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I agree, it is confusing. I started off with items from this site, such as a bariatric multivitamin capsule that contains iron. I also got two different flavors of chewable calcium citrate from bariatric advantage. Although I was able to swallow the capsule, the chewable calciums were very large, gummed up in the back of my throat which made me gag, and tasted gross. My surgeon’s office recommended Citracal petites. I was able to swallow those. Within a month, however, I had to change up everything. The iron in the capsule made me vomit, so I purchased a slow release iron tablet upon a pharmacist’s advice. This has been a godsend. I had to find a standalone multivitamin without iron, which I found at a grocery store. Then, The Citracal was making me vomit, so I found a liquid calcium citrate, not great tasting but I can definitely tolerate it. Do some reading, look at reviews, and start with a small supply of what you think will be good for you: multivitamin, iron, and calcium citrate. Take them at the start of a meal to help prevent stomach upset. If something doesn’t feel right, contact your doctor or nutritionist, and there are so many other options! Good luck!

Well you will want chewable for a while at least and calcium should be calcium citrate. I take the bariatric advantage of the multi vitamin and calcium chews. My nutritionist had samples of them. Mostly it’s a matter of tastes as long as they meet the surgeons requirements. I did get one flavor from them I didn’t like and they took it back and processed a refund no questions asked but I’m willing to bet if you called and asked they would send you samples. Their number is 800-898-6888. If you are going to see a nutritionist or have a bariatric coordinator wait to order until after you see them because they may have a discount code if they endorse the vitamins you choose. I didn’t wait and missed out on any discounts because it only applied the first time.

Yeah, I went back to my hotel room an hour or two after. Next day I was on a plane headed home. I had VSG outpatient with Blossom Bariatrics

I can’t take bariatric vitamins because I have a severe sensitivity to zinc unless it is in piccolinate form, I also can’t take iron due to an overload. I get very nauseous from zinc even before surgery. Iron can do this as well. I’d highly suggest splitting up your vitamins into different groups, it’s less convenient but it will save the issues of nausea. I take a b complex, zinc, vit c, D-K2, magnesium, and liver capsules.

you may want to check out the blog "The World According to Eggface". She's a long-time bariatric patient (and still very active in the bariatric community) who loves to cook - she has several recipes on her site for all post-op stages.

I had multiple food allergies as an infant and toddler and became a chubby kid with a mom that restricted my eating. At age 7 my mother committed suicide and I began stealing candy from the local drug store. I hated vegetables, loved carbs, cheese and fried foods. I was alternatively rewarded and cajoled for my eating. I managed my weight in early adulthood by doing 500 calorie a day diets and staying active. I gained 80lbs with each of my pregnancies, and stopped nursing my second child early so I could do a calorie restrictive diet. I got down to almost normal weight, then started gaining, weighing 280 lbs in my mid thirties. I divorced my husband, lost some weight, started working out. Decided I'd just get comfortable being 50-60lbs overweight and was for fifteen years. By the time I hit my 50's I was steadily gaining, then losing (no carb diets, doctor supervised diets, calorie restricted diets, personal growth programs - because certainly there was something wrong about me that I could fix!) I was depressed, borderline diabetic and took meds for blood pressure, thyroid disease, fibromyalgia, PPI for reflux and used a CPAP. I gained an additional 40lbs during the pandemic because I literally decided I would eat anything I wanted - and I did. Shortly after the first of this year, I realized I was constantly thinking about dying. The only future I saw was of my continual decline. I could see no way to interrupt the path of my life. Then, I saw a post of an acquaintance on Facebook who had VSG four years ago. She looked fabulous and seemed so happy. I contacted her and we met for lunch. I began to consider surgery and started doing my homework on it. When my insurance turned me down, I again reached out to my friend who had gone to Mexico to have hers. She offered to accompany me if I decided to do it. I discussed it with my kids. I met with my doctors and told them what I was thinking. They all supported the surgery, although one was concerned about me traveling for it. I researched the surgeon, found Bariatricpal.com and read some of your stories. I journaled and wrote about my big why, and I began to have hope for my future. I started to imagine my life without the shame and fear around eating and food. I called everyone I knew who'd had bariatric surgery and asked them about their experiences. Finally, I called my Facebook friend back and told her I was committed. I paid my deposit, scheduled the surgery and I haven't looked back once.

There is the Bariatric Advantage capsule. Its just one pill a day. Their chewables at times made me feel sick but I've never gotten sick with the capsules. I've worried about the vitamin patches as it takes months before you will have vitamin deficiencies show up. So I've not wanted to take any chances. So maybe try the once a day capsule first?

I don’t know if it is just the vitamin I take or what, and I had vitamin intolerance BEFORE my sleeve, but I am literally having to MAKE myself take these. I TAKE THE Bariatric Advantage soft chews. They taste fine, but damn! Do you guys have any advice? I have actually skipped a few days of vitamins because I would like to NOT feel sick! thanks for any suggestions. Again, I do eat first. Susan

A friend of mine recommended a book to me when i was considering surgery and I'm glad i read it ahead of time. It is called The Emotional First Aid Kit: A Practical Guide to Life After Bariatric Surgery, by Cynthia Alexander. She really stressed that the surgery is just a tool, but that the mental aspects of overeating, the depression/anxiety that underlies eating disorders doesn't go away. It is crucial to find other outlets for the needs that your overeating has met and it isn't easy. There are counselors who specialize in eating disorders and overeating or eating as a mood stabilizer is disordered eating. There are 12 step groups too, such as Overeaters Anonymous that can be helpful. I have a recommendation for a counselor in my area that I've hung on to for when I am "eating normally" again, because I know myself well enough to know that it would be easy to fall back into some of those same patterns a year or two from now. I may need that help, Bariatric surgery isn't a magic bullet. The hard work begins once we are healed. We then have to face ourselves without the crutch of food; we have to learn to see ourselves as whole without the trigger foods that got us into trouble in the first place. Many of us will need support with that. I admire you for being so honest and I hope you'll let us know how your'e doing.

in my case, my new insurance policy (which DID cover bariatric surgery) accepted the six-month supervised diet that I did under my former policy.

Ugh. I see I will have to lobby the head of HR to include more insurance options next year. I don't mind paying more for better health insurance to get bariatric surgery covered. I just wanted to get it done in 2021, not wait until 2022. I wonder if I should start documenting the 6 months of medically supervised weight loss now in anticipation of hopefully a new medical insurance option in 2022 that will cover it. Or would the six months have to start once the policy is valid?

not all policies cover it. I had to change insurance companies to get it (fortunately, my employer had several options), but I had to go with the most expensive policy they offered. I stayed on it for two years, I think (in case there were issues...), and then switched back to my original policy. Five years later, of course. all of their policies covered it...oh well... anyway, it's not an issue with BCBS. It's an issue with your employer. Most insurance companies actually DO have a bariatric surgery rider, but employers can pick and choose which things they want to include in the particular policies they offer to their employees. I was told by our HR dept that it was pretty expensive to include bariatric surgery coverage, so they only covered it in their most expensive (to the employee, that is...) policy.

I had a lap band under United Healthcare PPO in 2008, lost 250 pounds, then had to have it removed in 2018 due to terrible acid reflux, Kaiser insurance. Have gained over 100 pounds back. Now I want to have RNY gastric bypass, and was set to get this going through Kaiser but got derailed due to COVID. Now I just started a great new job which I am very excited about, but the downside is that they only offer one insurance option, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama. I have to start the whole insurance process all over again, in fact find new doctors again, but today I called the customer service number for BCBS of AL and asked about bariatric surgery and they told me that it is not covered on my policy! Has anyone ever had this experience, and were you able to find a way to get bariatric surgery covered under appeal? I really want this surgery but the out of pocket costs are pretty bad. I can't believe that this isn't covered in any form. Help!

I'm still in pre-surgery phase, waiting to schedule a surgery date at this point. I've been seeing a bariatric therapist for a few months now after initially failing my psyche eval. I have made some choices to start eating better gradually. This hasn't included calorie counting or anything yet. It's just things like choosing not to eat out as often, using smaller plates, or keeping healthier snacks on hand that I know will still be friendly after surgery. Through therapy I've also been working on cooking more and making sure the meals have a portion of protein and a good bit of veggies. We're also focusing on addressing the mental desire to overeat, where that stems from, and alternate coping mechanisms. This has all resulted in sort of gradual change that is focusing on improving behaviors, but not in a way that feels like a "diet", and I have lost some weight while doing so. Not nearly as much as I know I'd drop via calorie counting and all, but what I'm doing now feels more sustainable.

You might try Mayo Clinic's site: https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/bariatric-surgery/about/pac-20394258 I can't tell if they have a screen reader, but I would guess they might. They are a highly respected resource in medicine in a huge number of areas (Rochester MN's airport is an international airport because rich people from around the world fly on their private planes there for treatment of cancer and many other conditions). I hope you find something that helps!

LOL - thanks! I've been hanging out on bariatric boards for a few years - plus I used to work with the pre-op groups at my clinic (well until COVID hit, anyway - so for three or four years). You hear and learn a lot of stuff that way!

I was sleeved this past Sunday 5/16, and everything is going great. My program has a nutritionist aspect attached, but I'm interested in finding a third party nutritionist who will help me focus on my specific goals and needs after I am given the clearance to pursue a regular diet and full activity. I'm 41, and I was sleeved at 334. I am not diabetic, and have no co-morbidities aside from mild hypertension and hyperlipidemia. I've been active as a powerlifter, as well as having run 2 half marathons (albeit at a non-healthy weight). I am interested in working with a nutritionist/dietician who will be part of a team to help me to maintain the strength I have, while losing excess body fat, and increasing my work and aerobic capacity. Anyone have any recommendations for online/zoom nutrition counseling that might fit this need? Thanks!

Hi there! I had my surgery on 5/10 but went to Mexico. There they had me in the hospital for 2 days and then I convalesced at a hotel (resort, actually) for another 2 days - staffed with nurses - before flying home. By the time I needed to board the plane, I was feeling pretty great. Looking back I can't imagine this surgery being outpatient but I am so glad it worked out for you! I can't wait for pureed foods either! Right now I am drinking protein shakes, decaf herbal tea and tomato soup. Sometimes I'll have a SF pudding, jello or popsicle. I just bought an air fryer and a bariatric air fryer cookbook. I am so ready to move on to actual FOOD! Healthier and smaller portions, of course. How are your incisions doing? Last night I decided to leave the bandages off of all of them except the drain tube hole as that one needs a little more TLC. But they have all scabbed over. No redness, just a little itchy around the incisions.

there are statistically more complications with bypass, but complications with either surgery are really pretty low. The rule of thumb lately seems to be if you have GERD issues, go with bypass, otherwise, it comes down to personal preference. They're both good surgeries, and you'll find people on this site who've been very successful with both. you will have to take vitamins for life with both surgeries, but there are more consequences if you slack off on vitamin-taking with bypass because of the malabsorption. But if you're diligent about taking your vitamins, then vitamin deficiency is rare. about 30% of sleeve patients develop GERD (or if they have it prior to surgery, it can get worse), and about the same percentage of bypass patients (about 30%) experience dumping syndrome, and in both cases that's kind of a crap shoot. You can't really predict ahead of time if you'll get those or not (although if you already have GERD, it's very likely not to improve and there's a decent chance it'll get worse with the sleeve. On the other hand, bypass usually improves if not outright cures GERD). If you have bypass and are one of the 30% who dump, it can be controlled by not eating a lot of sugar (or fat - some people dump on fat) at one sitting. hair loss is very common with both surgeries. Actually, it's a potential side effect of any major surgery (and childbirth, too), due to stress on the body. I think we see it more after bariatric surgeries than other surgeries, though, because in addition to the trauma from the surgery, we're also taking in very few calories the first few weeks/months. The good news is, it's temporary - the hair will grow back - and in most cases, you're the only one who'll notice it. A few people don't lose any hair at all, a few lose noticeable clumps of it, but most of us are somewhere in the middle. It's more like "shedding", and it's not enough for others to notice. I didn't lose much at all. It lasted maybe three months and then started growing back. But anyway, don't make your decision based on hair loss, because that's very common regardless of surgery. I don't think you can really make a wrong decision either way. I'd take into account what your doctors say, and also consider your personal preference. Some people are more comfortable with one or the other. As I mentioned, they're both good surgeries and you can get good results with either one.

Neither my surgeon nor dietician gave me calorie goals to follow while losing. They did recommend 1/4 cup of food from purée stage slowly increasing as I was able to eat more as long as it was low fat, low sugar, low carb. I wasn’t eating 300 calories in that first month. I remember my surgeon drawing a picture of a side plate, then drawing a circle of protein & a circle of vegetables & saying that’s about how much I’d be eating at goal. He also outlined the size in my palm. He was pretty right. I was told a daily goal 60g of protein & then slowly add vegetables & fruit to my eating as I progressed. I saw my dietician every two weeks for almost a year (COVID ended it) where we discussed what I had added to my diet & what I thought I’d try next. I can go back to her at anytime. It took me about a year to find the sweet spot in maintenance & to stop losing. I’m really not active so I maintain my weight through calorie control though I don’t religiously measure & count calories except when I add new foods or do random checks to ensure I’m not slipping. I keep to about 1200 calories give or take. Awareness of portion size & nutritional value of what I eat are my key considerations. I prepare most of my food so I have control over the ingredients & how it’s cooked. I eat protein (average 60g from meat, seafood & dairy), vegetables, fruit & whole/multi grains (some crackers as a snack & rolled oats). No processed carbs & I avoid as much sugar, sugar substitutes or artificial sweeteners as I possibly can. No fast food in my life & I’ve had takeaway three times since surgery (braised chicken & cashews & skinned steamed gyoza). No carbonated drinks except for tonic, soda or sparkling water. I don’t allow high sugar or high fat food in my house - if it’s not there I can’t eat it. If I have people over, they take home the leftovers of foods I don’t eat now for the same reason. It may sound restrictive but it’s working for me & I really don’t miss anything. There are some things I can’t eat or don’t enjoy anymore because my tummy doesn’t tolerate them. I used to eat a lot of avocado but now it tastes off & the texture is strange. Mashed potatoes & pasta (including plant ones) sit heavily in my tummy & I don’t enjoy alcohol as much. My hunger only came back earlier this year but I still have days I’m not really hungry (like yesterday & today) so I try to eat to routine so I don’t miss meals. If I’m going out for dinner, I’ll drop a snack to allow for what I might eat at the restaurant. In the past, I wouldn’t weigh myself if I thought I’d put on weight - if I couldn’t see an actual number on the scales I could convince myself I hadn’t gained. So I weigh myself almost every day. I have a fluctuation window of about 1kg (2.2lbs). If it sits on or close to the max for a couple of days in a row, I review my diet & make slight adjustments: drop a snack, reduce a portion size. Sometimes it’s just fluid or constipation but I find I know my body a lot better now & I make allowances for that. My medical team would like me to put on a couple of kilos but I’m happy where I am. But who knows what the future will bring. I certainly eat way more frequently than I ever did before surgery and also more than I used to eat: 3 meals & 3-4 snacks. I think I have a metabolism that is finally working again. There are so many different eating plans you can follow to lose or maintain. You’ve just got to find what works for you & how you want to live & enjoy your life. Finding a good dietician & therapist who are experienced with bariatric patients is a good place to start. Good luck finding your path. Sorry it’s so long.

Thank you so much for such a detailed response. I especially appreciate your suggestions for non-animal protein sources since I will be reaching my 2-year vegan anniversary next month. The 500 calorie diet was torture. I remember just wanting a bite of fruit and being devastated when I was told I needed to continue until I reached goal. (Guess who never made it to goal) And you're right, I feel like I have a few more eating disorders than I did before the surgery now. I haven't had a diagnosis because I'm a child who's afraid of doctors. This surgery was the most terrifying/bravest thing I've ever done; it was my last straw to losing weight because I'd tried everything else. I got within 15 pounds of goal and gained everything back. It broke my heart. I'm so excited about the research your surgeon is doing and how that I'm able to see the results when the study is done. It seems like he actually cares about your health and wellbeing. I love that you're seeing a bariatric therapist;I should probably see you in myself, but I just hate talking about myself. I'll see if I can look into it though. I wish junk food and taste as good as before. It's I feel like junk food is my main food staple now. All I do is eat sugar and carbs and salties and sweets. Thank you again so much for such a detailed reply. If you happened to track calories during the weight loss process or even during maintenance, would it be possible to send me a day from your food diary? I'm curious to see how everything was planned out. P.S. If my reply seems scattered, it's because I'm reading through your message and replying while working with customers at the moment. Sorry about that.

What you are describing...(in my opinion) is a bariatric surgeon who uses his patients as advertisements to get business. People saw you shrink overnight and it made them believers...so now he's got more business. Here's the problem... No one should ever be on a 600 calorie diet for any long period of time. It's unsustainable, unhealthy, and screws your metabolism to high heaven. It also exacerbates eating disorders and disordered thinking about food...which most of us have. (so says my bariatric therapist, dietician and surgeon) My surgeon was part of a research project that examined post operative metabolic changes and diet long term. I'm still part of his study and will be ten years out. We were encouraged to eat 1200 calories a day as soon as possible after surgery. I did this at three weeks post op. We were encouraged to eat lots of protien and few refined carbs. However...unrefined carbs with lots of fiber were encouraged. I ate oatmeal, potatoes, whole grain toast, nuts, brown rice, etc. The only carbs we actively avoided were sugar, white flour refined stuff, and fruit juice (much better to get it in whole fruit which we were encouraged to eat). I lost slowly, but I lost to goal. Have been at goal 3 years with the occasional 5 pound backslide...that I promptly address with the bariatric therapist, and lose back to goal. Never takes long...and a little gain is usually a cue that something is stressing me out and I'm regressing to old habits. My program emphasised addressing disordered eating and working on food addiction behavior with new coping behaviors. A bariatric therapist is integral. Don't be without one. Fixing your stomach doesn't fix your head. I eat 1400-1600 calories a day and maintain well. I walk 10,000+ steps each day and try to get 30 minutes of moderate exercise each day. I can eat absolutely anything I want now. I do have to plan for indulgent foods and make sure to balance the calories in my day...but after a while, it's getting to be second nature. I eat at events and special occasions and cut back a little for a couple days before or after. It works. I think my gut bugs have changed (another goal of my program....to change the gut microbiota to resemble the diversity of a healthy weight person). I prefer whole grains, lean protien (lots coming from plant sources), love beans, mushrooms and potatoes, I shop the produce section more than any other section of the store...love my fruits and veggies. One HUGE change....I pay attention to dietary fiber. I eat at least 25g of Dietary Fiber every day. Most of my fats are plant fats. I do eat meat, but not like most people on here. Meat for me is a special occasion thing, not a staple in my diet. Junk food doesn't taste like it used to. Very honestly. I don't like the taste as much as I used to. If anyone had told me that I would find french fries a turn-off...EVER...I'd have said they were a liar. Loved them. Have no interest in them now....go figure! Everyone will have a hugely different experience and opinion....and that's ok. People should do what works for them. But my feeling is that my success is down to three things... Learning to balance and be aware of every damned calorie I eat. Eating a high fiber diet with tons of plant protien. Seeing my bariatric therapist PROMPTLY when I know I'm regressing to food addict behavior. Wishing you the very best. I hope you find a sustainable diet you can tolerate and feel your best eating. Good Luck.

I had my surgery 14 years ago. About every 3-6 months I would get very bloated after eating and my mid left side would hurt. Hurt to breath. It would cause a referred pain in my left shoulder at the same time. now, 5-19-21, this has been happening everyday throughout the day. (Although I cannot tell if I’m bloated as I had Coolsculpt 8 months ago and have the rare side effect PAH. So I have a big brick of fat in the way.) For about the last 6 months. It’s gotten worse. Hard to breath, very painful . I’m developing new symptoms. I hiccup lightly quite often uncontrollably. If I bend over, I will burp a big swoosh of air that actually feels relieving, not like a belch. My drs have always tried to blame everything on my band but it’s always been fine. I am going to my Bariatrics dr tomorrow hopefully to get this situated. I’m going to ask if she thinks it’s my diaphragm, if I could have my port moved or shortened. I have never planned to get rid of my band. I have lost 75 lbs and am at a good weight

I was almost 54 when I had my surgery. Yes, I have some loose skin. And like @catwoman7, you can’t really see it when I’m dressed ... except for that wee pooch at my waist but I am slouching a little for effect in the pxt on the left below 😉. Like @STLoser I happily carry my loose skin: I worked hard to lose my weight & I continue to work at maintaining. The loose skin reminds me every day to stay my course. When you first lose weight you could look drawn but I found my remaining fat seemed to resettle once in maintenance & I looked better. Increasing my calories & adding some whole/multi grain carbs to my diet helped. You won’t look as you did before. Then your features were likely distorted by the weight you carried. My face was a round blob. People said I looked younger because the fat filled out any wrinkles I had. When you lose weight you’ll see your cheekbones again, your neck will be thinner & look longer. You’ll have fewer chins. My eyelids aren’t as hooded & my face is oval with a strong jawline now. And people still say I look younger than my age. If you need support to understand & battle your addiction, seek a therapist who has experience with bariatric patients. Many do seek help with success. Though you may find, that like @Jaelzion, your desire for sugar/sweet is muted after surgery & you can manage it without the support of therapy. I made a conscious decision to avoid or restrict certain foods in my diet. They were my danger foods - not cravings but foods I enjoyed a lot & often that were calorie heavy. It was my choice to avoid them or restrict the frequency I eat them. Do I miss these foods - not really. Some people can eat their old favourites without issue but they do it in moderation. You’ll work out what works for you that’s sustainable. Understanding what a recommended portion size is a big learning as is the difference between a portion & the size we get served. Most serving sizes are 2 & 3 times what we should be eating to maintain a healthy weight. I eat about the recommended portion size for most foods now or a little less. For example I can almost eat two eggs, about 100g of meat, a cup of vegetables, a small bunch of grapes, etc. Some days will be harder than others. You’ll learn new things about yourself & your body. There’ll be days you’ll question your decision but the surgery is so worth it. If you’re willing & ready to make the changes to take full advantage of it, you’ll be successful & be able to enjoy your life to the fullest. Good luck. PS - You look fabulous @STLoser. Love the lip gloss colour too.

Hi Myran, I am newbie as well. I just joined the forum yesterday!! I am scheduled for gastric sleeve on June 15th at Blossom Bariatrics in Vegas. I moved beyond "what will people think" and decided this is for me and only me. I have to put myself first. I will not hide my surgery when my success starts becoming obvious and people ask "what did you do?" I don't think surgery is cheating and WE can educate people that it is not. Our WHOLE life is going to change. Our way we eat and live will change. This is NOT going to be easy. This is the hardest thing I have and probably will ever do. So, remind yourself if you are living your best life, those in your life will benefit from it too. I a tired of being tired and missing out on all the things I can't do because of my size. YOU DESERVE THIS and frankly, it's no one's business how you get healthy!