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I went ultra-low carb (20g net carbs a day), but I’m not vegetarian so it would’ve been easier for me. This was not my prescribed program, i chose to do this on my own (and fully disclosed it to my NUT). I didn’t eat any fruit during weight loss phase save for the occasional berry (least amount of sugar in the fruit family). But i do now at 3+ years post op. You can try google-ing Vegetarian Keto for some food/recipe ideas, but i think that so soon after surgery you may not reach your bariatric protein requirements and stay below your maintenance calories to be true Keto. So maybe a modified version of it?

http://wlsappeals.com/avoiding-bariatric-insurance-denials/

Honestly I feel like I jumped in so quickly thinking this would be a magic fix. It wasn't. I don't really understand what restriction is. I do get food stuck ever so often so wouldn't that mean I have restriction? But I am constantly hungry What kind of dr do I see? There are no bariatric surgeons anywhere within 2 hours of me and to go see the on two hours from me requires $2500 for them to start seeing you for a Lapband they didn't do I think the place where I can get a full could help though.

Yes, I think that a lot of surgeons are anti-band because the patient education, aftercare, and support is time-consuming and expensive. That's partly because surgeons are trained to approach surgery as a one-time fix-it thing. But bariatric surgery doesn't work that way. I would not have a band put in by a doctor who hates the band. I don't think you'd get the patient education, aftercare, and support you need from him (see above) to succeed. I hate that you've gotten this far and only now have discovered his true feelings about the band. If he or someone in his practice speaks at pre-op educational seminars, they need to make that position clear then so other people don't waste their time as you have. On the other hand, the sleeve is not as terrible as you might think. While it's scary to think of losing a big part of your stomach, people have been surviving gastrectomies for decades. Years ago I had a coworker who had lost most of her stomach because of ulcers and she was healthy and happy. And slim.

Welcome back Season :smile2: There is so so much info on the band now every DO and DONT I've thought of is somewhere here at this site. This site is AWESOME.:thumbup: So many supportive people with great advise. Now that you've renewed your band vows I'm sure you'll do great!!! You'rea already 10 lbs down, that's a really good start.

Hi: I had my surgery June 5. Was doing pretty good, motivated and losing. Then June 23 I had a blood clot in my leg. Even though I was on the bariatric diet in the hospital, I weighed as much as I did when I came out as I did at surgery. And I was told not to exercise. I had 1 fill on July 30 and I felt no different, I have a hard spot where he did the fill, so I wonder if it even went in my band. I have been really depressed, just can't seem to get started again, my hair is falling out. If anyone had this happen or if you have suggestions for me, please write back. Thanks, Wanda

One of the best things you can do is provide kitchen support. If you are the chief cook and bottle washer in your house, make sure you have that kitchen stocked with foods he can readily eat, like lean Proteins and green veggies. Keep in mind that dessert is now an apple, not apple pie. Seriously, do not tempt him by eating junk in front of him. If you must indulge in something for yourself, take it to another room. Eventually he will have to develop coping skills for eating around other people who do not share his new post-op eating plan, but that comes with time. Learn all you can about healthy post-op eating and support him in following the program laid out by his bariatric team. You are an awesome spouse for being on board. Many bariatric patients face unnecessary opposition from folks who just don't understand what a struggle this is. You are a gift.

Thank you very much. I appreciate that. I had RNY surgery. “Not obese enough”??? If you medically qualified for the lapband then I don’t understand why you wouldn’t have medically qualified for the sleeve as well. They go by BMI and I believe it is the same for sleeve and band. (40 or, if you have comorbidities then it can be 35) It sounds like you likely used a general surgeon instead of a bariatric surgeon. Both are qualified to do the procedure but a bariatric surgeon is far more educated on the actual Bariatrics aspect. They are much more informed and actually take a couple of years to specialize in WLS. As opposed to a general surgeon who only learns the procedure and then does it. He doesn’t take that extra time to learn the ins and outs of it all. Even being on the smaller side of overweight, I still don’t understand why a surgeon would perform a procedure that has SO MANY complications and such an incredibly small rate of success. Why would he perform this operation at all? It is such common knowledge within the bariatric community that the band is a hugely bad idea. If you said you had it done several years ago then I might understand more, but you had this in 2017. The surgeon should be ashamed. Did he tell you the complication rate is far higher with the band than with any other procedure? Did he tell you people lose far less weight with the band and the rate of regain over a 5 year period is almost double that of the sleeve and RNY? My surgeon told me it won’t be long before we are seeing commercials saying “if you’ve had the lapband and had complications, call the law office of...” I’m very sorry this happened to you. I am super angry for you, to be honest. Your surgeon did you a huge disservice. I actually had a lapband for a long time and the loss was incredibly slow. After several years, I developed complications and nearly died. I had to have the band removed. I chose to also have a revision to RNY and it is a completely different experience. It’s so much better. If you continue experiencing pain or the other issues you mentioned, I would strongly suggest finding a new surgeon and having a consultation. Try your best to find someone who specializes in Bariatrics rather than just a general surgeon. I had a general surgeon with my band too because I really didn’t know the difference, to be honest. It was a huge mistake. I wasted a lot of years of my life with that awful band. Again, I’m very sorry. I’m seriously angry right now. I can’t believe these surgeons are still doing this procedure. Please don’t give up. I know this is hard. It’s so hard. But just remember why you did this. You wanted a healthier, better quality life. You can still have that. It may just happen a little differently than planned, that’s all. As of October 12, 2017, I am 4 months post op and have lost 100 pounds. I have reached my goal weight and could not be more ecstatic!

Need to find a doctor that will help me with my fills, my new insurance doesn't cover bariatric so I need to pay out of my pocket but need my maintence done, it has been 5 years since my surgery and you just can't let go of it because of insurance not covering you? In Houston, Texas

I got my first round of labs back the other day. I was surprised that almost everything came back within range, seeing as how I'm only taking a non-bariatric multi-vitamin once a day. Especially surprised I didn't have low calcium. I was a little low on iron, but not anemic. The only thing that came in low was potassium, which kinda makes sense because of the frequent diarrhea. I've stocked up on white beans and PowerAid Zero, and they are gonna re-test in a week. Regardless, they spooked me enough that I went ahead and picked up the Bariatric Advantage multi (with Iron), and some calcium citrate. Will try to take doses both day and night, although they said something about taking the calcium two hours after the multi, which is gonna be difficult.

Sure. I'm at about 18 months. FOODS Not nearly as sensitive to foods are I was, but I still feel like avocados do me in. Ice Cream. Beer. Basically sugar, carbs, wheat. VITAMINS I take two normal chewable bariatric vitamin in the morning (dosage is two). That seems to keep me covered for everything except D and calcium. Based on advice from this board, I now take 50,000 iu of D3 every day in capsule form. NOTE: THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT AND TOOK A YEAR BEFORE SOMEONE ON THIS BOARD CLUED ME IN: After this surgery, anything oil based goes through you like **** through a duck. This is in general a good thing. I can literally eat a stick of butter at every meal and it will not show up on waistline. BUT, this means that any vitamin or other drugs that are "Gelcaps" run through you without effect and do not absorb!! Most D3 is sold in gelcap form so you need to find a version that isn't. (I dont know what brand im using offhand, but if you ask I will go upstairs and figure it out.) . SInce switching to non-gelcaps, my D3 is right where it needs to be. I've also had issues with calcium, which is common. I recently switched to the more expensive version. Haven't been re-tested yet, but will report back after my next test. Lastly, I take generic Prilosec for heartburn. I didn't need to before surgery, but now its a must. I take one more 'vitamin' for joint issues, but that IMO is unrelated to bariatric. THat's it. Not the fistful of pills you sometimes see others taking. But Im SIPS- not full DS - one of the advantages of which is less vitamin issues BATHROOM Yeah, that's still major issue. 12 to 20 times a day. Usually explosive. Not quite as smelly as the early days, but....yeah... i **** A LOT. I usually have to get up 3 to 4 times a night still. And It isn't pretty. I carry wet wipes with me at in my back pack at all times, along with poopouri. Also, having a toilet brush in every bathroom in my house is a must. Sometimes I have to do cleanup duty in restaurant or other public bathrooms, just because I feel guilty about the damage I have created. Its really really wrong NOTE: I still eat fast food and all types of garbage. If I cleaned my diet, I assume things in the bathroom would improve. But I like fast food, and I still keep getting skinnier, so I guess the trade off is worth it.

If you're willing to travel over 2000 miles to go to Mexico (2090 miles from Chicago per google earth), you also might want to consider Dr. Tersigni at Bay Bariatrics in Coos Bay, Oregon (2341 miles from Chicago). Bay Bariatrics is a certified Center of Excellence and Dr. Tersgnin recently lowered his self pay price, in the surgery center, to $10,000. Bay Bariatrics - Steve Tersigni, MD - Coos Bay, Oregon I wish you success in your search.

I bit late on the reply, but for physically fit people, heart rates in the mid 40's are fairly common occurrence. Always have it checked by your doctor to be sure that is all it is, but once you know it is "normal" for you, I wouldn't worry too much about it. My son just lost some weight and became much more physically active and has noticed the same thing. And he was only a bit overweight... not a bariatric patient.

I called bariatric coordinator this morning & she said it should be fine because I was already approved for RNY , they will just resubmit for sleeve. So stay tooned :/ I do not want Rny & hope all goes well with sleeve approval.

I don't think there is any evidence that water + food stretches out a sleeve, at least not in those patients who are portion-compliant. However, in RNY patients (who have a 'pouch') the tissue used to make the pouch is the stretchy part of the stomach and the pyloric valve is bypassed. Those pouches CAN enlarge over time with food and liquid taken to excess. I think a lot of bariatric "advice" comes from clinicians who mainly have dealt with bypass patients.

I actually have been seeing a pediatric bariatric surgeon already. im three months into the process.. throughout my entire life ive been overweight and ive had a lot of troubles in school and health problems in between. i have a genetic condition that affects my muscles and joints and i feel losing some weight would benefit me . I also am on the road to type 2 diabetes and already have fatty liver. i may just get this done for medical health reasons

@@My Bariatric Life Thanks for posting. Interesting.

Hi there! My name is Tonya and I live in Asheville. It seems that most of the people on this board are in Charlotte. Are the any WNC people out there? Would like to find some to talk to! A little about me: I am not banded yet. I went to the info session at Mission Bariatric here in Asheville a little over a year ago. They have an arbitrary maximum weight that have to be under in order for them to do the surgery. I have tried and tried to get there, but with no support I just can't get there. :cry I am currently looking at other options. I have BCBS and have looked at the "Surgical Centers of Excellence". The closest one to me that does the lap band seems to be Concord or Charlotte, both of which are at least 2 hours away, and even with that I'm not sure if they'll pay for the lap band. Anyway, I'm glad I found this board! Talking to other people in NC who are banded is great! Tonya Asheville, NC

Agree with @vikingbeast. You need to take a big step back. You’re stressed & emotional which only enhances those cravings. You crave the foods which offered you comfort in the past & you crave the familiar of being able to eat what you want, when you want it. And the more you worry the more anxious you become. You may find a therapist who specialises in supporting bariatric patients very helpful. Ask your surgeon for a recommendation. Constipation is part of the journey. I tried to keep on top of mine by taking Benefibre at least every second day, keeping my fluid intake up & taking a stool softener if I got to day 3 or 4 without movement. I also ate very mild instant rolled oats from purée stage. Took me days to eat a full serve but it was good fibre. You may need an enema since it’s been 15 days or a visit to the hospital for assistance. Being constipated does make it seem you’ve stopped losing or have gained. Get rid of it & your weight will be lower very quickly & you’ll feel much better. Stalls are very common. They can last 1 - 3 weeks, sometimes more. And you can experience a number of them as you’re losing. The first usually occurs around week 3 give or take. You just have to ride them out. They’re just your body taking a time out to come to terms with your weight loss. Changes to your sense of smell & taste are also common. They usually are temporary but how long it lasts is individual. Are there specific foods that upset you more you can avoid? The strong body odour is from your body being in ketosis - fat burning. It’s like every bodily secretion reeks. It passes too. I took deodorant, toothbrush, tooth paste & mouth wash & body wipes to work for refreshes during the day. I was someone who frequently skipped meals in an effort to lose weight (did that for 40+years) & tried all those very low calorie diets including one I did several times that was only 500 calories a day. I still lost all my weight & more. Stick as close to your plan as you can. It may take you a little longer to reach a stage recommendation for calories, portion size &/or foods you can eat but that’s ok. You’ll get there.

Hi everyone, I met with Psych, fitness, dietician today, they also included pharmacy to go over all of our medications including over-the-counter and supplements. I had a heart attack a year and a half ago, I don’t have any stents nor did I have any blockages. I’m on beta blockers and calcium channel blocker‘s, aspirin and Lipitor. Some of these have to be adjusted because they’re extended release, but the main issue is the aspirin. The pharmacist stated that because I am now a bariatric surgical patient Motrin and aspirin I can no longer take. This poses an issue because I am supposed to take 81 mg of aspirin a day. I do have to get cardiac clearance from my cardiologist before proceeding with the surgery,. I was wondering if there are any cardiac patients here that have gone through this? Thanks!

The Syntrax Nectar protein shakes are the only ones I use. There are many different flavors so you never get tired of them. You can order the sampler pack on BJ's Bariatrics.

I am not worried about the food aspect of the holidays, but I want to be able to participate and be active then. My daughter is only four and I am a single parent ( father is uninvolved) so I am the only one she has to make those times special for her. It is much more about being able to do things with her over the holidays. ( instead of being laid up healing from major surgery) December is basically out because of work. I really wanted to take advantage of the financial aspect since I have already met annual cap on insurance. ( Why I would like to get it done this year) That is probably why you found so many folks had booked for end of year. The one plus I have is it seems like my surgeon is the less busy one in the practice. He is an older gentleman with years of experience. ( He is head of bariatrics for two hospitals) But his partner is the "face" of the practice. He is the one you see on their website. He is also the one holding the seminars. So when everyone who attended the seminar signed up to consult after, about 98% signed up for that doctor. I had already been referred to my doctor by my PCP so I was going to him anyway. Maybe his "lack of popularity" will help me out in the long run! LOL

It sounds like it could WLS related but only one way know for sure so please contact your original Bariatric Surgeon if you can (or a new one) for diagnostic testing and guidance.

My insurance changed! I started my journey November 2018, with a consult with my (then) surgeon at Riverside Medical Clinic. With my (then) insurance, Anthem Blue Cross ***, I only needed 3 month (12 continuous classes) supervised nutrition/weight classes. As of now, I finished 10 out of my 12 classes. Last week I found out my insurance changed to Anthem BC PPO and they now require me to go to a Dignity Health Facility to be covered 100%. Well okay... I call my nearest Dignity Health bariatric surgery center to find out more. I was told at Western Bariatric (St. Bernadine -- San Bernardino, CA) that I needed 6 months of classes and basically restart my journey. I started to bawl my eyes out! I'm 25 (November birthday) and I'm getting real close to end of my insurance coverage under my parents. When I had started my journey, I was hoping to have my surgery by March or April. So, I'm worried about having my surgery before my cut off. Anyway, I sucked it up and started making calls. I attended their Seminar, where we filled out new patient packets and made copies of our insurances. The next step is to wait for a call to schedule my consult with their surgeon. I was told that the consult would count as 1 of the 6 months of weight classes. Does anyone believe they will accept my 3 months of classes Ive already taken? (and maybe only need 3 more months to meet the 6mo requirement?) Will they consider the original surgeon consult from November 2018 too (as part of the 6 months wight management?) I'm honestly hoping that Western Bariatric will consider my start (Nov.) to my current (Feb.) for a total of 4 out of the 6 required months. I didnt want to be set further back, but ill take whatever they'll take and Im hoping for the best! Can anyone can give me some insight? Similar situations? Anyone go to Western Bariatric? I'm really anxious.

I was not told how much to eat, and the doc and dietician at the bariatric center told me different things as well. I have had less than 700 calories today, and actually had two eggs (over easy with 0 cal spray). My hubby mentioned that two eggs was a lot. I know I probably shouldn't have had eggs on the full liquid diet, but I needed to eat something different. I am having no restriction. Thanks for the response on the healing not loosing. I actually haven't lost anything in the last couple days, and thought it might be due to eating the oatmeal, cot. cheese, and soup. One other question. I see a lot of people talking about jerkey. I would have thought that would be totally off the menu. what's up with that?