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Citi, Amazon, and Amynta I know are all hiring and offer full benefits that cover bariatric surgery. You may also want to look into having surgery done in Mexico. Many folks, myself included, have found that going out of the country is actually cheaper, and can be done much faster, than using insurance and having it done in the US.

My 15 year old neighbor had sleeve surgery after years of therapy, "fat camps" and depression. Three months after surgery and a pretty significant weight loss, I actually saw her smile for the first time! She began walking, working out and would actually engage in lengthy conversations. Fast forward 5 years...…she's in college, enjoys hiking, is in a serious relationships and looks wonderful. Her parents had to go through a lot of family counseling and do a lot of research to find a surgeon who performed bariatric procedures on children. But they knew it was in the best interest of their child to set her up for a healthy adult life. So in answer to your question, you should have the surgery when you are mentally ready to commit to a healthy future. Sleeve surgery only works in the long term if you make the necessary life style changes in that first year after surgery. If not, the weight gain will put you right back where you are now. So I would suggest that age isn't as important as attitude. Good luck with whatever decision you make!

For me, the surgery wasn't worth it. I believe it is the reason that I ended up with a hiatal hernia (I didn't have one before the surgery) and I have some moderate GERD problems since the surgery (though my GERD is not as severe as the GERD that some unlucky people end up with after the sleeve). Looking back on it now, I wish I would have just avoided any bariatric surgery at all, but if I were still going to get surgery, I personally think that the gastric bypass would have been a better way to go actually. I chose the sleeve because I was scared of the bypass and didn't want to take the risks of the bypass, but the bypass at least is the "tried and true" method that has stood the test of time over decades. The sleeve has a pretty significant risk of ending up with severe GERD, and if you get severe GERD, many doctors will tell you to get a bypass to fix the GERD. Then you end up going through ANOTHER surgery, which is riskier than just getting the bypass to start.

Hello, are there any companies hiring that cover bariatric surgery under their health plan? Preferably work from home and customer service. I'm located in Texas near Dallas if its not work from home. I can't afford to go the self-pay route. Thank you in advanced. You can send your referral link, I know some companies give bonuses for referrals.

Straight up!!! Unless someone tells me I can't eat the comparable amount to a shake in nutrients of cottage cheese on this diet (the carb/fat content is lower than the shakes and the protein is equal ---Good Culture lowfat cottage cheese---) I'm starting this tomorrow. Got almost no help from the dietician. I was also told to keep my diet to 1000 calories a day, which is normally not a problem for me, but with super low carbs and fat it is. I have been at around 800-900 cals on this diet and lost one lb this past week. I will stop eating any cottage cheese or egg white 3 days before the surgery, but my preferred choices seem to be healthier than my dietician's! I so hear you on the non-dairy, and I like dairy! My brother is vegan, so I could perhaps give you suggestions if you like; DM me. This is for post-surgery: I love a pureed red lentil soup with lemon and herbs, and you could incorporate protein powder and broth, for example. I've also been doing Brodo bone broth. It has more protein and helps with hunger. Mine is a major university bariatric center as well and they seem stuck in 1985 with respect to diet! Prior to the VSG project, when I thought I could "eat less and exercise more" (ha ha) I was put on an 1100-1200 calorie diet (high protein, low fat, low carb) for months and months and didn't lose weight. It was not that hard to implement, as I already pretty much ate that way. I measured and weighed every single pea I ate. Their dietician told me I could eat up to 1800 calories a day without gaining weight, so I'd lose weight at 1600. I told her that I'm not even losing at 1100! (I laughed, but inside my own head because that was such a load of hooey) She shrugged and had no idea why (she clearly thought I was lying to her, which I was not- again, infantilizing when I needed actual help.) . So: disappointing, but not that surprising. And now, Im losing a single lb in a week on this horrible preop diet. Does it still de-fat your liver if you don't lose weight? I'm following every dietary restriction I was given except that the diet comes from pre-packaged shakes. I'm making my own now with Isopure, low fat/low carb nut milk and a LOT less artificial sweetness or none at all—had a great espresso one today. And yet: the weight is not coming off me. But this is why I'm having this surgery. Makes me worry I'll not lose any weight at all afterward, but my surgeon thinks I will. I do not have cravings for anything except really any real food when I'm hungry. Now Im stomach-growling hungry for huge parts of the day, exhausted, peeing constantly, and not losing any weight. This sucks. I'm saying this because I know there are other just like me out there, and I'm saying, "Guys, it's really ok to not be positive and cheerful all the time. Truth is really healthy." I'll also add that if this diet makes you pissed off and tired and unable to work properly, that seems normal to me. And I don't think it means that you won't be committed to your health or your diet afterward. I also don't think adults need training wheels or to be lied to about numbers to incorporate that most people cheat. I'd prefer to be told the actual truth about what is medically necessary and why.

To provide an update now that it has been 4 and a half months since the surgery, I have lost a total of 75 pounds, 62 post surgery. I have been really happy with the steady loss. I eat between 690 and 730 calories a day now and make sure I get between 65 and 90 grams of protein. I try to keep my net carbs to 30 and under but it sometimes can go up to 35. I still only manage about 1.5 liters of water on average and make sure I keep up with my vitamins. My doc said I could start eating rice, pasta and bread at the three month mark if I wanted to, but I don’t react well to those foods normally so decided to not reintroduce them yet until I reach the maintenance phase. I have no regrets and love that I can walk into almost any shop now and buy clothes off the rack. I’ve lost over a 100 centimeters and dropped 4 to 5 dress sizes (currently in between sizes at the moment, which is always challenging). my fitness has greatly improved and can hike steep hills without puffing my lungs out and stopping along the way. If you are thinking of taking the bariatric leap, I highly recommend it 😊

I am now 5 months from surgery. I've had horrible food aversions but some of that is easing. I can now eat bacon again. Before, it was disgusting. The same can be said of a few other foods. I'd love to be able to tolerate chicken but it's still off the menu. I am taking tasteless GENEPRO twice a day, 60 grams to keep my protien up and it is giving me some strength back. Also, I've switched to a 1 a day bariatric vitamin. Weight loss as of now is 118 pounds and my goal is 210 pounds. Hope this encourages some who are struggling. Stick with it.

For real! My session with the dietician also consisted of her just reading through the packet to me, and her being unable to answer any specific questions. I'm pescatarian, and don't consume much dairy, so the only animal proteins I eat are fish/seafood and some eggs. She had no idea about recommendations for non-dairy protein shakes, and no ideas about customizing the puree/soft foods phases to be things that weren't all ricotta, cottage cheese, and yogurt. This is a major university bariatric center. Asking about plant-based alternatives shouldn't be so befuddling. I'd love some specific recommendations and recipes, but yeah, if you can't do that, give me the info to do it, myself, and don't charge me hundreds of dollars for a service you aren't really providing.

Hello, I had a lap band in 2008 and it was essentially a failure. I've spent years going up and down with my weight and have finally come to a decision to have gastric bypass. I am really nervous but excited that I'm about to start on this journey. I have my first consultation with a bariatric surgeon this week (July 22). I am self pay because my health insurance has a specific exclusion for bariatric surgery. Given that I don't have to go through any insurance loopholes, I'm wondering how quickly it will be before I can schedule the surgery. For self pay patients, what is the average time from consultation to surgery?

there's no average. Most people seem to lose in the 15-25 range the first month, although I don't have any hardcore research to back that up - it's just what I've observed after spending the last seven years participating on this and other bariatric forums. So your loss is totally normal, and your surgeon is an idiot. I lost 16 lbs the first month, and I went on to lose over 200 lbs. Some people lose slower or faster than others depending on a lot of factors, some of which you have little to no control over (like genetics, age, gender, starting BMI, etc). You DO have control over your activity level and how closely you follow your program, so if you do well with those and your overall weight trend is down (even if slow), then you're fine. P.S. that 15-25 range I mentioned - of course you'll always find people who fall on either side of that, but they're outliers. You are doing just fine!

I was thinking of trying tge lemonade, iced tea and crystal sky. I also bought the genepro, but have only tried it in sugarfree jello, so far. I dis order the bariatric pal fruit drinks. I wonder if they are similar to the Nectar drinks. I only tried pineapple orange from the multi pack. It was pretty good, a nice change from the protein shakes.

I was on multivitamin 1 week post - op. Chewable (Bariatric Advantage) for the first 6 weeks. Then I move to pill form.

Hi everyone!!! I’m new to this sight and need all the help I can get 😩. I’m Pre Surgical for Gastric Bypass, I’ve gone through every test known to man. I see my Bariatric Dr Aug 13th, hopefully I will get a date for my surgery. Feel free to comment, I would love advice!!

Hi Mama Des, Congrats on the surgery. I'm sorry to hear you are in so much pain, and so hungry. I'm not sure what your allowed and what you have tried, but here are some things I am going to try after surgery (and am using now, pre op): broth (w/ or w/out genepro), s.f. jello (genepro can be added here, too), s.f. electrolyte drink mix, s.f. popsicles, s.f. drink mixes, and once in full liquid stage s.f. yogurt & farina/cream of wheat thinned with milk. I had a sample of a broth that was made by Bariatric fusion, it was pretty tasty. The nectar protein drinks have some flavors that seem more like juice, lemon aid, fruit punch or iced tea. I haven't tried those yet. I hope you find something to make this phase easier, good luck, & tell us if you find anything that worked for you.

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). 😊