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Medical issues related to what? I mean, I have psoriasis, but even a dermatologist would be hard-pressed to blame that on bariatric surgery. So, do you mean medical issues as a result of having a gastric band? Or medical issues (co-morbidities) that would help one qualify for bariatric surgery? Or what?

Hello, I was sleeved on April 8. Would like a buddie. I am new to Bariatric Pal, forums, chat rooms, etc. I would appreciate any help I can get. Thanks in advance.

Some pain med - I requested Tramadol over Percocet. Only needed it a couple of days and then used liquid tylenol. Some Zofran for nausea - never needed it. Omeprazole. Then of course you need your bariatric multi vitamins with iron. Also calcium citrate, vitamin D, vitamin B-12. All the vitamins are OTC - the best deal you can find for multivits is here on the BariatricPal site.

I thought Bariatric Advantage tasted good and mixes well (thats what my surgeon pushed as well). But it also cost WAY WAY more than any protein supplement should, and it has a lot of "filler" crap in it (which is why one scoop is 160 calories despite having 27g of protein from Whey Isolate, and the ingredient list is the size of a small country) Its not a bad product by any means, but I do think there is far better stuff out there.

Just wrote this reply on another thread written by someone having the same problem: I'd call your bariatric team. They may want to test you for C. diff or give you IV fluids if you've become too dehydrated. I had the same problem around that time. My C. diff test came back negative, so my surgeon said to just take Imodium. It worked. I'm glad I checked in, even if it turned out to be nothing, cause it could have been a problem.

I'm a DS patient and I take two 500 mg of chewable calcium, two chewable multivitamins of ADEK (Bariatric Advantage), and one sublingual B12 (3000 mcg). That's it per my doctor's orders. Not too bad at all.

I had one until yesterday, 2 days post surgery. I learning that my doctor is more on the conservative side based on what I'm seeing others post. No outpatient, everyone gets a catheter, strict liquids plan broken down to every 10 mins, Etc. I guess it's easier because there is a Bariatric recovery unit. I appreciate all the smalls things put in place to help us be successful Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Okay, fills... Some of us have surgeons who want to approach the adjustment (what a fill is really called) in a Let's-Get-This-Show-on-the-Road kind of way. They tend to be foreign and/or very experienced LapBand (not just experienced at lap surgery or experienced at bariatric surgery) surgeons. Other of us have the "Let's-Be-Very-Careful-and-Do-This-Slowly surgeons, who tend to be located in the US and/or kind of new at the band. So, what that means is how many fills one has had is completely irrelevant. And, IMHO, the whole little-by-little approach is silly. Because let's say that YOUR ideal fill is 2.3cc's. Dr. Little-by-Little puts in 0.5 at adjustment #1, then moves it up to 1.0cc's at adjustment #2 and so on. When the patient gets to adjustment #4 (2.0cc's), it still isn't enough and then at adjustment #5 (2.5cc's) it's too much and whatever the doctor was worried about in regard to an overfill is going to happen anyway. AND, some of thee surgeons only do fills once or twice a month. So the patient is six months post-op until he/she gets the needed restriction. And we all know how WE deal with that kind of frustration and "failure." And then they say the band doesn't work. Right. Figure out what your doctor is doing. Explain whay YOU don't want to wait six months for restriction. See if you can get the adjustment YOU need. Sue My experience with fills is almost all outside the US. Those doctors used flouroscopy and most got the restriction as tight as they thought I could reasonably handle, and didn't even look at the syringe until I asked them how much saline we were talking about.

LisaMarie; Welcome back to the site! A couple of things come to mind. First of all, you HAVE made some progress, so give yourself a bunch of credit for that. You are most certainly lighter than you were at the beginning. You're not a failure. Not even CLOSE to being one. Other good advice has been given on this thread, so you need to take that to heart. You did, however, mention one thing that I think is the "missing link" for a lot of people. The "mind" element. You mentioned your recognition that you have a serious food addiction. That's an important recognition. And, it's something that you need to deal with, in a very significant way. In my opinion, people need to undergo some lengthy psychotherapy before they get the Band, or any other type of weight loss surgery. It's not something that people do very often, and I think it's a mistake that the WLS industry is making. Most WLS patients undergo a Psych Eval of some kind, but I feel that it stops FAR short of what needs to be done in this area. A Large part of the weight issues that we all face is a "mind game". And if you don't deal with that element of the problem, you will NEVER be fully successful at losing the weight. Based upon what you have said here, I would STRONGLY suggest that you consider seeing a Psychotherapist that SPECIALIZES in Weight Issues, and one that has Specific, Demonstated experience with people who have had or are going to have Weight Loss Surgery. Please Note: You HAVE to make sure that the Therapist does indeed have EXPERTISE in and SPECIALIZES in weight loss/WLS issues. Not many therapists do, and some of them SAY that they do because they have a couple of obese clients., but in reality they are NOT specialists. Make sure that it is the PRIMARY focus of their Psychotherapy Practice. That is SO important. You might also consider getting an opinion from another Doctor as well. There is a growing sub-specialty among Bariatric Doctors that caters to those who have had WLS and are having problems reaching their goals. It might be that having a "fresh eye" look at your situation could give you the jump-start that you need. But, before you do ANYTHING, I would begin searching for a Psychotherapist with the qualifications that are mentioned above. It may be the key that will unlock the door to your future success. Again, you HAVE had some success with this. You have done better than many people, frankly, but you don't want to have come this far and simply have it stop. Keep at it.....do what I suggested above. I have seen this before, and dealing with the "mind" component of the WLS puzzle has been the answer for many people before you. And, it could very likely be YOUR answer as well!:thumbdown: HH

I have a direct communication style (just as much in real life as anywhere else) so I'm glad you were able to see the message for what it was. As I wrote it I did quite a bit of editing to try and make sure it wasn't 1) harsh or 2) preachy, but to the point. I'm just "that girl" who kind of lacks "that filter"! And actually I shouldn't even say justification so much as "cognitive distortion" (using fancy terms like that makes me feel like all the $$$ I spent on a psychology education was worth it! ). That little voice in our head that says, "Well you just blew your diet with this slice of pie, so you might as well take the rest of the day off from it too" and makes all the other things "ok" that are actually working against us. EAS strawberry creme is one of my favorite RTDs, but it has to be COLD. Their vanilla is ok too, but not as enjoyable as the strawberry. You can also blend in (I assume) sugar free syrups (DaVInci/Torani become our best friends), maybe a little PB2 (dry Peanut Butter that's a fraction of the fat, but tastes amazingly like the real deal when mixed into something). There's a brand called Syntrax that has a line of "Nectar" Proteins. The most tolerable (IMO) flavor is Roadside Lemonade - you can get sample packs of it. If you add in some sugar free lemonade mix, it sort of has a "lemon creme" flavor. If allowed, you can also try powders with milk instead of Water (if you haven't already). The extra Protein & stuff in the milk should give you a better sense of satiety. There's also a brand of RTDs called "Premiere Protein" - I know Sam's and costco carry them. Their chocolate is a favorite of a LOT of bariatric patients. I think it's ok, it's not my favorite. The other day I bought a case of their vanilla and don't care for it much at all, even "doctored up" with syrups, BUT they are 30gm protein per 11 0z and that's seriously hard to beat. Gelatin proteins have their place, but they're really not the best protein for us. If you can, whey isolate is one of the better ones. (I'd rank it #2). I don't think your unprepared for surgery in any way because of it. It's sort of a junk protein for our needs. I've posted the nutrition/scientific reasoning before (as have others), you might want to search for "gelatin protein" or "incomplete protein" and do some reading up before you make any purchases. I'm sure you'll do great. You're here getting help, for one. That puts you in the top 10th percentile already.

Mans point of view READY lol honestly keep communication very open include him in when possible when people are complimenting you tell them you couldn't do it without your wonderful husbands support that will make him feel good i do this with my wife i include her in as much as i can..A group i started is having a dinner next saturday night its called Bariatric Friends on Facebook and we are bringing our spouses because we would never want to exclude them from anything so its a group of 20 going...And just make sure you tell him how you feel and ask him how he feels talk talk talk thats all i can say If He loves you and you love him you will be fine ...good luck with your surgery and wl journey

Dumping is not guaranteed. So maybe not the best ideas to make a decision on that. You posted on the bypass thread so you'll get a lot of pro bypass perspectives, too. I decided bypass because I wanted the greatest chance of my co morbidities being completely resolved. I wanted long term data. I've been on this site a while and I can't figure out if sleeves are just being offered more lately and there by we are hearing more about folks not being able to eat being 6 wks, 6 months out and other stuff or if sleeves are more vocal about it. Can't tell. I'm two weeks out and can tolerate everything I tried with no problems, nausea, vomiting. I know when I'm am eating too fast but I think that would be the same for everyone at this point. You need to make this decision with your surgeon. I think most people go with their guts and at their fear edge. Some people are gonna be creeped out by the re routing, I was afraid of the long line of stitching with the sleeve or developing any sort of reflux, heartburn etc. Also, what sealed the deal for me and you might ask your surgeon. How many of each procedures has he/she done? Which one has he/she done the most revisions or fixed complications with? And how comfortable with it are they? If his or her child needed bariatric surgery which would they recommend? Honestly, you are young and healthy and would probably do well with a uncomplicated sleeve or bypass process, but you may not need all the bypass has to offer.

Start with reviewing your insurance policy. I'm pretty sure Aetna has it posted online, or pull out your manual and look up bariatric surgery. This will tell you what types of bariatric surgery they cover. They should also have a listing of approved providers. Pick 2 or 3 (I recommend choosing at least 2 if possible). Call them and find out what is required of them. If possible attend and informational seminar. Take a pad and pencil. Some people also take a close family member. This depends on the family member's views on WLS. You need someone who is supportive, not a negative Nelly. Once you have looked at 2 different surgeons/programs, then you can decide which one is for you and what type of surgery is for you. Currently the major ones are lap band, gastric sleeve or gastric bypass. There are a few others, but these are the major ones. Currently the sleeve is the most popular. Once you make have that first appointment with the bariatric program, they will pretty much guide you through the rest of the process. My own personal recommendations are: Start an exercise program. Even if you just walking for 30 minutes everyday. If you are smoking, quit. Start keeping a food journal. It will make you more aware of what you are eating. If you drink soda, cut back and prepare to quit. Some people do go back to drinking soda, but initially post-op it will be a no-no. If you drink coffee, cut back and prepare to quit at least temporarily. (this varies doctor to doctor) Some of us can resume eventually but for some it cause acid in the tummy.

Well.....my Doctor who is in the top 5% of bariatric surgeons in the U.S. didn't even have me do a pureed diet. I was drinking full liquids right after surgery for one week. Which included Jell-O, pudding and sugar free popsicles. I am now 12 days out eating a soft diet. Every Doctor is different and it doesn't mean something is going to go wrong. I trust mine completely. Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using BariatricPal mobile app

The true question is, what surgeon did you find that is willing to do a LapBand, and why would you want them to operate on you... It is pretty much standard that bariatric surgeons do not preform LapBands anymore, they maintain them, or remove them to convert to either a sleeve or bypass. Any surgeon that still preforms LapBands, would not be a surgeon I would use.

Hi everyone. I have been completing my requirements prior to surgery since the end of August, which includes 6 monthly visits of medically supervised weight loss with my surgeon's nurse/bariatric coordinator. My last visit with her is at the beginning of March. After that, assuming all of my other requirements have been met they will put in for approval (which is expected very fast with my HMO). I have done a lot of research since even before August about what surgery was right for me and I was convinced it was the sleeve. Liz (the bariatric coordinator) was very honest with me yesterday and said she thought I might not have very good success with the sleeve because I have been struggling to lose weight and definitely have a fondness for sweets. She also said that when she attends the surgeon's office's monthly support group sessions she is kind of jealous that the patients who had RNY seem to have a much greater degree of "control" in their eating. I can certainly use more control in my eating! So now I am seriously questioning my decision and and starting to re-think my plan. I need to decide before 1/31, as I have my appointment with the dietician who will give me a binder full of info and the info varies a bit depending on the type of surgery I choose. I realize that RNY has been around much longer than the sleeve and that the sleeve was originally intended to just be the first step in duodenal switch surgeries for 500+ lb. patients. However, the re-routing of the intestine freaks me out quite a bit and I am afraid of nutritional deficiencies caused by the malabsorptive aspect of the RNY surgery. Has anyone else originally planned to have VSG and wound up with RNY instead? Are you glad you did? Regretful that you did? I'd appreciate any and all comments. Thanks!

Bariatric fusion... strawberry Shortcake very tasty been using it for 8 days. Its design to shrink the liver. My surgery is on April 14th. Sent from my LG-D850 using the BariatricPal App

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My name is Amanda and I am 8 days post op vertical sleeve gastrectomy. I am located in Delaware and am excited to find a supportive app for other bariatric patients like me

I had the greatest idea for opening a new chain of fast food restaurants this morning. It would be a post bariatric surgery patients dream come true. The only thing on the menu would be high protein meats and fish, cottage cheese and Greek yogurt, sugar-free Jell-O and putting, some fancy flavored ricotta cheese desserts, veggies and low carb fruits. We would make our own delicious protein smoothies. There would be absolutely no bread, pasta, chips or even liquids of any kind served. The salad bar would offer customers a scale for their use so they could measure their own portions.,Every day would also feature a couple of high-protein low-carb hot meals. I would call it The Pro Shop. That should read *pudding! Damn autocorrect

I am finishing up day one of my preop diet and I have to say it is MUCH better than I thought it was going to be. As part of my fee, I get a one month's supply of shakes and Vitamins. I am drinking Bariatric Advantage chocolate and it is pretty good. I get to add fruit, today I chose strawberries, and so that makes it even better. I have a shake for Breakfast and lunch and then I get a cup of Soup for dinner and one yogurt that I can gave any time of day. I just decided to make my own soup so I made green chili (I love New Mexico) soup with chicken and Beans. It came out great. I bought a bunch of one cup size containers on a whim last year and they are paying off helping me portion all my dinners. I am happy that with a few bumps in the road behind me on my journey, this diet is helping me to stay positive for the weeks to come.

My lists are very simple, but come from a few different places. From Bariatric Eating Inspire Protein powder PURE unflavored protein Cancun chili seasoning mix From the grocery store: spinach lettuce garlic whatever other fresh veggies look good berries, or whatever fresh fruit looks good broccoli slaw mix--I eat a LOT of this Ken's Lite Asian sesame salad dressing cheeses--cheddar, cottage, Parmesan Greek yogurt (sometimes--it is a little slidey, so I don't have it as often as I did preop) almond milk ground chicken (for chili) turkey Italian sausage beans--fat-free refried, black Beans, kidney beans, cannelini beans, etc. from Market Day (ordered monthly from my son's school): shrimp tilapia-tortilla-crusted and plain scallops salmon cod rack of pork boneless pork chops chicken breasts portions--plain and teriyaki ground beef

I would also suggest asking your doctor for a prescription for Protein shakes and bariatric Vitamins. Once you add all those in, your chances of meeting the deductible required for tax purposes (x% of gross Income) is much better. As kindle said, I too am not an accountant so.... )

Surgery yesterday, went great! I was very uncomfortable for the first 2 or so hours after, mostly due to morphine drip. Once they switched me to different pain med I started doing much better. Up and walking 4 times yesterday, first thing this morning, no trouble drinking, discharged at 9:00. Dr Hoehn and everyone at KC Bariatric and the surgery center were amazing!! Very attentive and kind. I would recommend them to anyone even close to that area!!

Hospital Angeles with Dr Covala is the only surgeon hospital combination I can get comfortable with. There are many fine bariatric surgeons but IMHO most of the facilities they operate at are not on par with hospital angeles with the exception of almater. The regulatory and legal framework in mexico is obviously different than the u.s. Which does some create a degree some degree of risk.