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Hi! I haven't picked out a new PCP since I moved back down from that college town I was in. Now that I am in the city, I am looking for a PCP that can also do my yearly lady-stuff so I can save a trip. I am looking for doctors who are OK with bariatric surgery patients! My last doctor did not support or believe in it. Anyone love their doctor and wanna make a recommendation?

I meant to answer earlier than this but just am not feeling well at all. I saw my PCP and she did the CBC the bariatric appointment needed plus thyroid levels. I have the thyroid/neck ultrasound tomorrow. I'm not scheduled to even see the gastroenterologist until March 12 which means more waiting for the actual test. No one has called yet about the CBC results. My levels are off. All of a sudden my T4 thyroid level is low ... it’s so hard to find local doctors that accept my insurance since I’m on a *** special needs plan. And any specialist has to be on my doctors panel. Or I can’t see them even if they do take my insurance. Plus don’t they need to specialize in weight loss surgery skin removal? I thought of asking my PCP for a referral but she tries to play devil’s advocate instead of being my doctor. She was very judgmental about my surgery when issues came up afterward. I still don’t regret having it. I knew that it meant putting pressure on my chronic illness, even making it worse, but it was my last hope of having the tools needed to lose weight. Funny you say my demeanor is calm and even happy, thank you. I try. The last thing my sister said before she cut me out of her life is she thinks I live life too negative. I didn’t think I did, not sure about the elusive unicorn called happy but it’s more about living life exactly for what it is in the moment you are in and taken it one step at a time. i am not quite in the best place at the moment, and it’s not even my health getting me down. I went with my mom and her boyfriend to a celebration of life memorial for a friend who passed recently and on the way back we saw An Egyptian goose By a lake with chicks. My mom asked me to get out to take a picture with her phone. It was then I spotted a smaller chick laying lethargic on the sidewalk. Poor thing didn’t look alive but was. I tried to put him near the mom but he couldn’t move to walk and she rejected him. We took him home and called for help. To come take him. I carried him home on a small towel but he was so weak, he let out little chirps every so often when I talked to him. I got him to drink a little water. But his head kept rolling back and I knew he was too sick. But he was fighting so hard to live. We took him inside, I got him to drink a little more water and he chirped to me, but just when I tried to get some nutrition in him. Suddenly the life left him and I took him down to bury him under a favorite tree. Not the first time I’ve had to bury a baby bird. But they are all precious to me.

I would ask you bariatric team if you could have an ablation of your uterus. You'll no longer have a period and you will still have your ovaries to continue producing hormones. That is, of course, if you plan on not ever having children. Sent from my SPH-D710VMUB using the BariatricPal App

My team's plan is 3 meals per day and no snacks other than protein shakes. They discourage snacking as it leads to mindless grazing and taking in more calories than you need. It is okay to be hungry between meals -- you will not starve to death. I lost 200 lbs following this plan and was perfectly healthy throughout. It's a good thing to follow the guidance your bariatric team provides for you.

HI, dont know if this will help, but there is a multi vitamin especially designed for post bariatric surgery like the Gastric Sleeve. The website is BNMultis.co.au or BN Multis.co.nz for those in New Zealand. There is a special price for bulk buying. I have got on the NZ site, 12months worth or BN Multis - Chewable, you chew 2 a day, dont tast too bad, the cost for the year is $300 nzd, works out to be $25nzd per month. Apart from these, I get my Calcium on perscription from my doctor which cost me $5 nzd for 3 months supply. Hope this helps

Yes I did 2 huge amazon orders. Lol. I believe I have everything. I ordered this food kit just for bariatric surgery. I have a my vitamins, I even bought some under garmets for the surgery too. To lessen having loose skin plus skin tightening cream. What do you have so far? Plus I got the food measuring cups Sent from my SM-S908U using BariatricPal mobile app

Hi!!! So glad to hear that you're doing well. I went online and did some research, then I found this site and saw that a lot of people have gone to mexico for the surgery. My insurance doesn't cover bariatric surgeries, so I thought I should go to Mexico after 4yrs of thorough research.

I also posted this in my bio... I just needed to vent and blog a bit. Here's my not quite elevator speech. I've always been the big guy. Chris Farley like, but not as funny. Fat and kinda slapstick, and willing to use my body to get a joke. I make the fat jokes on me before others can. That being said, I always said I was "fat and happy". There was a time when I wasn't fat and happy. I was fat. And I didn't like it, But I didn't do anything about it either because I was lazy. Eventually I just accepted myself, and that was good on paper at least. The lab results over years though were telling a different story. High blood pressure. High cholesterol. Borderline pre-diabetic. I probably have sleep apnea. Winded while walking any minority substantial distance. Running, not on your life. I also suffer from ostrich syndrome: If you don't admit that it is there, it's not there. Just stick your head back in the sand. Oh did I mention smoking? Quitting is easy, but not starting again is a b***h. For 20 years off and on. Poorly hiding it at times, too. Some how I was able to meet a great wife. Seriously the bee's knees. We have 4 boys together. I love them all dearly; they really are my life. I'm starting to see signs in a couple of them of developing bad habits. Eating way too much. Sitting around not doing much activity. It's scary. My wife is a bigger gal, too. And short. I never saw her as fat, though. However, I know she did. When she was in her late teens she struggled with anorexia. She worked through it. After our last child was born she couldn't loose the weight. She would work out, she would diet. She'd lose 60 lbs. Yay! My passive "fat and happy" ass would just be that passive and not support her like I should. Something about late night Taco Bell runs that would destroy that ****. She started exploring Bariatric Surgery last summer. I was pretty passive about it. I thought she's talk her self out of it. She didn't. She plowed ahead full steam. I went to her surgery consult, and it actually made me feel better. She'd go to her education classes. Mention things out of the little handbook they give you. I'd smile and nod. I wasn't listening. Then her surgery was approved. She asked me to go to her pre-op surgery class. She got in early so I could go, and I totally missed her asking if I would go with her. I knew it was happening, and she wanted to do it while I was in town (I travel for work). Missed the whole YOU NEED TO BE THERE thing. So she asks the night before if I'm going, and I was like WTF, yeah sure what ever. Turns out this class is the one, single most important class of this process.. The one they review all that **** you've been learning over the months (or years) on your journey. I go in to this class with the very minimal information. Like its happening and I know where but that's it. This class scared the everlasting f**k out of me. But I watched. I listened. And man... I was scared. You know how I said I didn't read much. The stuff I did read was about the sky high divorce rate of couples who involve Bariatric Surgery. I read one place as high as 85% after 3 years. My parents? Yeah, they divorced about 18 months post-op. Why would my wife who I love want to risk our marriage with those odds? The next two weeks I spent trying to convince my wife she didn't need the surgery. I took her to a fancy dinner. Promised to go on a regular diet and start exercising with her. She stood her ground. So then I told her I didn't want it to happen point blank. We screamed at each other. She stood her ground. Hours, minutes, I don't know what exactly... It was in the heat of battle, but she said she would't have the surgery and just blame me for her unhappiness for the rest of her life. OUCH. I almost said good and fine. But I couldn't do that. It was obvious this was important to her. She wanted my support and blessing. Not my ridicule or being told she can't do something. Did I mention this was happening on the one anniversary of her dad passing? God I'm an ass. She's my world... I can't have her unhappy. I left that match ugly crying. I was convinced my marriage just ended right then and there. 15 years. Good run, but nothing lasts forever. Who's side would people be on? Hers. I'm kinda a prick... Hell, even my step mom I bet would choose her. I was sitting in a parking lot smoking and thinking. The tears had stopped. Why was I against it? What was my problem? Self reflection can be painful. I realized I wasn't as fat and happy as I thought I was. I had an epiphany. I needed to change, too. So I scheduled a consult. Quit smoking as of 1/20. I did have one cheater on 1/21. As of 1/20 I weigh 327 lbs. I have a BMI of 44.5. I need to loose about 100 lbs. They fit me in an unorthodox manner to get me going sooner on the program because of my wife. I'm trying a sympathy diet as she's full liquid pre op at the moment. I'm still eating regular food, but for the most part not around her. It f**king sucks for me, and I can't imagine what it is for her. I was averaging about 3500 calories a day before I started this sympathy diet. Most the week I've been below 2000. I have 24 weeks to go before I will likely look at getting me approved. for a similar procedure.. She'll be at regular foods again by then (there is this whole diet progression thing). When I anticipated doing this I was thinking I could delay her so our timing was more together. Like some sort of fucked up couples massage. It didn't work out that way. She's going forward on Tuesday. I don't know if I can do this. The anxiety is suffocating. On top of all of this work has been bad. It's been kinda slow. They have me learning something new and I'm too distracted with this going on to give it the attention it deserves. People are noticing my heads not in the game. I cleaned out my desk yesterday because I thought I was going to get fired. I didn't. So now it just looks like I'm quitting because I don't have **** there. Well f**k.

Hi!!! So glad to hear that you're doing well. I went online and did some research, then I found this site and saw that a lot of people have gone to mexico for the surgery. My insurance doesn't cover bariatric surgeries, so I thought I should go to Mexico after 4yrs of thorough research. I'm going to follow up here with my primary care physician.

Similar stories: two bariatric surgeries, and we are celebrating our 44th anniversary in May. I agree with ms.sss. Bariatric surgery is a lot like having kids--it'll make good relationships better, and doom the ones that were in trouble from the onset. Sounds like you have a good start!

I had mine today and was a little freaked out too. I really enjoyed it. I took basic question tests and then we talked for about an hour about my habits, support system, have i thought this through that type stuff. I felt really great when I left having one more person confirm I was doing the right thing for me. In fact she told me a couple of times she was very excited for me and hoped I would keep in touch with my progress since she specializes in bariatrics.

Leelanau, the same thing happened to me! I was six months into my pre-op stuff, had my tests all done, stress test, psych eval., sleep apnea only to find I had a clause in my insurance plan that indicated there was no coverage for any type of bariatrics. The sadder thing to me was that ALL treatment was not covered including the opposite condition that I have...bulemia. Can you image? Fortunately, this was a hidden victory. I ended up shopping for surgery, found a doctor I LOVE LOVE LOVE, discovered Denver and parts thereabouts, has a breeze of a surgery at a beautiful facility and made some amazing friends out there. Trust fate. Follow your dream to get this done. Insurance does NOT have the final say in our health. We do have a voice even if we have to pay for it ourselves, even if we have to go to other means to get it done. LUCK :thumbup:

Have you talked to your Primary Care Doc or whoever is helping you manage your diabetes? I know in the Info. Meeting I went to they said that Gastric Bypass is much more effective with Type 2 Diab. I think there probably is better results with GB, but that is because in addition to the restriction you get (like the band) you also don't absorb the fat and calories like you used to , which can be good and bad. What is your BMI? If you have a BMI over 35 with the diabetes you qualify with most insurers, but I know nothing about Medicare. Can you call them yourself and find out? Check out the Insurance section of this site and see what other Medicare users have experienced. Look online and see if you can find their policy. And talk directly with the person that deals with insurance at the office you are going to and see what they say. They are old hat at this and should be able to really help you with the process. With any bariatric procedure you are going to get out of it what you put into it. That 50% loss is an AVERAGE. Some lose less, and some lose more! So for those that only lose 10% there are also those that lose 100%. What are YOU willing to put into this to make it work? The lap band is just a tool to help you out. But if you aren't willing to do the work of changing your eating habits and exercising regularly then it won't work and you will be right where you are now, but with a bunch of scars and a useless medical device in your body. Keep us updated on what you find out.

"Think of your operation as an investment like a stock. If you buy a stock and it goes down, you don't ride it to the bottom. You aren't married to it. You decide it isn't working for you and sell." I was impressed with this statement and think it should run across the top of this site like a stock ticker, but Pleatman, what data suggests guaranteed regain after reversal of any bariatric operation? I realize it's only been 4 months since removal, but I'm down 5 pounds since removal, and I think that kind of negative statement might implant itself in my subconscious and play head games with me. Like tomorrow maybe donuts are going to be okay because I have that guarantee of regain. That statement is depressing; is it backed up by proof?

My first surgeon (before I switched because I'm 'high risk') told me that they are, within the next few years, phasing out the Lap Band as are many other bariatric programs just due to its complication rate and lack of concrete success for everyone. I originally went in wanting it, too, because I thought of it like a tool to help me get to a weight where I could do the rest myself, but since I was diagnosed with diabetes in March and the sleeve has greater success with relieving comorbities, and a constant back and forth with all of my doctors including my kidney transplant doctor, the sleeve seemed more appropriate for my situation. My SECOND surgeon made the very good point that because the Lap Band is a foreign object, it is highly likely to become infected or be an infection magnet for someone like me who is a medicated immunocompromised patient (for my transplant). So yeah, I'm having the sleeve on the 21st and I'm both nervous and excited.

I was banded through NJ Bariatrics with Dr. Chou. He is wonderful! He told me the left sided pain is from the air they use to blow up the abdomen. He said it stimulates the same nerve as would cause pain with a heart attack, but not to worry, it goes away with time. I am two weeks out and it is much better, although I still feel it if I cough.

What a week! I would like some feedback about my situation. Here it goes...When I first started this process the Bariatric Office said that they would be able to pull my records. Well, I find out yesterday they can't because doctor office is no longer a part of their affiliation. Needless to say I call my OB office to get weight records because I go there yearly. By the way, I requested these records in September and they only sent me results to HIV Test. I called them back then and they were suppose to mail my complete exams to Clinic. Needless to say they didn't. Well, I talk to the medical records lady today and tell her that I am coming to pick up the records because I need them ASAP. No Problem. Well, when I went to pick them up at 3 p.m. (I needed to pick up before 5 because she will be gone) and walked out of the office with the sealed envelope my natural instincts told me to open the envelope. Sure enough, this woman has put 1 record in for 2010 and has left for the day. Needless to say they knew I drove out of my way to get these records so the assistant on duty went to get my file and proceeded to copy everything from 2008. But wait, THERE IS NO RECORD FOR 2009! What the hockey sticks am I to do? So, I called my Family doctor's office to see about getting 2009 records. The lady told me it would take between 2-3 weeks. Mind you I only saw this doctor once in 2009 and was a new patient. Is it that hard to pull 1 record that should still be in my chart seeing as how I don't go but 1 time a year? Ughh, the lady in my OB office senses my frustration and copies records back from 2006. THE BIG QUESTION IS DO YOU THINK I SHOULD HAVE HER SUBMIT FOR INSURANCE AUTHORIZATION TOMORROW WITH HEALTH RECORDS FROM 2006-2008 AND 2010 AND 1 FROM THIS YEAR? I would still get 2009 records just in case we need them. For your information I have AETNA.

The very good news, Bless, is that you don't have to go it alone. Call your new insurance company and ask for a list of bariatric surgeons on your provider list and then start your research. The doc's office will handle the insurance part for you!

I found that study. And I noticed that every other article that mentions the 85% divorce rate quotes that one study. There was another study done in Sweden (which has a 47% overall divorce rate - about the same as in the U.S.) said that 9% of couples get divorced after bariatric surgery. That sounds a lot more believable to me, just based on anecdotal evidence I pick up from the various WLS boards I've been on the last five years. I wonder if the person who did that first study meant an 85% LIFETIME divorce rate? (divorce rate for everyone - WLS or not - is about 48% in the US). Even an 85% lifetime divorce rate for WLS patients seems a bit high - but 85% in the two years after WLS seems really farfetched. I wouldn't be surprised if that study is flawed. Unless people who join internet forums are overwhelmingly in strong, happy marriages - but that seems implausible as well. I don't doubt the divorce rate increases after WLS. People gain confidence after losing weight, and many aren't as likely to put up with crap anymore - and they probably aren't as afraid of leaving someone for fear of never finding another mate because of their weight. But I think we'd hear about divorce A LOT more on these forums if it was happening to 85% of us.

Hey, Banders!Thanksgiving is behind us and the holiday season is officially underway! Filled with holiday shopping, festivities at work and spending time with friends and family, this time of year is can be the most rewarding. It can be hectic, too, so paying extra attention to your diet and health is even more important than usual. Use this newsletter as a reminder and some motivation to be extra cautious with your choices so that you can keep seeing the results you want from your weight loss journey. Here’s what’s coming up in this newsletter. Member Spotlight: Meet Mis73! Tips for the Season: Thriving at Holiday Parties! Bander Challenge: Activate Your Party Action Plan! A Big Thank-You to Our Members as 2012 Ends We know the hustle and bustle of this season make your life busy, but we hope you spend part of your holiday season with us at Alex Brecher Founder LapBandTalk.com Member Spotlight: Meet Mis73! Mis73, aka Missy, is this newsletter’s highlighted member! She’s a 39-year-old Michigander who has fought through obstacles to achieve her current weight loss of 168 pounds. Her high weight was 421 pounds, and her goal weight is 160, at a BMI of 27.5. She has multiple sclerosis and knew that her obesity was making the symptoms worse. So, she decided to get the lap-band and focus on the obesity because that’s something she could control. Missy says that the “biggest difference is, I am happy. I am happier than I have been in literally decades.” She’s gone from needing a handicapped parking pass and a motorized cart for grocery shopping to being able to take her son to the zoo and walk around for hours! Other great moments have been dropping below 300 pounds, fitting into blue jeans for the first time in 20 years, fitting in the seat at her daughter’s band concert and seeing her father’s look of pride and joy after seeing her for the first time – 100 pounds lighter. Missy’s biggest challenge right after surgery was to avoid exacerbating her multiple sclerosis, since symptoms can appear after trauma, such as surgery. Luckily, she was able to avoid a full-blown relapse. Missy used LapBandTalk in the early days for reassurance that her experience was normal. She’s grown to depend on the friends she’s made here and she continues to “offer education and support to others.” She has plenty of advice to offer. She suggests meeting with a nutritionist who specializes in bariatric patients and to keep your food to a cup per meal. Also, learn everything you can about the band: what it is, what it does and how you can succeed with it. Missy, we are so glad that you are finding happiness. We know that it will just get better for you as you keep losing weight, and it’s a pleasure to be able to share in your weight loss journey. Thanks for being in the Member Spotlight! Please post in the Protein snack or two for yourself and eat it when it’s time for your regular meal or snack. You can also take a healthy dish for the host to serve at the party. Sip Water. Carrying a glass of water around gives you something to do without adding any calories to your day. Another benefit of drinking water is that you know you shouldn’t eat solid foods when you’re drinking fluids. Avoid alcohol. Alcohol is a source of calories that you just don’t need. Worse yet is that it lowers your inhibition. That means that you’re less likely to resist unhealthy holiday foods. Bander Challenge: Activate Your Holiday Action Plan! This newsletter’s challenge is related to our advice on holiday parties. The challenge is to choose a specific strategy designed to get you through the holidays without interfering with your weight loss goals. You can take one of the suggestions listed above, or choose your own. Some other ideas are to keep healthy Snacks at work so you’re not tempted by unhealthy snacks and to record each treat that you eat in your food record instead of pretending that it doesn’t count. Tell us in the Bander Challenge Forum how you complete the challenge! Was it easy or difficult? What tips do you have for other LapBandTalk.com members? We also want to know anytime you go back and complete an old Newsletter Challenge, which you can find in the archived Newsletter Forum. It’s never too late to try a Newsletter Challenge! A Big Thank-You to Our Members as 2012 Ends As we close out 2012, we wanted to take this opportunity to thank each member. We truly appreciate your support. We value each member, whether you post many times a day and use all of LapBandTalk.com’s many features, or whether you log in infrequently to read just a few posts. You, the members, are essential to LapBandTalk.com’s success, so a heartfelt thank-you to each of you! 2012 has seen rapid increases in the number of members, the beginning of regular newsletters and the launch of mobile apps to access all of the forum’s features. Big plans are in the works for the coming year, and it promises to be an exciting ride. We’re glad to have you on board! Of course, we’re always open to member suggestions, so please feel free to contact any board administrator. That’s it for this month’s newsletter. We hope it was inspirational and helpful. Have a safe and peaceful holiday season, and take care of yourself and each other, Alex. ============================================================== If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you may unsubscribe by going to your Control Panel and clicking on the Newsletters tab, or clicking on the following link: {unsubscribe}

If you haven't talked to your surgeon's office in a while, it might be a good idea to give them a call to let them know you're almost done with your 6-month weight loss and ask what you need to do to schedule the endo and psych eval. A lot of bariatric practices have a "patient navigator" who helps to coordinate that stuff. I had some concerns about my insurance coverage (mainly because I hadn't been to a doctor in almost 10 years, so I didn't have a documented weight history), but the surgeon was very familiar with my insurance requirements and said, "Don't worry, we'll get you covered," and they did! They do this for a living, so most of them are pretty good at dealing with insurance companies.

Hello, my name is Julie. I am a wife and the proud mother of 3 wonderful children. I am also a Lucky patient of Dr. Thomas Byrne at MUSC’s Bariatric Surgery Program. My journey truly began in 2010; I weighed in at 226 pounds. I had spoken with my general physician on several occasions about my weight and the attempts that I had made (weight watchers, Jenny Craig, etc). My doctor suggested that I call MUSC’s bariatric surgery program for a consultation. I went home that day and researched weight loss surgery. I called that same afternoon for a consult appointment. My first sign that I was doing the right thing should have been the caring voice of Lisa Jackson. She helped get my consult set up and all of my questions answered. My consult went awesome. Dr. Byrne made me feel so welcome and most of all I felt that he cared about me, I was not just another fat chick in his office telling him "I am fat, please fix it". We went over the three different surgery options available, along with the risks and benefits to each. We discussed my goals and expectations as well as spending a great deal of time going over my health history. I also got to meet with one of the Registered Dieticians on staff. After consulting with Dr. Byrne, we decided that the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy was my best option for me. I felt so prepared after this appointment; all I needed to do was to set the date. After several months of research and red tape with my insurance I had the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy surgery in August of 2011. I had a slight bump in the road during recovery but nothing that Dr. Byrne and his amazing staff could not handle! I had developed a small blood clot in my abdominal cavity. Dr. Byrne and his physician’s assistant Diana quickly had me on the mend with the utmost care and compassion! Every day was better and better! I am now 7 months post VSG; I must say that I have never felt better! I wake up every day thankful for Dr. Byrne giving me this amazing "tool" to help me to become a healthy ME. This "tool" has worked so well for me with the help of Dr. Byrne’s team of registered dietician’s as well, Debbie and Nina. I have learned how to make healthier choices at home as well as at the supermarket (thanks to the supermarket tours and monthly support group meetings). I can’t say thank you enough! Thank You!!!! I am so happy to say that I have lost 70% of my excess body weight! I have lost 75 pounds and feel amazing. I am riding my bike at least 3 times per week, I go to an awesome Zumba class (Zumba with Alma) two to three times per week, and I am doing the 10 minute trainer videos at home. I try to stay current with support group meetings and other activities when I can. They are so informative, even for non surgical folks. I will tell anyone that asks me; Dr. Byrne and his staff (Diana, Debbie, Nina, Lisa, and the amazing nurses) are the best!!! I have seen other surgeons talk about weight loss surgery so I can truly tell you that I would send anyone to see Dr. Byrne! I actually did send my mother and my sister in law. My mother had Gastric Bypass in July 2011 and my sister in law is planning to have VSG in the next couple of months.

Kim, get up and walk as soon as you can after surgery and walk every hour. It's hard but it will get the gas out of you. The gas pain was way worse than the surgery pain, I swear. Walk walk walk! I walked twice per hour in the hosp. The nurses said they never saw a bariatric patient walk so much. LOL. But it worked. That gas was out of me in a day. Again, good luck.

No matter which surgery you get.. you will experience some of the same things. I put this information out there to let people know they are not alone and you may not receive the support from your family/friends. You will receive 100% support from the bariatric community. Losing the weight is easy, but their is no way to truly prepare for the mental challenges ahead of you. Keep in mind that we all go through the same challenges and we are all fighting obesity together. Best of luck to you! And Congratulations on getting your surgery date!

Girls, I'm wondering what the hell is going on with this too!! My bariatric doc referred me to my gp, so seeing her on Thursday. And I don't mean to be totally gross, but do any of you notice an odor? I might have a uti or a bacterial infection but if it's just from surgery and other people are experiencing it too, I wouldn't worry so much. Plus, I'm due for my period any day now and have had such awful cramps for about a week now but no bleeding.. I'm a mess downstairs! Lol.