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Yikes! No wonder you are feeling awful ????! Just shows that we really know our own bodies more than docs sometimes. I think this is especially true for bariatric patients. Glad you got retested. You will feel so much better when they get it properly adjusted. ☺️

I watched as many VSG and bariatric surgery videos on Youtube as I could. I wanted to know the good, the bad and the ugly. I chose to watch people that had posted at least a year of videos covering their progress.

I had a stomach bug which made me nauseated. Not to be too graphic but...I really needed to throw up and it was difficult. I felt a lot of pressure and a small amount of vomit did make it's way out. My band is fine and if it continued then I was definately going to take some anti-nausea meds. You can get lozenges at the pharmacy, or you bariatric doctor can prescribe a "real" anti-nausea med. So...for me I can still throw up post-band but it is a whole lot harder to do.

Great feedback! Anyone using Celebrate Vitamins? That is what they have at my docs office. And I wish they would all take the word Bariatric off the bottles - for those of us keeping this private!!!!!

Great post!! I actually stepped away from here for a few weeks because of the wildly differing phases and allowable foods. That and the fact that I didn't lose 30 pounds in two weeks like everyone else (it took me 5.) But I came back this morning to get some recipes, and am sort of reconnecting. Although I'm not going to make myself crazy with the comparisons. That's what got me in all kinds of trouble in the past. Thinking I'm not as thin, pretty or successful as everyone else sent me right to the refrigerator! That being said, I decided to just follow my own bariatric team's recommendations. I follow their Facebook page, and use the nutrition booklet I got from my NUT. But even my team don't always agree, and then I have to do what works or makes sense to me. Like my surgeon says protein shakes can count as a liquid but my NUT says no. I agree with her so I only count waters. It's empowering to think for myself sometimes!! But being bombarded with SO much conflicting information can make you crazy!!

Surgery 4/10/18 HW: 295 CW: 252 Slow start out of the gate. Surgery was complicated by adhesions from band and I was overmedicated recovery unit. Been on solid foods for a few weeks. I have to be careful with bread, but I don't eat a lot of it anyway. I do OK on my plan, but have had a few episodes of uncomfortable slime/foamies. Sometimes I can figure out the cause, sometimes I can't. Discovered last week that traveling can be a challenge, but I do the best I can. My weight loss is going much slower than I'd like. I'm told that it's because of my previous bariatric surgery/lap band. Guess the body has "been there/done that" kind of attitude. Happy I'm losing inches. Am down 2 pant sizes. Glad my energy is back. Started off on MD Patches, but developed sensitivity to the adhesive. Don't like the chalky chewables and the soft-chews are kind of expensive. I can take small pills, but the larger vitamin size caplets can be uncomfortable. Currently taking SF gummy supplements, which seem to work and I consider them my treat for the day. My skin is looking great. Not much hair loss. I notice a little extra in my brush, otherwise I seem to have that in check.

If you have aVITAMIN SHOPPE in your area they specialize in bariatric health. But yes don't buy tons before the surgery

BTW I forgot to say this about my taste. Sometimes it has a horrible bitter taste and sometimes tastes like metal. I was told by a fellow Bariatric person that I should have my vitamins or reg medicatons checked out. But I have had this bitter and tin taste before my RNY. I do think it has got worse too. Not fun sometimes this is why I chew gum all the time. LOL Another story there!!

Your mom may be legitimately hungry as some people dont feel satified on the early stages of the diet. Things change however with firm/dense protein intake. Also some people still want to eat solely for the joy or comfort of it, so that may be a factor as well. Reflux (which may mimic hunger pains) should be considered and meds usually given early post op to help. Is she taking anything? Also a drastic change in lifestyle and other medications entering and leaving the system can affect sleep and mood as well. Start or stop anything recently? Also a reasonable amount of time to completely heal and return to normal is important. Some people don't bounce back quickly. Patience is important but be aware of sudden declines as people should get better with time. When you say she drinks a lot of water (but cannot urinate) i think in excess of the recommended 64 oz daily. Is this what you mean as well? Is there a way for you to track exact amounts (good info for doctors to have) ? Perhaps it's time to split up her questions to different doctors besides her bariatric surgeon. They only handle the one thing. Perhaps speak with the Primary to see if there is a need for a visit to the Urologist and also mood/mental health referrals for a Therapist. If I was someone going through this I would ultimately just want to feel completely supported. Try to be patient and tolerant, let her journey be self guided but advocate for her when she needs you to. Good luck💖

Yes, I am using the Tespo vitamins. I didn’t buy the machine because I wanted to make sure I liked them and they worked well for me before I spent money on the machine. I got the on the go which is 12 and vitamins to start with. I like it a lot, just pour the powder into a little water shake it up and drink. I had a lot of problems with nausea and vomiting and it’s been the only vitamins that does not upset my stomach. Find it very easy and convenient. The taste isn’t my favorite but it’s not bad either just a little tangy for me. I had my blood work checked at my last checkup and everything looked really good with my levels so they are working. Initially my dietician said they didn’t have enough but she misread the website and didn’t see that for bariatrics there are two you take the women’s and the Bariatric formula.. I take one women’s and one bariatric in the morning and another bariatric in the afternoon. It’s not the cheapest but I do think the quality is very good and like I said my blood work shows they are working well for me. Hope you find a vitamin that will work for you :)

Hi everyone! Had my PCP appointment today. I asked for a referral for bariatric surgery and he put in a referral for it, and he referred me for the health classes (I'm assuming and HOPING the Options program?) he says its a process, which I know. Anyhow, just wondering how long it took for them to call you to get everything going? He said they would be in touch with me. I'm getting my bloodwork done tomorrow as he said it would be good to have that done and over with. *edit: spelling

"the world according to eggface" has several protein ice cream recipes that follow the same method MxKitty just described. and "the bariatric foodie" has a couple of protein popsicle ideas

I also had to do the 6 month diet for my insurance, and I went to the dietician on the bariatric team who will be adivising me on pre and post-op diet. For a small fee ($35 in my case) she set up the program and she documented my weight every two weeks. I finally finished it in mid January and she sent me paperwork to take to my PCP to sign off and mail back. Then it went to insurance. I have been waiting 3 weeks for insurance approval (seems longer than the 6 month diet). My PCP sent me for a stress test and echocardiogram (I work for Cardiologists, so I had them done at work--no out-of-pocket charges, just what insurance paid). If you have picked out a surgeon, check with their office and see if the dietician will supervise the 6 month diet for you. Good luck.

Considering moving my aftercare to another bariatric practice - if they'll have me. Could use some feedback - as in am I crazy to consider doing this? Here's the deal: I had gastric banding in early March and lost 27lbs in prep for the procedure. In the two weeks following the surgery I lost 12lbs. Since then, I've had four fills giving me 4.8cc in an 11cc band. My weight has not changed give or take 2lbs - so I'm 238-240 - regardless of activity level and apparently, what I consume. I'm hungry within 2 hours of eating and can eat pretty much anything, but since my surgeon's practice states "No in-between meal snacks" I really try to hold the line which means there are quite a few meetings in which my loud, literally howling stomach is the source of discomfort for me and an amusing distraction for others. Couple this with the fact that I'm a Type II Diabetic who controls her blood glucose with a small amount of medication, diet and exercise. By the time I do breakdown and eat the forbidden "snack" rather than waiting for the next meal, I'm often sweating, hands shaking due to my blood sugar having dropped too low. Thus there's a chance I'll eat too quickly - we know what happens then or I eat the wrong, but safe items like ice cream or candy that melts quickly, and raises my glucose so I feel normal. Beyond the obvious problem of not making progress with my band is that I'm not getting through to my Bariatric Practice. 1) I haven't seen my surgeon since the operation - he doesn't "have time" as he's busy with new patients. 2) I see a PA for my fills. She's almost always overbooked and frazzled. When she complimented me on losing 25 lbs between fill #1 & #2 without even looking at me and I said, "Excuse me? I haven't but a pound or two!" She had to check the chart - "Oops! My bad - I read it wrong!" 3) I keep telling her (see above) and the reaction is basically, "Uh-huh...well, let's get this fill in". After fill #3 she told me I had 5.5cc in the band; last week she advises me it's only at 4.8cc?! 4) No labs have been ordered, the saline hasn't been removed to check the band is holding what it should, no fluoroscopy - and no concern that I'm getting nowhere - just "see you in four weeks!" Last week's trip in for my big 0.6cc fill was the same experience as fills 1-3. I arrive on time and wait for over an hour and a half - and it's an hour drive each way, so I've had to take at least a half-day off from work. While I wait in the over-crowded waiting room, wishing I'd brought something, anything to eat, I watch the single PA juggle fills and consults for pre-surgical patients, have a melt-down because the surgeon has asked her to squeeze in another post-op having problems. Meanwhile the bariatric nurse is ranting at another pre-op patient about his "failure to lose weight" on Medifast, when in trots a pizza delivery guy with two large pies for the staff...right through the waiting room of starving bariatric patients. When it's all said and done, I leave with a raging headache, a long drive and the need to find a convience store for OJ - not a "clear liquid" but better than having a hypoglycemic incident on that hour drive home. Thoughts? Comments?

I don't like pain. Surgery is painful, and gastric bypasses are major surgery. If I were in your shoes, I would try to find another surgeon in my area who would be willing to take on another surgeon's patient. If I couldn't find one, I'd go back to my original doctor. You might get a disapproving look. You might not. Explain that you were discouraged and afraid, but now you're ready to do what you can to make the band work for you (but this part applies only if you are really ready). I'm newly banded, but I've done a lot of reading and have learned that fills are fickle things. The first one doesn't usually give restriction to people. I was told to expect four to six fills (or more!) before mine would be where I need it to be. Maybe one fill wasn't enough for you. Don't forget that nutrition is important, too! If your surgeon didn't give you instructions on how to eat after you were banded, do research or call your surgeon's office! There's a wealth of information available in this and other forums. Find a nutritionist who specializes in bariatric surgery. Exercise!! If I did all of this and the band still wasn't helping me, I would consider other surgeries, but not before. Mainly because of the anesthesia, cutting, and recovery time :confused: Really, this is how *I* would approach it. You have to weigh your options and consider what is best for you. Lap-bands don't work for everyone; neither do bypasses. Sometimes it's because, for whatever reason, the particular method was incompatible with the patient's body. Sometimes it's because the patient cheated the system, which is possible with ANY weight loss procedure. You HAVE to follow the rules or you're not going to be successful. You HAVE to go to follow up appointments to make sure you're doing well and things are working as they should. *hugs* I understand feeling out of control and spiraling into a bad place. That's how I got to be 300 pounds. There came a time when I realized that what I was doing wasn't helping me at all. I had to pull myself up by my bootstraps (that was hard), admit to my mistakes (even harder), and decide what to do about the situation. It sucked! But I did it. And you can too. (Sorry for babbling and/or incoherency. I'm tired!)

I have had Crohn's disease for 23 years, limited to the terminal ileum (the end of my small bowel). I have had two bowel resections (one in 1989 and one in 2005) and have been maintained for the last six years on Imuran (an immunosuppressant similar to 6MP). My last colonoscopy (2-1/2 years ago) showed only one tiny superficial ulcer and was otherwise free of disease. I am considering the vertical sleeve gastrectomy. I have spoken to a bariatric surgeon, who feels that this is the best choice for me because it doesn't involve the small bowel and does not cause malabsorption. I have asked about a band, but he doesn't believe this works well (he has performed this procedure as well as the sleeve, the Roux-en-Y, and the duodenal switch), and could potentially cause erosion - not a good option for Crohn's sufferers. My surgery was just approved by my insurance, BCBS. I would like to lose 130-140 pounds. I would also be interested in hearing from anyone who has Crohn's and has had the VSG.

I just jumped on here today and found the Mexico and Self pay forum. So, I saw your post and wanted to chime in some recommendations to help you break your stall. I also think your body may be just "resting" after the extreme loss you've had your first 3 months. However, I'm going to give you some tips that I have learned and am trying to instill in my wls journey for the long term journey, and when you reach your goal and want to maintain that weight. 1. Log your food, every morsel/drink you are putting in your body on an app like my fitness pal. You are only a few months out but this is going to help you in the journey. 2. Be sure you are getting enough Water in. 3. Eat your lean Protein first, then the others. 4. Find a good support group, not just online but a hospital group or outside face to face group who will help you be accountable and encourage you. 5. Add Fiber to your diet instead of using laxatives. Now, if your doctor wants you on consistent laxatives this is something to discuss with him/her. I'm not a doctor, but I do think that eating higher fiber foods, adding fiber, etc. could get you back on track. 6. Don't just get stuck on the number on the scale. Are your clothes continuing to get bigger? Are you feeling good? Your body may be playing "catch up". If you are doing everything according to the doctor's instructions (bariatric rules) then you will continue to lose. Finally, you have done AWESOME!! Remember even at goal, this is a lifelong journey, so if you haven't gotten into a local support group or learning the behavioral aspects of overeating/overweight, I encourage you to look into this. It will definitely be worth it.

Hi! I'm new to this group as of a few minutes ago: ) I'm halfway through the requirements process for my insurance for the sleeve surgery. Last month I was told that I had thyroid cancer. My thyroid was removed last week and I'll be having radiation sometime later in July to make sure they got it all. If I'm approved my surgery would be later in July. I'm so scared that my sleeve surgery will be delayed but thankful that I'll be cancer free. I was just wondering if anyone has been through anything similar. How long of a wait after radiation before I could have surgery? I don't meet with my bariatric office for two weeks so thought I'd see what feedback I could find here. Thanks!!

I didn't think they tasted very good either. I had heard about Celebrate vitamins online, so I used Celebrate Bariatric vitamins for the first few months, now I am able to swallow regular vitamins without any problems.

I was wondering if anyone uses Bariatric Advantage products? If so, what products do you use? I am mainly looking for the Vitamins I am going to need after I have my lap band placed. I just went to my orientation class at Kaiser South San Francisco and am looking into what vitamins I am going to need. Any and all suggestions and input gladly welcome!!

Hi everyone! I have been lurking for a couple of weeks now and just joined a couple of days ago. I am 5'6" and 265 pounds. I'm tired of being fat! I used to be "merely" overweight, by about 3 pounds, and thought that was the worst ever. Boy, was I wrong! I was a teenager and constantly picked on by a step-father who enjoyed making cruel comments and pig noises at me. Now, I am 34 years old with two children and zero energy. I look at pictures of myself as a teen and wish I still looked that cute. For a long time I used to view every bite I took as an "Eff you" to the ex-step-father. I have made peace with my past and realize it was his issue, not mine. (FYI his comments to his sister, and apparently also his current wife, have made them both anorexic. That really helped me realize he is a small man, and I am worth so much more than him.) Unfortunately, now I am terribly obese, and cannot lose the weight. For years, I considered weight loss surgery but did not want to be re-routed. I also did not like the thought of a band stuck in me. I recently discovered the sleeve and I know this is the best option for me. I lost my job two years ago, which meant losing my insurance, too. I just qualified for Medicaid and view this as an opportunity to finally get the surgery I know will help me. I am pre-diabetic, have PCOS, high cholesterol and heart disease runs in my family. I am not living the life I deserve. My children are not getting the mom they deserve because I have no energy. Medicaid is a new thing for me! I have contacted the bariatric center I will be using and the *** (I had to choose an *** through Medicaid, so I chose Coventry Cares because they have an excellent dental plan). Can you believe Coventry has no actual criteria? They view each case separately which is scary! My first appointment with my PCP is October 2 and I am hoping I can convince him to make my case look like I badly, badly need this surgery. I suspect I will still have to do the 6 month medically supervised diet. I was hoping I could get that cut down to 3 months since my sincere wish is to be back on my feet financially and off Medicaid by the time the 6 months are up. I guess my health is worth waiting a few extra months! Has anyone else had any experience with Coventry Medicaid in Pennsylvania? Or any of the Medicaid HMOs in PA? The bariatric surgeon I will be seeing is Dr. Neale in Wilkes-Barre, so any advice to this newbie would be so very welcome. I apologize for the novel!

I purchased 2 bottles of the multi vitamins in mixed berry and calcium in cinnamon and chocolate. I do not like either. They have this fizzing like sensation going on and they taste very chalky. UGH!!! I'm stuck with them. I ordered online from Bariatric Advantage. They will not take opened bottles back and if you have unopened items, there is a 15% restocking fee. That with the cost of return shipping was not worth sending it back. It's great that some doctors offer samples. My doctor sells the products, but I didn't think to ask for samples.

My insurance required 6 months of weigh ins, nutrition evaluation, psychologist eval and blood test for stomach bacteria. I recommend you continually stay in touch with both dr office and insurance. I found out after doing all the requirements and dr submitting surgery date that my insurance required I enroll in the Bariatric Resource Services program they had! I had no idea about this requirement. It delayed my surgery almost 4 weeks. . I am happy to say I had my sleeve surgery on 10/20 and doing fine so far. Stay on top of your insurance company!! Best of luck!! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Every bariatric surgery has it's problems. RNY is great because people lose weight so fast (due to malabsorption) but I recall my original band dr saying (when we were discussing options) that with RNY you have to work hard to get your weight loss done in year one because by year 2 the stomach begins to relax a little and the body adapts and weight loss becomes much more difficult. Then in the next breath he told me how much discipline it takes to lose weight with a Lap Band because there isn't malabsorption issues. I am hearing about more and more RNY patients coming back for a lapband, it's actually not so unusual. And so, she's on the same crazy journey we all are on. I hope she finds some peace.

Hello everyone, My name is Jennifer and I live in Tempe, AZ. I have been considering getting the LapBand to help with my weight loss, but I'm not sure where to start my research. I've been to the seminar at the Bariatric Services at Banner in Mesa, but I found them to be very impersonal and they rushed me out instead of answering my questions. I also had one person in the seminar tell me I shouldn't be there because I wasn't "big enough". Whatever that means. If you have had the procedure done or are in the process of it, I have many questions for you. Such as: What are the steps prior to the procedure? I've heard various stories anywhere from they starve you for 2 weeks all the way to requiring to see a psychologist to make sure you can handle the life change. Can someone clear this up for me? Also, choosing a doctor. How do I know I'm getting the best possible care and I'm not dealing with a doc who just wants to make a quick buck? I've been under general anesthesia twice for knee surgeries and it scares me to know that I'll have no control over what they do when I'm out. The first time I was under, the doc botched up my knee. The second surgery was to correct what the first doc screwed up. I don't want to make the same mistake with my organs! Are there any websites for surgeons in the area where I can check their backgrounds and get reviews from former patients? Here's a questions for those who can answer: Is this thing removable? If I decide several years after the procedure that I don't want it in my body anymore, will there be complications to removing it? What are the follow-ups after the procedure like as far as frequency and duration? What's the recuperation time after the procedure? How much work could I expect to miss? My email is Siobhan_Ra@hotmail.com is you would like to email me any information you have. Thanks for looking! -Jenn