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I can relate to feeling mentally and physically drained. Before I was banded in February, my knees and back always hurts. I had 3 surgeries to fix heel spurs caused by weight bain and I couldn't walk up my stairs without being out of breath and my relationship with my husband was going down hill fast. Plus, I was not as heavy as most that get banded, but the extra weight I had been carrying around for years took it's toll on my over all health and at 43, I felt much older inside and out. Now that I have the band, in almost 2 months I have lost 30#, most of that in the first month. If thats not motivation I don't know what is. It also helps that I have a terrific Bariatric group that I go in weekly for weigh-ins, which helps hold me accountable for my actions each week, especially right now that I am kinda new to this new phase of my life. But I think the key to your sucess depends alot on you. I really wanted this more than anything. I wasn't always big and I loved my life and who I was before the extra weight. That all changed when I put on weight. I love to travel, hike and swim as well as shop for new clothes, which I haven't been able or willing to do in years, because it was depressing trying things on that would not fit right. Last week, I was finally able to get out of plus size, what an amazing feeling. I also, while on vacation, bought some shirts that were too small right now, but motivates me to get into them by summer. I still have a ways to go, but each new success, no matter how small is something to be proud of. I just got back from San Diego on vacation, I really hadn't excercised much up till then, but was amazed that with the weight I had lost, I was able to climb some of the cliffs on their trails. I walked all week and with very little problem, something before surgery I could not have done. So you ask if this can change your life for the better. It has for me. Plus my husband and I have grown close again. Honestly it's the best decission I have made in a long time, now if you had asked me a week or two after I had it done, well lets just say, I was in pain and had a few issues, but I worked through them and with the help of my doctor and this forum it has made it so much easier to move through this process much smoother. Good Luck to you

You would think that bariatric surgeons would get a lot more nutrition classes!

So many of your issues are contrarian to what I've read and experienced myself? Being too tight and still able to drink pitchers of Water to force the food through just flies in the face of how the band operates. If you are too tight, and food is stuck, how can you drink pitchers of water or even a sip? Most of us cannot drink any water when we are stuck unless we want to excasorbate the problem with more sliming and pain? Have you told your surgeon or nutritionist about this problem? These all sound serious enough that any bariatric surgeon would want to know why this is happening? tmf

I am in your area. Here is who I know of so far: Dr. Michael Murr, Tampa General Hospital/University of South Florida Town and Country Weight Loss bariatric., Tampa, 33601 - (813) 329-6098 Palms of Pasadena, 1501 Pasadena Ave St. Petersburg, FL 33707 Surgical Weight Loss Institute 3659 S. Miami Ave. Suite 5002 Miami, FL 33133

I don't get my blood tested for a couple of weeks but my doctor requires additional B-12 suppliments (I take 500 mcg, sublingual daily) I also take an iron suppliment because I have a history of anemia and my hemotologist recommends the iron suppliments. I also take bariatric chewable Vitamins that have extra iron and b-12. I get the iron tested every six months because that can build up if you have too much but b-12 is Water soluable and excess is passed on through the body.

I went through Park Nicollet’s Bariatric Surgery division. Everything was amazing beginning to end. The first step was to go to an informational meeting. From there I filled out paperwork and set up my first appointment with the nurse. This nurse oversaw my case beginning to end (I had Dorothy). On a side note I loved that almost everyone working in the Bariatric unit had gone through a weight loss surgery themselves. It made talking about my weight and issues a lot more comfortable. Another plus is that you get firsthand knowledge from each person you interact with. My insurance company is BCBS of MN. That meant that I had to do 6 months of nutritionist meetings, a sleep test, blood tests, ect. At the end of the 6 months Park Nicollet took all of the information from the previous 6 months and sent it directly to BCBS. Just 3 days later BCBS confirmed that they would fully cover my procedure. Doctor Wetherille discussed my surgery with me in depth. I chose to do the LAP-BAND® as an outpatient. On the day of surgery again he was very helpful in getting me prepared for everything that was going to happen. The surgery was quick and only a few hours later I was headed home. I actually even went back to work only 6 days later! Since the surgery I have had monthly follow up appointments. Amy and Stacey are the two women that administer the fills. Both are awesome! They give you great workout tips, are encouraging, and have made this experience just wonderful. Overall, Dr Wetherille is a great surgeon who has surrounded himself with an amazing team of people!

Good luck! This is a common complaint around here. I'm sure there are good NUTs out there -- somewhere. A few BP members have loved their NUTs. But not me. I've had three NUTs, none of whom have added anything new to my knowledge. Two of them asked me to pick up a plastic piece that was the same size as 3 ounces of meat. It was like going to bad kindergarten. And pre-op, when you're on your best manners and struggling to jump through all the pre-surgical hoops as fast as you can, it's a struggle not to tell them that you have been dieting longer than they've been alive and could mentally calculate the calories and macronutrients of any f**king amount of any f**king food they could name. BTW, my surgeon's P.A. told me their patients are all very dissatisfied with the value added by all the nutritionists available to our surgery practice. The P.A. and surgeon are frustrated, too. But she said they haven't been able to find other NUTs who are any better. Happily, the P.A. is very knowledgeable about bariatric nutrition. So she's become my post-op nutrition consultant. Good luck!

Bariatric surgery should be compared to being pregnant!!! 1. My taste have changed not a good or bad thing 2. My belly feels like 80pounds 3. My moods are here and there 4. My cravings are outrageous 5. The worst is smells, they make me sooo nauseous Thought I'd put up how I have felt today bc it's been a trip of gas more gas and nausea. I didn't do anything out of ordinary but walk two times around the house and sip sip sip which I could have done to fast. Happy weekend y'all!!!! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

No, I haven’t lost my mind. I still think the band is grand and I still wish I still had mine, but because I want everybody to succeed at weight loss, I feel duty-bound to tell you some reasons not to have adjustable gastric band surgery. So here goes, in no particular order. Don’t have band surgery if… You’re phobic about needles. Right now, a needle is the only way to get fluid into the band. The fill needle is not a big, scary one, and you don’t have to look at it at all if you prefer, but it’s still a needle. You believe that band surgery cures obesity. Obesity is an incurable, chronic disease with the very real potential for recurrence. Weight regain can happen to anyone. You think that once you get to your goal weight, your weight loss journey stops. Nope. It’s only just begun. Next you’ll have to maintain that weight loss for the rest of your life, and that takes vigilance and hard work. You’re a self-pay planning on having surgery in Mexico or elsewhere out of country. What are you going to do if you have a problem or complication or just need another fill or unfill? Travel back to the Mexican clinic? Try to get help locally? Finding a US-based bariatric clinic that will accept patients who had surgery overseas is not easy, and once you do find one, you’re probably going to have to pay a non-refundable program fee, from $200 to $2000. You can’t afford the time and expense for frequent follow up visits for fills, unfills, and other medical care. Even if your insurance covers those visits, you’ll have to take time off work, arrange for child care or pet care, fill your car’s gas tank, and shell out a co-pay. You're a self-pay and don't have money or plans for dealing with fills, unfills, and possible complications. See above. You hope to lose weight without getting any fills. Sorry, but it probably won’t work that way. See above. You expect to lose a pound+ a day. Average weight loss with the band is 1-2 pounds/week. That average includes people who lost weight faster as well as people who lost no weight at all. Rapid initial weight loss is usually related to fluid retention, not fat loss. You believe that slow weight loss with the band will prevent sagging skin. According to several plastic surgeons I’ve asked about this, your age and genetics have the most influence on how your skin will respond to massive weight loss. The rate of weight loss has little or anything to do with it. You expect to experience restriction and lose weight steadily from the moment you wake up after surgery. Most band patients need several fills to achieve optimal restriction, plus more fills and unfills (or adjustments) to maintain that restriction, and virtually no one loses weight at a steady rate. My weight loss was extremely uneven – down 1#, down .5#, up .75#, down 1.75#, down 0/up 0, down .25#, and so on. You believe in the sweet spot or perfect restriction. Restriction is constantly changing, just like our bodies, because of dozens of quite ordinary factors (food choices, eating and drinking habits, weight loss, time of day or month, illness, medications, stress, etc.). If you think you’ll lose weight only at the mythical sweet spot, you’re going to spend energy on frustration that could be better applied to changing your eating behavior. You’re not willing to follow pre- and post-op liquid and puree diets. No, liquid and puree diets are not fun, but they’re short-term. When I was banded, I had 36 years ahead of me, assuming that I live as long as my mother did. That’s 12,672 days. My pre- and post-op liquid diets used up a whopping 17 days. Do the math. Even if you add in post-fill liquids and purees, those liquid and puree days represent a teeny, tiny fraction of my life. You believe you’ll never be hungry again. Maybe, maybe not. The fact that you feel hungry 5 hours after a meal doesn’t mean your band isn’t working. It just means that your body needs fuel. And part of your ongoing work as a bandster is going to be figuring out whether you’re feeling physical hunger or “head” hunger. You think the band is going to do all the work for you. The band has no magic ingredient that triggers weight loss once it’s wrapped around your stomach. All it does is affect your hunger and appetite. The band is not going to make good food choices, practice portion control or banish the demons who make you eat when you’re stressed or bored. Nor is it going to exercise for you. Success with the band is the result of a joint effort between you, your band, your surgeon and dietitian. Have a don't-have-band-surgery reason to add to this list? Post it in the comment section!

How often does it happen that the next day, as you’re in the process of getting back to the business of everyday life, that you have a completely random incident that sends a message to your soul that what you are working so hard to do is important and can have such a powerful impact on lives? We had that happen very recently. We came to Shreveport at the invitation of Katy and Dr. George Merriman, who are the brilliance behind Surgical Specialists. The producer of the powerful documentary All of Me, Alexandra Lescaze, was also with us in Shreveport. Along with Dr. Merriman’s staff, we were part of an impactful evening for men and women who have had, who are considering, or who are in the process of preparing for weight loss surgery. The Merriman’s provided a healthy meal for the participants as they viewed All of Me, a story highlighting the impact of weight loss surgery on real lives. A panel discussion followed. Just a word about this. To begin with, it is rare that a bariatric practice takes the time and effort to host events for patients. It is even less often that an entire staff emphasizes the importance of therapy for their patients as a part of the weight loss journey. I have extreme gratitude for the knowledge and passion Dr. Merriman and Katy Merriman, along with their incredibly insightful nutritionist, have in relation to this reality. We, The Post Op & The Doc followed the panel discussion with a short presentation highlighting the need to work through underlying personal issues that prevent people from keeping weight off when they lose it. We shared our “Recipe for Recovery,” warned against “Food Porn,” and shared our Gotta Do Ems. The audience was receptive and awakened to the realities of life after weight loss surgery, and sent away with specific suggestions for making the most of their Recovery from Obesity. The Merriman’s then hosted us to a truly phenomenal dining experience. A quiet, intimate atmosphere that allowed for wonderful conversation, good humor and an opportunity to share knowledge and experience. After dinner, we sat in our hotel room with Alexandra and further processed the positive impact that realistic information and an emphasis on the importance of therapy has on people going through the process of weight loss surgery - and into what Cari refers to as “the Bariatric After Life.” And of course, when Alexandra went to her room, we continued to yammer away until we fell asleep practically mid-sentence! The alarm went off in the morning just moments after we both woke up. This meant we needed to get a move on, as we had to jump aboard the shuttle to the airport 45 minutes later. Which we did, after the hotel staff finally decided who was going to drive the van. For some reason, this appeared to be quite an ordeal. There were no other passengers, so we made idle chitchat with the driver as we began our 12-minute journey to the airport…. We chatted about the pretty day; was he from the area; blah, blah. This led to the inevitable question of why we were in town. We said we were at an event and had just been there for the weekend. He assumed the event had been at the convention center near the hotel. No, we said it was a smaller event. What was the topic, he asked. Weight loss surgery. LapBand? All forms. Then he said, “I lost a lot of weight with yoga and bike riding. I used to weigh 283 pounds. I keep trying to get a friend of mine to have weight loss surgery. He needs it badly.” “Really!” we said, without wanting to pry into his life or launch into the benefits of weight loss and weight loss surgery – or his personal life. A few moments of silence followed, before he offered, “And therapy. I had lots of therapy.” “Really!” We responded again, not having mentioned anything about “the Doc” being a psychologist. (But inside we were both thinking, “WHAT? Did he just say therapy? He just offered that he’d had a lot of therapy as part of his weight loss journey? And out of nowhere? Cool!) “Yep. I had a great therapist. He told me to go home and look in the mirror and say, ‘I love you, Sam (not his real name). You’re an all right guy.’ I went home and tried that, but all I could hear was, ‘You fat fu#^er!’ ‘You’re a piece of sh*#!’ That voice was so loud. I just heard it all the time. But I stood in front of the mirror every day for 90 days and said, out loud, ‘I love, you, Sam. You’re an all right guy.’ And that other voice – it went away!” “That’s really awesome. Good for you!” (Our thoughts were something like, “My God! Very cool… but how bizarre that he is sharing all this with us.”) “And it was easy to lose weight after that. It wasn’t even about the food. It’s about a loving relationship with yourself. It’s about the truth. It’s about always telling the truth – to yourself and others. It’s about living the truth.” “Wow! That’s really powerful.” (Of course, we’re thinking, “HOLY SH*#! This guy has some incredible insight and has really done some great work.”) “Yep. I had to get through all of that childhood stuff. I had a really great counselor.” Our thoughts, “DAMN! We wish he could share that message with the people at the event last night… and with everyone, actually! At that point we each shared our experiences of having been through a lot of therapy. Part of what we do, we told him, is try to help people having weight loss surgery understand the necessity of utilizing therapy as part of the process. We shared that we believed he could help a lot of people. He said, “I don’t know. Kids have mushy brains but adults… they really gotta want help if anything is gonna sink in.” We talked later about children and their “mushy” little brains and the impact harsh words have on their self-esteem, their hearts and their souls. Sam apparently believed that as children become adults, those “mushy” brains harden and solidify, along with the negative messages entombed within. Maybe in the brain-hardening process, people’s hearts and minds “set” at the same time. Perhaps that’s true to an extent. It seems that for many adult brains, as well as for their hearts and minds, the hardness is a shell that can be fairly easily cracked and at least partially dissolved. It requires a dose or two or a thousand of a compassionate, trusting listener. It requires vulnerability, the willingness to share one’s truth. As a side note, we, The Post Op & A Doc recently watched a Ted Talk by Brene Brown on vulnerability. It was extraordinarily powerful! We encourage you to watch it. Our conversation became slightly lighter in tone, as our 12 minutes was winding down… and because Sam had missed the exit to the airport, having been engrossed in our discussion. “How long did it take you to get good at the yoga?” Doc asked. “It took me about six months to get really comfortable with it. I stopped lifting weights all together and replaced it with yoga, which I do three times a week. When you learn to do the breathing that goes with yoga, it’s a powerful experience. I’ve become so much more aware of myself, my thoughts and feelings, other people and their emotions, as well. I also follow the work of Caroline Myss.” “No WAY!” the Doc exclaimed. “One of her books, Anatomy of the Spirit, is one of the books that has helped me make the most sense of my life.” “Yeah. I love all of her stuff. She’s made a huge difference in so many people’s lives.” A short silence, which he broke with, “It’s nice to know there’s an afterlife. It makes it easy to sit back and enjoy life and connect with other people. I’ve had so many experiences to know there’s life after this.” “We agree, Sam.” We also agreed we could take a lesson from this man who truly has a sense of peace about him… “Yeah. Caroline Myss. She’s made an impact on a lot of lives… including mine. She gives it to people straight,” Doc added, thinking of The Post Op and the Doc’s “firm and fair” approach to working with people. As are Katy and Dr. George Merriman. As is Lisa, their dietician. The weekend was coming full circle as we pulled up at the airport. Sam said, “I don’t usually drive the shuttle. I’m an engineer at the hotel and just help out when they need me to. And I don’t usually tell people all of that.” “We appreciate you sharing those parts of your life with me, Sam. You made my day.” We hugged. We gave him a couple of bucks and told him to enjoy a cup of coffee. He said, thanks, he would. We walked into the airport, grateful for that experience with a kind, highly self-actualizing man. And for the affirmation that what we are doing – encouraging people to get therapy as part of the process of life after weight loss surgery: to work through negative self-talk, to deal with childhood issues that interfere with a healthy present, to learn healthy coping skills and to accept their feelings. To live life fully in Recovery from Obesity. And to know the simplistic joys in life. Like Sam does. Cari De La Cruz and Connie Stapleton, Ph.D. The Post Op and The Doc info@apostopandadoc.com

I enjoy almost all of my Vitamins. Here is what I take: 2 Daily Gummies (from CVS) 2 Vitafusion Calcium (sugar coated gummy vitamins) Yummy! 1 Oderless Fish Oil (1200 mg) - This is not chewable and it is about as the big as the fish it comes from. This is the only one I don't like. 1 Vitamin D Chewable Gel (from Metagenics-Bariatric Advantage) (10,000 IU) 1 sublingual B-12 (from Natures Bounty) (2500 mcg) Most of these you can find at your local pharmacy or drug store. I couldn't find the high dosage of Vitamin D and B-12 at the store so I bought them on eBay. Hope this helps!!

My gastroenterologist just sent a referral to Abbott for the RYGB procedure, that's a great 1st step right!? I am waiting to hear from the bariatric department now and what the next steps will be...

Do not go to Italy and only eat shakes and jerky, that would be heartbreaking and tragic. I say just order whatever you want and then eat whatever portion you feel like eating. The good thing about vacationing is that nobody knows you, so who cares if the waiter is horrified there's food left on the table? Tell every single one of them that you're both just getting over a stomach bug but HAD to try their food because you'd heard it was so good. And if you go somewhere and eat at the bar, they're less likely to flinch at small orders. Client meals are a minefield. There's only so long I can con people into going to tapas joints. I'm finding I have more success with soups than anything else, because the plate at least looks big most of the time. And I've also been known to say "I'm just ordering something light because I might have to get back to the office for a call" which is a filthy lie but takes the spotlight off. Basically I'm saying bariatric surgery has made me into an unabashed, gleeful liar.

You can always try using this: http://smile.amazon.com/Meal-Measure-Portion-Control-Tool/dp/B004Z0SDXC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425648689&sr=8-1&keywords=bariatric+plate at each meal. I don't use it myself, but I came across it while shopping for bariatric Vitamins and supplements on Amazon.

Curious if you all feel a need to use bariatric plates, utensils etc. Getti g ready for surgery. Any suggestions appreciated.

Mine are called "fusion". I bought them from my surgeon. They have their on nutrition store called Envision nutricenter. NC Bariatric Specialists

This is particularly disturbing... assuming that your co-workers are also nurses. Where is their empathy? I can't believe that their main focus is on how much time you might get off. As for the "nurse" attempting to dissuade you from having the surgery, that's just bizarre. If this had been a procedure for a different disease, ie. a " real disease" , I doubt if there would be the same level of indifference. It's hard to respect people who show such little concern for the health and well-being of others. Just curious, but is the co-worker who is trying to talk you out of the procedure, also obese? Sometimes, it seems, people who don't have the courage to have bariatric surgery themselves or who can't afford it (if not covered by insurance), try to sabotage the decision of those who want the surgery. To hell with your pin-headed co-workers. Where were they in 2013 when the AMA classified obesity as a disease? It is also evident that you are basically a nice person. After all, you still want to be polite even when you tell them to take a hike! (Hey, that almost rhymes.)

Hi friends! well my Bariatric Bypass was Feb 10th, so here i am 9 days post-op, about to go back to work on Monday and I fear I might be eating (drinking) too much, taking in too many calories. I'm seeing people on here (I realize different programs and doctors and situations vary greatly) weeks post op eating 300 to 400 calories... wow!! So I'm taking in around 850 a day and getting in around 60 ounces of water and walking or riding a bike between 20 and 30 minutes EVERY day. Now I'm down around 13 lbs +/- in the last week or so, I'm pleased. Sometimes I think reading people describing their situations can lead to me questioning myself and my program; you know what they say, A little knowledge is a dangerous thing lol...!!!

Abbreviated in Bariatric Land as YMYC. Another one for the lists 2 BARI-Buds are compounding. At any rate, there are 2 schools of thought on which is better in the long run for people. Know what I am planning, know what 2. other classes of Bari-seekers and currently,no one,i know personally,are planning a lapbad. Did know of one, the local surgeon who was doing Bariatrics as well as General Surgery, had someone die,on her table, not sure which variety of surgery was being performed but since this is only a community hospital with small-town, small-minded values she left,town in disgrace. She had done an proceedure on me in 2012, I liked her personally and had no qualms about her abilities, she did right by me. And of course this is all I do know, tried to explore the rumor, but "wagons are being circled" nobody claims to know anything and I got a stiff "SHE is no longer with US" for my troubles. They had started with lap-bands and Sleeves here locally,Thanksgiving 2017, although some were completed the program is shut down for a year, possibly into 2020 when they complete a Family Health center annex to my community's hospital and they expand to more than 3 G .Surgeons, certainly no one remaining are touching bari- patients MMNNM( short for Makes Me No Never Mind) I was going to Columbus in the first place, my body requires an RnY to make me All Better, and I KNEW it would not be offered here, if ever. So that is our" Little Tempest in a Teapot" in my little town, and as Pual Simon so musically stated " nothing but,this Dead and Dying in my little town. A crying shame,because this is a pretty🌱🌷🌱🌻🌱 green lovely section of MidAmerica.

I'll share the foods that are on my list of pureed and very soft foods, but some that spring to mind are: Nonfat yogurt (regular and Greek) Nonfat cream cheese (weird to think of just eating some cream cheese, but OK) I've also been eating unsweetened apple sauce and enjoying it, may try sprinkling some cinnamon on top. Also, I highly recommend this: https://www.amazon.com/Fresh-Start-Bariatric-Cookbook-Weight-Loss/dp/1623157730/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1515181665&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=bariatric+cookbook&psc=1

I didn't know that! My bariatric nurse told me that I should probably switch to H2 receptors like Zantac. As of today I am switching.

For those who haven't been following my story............... I was diagnosed with an eroded band in November of 2011 and had it removed in March of 2012. I had to wait for six months before revising to the gastric sleeve as my surgeon wanted to wait for me to heal completely and do medical tests before confirming that I would be a good candidate for the sleeve. I have complete those tests and he was satisfied that I could have the sleeve. We also found that I had developed another hiatal hernia (the first one was repaired when I had my lap band surgery). My predetermination request for the sleeve surgery was denied. They stated that I needed to complete a six month weight loss program in order for them to consider my request. I asked my surgeon's insurance coordinator to appeal based on the reasoning that this was a repeat surgery for a lap band that had medically failed me and that I shouldn't have to complete the six month medically supervised weight loss program. She filed an appeal but no where in the letter did it address the six month weight loss program so of course they denied me again stating that we still hadn't submitted the records they had requested. Frustrated beyond belief, I took the initiative to write my own appeal letter. I used language from the BCBS-AL bariatric policy regarding repeat surgeries and their rationale for requiring the six month weight loss program and explained how I had met that rationale just by having a lap band for four years and that my waiting for six months before revising to another surgery was not conducive to improving my health. I just got off the phone with BCBS-AL and they have approved my surgery!!!!!! I am actually shocked that I succeeded in my appeal. I fully expected them to deny me and had already started the medically supervised six month weight loss program in preparation for that denial (and have lost 10 lbs over a six week period which is nice). I'm excited, relieved and nervous! I've been through this before so I don't know why but I am. I was very successful with my lap band (losing 94 lbs). I remember how wonderful it felt to be thin and feel good about myself and how I looked and not to be in pain anymore from carrying around all this extra weight (yes I packed the pounds back on after my band was removed). I can't wait to be there again! Yeah me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Does anyone know of a bariatric or prenatal vitamin with 4000 units or more of Vitamin A, when my current bottle runs out I have to switch. Yeah I now have to take a 10,000 little liquigel once a day, maybe I should also ask Alex Brechler if the Bariatric Pal Store stocks such an animal THERE.

You and I are only 2 weeks a part surgery wise. I have skipped my vitamins and it is not as big an issue for us VSG, but we do need them especially early on. I cannot drink with meals because it hurts and sometimes I have to wait more then an hour because of the pressure. I have a prescription from my bariatric team for 800 mg ibuprofen. VSG here are allowed NSAID. Some days on vacation I have not gotten all my protein I have on vacation ate out quite a bit but do try to make the best choices.

I have to have one looking for cancer. Going for consult next week. New dr, never have been to him and not sure if he is familiar with bariatric patients, his website and his prep for them well, are things that I can't drink according to my surgeon like carbonated drinks. I see my surgeon on Thurs for a ck'up and to discuss my procedure this gastro dr and my lap band surgeon suggests drinking 2 bottles of magnesium citrate and pills, are the pills hard to swallow? and I'm sorry but the mag cit is nasty and my gag reflex is sensitive, I just know I will gag on this this stuff but the procedure has to be done. Has anyone had this done after lapband and if so what was your prep?