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I did liquid vitamins for the first 4 weeks after surgery, then switched to Trader Joe's High Potency chewables. I take a double dose to meet ASMBS guidelines. Even with a double dose they are much cheaper than specialized bariatric vitamins. They are very low calorie and low carb. I have my labs drawn regularly and they are always great.

I just want to say that I am so very very lucky to have the Doctor that I do here in So. California! His name is Michael Feiz and he loves what he does and be believes in each one of us that he does surgery on. It does not make any difference what type of bariatric surgery you have he is your greatest Cheerleader! I have read so many blogs and comments on all the different ways that Doctors have each one of us do before and after surgery, I am not sure why some LBers have to go on liquid diets 6 weeks or more before surgery and I am really not sure why other Doctors keep certain people on only Liquids for who knows how long after LB. I really hope that for those after LB who still are not taking in at least 60 mg of protein a day and are only on clear liquids that your body does not starve itself and go into the starvation mode which will cause you to not loose any weight or inches. When I spoke to my nutritionist, she really pushed the fact that after one week of PO or less I needed to get those protein shakes in me regularly it was really important to my weight loss. I was able to start eating mushies after 8 days PO then I was able to start eating food as I could tolerate but eating very slowly. I am very in touch with my body and I was able to tell after 3 weeks that I needed an adjustment. No problem I had one and now after six weeks PO I have had my second adjustment because again I was able to eat more then I should. My Doc told me that I would more then likely be back in another 3 weeks for the third adjustment and this is how it will be until I get to the place where I am not eating more then I should be. I have tried drinking a soda and I really did not like the feeling it gave me so back to Ice Tea for my caffeine! I always eat protein first if I am full then nothing more will pass my lips. I have allowed myself to have a glass or two of wine a couple of times and one of those times I drank the whole bottle, but I am not making a habit of that because I do realize that those are truly empty calories which I do not need. I do have to walk more and I am going to start that today. My Doc again says to not focus on the pounds gone, focus on the inches lost and the way my clothes are starting to just fall off me! I LIKE IT! Here is to all of our success! No Failures!

charlie and klaker I know there are many cookbooks out there concerning bariatric surgery their is one of those "for dummies" book i do have it "somewhere", don't remember the title go to your bookstore - they can help you hopefully others will chime in good luck kathy Thanks ProudGrammy My NUT told me about the Dummy's cookbook for post bariatric patients as well as "Eating WELL AFTER WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY" by Patt Levine and Michelle Bontempo-Saray. I bought the Kindle version for iPad through Amazon for $9.99. It looks great!

charlie and klaker I know there are many cookbooks out there concerning bariatric surgery their is one of those "for dummies" book i do have it "somewhere", don't remember the title go to your bookstore - they can help you hopefully others will chime in good luck kathy

Just wanna say hi fellow Virginians! There aren't any Bariatric surgeons close by here in southwest VA so my surgery is in TN. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

You will be fine! I’m not trying to worry you because with Covid everyone is backed up. But there is huge difference so thought I’d share my experience. I know how you are feeling! I cancelled Surgery in Nov after doing 2 week fluids bc of blogs with horrific complications scared me to death. plus I never heard of loose skin that bad like the extreme ones on U-tube. Also petrified of Anesthesia bc bad issue before. Cancelled surgery in Jan because Dad died. I have met with my surgeon 4 times and he is the nicest caring surgeon. He doesn’t rush me & answers questions truthfully. He also does reflux surgery & has vitamins on amazon plus U-tube videos. He has plastic surgeon he works with & went over info to help insurance cover skin removal as it’s unhygienic & rashes hurt. But said exercise helps so much. His Nurse is awesome and when I call her for questions, she never tries to hurry me. The hospital pre op & Covid test ran smooth. It only took a month to be okayed so I pay nothing. The office is efficient. Surgery is Sep 8th. Three times a charm, I wish I had done it in November. I did the liquid diet twice now & gained it back. If you have a bad feeling make sure surgeon is a registered Bariatric Surgeon. Our health & lives are at risk. I have 4 bad issues will go away. So please think about that if you get scared at the last minute. We can all do this. Like you, I am pretty much alone except my husband. I’m really thankful for everyone here. If anyone is in the Houston/The Woodlands area, He has a 5 star rating several places so I’ll share info. Prayers for everyone having soon & recovering!

Hello all! I am a 37 year old male from Rochester, NY. I have looked into bariatric surgery, and feel that I could greatly benefit from this tool. I'm currently 6'3, 410 pounds, with sleep apnea and high blood pressure.... I attended a bariatric seminar (the first step in getting surgery through the hospital here), and am currently waiting on a phone call from them to schedule my first appointments. In the meantime, what sort of things can I do now to prep myself for this journey? I know the dieticians will have a plan for me to move forward, but I'm open to doing things in the meantime to prep myself, both physically and mentally. Look forward to hearing some advice!

I started writing this 2 days ago. I am suck a slacker! I can't believe I had LAP-BAND® surgery 5 days ago! :confused: Hospital: I had my surgery at the Reston Hospital. The pre-op staff was great. They kept me mildly entertained and tried to tell jokes to keep my mind off everything. My boyfriend almost fainted when they were trying to find a vein for the IV. It took them 3 tries but they finally found one (Apparently I have small, rolling veins...). After the anesthesiologist and Dr Robert Pinnar came in and left. I had about 10 minutes alone with my boyfriend before they wheeled me out. Those were the worst 10 minutes ever! Tears just started leaking out of my eyes. They wheeled me into the operating room, asked me to move over to the other bed, and I don't remember anything after that. I am disappointed with the post op nurses b/c no one seemed to know anything! They'd bring me some pills, I'd ask if this pill was too big and she'd be like "hold on, I'll go ask". Then she'd come back an hour later for her rounds, I'd ask if I could take the pill, and she'd just say 'yes' with no further explanation. I don't think any of them were familiar with bariatric surgery. In the morning, I waiting around for 3 hours for some Dr to come and discharge me. Eventually a nurse came in and said I could be discharged. I told her that the Dr never even came in and saw me! She just said to sign the papers, take my prescriptions and I could leave. So basically I was waiting around for nothing. Pain: From some of the stories here, I was expecting to be in excruciating pain. I guess I am lucky. I really haven't been in any pain. :confused: When I woke up in post-op, my incisions were stinging but that's the most pain I've felt. Since then it's been mostly discomfort and pressure under my diaphragm and gas. I spent the first night in the hospital and asked for the IV pain meds only when I was trying to go to sleep b/c I just couldn't seem to get comfortable. I took the percocets the next two nights when I came home. I probably didn't need them, but get into bed and trying to shove pillows around and get comfortable was a little painful. Scars: I think my scars are going to completely disappear. They look great already. one weird thing: my port is in the middle above my belly button! I thought everyone had theirs to the right btwn their waist and bust? I'll ask my Dr about this at my post op appt. I'll put pictures in an album. Overall, I'm mostly just tired. I've slept 10 hour nights for the last few days. I'm a little bored, but I'm glad I took off two weeks from work. There's no way I could make the 45 minute commute and my temper is still a little short b/c I want more than crappy protein shakes!

I'm thinking I'll call the after hours general nurse line today and depending what they say I'll call the bariatric nurse for my surgeon on Monday morning and get advice. Sent from my Pixel 3 using BariatricPal mobile app

Has anyone read "The Emotional First Aid Kit a practical guide to life after Bariatric Surgery "? I am reading it now and it has some really good info about pre and post op emotions.

Not sure what point your at now but I used kc Bariatrics and loved them. The office is hectic but I loved my Dr. Maybe you have a different Dr then I did...

Things are really gearing up for my surgery on 10/21. I have my pre admission testing on Thursday and Monday is my EGD. My problem is two part..The main thing is my sitter. I have a daughter who is almost 5. During the day she goes to a sitter while I am at work. She has been with this lady since she was 6 weeks old and, honestly, my sitter is like family. That is why my daughter is supposed to stay with her while I am in the hospital having surgery, and a day or two after. Well here is my problem...My sitter has a sister who is in end stage of her battle with cancer. She is in Hospice care now and it is just a matter of time. My sitter needs to be with her family when the end comes, so she may have to go at a moments notice. Normally that would not be a huge issue, but with these major appointments coming up it really is. I do not have a large extended family. I do not have a back up sitter available and will have to scramble big time should the sister pass during the daytime. My only option is MY 94 year old grandma who has dementia, and let's face it- that is no option! I have already missed nearly two months work earlier this year due to health issues, and have been lucky they are ok'ing another week for surgery. I cannot take additional time because of no sitter! Plus, the way my PATs are scheduled Thursday it will take most of the day. ( Have to check in one hospital at 8:45 for gallbladder ultrasound, upper GI series, EKG, and blood work. Then have to go to a DIFFERENT hospital by 12:45 to attend a mandatory class until 3pm) Now the second part of my issue is my EGD next Monday. You are NOT allowed to drive yourself home as they administer propofol during the test. I have someone to give me a ride to the hospital, but my sitter's daughter was going to be my ride home. (this wasn't even a certainty) Well now, if her aunt passes away, I cannot be certain she will be available to give me the ride. I am so close to the finish line and rescheduling is NOT an option. I am just a bit panicked about what is going to happen. I do feel great empathy for my sitter and the loss she is about to experience. I wish more than anything her sister wasn't ill and she didn't have to go through all of this. ( Her mother died earlier this year. That too caused a lot of disruption and scrambling to find someone to watch my child.) My sitter was actually one of the first people to discuss the possibility of me having bariatric surgery years ago, so she is supportive. It is just the fact my support network is extremely limited and when one person is unavailable, it creates a huge domino effect. Right now my mind is reeling trying to think of alternate possibilities, and not having much success. I could sure use some positive energy and thoughts right now. I am not doubting my path at all, just worried about how it will all come together.

Thanks, i dont personal know anyone who has had bariatric surgery so its kind of hard to know who people suggest

I'm allowed 3/4 cup of food three times a day with 2 Snacks. I usually never eat that much. I try between 600-800 calories daily. I see a therapist that specializes in working with bariatric patients. He's wonderful because he understands everything I'm going through. This is a life changing event and having someone to talk to really helps!!

Hi! In the beginning of my journey I got in touch with INSURE nutrition to see if I qualified for no cost protein shakes, scar cream and vitamins. They did all the leg work and I ended up receiving all of that ( 5 cartons with 18 in each. Premier protein) for about a year. It then stopped and I was bummed. Because we all know how expensive it can get. Well, they contacted me 2 weeks ago. They check with former customers ins. plans to see if they re-qualify. I did! It is so worth the time spent going back and forth with them. I received the shakes, bariatric vitamins and a new folic acid supplement.

I have been working with dr. Garber's office of NY bariatrics. I am wondering if anyone else has had their surgery completed by his office and was self pay? If so can you share the cost including endoscopy? Thanks, Laura

My bariatric program gave me Premier Protein Clear in Tropical 👊, it seems very strong so I have been cutting it half-and-half with Minute Maid 15 fruit punch , than topping it off with enough cold bottled water to fill my complimentary plastic cup from OSU. Then I pour it out into my baby 2 oz cups. Impromptu Poem Ounces 2-That's the thing to Do! Not good enough to win me Poet Laurete of the United States🇺🇸 but I do work cheap---even FREE!

Hi Chris..I'm 72 5ft8in 323lb down from a high of 355, BMI close to yours. Resident grandma of Bariatric Pal since I'm older than dirt. Should be having RnY...early-mid March unless a miracle happens this month. Mother to 3, 2 living, my son who I call Tomkitten on here and his older sister known as RD, short for Rotten Daughter. She lives 7/8 mile from me. After not speaking to me for 6 months her best friend died of a heart attack Christmas . She started calling and texting me, Will it last?Don't know, she should know I love her cause I've told her repeatedly over the years,,i just don't like some of her past actions. Hurts me she doesn't want to be closer. Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

If metabolic syndrome is the cause of your weight gain, a diet that is low to moderate in calories coupled with an exercise plan may not be enough to lose the weight. And if you continue to eat the wrong foods, exercise and diet may not help at all. In the late 1970s the government mandated we get the fat out of our food. The food industry responded by putting in more sugar. And that, we see by historical data, correlates to the time when America’s obesity epidemic began. Read my article, “Cause and Cure of Obesity in America.” In the New York Times best seller Fat Chance: Beating the Odds against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity and Disease, author Dr. Robert H. Lustig, a renown expert on obesity, points out that “a calorie is not a calorie.” Not all calories are equal. Whether the calorie comes from fructose, glucose, protein or fat is important to its metabolic effect and how much fat that calorie accounts for. Fructose and glucose — just two of the many names that sugar goes by — and even protein are said to be the culprits behind insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. Insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome are two primary causes of obesity in both adults and children. If you are struggling with the problem of an overgrown waistline, aka “belly fat,” this may be an indicator of these health conditions. Read my article, “Belly Fat is a Danger for All People.” If metabolic syndrome is the cause of your weight gain, a diet that is low to moderate in calories coupled with an exercise plan may not be enough to lose the weight. And if you continue to eat the wrong foods, exercise and diet may not help at all. What are the Wrong Foods? Sugar goes by a variety of names, about 52 in all, including glucose, maltose, sucrose, and fructose. The result has been an altering of our biochemistry that has driven our eating out of control, according to Dr. Lustig. Dr. Lustig further states that so-called healthy sugars such as agave, coconut and palm sugars are all “crap.” Checkout this HealthCentral sugar infographic named Sugar is to Blame: http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/380545/179644/sugar-blame-infographic/ Dr. Andrew Weil, a well-known guru for holistic health and integrative medicine, agrees on this point. Dr. Weil warns that sugar is toxic, and coupled with modern industrial food, has disastrous effects on the hormones that control hunger, satiety, and weight. Both Dr. Lustig and Dr. Ron Rosedale, author of The Rosedale Diet, advise that branch chain amino acids (BCAAs) and protein contribute to insulin resistance and obesity. I’ve been eating a high-protein diet and taking BCAAs because I thought I was doing my body good. Whey protein, which I and the majority of bariatric patients have been conditioned to consume, is one of the worst foods for releasing insulin in the body according to Dr. Andreas Eenfeldt, a Swedish medical doctor and specialist in family medicine. Dr. Eenfeldt, commonly known on the web as the “Diet Doctor,” interviews Dr. Lustig on the "Causes of Obesity" in the video below (or watch it on ). The Bottom Line If you think metabolic syndrome may be the cause of your weight gain, then eating a traditional “healthy diet” combined with exercise may result in failure to lose weight. Talk to your nutritionist. Further, you may wish to explore three diets for metabolic syndrome from Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Robert H. Lustig, and Dr. Andrew Weil in my article, “Metabolic Syndrome and Weight Loss.” Living larger than ever, My Bariatric Life

I didn't get my surgery date til the end of January and I started this process in September. It's been 6 months and it seems to have really went by super fast. Watching others only motivates me more. I get to see so many successes. It's great. I can honestly say that I'm happy I had sessions with my nutritionist. She only works with bariatric patients and at each appointment I gained a wealth of knowledge. Also, this site has helped prepare me in so many ways. April

Talk to your bariatric program and make them aware of this.

Hi there. I have Aetna and am 6 days post op. Sounds like you may need to start from the beginning unless you have seen your physician on a monthly basis with weight documented, as well as a dietician and therapist. I used TMH Bariatric Center- wonderful group. I have a bariatric MD, dietician and therapist all in the same building. Once you complete the three month plan, and are not gaining any weight, the MD submits a letter of medical necessity and refers you to your surgeon. Once your surgeon gets the referral, they submit your paperwork to Aetna and from there is a waiting game. It was less than a week before I received my surgery date. You can call member services and they may be able to help you see where you stand. From start to finish, it took 5 1/2 months for the entire process. Good luck!

My pre-op diet started today 3/18 anc consists of Bariatric Advantage shake for breakfast and lunch. If I want a AM snack it is to be 6 oz tomato juice or low cal vit c fruit juice. At night I can make dinner or some of the low card ww meals, lean cruisine, etc. PM snack can be 1 oz cheese and fruit, or yogurt and nuts, or another protein shake. I was a bit hungry come dinner time tonight but I think this will be liveable. Only 26 more shakes still surgery.

My pamphlet instructions from my bariatric surgeon said not to get pregnant for a year! Oh dear lord, I can't imagine getting pregnant at 49. I am already a grandmother to a almost 7 year old, LOLOLOLOL. You want my old opinion sweety- enjoy your new life being banded first, enjoy your new marriage, enjoy eachother 'first' ... take it from someone who got pregnant as a 'teenager' and missed out!!!

Ok! So I received my packet today from Kaiser. It comes with a 23 page booklet about the whole process. Also a Bariatric Pre-Program questionnaire. Im a bit worried from some of the stuff I have read in the booklet. For example, they want me to show proof I have been on a program for at least 6 months in the last 10 years. Well years ago my old doctor put me on Medifast and I went to some support meetings for it. I was able to lose weight over a course of 8 months but I gained it all back. They charted our success at the meetings, but I wasn't given any documentation on letterhead or anything like that. Ive also done HMR supplements last year and lost 25 lbs and gained it back. I'm worried I don't have the proper documents they are looking for. Also im a bit nervous with this questionnaire. I'm afraid if i answer wrong ill get turned down. It also says a BMI of 50 or 40 with 2 morbiditys. Im 38BMI and I have hypertention but it is not severe, and the booklet says severe. I do have gerd, sleep apena and joint and back pain. And some depression from my weight. Any advice you can give me if you have filled this out for kaiser before would be helpful. Id like to know what happens when I bring this in. I feel like its my only chance and I dont want to mess it up.