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This blog is being created to keep me stay focused on my goal and have accountability as well as hopefully be a resource for others who are considering starting their own journey. My journey started a few years ago when I started researching Weight Loss Surgery (WLS). I went to my very 1st seminar and found it quite informative. Until my husband went to the seminar he was not very thrilled about what I was considering and after that I have really have had his support. At that time most insurance companies were still not covering the Sleeve (VSG) and I myself had never heard of it but found myself quite intrigued with the information. At that time I was considering the lap band procedure. After the meeting I was ready to make my change but got really discouraged when the group that the Dr uses to handle all the insurance and scheduling, etc seemed to be more about themselves and the money they could make than what was good for the patient. Since I got the huge vibe that they were all about the money I decided to call my insurance company to see if there were other options and explained how this group wanted to charge for everything and it was all out of pocket and they sd it wasnt covered by insurance. My insurance encouraged me to find another doctor. I decided to do more research and decided surely I can do this on my own, yea right! So here I am 3 years later. I made my decision to go ahead and have WLS in October 2011 when my lab test came back to the dr showing that I was no longer a borderline diabetic that I now have type II diabetes and knowing my family history I knew this wasn't something to play around with. My doctor asked if I had ever considered WLS as if it was his idea, lol, and I told him I had and he wrote up a referral for me and it was ready for pick up in just a couple of days. So here's my calendar of events so far: October 25 - had annual physical and blood test done Nov 1- Drs appt - got results from test and Dr sd wd give referrel for WLS Nov 10- Bariatric Seminar Nov 11- Drs appt regarding blood sugar levels Dec 12- Drs appt Jan 12- Drs Appt ( gotta make sure I see doctor for 6 consecutive visits to keep insurance from denying surgery) Jan 12- 1st visit with surgeon Jan 17- Psych eval- was told eval wd be sent over by next day to surgeon with approval Jan 25- Upper GI and lab work done Feb 3- 5 mth visit with Primary doctor Once my 1st visit with the surgeon was done, I have felt as if I had been on a rollercoaster of dr's appts but I totally don't mind at all! My Dr appt with my surgeon went very well. One of the requirements they have is you must bring a support person with you to your 1st appt. They don't care whom you choose as long as the person is 18 or over. My surgeon told me the sleeve was a excellent choice and provided my husband and I with very informative information of what to expect in the coming weeks as well as when I have the surgery and my hospital stay. He also encouraged for me to go ahead and get plugged into their support group that they have which I find is a very good idea. I could use all the support I can get. One of the things that made me feel so much better about this is the whole process is totally different then the process I started going on 3 years ago. This is being handled as any medical need where everything can be filtered thru my insurance instead of made to feel as if this is elective surgery therefore if you want a support group you have to pay for it out of pocket, if you want insurance filed you have to pay for it out of pocket. I am so glad my Dr referred me to such a fantastic group. I have done my research and the Dr's are excellent and have had no deaths from the result of their surgery. In fact I didn't find not one negative thing about the entire group. One thing I do want to say is that the surgeons office gave me a list of Psychologist that I could use if I chose too to schedule my Psych eval. I actually called and spoke to one of the staff at one of the offices and I could not believe the fees, besides the 20% copay they sd they charged $185 to actually send the eval to the surgeons office and insurance did not cover that she did a quick calculation and sd it looked as if I wd be paying somewhere around $400 for my 1st appt with filing fees included. I decided before scheduling I should call my insurance company (Cigna open access) and I'm so glad I did. I called my insurance and they sd my employer actually has a EPT plan with the insurance and they gave me a list of names and numbers along with getting a EPT # for me and told me I could have up to 3 visits free and there wd be no cost for the evaluation that insurance wd take care of any cost. They also informed me if I needed any additonal visits after my surgery or even before that the visits are only $10 a visit. WOW! If I had not called my insurance I wd have paid out quite a bit of unnecessary money and I don't know about everyone else but I work hard for my money and have no desire to throw it away unnecessarily. I decided to go ahead and start working on trying to lose weight before my surgery and start walking to work on my endurance so once I have the surgery it won't be as difficult. I already know that alot of people are going to ask why have the surgery if you can lose weight on your own, the problem is i have never in 20 years been able to get below 201 lbs and the last few years with the pre diabetic sugar highs and now full blown diabetes it is even harder to lose weight. WLS is not a quick fix but it is a tool to help people get the help they need. I'm looking forward to my journey towards good health and am very open to words of wisdom and encouragement. Tammy

Hi, I live down the shore as well. I had my surgery in Montclair's Mountainside Hospital in October 2007 by Dr. Karl Strom. He and his associates and office are TERRIFIC. They have great monthly meetings, a terrific dietitian and Dr. Strom has done tons of bariatric surgery (no pun intended.) I highly recommend him. Please e mail me if you need more info. I'm at exit 80 (only Jersey people understand that, lol. It's secret code.)

I’m about 9 almost 10 weeks ago. I have been struggling with vitamins. They had me start with the celebrate tropical twist bariatric vitamins, made me sick no matter when or how I took em. Tried one of the bariatric advantage capsules, makes me sick. Barimelts made me nauseous, what do y’all do for your vitamins???

I had the same issue at first. I started with capsules and chewables, both of which made me nauseous. I found that Bariatric Pal "soft chews" work for me and I've used them for more than a year without any issues. I use the strawberry/watermelon and actually like the taste. https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/soft-chew-bariatric-vitamins/products/bariatric-advantage-multivitamin-chewy-bites-flavors

You can't blame the government for what insurance companies choose to offer. Yes an insurance policy is a contract that's why these policies were written with tons of back doors for the coverage to be dropped if the person insured got too expensive. WLS continues to show long term health benefits and I believe eventually the actuary tables will show that offering Bariatric surgery is less expensive in the long run and more companies will offer it as part of their plans.

Definitely check in with your surgeon & try the changes you mentioned and let us know how it works out!!! You may help solve someone else's bariatric mystery

Everything you go through Is and Always will be Temporary!! Subject to Change, Depending on How You Look At the Situation!!! If You have Belief and have Faith that Your Issue is Not Spiritual but Carnal: Worldly!! Then You Know that You Need to Renew Your Mind Your Thinking!!! Once You see the Situation as Worldly Not the Life You Want Then You Change It!!! Philippians 4:13: I can Do All Things Through Christ Which Strengthens Me!!!

Thanks, everyone, for the great responses. I will keep all these words of wisdom in mind while on my journey! P.S. Yes, I lost waaay less weight on Weight Watchers, but the reason why I chose bariatric surgery is precisely because the other methods weren't working. So, yeah, I have high expectations. But as someone put it, once that weight is loss, it's not coming back. I know I have to concentrate on the direction of the scale, however slow it's moving.

So, I know from reading about others experiences that this can be a long process. I also know that the clinic coordinator told me it could end up being late summer/early fall before I could expect to have surgery. So this is probably just a whine. I went for my sleep study consult, pulmonary function test and an Arterial Blood Gas (ABG) test yesterday. My next required test is the psych eval. So, maybe I was starting to feel a little too optimistic in thinking MAYBE I could end up having surgery sometime in June or July. BUT after the sleep study consultation I went out to schedule the actual sleep study. At first I told the scheduler I would prefer to do it on a Friday night. The next Friday night available was in late July! So I changed my tune to accept any night of the week and now I have it scheduled for Tuesday June 9. So that didn't sound so bad until she said, "now lets schedule your follow up visit." GRRR, after the actual study I have to come back to see the doc who did the consult yesterday and that appointment is not until July 14! Then the staff at the bariatric center will decide whether I meet their criteria and THEN they submit me for insurance approval. I am starting to feel like it may be Christmas before I get the actual band! It shouldn't bother me, because I was well-informed going into this. But I found myself feeling a little frustrated and down about it. I said something to the person doing the scheduling about the process being so long. She said that yes, it is and that she finds a lot of people get frustrated with the process and just quit pursuing it. So, I guess I just need to suck it up and carry on ::::thumbup:::: Thanks for letting me vent

Dr. Yarbrough joined the Samaritan Bariatric Program in Corvallis and is doing the same type of work. I've started the program and am hoping to have him do my surgery in spring.

Thanks everyone! I still have 40 more lbs to go. And I owe it all to the great preparation my Bariatric Center provided me with before having the gastric sleeve done. I actually lost 130 in 10 months, the other 60ish was required to lose before my insurance would pay for the surgery and it took me all of 2011 to lose that! I'll post what my typical meals are daily in another post!

You can check out Dr. Gagner on Obesityhelp.com He was in Florida for a short time, and then went overseas to teach the sleeve and other bariatric and lap procedures to surgeons in Europe. I believe the last I saw on the Florida forum, he is now practicing in NY. He's one of the best, and has a phenomenal reputation. I have zero personal experience with him. But, his name came up during my research for my revision. Unfortunately, he was already in Europe when I was able to get my insurance stuff figured out for revisions. I liked his stats, his patient testimonials, and the sheer fact that he is a well rounded surgeon, not just for bariatrics. I did independent research as well on him as I did with many US and Mexico surgeons. And of course, there is the Weill Cornell Medical Hospital in NY, New York. Again, no personal experience, but their guidelines, stats, and reputation for bariatric procedures are well respected and documented. Best wishes in your research. I know one member here (bushidomaster) is having his surgery in NY, but I don't remember his surgeons name. You could find him through the member list at the top of the forum, and possibly shoot him a message.

Hi Bariatric Pals - Can any of you recommend some budget friendly Protein shake brands that taste good but will give me the best bang for my buck? I've tried and like the Premier Protein shakes (available at costco & some Walmart's), but I am wondering if anyone has been able to find a good tasting Protein Shake or powder mix that is a little more cost effective? I need to be able to afford it but I also need to be able to choke it down, I haven't been liking most of the powdered mixes I've been trying. I appreciate your suggestions and sharing what has been your favorite protein shakes for the best prices??? Many Thanks & Warm Hugs!

First of all, you look FANTASTIC! I think we all stray from the plan, but we do have each other to get us back on track! I know it says that I have only been sleeved for 6 weeks, but I have been working with a Bariatric surgery tool for over 5 years!!! Look up a "pouch reset" to help you mentally get back on track and aim for 3 "protein rich" meals per day with purposeful fasting in between. This has been the biggest difference in head "hunger" and boredom eating for me. Don't let the scale get you down...70 lbs is beyond amazing! I saw someone in another post with an idea about writing messages to yourself daily on your bathroom mirrors with dry erase markers! I'm going to start doing this too! My weight has been a lifelong struggle and I am 100 lbs down with 90ish to go! We can make it through this! Banded 2010 weight:327 Sleeved 12/28/16 weight:253 CW: 228 GW: 155 Heather in Texas

After a quick search I found these--just google bariatric and Virginia Beach. Bariatric Physicians Licensed in | VA Bariatric Surgery (Weight Loss) Doctors in Norfolk, Virginia I love my dr. -- he's in Northern VA. We're only a 3 hr drive away if you can't find one closer! Again...jump back on the bandwagon and start logging foods. Get to the doc as soon as you can.

You are absolutely right. Shiran Vandaele, M.D, Bariatric Surgeon, Brussels, Belgium

Congratulations on everyyhing!!! I am also a resident of Indiana and planning on having the gastric bypass surgery. I had my lapband removed and recovering from it now and in 3 months will be having the gastric bypass surgery. Did you have the gastric bypass or the sleeve? How long did it take you to rrecovwr from your gastric bypass surgery. I have taken 3 weeks off from wwork to recover from my bans removal as it worked for the 1st year but I began having complications afterwards. So the doctor recommended that it be removed. I am now waiting to have bariatric surgery. I am kind of nervous about it, but know it is best for me. I am also seeking a buddy or mentor to provide their experience with the bariatric surgery as I am going through the process alone. Sent from my SM-N910T using the BariatricPal App Hey congratulations on your decision to have the gastric bypass done!!! I had the ryn-y done because of the amount of weight I needed to lose. I believe I took off 2 weeks from work but I also worked from home at that time and my supervisor was really supportive and worked with me. I would say that 3-4 weeks would have gotten me completely healed up and able to go in office to work. As long as you don't have any complications (I had one) the healing process is pretty simple. Sent from my 5054N using the BariatricPal App Oh thanks so much for the information!!! The acronyms you used for the type of gastric bypass, please provide with a brief description. I know that there is the gastric bypass and the sleve, but wasn't certain of which one you were referring to that you had. Again, thanks so mu h for your reply, as it was so helpful. Sent from my SM-N910T using the BariatricPal App

So far I have had my labs done and have attended the Welcome Group for Bariatric people who are going through the same thing. I have met with the PT and the NP both went very well. The NP prescribed me all my Vitamins I will need, she also said I would need to see their endocrinologist as some of my labs were abnormal. So that appointment will be made on Monday. On Tuesday I will be seeing the Nut and Psych. I also have to have a sleep study done, that will be done next week as well. Then I finally will get to meet with the surgeon, so I am looking at possibly a March sleever. Does everyone have to have an endoscopy done? Thanks

Hello, I’m new here and just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Gina and I’m in process of securing a date with a Dr in Tijuana for VSG. I’m trying to do my due diligence in researching, but it’s been hard. I had a patient care coordinator scare me from using one facility and now I’m back to square one in my search. I do know my date will be 7/12/18 as that’s when I have the time to go to MX. A little about me; 5’5, always been big girl, yo yo dieted most my life, worked out most my life & now that I’m almost 40 the weight just won't stop adding up. I’m over it and know the VSG will be the right tool for me. Anyone looking at Pompeii Medical, Mexico Bariatrics or BariatriPal? Maybe we can meet in MX.

I bought a bariatric liquid Vitamin at GNC. Had a real strong vitamin taste and smell.....don't get it on your skin or clothes....it won't come off. I saw this earlier on another post....you might want to check it out... http://www.procarenow.com/Bariatric-Complete-Chewable-MultiVitamin-Once-Per-Day--Formulated-for-Roux-en-Y-Vertical-Sleeve-Duodenal-Switch-30-Day-Supply_p_10002.html

Wear compression garments. The ones they give to people who gave plastic surgery or spanx all of the time(even while working out) it helps with gravity while in motion. Loose skin's worst enemy: gravity. Take a collagen supplement/vitamin c. They aid in New collagen growth. Aldo helps with skin and nails. Dry brushing also exfoliates skin, which promotes renewal as well. Use sulfate free body wash and find a moisturizing cream lotion, such as Nivea firming. Exfoliation is essential. Also take omega 3/6/9 like flaxseed oil with borage. It's good fat. Helps aid in maintaining lean muscle mass as does protein. Lift weights to build lean muscle mass. And hear me out. As you get closer to goal, if you have loose skin that you can squeeze in your hands, it's not loose skin. It's stubborn fat. You literally have to starve(go into ketosis) in order to lose that fat. Most suggest the master cleanse or lemonade detox to do the trick. I'm not a doctor, so do you're own research. You have to do a liver cleanse as well to help the liver function properly. This will rev up your metabolic engine and help lose stubborn/adipose belly fat. I just recently learned this in my quest to prevent loose skin. Mark Sisson talks about the paleo diet. Google him and loose skin. It's an interesting read. Also, Go to Www.terrygivens.com. His a friend, he's in amazing shape and he reinforces a lot of what I'm saying.

I have BCBS also. I had to have my surgery at Blue Center of Excellence also. The good thing is I had decided to use surgeons there to begin with and am not disappointed at all. We have a local doctor that does this surgery occasionally but the surgeons at the Blue Center (which was about 30 miles away) do approximately 300 of these a year. I appreciated the thoroughness. I am 63 and was checked by a cardiologist and pulmonary doctor, pre-op and post-op I've seen a psychiatrist, dietician, and a fitness/exercise specialist. My surgeon's office is in the same hospital as the surgery was performed. One whole floor is dedicated to bariatric patients and the nurses all know exactly how to handle any situation. It can be frustrating with all the hoops you have to jump through but hang in there. It is so worth it! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Initially I was going to Mexico for self pay because my BMI was 36 and I had no co-morbidities. But I figured, why not give it a shot through insurance first, that way I can justify spending out of pocket when I have good insurance. My first appointment was 2/7 and my surgery was 3/23 here in the US fully covered. Most insurances only give you the very basics when calling for the criteria. Either 40 BMI or over 30 with co-morbidities of severe sleep apnea, high blood presssure, cardiac problems, diabetes, athsma, high cholesterol and maybe one other. I didn't have any of them and I'm thinking to myself, I'm trying to PREVENT that! And WHY would you want to wait until they are developed and THEN perform a surgery on a sick patient!?! So I went to my Doc in NY in HOPES of having sleep apnea. My requirements were blood work, check up and clearance from pulmonary doc, cardiologist, primary doc, NUT, psych doc and endoscopy. It was a PAIN to find a nutritionist and psychologist who dealt with weight loss surgery but I called some local weight loss practices and was able to find local people. my doc is an hour away because I didn't want my family/friends to know my plans, they so have all of the specialists in house at their main office, but none are covered by insurance and it was more inconvenient due to the distance for me. I left that first appointment and literally scheduled the cardiologist, pulmonary, nutritionist, and endoscopy in the parking lot and all within 1 1/2 weeks. The psyc took me 2 weeks and I had just seen my primary doc for extensive blood work. I did a sleep study at home and had the results about 2 weeks after the first appointment. I was not hopeful when the results were mild-no sleep apnea. I called my insurance company and was told that those are just the basic guidelines, and if the doctor could articulate why the VSG was medically necessary (I.e. Mild apnea interfering with my rest, I DO have a host of documented orthopedic issues that were exasperated by my weight gain over that past few years and mild reflux) that I could be approved. And 2 days later I WAS approved. You would have thought I won an all expense paid vacation when I got the call! I guess technically I did! I'll take my Mexico self-pay money and go to Mexico for some fun!! BTW, my insurance did require 6 months of weigh-ins, but somehow i got around that (I wasn't going to call and ask why) Not sure how. My doctors office took care of all of the insurance approvals so I had minimal dealings with them. so all in all there were definitely hoops, but I was on such a mission to get this done, I used it's a motivator. It also felt good knowing I had been examined and had minimal health problems going into surgery. I had a required class just before surgery with a bariatric nurse at the hospital (going over the diet, the procedure, and what to expect, etc.) and the pre-op blood work and the rest is history. from start to finish, just over 6 weeks from first appointment to surgery. I'm 2 1/2 weeks post op and I feel great.

Has anyone used Dr. Michael Perez or US Bariatrics in Ft. Lauderdale? I'd like to hear your experiences - good or bad. I looked on obesityhelp.com, but there weren't very many recent entries in the patient feedback area. I live in Key West and am looking for a doc in the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale area to perform the procedure. I'll probably self-pay, so any feedback on that would be appreciated also. Thanks - Dani

but able to get in 64oz most days. I focus on getting the fluids in, if I get in one or two Protein drinks (30g protein each) then great, but I always manage at least one a day. I can not get Vitamins and Calcium in. I am averaging only one each every day. They taste sooooo awful that I gag and feel like vomitting after I take them. I am currently using the Celebrate orange calcium and strawberry/pineapple or orange vitamins. There must be something else that is not as gagworthy? Please, a chewable bariatric Vitamin? Any one know. Also, could the tired be from not getting enough protein and vitamins? I'm assuming it is. Is nausea still common at this stage? Also, getting pulling and stretching pain (more discomfort than pain) around the incision where my port used to be and another spot about 3 inches to the left of that, but there is no incision in that spot. Also, the area where my port used to be sometimes gets hard and bloated after drinking? It doesn't hurt or anything, but I have no idea if this is normal. Other than the above, I feel good. I am seeing my dr on Wednesday and will ask him all of the same questions, but wondering if anyone had any insight in the meantime. Thanks