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There are some great and also easy recipes for bariatric people on www.bariatriceating.com......some are on the message board and many more are posted by the administrator. They also give instructions, not just recipes. They also sell a book by the administrator that is a great help for learning to eat and cook food that are both appropriate for lapband and for your family. I buy the already cooked frozen shrimp at Sam's and eat them plain with sauce or use them in recipes....makes life very quick and simple. I'm also buying the little frozen packages of mixed veggies that you just throw in the microwave...don't even have to poke a hole in it...and in 5 min. you have perfect steamed vegetables....eat plain or with cheese dip poured over them and/or a little can of mushrooms mixed in.

Blog Post 2: The bariatric psychological visit for my Gastric Sleeve. Or what I remember of it. http://youtu.be/-vm3fe9R3gk

i love the recipes from Bariatric Eating www.bariatriceating.com great stuff! high Protein, low carb. and the Desserts are good too!

Hi Debbie. Yes I go to Dr. Woodhead (referred to by my clinic) and hopefully a few of his patients will respond to your post. I like him very much. Dr. W. does not have a clinic but he does his surgery at the Delta hospital. I find him very supportive. Here is a list of questions prepared by a successful bandster. I had my band in Toronto, but the distance is so far away that I cannot take advantage of the support so I pay for my fills. I get my support from Dr. W. and the Support group that meets at the Lions Gate Hospital and from the Slimband website. These are just a few of the questions that come to mind that are important in helping to make a decision in deciding which band surgeon and/or clinic to go with: · Is there a fee for consultation? · Are any of your staff at the clinic banded? · What other staff are available to patients such as dieticians, nutritionists, psychologists? o Is there a cost for their services? · Does the clinic have a website and a messageboard and or chatroom available for Lap Band potential patients to access? · What percentage of your bariatric clinic is devoted to lap band patients? · What is your medical education? · What experience in term of years and number of procedures do you have in lap band surgeries? · What experience do you have in performing revisions? · If you are a revision, what tests will you need to have done ahead of time to be sure you can have a lap band? · Do you have any statistics regarding your lap band practice and number of patients who have had slippages, band erosions or other complications? · What type of warranty comes with your lap band surgery? · What type of bands do they use and how do they determine the type and size? · Is there a pre-op diet you need to follow? o If so is there a cost involved? How much? · If I don't follow the pre op diet perfectly am I still allowed to get the surgery? · What tests and paperwork do I need to have done prior to being accepted for banding? o Is there any charge? How much? o What is the time span? · Is the surgery performed in the clinic or at the hospital? · In case of an emergency what is the procedure that is followed? · How soon after surgery can I go home? · What type of accreditation does your clinic have? · How do your operating rooms compare to those in a hospital if surgery is performed at the clinic? · Can you give me references from other patients I may talk to, especially those who are a revision from past weight loss surgery? · How long am I required to be in town before my surgery? · Is there a hotel that is recommended? o If so, is there a preferred rate at this hotel? o Is there a shuttle available from this hotel to clinic and back and how much does this cost? · Are my family members allowed to remain in the waiting room while I am in surgery or are they asked to leave until I am in the recovery room? · How long after I wake up can I go home? · What special medications will I need to purchase before hand? o Gas-x? liquid Calcium? chewable multi Vitamins? .... · How long would you recommend I take off work after surgery? · If I have a hernia do you fix this? o Is there an extra cost associated? · How long do I have to have a caregiver with me after surgery? · Is there someone I can hire to be my caregiver if I come alone? · Do you use latex? · Is there a deposit I have to pay to hold my surgery? o How much? o Is it refundable if I change my mind? · How must my final payment be made -- money order/visa/cheque? o Does it have to be in before my surgery or do I bring it with me on my surgery day? · If I have further questions may I contact you or your clinic with them? Even more important is follow up care: · What type of aftercare program does their clinic have? · What is covered in the cost of your surgery in regards to aftercare? · Is there an after hour phone number in case of an emergency or concern you encounter outside of normal business hours? o Is he/she available on call to answer or return your call? o Who responds to calls? · Do you have support groups available locally and in my area? · Is there a fee for any aftercare services? · How soon after surgery is your first fill usually? · What hours am I able to come in for fills and days? · How often between fills are you eligible for your next one? · How are the fills performed and are they with or without fluoroscopy? · Do you have to pay for your fills or are they covered in your surgery fee? o If they are not covered what is the fee? · If you live far away from the band clinic, do they have anyone local or closer to your home who is trained by the clinic to do your fills? o If so do you pay a fee to them and if so how much? · In case of complications post op, if you had a slippage or worse case scenario band erosion is any further surgery to remove the band covered or would you have to pay? · In case of a defective port or leak is the surgery to replace it covered in the lap band surgery cost? · In case of a defective lap band is it replaced at no cost to you the patient? · If you needed a new band for any reason such as the above or band leak, etc., is it replaced free of charge to you? o If not what type of cost would you be responsible for? · At the clinic does the surgeon do your follow up fills or fill nurses? o If nurses, what training do they have and can you meet them before committing to this surgery? · What criteria do they base your needing a fill or defill? · How long does it take when calling to book a fill does it take to get an appointment? · How much time is the fill nurse allotted to spend with you answering any questions or concerns also? · Are any of your staff at the clinic banded? · What other staff are available to help patients, i.e., dieticians, nutritionists, psychologists? o Is there a cost for their services? · Does the clinic have a website and a messageboard and or chatroom available for Lap Band patients to access? Pick out the ones may help you to make a decision.

Hi everyone, I am new here and am a Vancouver resident. I have been thinking about getting the sleeve done and have a consultation with Puget Sound Bariatrics on June 13th. I wanted to reach out to anyone that has had it done there and particularly any Vancouver (BC) residents that may have had the procedure done there. I would like some feedback and some info on how everything went for you and how difficult it was travelling back after the surgery. Obviously I have a million questions and would really like to buddy up with someone thats in the same area so I can chat with them about their surgery, progress ect... If you can help out with this please reply to this post or private message me. I really appreciate all the help. thanks so much!

I did a consult at Puget Sound Bariatrics but went with a different Dr. A couple of reasons why I selected a different Dr: 1. I'm a bit of a wimp and just felt that I would be more comfortable in the hospital for a couple of days rather than being released the same day. 2. My insurance gives me the best benefits but going to a designated Center of Excellence which in my area is Evergreen Hospital. 3. Felt more comfortable with the Dr I choose than the Dr I met with at Puget Sound Baritrics. That being said, I do know other people that have gone there and have been very successful.

My Primary Care PHysician and Bariatric Surgeon recommended the Lapband.. Thank God they did. I have several people in my support group who were sleeved, they are having reflux and/or dumping . The leader of our group had bypass years ago and has lost 250 lbs but lives on Protein Shakes and vitamins.. not sure about your history or how much you want to lose or how fast you want to lose it.. al WLS have good and bad points. For me I did not want my stomach stapled off or re-arranged. My lapband is something that can be emptied should I need nutrition (in case of illness).. All options at your age are to be seriously considered.

I was told protein at least 80gms a day, take your bariatric vitamins and biotin.

Hey guys! Bariatric Bro here! As a thank you to everyone who has gone to my blog, read my blog, liked my Facebook page, followed me on Instagram, whatever it may be, I wanted to hold a giveaway as a small token of my appreciation exclusively for BariatricPal members. I'm still a bit early in this journey, but people seem to like Premier Protein a lot. All you have to do is like my Facebook page and then send me a message on there with your BariatricPal forum username. I'll put it into a random generator, have it select a winner, and then send you your favorite case of Premier Protein flavor straight from Amazon. Simple as that! There is another contest running for Facebook users in general, so you can enter twice! Those have different rules though. **As I mentioned before, my site, nor my Facebook page/Twitter/Instagram have any ad-dollars tied to them. It just makes me warm & fuzzy to see people reading my blog posts and wanted to say thank you to you guys. The contest is open to US Residents only 18+. This contest is not sponsored by Premier Protein or any other corporate entity** If this is not in the community guidelines, I can delete the post immediately--just let me know!

Do you use? I am anemic so I take 120mg daily. I am using Bariatric Advantage right now but its so expensive. Looking for an alternative that will work. Thanks!

Any fears I felt before surgery were mitigated by all the success stories and first-hand accounts I heard in my bariatric support group. I was absolutely sure I was doing the right thing, but--like so many of other people--I wondered if I could just 'do it on my own"...again. I knew I could do it on my own, but I knew I'd also gain it back. And now with pre-diabetes cured, sleep apnea cured, high blood pressure cured, and high cholesterol cured...I wish I could've been sleeved 20 years ago. Best of luck in your surgery!

One more thing....there is also the Mercy Bariatric Center in Harvard IL. I made an initial appointment there but could not find much research on them so I went with the Kane Center because I felt more comfortable since I found so many good stories from people who went there.

Ask your fill doctor or your PCP for a referral to a nutritionist. They're trained for this kind of question. I had to pay out of pocket for 6 visits and each visit was only $40. It's more than worth it! Try to make sure the nut is very familiar with bariatric surgery? tmf

Thanks for sharing. I have never read the "Bariatric Times". I will check it out.

Thank you guys so much for your words. I did browse around the board some before I decided to join. There's a wealth of information here. Well, I made a bold step yesterday afternoon. I called my insurance company. Good news! Bariatric surgery is covered. I have certain criteria to meet, as with any health insurance, but the important thing is it's covered. I've only shared this with one of my friends and she's very supportive of it. I hope to go to a seminar one day soon and get more info on the surgery and go from there. Of course there's this wavering anxiety, but I think that's normal, right?

Thanks for this. Very helpful because It had a bariatric risk/benefit tool hyperlinked in the article that I use to create a new post.

This is a quick question, I'm rereading my letter to meet the surgeon and says "initial assessment for bariatric surgery" I'm from the UK so may be different from other places but does anyone know what this means/what I'll have to have done? I'm just so nervous, I feel like I just need to know everything when meeting them.

carnation sugar free packs 5 times daily with 8oz of 1% milk or the bariatric advantage with water, sugar free jello or sugar free popscicles with less than 12 calories each. Or any sugar free drink of my choice. The Jello may save me! and I found some sugar free creamscicles with 15 calories! LMAO

Thanks for posting this, maestrita. Your thread has provoked an interesting discussion, and I'm glad no one has resorted to mud-slinging (yet). Since I revised (not very happily) to the sleeve, I've often been asked if I regret my initial choice of the band. I admit that my affection for my band colors my response to a question like that. No, I don't regret my band surgery. It's harder for me to answer 3 other common questions. One: Would I recommend the band to pre-ops as eagerly today as I did 6-7 years ago? I'm not sure. The answer depends as much on the person who's asking as it does on me, and there's no such thing as a perfect or one-size-fits-all WLS procedure. Two: Would I choose to revise again (if needed) today? No. Since most of my stomach is gone forever, there's only one other WLS option available to me now: duodenal switch. I'm having enough trouble with micro and macro-nutrient malabsorption with my sleeve. I can't imagine how I'd manage with the DS. Three: Would I recommend bariatric surgery (as a whole, not related to a particular procedure) to an obese person today? I'm just not sure. I guess I would if the person's co-morbidities were so severe that some kind of WLS could be life-saving.

Thanks to all of you that chimed in. I am so looking forward to getting started. I go for all my preop stuff on the 21st and the date for surgery is tenatively set for 10/3. My Surgeon is Dr.Terry Pinson at the North Mississippi medical center Bariatric Center. It is great comfort to me to see so many people from so many different states that have had such amazing stories of success. Can't wait to be one:001_smile:

Hi I'm new here. I've had 3 months of weigh ins. I'm not sure if I have to have 6 or 9. I've been told two separate things from my Insurance company and the bariatric coordinator. Does anyone here have Humana that knows how long the wait is? I'm in Ky if that matters. I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone. Sent from my SM-G955U using BariatricPal mobile app

They're looking for gross psychopathologies that would prevent you from being compliant with the postop way of life. (Things that would prevent you from, for example, remembering your Fluid needs, or that you need to eat slowly and in small volume.) They also assess for eating disorders, because they can be tremendously aggravated by bariatric surgery, and need to be addressed. (This is not to say that people with a history of eating disorder can't have surgery---just that it raises red flags and suggests a need for therapy before and/or in conjunction with surgery.) That sort of thing. It's a PITA, but it isn't something to worry much about.

Mindy, I dont nmind helping folks on an individual basis.... I am not interested in educating the "shady coordinators"... I give my work phone number and my work email (and it's my personal as well) so that it IS understood that I am someone that works in this field. Not only that, I feel that if I wanted to be shady I would do a better job at disguises... and use the username msfluffbunny or something non-related.... Oh to address your first question.... I dont work for "a" doctor... I work with several docs in Mexico and the states.... What I do with absolutely no $$ in my pocket, is help people that are having problems...regardless of who did their surgery, help those who DONT have the $$ find a way (in the states and in Mexico), and if someone is just plain scared I dont mind talking with them and encouraging folks.... Not everyone that is here to help... has their hand out. I have come on here more in 2 days then I have in 2 years just defending myself with all of crazy paranoia that seems to be present. I want thank those who sent an email thanking me for the explanations on wanting to help.... I hope maybe... everyone will do things in the way they wish... and allow others to have the freedom to share in the way they are most comfortable. I personally like to help a peron on an individual basis.... That is my choice and if I can be of assistance from someone that NEEDS to share or have questions about any of the bariatric procedures... I am happy to share what I have learned.... Anyone can write to me individually at bandinfo@verizon.net

I'm not a nutritionist, but here is my 2 cents from what I've learned about it. whey Protein isolate is the most absorbable type of protein for bariatric patients. Then comes the concentrate and last the caseinate. When ingredients are listed on a package, the ones that are listed first have higher amount in the product. So what you would want to see would be something like this: Other ingredients Isolate Whey Protein Mix (whey protein isolate, milk protein concentrate, Calcium caseinate). I don't have your label to go by, but you get the gist of it. So, basically you are looking for something that has whey protein isolate being the primary ingredient of the mix. If it's not the primary, I'm not saying don't use it, but you may want a different one as your primary source. Hope that makes sense.

Kathy please tell us how you are later today. I have to say that sounds like an extremely hard weekend to go through. BUT I heard in our support groups that fills sometimes take several days to get used to the renewed tightness. That they even have a little more give days later. Those that had them decreased where less happy weeks later than those whom toughed it out while they adjusted. I think the warm liquids is the best advise given thus far & I just bet you'll be doing much better by Sunday nite/Monday morn. Of course if its unbearable there should be a doc on call from the office to help. Occupy your weekend as much as possible, it will fly by:cool: