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I know that Dr.Dominguez in Covington La accepts medicaid if anyone needs that info. Please list other Drs that you are aware of that accepts in Louisiana, please.

I still have a bit of comprehension (sp) in another bariatric surgery. I've had the Lap Band since 2005 and I'm considered to have a dinosaur band. What I am wondering are there any folks here who have been sleeved for over say 4 years? If so, how has things gone after the honeymoon period? Any common problems? I know a lot of times people are very active in forums then once they get fixed or lose weight they go along happily in their day to day life and the ones that mainly come here (that I've seen) are 2-3 years out at the most or pre-op like me. Thanks!

Hello Everyone, Let me introduce myself. My name is Enrique “Henry” Cortez, I am the Office Manager for Bariatric Pal Team MX. Having been born and raised in Tijuana, Mexico, I have the advantage of growing up in the highly dynamic and always changing bi-cultural environment of the Tijuana-San Diego area and I am 100% bilingual. I have a Bachelors in Communications from the Universidad Autonoma de Baja California. I have applied my knowledge and skills in the fields of Government Communications Offices, Television & Film industry, Logistics and Transportation, Customer Service, Sales, Technical Support, Telemarketing and Medical Tourism in the capacity of Team Leader, Supervisor, Coordinator and Manager. What can I do for you? I can help you with your invoice, financing, surgery date and anything related to coordinating your surgery. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding your surgery. Have a wonderful day!

Hi Faith Wade: You are most welcome; it's a pleasure meeting you here, and thank you for your kind words! I agree that we should be as forthcoming and detail oriented when discussing everything from A-Z when considering being Banded, and also with pre-surgery and post Banding. Plateauing: When plateauing, I do believe in kick starting one's metabolism and that may be done by kicking up one's exercise regiment to continue with losing the desired weight, and in reaching one's goal weight. I believe that my body's metabolism reached that plateau that we spoke of earlier; and as one who is "disable" I tend to exercise little because of it. I'm in need of knee surgery, I have two herniated discs on my upper back (neck) and may need surgery for that as well. So, for that, I must be careful when using my "Bodylastics" bands when lightly working out; for light walking i must use my cane. Testimony: I will admit that i felt very discouraged when hitting that plateau; however, i asked myself was i really going to feel sorry for myself and allow that thought process to overrule my train of thought and constitution? ...or would i accentuate the positive in "remaining positive" and continue on with my eating healthy, resting plentifully, and exercising? ...I decided on the latter! Sweets-n-Bread: It's been almost a few weeks now and I went from 6-7 days a week having the sugar and breads to 1 day a week. That one day a week for me is a day of reward so to speak. My reward day consists of one sandwich, one soft drink (Dr. Pepper) and some chocolate covered raisins (moderately), which i have during my lunch break at a University I attend. So far, so good, because again, i see it as a reward day instead of it being a part of an everyday lifestyle in terms of incorporating it in to my daily diet. Being Properly Prepared: I prepared myself by resourcing/researching as much information as possible, and by changing my eating habits in terms of the food choices, and by following a prescribed time pattern in eating each meal, along with light snacks (yogurt/nuts) between meals and drinking plenty of water (64oz+.) each day. Counseling, Support, and Nutrition Assistance: Before and after surgery, the staff of Dr. Anthony Coiran were/was/has been extremely helpful with an abundance and wealth of information and answers to my many questions. I was also given a "U.S. Bariatric LAGB Patient Education Handbook" (very informative). The staff stated that I would be able to find support groups via the internet in my area, and also provided me with a support group through their own resource center, along with a calendar with meetings dates and times regarding nutritional support in the form of a nutrition class with a certified nutritionist. In His service and yours,

If you haven't already ordered from Bariatric Choice, I highly recommend it. The barbecue Protein chips are AMAZING!! You can also get Vitamins and supplements here, plus you earn credit towards future orders with each purchase. I'm hooked! Http://www.bariatricchoice.com/rewardsref/index/refer/id/106452/ To get your $20 off, make sure you click "Maximize my discounts with rewards credit" in your shopping cart. Seriously...the barbecue chips. Oh.my.god.

I had minimal post op pain, no nausea, was able to consume liquids and all the ensuing food stages with no problem. I don’t get very hungry, really, and I stick to the my bariatric program very faithfully. Not saying this to toot my horn, but just to let you know that just because it seems easy doesn’t mean there’s a problem! My biggest piece of advice is to not weigh for 3 weeks post-op, then only once a week. You’re doing great, Viking!

I bought some great bariatric cook books that have meal plans for each phase. They at least help get the creative juices flowing when I’m feeling bored with what I’m eating or drinking:) Two of my favorites are Bariatric Meal Prep made easy by Kristin Willard and the Complete Bariatric Cookbook and Meal Plan by Megan Moore. Also I have found following Bariatric dieticians on social media as well as people in the WLS community often have great ideas! These are just what seems to work for me:) best of luck!

A little update...I called my Medical Group and to ask where they send people for bariatric surgery seminars and they said my PCP must submit an authorization and I then I can attend an informational meeting at their Health Center. I see my PCP this morning at 8:30 and will be asking for just that:wink2: Cindy T

Hey Kesia! I too live in Ga. and have medicaid. And MA does cover the Lapband. I rcvd my approval on Monday, but u have to go to a Center of Excellence, and you need to sign up with Peachstate as your carrier. The center I am using is Peachtree Surgical and Bariatric at Atlanta Medical Center. They have a seminar on June 21st. the website is peachtreebariatric .com . Check them out and if you have any other questions feel free to send me a private message.

Medicaid is definitely different from state to state. I work at a hospital in Virginia and we can only see patients from Virginia and West Virginia. West Virginia is covered in Virginia because they have such limited options for medical care in parts of their state - many of them drive 6+ hours to see us. Otherwise, no other state's Medicaid program is accepted in our state. Additionally, there have been recent changes to Medicaid programs and many states are now contracting Medicaid benefits with regular HMO companies. (Medicare is different - that's generally what we all get when we're 65 and over. That works anywhere in the country.) I do know that Medicaid even pays for Viagra, so I would be really disgusted if they didn't cover something like banding. I would do what someone advised above - call the number on your card and ask a) if bariatric surgery is covered and :tongue: which providers in your state participate. Good luck :cool2:

The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery has developed a chart for the treatment of bariatric patients in the ER. The download contains information for the treatment of leaks, sepsis, intra-abdominal bleeding, obstructions etc... The download comes in a PDF format so that you can download it for FREE before you go to the Emergency Room. You can download this PDF for here: http://asmbs.org/store/

Yep, very true White Scale! Nerves are all a part of it to. Everyones journey is different and I take my hat off to anyone who has tried all means to lose weight and become healthier, then feel bariatric surgery is their last option. No judgements here! I wish you all the best but please know its a process after. I did so much research, did everything I was told but it didnt prepare me to what a process it truly was after the fact. I guess you have to do it to let it totally sink in. In saying that, I dont regret it. Hey we are all different just go for health first because the weight WILL come off! Sent from my SM-G925I using the BariatricPal App

What Protein shakes have you tried? In those first few weeks I hated Protein Shakes, I could not find any that I liked. I ended up not getting enough protein in and in the long term that is a huge problem. You should get a minimum of 1 gram of protein for every inch you are tall as a minimum. I ended up trying Premier Protein ready made shakes. The chocolate flavor is the best. There are 30 grams of protein, 1 gram of sugar and 160 calories. It is an excellent choice for a supplement. You can buy at Sam's or costco. Recently I had surgery on my neck where they went through my throat. It has caused me real issues and basically put me back on soft foods. From what my doctor said, this could go on for months. I went to my Bariatric team for help. They gave me a whole bag of Protein shake samples to try. Syntax nectar - fuzzy naval is excellent, I also loved the Caribbean cooler and vanilla bean torte. They don't have that horrid protein taste. I use Water for the fuzzy navel and milk for the other two. I ended up order a box of each of these flavors in the grab and go packets I purchased these on line via Amazon.. I have been eating a lot of cottage cheese which has great protein, pudding - I eat the real thing not sf, yogurt, cream of wheat, homemade Soups, cooked vegetables cooked very soft, I am struggling with most meats because of the swallow issue right now but most fish will work. I am surprised your doctor has you focus on calories vs. protein. I am able to get between 900 and 1100 calories a day and easily hitting my protein goals. If you cannot get your protein through food, which I still cannot you have to supplement or you will get sick. I wish you the best of luck!

You still have to take supplements with VSG. 90% of gastrectomy patients will develop deficiencies without proper vitamin/mineral supplements. In general, a good Multivitamin, extra Vitamin D, calcium, Iron and sublingual or injectable B12 (we can no longer absorb B12 after VSG). You should be getting bloodwork done at least annually and adjust your vitamin regimen accordingly. The most prevalent vitamin deficiency I've seen in the scientific literature is Vitamin D. Somewhere in the order of 80% of patients are vitamin D deficient following surgery. Vitamin D deficiency is also common in populations who haven't had any kind of bariatric surgery, so it's not totally clear what percentage of deficiency can be attributed directly to the procedure. As far as vitamin B deficiency, in order to absorb vitamin b complex, you must have Intrinsic Factor, which is produced in the stomach. VSG removes some of the ability to produce IF and thus absorb some b vitamin, but not all. RNY bypasses totally the part of the stomach that creates IF, hence the absolute necessity to supplement. Studies show that typically less than 20% of VSG patients will develop vitamin B deficiency. Iron and folate deficiency present in relatively small numbers as well, compared to RNY. Metformin appears to aggravate vitamin B deficiency. The key is getting blood work, as there's no one size fits all solution. I liked my odds better with the VSG, and i already take a pretty broad range of supplements. I am currently taking b12 injections because I'm not able to introduce a wider range of meats back into my diet for a few more weeks.

Thank you all for the good luck wishes. I was a rough 2 days. But I can say that about 7 hours after surgery, I was up and walking. The nurses were amazed and the doctors joked that I must want to get out of there fast. However, I didn't see a lot of other bariatric patients walking around like I did. I couldn't sleep for more than 2 hours at a time, but I would just walk circles around the surgery floor. I think that's what saved me from having gas pain in my chest and shoulders. [TMI] It's all coming out the other end hahah

I've never heard of needing another surgeon. When I had my surgery, there was a surgical assistant that was used who was not covered and that cost me $500, but I've never heard of needing a second surgeon. In fact, some places are doing the sleeve via robot now, so needing 2 surgeons does seem a surprise. Are you going to a Bariatric center of excellence? If not, you might want to consider transferring to one.

Hello, has anyone had this surgery? Has it worked for you? I might have a condition that wouldn't lend itself well to VSG or Plication and I know I don't want the band. Might need to have repeated endoscopes and see all of my stomach. I keep thinking if the POSE prodceedure or something like it where the stomach was made smaller but still viewable that is the answer. From the very limited research it sounds like StomaphX and TOGA it looks like failed miserabley. I don't know if POSE is different, but I've looks all the places I know, and info/experiences are very limited. I am wondering if there is any new procedures coming out in the baratric field. Please post if you heard of new types of surgery coming down the pike! http://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/show/193616/Endoscopic-incision-free-bariatric-surgery--offering-weight-loss-without-the-risks-of-major-abdominal-surgery http://www.whyweight.com/pose/ Please post if you know of someone who had it or if you have more info. I would love to know if the stichest stay in. I've got about 50 lbs to loose. Thanks so much!

Hi Steve, I did see a doctor at Fletcher Allen, or actually, the surgeon who removed my gall bladder talked to me about bariatric surgery. I happen to be living in India right now though, so I ended up getting it done here by a surgeon who worked in the US for ten years. I was absolutely terrified about the surgery but everything went great and I'm very, very happy I had it. I've had no problems at all. Best of luck on your journey and congratulations on making this life changing decision!

MANY people have a bit of a stall when transitioning from pureed food to solid food when they're about three weeks out. Google "Bariatric Surgery Three Week Stall". It's super common, and super disheartening. But don't be overly concerned! It's normal and if it happens, you're not necessarily doing anything wrong. Our bodies have amazing defense mechanisms developed over thousands of years to prevent starvation. When our calories suddenly dip very low we hormonally and metabolically adjust to maintain our weight as much as we can....so...ya know...we don't starve to death. And yes, this defense mechanism SUCKS for weight loss. But the good news...is that if we stay the course....and stick to our plans consistently...eventually, we do overcome it and the scale starts moving again. I promise. Dthomas....if you're not exceding your calorie goal, if you're journaling what you eat and choosing good food...your mind IS right. Your body is just throwing you a curve ball as a defense against starvation. It's temporary! Stick to your eating plan. Have patience. And have realistic expectations. Most folks are not going to have the 50 pound losses you see on My 600 Pound Life in a few weeks. Also...losing a job and the financial crunch it brings... can be really discouraging and depressing. Exercise really will help you, even if it's just walking a few miles a day. Hang in there. It gets better.

See if you can find a therapist in a Bariatric Program. There wouldn't be any way for someone to know you were there because of alcohol. I understand your concern being in the medical field - you seem to know someone wherever you go. For your health and well-being, don't let embarrassment, shame or fear stop you from getting help! Good luck!

No, you can't. A benefit exclusion is a benefit exclusion, pure and simple. The reason your insurer won't budge on this is because they'd have to spend all their time reviewing requests for exceptions for everything, not just bariatric surgery. If they covered it for you, that would open the door to having to cover it for a lot of other people. You do have the private pay option, which includes not having to meet insurance requirements pre-op, just your surgeon's requirements. There are some people without the benefit for bariatric surgery who have gotten their surgery partially covered if they also require a hernia repair, usually a hiatal hernia. I'm sorry.

I don't see how this is different from the balloons and other techniques that already exist to give people a sensation of "fullness". For years they have been using temporary non-surgical methods to help bariatric patients get down to a weight where it is safe for them to have surgery, but always with the goal that they WILL have surgery at some point. A temporary device like this might help for rapid weight loss, but it does nothing for weight maintenance, since it must be removed after 6 months, just like the balloons. I think it's safe to say that MANY of us are perfectly capable of losing considerable weight "on our own" (medical conditions notwithstanding), but the real trick is maintenance. I know they call it Weight Loss Surgery, but, for me I have always thought of it as Weight Maintenance Surgery.

For what it's worth I use Bariatric Fusion chew-able vitamins. They were designed for patients that have undergone weight loss surgery. You can buy them on-line.

I recently posted an article titled “The Biggest Loser:” Irresponsible Weight Loss Surgery Comments? . We received many fantastic comments from our concerned members. I've decided to follow up our article with an Open Letter to Dr. Robert Huizenga or Dr. H as he's known on the show. The letter will also be sent to the shows producers and staff members. Dear Dr. Huizenga, I am the founder of BariatricPal, the world’s largest online community for weight loss surgery patients and potential patients. I am writing to you today regarding your role as an expert on “The Biggest Loser.” I am asking you to please stop publicly portraying weight loss surgery in a negative light without any explanation. Most recently, during the Season 16 Finale, you stated that losing weight using methods used on the show were far healthier than turning to weight loss surgery. The implication was that bariatric surgery is under no circumstances the best choice for individuals struggling with obesity. I am asking you to stop making comments like this. You and “The Biggest Loser” have a significant amount of influence on America. The season finale attracted 5.4 million live viewers, with untold millions watching the show at a later time. Given that one-third of American adults are obese, it is almost certain that many viewers have obesity. “The Biggest Loser” reaches out to this audience throughout the show. Contestants, trainers, and health experts like yourself directly address viewers who need to lose weight, offering encouragement and tips. As you know, positive gestures like this can motivate people to change their lives. Unfortunately, the derogatory comments about bariatric surgery can have just as much impact, but in a negative way. Your statement at the Season 16 finale of “The Biggest Loser” and similar ones make weight loss surgery sound like a shameful, dangerous, and ineffective choice in all cases, with no further explanation. According to the Weight-Control Information Network (WIN), 4% of men and 8% of women in the U.S. have extreme obesity (BMI over 40). That translates to about 20 million American adults who are potentially eligible for weight loss surgery. This figure does not include the approximately 60 million Americans whose BMIs are between 30 and 40, and who might be eligible for surgery due to the existence of a co-morbidity. Not all of these individuals are eligible for and interested in weight loss surgery, but many are. BariatricPal alone, for example, has a quarter-million members who are weight loss surgery patients or who are considering surgery. For weight loss surgery patients, your comments can be hurtful. Weight loss surgery is not the “easy way out.” It is a tool to help control food intake. Eligibility criteria include a requirement that patients be committed to the strict dietary changes necessary to lose weight after bariatric surgery. I and millions of other weight loss surgery patients who have successfully used weight loss surgery as a tool against obesity worked hard to get where we are today. We do not deserve for you and your colleagues to suggest that we have cheated to lose weight. Comments that groundlessly condemn weight loss surgery can harm potential patients just as much if not more. Eligible candidates might decide not to get the surgery in part because of your position. First, your comments can lead to a feeling of shame for even considering bariatric surgery to fight obesity. This is unjust, since the post-surgery diet is strict and requires a lifetime of attention, just as “The Biggest Loser” contestants must modify their own diets for the rest of their lives to maintain weight loss. Secondly, your comments on the show seem to imply weight loss surgery does not work. While there are patients who do not respond to surgery, and complications are always a threat, the scientific literature overwhelmingly agrees that weight loss surgery is a viable option for the treatment of morbid obesity. Furthermore, the scientific community largely agrees that weight loss surgery can improve health and metabolic parameters. To varying degrees, methods such as gastric bypass, adjustable gastric band, and gastric sleeve have been linked to improvements in diabetes and other obesity-related conditions, such as hypertension, sleep apnea, and dyslipidemia. The UK’s healthcare system, known as the National Health System or NHS, is so convinced of bariatric surgery’s effectiveness, safety, and cost savings potential it covers bariatric surgery procedures. Unconditionally stating that weight loss surgery is the wrong choice is particularly unfair given that “The Biggest Loser” contestants do not always achieve or maintain their goal weights. An article on Today.com, which is owned by NBC, looked at initial, finale, and current weights of selected contestants from the first 11 seasons of the show. Of the 56 contestants they highlighted, 20 were within 10 pounds of their finale weights, and 8 had gained back at least 40 pounds since the finale. These results are impressive but not perfect. And, “The Biggest Loser” is not for everyone. So far, only hundreds of individuals have been lucky enough to have the opportunity to lose weight on the show. For a few others, losing weight at one of the Biggest Loser resorts is an option – but not a practical one for most people. At $3,000 per week, it could take $50,000 or $100,000 or more to reach goal weight, not including time out from work and life. Weight loss surgery may be the only practical choice for people who have work and family obligations, and who live within a budget. People struggling with obesity do not choose weight loss surgery because they think it will be easy. They choose it because they have no other choice. Nothing else has worked for them. For me and hundreds of thousands of other weight loss surgery patients, it worked. Because of this, I ask you again to please stop publicly attacking weight loss surgery without explanation. You and I and everyone else who is connected to obesity knows what a terrible disease it is. We should join forces in fighting it. Let’s work together to get the greatest possible number of people healthy, and not work against each other with derogatory and divisive comments. Thank you for all of your hard work and commitment to fighting obesity. You have established yourself as one of the most influential health experts in obesity, and I hope you will use your voice in a positive way. Thank you for considering this. Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal

I agree - well said, but I feel this paragraph could have been much stronger. Reason I say that is when you look at the evidence, bariatric patients as a population do a better job at maintaining their weight loss than other methods. This isn't just an "acceptable" approach, it statistically is the best approach. Second, your comments on the show seem to imply weight loss surgery does not work. While there are patients who do not respond to surgery, and complications are always a threat, the scientific literature overwhelmingly agrees that weight loss surgery is a viable option for the treatment of morbid obesity. I also think that a discussion about obesity as a "disease process" would be very fruitful. It really helps to understand how once you are obese it is just so hard to break free without help from a tool like the surgery.