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you guys should try the Bariatric fusion vitamins. Its a complete chew-able multivitamin made for Sleeve, Bypass, and band patients. i have been taking them since surgery and all my blood work comes back normal. Not bad tasting at all and i dont have to have 8 different pills to take. http://www.bariatricchoice.com/bariatric-fusion-gastric-bypass-vitamins-supplements.html?gclid=CKbpnPDR9LICFUud4Aod_1sA7A#.UHR3GpgxAxo

Geezz, my Dr has me on a lot: Celebrate bariatric multi 2x a day Fiber 5g, 2x a day Protonix 1 a day Calcium 2x a day coq10 1 a day Then beginning 3rd month add fish oil.

I think most of us would be confused and unsure in your situation.It is difficult to be objective when things hit so close to home. Like Isereno said, health risks need to be considered. Your sister and friend had VERY serious health problems that have nothing to do with bariatric surgery. Your sister was saved because of having VSG, so if anything, she is the perfect example of why we chose to do something as drastic as surgery to treat our obesity. Going in to this I knew death and serious complications were a risk (as with any surgery) but inaction was going to bring me the same results, so I went for it. Your sister and friend had no symptoms and nothing came up during all the pre-op testing. Thanks to bariatric surgery they had a chance to fight their liver disease and cancer. When taking risks, sometimes we lose and sometimes we win, but I would rather go down fighting. I hope you choose to fight. Lastly, I suggest you call your surgeon today. He/she can answer some questions for you and can be more compassionate tomorrow. A big hug to you!!!!!

Bariatric advantage.

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone! I am using the ones that the surgeon's office makes us use, called Suncoast Bariatrics. They are made of whey protein, 22 grams per shake, and 111 calories. You mix them with water pre-op. After the operation, you can mix them with skim or low fat milk. I will call them on Monday to see what they recommend.

Any time you tinker with digestion, it can affect how meds are absorbed (especially with the bypass or duodenal switch). Your bariatric team should have reviewed your meds to identify possible issues prior to surgery. Hopefully they will get it figured out quickly for you. My team did a good job of reviewing my meds and discussing the likely affect of my WLS but I still ran into trouble with the blood thinner I was taking (Xarelto). My hematologist tried to switch me to another med since the Xarelto requires a lot of food to be bioavailable but my insurance refused to cover it. So wouldn't you know it, I got a blood clot six months after surgery. Now I take injectable Lovenox because there's no requirement to have food with it. The Lovenox is more expensive than the drug my insurance refused to cover, plus they had to pay for my hospital stay when I had the clot. Go figure, right?

Are the bariatric fusion chewables a good choice of vitamins for the sleeve patients?

Hey folks-- I finally will have a surgery date by the end of the week for sometime in April. Here is my honest to God, unbias opinion of the Doctors and Specialists I have seen. First up, Bariatric Surgeon #1.... Dr. Moran. http://www.alasurgery.com/ The Short: $250 "administrative fee." Unsupportive Staff. Reputable and experienced Surgeon. Bad Bed side manner. Very much to the point. The Long: His office staff was rude, unhelpful, and unsupportive to my needs. They gave me a hassle about faxing my documentating to another doctor when I decided to change. I was denied by insurance because my BMI was > 50. They knew this on the first visit/consultation. Dr. Moran told me all he would have to do is call the insurance company and the denial would be overturned. After I plunked down the cash, the copays, etc, I was told by his office staff that Dr. Moran was far too busy to call me or my insurance company. They referred me to a financing company to pay for my surgery, even though I am fully 100% insured. They offered no assistance in the way of the appeals. Pharrah (office manager), Iris(receptionist), and Ann(bariatric coordinator) are the office staff that I had the displeasure of dealing with. I had to call their office constantly to receive updates on my case. It seemed as if without me calling and asking constantly, nothing got done. Dr. Moran himself was alright, though a bit cold and curt. The office staff motivated me to move to a new Doctor and never look back. Tammi Moore-- Psychiatrist: She is a wonderful woman and knows all about the bariatric surgeries. I really enjoyed working with her and talking with her. I am considering seeing her again after my surgery. Dr. Earnhardt - Cardiologist: This man was probably my favorite of all the specialists I have seen. So kind, attentive, and informative. Loved this visit. Ashley Miles - Nutritionist at Rex Wellness SHe was a total sweetheart as well. It was a joy to see her. Highly recommended. Baratric Surgeon #2.... Dr. Enochs. http://www.surgerync.com/ Angelica at Dr. Enochs is my angel. She was VERY helpful over the phone far before I paid them a single dime. She is the bariatric coordinator over there. She talked me through my issues and got me in to see Dr. Enochs as soon as possible. Luckily, in between visits, I lost the weight I needed for the BMI factor, so that will no longer be an issue. Dr. Enochs himself is a sweetheart and took the time to answer all of my questions. However, there is a $500 administrative fee here. BUT, since I had already paid Dr. Moran $250 and was so frustrated by the process, Dr. Enochs only charged me $250. Yay! It was somewhat of a lengthy wait once I got to the office (30 minutes after my scheduled appointment) and his office in Cary is a bit of a haul from my home in NorthWest Raleigh, but I think it was well worth it. Dr. Enochs also has a FANTASTIC support staff who saw me and spent time with me. I met with 5 employees while there, all guiding me through their area of expertise. Highly recommended. Please PM or reply with any questions at all.

Hiya @ Fish495, need a friend? Ready,to step into this batting cage, my new friend. My,name on here is Frustr8,I am 72 years old, and I too wi'll be having an RnY bypass. I meet with Dr Needleman, my bariatric Surgeon 7/17/18, the Final step before I get my surgical date. I have been posting on Bariatric Pal 7 months, have learned a lot here, done a lot of studies, drowned my fears in tears long ago and am moving proudly forward. I am MotherHen/Bariatric Godmother to many on here, always happy to have helped others. Obese- I have been off and on obese since babyhood. Even in childhood when I fell within normal weight charts I was never that muscular, if you hugged me I felt "fluffy". Health conditions Arthritis since I was 25, before that I was considered double-jointed, people with that have. 85% chance of early onset arthritis. I have both kinds but happy to say RA has been dormant for a while.2 knee replacements, one in December 2014 the other in February of 2017 GERD severe enough I have been on Dexilant, an uncheap PPI, would cost $350 a month if I didn't have insurance Sleep Apnea and I sleep every night with a C Pap machine. Hereditary in my family, so I may not escape it after surgery, but many people do! I stand 5ft8in, down from a height of 6ft when I was young, you almost always lose height after menopause. Weight currently 321 lbs down from a lifetime high of 356 last October Diets I think I have tried each and every one known to mankind and womankind. If it is weird and offbeat either a family member or doctor has had me on it. Family I was an only child ,married 44 years to my late husband, on here called the Late Lamented, died 4th of July 2012. Had 3 children, oldest RD short for Rotten Daughter, she gets in touch with me infrequently,usually when she wants money or sympathy. Both grandmothers spoiled her unmercilly, still thinks the world owes her everything. Yes every family has one, it is to my everlasting shame I have given birth to mine. She is the mother of myb2 grand-girls Naomi 22 and Amy almost 21. RD will be 50 in January. My second child, were he living would be 42, he died in 2008 ai 31 of underdiagnosed cardiac condition and there is not a day,i still don't miss him. He was a wonderful young man, full of promise for the future, great to know And everyone who knew him wanted to be his friend. Walked into our local fleabag hospital under his own,power and 17 hours later he was dead. The attending doctor who,did little for him to save him and admitted I Don't Know Why He Died is still practicing in this community and my wonderful son is no longer living. Life is not fair, indeed,not as it should be. My youngest, my Tomkitten lives with me, incredibly,supportive of my Bariatric Plans and makes,up for his rotten sister in spades. Now that you k,ow a little more about me,I hope you will want to be friends. Oh yes, I live in Central Ohio, lived within 60 miles of here my entire life.😛 PS you are not garbage,neither am I. We all have a reason to,be,here! 😛

@Bufflehead is right. The sleeve is new for weight loss, but people have had part or all of their stomach removed for decades as part of the treatment for cancer. While we don't have long term studies based on VSG as a bariatric surgery there are tons of studies about the efficacy of removing the stomach for other purposes. I was also really worried about the fact that this was a forever kind of surgery, and it did concern me that in the future maybe something would go wrong, but the more I researched the more I felt better about it. I was 29 when I had the surgery, so I can also appreciate that you feel like you're a little earlier in life and you need your body to last for six more decades or so. You will be fine...but the nerves are just part of the process. A year from now you will very likely look back on this and think, whew, best decision ever!

Have you been to a Lapband seminar yet? Typically there is a bariatric coordinator and it's their daily routine of working with insurance companies and knowing the in's and out's and pitfalls, etc... I would recommend attending one of if you already have a surgeon in mind, they usually have mandatory consults or seminars they hold which are very helpful. They definitely got the ball rolling for me. I am going on my 3rd (3 out of 3) supervised monthly weigh in's with my PCP and had my psyche eval last week. One more Dr's appt and I am then submitted to insurance. From there, once approved, the surgeons office will schedule my surgery date and guide me on my EKG, Chest X-Ray and Labwork appts. Good Luck!

I am not familiar with the post-op follow ups with the Mexico surgeons, but seems like you may benefit from a local Bariatric surgeon that's credible. Sounds like your suffering way more than you have to. Im sure there are lots of people from GA on here who can recommend a few good ones. Good luck

@@GigiLane I am in Tampa. I am almost at the end of my 6 month visit before I am approved by my insurance for the surgery. I opted to go directly with the bariatric surgeon as I thought it would be easier to eliminate the middle man (pcp) If all goes well should have my surgery by end of June. Good luck to you and your journey! Sent from my SM-N920T using the BariatricPal App

Dear BariatricPal Members, We have an exciting announcement to make! We are delighted to tell you that we have published The Big Book on Bariatric Surgery: Living Your Best Life After Weight Loss Surgery! This book is packed with suggestions on how you can lose more weight and love your life after weight loss surgery. This friendly and indispensable guide includes the following. Sample menus for all stages of the weight loss surgery diet. Simple and fun high-Protein, low-calorie recipes to liven up your meal plan. Strategies for getting enough protein, Fluid, and Vitamins and minerals. Staying motivated and getting over plateaus. How you can lose weight at restaurants, parties, and on vacation. And much more! We are super proud of our new book, and we can't wait to find out what you think about it! The book is available in hard copy and as an electronic download. You can get your copy of The Big Book on Bariatric Surgery exclusively via Amazon.com or via your Kindle. In 90 days the title will also be available directly from BariatricPal, iBooks, Barnes and Nobles and Kobo. Remember to take a look at out our earlier books if you have not already read them! They give you the information you need as you decide whether to have weight loss surgery, prepare for and recover from the surgery, and lay a solid foundation for your weight loss journey. The BIG Book on the Gastric Sleeve: Everything You Need To Know To Lose Weight and Live Well with the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy The BIG Book on the Gastric Bypass: Everything You Need to Lose Weight and Live Well with the Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery The BIG Book on the Lap-Band: Everything You Need To Know To Lose Weight and Live Well with the Adjustable Gastric Band

Thanks. I'm only taking the Bariatric fusion Vitamins. No need for any other supplements according to my surgeon and my labs (from August thru March when last done) are all within normal range. The price is right for me

Dr. Bovard from Bariatric Specialties of NC did my SIPS procedure on 12/22/14 and I was down 97 pounds as of September 21, 2015. I originally had a lap band procedure done in April 2008 and lost about 115lbs but gained about 35 back. Last year in October I decided to do a revision and I love it a lot more than the Lap Band.

This one is easy for me. My pre-surgery education was amazing. Very through. A whole binder of information and a 4 hour orientation. I had a band, and I was told One YEAR. Lose th weight. I have also seen on other bariatric sites and books tht say 6 months. I love my wine. Did I say I love my wine? And my work puts me in social situations. I've been ordering water with a lime over ice in a rocks glass. LOOKS like I am drinking, but not. And to have the little glass helps. A few days ago, I put my Ocean Spray Blueberry cranberry juice in a wine glass. My husband as shocked I was drinking wine. :-) No one would know. I guess it all depends on your goals and boundaries. Is it really worth it. I do miss my wine, see above. But I am waiting for at least 6 months. Hope that helps.

Well every office is different. They might take people in order. I already knew I was covered but my office required people to attend the informational seminar first. I didn't learn anything there that I didn't know but it was a necessary step. Next you had to fill out a form during the seminar and then they would send you a link to fill out your info. I didn't want to wait for the link so I got it in advance and and filled everything out before they sent my link. But I still had to wait for them to call me to schedule my first appointment. They only took a couple of days because I did follow their process. I suppose it depends on how busy your bariatric doctor is but mine is a large well known clinic and so they take people in order and stick to a strict process in order to get everyone taken care of in a timely fashion.

Hi all, I'm new to this. So I have been signing medical release forms from my current Dr's and having them fax my history to the Bariatric Dr. I want them to have a book ready in hand when I go for my consult. I got a call today from them telling me I have to wait for consultation date. Well sorry but I want you to have it all now so we are not stalling on this process. I want it ASAP. Did anyone follow the rules on this process? I already have an insurance clearance that I will be covered at 100% with this Dr. So why wait?? Thanks Jen Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

It's the food addiction many of us suffer. If you changed the above references from food items to alcohol, you would have a recovering alcoholic that is starting to fall off the wagon again, right? Tell dear husband he needs help. Be that in the form of going to a local bariatric surgery group monthly, or seeing a psychologist, or self help in the form of a book. Coincidentally, there is a good book on amazon called Never Binge Again which happens to be free in kindle version for a limited time. I would pick it up and see if it can help him with his situation.

I had my first bariatric sleeve consult appointment today. I was told that since I have gallstones, I should have my gallbladder taken out before I have the gastric sleeve. Is it common to have problems with your gallbladder after gastric sleeve?

Dear patients, Our support group meeting the first Saturday in April will be in conjunction with the recent opening of the Metabolic Fast Track Weight Loss Center. We will be touring the facility, demo'ing the equipment, and getting some fitness tips from Donna Isaac, a registered nurse and fitness specialist. Our group is open to all patients no matter what surgery or who your surgeon was. Please come and check it out! The Center for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery 10475 Reading Road, Evendale (Cincinnati), OH 45241 Trace W. Curry, M.D. Lap Band and Realize Band surgeon Cincinnati, Ohio Your Page Title 513.559.1222 / 877.442.BAND DISCLAIMER: Any information contained within is meant to be general medical advice only. Please consult your surgeon on your specific problem!

Great question and equally great replies! As many of the respondents mentioned, gastric sleeve surgery is much less complicated than many other types of bariatric surgery… Your digestive system is not rearranged, unlike gastric bypass surgery or duodenal switch surgery. It also differs from the more complicated procedures by being primarily restrictive in nature (makes you feel full sooner rather than directly causing your body to absorb fewer calories). There are no foreign objects implanted in your body as with gastric banding or vertical banded gastroplasty. Because of these differences, the gastric sleeve has a reduced risk of: Vitamin deficiency/malnutrition Dumping syndrome and other malabsorptive-procedure (i.e. gastric bypass) side-effects Long-term gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) vs other restrictive procedures. Another consideration: with gastric sleeve surgery, a large part of the stomach is removed, so afterwards your stomach may secrete fewer hormones that make you feel hungry (i.e. ghrelin peptide-YY). To be fair, gastric sleeve surgery does have a few negatives vs other procedures: It cannot be reversed (not necessarily a bad thing) A relatively long staple line is created during surgery which may increase the risk of staple line leaks and/or bleeding It is a newer procedure than Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and other surgeries. As a result, it has fewer long-term studies to support the short-term results. Some critics fear that the pouch could stretch over time (although there are a few relatively quick and safe procedures that can tighten up a stretched stomach pouch). A couple of studies that directly compared gastric sleeve surgery to other procedures also suggest that weight loss may be similar or better than weight loss following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery or duodenal switch surgery. Good luck with your decision and with your new life! Bariatric Surgery Source Gastric Sleeve Surgery - Evaluating & Comparing Its Effectiveness and Outcomes

I did the Bariatric advantage shakes pre-op but for the first two weeks post op those were actually too thick. So I just resorted to premier protein vanilla (I could not fathom chocolate at that point). I drank about 4 oz at a time over the course of an hour in my little medicine cup shot glasses. Good luck!

You have to remember that many of us bariatric weight loss patients lose our weight rapidly. Due to the high speed of our weight loss, our skin begins to sag and our faces look fallen. Now, everyone is different. There are so many factors that come into play with ones outcome (starting BMI, age, genetics, etc.), but you need to give your skin's elasticity time to catch up. My family would criticize me and mention that my face looked fallen. And, even now, when I look back at pictures of myself within the time frame of that first year post op--even past that first year--I can see what they are talking about. My face and neck looked sickly and tired. My turkey neck hung. I am now over 2 1/2 years out and I can honestly say that your skin will retract. It just takes time. So, even though your family's comments are hurtful--despite that they are coming from a good place--remember, they are seeing the after effects of rapid weight loss. Once you stabilize and your body begins to stabilize, you will start to look healthy again. I will say that I also began practicing facial expressions that a lady advised me on. There are a series of facial exercises that one can do to help "tone up" your face. Here is a website that has a few of them, but a quick search will reveal many more: http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2010/05/18/the-best-exercises-for-your-facial-muscles-to-stay-looking-young.aspx It is a long journey. As cliche as that word is, it is true. This is a process. A time consuming one at that. However, it is one that hopefully leads us to a better and longer lived quality of life.