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Well, here I am. Back from the hospital after a 2 night stay, with 85% of my stomach missing. I'll try and describe what it was like day by day... Day 1 (Surgery Day): Let me preface this by saying that I did not sleep a wink the night before surgery. Not. A. Wink. So, upon arriving to the hospital for my 7am appointment, I had already been awake for 24+ hours. So that probably added to the dream-like quality that everything had to it that day. But still, that's the only way I could possibly describe everything that happened that day. It was surreal. Since I couldn't sleep, I decided that my husband shouldn't either, so I got him up at 4:30, and we set out from our hotel for the hospital at 5:30, even though it was only a 30 minute drive, and we didn't have to be there until 7am. At this point, I was convinced that I was probably going to die on the operating table, so I was giving my husband instructions, such as "My wedding ring is in the change pocket of my purse. I'll want to be buried with it on." Stuff like that. I'm sure he was amused by it all, but looking back, I can't believe I did that to my husband! (who already has some anxiety issues BTW) So we arrived at the hospital super-early, and I tried, yet again to catch a 15 minute nap in the car. When it became apparent that even that wasn't going to happen, we went into the hospital to register at 6:30. They brought me back pretty quickly, but left my hubby in the waiting room. They weighed me (219.4) and brought me into a room with a stretcher in it, and told me to change into the gown and socks that were on the stretcher. Now, I don't know if they just see that someone is having bariatric surgery, and automatically put the XXL gown on the stretcher, or what, but that gown was huge. You could have put three of me in it. The socks were also ridiculous, they could have fit on my feet over a pair of winter boots! But I did as I was told, and proceeded to spend the next hour and a half trying not to flash everyone in the pre-op area... Then a nurse came in, took my vital signs, and did an admission questionnaire and had me sign paperwork. Then three separate anesthesiologists came in and talked to me, looked in my mouth, and asked me several of the same questions the nurse had just asked. Then another nurse put an IV in my left hand. Then, finally they allowed my husband to come back in. We sat there and talked for awhile, and then my surgeon came in... now I know many of us bariatric surgery patients have had multiple appointments with their surgeon prior to the actual surgery day, but for me that was not the case. I'd only met Dr. Shillingford once for about 5 minutes, in January. But meeting him for the second time on surgery day, I was again reassured by his confident demeanor, and his relaxed bedside manner. Plus it helped that every other medical staff person I'd met so far that day had referred to him as an excellent surgeon. Once he arrived, that really seemed to get the ball rolling. Just about 10 minutes later, they were giving my pre-op "cocktail" (I asked, it was Versed). Then we rolled into the OR. I remember them asking me to scootch from the stretcher I was on, to the operating table, which I was able to do, and then....nothing. Next thing I knew, I was lying on a different stretcher, in a different room, with a different gown on and someone was taking an oxygen mask off of me, and putting me on a nasal cannula (the little prong things that go in your nose). I was in a lot of pain, which I guess they anticipated, because someone handed me a little button, and said I could push it as much as I wanted for pain medication. Now, being a nurse, I know there is a lockout period, so you can't overdose yourself, so I must have asked that. They said it was set to dispense medication every 8 minutes. There was a blood pressure cuff on my right arm that kept squeezing every few minutes, so I decided to push the button every-other time the BP cuff went off. After three or four pushes, the pain had faded into the background, but by then I was becoming nauseated. Like clockwork, they asked me if I wanted medication for nausea. Yes, please! Once I had those nausea medications in, I was feeling pretty good. Good enough in fact, that when they got me up to my room, I was able to stand up and waddle over to my new bed almost all by myself... At this point, I was hooked up to two IV's, I had a foley catheter in, and I didn't know it yet, but there was a drain hanging off of the right side of my abdomen. But the only thing that was sore (and still is) was the incision on the left side of my abdomen. I later found out that's where my stomach was taken out. The rest of that day went by in a little bit of a blur. I wasn't allowed any water, or anything else by mouth, but they did give me some swabs, and some ice chips, which were a godsend. I remember going for a walk, up and down the hallway with my hubby later in the evening, but other than that, I pretty much slept in between being asked, like 10 times, by 10 different people if I was diabetic, and/or did I need to have a CPAP machine (no, and no). And that was pretty much Day 1. And since I'm pretty wiped out, I think I'll save Days 2 and 3 for another post...

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@@shellyd67 thanx bud my crossover addiction is "frequently"coming to this board love reading and writing here on bariatric plan (less carbs and sugar ) keeps me off the street, out of trouble ("usually" ) you've lost 31 lbs!!!! keep up the good work i know you will good luck kathy congrats

If i were you I'd find out First what is going on with the Band, a Revision to sleeve doesn't have be done at the same time a band is removed. Also if your Surgeon is saying he thinks the band has eroded, Then a Sleeve revision MAY NOT be possible? Then your going to have to consider another form of WLS. personally I'd start researching all the options (why wait). The literature states that a Loss of restriction is a sign of erosion, and epigastric pain, where others experience nothing. What happened that you Failed the Barium swallow? Did the Surgeon see the flow of Barium going somewhere other than through the esophagus/stomach? OR were you just unable to tolerate drinking the Barium? I ask because this is a Concern for allot of Banded ppl. Any information can be helpful. In regards again to the Revision, Get on the Phone call the Insurance company, then get them to send you a hard copy of the policy to explain your Bariatric coverage, it varies greatly and you can't always trust the person that answers the phone to explain it correctly. BMI isn't the only factor that the insurance approves a revision, if Co-mobidities are present those are also factored in the decision. Good Luck!! So Sorry that your having band complications, Please keep us Posted and i hope all works out in your Favor!!

Do you have a e-reader like Kindle? There are TONS of free or low cost books that will help with your meal planning and the different stages of eating. As far as pain, I think you will be surprised at what a small amount you have. The hospital should stay on top of your pain relief the first day or two so the worst pain you will have will most likely be the gas pains from the surgery. My doc doesn't even send anyone home with pain meds because it's usually minimal! If you feel like you aren't getting guidance from your bariatric team you might have to get sorta pushy about it. Make a list of questions that you have and when you go in for a visit be sure to bring your list and get them all answered. Be proactive about your care and you'll get a far better outcome!

Hi! My husband is in the Air Force and we are stationed at Lackland AFB, TX. I was seriously considering the RNY surgery, but was too scared of the possible complications and side effects. Just this past week I found out that Tricare is now covering the lap band surgery. I had said before that if they ever did I would do it in a heartbeat. However, we will be moving this summer (more than likely) and I don't want to start the process of getting approved and then have to start it over when we move. I just hope where ever we move I will be able to find a good surgeon. Does anyone know how to look for a great surgeon in the bariatric field? Or have any tips of what to look for? Also, my BMI is only 34 right now however I am borderline diabetic, I have PCOS, hypertension, high cholesterol, and had my gall bladder removed 10/07. I could still lose 100lbs and be in my normal wt. range though. Also, I'm looking for people's experiences with getting the lap band. What I can look forward to, or not? I'm very excited for this journey! I know that with the lap band I'm not going to drop 60lbs in a month or anything and this is particularly why I chose the lap band. I really wanted something that will help me keep off the wt. more effectively than just diet and exercising. I really see this as a tool to lose wt. more than just a miracle wt. loss procedure. Thanks in advance for all your advice!:wink2:

Oh boy can I relate. I keep saying on these forums that the metal aspect is the most difficult part of the surgery and the one I was least prepared. Bariatric teams can’t prepare you for it because everyone is so different. You are mourning food, specifically being able to eat it, like you did in the quantities, and the timings of the past. This was so hard for me. But it does get easier, just like your body healing physically, it heals mentally. Once you get back on solid food and your body gets used to the portion sizes. During the transition periods, I used that time to really search myself for the hold that food had on me. I spoke to counselors and my dietitians about it as well. Try to use this time to really understand what food meant to you and how it got you to where you were before surgery. Go to the picnic and observe the food and the way people eat it. I had a massive connection between happiness at gatherings and the quantity of food I ate. I came to realize this was an addiction. Once I started losing weight and healed, it was easier for me to see the damage that food had done. From there it became easier to be with others, eating at gatherings, parties, etc.. Hang in there it gets easier as long as you use the time to really, really address the mental issues that go along with the physical. Like wolfgirl states, reach out to your team to get any additional help you may need to get you through the stage.

I just found out today that my insurance, United Healthcare choice plus, doesn't require a supervised diet or psychological evaluation. They only require a bmi over 40 and a bariatric center of excellence. I feel so fortunate. Now I just have to get approved.

I am so happy to hear that Dr. Cavazos is caring and understanding. I am chosing him to do my band. . I'm attending his seminar on Sept 19th. . . hubbie needs convincing. . . Thank you for settling my fear regarding the physician. . . I know of another bariatric surgeon here in SA who get tons of great reviews, but having had worked with him in the same day surgery holding area, I had many doubts regarding his caring side, and did not want to go with him. . . thanks again!

At two weeks out I was consuming less than 1000 calories per day. I know that's not precise, but my bariatric aftercare program didn't require me to count calories, fat grams, carbs, or anything other than grams of protein and ounces of water. Here was their theory: as long as you get 80+ grams of protein a day, everything else falls into place. Protein has a very high thermic effect. In other words, our bodies expend a remarkable number of calories to process and digest the protein we consume. If your protein intake is more than adequate, you'll continue to lose weight. On the other hand, you might stall and plateau long and hard if you don't eat sufficient protein. Good luck to you.

I'm feeling really good today. Like I've said, every day is better than the one before. I had my follow-up visit with the doctor this morning, and he's happy with how I'm progressing and how my incisions are looking. I'm down 15 lbs according to their scale, 20 according to mine. 15, 20, whatever it is, I'm on my way. I just got back from taking my daughter Chloe for a walk to the library. Felt good to get out for a walk. I walked around the block a couple times yesterday, but it was chilly and raining so not too pleasant. Much nicer out today. Well, I bit the bullet and posted a note on Facebook about the surgery. I woke up at 5 am and couldn't sleep, and all I could think about was getting it off my chest. I spent the next 2 and a half hours working out what I would say. I created the note, then shared it to my wall with the following statement - "Dear friends, please read the attached note in its ENTIRETY before passing judgment. I hope for your support. Thank you, Joe" Here is what the note said: On Friday March 8, 2013, I had a surgery called 'vertical sleeve gastrectomy'. This is a bariatric weight loss procedure. This was not a decision that was made lightly, or hastily. I will try my best to outline my reasons for doing it, what it is, and reasons for not telling anyone. Reasons for not telling people First, I want to say that I was originally planning on only telling a very select few people about this. But I realize that this is probably not very realistic, as the changes will probably be pretty significant, and pretty quick. I've even outright lied to some people, including some of my coworkers and bandmates, which I am very uneasy about. I hope they will forgive me. Please don't be offended if you were not one of the people I chose to tell beforehand. My main reason for choosing not to tell people beforehand was that I didn't wish to invite any negativity, or have anyone trying to put doubts in my head as I had already made the very difficult decision and none of that would have been helpful to me. Every person I did choose to tell had the exact same comment - "you're not THAT big." I appreciate the 'compliment', and suppose I got pretty good at hiding it. Before surgery, I weighed 274 lbs. I'm sure this number will probably shock most of you, as that seems to be the universal reaction. Another comment I heard was "you could do that yourself". There have been times I've been able to shed decent amounts of weight, only to put it all back on, and then some. And each time I would do this, would make the next time even harder. I also REALLY didn't want to hear anyone say to me that I was 'taking the easy way out', as no doubt some of you reading this might be thinking right now. This would have done nothing but anger me, and would have jeopardized our friendship. Believe me, there is nothing easy about having surgery. I'm still recovering, and wouldn't ever want to relive the first 24 hours. It is still going to take hard work and exercise to get to my goal and maintain it. This is only a tool to help me achieve that goal. What it is There are basically three main types of weight loss surgery. There is the gastric bypass. This was never a consideration in my mind, as I view it as being a last resort for extremely overweight people, and there can be a lot of malnutrition involved. I was actually scheduled for the lap band procedure, as I know a few people who have had it done, with varying degrees of success. After hours and hours of further research, I decided against this. Basically, the lap band is a device that is implanted and placed around the entrance to the stomach. The band gets filled with saline so that it inflates and restricts how much you can eat. The 'temporary' aspect of the band (the fact that it can be removed if any issues arose), was the biggest plus to me initially. The more I read online, the more I saw people not happy with the lap band, and having it removed and getting the procedure I had, the vertical sleeve. Some issues with the band include slippage, erosion, and the long-term maintenance (you have to go periodically for 'fills' to adjust how much the band is filled). Some people just could never find what they call their 'green zone', the perfect level of restriction where they are restricting enough to lose weight but not so much that they are vomiting after 2 bites. Also, insurance concerns crossed my mind - would insurance cover the fills forever? What if I moved or had to change doctors? All of these things pointed me in the direction of the vertical sleeve. The vertical sleeve is the newest of the three types, and is basically a laparoscopic procedure where up to 85% of your stomach is removed, leaving you with a sleeve about the size of a banana. Basically, you are then restricted to eating between 3 and 5 ounces at any meal. You can eat pretty much what you did before, only MUCH less. Some people find that they don't tolerate certain foods after surgery, or don't like the tastes of some foods they liked before. It is a permanent solution. The weight loss results are comparable to the bypass, typically very good. Another benefit of this surgery is that the part of the stomach that is removed is the part that produces the hormone grehlin, the hunger hormone, so feelings of overwhelming hunger go away. People say that they go from eating extreme amounts of food and never feeling full before surgery, to having to remind themselves to eat so they can get in enough calories after. The fact that the lap band was 'temporary' and could be removed at any time, was what made it more attractive to me initially, and seemed less 'drastic'. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I needed a permanent solution that would help me make the lifelong changes I needed to make. Wanting something because it was reversible, enabling me to go back to the way I was, no longer made sense to me. Reasons for getting surgery First and foremost, I did this for my wife and kids. I don't want to leave them without a husband and father. Sure, I'm not happy with how I look, but looks were at the bottom of my list of reasons. I would have been perfectly happy to continue to eat 5-6 slices of pizza and being upset that there wasn't any more because I still didn't feel full, and watching my weight continue to rise every year. I 'know' what the right things and right amounts to eat are. But 'knowing' and being able to stick to it because you never feel satisfied are two very different things. I never smoked or drank or did any drugs. Food was my drug, and it was negatively affecting my health. Besides weighing 274 and growing, I had a BMI of 36, which is considered obese. I have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, erosive GERD (acid reflux), shortness of breath, a leaky heart valve, and what my doctor says is the second worst case of sleep apnea he's seen in his office. If you don't know, sleep apnea means you stop breathing for significant periods of time, which lowers your blood oxygen level, and the 'jarring' that occurs when your breath comes back could cause your heart to go into a deadly rhythm. So basically, I was a ticking time bomb that could die in my sleep at any time. I have a machine called a CPAP machine that helps me breathe at night, but I've tried it and find it impossible to sleep with it. I'm actually getting a new one today that my doctor says is easier because the air pressure level automatically adjusts based on what you need at any given moment, instead of being set at a fixed level that sometimes seems like too much and would wake me up.. I plan on giving it a try, and hopefully once I lose a significant amount of weight the sleep apnea will disappear. I also hope to be off my medications. Most people who get the sleeve are able to get off their medications and are cured of their sleep apnea. I've seen stories of people being cured of type-2 diabetes (which I thankfully did not have, yet) the day of surgery. Amazing. The apnea and medication for blood pressure, while being the result of being overweight, also become self perpetuating problems. They limit my energy level, which in turn limits my activity level, further adding to the obstacles to weight loss on my own. How I'm doing The surgery went well on Friday. The surgeon found a fairly large hiatal hernia, which he repaired while he was in there. The first day was basically Hell. I was in pain, discomfort, had a hard time taking deep breaths, and was extremely tired. All I wanted to do was sleep, not only because I was tired but because I wanted to avoid the discomfort. They pump your belly full of air during the procedure to maximize the space they have to work, and this air leads to gas pain which radiates to your left shoulder. This gas pain is no joke. Every day gets easier than the one before it. I am on a clear liquid diet for 1 week, basically limited to water or crystal light, broth, sugar free jello, and sugar free ice pops. I also need to drink protein shakes until I can start eating foods with protein. They want you to get between 60 and 80 grams of protein in every day, and if I can't get all of that in from food I will have to continue with the shakes. At first, it was very hard to get in the fluids, due to swelling. Very small sips. That is getting easier by the day. After 1 week, I progress to a few weeks of a puréed diet, eating mushy foods. A blender will be my friend for this phase. After that, I can start introducing some 'real' foods, slowly to see what I can tolerate. They still want you to concentrate on getting most of your calories from lean proteins and vegetables, limiting sugars and starches. I welcome my new relationship with food. It will no longer be something that I do for pleasure, consuming unlimited quantities. Instead it will be something that I will have to be conscious of, sometimes reminding myself to eat so that I can get in enough calories to sustain good nutrition and fuel my body. It will be a big change, for sure. I continue to feel better every day. The pain is basically gone, limited to what I would describe as a 'tightness' feeling at the incision sites. I had 7 small incisions, which should leave minimal scarring. The first step out of bed or off the couch is the hardest, because of this tightness, and my fear of twisting or stretching anything the wrong way. I'm walking well, just a bit slow at the moment. The tightness also makes it impossible to sleep on my side or stomach right now, limiting me to my back, which is the worst position for my sleep apnea. To counter this, I've found that sleeping upright on the couch with my feet up on an ottoman is the best for me. I tried piling pillows on the bed to elevate my head, but found that it was pushing my head forward, further restricting my airway. I will get my new CPAP machine today, and look forward to sleeping in bed with my wife again tonight. As of this morning, I've lost a total of 20 lbs, including 9 lbs lost during a strict one week pre-op diet. In conclusion I am a very private person, who doesn't like divulging personal (potentially embarrassing) information, as I've done at length here. I only just decided to write this after waking up at 5 am and not being able to fall back asleep. I hope for all of your understanding and support, and 'friendship'. I welcome any questions or comments, either under this post, or in a private message, or in person. I do not welcome any criticism or cruel comments or jokes (even lighthearted ones, as I might not view them this way). If that is your inclination, please refrain from commenting, or go ahead and remove me from your friends list. I apologize for ending this on such a down note like that, I just want to make it clear how serious I am about this. Thank you.' So far, I've gotten all positive comments from people, except for one person. He used to be a close friend, but we grew apart in recent years, but are still friends on Facebook. It's been years since we've talked, even on Facebook. He said he was hurt that I didn't contact him, because he had weight loss surgery also and could have helped me in my decision. I had no idea he had surgery, and told him that and asked him how I would have known. We sent messages back and forth, and he still was upset, saying stuff about how he's sick of putting himself out for other people only to get nothing back (paraphrasing). I told him that I was disappointed that he chose now, a time when I'm reaching out for support and understanding, to make it about him and his hurt feelings that our friendship isn't what it used to be. Whatever, I can't worry about that now. I need to take care of myself at this point in time.

Today I did my week three weigh in and I'm down to 283.4! I was so excited to see those numbers! Its the end of the semester so I've been swamped with all my big school projects and haven't been able to squeeze in workout time, so I genuinely didn't think I'd come down more than a pound or two. This brings my total weight loss to 32 lbs! SO AWESOME! My first goal weight is 270- that's what I weighed two summers ago, and more or less is the last consistent weight I was before I started gaining rapidly.240 will be after that- that's what I weighed all through high school. I'm so exited because I just feel like for the first time that these are TOTALLY attainable goals. This week I get my tax refund back and the first thing I'm doing is renewing my gym membership. I actually love working out, and once I'm in a groove, I'll do a couple hours in the gym no problem, but lord know that first three weeks blowwwwws. Its so weird to be able to remember being roughly this size last year and working out 7 days a week and it being easy breezy, but right now I don't think i could do more than an hour and be dying afterwards. Conditioning is a b***h. I've been adding in more 'real food' and it seems to be going pretty well.. Just trouble with portioning still because of the weird link in my head between 'this is the amount you need to eat to feel full' and 'eat this cup and be done'. I'll get there haha. Its only two weeks until my first fill!! I'm so, so ready to kick this thing into high gear! Any advice for the first one? Will I be able to go to work afterwards or should I plan on being sick to my stomach? I'm not really sure what to expect!

Just protiens very few carbs. Protien Shakes with less than 6 carbs, scrambled eggs or eggwhites, yogurt with more protien than carbs, ricotta cheese, string cheese and cottage cheese. No oatmeal unless it's the specially formulated bariatric kind because it has too many carbs. My nutritionist is very big on very low carb. She said our bodies burn our carb tank first and then fat so low carb is important for fat burning.

As the poster above said you will want to do what your dr says but for me I take two chewable flintstones complete vitamins, two 500 mg chewable bariatric advantage calciums, a b complex that dissolves in my mouth, and a biotine every day. I space them out because you need two hours between the multi vit with iron and the calcium. I also space out the calciums by two hours because only up to 500 mg can be absorbed at a time.

Wow... This is a problem unique to banding: mainstream medical professionals haven't a clue when it comes to our situation. Our bariatric caregivers are generally not available for emergencies, sinçe many of us live far away from them and their office hours/days can be limited. What people don't understand is that when an organ is cut off from its blood supply, there is very little time to figure out what the problem is before the organ dies. Did you have a hiatal hernia? This sounds like you did....but I'm only guessing.

I've tried both the Strawberry and Chocolate Bariatric Advantage Protein Shakes and really like them. Pre-op I used a blender, added ice and they were delicious! I'm only 3 days post-op so today I tried my first one, not blended. Not as good as that big frothy drink from the blender but I know I wouldn't be able to drink it all now. It took me over an hour to finish the 6 oz version.

From what I understand, bypass is the gold standard for bariatric surgery. To name a few; Gastric bypass patients lose between 60 to 80 percent of excess body weight in the first year. Gastric sleeve patients lose between 50 to 70 percent of excess body weight in two years. Bypassing the intestines produces a malabsorptive aspect (less time for your body to absorb calories since your intestinal tract is shorter) that effectively reduces calorie consumption. Gastric bypass surgery has been around longer. Its results and complications have been studied and its benefits proven. Gastric bypass is more complicated, has a slightly higher overall risk profile but it does produce more weight loss. I appreciate your posts, but seriously I will setup a consult with my surgeon to determine what is best for me. Just thought I would get a head start and receive feedback from individuals who may have decided to a bypass vs. a sleeve is all. -Thanks-

So I am in the very beginning. I just got a referral from my doctor. I have nutrition class tomorrow and my intro to bariatric surgery on the 1st. I also need to get a sleep study for sleep apnea. I am going through Kaiser and it is covered by my insurance. Hopefully it goes smoothly.

The reason why I would never consider it, you have no legal recourse if things go bad. However, many do based on price. Dr Alveraz seems to have a huge following and many You Tube success stories. I also feel sucess is increased with a great post op support group. I'm not talking about an on line group. I am still pre-op but attend the monthly support group where my proceedure will be done. I have learned so much and have had all my questions answered face to face with those that have been there and done that. At yesterdays support group we had a very good trainer that works with bariatric patients come in and talk about exercise for one hour. Than a group session for 1 hour. Great information. This support is available for life and its convient for me.

So I went on vacation to Europe for a month. I know, you don't feel sorry for me! There was a lot of sausage, bread, and beer to be had! I did not have any problems with getting stuck...at first. Two weeks into my trip, I fell off a horse. OW ow ow ow ow! I did a few things wrong after that: 1) I took Aleve because I knew I was going to hurt like hell later, and 2) Later, my hosts forced me to drink the Polish medicine, which is normally vodka but they thought I needed something stronger so it was cognac, and 3) I proceeded to eat a normal sausage-y dinner. It was not long before I was stuck and sliming. I've never been stuck before, only had an uncomfortable feeling when I eat too fast or too big a bite. The sliming eventually led to vomiting, and there were streaks of blood in it. Oh how scared I was! I was in a foreign country, vomiting blood, and I just knew that if I went to the hospital, they wouldn't know what to do with me. So I only told my husband, who was freaked out but agreed to stay quiet and keep an eye on me. I sipped Water for the rest of the evening, then just ate soft stuff for 24 hours. I felt fine the next day...well, my stomach felt fine. My body was extremely sore! I had to be more careful with food after that, I seemed to feel tight/stuck more easily. I visited my bariatric doctor when I got home, who checked my band with the x-ray and everything looked great. I ate basically whatever I wanted for a month and gained a pound. Not bad! We walked a LOT, and I was not the person everyone else had to wait for, as in past trips. 7 months of exercise allowed me to be the person in front for a change! So other than the horse fiasco, I had a really great experience.

Yup, agree with you. Bariatric Advantage or Celebrate are two good companies to start out with for supplementation needs (Vitamins and minerals). I have no problem with that, but would suggest nectar or unjury as great Protein shakes for a newly sleeved individual. They are both solid brands and work well. In fact, my WLS center also recommends Bariactric Advantage for supplementation and Syntrax Nectar for protein shakes. That being said, I am 1 year post op so am a mature post op and somewhat new vet. I have been around the block a few times in my journey so far and have learned much and have much to share around shakes and supplementation and their impact on weight loss and fitness. I hope you do not read my post as anti-doctor or anti dietician. Quite the opposite in fact. In the first six months, it is critical to follow doctor orders to a "T" both dr and dietician know how to make their patients successful. Of course you are aware every doctor and dietician can potentially give different plans to their patients that may not be consistent with other patient doctor and dietician plans. After 6 months ( or when you feel is a good time), you can start to form your own strategies in terms of diet and fitness. The level of tweaking that you do is highly individual. The shake mentioned in this thread from GNC is just another tweak to the lifetime eating plan. Re-feed may not be an ideal shake for me, but I wanted to give it a try for reasons mentioned above in this thread. I also take cake batter muscle milk light and GNC Wheybolic or Isopure vanilla bean for recovery shake. I am so much a shake person at 3 a day. I eat small protein based meals for the other 4 meals. By small, I mean 3 oz lean protein and perhaps a veggie.

I was just trying to figure this 'new' website out and the banner at the top of the page was advertising Domino's Pan pizza for $7.99...What's up with that??? Are ya'll trying to torture me???

My first week I didn't want anything. Lol the second week I struggled bc I was so head hungry. I just started the puree diet. Bariatric advantage has a vegetable soup powder and it's great I added some seasoning to it but you mix it with water and that's how I survived the last week before puréed foods. I couldn't do yogurt and was so sick of jello and pudding. My doctor told me it's almost impossible To get down the 60 g of protein the first couple weeks. I am now doing better. Also bariatric advantage has protein shakes. The orange taste like an orange cream sickle the iced latte taste like a real coffee. I didn't find these until my 2nd week and wish I knew from the start. Also vitamin shoppe and GNC has isopure. Flavored liquid protein. I add crystal light packet to it but it's not bad at all.

My new surgeon to be, did my endoscopy yesterday and said my sleeve is dilated and has a bulge, he said it's not my fault, the sleeve was too big to begin with..causing weight loss failure. He advised that it could be revised with no issues. Now I have to wait and find out if my insurance will approve, since I have no bariatric benefits. I am so frustrated...