Every morning during the 12-day course, you will log into your telehealth account and click on your Video Visit link to enter the waiting room where your Support Specialist will see how you are doing and answer any questions you may have. You will be helped in the order you enter the waiting room. Please enter the waiting room within 30 minutes of your morning check-in start time (5:00 AM PT/8:00 AM ET if you are on the East Coast schedule and 7:00 AM PT if you are on the West Coast schedule). While waiting for your Support Specialist, we recommend you have your volume turned up on your computer. No need to sit and wait for us, you will hear us when we log in to see how you are doing. However, if you do choose to wait, this would be a great time to reflect on what you have learned, write down any questions you may have or just check in with yourself to see how you are doing.
During the mornings, we monitor certain vitals of our patients.
- Blood Pressure: We require you to sit quietly for 5 to 10 minutes every morning and take your blood pressure. Report your reading to your Support Specialist. Monitoring blood pressure is important not only if you suffer from hypertension, but is also an indicator of how you are responding to the change in diet. If you do not already own a blood pressure machine, these can easily be purchased. We have used, and recommend Omron; however, there are many brands to choose from. We prefer you use an upper arm cuff and not a wrist cuff in order to get the most accurate reading.
- Weight: On Days 1, 6 and 12 of the program, we require you to report your morning weight. Since you will be in the comfort of your own home, clothing is optional; whatever you choose, we ask you weigh yourself the exact same way for the three days that you weigh.
- Blood Glucose: For our diabetic patients who use a glucometer and monitor their blood glucose, we require you to report your fasting blood glucose every morning.
It is very important you comply with our monitoring because it is one of the ways we gauge how you are doing at home. Without this information, we will not be able to provide you with the care you need, particularly if you are taking medications.