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If you're going by yourself, try to contact a coordinator, I used Bariatric Pal, they give you full service, they can even pick you up at the airport and drive you back, you won't need to look for a hotel, after two days in the hospital, they take you to a really nice recovery house with 24 hours valet service, cable, long distance calls, wifi.. etc.. I had a great experience with them, my doctor was Dr. j. Lopez, but they have more doctors in their team, they are all well experienced, but most important of all, you won't have to worry about anything.. GOOD LUCK

While I'm not in California, I had the same thing happen. I've worked for years with my doctor and her nutritionist, but my insurance needed something more. I did my six months with my bariatric doctors office and now I am FIVE days away from having surgery. I would say keep up the fight, but don't delay on starting the Six month plan. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I've seen a few on YouTube. My doc told me 18 months before getting pregnant. The bariatric doc I used to work for said 2years

Oh and Protein chips and munchies I started a thread about a great deal today! http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/topic/87584-bariatric-choice-sign-up-and-free-20-credit-plus-free-shipping/#entry909760

I finally made the doctors apointment to talk about my weight loss goals! He sent in a referral to the bariatric surgery department with 3 clicks on the computer! i have my first class on october 18th still a long way to go but i thought if i was going to tell my story i should start at the very beginning! thank god for this website now i know its not so simple and there Are hoops i need to jump through. i want to have the sleeve or Gastic bypass but with the recovery time being so short with lap band im thinking about that too.. i have two young children both under 2 and the faster healing the better.. i have kaiser so cal. Im looking for people to share their stories with me i want to know what to expect before i get waist deep ... :thumbup1:

Whilst sitting in the "green room" waiting to be called on set (actually, the name was quite apt as we were sat in a stuffy snooker room in the back of an old gentleman's club...baize green everywhere!) I had another moment of diving into people's psyche concerning us fatties (for those of a sensitive nature, scrub that and read "bariatrically challenged" or "those of a less than slender approach"). The moment that sparked my grey cells was when, as usual, I preempted the jokes and jibes that could be thrown at me - by putting myself down. I seem to recall it was some throw-away comment about squeezing in to a too-tight top which made me feel like a homosexual piglet in a boob-tube. As I uttered the defensive barrier, a very lovely lady leaned over to me (amongst the other actors laughing) and said "you shouldn't put yourself down like that...you're not fat." For a moment, I listened to her words and for an even briefer moment in time, I actually believed her. I like to consider myself an intelligent man and, being one hundred and fifteen pounds over my ideal weight, I have used many mathematical formulae and a sprinkle of the laws of physics to deduce that I am indeed fat. In fact, my calculation led me to the category of "morbidly obese". As much as I hate that label, that is what I am. And I look it. So what made that woman, who I must sat was a little chunky herself, advise me that I was not fat? Was she mad? Did she stem from a foreign country and was actually trying to say "you are not fit"? Was she being sarcastic and making fun of me? I believe she, like countless other of my friends and family over the years, was just being kind. She saw a stigma in the reference if fat, just like most people across the world do. She, unlike some of the less than sensitive people I have met in my life, handled this with an assumed kindness. A certain flattery that was meant to pat me on the back and say "there, there, you'll be OK". I would be an awfully cynical human being if I said that I didn't appreciate that kind of response. After all, it is well intentioned and far preferable to the kinds of insults one normally receives from the less civilized and less educated people in the world. Also, she was obviously under the impression that my put down servered no other purpose other than self-abuse. But, us overweight people know that it is far better to beat the others to the punchline than to have to sit through the humiliation when others cast their fatty remarks. But, forgetting that aspect, does it really help the situation when someone pats you on the backk and says "never mind, your not fat"? Having grown up fat, been educated fat and gone through my adult life fat, I have heard many, many people accuse me of not being "fat" or "too fat" before. People who are close to me. People who care for me. And people who are just embarrassed about the word or concept of "fat". But, I have now come to the conclusion that they have been part of my problem. Had everyone I had come in contact with over the years behaved like the Neanderthal beings that have caused me pain, embarrassment and tears over the past thirty six years, I believe I may have started to do something about it sooner. Had they publicly humiliated me, called me names and lessened by character because if my weight, I may well be slim, athletic and proud of myself. I may well be one of them. With every denial of my weight issues, came a psychological acceptance. They cared for my feelings, and in doings so aided my fast ride to diabetes, circulation problems, countless other health issues and even early death. They were indeed killing with kindness. Now I have decided to undergo the (not so controversial of late) Lap Band procedure, I write this with a certain historical perspective in my mind. From here on in, I am going to be slimmer. I am going to be more athletic. I am going to be more proud of myself. I am going to be more like them. But, I am doing it under my own volition. I have chosen my time. Had the world been a darker place where, the people who care for me had been more cruel (my closest friends, my family, the people embarrassed of the "F" word), then I would feel unsettled. I would not be the person I am today. I would be miserable and entirely alone. Kindness and understanding is an essential part if ensuring our loved ones mature and develop on the outside as well as the inside. I am grateful for all the blatant lies of me not being fat through my life, as I understand that they were, in the main, meant with care and love. However, I am also strangely grateful to the bastards (and I cannot stress that word enough - but more of that in a later blog) that littered my life and helped point out the fact that, even without mathematical formulae, I was obviously fat. Originally posted at: Lap Band Blog

Everyone is so right about the waiting time being a time for soul searching and information gathering. In the beginning, I was going for the Lap-Band because it was the only option that I really knew about. I knew of successful "Banders" that were pleased with their results. After the information seminars and meetings with the staff at my Bariatric Center I switched to the sleeve. The 6 months prepares you emotionally and physically for the changes that are about to occur. I definitely agree, you need that time to prepare.

It's ok to have a freak out moment. Maintaining and eating more calories is a whole new mind set. Your surgery restriction is still good at 6/7 months out. Your restriction may feel less after your first year. Check with your dietician and see if they would approve liquid sources. I drink liquid carbs to increase my intake for distance running. look into body building weight gain/muscle mass protein shakes. The macros are much different than bariatric shakes. (Read the nutrition fact labels)

Keep an eye on it! Just like she said you can become very dehydrated and that happened to me two months post op of my sleeve surgery. I ended up getting the flu and I couldn’t keep anything down or in my body and I had a near death experience with dehydration. Please be careful and watch for symptoms. You can always call your surgeons office and see what they recommend before you go to the er. But if you do go to the er let them know you are a Bariatric patient and explain what’s wrong.

So I am in the process of getting approved for bariatric surgery. The Doctors I use do not expect you to make a decision on which surgery until closer to time. I was looking into the Band, but I have a VP shunt and according to MD it increases my chance of infection to one or both appliances to have both and has reccommended I look into the sleeve gastrectomy. I am doing research and like what I see, but have had a general surgeon tell me not to do it. I would like to hear from people who have had a postive and negative experiences. I am a single mom, ICU RN, and BSN student. My life is very important. I want to be a role model for my childre and patients.

I am having my gastric bypass surgery on Aug. 24. I have been on my pre op diet for almost 2 weeks. Nothing but clear liquid on the day before surgery. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I have saved some awesome holiday recipes from Pinterest under Bariatric recipes. For the most part, I cook according to the number of people I am having, the same way I always did. My husband and I were both sleeved, and we have a small plate, and if no one wants the leftovers it goes straight in the trash. No way would I keep it in my house. I used to cook enough for a week, now I cook only enough for one meal.

Congratulations on your success! We are pretty similar — I had my surgery just a week before yours, and I have also lost 100 pounds since my surgery (I lost about 70 pounds before surgery). My initial goal weight was 180 pounds based on average weight loss (this was before I lost the first 70 pounds), but now I’m shooting for 150, although I honestly don’t care all that much about the number on the scale; for me, it’s all about the NSVs. When I stop and think about it, I’m in disbelief that I have lost such a massive amount of weight. I used to see people who have lost 100+ pounds and think it was impossible, and now I’m one of them. i also have the same sense that it doesn’t feel like I’ve lost as much as I have. I am literally half the size I used to be, and of course I can tell that I’m smaller, but I definitely don’t feel like I’m half my old size. I actually like to cook, and I spend a lot of time on Pinterest looking at bariatric-friendly recipes (I find a lot of recipe on keto web sites, even though I don’t exactly follow the keto diet, but a lot of keto recipes are good because they’re low-carb). One of the cool things about being a bariatric patient is that my portion sizes are so small that I get a ton of servings out of a single recipe. I made a batch of turkey meat sauce that came out to 27 portions! I have a freezer full of single-serving meals from just a few cooking sessions. I’ve really enjoyed finding new, healthy recipes that I love, and I hardly even miss the old unhealthy foods I used to eat. I recently discovered that I like spaghetti squash! And I eat cauliflower rice all the time. I hardly recognize myself anymore. Anyway, it’s great to see someone else enjoying great results from WLS. It is truly life-changing!

I really feel for the girls that have their surgery done in another state for whatever necessary reason. There should be a code of ethics for bariatric doctors to see patients. My doctor is the pioneer for lapband in the US. He was trained by the inventor of the band when the band first left Europe for Mexico. He is Dr. Grossbard of Zephyrhills, Florida, and I had this conversation with him this past Monday. He said to me that he always takes patient for fills and he is always doing repair work for other doctors because it is the patient he cares about! He is a bandster himself! What happened to the Hippocratic oath? I guess the dollar bill speaks louder!

I don't think you're understanding. The ER won't do anything, including referring you. All you'd do is waste more money on a useless ER visit. Lap Band fills are not an emergency. Even if they did give you the name of a Bariatric surgeon, it doesn't mean that surgeon has to see you or treat you. Terry was correct when he said it would be different if you moved or your doctor died. In those cases doctors are willing to step in. But when you are flying across the country just to save some money, a lot of doctors aren't willing you take you on. They see it as you're not willing to use them for the surgery so they're not willing to treat you after because they make very little money on aftercare and fills. You can go get your surgery without someone to treat you at home. It's your choice entirely. We're just trying to warn you that you're asking for major problems and possible failure if you get this surgery without someone treat you at home afterwards. Getting the Lap Band without a doctor to treat and fill you is like spending $30,000 for a brand new car, but it has no tires and the closest place to get tires is 2000 miles away. Totally useless.

I know the feeling. I had to take almost the same exact ones as you 1 week post op. The multi vitamin chewables and the ursodiol were the worst for me. Maybe ask your surgeon if you can switch to something else that might make you feel better. I was allowed gummy vites after a month since i was having trouble with the chewable. Currently i'm doing gummy multi and chewable bariatric calcium/d3 gummies, but going to start using the patches soon as my stomach does not like pills after surgery. Chewable OR swallowed. Good luck, experiment, and hopefully you will find something you can easily take and tolerate.

It can't be undone. So move forward. Self-bashing does no good. Neither does the "eat something bad--repent by exercising it off--repeat that same behavior again" cycle we've all done our whole lives. WLS is our opportunity to change all that and be free. I just try to remember that I did this whole thing to change my lifestyle AND my relationship with food. Not to "feel guilty" about my food for the rest of my life. Food for me now is my body's fuel and its medicine. It's a lot easier to make better choices when I think of food that way. The power that those chips have over you right now will lessen with time, the more you continue to work your program. Making the more healthy choice IS often super hard, but try to remember that you are building a new eating lifestyle for the rest of your life and it will become much more routine as you move through your eating stages. The fewer processed foods you choose in your diet, the less your body will crave them. That was the HARDEST thing for me to believe--but really, really, really--it is true. Our bodies do not want what we feed it from a cardboard box or bag that contains that highly processed stuff. And the less you feed it of that processed stuff, the less it eventually wants. It wants and needs REAL food to repair itself and nourish you and your brain. But of course we live in a society that revolves around the pleasure of eating those processed starchy carbs. One of the many beauties of our bariatric lifestyle is there are so many bariatric-friendly recipes to experiement with that can become our new "go to" treats that you can use to become your replacements to those chips that called your name in the grocery store, and all the other Cookies, cakes, pies, pastries--all the stuff that used to get us in such trouble. Those things don't even tempt me any more because I have built my recipe library of healthy "goodies" that satisfy my cravings yet do make me feel like I'm being deprived of the kinds of foods that "everyone else" eats. This is all a "PROCESS" that takes time. Meanwhile just try to focus right now on getting used to following your eating program the very best you can.

not me. Although supposedly it can happen after any surgery - but you probably see it more in bariatric patients since you're taking in so few calories those first few weeks and months post-WLS. But that won't be the case after plastics, so your chances are probably not as great. My plastic surgeon did recommend really increasing my protein for the first few weeks after plastic surgery, though. I usually average around 100 grams/day (I have to because I malabsorb it), but after plastic surgery there were some days I was up to around 150. But anyway, no - no hair loss.

The only Protein drink I actually enjoy is Chike mocha or regular. Each serving has 20 grams of protein, 140 calories and only 3g sugar. I will caution you, there is caffeine in it and most doctor's suggest not ingesting caffeine. I had to weight caffeine intake vs not getting enough protein-I don't eat meat, fish or eggs. I was about three months out when I starting drinking it and no issues. If you enjoy broth, mix some plain Protein Powder with a little cold Water and add to broth. If you add the powder to hot liquid it clumps up and is disgusting. I found the bariatric soups a great alternative from Protein shakes but after a while, they're pretty awful too.

Hi imojen18, I don't know much about Tijuana Bariatrics. But BP does accept most major credit cards for the payment of your deposit and balance. We also offer direct deposit to our Chase bank account or bank transfer to the same account. As a BP member and patient, you would stay at one of our Recovery Houses as part of your package. Please contact me if you have any questions.

I am looking to have the sleeve in December and have spoken with a few different coordinators, but I am thinking I will go with Dr. Garcia and Tijuana Bariatrics. Can anyone give me any advice or any reviews for him? Is paying your deposit through credit card legit?? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Surgery will be at CER and recovery will be at the Marriott. Please Help!!!

http://asmbs.org/ This is the web page for American society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. There is a bit of reading to do but you have an amazing amount of information in this site. Good luck,

I ordered ENS drink mix from Celebrate Bariatric vitamins...they have a 3 flavor 30 day pack...get your vitamins and water in lol

American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) calls for safe resumption of bariatric and metabolic surgery before COVID-19 pandemic is declared over Newberry, Fla. — Jun. 23, 2020 — The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), the leading organization of bariatric surgeons and integrated health professionals in the nation, declared metabolic and bariatric surgery "medically necessary and the best treatment for those with the life-threatening and life-limiting disease of severe obesity" and called for the safe and rapid resumption of procedures, which have been largely postponed along with other surgeries deemed elective amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In a new position statement entitled, "Safer Through Surgery," published online in the journal SOARD, the ASMBS strongly rejects classifying metabolic and bariatric surgery as "elective" and prefers the use of the term "Medically Necessary Time-Sensitive Surgery" or "Medically Necessary Non-Emergent Surgery" to better characterize the effectiveness of the intervention and the progressive nature of the many diseases it treats including obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. "COVID-19 may be a factor for quite some time and the longer the treatment of obesity, type 2 diabetes and other related diseases are postponed, the greater the chance they will become worse," said Matthew M. Hutter, MD, MPH, president of the ASMBS and professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School. "Each state, doctor and patient must make a decision as to when conditions for metabolic and bariatric surgery are right, but the sooner it can be safely performed, the more quickly obesity, type 2 diabetes and other diseases can be reduced or resolved." The ASMBS recommends that the precise timing for surgery be carefully considered based on factors including an individual patient’s health status, local prevalence of COVID-19 and the availability of resources including hospital beds, ventilators and personal protective equipment (PPE). The ASMBS statement concludes, "Before COVID-19 began, it was clear that patients with obesity were ‘safer through surgery’. In the era of COVID-19, ‘safer through surgery’ for patients with obesity may prove to be even more important than before." Obesity has been identified as an independent risk factor for adverse outcomes including death among COVID-19 patients. Metabolic/bariatric surgery has been shown to be the most effective and long-lasting treatment for severe obesity. 1 Its safety profile is comparable to some of the safest and most commonly performed surgeries in the U.S. including gallbladder surgery, appendectomy and knee replacement. 2 An estimated 252,000 bariatric surgeries were performed in the United States in 2018, which is approximately less than 1 percent of the population eligible for surgery based on BMI. 3 The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports 42.4 percent of Americans had obesity in 2017-2018. 4 Obesity has been linked to more than 40 diseases including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, stroke, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis and at least 13 different types of cancer. 5,6,7 About the ASMBS The ASMBS is the largest organization for bariatric surgeons in the nation. It is a non-profit organization that works to advance the art and science of bariatric surgery and is committed to educating medical professionals and the lay public about bariatric surgery as an option for the treatment of severe obesity, as well as the associated risks and benefits. It encourages its members to investigate and discover new advances in bariatric surgery, while maintaining a steady exchange of experiences and ideas that may lead to improved surgical outcomes for patients with severe obesity. For more information, visit www.asmbs.org. ### 1 Weiner, R. A., et al. (2010). Indications and principles of metabolic surgery. U.S. National Library of Medicine. 81(4) pp.379-394. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20361370 2 Gastric Bypass is as Safe as Commonly Performed Surgeries. Health Essentials. Cleveland Clinic. Nov. 6, 2014. Accessed October 2017 https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2014/11/gastric-bypass-is-as-safe-as-commonly-performed-surgeries/ 3 https://asmbs.org/resources/estimate-of-bariatric-surgery-numbers 4 https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html 5 The Effectiveness and Risks of Bariatric Surgery: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, 2003-2012. Accessed from: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/fullarticle/1790378 6 Steele CB, Thomas CC, Henley SJ, et al. Vital Signs: Trends in Incidence of Cancers Associated with Overweight and Obesity — United States, 2005-2014. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep2017;66:1052-1058. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6639e1 7 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015) The Health Effects of Overweight and Obesity. Accessed from: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/effects/index.html

ASMBS Guidelines/Statements Safer through surgery: American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery statement regarding metabolic and bariatric surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic Executive Council of ASMBS Published: June 05, 2020 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soard.2020.06.003 The surgical treatment of obesity and its complications has been postponed in many parts of the world during the COVID-19 pandemic, similar to the postponements for nonurgent surgical treatment of many other human conditions and disease processes. Many have characterized bariatric and metabolic surgery along with cosmetic plastic surgery as clear-cut examples of elective procedures that must be postponed during COVID-19. Some U.S. states have included these types of procedures in their state-wide order as examples of “elective” surgical procedures that should be the last to be restarted. For those who define “elective” surgery as not necessary or optional, the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) asserts that metabolic and bariatric surgery is NOT elective. Metabolic and bariatric surgery is medically necessary and the best treatment for those with the life-threatening and life-limiting disease of severe obesity. The definition of elective in the Merriam-Webster dictionary is “relating to, being, or involving a non-emergency medical procedure and especially surgery that is planned in advance and is not essential to the survival of the patient.” Metabolic and bariatric surgery is life-saving surgery, with multiple studies confirming the survival benefit for patients treated by surgery over those treated without surgery [1]. Metabolic and bariatric surgery creates long-term changes in metabolism and reduces or eliminates multiple serious obesity-related diseases improving long-term health and quality of life as well as survival. The ASMBS supports the use of the term “medically necessary time-sensitive surgery,” as proposed by Prachand et al. [2], or “medically necessary nonemergent surgery,” as far superior to the term “elective” surgery and what it connotes. Metabolic and bariatric surgery should be restarted when it is safe to do so. The ASMBS disagrees with the concept that bariatric surgery should be postponed until the pandemic is declared over. The global nature of the pandemic, the potential for a second wave or persistent ongoing infection in some parts of the world, along with more traditional risks, such as annual influenza outbreaks, make postponement potentially indefinite. There is clear evidence bariatric surgery improves survival [1] and significantly improves the disease of obesity and several critical obesity-related conditions (including diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular events). Obesity and obesity-related diseases have been identified as independent risk factors for adverse outcomes in COVID-19 infection [3], including need for intubation, ventilatory support, intensive care unit care, and mortality. From a patient-centered and public health standpoint, it is critical to resume metabolic and bariatric surgery. We also understand that obesity and related diseases are the same risk factors that must be taken into consideration for temporarily postponing bariatric surgery in certain higher-risk subsets of patients. The risks and benefits at that particular time for that specific patient need to be carefully considered. Factors to consider in making that decision also include the local prevalence of COVID-19, the availability of testing, the available resources, including hospital beds, ventilators, and personal protection equipment, as well as strategies to protect healthcare workers and patients. However, delay in the life-saving surgical treatment of obesity and its complications for many months or years is not in the best interest of our patients. The ASMBS has advocated for many years that patients suffering from the disease of obesity and its many serious associated diseases should strongly consider metabolic and bariatric surgery as a life-changing intervention that improves health, quality of life, and long-term survival. COVID-19 is the most recent of many diseases in which underlying obesity worsens the prognosis. Before COVID-19 began, it was clear that patients with obesity were “safer through surgery.” In the era of COVID-19, “safer through surgery” for patients with obesity may prove to be even more important than before. PIIS155072892030318X.pdf