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I was told only chewables for the first 3 months. Thank goodness. I had the Bariatric Advantage ones and they were so gross. I stay away from the gummies...they have sugar and some have up to 50 calories. No thanks!

sugar free chocolate pudding. I'm a nurse and crush meds for my patients and it's worth a try. Spreading out the meds could effect the strength of the med. Sent from bariatric pal app

Chris, I neglected to mention a key detail in my previous post: upon resuming bariatric care, one of the first steps taken by my new doctor was to do the testing I had begged his predecessor to do - checking the band under a flouroscope. The findings were that the band had, in fact, failed in a fashion, as my body defeated it by creating a new "pouch" above the band. The temporary solution has been to remove all Fluid from the band, after which I experienced an immediate end to all my symptoms. The long-term solution, which hopefully occurs in mid-December, is replacing the band with a duodenal switch.

To anyone who may be considering LapBand: don't. I had the procedure done in February 2008. I lost roughly 30 pounds during the first eight months, but spent the entire time vomiting back at least one meal in three. I plead with my bariatric surgeon (a man evidently so incompetent that he stopped practicing due to all the malpractice suits he was losing) to do an adjustment under flouroscopy to see how the band was functioning. He refused each time I asked, and after eight months I had an insurance coverage change that made seeing him a financial burden. My change in insurance coverage (to United Health Care, whom I recommend to NO ONE) resulted in an inability to be administered any form of bariatric care for eight years. The 30 pound weight loss was as good as it got - over the time since, I regained it all plus six pounds, all the while still vomiting about one meal in four. On August 1st my insurance coverage finally changed (to BCBS), whereupon I initiated a new round of bariatric care, the ultimate goal of which will be to remove the band, probably in favor of a duodenal switch. But just since then, I've heard of so many stories and outcomes similar to my own that I can't help but chime in and repeat: if you're considering a LapBand? Don't.

I read this and thought... This is MY life. I was angry last week ago when I noticed that there was a notation of non-specified eating disorder in my record, but now I GET IT. I never did the full-on binge thing, but I definitely was an extremist when it came to dieting and then falling off the wagon HARDCORE. I haven't dieted for about 1 1/2 years, but I would rather address this now than have issues surface when I'm pursuing the surgery. I'm relieved. I've scheduled a counseling appointment with an eating disorders specialist at the bariatric clinic and put everything else on hold. Perhaps I won't be able to be sleeved at all, because of my history. You know what, that's okay. I choose health first. Wish me luck all!!!

I found this article on donating skin if you do have the surgery to remove it. You should have lost a least 100 lbs. At least it is a way to help someone else while becoming beautiful : ) How to Donate Skin After Bariatric Surgery Donate Skin After Bariatric Surgery | LIVESTRONG.COM Finding hope in donations of 'excess' skin Finding hope in donations of 'excess' skin - The Boston Globe

Today was my last monthly appointment of the six required by insurance so my doctor's office will be submitting to insurance in the next couple of days. Fingers crossed. Surgery is scheduled for July 18. We also used today as my pre-op appointment and went through everything. Thanks to this forum I felt very prepared to have this meeting and came prepared with lots of questions. One thing I have noticed is how much variety there is on surgeon preferences. Here are some highlights of how my surgeon handles things: Pre-op Diet: One week liquid only, 800-1000 calories and 60-80 grams of Protein. Incisions-uses steri strips so no need for stitches to be removed Does not use a drain unless necessary based on how things go, averages one every two years so low likelihood Does the leak test during surgery rather than next day before you go home. Says he would rather know during so can fix right away than have to put me under again to fix. Should be released by 3-4pm day after Will be released with pain pills, anti-nausea pills and pill to help prevent ulcers Will not give bariatric specific Vitamins. He said blood work will determine any deficiencies over time but as long as eating a proper diet a multi-Vitamin should be sufficient Can't wait!!

Congratulations on your weight loss and welcome to the site! I think the majority of us are food addicts. I mean, you don't get obese to the point of needing bariatric surgery without some sort of major food issue. I have a lot of respect for you for realizing this and going to OA. I'm definitely a food addict, without a doubt. Granted what works for one definitely doesn't work for all, but I have found getting white carbs out of my diet really has helped my sugar/carb cravings tremendously. I stay away from white rice, white bread, regular Pasta, or anything that says "enriched" or "bleached" on the label. I buy whole grain bread, whole wheat pasta, and brown rice, I also stay away from sugar whenever I can and I have found Stevia to be a great non-chemical substitute. You can totally do this, Christopher. Best wishes to you.

I agree: attend a weight loss surgery seminar in your area. Many of your questions will be answered. I found it helpful to read The Big Book on the Gastric Sleeve: Everything You Need to Know to Lose Weight and Live Well with the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy. There are books from the same author on the other surgies, too. I have another book I havent read yet, Mindset Breakthrough: Achieve Weightloss Surgery Success. This last one was written by a bariatric surgery patient, so consider her individual results when reading. Youve made the decision to do something, so thats a big first step! God luck in your journey[emoji4]

Same thing here as I responding at 2:30 am. I'm pretty sure it's the bariatric vitamins for me. Pre surgery I wouldn't ever take b vitamins because I already had issues with hot flashes and sweating from my head. The bariatric vitamins the doc has me on have 8333% of recommended daily allowances (based on a 2000 cal diet) of B12. I think I'm just jazzed up on B vitamins and not used to having energy. Can't shut the mind down.

You are fortunate if you have a trainer that is familiar with bariatrics. (Most are not)

I was thinking the same thing...lol. Even about pre-op stuff. I had heard so much about liquid dieting to shrink the liver before surgery, but when I mentioned that at one of my visits they (the surgeon's office) was like "oh my goodness, no we do a 24 hour clear diet the day before surgery and that is it. We feel like longer than that is cruel"...so then I asked about my liver and they said "oh it is fine" ...so go figure? I agree with Ellisa, just do what they say to do, even though there is a big difference among surgeons within the bariatric community.

i did some additional digging, and asked 2 co workers for assistance in research.. Dr Mast specializes in breast reconstruction where as Dr Cheng specializes in all the contouring. I have decided to go with Dr. Cheng for the arm, thigh and tummy tuck. While i want the breast lift done, it is least of my priorities. I will decide down the road, and if i end up doing it, it will probably be Dr. Mast since that is his specialty unless Dr. Cheng and i come up with a different plan. there are 2 other reasons.. Dr Cheng is local, and part of the hospital where i attend support group meetings but did not have the surgery. According to the folks at the support group, if anything is done via their hospital then that automatically makes me part of their bariatric program instead of having to pay a 300 fee to get in, just to get further follow ups if needed. I do not foresee needing them as i will be a year out in 9 days and have not had any issues (knock on wood). but if the need arises, choosing Dr Cheng also provides me that benefit of seeing their bariatric drs, without having to foot an extra cost.

Congratulations! I was banded by Dr. Wolff last week. All is going well and I am so happy it is finally done. After all the preparation work, the day after surgery I still couldn't believe that I had gone through with it! Good luck to all my fellow MMC Bariatric bandsters! maybe I'll run into you at one of the support group meetings! :thumbup:

I liked the idea of dumping too, but it really doesn't happen for me. I can overeat (slightly, I still have a pouch after all!) sugar and carbs, and while I don't feel great, I wouldn't call it dumping. But I'm not that disappointed, although I do need to be more responsible for my eating now that I'm two weeks away from being two years out. It can be a struggle, but when I get back to basics, it's much easier! I have to be honest and say I have been far from perfect and even had weight gain. I'm learning a lot more about why I eat, things I'd never considered before. I admit this is something I've been working on for 30+ years but hey, I'm a slow learner!! And yes, I know I should have done that pre surgery, but I thought I had. Then I had to go back to work after a year of not working (nine months after surgery, and at my goal weight) and it took me a year of being back at work to realize how the compulsive urge to binge is directly related to work stress. Stick with the basics for as long as you can, and if you ever stray or have regain, just get back to basics again. Most importantly, no liquids with meals or 30 minutes before or after (or at least 15 minutes), meet your protein and liquid goals (whatever yours may be) and eat your protein first. That's the rest of your life. I might not be the right person to answer this because I'm still taking two steps forward, one step back getting back on track, but I do know the rules, even if I don't always follow them!! Bottom line? You absolutely have to change the way you eat for the rest of your life. I wouldn't recommend following my path but if you do, don't beat yourself up. Just pick yourself up, and get back to basics asap. And stay plugged in to groups. Socialize with other bariatric patients, in all stages of the journey. You can do this!!

It is soo important to take vitamins that are designed for bariatric patients - we don't absorb some forms of important vitamins like we used to. This woman is incredibly knowledgeable http://wlsvitagarten.com/ and has so much information - she is willing to answer many questions also. I hope that helps!! Also, I suggest emailing success@celebratevitamins.com and requesting samples - they send a very nice packet for free, takes about 3 weeks.

Good afternoon, Usually as long as your bmi doesn't lower, the insurance company wants to see that loss of weight. Losing weight shows that you are trying. As the gentlemen stated above, you still may want to speak to your bariatric team or nurse just to make sure. Sent from my SM-G360P using the BariatricPal App

I get it. There are other things that are questionable: 1. I spoke with another surgeon with a gold status on here - and a patient needing their own CPAP machine to bring with them for use with recovery is rare and done only in the most extreme cases. Since majority of overweight patients considering surgery also likely have some degree of sleep apnea - its not uncommon to experience some breathing difficulties in recovery in which the hospital will provide a CPAP machine on the fly for such cases. <<< Never have I had a complaint or noticeable issue with sleeping. I had my appendix removed and did have difficulty breathing in recovery...they hooked me up to a machine for the night (which I had to stay anyways) and that was the end of it. I was not required to bring my own machine first or asked to continue use of it post surgery. 2. All that being said - I made peace with having to have a CPAP machine of my own for recovery. What I did not make peace with is the requirement from the sleep doctor to be on the machine for several weeks (in which they would verify its use through information stored on its processing chip) before they would authorize me for bariatric surgery. It is very clear - that every doctor has their own preferences or concerns that they highlight more than others. This other doctor, thought what this doctor was asking was extreme an unnecessary. To my knowledge - no one has died from sleep apnea in a recovery room in a hospital. If they did - I'm sure the hospital would get sued 3 ways from Sunday.

It depends on your insurance and Bariatrics centers guidelines. My policy did not require the supervised diet for BMI’s over 40. I started my process on June 23 and surgery is tomorrow, so a little over two months. There are plus’ and minus’ for an accelerated process though. My process included; an interest seminar, consultation with surgeon, psych evaluation, abdominal ultrasound, clearance by my primary care physician, EGD, EKG, blood work, dietician consult, pre-op surgery class, and final pre-op visit with surgeon. Good luck!

Greetings to everyone, On May 2, 2016, I received my VSG from my Bariatric Surgeon. Fast forward to February 2019, I start getting experiencing abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting that my general GI specialist couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me. Diagnostic testing revealed a raw sore in my esophagus, a hiatal hernia, and the medical professionals couldn’t diagnose why I was experiencing abdominal pain in my gut. As time moved on, my aforementioned symptoms got worse and worse where I couldn’t keep down my food and medications. Now jump to March 10, 2021, I have my first surgical consultation with the Bariatric Surgeon that had put in my VSG in 2016. My Bariatric Surgeon recommended a revision from the VSG to RYGB to fix my hiatal hernia and the rest of my digestive symptoms. Dr. Chen has fast tracked my RYGB surgery to Monday, March 22, 2021. I have to admit to everyone that in 2016 when I the VSG, I was fine with it. However, now with the RYGB surgery within 48 hours of this posting in the BariatricPal forum, I’m getting nervous to having this surgery. One of the main reasons why I’m nervous is about having the RYGB surgery is the possibility of complications and after having surgery, and the dumping syndrome that seems to be common with a lot of individuals who get the RYGB surgery. Fortunately for me, while I was recovering from the VSG, I was not subjected to dumping syndrome. Can anybody share with me about your own experiences with getting the RYGB surgery? How was your recovery period? How was it going from a clear liquid diet to a full liquid diet to purée foods, etc. Share your thoughts and feedback. I would greatly appreciate that very much.

Greetings Coexister, i does seem that I am not a dumper either because I’ve tested this several times. I did get a bad reaction from drinking whole milk kefir. I got a stomachache. I wonder is this a form of dumping syndrome? When I drank low fat or non fat kefir, I absolutely had no problems with the kefir. However, when I had a frozen yogurt, I didn’t experience any sickness in my physical body. In terms of losing weight, for the last three weeks, I have stayed the same weight. I haven’t gained or loss weight. I guess that’s a good thing. You know something, Coexister? I have often wondered if my Bariatric Surgeon actually did the RYGB on me. My recovery is very similar to when I got the VGS in 2016. I control my snacking by putting everything I eat in my dietary journal. My dietitian gave me a calorie target and I rarely go above my calorie target. If there’s a particular snack I want to have, I budget for it within my calorie budget. I also read these forums for insight and inspiration as everyone that uses these forums have pearls of wisdom to offer each other. I have no regrets that I proceeded to revision to the RYGB because I my weight is coming down again and I have no more GERD & heartburn anymore. I also can’t risk get throat cancer from the hideous GERD I suffered from before I had my RYGB. 😃 I am six weeks post op and today was my first day back on solid food. I’m going back on solid food slowly - introducing each new food slowly back into my diet.

Hi Tracyringo, My Bariatric Dietitian did warn me against eating cream of wheat, oatmeal and other cereals. When I was on the soft food eating plan after my VGS, I was able to eat my favourite cream of wheat and other soft cereals. As I am in the soft food eating plan for the RYGB when I saw the dietary restrictions about the cream of wheat, I had no idea why my Bariatric dietitian would restrict the grains, like cream of wheat and oatmeal. Your post to me about staying clear of cream of wheat really enlightened me. As I previous VGS person, I didn’t have to deal with dumping syndrome. On the RYGB, I might have to deal with dumping syndrome. Some other members of BariatricPal forum have indicated that around 30% of individuals who have gotten the RYGB have to deal with dumping syndrome. I have no idea as I progress with my post op dietary eating plan, if I will have to deal with dumping syndrome. I will most certainly follow my Bariatric dietitian recommendations about staying clear of grains like cream of wheat cereal and oatmeal. Thanks for your enlightening post, Tracyringo.

My diet during my 3 months of visits with the NUT consisted of 3 meals, with 3 oz of lean meat, veggies and a fruit. No snacking between meals, but was allowed a glass of milk 3 times a day, and I supplemented one of those with some Protein powder. I'm down 40 lbs (little over 10% of my TBW) since my first NUT visit in January. My bariatric center didn't make me lose weight, but they wanted me to start changing my lifestyle so I'd be successful after surgery. I say any diet will work for you, as long as you are determined to make it work! Good luck

I was sleeved 4/13 and had my post op appointment today. I lost 10 pounds on pre op liquids and 10 pounds on liquids post op. Starting purée/ soft diet for next 2 weeks. Have bought some of the bariatric pastas and add salmon or tuna for extra protein. Had some pretty wicked spasms initially when I drank too fast but they seem to have abated. Still a little swollen in my upper mid section as well but as this is where the incisions are I think it’s normal.

Already posted this in the pre op category, but I think it belongs here more! I'm Nicole, I'm 19, and I'm waiting on approval for my RNY! You are probably thinking, “Wow, she’s only 19, why they heck is she getting a Gastric Bypass surgery so young?" so I just wanted to make this post to kind of give you guys an idea of why I am getting the surgery, why I think it’s the best choice for me, and what has been happening lately! So, originally I opted for the Sleeve Gastrectomy, because I liked the fact that they didn’t mess around with your intestines and all that jazz like they do with the bypass, so I went to my surgeon, and I did all of my pre-op stuff, like my nutritionist visits and psychiatrist visits,and it turns out I was diagnosed with binge-eating disorder, so I had to do a month of group therapy before she would clear me for surgery. You have to make sure you are mentally prepared before you put your body through anything, which I get. I started this whole process the first of December. After all of my tests and appointments and stuff got finished, and I had lost enough pre-op weight, they sent away to the insurance company at the beginning of May. I waited and waited until just this week when my mom was finally like we should call and see what’s up. So she called the insurance company, and it turns out that my insurance doesn’t cover sleeves, but I was a clear candidate for bariatric surgery so I would have to re-submit for the bypass or the lap-band, So I made an appointment with my surgeon and we decided to go ahead and switch to the Roux en Y. So now I have to wait for this approval and to schedule a surgery date! As for my age, and having surgery, I have a lot of medical problems that no 19 year old should ever have to deal with. I take 7 pills in the morning and 4 at night. I have high blood pressure that I am on two different types of medication for, just to maintain it, I have asthma, I have poly-cystic ovarian syndrome, which causes me not to ovulate, and my OB-GYN said I may never be able to have children. I’ve been medicated for it in the past, but bariatric surgery has been proven to take this away in most cases. Also, when I was 18, i suffered from kidney failure and was in the hospital for almost a week. It just sucks to know that your body is so unhealthy that your organs are beginning to shut down. At this point, I know if I don’t make a change I will just end up getting worse and worse. I’m going to have to work my ass off every day, and my new stomach pouch is only going to be a tool to help me get to where I need to be, not an easy way out, and everyone who thinks that is horribly wrong. It’s not going to be easy, but it’s going to be worth it. Peace & Love