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Download this APP from the people who I went through they have a Bariatric Bistro for food list and recipes... Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I used to cringe when I saw photos of Fat Jean, but now I want to hug that unhappy girl and tell her that life is good. When I look in the mirror now, I see a "normal" sized woman who strangers would never guess had once been morbidly obese. I think we all need to remember where we came from, and to forgive ourselves for our pre-op weight loss failures. But halfway through the first sentence of this article, I thought of an equally important aspect of Memorial Day that turned this article's theme upside down. The meaning of "lest we forget" is more complicated than you might think. It represents more than three sappy words and planting a flag and a geranium on your grandfather's grave. It expresses an important message for a bariatric patient like me and you. The phrase "lest we forget" forms the refrain of "Recessional," a poem by Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936). It warns about the perils of hubris and the inevitable decline of British imperial power. After World War l, "lest we forget" passed into common usage as a plea not to forget past sacrifices and was often used on war memorials and as an epitaph on tombstones. So it’s an appropriate title for a Memorial Day article. Hubris is the extreme haughtiness, pride and arrogance that makes us think we're as invincible and all-powerful as Great Britain thought it was back in the days when it was taking charge of big countries (India) and small (Singapore) all over the world. One of my jobs in life is to resist the urge to be conceited about my weight loss success and to remember that I’m not invincible. I don’t ever want to lose sight of the fat girl deep inside me who's just waiting to get out again. Losing 100 pounds is such an enormous accomplishment that at times it seems like the most magnificent and significant achievement of my entire life. I'm justifiably proud of that achievement, but having weight loss surgery is not a guarantee of continued weight loss and weight maintenance success. As a boss once told me on the occasion of my promotion to management, "Remember, you're only as good as your last act." In other words, my great performance won me a place on the stage, but I'm going to have to repeat that performance over and over again in order to stay on the stage. WLS is a wonderful tool that will improve my ability to manage my weight for another 30 or 40 years, but it doesn't make me bullet-proof. Weight loss is no longer the centerpiece of my life, and I think that's a healthy thing. Some days I even ask myself why I'm still writing about eating, obesity and weight management. Why can't I let go of it? What will happen to me if I run out of things to say about it? But while I'd like to know the future, or at least know it will be a happy one, a long, straight road with the same scenery for mile after mile sounds boring to me. I'll stay on this road, with its twists and turns and steep hills, and trust God to keep me from getting too far off course. Writing about obesity is one of the things that keeps me going in the right direction. When other bariatric patients ask me questions about how to live and succeed with the adjustable gastric band, it forces me to think, and being forced to think is much healthier, and more interesting, than switching on the cruise control for the rest of my life. Along the road to your weight goal, I hope that you, too, will be able to acquire new interests and activities that you can take with you into your new life as a "normal" weight person, but don't forget to look backward every now and then. Don't throw out all the fat photos and fat clothes. They're memorials to your past obesity.

Congrats on getting an interview! That's a tough one. I've always found it best to be "honest" about things like this. I wouldn't necessarily say you are having bariatric surgery, but let them know that you would need a couple of weeks off due to needing a medical procedure done wouldn't be out of the question. That way they will know that you need the time off if they want you to start immediately.

My insurance won't even consider someone for any bariatric surgery that is not at least 35 bmi.

Bariatric surgeon here! Looking to gain insight into patient perspectives on surgery. If you could choose how your bariatric operation was going to be performed, what technique would you request? Please leave any additional comments as well. Thank you for your insights!

My reasoning on not using robotic is because the surgeon is not right there, They are not scrubbed in and (Correct me if i am wrong) if something does go wrong and he needs to do something beyond the capabilities of the robot they would need to get scrubbed in which takes time. Also and correct me if i am wrong, Robotic surgery would probably cost a lot more and with bariatric surgery many of us including myself are self pay.

Heya Folks!! I started my journey in Nov 2012 with my sleeve surgery. I started at my highest lifetime weight of 431lbs and weighed in this morning at 313lbs. I am feeling great! Working out 5x a week and enjoying a lot of activities I haven't been able to do in a very log time. I take all my Vitamins & supplements, I'm getting my required daily intake of Protein and Water etc and overall, feel like I'm doin pretty well. I did notice however, that I tend to be somewhat forgetful as of late and not as full of energy as I feel I should be so I started researching Testosterone treatments as a possible solution. While doing research, I came across some info on HGH that makes me feel like that may be the better choice since it should help with my existing symptoms but will also help with skin elasticity and a few other things I'm currently experiencing. I have my 6 month follow up with my bariatric surgeon in about 2 weeks and I plan on setting an appointment with my primary care physician after that to see what they have to say about it but I Figured I would ask here too and see if anyone had any experience. Any info is greatly appreciated!!!

At this point I doubt I am! That said, I am vasically still healthy, protein and fluids first, veggies next if there is room, seldom have room for fruits, don't crave them anyway. Tried to discuss this a month ago with dietician only to be told, You Look Good, Diet looks pretty good , in less there is an emergency we will see you in August. The fact I feel instictively I am starving into malnutrition, not relevant? IDK- I feel like a Voice Crying in the Wilderness " ARE YOU SURE I'M DOING THIS RIGHT?" I must appear okay but I don't seem to handle anything with form, like chewed up meats, veggies et all. Last endo shows Jejunem is patent- well goody goody for that- my question is, and no one will answer it, not NP, not surgeon, not even gastroenterologist, did the severed and/or squeezed to death enervation in my pouch regenerate to point I have regained any peristaltic movement? Or is it as I suspect, there is no propulsive force to move things along and out, this is why and what I repeatedly emesis up more solid things? And also,ves there is enough gastric acidic juices to try eating holes in my pouch and jejunem, but are they starting to beak down proteins and the other foodstuffs or are they extruding like thick toothpaste into my small intestine? These are things NOBODY wants to talk about, I do know basis anatomy but I need a tutorial on Bariatric 201, 201 because this is at least Sophmore or Junior- level information.Do I demand another office consultation with my gastroenterologist Dr Upchurch, who is at least here in my city instead of in Columbus 50 miles away? He gas been a G.I. doctor for maybe 20+ years , so he is smart enough, does HE Want to SPARE ME the time? After years of Frankly Fathood it is still weird to feel clavickes, ribs, even the outside edges of my hipbones. Oh I am grateful my legs arevregainibg their youthful proportions even if the musckescare no longer as strong. And although many of my bari-sisters will disagree, I REALISH THE WOLF WHISTLES I GET! Yeah that doesn't mean they will ever catch me, but after years of being basically ignored , it is nice to be barked at, makes a gal feel alive instead of dead , I can handle being" meat, " because inside I'll feel like "eye candy"! Your specimen of reborn youth--- FRUSTR8

I am just over 3 years postop and this is my goto Meal Replacement, when needed. Thought I would share what I consider to be a gem of a discovery.... The best Protein bar I have found is PowerCrunch "Original". (link below) It is a wafer Protein Bar and unlike any other protein bar on the market. For years, I was on the search for a protein bar that was not dense or tasted like chalk. Honestly, I thought I would never find it, thought it didn't exist, until I discovered this bar. The Original has between 13-14 grams of protein. Though that may not be a lot in the protein bar world, I have learned that the higher gram count ='s yuck. This bar meets the sweet spot with high protein and good taste. I have to hide these from family members. They are often my meal replacement but to family the bars seem to be a snack. The price is typical of any protein bar, maybe a little less. Here in Florida they run about $2 a bar and between $20-$25 for a box. I buy them by the box as they are my go to item. When I factor in how much less I spend in food now compared to before surgery, it's not difficult to purchase by the box. They can be found at The Vitamin Shoppe by the bar or the box. Recently I discovered them in my local Winn Dixie. (Buying by the box here is important, showing a demand in this store will increase the chances the store keeps them in stock). Last time I checked, the website below offered samples, which stated took between 4-6 weeks. I think every bariatric patient, 6-9 months postop and beyond, should try these. They changed everything for me. I have always gravitated toward convenient food. After surgery, those aren't options anymore. Not so much that I can't have them, I just don't want them anymore. My body simply doesn't want fast food anymore. These bars fill that void. They are my new fast food. Hope this was helpful! http://powercrunch.com/products/energy-bars/original/

Wondering how you are all doing? I got my band in November 2010. Starting weight was about 260, surgery weight was approx 245? I lost weight with my band but never below 200 lbs. My Bariatric doctor moved his practice and I had to start with another doctor. I saw this new doctor but it was 1.5 hours away and I had gotten a different job, so it was hard to get there to see this doctor. In the mean time, my band was getting too tight, caused a lot of pain and I became anemic. I couldn't get the Protein in that I needed. I was eating easy things like potatoes and such. Fast forward to recent...tried the Sanford Profile diet to try to get excess weight off (My new Bariatric doctor was aware of it). It kind of worked but I have a hard time not being able to eat fruit, potatoes, some breads (which you can't have while on the Profile diet). I am back up to 260 lbs. I have an appointment with my Bariatric doctor again on Monday. I'm contemplating a revision to RNY. My husband says he supports whatever I decide to do. My mom thinks I should just try to diet the old fashioned way. I struggle because my job is a lot of travel. So it's hard to always eat properly when all you have is a gas station to pick food from. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hey Ready. I just sent up a little prayer for you. I feel the same way. My band date is 1 week from today, March 4th. I'm doing this for my health first and foremost....if better looks come along with it then so be it...haha. I've been overweight all my life and I've acceped it. But I want to live a healthier life the next 30 years over what I've lived these past 30 years. From what I understand and heard, everyone is nervous and scared with all the information our bariatric programs drilled in our heads. I'm trying to look beyond the actual surgery. Look forward to losing the weight, feeling better than you've felt in years, shopping for new clothes...etc. That's what keeps me going right now. Good luck tomorrow and for the rest of your journey.:biggrin:

I am 7 weeks out and 40 lbs down. In Nov 2015, we are renewing our vows on a beach in Galveston, a place where I spent much of my childhood and is very special. So I took a chance and on a whim bought a dress that I have no idea will fit. But it is a vintage 1940s dress, and in today's sizing, a large. I could not pass it up. I have all the faith that I can make it as I have gone from size 22 pants to size 16. It was crazy and impulsive. But I can't contain my excitement so I went for it. Spread your wings and fly, everyone! Love to all of you from Texas!

Stricture or not, you need to either find a local bariatric surgeon (or maybe a gi specialist) and have a thorough check, or go back to your Mexico surgeon and be evaluated. You can't go on this way. You won't survive. Gallbladder issues, internal blood clots, pancreatitis, etc. can all cause nausea, so you really need a doctor that can give you a complete workup to figure out what is going on.

I am on day two of my preop liquid diet and so far I have tried the orange cream by bariatric advantage and banana cream and they make me so nauseated I can hardly stand it! I don't even want to drink water after drinking them! My tummy aches and feels so sick! Any suggestions or help please? I am wondering how I am going to survive the before and after liquid diet if I can't tolerate the protein shakes??

Hello. It's going to be a month since I had the surgery. I'm 29 years old and having this surgery was about the idea of wow, being able to lose weight, not be controlled by appetite. If you follow the 4 rules of my surgeon then I'll get my weight loss down without being hungry!! It seemed like a dream. Well it has been hard. I did practice eating without drinking before surgery and it was difficult at first, I didn't notice how much I would drink to get what I was eating down. Well this past week I started solids. It has not been fun. I notice that even tho I chew my solids, I am still doing something wrong because I throw up after. I have not had dumping. I eat what is on my sheet. I concentrate and eat, but I guess my bites are still bigger than they should be. They told me a chick pea size bite (check), chew it 30 times, (well I honestly can't chew it 30 times) stay the table for 25 min. (I get full before the 25min.) Eat sitting down (this is kinda new to me too) Drink 64oz of Water (this is also hard, because you can't just chug water you have to be consistent and remember to drink) I have also been good at drinking water, and crystal light, and if I feel like I don't have energy because I couldn't keep up with my meal I drink gatorade. Anyways this is where I am, everyone around me says I look great, That I look younger. I went down 2 sizes for my top, being a 3x and now 1x, and 1 size from my jeans and sometimes 2 depending on the brand. I was so happy. This is hard tho. It wasn't as easy as I thought. Sometimes when I have been throwing up this week I asked myself. Was this worth it? I was clearly upset because every meal I was throwing up, trying different foods and having the same outcome. I have narrowed it down and I have to be believe that I am not chewing enough, that has to be it!! I know my surgery was worth it. I can climb the stairs without shortness of breath, I can clean my bathroom without taking breaks, I took my 7 year old son out because I haven't been tired. I got on a Ferris wheel (I could always go on a Ferris wheel, but I was always worried with my weight) and loved it. I speak without hard breathing anymore. For the last 3 weeks I felt great. Even tho I couldn't eat certain things, I wasn't hungry. I'm not going to lie tho, at night I thought about food. It doesn't mean I was hungry because I was not. I would be watching my hour of t.v. after I put my son to sleep and the commercials, and my imagination. It seems funny now, but I realized I have more of a problem than I had realized. I wasn't going to eat because again I wasn't hungry, but being in bed thinking about food, made me realize I have a problem with food. Before surgery I was a person who ate 2 huge meals a day. They were usually store bought too. I also drank a lot of coke. Like a lot maybe 4 coke cans a day. When I went to discuss this surgery with my surgeon he told me, if I gained 1 pound, I would be exempt and wouldn't be able to have this surgery. I cut my coke to 2 a day, but continued to eat the same about but I would kind of say healthier, as in no longer burgers and pizza, but more Proteins to see if I could eat chicken, fish every day. It turned out I could, I also gave up eating potato bread, well all bread but that was my favorite. Anyways of course everyone one here knows that changes have to be made. I made mine. I wish that before I had surgery I would have read someone else's take. I think besides wanting to write it all like a journal right? Anyways it has not been easy and this week with solids, has been hard and draining. I have to continue to move forward and if it means to just eat completely alone with a sign in front of me to chew or else I will throw up, I will have to do just that. I can't wait to see what a couple of months has in store for me. To have more energy, to change my life from sitting to actually getting up and having energy to go out and do something. To be able to go to the zoo with my son without having to take breaks. To be able to go to Lego land next year and be able to get on the rides with my son, and not having him go with another family member. To go bike riding. Damn so many things I will be able to do, just now to clean my bathroom without having to stop to have some rest is awesome. I have read some people say they see someone to talk about their ideas of foods, and I think that is a great idea. I think I will look for someone who helps people after bariatric surgery. I just wish to meet people who have had surgery around the same time I have and I can have a buddy. I think it's easier when you have someone to talk about it with!!

Perhaps I need a second opinion then Billy. I assumed the orthopedic I saw knew what he was talking about after then leaving his office and finding many stories online about obese patients being denied hip and knew surgeries. I thought it was odd my insurance co approved a bariatric surgery in less than 24 hours if obese patients were too high risk for elective surgery.

I'm in melbourne, Australia. Have private health insurance, the op cost me nothing, was fully covered, had to pay 150 towards my overnight stay but if I go hospital for anything else now in the 12 month period I pay nothing, I paid 4,300 out of pocket, this covers me for life for all fills, unfills, consultations at the Bariatric centre, that total also covered me for two nutritionist appointments and dinner with a group and nutritionist. Oh and I claimed part of the $4,300 at tax time, 20% I think it was.

You have very good reasons for having the surgery & questions & doubts about progressing are common. It’s surgery. It changes your digestive system. There is a period of healing & recovery. To be successful for the long term, you will have to make changes to how, what & why you eat & your relationship with food. The months post surgery give you time to work through all of this & certainly therapy, as @SleeverSk suggested, can be very helpful. The surgery also gives you time to develop better eating habits & routines like being more mindful. Will you forget & take a too big sip or bite or eat too quickly? Yes it will happen but your body soon tells you & you’re usually extra careful after the experience. Often all you’ll experience is just discomfort but occasionally foamies or vomiting. Complications after surgery aren’t common and many are related to pre existing conditions or predispositions. The risks are lower for bariatric surgeries than many other common surgeries. I used to control almost all my reflux with dietary choices before surgery (no spicy, fatty or rich food, little carbonation & reduced caffeine) which is why I had sleeve. I still have reflux but it is different & I need meds every day which I didn’t before. I hate taking tablets & often forget. Multi vitamins always make me nauseous but my bloods are good & I don’t need to take them anymore though some sleevers still do. Just depends on your diet & absorption for us. But it is a necessity after bypass as malabsorption of calories (& therefore nutrients) is how it contributes to your weight loss. Dumping can occur with bypass (about 40% chance I think) but if you discover you have it it is simply a matter of avoiding fats or sugars as they are the usual culprits. Some even find they can eat small amounts as time passes. You can also have it with a sleeve but it is less common (30%??). The average weight loss with sleeve & bypass is about the same 65% +/- of the weight you have to lose to put you in a healthier weight range. Some lose more some lose less. Make a list of your questions to discuss with your surgeon. They’re best placed to answer them in relation to your specific needs, health status/issues & weight loss/gain history. All the best whichever surgery you have.

Here is one of those instances where we are obligated to suggest that you call your bariatric team and ask them. That being said, I had that off-taste which went away when I completed some of my post-op meds.

Hi Dolittle. Almost everyone who goes to Mexico for surgery seems to have a very positive experience, so for self-pay I think it's a great idea. One other option is a very exerienced bariatric surgeon in Colorado, Dr. Kirshenbaum, who has been doing lap bands for a couple years now. You can get more info on hime at LapbandRockies.com His total price is $9950. If you run a search on this site you can see posts from others who have used Dr. Kirshenbaum. I'm scheduled for sugery with him on 1/16. But again, the Mexican docs also seem great. The general price there seems to be about $8500 these days. In general, if you get surgery outside your local area, try to line up someone for fills and other aftercare in your area before proceeding with the surgery. It's good to know for sure that you have options. In some geographic areas of the U.S. it can be very difficult to find aftercare if you had surgery somewhere else. If your insurance will cover this I would focus on finding the best doctors in your area, not just on the best doctors in general in the USA. Many doctors are quite good at this, and experienced, and there can be some advantages to staying local. Keep reading this forum. All the answers you need are in here. Welcome and good luck. Mark

@@switch2lose welcome, welcome, welcome!!! you have plenty of time to read up on the DS ie WLS for Dummies reading OP suggestions, experiences, knowledge is wonderful BUT - at the end of the day only listen to your NUT/surgeon (or me ) they are the ones to follow recipes for bariatric patients lots of info on computer watch U-Tube also - very helpful i never had a pre-op requirement your 6 month period is common as you said, the more you lose pre-op the better PO with your DS good luck kathy

Found a way to get fluids and protein, and a treat. Ordered popsicle molds and made my own orange creamsicle. I use Bariatic Advantage Orange Cream shake mix (27g Protein) and use 8 oz of Fairlife nonfat milk (13g protein) instead of Water. Mix well in blender. Makes 6 popsicles. It's a little thick, so I could not drink it as a shake, but great as a frozen treat. I usually eat 2 (13g protein) or 3 (20g protein) at a time for a snack. Plus it's a Meal Replacement shake mix, so has other nutrients. Also made with Bariatric Advantage strawberry, chocolate and iced latte flavors.

have you purchased the bariatrix from western bariatric in reno nv? i think it is a great product, however, very expensive. what is the breakdown of protein for the product from GNC?

I suggest going to the library, ordering from Amazon and studying every forum or article you can get your hands on to help make this decision. Also, attend a seminar or get a consultation with one or two (depending on availability) bariatric surgeons. Only you can make this life-changing decision yourself, and everyone has your history or something similar. It took me 5 years to make my decision, and I just had surgery in December. I am quite happy, and the surgery was minor from a physical standpoint. The toughest part will be staying committed and understanding the life changes - which is why it took me 5 years!

It’s pretty normal to feel fatigued this soon out so I wouldn’t worry TOO much about it if you’re being compliant and taking your vitamins/eating properly etc. Shots can definitely help, but a sublingual B12 is definitely a good idea if you haven’t tried it yet. I like Vita4Life’s sublingual because it contains B complex Vitamins and it is made to dissolve slower than most sublingual B12 sublinguals on purpose. This is so the sublingual doesn’t just dissolve in our saliva in 3 seconds and get swallowed, then become non absorbable. The price is unbeatable too. Check them out sometime. Good luck and keep up the good work! http://vita4life.net/bariatric-vitamins-b-12-sublingual.html