Wow, what a positive story. I feel like we are in the same boat, as lower BMI patients. He sounds like a great surgeon and person. Someone's getting a Christmas card this year!

That sucks! Feeling bad on the top half and the bottom.

UTIs would definatley be from a catheter if you had one. I hope you're on antibiotics, because a UTI can turn into a kidney infection in less than 24hrs. Been there, done that. It actually looked like I was peeing out chunks of my kidney. Water water water! But for bladder/urethra pain get some Pyridium from your doctor. All other pain killers get filtered out before they reach your bladder. Everyone says cranberry juice helps. It does, but it's gotta be the super thick nasty unsweetened kind. No cranberry ****tail here. Because that juice tastes like crap, you can buy cranberry supplement pills. They recommend taking 1 a day to prevent UTIs . But since you have one, take as many as you want. Personal story here: I knew I was getting a UTI cuz I could feel it. So I was taking 10-12 cranberry pills a day and loads of water for 2 days until I was able to get to th doctor. We did a dip stick test, and no UTI... Well I figured I could stop taking copious amounts of cranberry cuz there was no UTI, 2 days later I went back and tested positive. Point of that story, Cranberry works.

As for gas pain, I'm sorry I have no advice. I lucked out with practically no has pain after surgery.

Hang in there!

Hmm. Well it really is all consuming. It's amazing how much brain space WLS takes up. For how many hours have you been thinking about surgery up to today? Hundreds right? And think about how many times a day you think about your weight or size. A lot. Your at home recovering from life changing surgery, of course you're still thinking about it. 7moths ago I was sitting at home on the couch with my protein shake worrying about the same things.

All I can say is it gets better. Eventually you just start to think about other things. Your weight and size become less concerning and life just seems to...start. Food will be on your mind for a long time, but the rest gets easier.

Hang in there, and get some sleep.

People are idiots. But, I've noticed how everyone gets more quiet, the more weight you lose. Especially when you get smaller than they are. Then those comments and unsolicited advice just vanish.

I honestly don't know. I hope there aren't any. I depend on DayQuil when I'm sick.

I hope one day she does ask you why you lied to her. I also hope that on that day you can tell her exactley why. Because she spewed a bunch of bull**** your way, without knowing her facts, or considering who she might be talking to.

I wonder if she does that in other aspects of her life...

I was scheduled to stay 2 nights, ended up staying 3 under 24hr care. I wasn't high risk, just the common practice in my surgeons hospital wing.

I can't imagine how horrible it would have been if I went home the same day. On day two I fainted trying to get up to pee. The surgeon said it was probably due to blood loss, and ordered 2 units of blood. Then I had a fever for a day and a half from the blood transfusion, and was in even more pain. If I was at home, it would have been a huge ordeal.

Sorry for the confusion guys. Let me clarify. BLIS insurance covered a bunch of the most serious and most common complications following VSG. It didn't just cover 7 hours. It covered me for 3 months following my surgery. If I was showing signs of a leak for example, they would pay for any diagnostic testing that was ordered, and pay for the cost of fixing the leak. This was a super important thing for me, because my costs were all out of pocket, and I couldn't afford to pay for the costs of any complications.

How can an insurance company do this? They only insure some surgeons. The surgeons they work with have THE BEST complication rates. BLIS has claculated the risk of these surgeons to be low enough that there is room fir them to profit. Room for profit-is the name of the insurance game. These surgeons go above and beyond the norm to keep their complication rates next to none. Example: risk of blood clots in legs from being immobile while under anasthetic, and recovering in a hospital bed. Most surgeons have you up and walking around ASAP. I wore inflatable leg pumps which mimic the pumping action of leg muscles when walking, keeping blood moving from the legs back to the heart. The insurance company has calculated the reduced rate of clotts in patients who wear them, and has made it a standard policy.

I just did a class on calculating insurance risk. Boring I know.


My surgeon performs in a hospital not an outpatient facility. I was scheduled to stay in the hospital for two nights. I ended up staying 3, no additional costs to me. It was worth it for me.

20,000 for surgery is steep, and 2,200 for insurance is expensive too. But, if there is one thing in the whole world where you get exactley what you pay for, it is medical services. I don't mind paying more to know I got THE BEST possible care available.

Isn't crossing your legs the best! I used to have to pull on my pants to get the leg crossed all the way over, and not stick out.

It makes you want to sit like that all the time.

 Not only would the pre-existing condition preclude you from insurance. But, the fact that the purpose of your trip is to undergo surgery, which has risks. The point i'm trying to make is that travel insurance is for people who are going for a vacation, who would generally avoid the hospital unless it was an emergency. 

There is insurance specifically for WLS medical complications. I bought it. I live in canada, and had my surgery in the states. It is called BLIS. It covers complications that are specific to your surgery; deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, stricture, obstruction, suture line complications etc. to name a few. 

The insurance is only for a limited time, but covers the most common problems requiring additional surgery, an extensive diagnostic testing. 

Mine was about $2,200. 

If you do purcahse travel insurance I belive it will only cover you for the days prior to your surgery. I would hate for you to purchase it, thinking it will cover surgery complications.

Thanks frisco for the incredibly unsupportive comment. I don't think she, or anyone for that matter, needs to hear you tell them what they do and don't know. Thats a life lesson, and isnt applicable to only this specific situation. Your approach is abrasive, and delivery of your opinion could have been a little bit more respectful towards the original poster.

Those are some great looking numbers! I find I have a problem with the fat content every time I try to up the protien, it seems to follow.

Gotta keep on my "Lose It!" app.

I've heard of this nerve causing your body to just shut down. Not in like a dying way, in a consciousness way. You're lucky you were out of your car, and that someone was around.