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If you would be so kind as to keep me posted about this doctor; I actually live in Mexico but on the other side. This particular doctor has a once a month visit to my area to perform bariatric surgeries but I couldn’t really find any solid info on him. I would love to hear about your experience with Dr. VIf you would be so kind as to keep me posted about this doctor; I actually live in Mexico but on the other side. This particular doctor has a once a month visit to my area to perform bariatric surgeries but I couldn’t really find any solid info on him. I would love to hear about your experience with Dr. V

BRIGHTLY! You preach it! That post should be printed and sent to every dietician who works for a Bariatric Surgeon!!! Thank you for doing the research for us. I'm an English teacher and I tell you, that is one very well written essay! Thank you for writing it and saying what many of us may not have had been able to say quite so eloquently. My surgery on July 22. I think that's 3 of us on the same day.

Here are some articles that might help him understand the science, including the fact that it isn't fully understood yet and is multifactorial. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/unexpected-clues-emerge-about-why-diets-fail/ https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/12/7/16587316/bariatric-surgery-weight-loss-lap-band ... let me know if you need more articles. There is the other thing : people in societal groups that are favored (dudes, thin people, youth, the wealthy, the physically well etc...without getting too far into the politics of this) don't have to see things from a non-favored person's perspective (women, overweight people, people over 40, poor people, the infirm, etc...) because they are the recipients of most of society's advantages. In short, they are not forced to understand the other side. We are forced to, so we end up seeing things from both perspectives—the dominat, favored one because it is forced in our faces every day and our own because it is our reality in the face of that. Thin/fit people who love us need to aspire to a true medical understanding of the issue. (it would be great if dudes would likewise attempt to form a more educated understanding of women's historical struggle but let's not get too ambitious) Granted, this seems difficult, even for some of our own physicians, but we must reach for it, or we will never see it realized. Thin people also have to understand that obesity is a medical issue that has causes that are genetic, metabolic, hormonal, environmental. So perhaps giving him some articles to read might help. If they don't-- his resistance is not really about that. Good luck with this and keep us posted. We are with you!

I agree. Sounds like head hunger. Try brushing your teeth or going for a walk. Or, work with a therapist to see if there are other issues that need to be resolved. But make sure it's a bariatric trained therapist, or they won't have a clue how to help you. Good luck!

Hey there! Just putting my feelers out there. Has anyone had to switch their psychiatric meds to qualify for weight loss surgery? If I get approved for surgery, I'll need to switch from Latuda to Abilify because of Latuda's caloric requirement. To give some insight I have bi polar disorder and require a mood stabilizer. I'm afraid of abilify because it's not metabolically friendly. Has anyone had experience with this? Thanks everyone! Sent from my SM-G975U using BariatricPal mobile app

Honestly it does sound like you are. There is also a difference between having cancer and losing weight. Huge difference. There’s a strong stigma around bariatric surgery so yeah, of course people will lie. I only told a few close people. To everyone else I started eating healthy and **** because I don’t want to deal with the negative attitude. If I meet someone who tells me they are considering the surgery. I will talk to them about it. But otherwise it’s really no one’s business

I find myself cooking a lot of Mexican-flavored cuisine. Things like shredded meat, salsa, and cauliflower rice are very bariatric-friendly!

Anyone feels like they are a robotic person Sent from my U693CL using BariatricPal mobile app

Hi there, Wondering how you are feeling now that it has been almost a month? I hope your pain has subsided and you have improved? Pain is different for everyone and managed differently depending on the cause. Would love to hear back and see how things turned out for you? I had two bariatric surgeries and the pain was different for each one. The first one the pain was mostly gas related and relieved mostly by getting up and walking around and getting the gas moving and then constipation was also and issue for me and I has to take Milk of Magnesium to get things moving as well as Miralax to keep things soft and easily moving while on the pain medications. So by the time I got to the 2nd surgery and had a revision, I made sure to take Miralax from the get go to make sure I did not get constipated in the first place as this was the worst pain for me in surgery 1 . However after surgery 2 day 3, I did end up in extreme pain that I could find no relief from and had to go to the emergency room and it turned out that my colon was froze (Paralytic ileus) and that had to give me medication to get my colon moving so pain can be for many reasons. So if your pain is persistent seek help as many things can could be going on after surgery that may require medical intervention. With the 2nd surgery they only gave me Tylenol 2 and so it was the most painful 2 weeks I can remember post-op healing and I have had 15 surgeries but I made it through and it has all been worth it. Ice packs were my best friends.

You are doing great and are right on track. As long as the scale is not moving upward and staying upward as you will have fluctuations and it's mostly staying or moving downward then you are on track and things are as they should be. I had numerous surgeries after my bariatric surgeries ( I had sleeve October 2018) that limited me from exercising and still managed to lose the weight. My biggest one was a foot surgery that kept me from walking as I always tried to at least walk 30 minutes minimum and I still lost or manage to not gain. The mental game is the hardest in this and this forum is the best place when you are feeling down and feeling beat as we are all here for you and you are not alone!

Agree with what others have said. Similarly, I went to a bariatric surgeon to see about getting a gastric balloon, and the surgeon said the balloon (and lap band) had poor long-term results and he recommended sleeve or RNY. (I got the sleeve). 😊

Hello, can anyone tell me their experience with Alo Bariatrics and Dr. Lopez? It seems to be great from what I researched.

Dr. Cardenas is an excellent plastic surgeon and is quite well known in the bariatric community. Lots of bariatric patients have had her do their plastic surgery. That price for the two body surgeries is much lower than what I paid in Chicago. The facelift piece isn't any cheaper than what you'd pay stateside, though (although maybe less than California prices - I'm not sure). I actually went to a someone who specializes in facial plastic surgery for my face, though (for the body ones I went to someone who specializes in body contouring for massive weight loss patients) Dr. Francisco Sauceda in Monterrey also specializes in massive weight loss patients and a lot of us have used him. I don't know how his pricing is now - when I got an email quote from him, it was very reasonable (I think $16K for all the body stuff (I didn't ask about a facelift)) - but that was four or five years ago)

that depends on your insurance, so I'd call them. In my case, yes, they did count the six-month program I did with a dietitian before I entered the bariatric program (in fact, they said they would count any six-month professionally supervised program I did if it was within the previous two years, as long as it was well-documented). But that might not be true of all insurance companies. I'd call them and ask.

P.S.. I spotted some reviews for him on both Obesity Help and here on Bariatric Pal. People liked him - but those reviews were from 13 years ago. That was back when the lapband was a very popular surgery. It's largely fallen from favor and it's hard to find surgeons who even do them anymore. Again, I'd think long and hard about it. It looks like he's a really good surgeon, so it's not him - it's the lapband.

I can’t speak for any surgeons outside the country but the one I used is Dr Kerr in Round Rock. I was very happy and I know he has exp w Bariatric weight loss patients.

It has been a long time since I posted on this forum. I was sleeved in October 2018 and immediately began suffering from reflux/GERD (which I did not have prior to sleeve). Fast-forward 2 1/2 years later, loads of PPI's, EGD's, barium swallows, scans, scopes and referrals, I was finally advised by a surgeon that my best option is to have revision of the sleeve to the bypass. I have a mid grade hiatal hernia and severe GERD. It's gratifying to finally get some answers and while I am looking forward to some relief, I am a bit anxious about the surgery. I relocated from Houston to Dallas, TX in May. I consulted with a new bariatric surgeon on May 26th. Once the ball got rolling, everything went pretty quickly. After thoroughly reviewing my previous surgery and medical records along with additional testing, she determined that in addition to the hernia and GERD, my original pouch from the VSG wasn't as small as it should have been! That explains why I had such slow and minimal weight loss. I lost about 40lbs total, and have regained 20lbs back since COVID. Has anyone had revision from VSG to RNY with hiatal hernia repair due to GERD? If so, has your GERD improved and how has the weight loss been?

I had gastric bypass on 5/7/2021. I began my weight loss journey in August 2020 when I attended my hospital’s bariatric seminar. My insurance required 6 months of diet before surgery approval. My fist dietitian appoint was mid-October 2020. Prior to this appointment I had very little motivation to lose weight. I was 280+ pounds (5’ 7.5”) and depressed. My ankles swelled every day, I had trouble moving, none of my clothes fit well and my wedding rings didn’t fit at all. I had gone off the rails. Between October and March 21’ I managed to lose 45 pounds. I attribute my success to my husband also taking charge of his health and being a great partner. My packet was submitted in March and approved 1 week later. My surgery was scheduled 7 weeks form the approval to my disappointment. It was a long 7 weeks! I didn’t gain or lose weight during my wait. I was officially 237 at my pre-op appointment. I managed to lose 10 pounds prior to surgery on the liver shrink diet. I was 227 the morning of surgery The surgery went fine. I had some nausea and dry heaving the first few hours. I was able to get water down but not much else. The drain really caused me trouble so it was removed 12 hours later. I ended up only staying 1 night in the hospital because I was determined to get released early. I walked all the time and really kept my RN on his toes. Thankfully the doctor agreed with me that I would recover better at home. The next evening I was discharged and could sleep in my own bed. I followed the diet exactly for nearly 8 weeks. I went on a cruise with my family and 95% ate to plan. I would have a taste of dessert but let me tell you I sure paid for it. Dumping is real and it affects me. I seem to dump if I eat too fast, too much, or an item too high in sugar (hello chai tea!). I learned many lessons that week I’m thankful for. The surgery did exactly what I needed it to do- deter me. I have had trouble with constipation. I am taking 3 colace per day and benefiber each morning. Seems to help but my body likes to hold onto waste. I might go back to miralax to help move things along. I’ve always had trouble in this area but now it’s more consistent. On Saturday I hit “onederland” and weighed 199. I never thought I would get here. I weigh myself each day and I am fluctuating between 198 and 199 this week. I have a heck of a lot more energy than I did a month ago. I am moving my body every day and using my elliptical at least 3 times a week. I have changed sizes! Last summer I wore a 20 and now I need a 12. It blows my mind. It’s hard to describe how I feel. I can see the change but I don’t believe it’s me. People I haven’t seen in a year take a look at me and their mouth drops and tell me they didn’t recognize me or make a comment like “omg you have lost so much weight!” In a way it feels good to be validated but at the same time I hate the attention. Honestly if I didn’t lose another pound I would be happy. I am under 200 and I feel/look great! I can move without pain and I have energy. Heck I mowed the yard today! I’ve had some negative comments too- mostly from my parents- “you’re starving yourself, don’t loose too much weight, and I think you’ve lost enough” It’s painful so I don’t speak with them much. I feel my weight loss has been slow but I remind myself how far I’ve come. 80+ pound weight loss is nothing to bat at! I’m doing a great job! I hope to be better and update this thread monthly! Thanks for reading.

In my opinion, your money would be better spent and your health would be better.....seeing a bariatric therapist to discuss your concerns and create strategies for managing your habits if you feel you are overeating.

My surgical group's official stance is "No NSAIDS ever again." But privately, my bariatric surgeon has said that taking a few doses a month is not a big deal, but he wants me to take an antacid each time I do. Also, he doesn't want me taking it for extended periods of time. He also would not allow this the first year after surgery. For the first year, he was very strict to allow healing. I do take a couple doses of ibuprophen each time I get a bad migraine or bad menstrual cramps these days. No more than five doses in a month, and always with a big dose of antacid. Typically, it's one or two doses per month, if that.

You look fantastic. If you don’t mind me asking, I’ve wondered how the recovery is compared to bariatric surgery? Please keep us updated and congratulations.

I also take the bariatric advantage chewable multivitamin and calcium chews and they are not bad at all. The calcium reminds me of starbursts.

No matter how small your pouch/sleeve/stomach is, it stretches when there is food in it and contracts when there is no food in it. Also, liquids go right through it. Also, restriction is strongest in the first year. It's up to you to limit what you eat to ensure you do not regain weight. For example, it's possible to gain weight if you are "grazing" all day. Like, your smaller stomach will only accommodate a small amount of food in 30 minutes, but it will start to pass through, and if you are eating all day long, you will end up eating more calories over the course of the day than your body needs and you will gain weight. That's why it's best to have 3 small meals along with 2-3 small snacks. Also, drinking liquids with your meals may "push" the food through and allow you to eat more that you need, that's why they recommend you wait 30 minutes after eating to drink. I would recommend finding a bariatric nutritionist in your new state, or ask your old surgeon to recommend someone you can see to find an appropriate eating plan/number of calories per day.

Ok thanks I think I’ll stay in the states. I was going with Oasis of Hope but just saw a recent article last month where someone’s intestines were stapled and she had emergency surgery it was bad. My next choice is ALO bariatrics but now I’m terrified to go to Mexico idk. I guess it’s a risk we all take

I've been on the Bariatric Advantage Chewable with no issues. Only have to take 2 in the morning. I also take their Calcium chews and they are like pieces of candy. I switch to non-chewable next week.