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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

I have recently been battling Mrsa infections. I was given the ok for surgery and then had a boil this was in January. I have since been on antibiotics and fighting break outs. My surgeon said I am good to go when I am symptom free - BUT- I can't find that much info on Mrsa people with the lapband. My caseworker in the bariatric dept feels gastric bypass would be safer due to the fact I won't have a foreign object in my body. I have been on this journey for months but am unsure if i should proceed. Is there anyone else out there who has Mrsa and has also had the lapband? I did read the one response and it was helpful.

I was sleeved April 4th & today is the first day I could have soft food. This morning tried 2 bites of cottage cheese & one bite of yogurt. Stomach made a lot of noises - but feel ok. First 2 weeks was Clear Liquids, 3rd week was liquids that run easily thru a strainer. I made homemade black bean Soup & put it thru the blender. Hands down best thing I've tried besides Campbell's soup on the go (not allowed tomato soup). Also, tried a frozen Greek yogurt bar last night & had no problems. Planning on trying a few bites of egg for lunch. Premier Protein chocolate shakes are the only ones I'm interested in now. Liked the strawberry & vanilla first 2 weeks, but now I'm sick of them. All other Protein Shakes just turn me off now. Shakes I used to drink regularly before surgery now are hard to get down. I do drink a whey "Nectar" drink in tropical flavor with my powdered bariatric Vitamins in it & it's ok for 24g of protein. I add spoonful of Isopure non- flavored protein to my soup & coffee (mix it w/bit Water first). G2 & Powerade zero taste delicious to me right now. So I drink quite a few ice cold drinks & my Fluid intake is very good. MyraLax is a must for me every day too. Painful spot next to my belly button that burns with a sharp pain! Drives me nuts cause I'm wanting to physically do so many things. Doc's office said its where they put extra stitch to prevent hernias. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Has anyone tried these vitamin? They are supposed to be especially designed for bariatric patients. www.celebratevitamins.com

At my next post up support group we are having a cook off. We have to make a bariatric soft high protein holiday dessert. Any ideas?

Now that I have lost 116 pounds it sticks out pretty good. I can feel it easily. It is about 1 inch from my belly button and I hit it on everything. I have not had any problems with it but my bariatric PA said that if I do there is a smaller profile port. The one I have looks like a small volcano from the side. Just curious if anyone else has heard this.

I just had my bariatric bypass on 2/26/18... I stayed overnight at the hospital... I’m doing well except for the pain where one of my cuts is... When I’m sleeping and take my pain beds I sleep... But when I wake up the pain is almost unbearable. Just took my pain pill now. Take an hour half to work. I know part of it is gas. Has anyone had the same experience....Help!!!

I'm so confused... the scales at every doctors office I go to are so different that I can't tell if I'm losing, gaining, or staying the same! Family doctor: 216 Week later at bariatric clinic: 206 3 weeks later at Psych doctor: 220 1 week later Pre-op hospital testing: 220 5 days later at bariatric clinic: 209 Seriously?? My bariatric doctor says just go by their scale... but WHY are most places all weighing me so differently? Another thing: Why does my bariatric doctor measure my height at 5' 4" (which I thought I had been since I was 15) but the hospital measures me at 5' 3" and at home I measure 5' 2.5"?? Why do some.plaves measure with shoes on and others with shoes off?? So frustrating! Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using the BariatricPal App

I'm actually watching a number of items on Ebay right now (I make sure they're inexpensive: pantsuit for $9.99, etc)! My cousin gave me a $50 gift certificate for Christmas at Boscov's and I'm going shopping Good Friday with a (fashion knowledgeable and thin) girlfriend. I know I'll be buying knit elastic-waist pants because they always seem to expand and contract with your bod! :thumbup: I have some of those now that the waist fits me fine but the pants themselves are baggy as all get out! My boss's daughter had bypass and he said she went to the Salvation Army and Good Will for "interim clothes", and my Bariatric Center does have a clothing exchange where you can take your old clothes and pick out others for no $...:cursing: Regardless of anything else, it's a great quandary to be in!!!

I take the Bariatric Advantage Ultra Multi Vitamin with Iron. It's a capsule, so it slides down very easily and there is no taste. Their caramel calcium citrate chewable are delicious. Might be worth a try.

Just like the sleeve is more properly on here Laproscopical Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy but most people say. sleeve or VSG. The y in Roux en Y. is because the 2 rerouted segments of the small intestines kind of resemble that letter. And sometimes we bypasses well technically I'm only a future one, call ourselves pouchers or kangaroos in defence to our rearrangement. That said, we all love each othet, no matter the rearrangement, we all are members in,the same Bariatric Scheme of things. Are you a little less confused?

They should offer a seminar. If so then go and go to another somewhere else to compare. I did that and ended up with Dr Jeremy Korman of LA BARIATRICS in marina del ray. I had a fellow patient Who was from Sacramento and another from bakersfield, which shows something!!! I couldn't consider that Lapland for me cause of the many issues and the hunger factor is still there and you have constant maintanece for long term. Just too many issues all together. I was never more sure until i read about The sleeve and I got tht done 2/13/12. I am more than thrilled with my doctor and his entire staff! Which btw are all in one office... Pysch, NUT, plastics, therapist, exercise trainer and so on... So look at the overall benefits and of course their track record since the sleeve is sort of new. Good luck!!

I think the answer is no, but I'd like to get thoughts from folks. I'm 3 days post-op and on full liquid protein at the moment. On my list of approved foods are things like: protein shakes, jello, pudding, etc. I found this awesome bariatric protein recipe site and was SO EXCITED to try the pistachio mint protein shake. Two tsp in it was amazing until I realized that pistachio pudding mix has those itty-bitty chunks of pistachio in it. I stopped right then and moved onto something I know to be completely smooth but I can't help wondering, how at-risk am I from those little chunks I may have consumed?