!
catwoman7 replied to aaleee97's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
the infamous three-week stall (doesn't always happen the third week, but sometime during the first month, almost all of us experience our first major stall). Here are past posts on it that I just did a search for: https://www.bariatricpal.com/search/?q=three week stall 17,501 posts! -
Recovery TImes / Back to work
catwoman7 replied to Victoria_Faith's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I took three weeks off but could have gone back in two. Other than being tired, I was fine. I have known people who have gone back after a week - although two seems pretty standard. P.S. my surgery was awhile ago - and it was bypass, not sleeve - but I don't know that that makes much difference as far as recovery goes. -
So since losing 65 pounds since surgery Sept 13 2022, people say you lost weight?Then if I say, yes I had sleeve surgery, they say stupid $h!t like, you could have lost it without having surgery…Well, if that was the case would I have been overweight for 18 years out of 36? Or you didn’t really need surgery… 🙄 Tell that to the three bottles of pressure pills, I was on and my blood pressure was still too high! I don’t understand why people feel it’s their right to tell you their stance on YOUR body and YOUR health??! But, I don’t see a lot of judgement from people in my community when women go get bbl’s and lipo. People REALLY think that they know what it’s like to be obese. They act like I cheated. My daughter who is 18, (away at school), said but you kinda did cheat! I said how is being nauseous every other day, taking vitamins, not being able to eat anything I want and working out cheating? I said it was just a kickstart. She said well, she never really thought of it that way. I think people think you go get bariatric surgery because they are lazy and want an easy way out. There is no easy way out of obesity. The surgery doesn’t change your mindset. You still battle with food at times. It’s like I want to do something to inform people that, just because your obese, that doesn’t mean your lazy. If you were dying and the doctors do a surgery to save your heart or kidneys, then does that mean you cheated? Bariatric surgery CAN and HAS saved peoples lives. Including mine! Why is it still such a stigma around it?!
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I've never shared my photos of what the skin actually looked like, but I can tell you that most of us can easily hide the loose skin in clothes. I've had extensive plastic surgery (three of them, to be exact), but this is what I looked like BEFORE I had plastic surgery. See any loose skin? I promise you that it's there - this was after losing over 200 lbs, so I had a TON of it. But as you can see, it's not noticeable at all in clothes. I just tucked the stomach skin into jeans or "tummy control" leggings and wore slightly oversized, long-ish tops. Plus 3/4 length or longer sleeves to cover my batwing arms. No one could see my excess skin (except for my husband and doctor, of course...)
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Lapband to gastric sleeve success stories
panda1983 posted a topic in Weight Loss Surgery Success Stories
Hi! Next week my lapband from 2017 will be removed and I will be sleeved instead. My band have been empty for three years and have therefore not been helping me. Can somebody share with me how the weight loss is going if you had first lapband and have sleeve now? 🙏😊💪
