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I've taken Centrum Silver (or the generic equivalent) since day 1. I started with the chewables and then switched over to regular tablets when I was about six months out. If you take grocery store or drug store vitamins, you'll probably have to take two a day to meet the requirements. With some bariatric-specific vitamins (but not all...), you only have to take one (but again - check. With some of those you also have to take two (or more) a day...)

Good evening, so I did not do the surgery but I did join a weight loss done right program in my area on January 5 and as of today I have lost 68 pounds, (only 32 more to go) the program is very strict, but very easy and the food is quite good!! When it comes to eating out which we do, I am very committed and I basically tell the server immediately, I am sorry to be a pain but I am on a very strict diet so can you please relay to the kitchen staff that my food can have no seasoning, no butter, no oil, everything needs to be completely plain. Also I ask as many questions as needed, such as actual ounces, sauces etc. I actually use a brown bread that I purchase from bariatric pal, and I bring one or two slices with me, I either bring my own seasoning or I just use their salt and pepper. When it comes to salad dressing again I bring my own or I order just plain white vinegar. I usually order a 6 ounce steak or the 8 ounce salmon, again no butter, no seasoning, no oil. I get a double order of plain steamed broccoli and a side salad with only lettuce, tomato and cucumber. I will sometimes bring my own cucumber and hearts of palm. lol just carry a larger than usual purse, honestly no one cares and you should be very proud of yourself for loosing the weight and especially proud of adhering to the food restrictions because that shows your strength. I am not embarrassed or ashamed of ordering specifically as I know I am a healthier , happier and skinnier me. LOL i wish you the best of luck, you’ve got this!!!!

I have been seeing the GI and he did the endoscopy and told me to drink boost and go to the Bariatric dr. I went to 3 ERs and got fluids and sent home and told to see GI or Bariatric dr.

Keep pushing. Every. Single. Day. You clearly need urgent help and it makes me very sad you are not getting help quickly. A feeding tube (J-tube) might be needed to get you some nutrition and I am truly surprised no one seems to have discussed this with you. If you are not getting help, keep going to the ER. Follow up with the bariatric specialist, but you might need a GI specialist for the feeding tube. They are temporary and “easy” to put in/take out. Hope you feel better soon! 💕

Hey everyone in Internet Land. I’m just someone looking for information for someone else and stumbled over this article. If the public article remains posted, then the author is responsible for the forum until the owner of the website or moderator closes the thread. If people want to know about the current events of Dr. Duc Voung, he’s not hiding. His books are on Amazon. His YouTube channel is vibrant. He has a Facebook Group. (Do not click on those links. The website inserts them. I don’t know where they lead.) I cannot defend him because I don’t have the facts. There are two sides to every story. Someone called me last night with their side of the story about an event in their life. Then the other person arrived in person and told their side of the story. One person made a clear lie. The other person made a damaging response that hurt the liar’s feelings. Who do we pity in this story. I decided that I needed more information. This story about Dr. Duc Voung is similar because I only have one side of the story. What happened to the patient? Dr. Voung cannot say due to HIPPA restrictions. The patient’s side reads like a made for TV movie. I’ve seen those bariatric surgery reality shows on TV. The patients are traumatized. It’s awful. I’d like an update. Why do people seeking information about bariatric surgery need to leave the thread when they have questions about a bariatric surgeon? Instead, questions should be welcomed, right? Jac

I am 9 years post op and about a year ago I started vomiting after I ate a few times a week. About 4 months ago I started vomiting everything I ate. I've lost so much weight I look like death. I had an endoscopy done and they said my pouch was almost completely closed and they ballooned it to open it. It was better for 2 weeks and then I started vomiting again. In 4 months I have went from 175 to 120. I have had to leave work and can barely walk around I'm so weak. Has anyone else dealt with this? I finally found a bariatric specialist and will see her soon. But it's killing me that my kids are literally watching me die. I'm so malnourished its crazy

Many self pays in the US go to Blossom Bariatrics in Vegas. No hoops to jump through, check out their site. 

yes - it's simplistic. It may give you a ballpark, but ideal weights will vary a lot depending on so many things. My mother-in-law and I are both 5'6". She's always weighed in the 115-125-ish range. When I got down into the 130s a couple of years after my RNY, I looked like hell. No way could I have looked healthy if I weighed what she does. I actually look my best at around 150. But I have big, heavy bones and I'm very muscular. She has these little bird bones. She's probably look fat at 150. That's probably why BMI ranges are so wide - I think the normal range for someone my height is 114-154 (I know the top number for sure - not sure on the 114 because there's no way in a million years I'd ever be there, so it's irrelevant to me) also, my dietitian said that she doesn't pay that much attention to BMI ranges with bariatric patients because a lot of us have heavier bones and muscle than people who've never been severely obese since we needed that infrastructure to hold up all that weight. Of course, you lose some bone and muscle during the weight loss (and it's fine - you won't need all that anymore) - but you'll likely still have some of it when you get to goal - or moreso than someone at the same weight who's never been obese before. And of course, that extra bone and muscle means extra weight...

Bada beans are something I ordered from Amazons. I had had something similar I got from a grocery store or trader joe's one time, but I've also had toasted chickpeas from the grocery store that were flavored and pretty good. The Bada Bean Bada Boom (I looked up the full name) I got are in 100 calorie packs, which works well for me. I know the nutritionist is from your surgeon's office, but there are other bariatric-focused nutritionists out there. Try a google search or go to a dietitian or nutrition society page and see if you can do a "find a nutritionist in my area" and see if they have a way to select a specialty, or just call a few to see if they have this specialty. ALso, SX is surgeon.

I don't drink anything other than water. Tea or protein cocoa in the wintertime on occasion. I do not drink alcohol at all. I have not tried Lactaid pills. I may have to try that. Bada beans sound awesome. Where do you get them? I never heard of them. Funny thing is that this nutritionist is from my bariatric surgeons office. TY

Even caffeinated beverages count to your fluid intake. It's outdated thinking that caffeine dehydrates you more than the fluid hydrates you. They've done new research on this. So, if you drink coffee or tea, include this. The only drinks that would NOT count would be alcohol. Have you considered taking lactaid pills with your dairy? For some people that completely solves the problem (you have to take it each time you have dairy). Or drinking lactose free milk? It depends on the person, because some people have a slightly different lactose-related problem. One of my friends can eat dairy just fine as long as she has lactaid pills with it, or uses lactose-free milk, but my neighbor can't have dairy at all. I agree with adding beans if you can digest them, and foods like farro, quinoa, chia seeds, vegan protein powder (it doesn't have dairy - only if you decide to increase protein again), etc. There is also a snack I've found called Bada Bean (I don't think that's the exact name), which is toasted fava beans in different seasonings, and I think they're great. They are high in fiber and have some protein and fat. I agree with others who say to find a different nutritionist, but I would suggest finding one who specializes in bariatric needs. I'm so sorry you had this experience.

Oh ugh, that sounds awful! I was in the hospital with a young woman who'd had VSG the same day and she was and is still having bouts of it too. I have both Celebrate chewable vitamins that I find disgusting and Bariatric Fusion chewable multis that taste too chalky to me so I quit taking them. Every day was a battle to keep them down anyway. I found Vitafusion Women's Multi gummies at Costco and though they have 3g of sugar in 2, they are palatable and I feel like they are better absorbed. I take two per day, plus two Vitafusion Fiber Well gummies (sugar free), one Caltrate (it's chalky too, but smaller than the multi's: Vitamin D, Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc etc.) and oneCelebrate B-12 quick melt. I hope you turn a corner soon on your nausea! Take care, friend.

Unless you have an H.M.O. Plan (I think that’s the one) where you have to get referrals from primary doctor to see any specialist, You should be able to see anyone you want. Just ask them if they take your insurance. You may want to ask the surgeons office if they recommend anyone else because you want someone familiar with bariatric patients and surgery though.

Easy…hire another one. They don’t have to be affiliated with your bariatric program.

I'm in Dallas, but when I was researching surgeons, I came upon a great group in SA. Sage Bariatric. One of their doctors has a YouTube channel and I've really enjoyed his videos. John Pilcher. Not sure if he's connected to your weight loss center. Good luck!

So its been interesting reading so many people saying bad things about the gastric balloon, because for me, even though its very early days, it is going really well. I have lost 8kg since my procedure on May 21st (starting weight 134.9kg which I think is just under 300 pounds?, height 5'6), I am, as advertised, not hungry at all, and while the first week I was cramping somewhat, I haven't vomited or had any nausea at all. I haven't had any issues in the puree stage and am already finding some soft foods are okay too, though I do still feel more comfortable on liquids so I am dialing it back a bit and taking the transition slower as the fullness is hard to (lol) stomach. Speaking of stomachs, even though I intellectually knew better, I think my mind always associated my stomach with my belly, so intestinal pains or discomfort sometimes translated as hunger pains for me I think. I have never been so aware of my actual stomach before and I think that's hugely important to learning how to change my lifestyle going forward. I can hopefully do a better job listening to my hunger and fullness cues because this balloon is taking me to actually listen to the right body part! I wonder if this is something anyone else has experienced as part of their bariatric weightloss journey? I must say I did a LOT of preparation in the lead up to my procedure, I created a folder with all the info I needed for my different stages, as well as recipe ideas, info about possible health issues and troubleshooting for anything that might come up, tracker sheets for water and medication, weight loss, exercise tips for recovery, measurements etc (like you might have in a bullet journal) and I am referring back to my folder and adding to it constantly - which is actually super fun and keeps me motivated! I got some info from my surgeon and dietician, as well as the usual orbera booklet (in digital form, so i printed only the relevant bits - why there are whole pages of slim people who have never needed to consider weight loss procedures in these things I will never know lol) and I also scoured the internets for resources from other hospitals, much of which is more aimed at surgical patients but is still really relevant for me. I think it's a mindfulness thing, because I find that adding to my folder is great way to keep my mind busy and get out of old habits (And I have cute stickers that I put in there too). I was an emotional eater all my life but recently I am realising I am also a boredom eater - so trying to replace those boredom triggers with other things is my main goal, sometimes I find myself even though I am FULL, thinking about eating something out of boredom so I am learning how best to divert my brain with new fun things. I think a lot of people go into the gastric balloon thinking is going to be a quick fix and obviously that isn't the case. Its a tool like any other. They say the average amount lost is around 15kg but as I am halfway there already, and I have at least a year of this, I am quietly hopeful that my goal is in reach ( I want to get below 100kg, so the total amount I want to lose is 35kg over the time I have this balloon). It's still early days for me but I feel hopeful. I can do this. Honestly I'm not sure if my lack of vomming is because I am being so careful with how much I have at once, or because I am tracking the medication and taking that regularly as a preemptive thing, or if I am just one of the lucky ones. Along with not being hungry (at ALL), I am not having any of my regular cravings. I tell people the fullness feels like.... say you stuffed yourself eating a huge meal then someone put a slice of chocolate mud cake in front of you and even though you KNOW it would taste good, the idea of even getting it near your mouth is the last thing you want. Or say you've had a big holiday dinner and now you need to go have a mid-afternoon nap to sleep it off. I feel like that almost all the time right now so there really is no room for temptation. I'm happy to talk about my experience with the balloon insertion, why and how I chose the balloon (and why Orbera), how I put my folder together, or generally answer any questions. And I hope to come back and update on my progress to help keep myself accountable. Sent from my SM-G965F using BariatricPal mobile app

Hello ladies, I am also with Kaiser Options program and I am about to finish my 10 week classes this June 4th. Unfortunetly, my Vitamin D labs came back low at 22 and it needs to be at around 30. So I have beem prescribed some vitamin d and need to recheck labs after 6 weeks. This will be delaying my process. 😔 I am doing my options program through the Downey, CA location and we were not told anything about a psych evaluation so not sure if every location is different. I was told once the labs are rechecked in 5 more weeks to be exact, I will be scheduled for a physical examination, then see a Bariatric surgeon to talk about which surgery option, and finally be scheduled for surgery. Hopefully it does not take a long time. 🤞. We were suppose to get labs at week 3 of the classes in case anything came abnormal, but mine were not orderes until week 7 so that is why everything for me is getting delayed. Also, the ekg had to be done at week 3 for same reason. Luckily mine was normal. Good luck to you ladies!

I think it's so interesting that most of our concerns and prep revolve around What will I eat? and When will I be able to eat normal stuff again? as our primary concern 😅 That is definitely the first place my mind went when I was learning about the process, too. I think it is so telling of the fact that we are indeed food addicts and food takes up so much space in our life. I have been preparing by taste-testing protein drinks (hate em all so far 🙈), organising my schedule to avoid any big commitments right after surgery, and doing all the research I can by reading, finding IG accounts to follow, watching YouTube videos, etc. I am trying to learn from other people's experiences as much as possible for tips, tricks, how to do the right things and how to avoid the pitfalls. I have also been looking into doing some kind of workbook or something for developing new coping strategies since food won't be there for me anymore. Struggling to find anything for bariatric patients specifically, just general ones on anxiety, depression, etc... But will let you all know if I do find something useful!

LOL - thanks! It's just that I've been hanging around on bariatric boards for several years - plus I used to volunteer for my bariatric clinic - leading one of the pre-op classes. After awhile, you absorb a lot of info..

Bariatric Pal should put you on their payroll for your well thought out responses.

Try a therapist experienced in working with bariatric patients.

Sleeved 5/3. Was at 275 that morning, at 252 this morning. Was hoping to be at 25lbs down at 30 days, but happy with my progress so far. Vitamins have been a struggle. I have to take zofran with my bariatric vitamin otherwise it’s immediate vomiting. Otherwise I’ve been able to tolerate almost all other foods I’m allowed and able to force down enough water. Cravings haven’t been bad. Idk why but I’d really love some cream of wheat or something. My Dr said ummm absolutely not lol. Hope everyone else is doing well.

My bariatric program started 7/5/2020; I was 287 pounds. The next phase, pre-op, started 4/17 at 273 pounds. Surgery was 5/5 at 260. Today, 5/31, I am down to 247. I am eating whirred cottage cheese, nonfat greek yogurt to which I add either whipped pears, peaches or mandarin oranges. Also having refried beans which I used to detest but I seembto love them now. I love getting a little meat — we are allowed fish or chicken — but it stays in my pouch for several hours. iOccasionally I have smushed green beans or asparagus. Pureed carrots and broccoli — having issues digesting them; maybe too much fiber? I have come to really enjoy the Mio-type water flavorings. I really like that they don’t add single-use plastic bottles to our plastic pollution problems. My favorite flavors are black cherry & anything berry.

I’m one week out from VSG so maybe a bit too early to weigh in (pun intended) but as my incisions heal and the surgical fluids are pretty much gone, my facial features are becoming more visible and I am thinking about my future. I’m 40 years old and very active but will be much more agile without 120+ pounds of extra weight. Snowboarding in Whistler? Yep! Riding any rollercoaster or amusement park ride I want? Yep! Staying covered up at the beach? Nope! With this surgery, I essentially traded crap food and bad eating habits for LIVING. For life! Find a supportive mental health team accustomed to working with bariatric patients, decide what’s most important to you, ask your doc a thousand questions, and pray/meditate/ponder over it. Whatever inconveniences this surgery may or may not bring are nothing compared to the health problems that usually accompany obesity. I was tired of digging my grave with a knife and fork.