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How's everyone doing with their vitamins? Are you guys taking bariatric vitamins or generic? I slacked off a bit but I started to feel the difference in my energy level. So needless to say I'm back on track with those as well. I'm also adding a supplement of Omega 3 fish oil and CLA which is suppose to help with cardiovascular health, metabolism and lean muscle mass.

I got better advice from my Surgeon and Bariatric NUT than I did in the 5 months I went to see my dietician. She knew absolutely nothing! She was young and had a few years experience but didn't help me lose ANY WEIGHT AT ALL! It was a waste of time but my insurance insisted on it.

Hi, I would highly recommend Dr Tiffany Jessee. She has offices in Largo where I go and also in Tampa. Here is a link to her website. Lap Band Surgery Florida | Bariatric Surgeon | Dr. Tiffany Jessee Check it out and see what you think...I think she is the best!

Tiffykins, I am so excited for you. One day I will move down from being a "triple hitter" too. One of the things that motivated me to start looking at bariatric surgery was that some XXXL's were not even fitting anymore. HORRORS. Now I have hope. Your posts are so encouraging. Thank you!

Even though this thread is so old, I am so glad I found it and hope that we can renew it again. I had that thought all day today, " I don't think I can do this anymore" I am not even a month post-op and I feel like I am already a failure and back to my old ways of eating. Why can't this be easier? It was the first three weeks and all of a sudden the last few days, I feel so out of control and I am eating to the point that my lower stomach is stretched and hurts so much! I feel miserable! I am not doing the right things-taking my time ,taking small bites, chewing enough and it is just slipping right through the band, making me so full and horrible like I always used to. I feel like I gained back the 30 lbs I lost. I know this isn't true but my mind is so confused and I DON"T KNOW HOW TO LISTEN TO MY BODY!!!! I never did before, so why did I think this would be the magic to cure a behavior I have carried with me for 30 years? The difference is now I am in so much pain from overeating and I risk complications of all sorts because now I have to worry about hurting the band, too!!!! I feel helpless. I know I will probably wake up with my period tomorrow and that has to do with it but right now I can't take this feeling!!!!! I feel like I am suffocating. Can anyone relate? Give me some advise? I know tomorrow is another day, the minute I get this in writing, I can think of it as a cleansing and the next minute is a new one! I know I can pull myself together, but why does it have to be so F****ing Hard!:thumbup::wub::w00t::thumbs_down::w00t::thumbs_down::thumbs_down::thumbs_down:Thanks for letting me vent here.

Yes, my doctor offers Bariatric Advantage Meal Replacements. On them for 15 days before surgery. Today is day 1, so far so good! =) Good luck on your journey thus far!!

My surgeon said that only about 20% of people undergoing bariatric surgery will have gall bladder problems requiring removal.

I ordered from my bariatric pantry... the sample packets have 10 for around $18 they are pretty good, called syntrax nectar... also Sam's has a pre made Premium Protein chocolate shake I really like these and they are very convenient...

I'm getting sleeved on June 11th....I have my last pre-op appt on May 22nd, that's when the NUT suggested I start...so I'll be on the pre-op diet for almost 3 weeks (its my own fault, my doctor took some Fluid out of my band in Feburary because I was starting to get really bad acid reflux, and I've gained 10 pounds ( ) I've bought alot of sample packets from bariatric pantry.com as well as CHIKE.. I'm in Houston, Texas, my surgeon is Dr. Yu

Hi Bariatric Friends ...... I would like to lose approx. 28 kgs. I have just lost 9.5 kgs. in 10 weeks with Slimming World. I have been discussing Bariatric Sleeve surgery but my daughter is so against me having it done. She says that I will never again be able to enjoy a family meal or a meal out .... that I am not heavy enough to have Bariatric Surgery .... that I can lose this weight by watching my food intake and not necessarily having a bariatric sleeve, which is quite drastic. I have a neurological auto-immune illness, which has caused my weight gain - I was very thin until the onset of this illness. I am on lots of (weight inducing) medication. I am going to be taking this medication for life. I am now wondering whether Bariatric Surgery or basic diet change is the way to go. There is no guarantee that I will lose weight even if I become anorexic because of my illness and the associated medication. Would you recommend surgery or just diet management for my situation. If I could get my jaws wired for a time I could find out if I'm going to lose enough weight to make me happy ...... Thanks in advance for your advice ....... I'm very confused !!

I have a call on Monday with the bariatric nurse to confirm my medications. I think I need to discuss this with them. Because I've been on other diets before and lost more than this in a shorter time. So something isn't right... unless my body is in starvation mode and it's going to drop a TON all at once. It's really hard not to get discouraged, though, when you actually do what you're supposed to. =( I lost more weight in September when I was eating Taco Bell once a day. lol. Not kidding. Sent from my SM-G930R4 using BariatricPal mobile app

I was sleeved 06/13. I had my 1 week post op yesterday... For the stats fans: 5'3" SW: 234 CW: 222 GW: 135 This last week has been utter hell! I have been in a severe amount of pain. I'm so jealous of the people who feel nothing afterward! My left incision is TIGHT and I have a huge bulge because it's so tight. It's swollen and hurts like a SOB. Especially when I go from sitting to standing. YOWZA! But the worst part is the pain with swallowing. Ever since my first baby sip of water on surgery day, I've had pain when I swallow. It is so much pressure and feels like a weight is sitting on my chest. Because of that, I'm not meeting my fluid or protein goals. The most fluid I have had in a day was 46 oz and protein was 32... And that was on my best day. My surgeon said she wasn't surprised I'm having issues because she thought the opening between my stomach & esophagus looked tighter/smaller than it should have been while she was in there. So that pain is because things are getting stuck. The plan is to go back in and have my esophagus dilated, but she wants to wait 4 weeks to give me time to heal. 4 weeks of this pain and exhaustion! Meanwhile, I have a standing order for IV fluids at my local hospital for any day I don't reach my fluid goals and anytime I'm feeling exhausted or just not feeling great. Which is all the time since I'm dehydrated and not getting enough protein! They also said I should wait to go back to work until at least a month or until after this issue has been fixed! I don't know what to tell my boss because I am not telling anyone about my surgery. Even worse... It's a brand new job! My first one after 6 years as a SAHM! I told them during my interview that I was having surgery (not what kind) and that I would need at least 2 or 3 weeks off. They said for the right person, they would make anything work and offered me the job on the spot. They said it was their first time ever hiring someone immediately, but they knew I was perfect for the job and team. That made me feel amazing! But fast forward a month into the job when it was surgery time, they only gave me 12 days off and put me back on the schedule. I told them I wasn't sure if I could come back that early, but that I would keep them posted. They sort of agreed to that... But a month? Now I don't know what to say! My doc provided me a note, but it says 'bariatric surgery' in the company letterhead. I can't use it... I only told 2 people about this surgery... My husband and my mom. And I am not comfortable telling anyone else. I'm sad it didn't go as planned... frustrated that my doc didn't fix it during surgery when she clearly saw it wasn't right, exhausted, and real tired of being in pain! Is anyone else going through this? I feel so alone! Please do NOT comment just to say "I never had any pain or issues!" Or "I'm going back to work 5 days post-op!" Yeah... Congrats. 😏😜😂 I can't tell you how disheartening it is to read all the stories like that. I'm glad for you, truly, but super jealous it didn't go like that for me! So, please don't be salty! Lol!

Here's the video of A Lighter Me Surgeon, Dr. Elias Ortiz. Dr. Elias Ortiz is the number one provider of Bariatric surgery in Mexico! A Lighter Me has been in this business for over 11 years. Gastric Sleeve surgery starts at $4,600 unless there is a special of some kind.

Multi vitamin with iron, calcium citrate, b12, vitamin d3, biotin, I also take a knock off of juice plus. I don't think it's just the Nicholson clinic, but any one whose chooses bariatric surgery needs to take vitamins forever. Also, I priced all the vitamins and supplements and found them so much cheaper not going through some of the places they recommended. Amazon, Sam's and CVS are your friends. Sam's and Walmart for your protein powder. Pure Protein or Premier Protein are on plan and much cheaper than others recommend. Hope this helps.

I stumbled upon this excellent article discussing NJ Governor Chris Christie's weight struggle. As a NJ resident, it is a frequent topic when discussing him. I think this Dr. makes an excellent comparison of morbid obesity to heart disease when discussing societal discrimination. Interested to hear others opinions. THE MORBID OBESITY EPIDEMIC AND GOVERNOR CHRISTIE by Mitchell Roslin, MD, FACS As a physician that specializes in the treatment of morbid and severe obesity, the recent exchange between Governor Chris Christie and Dr. Connie Mariano, made me contemplate many of the misunderstood and misappropriated issues and perceptions that surround obesity in our society. Governor Christie decided to appear on The Late Show with David Letterman. To demonstrate his humor and humility, he pulled a doughnut from his pocket and began to eat while Letterman chuckled. The following day, a former White House physician, Dr. Connie Mariano declared that the Governor’s weight was no laughing matter. Furthermore, she stated that he was a ticking time bomb, and if elected president, could die in office. To some, these comments may represent the honest opinion of a famous physician. From my perspective, they demonstrate how unique obesity is over every other medical condition. The difference in our collective perception and beliefs regarding obesity and other chronic medical issues can be shown by comparing the medical history of Governor Christie to that of former Vice President Richard Cheney. d**k Cheney was 59 years old when he was elected, with George W. Bush, to serve as Vice President. As Vice President, he was barely one medical event or disaster away from becoming Commander in Chief. While Dr. Mariano may believe that Christie is a ticking time bomb, Cheney was alive in 2000 because of timely medical care and the incredible advancements made in his lifetime in the management of coronary artery disease. Before, during, and after office, Cheney has been the recipient of virtually every new procedure and technique to treat heart disease. He had his first major heart attack at the age of 37. Prior to becoming Vice President he had four heart attacks, a cardiac arrest and underwent open-heart surgery. While in office, he had multiple angioplasties and stents placed, as well as an implantable defibrillator to treat a potentially fatal arrhythmia. After leaving office, he underwent heart transplantation. While many would not describe Cheney as an empathetic figure, his medical condition was handled with respect and compassion. Despite the multiple cardiac events that occurred, his capacity to serve – based on his medical condition -was rarely questioned. Where it was fair to debate his policies and positions, he was never attacked and/or viewed as being incapable because of the severity of his heart disease. During hurricane Sandy and its aftermath, we all saw Governor Christie climbing through rubble and traveling throughout the state of New Jersey. Appearing with President Obama, he was vibrant and full of energy. Appearing on television regularly, his size could not be missed. However, he never appeared to be limited or impacted by his girth, nor was he hospitalized or treated for any medical issue during this stressful period. The contrast and irony is startling. Christie, who has never had a major medical issue in office, is labeled to be a ticking time bomb. Yet, little attention has been paid to Cheney’s extensive medical condition and complex cardiac history. In fact, you could say that his bomb had already detonated. The difference? Christie’s obesity is not transparent. Everyday, every second, all can see his girth. In contrast, the blockages in Cheney’s heart cannot be seen. While intellectually, we can understand their significance, an angiogram or a map of his circulation is not shown by his side. Much more is also taking place. It is with trepidation and even fear of legal implications that one questions whether someone can or cannot perform their professional tasks secondary to a medical condition. Yet, the implication of Dr. Mariano’s statement is that corporeal weight and body habitus can be implicated in the determining whether someone is qualified for employment. She questioned whether Governor Christie would be able to perform the duties of national office. Thus, on the basis of size, he may not be the right man for the job. If we extrapolate this thought, it would mean that all employers could believe that a person of ideal weight many be better able to work in their establishment than a severely obese individual. Thus, when it comes to obesity, it is acceptable to discriminate. Unfortunately, this is not new news. To protect individuals that have other medical conditions, we have even passed laws such as HIPAA to preserve their privacy. It certainly can be argued that if you are an employer, you would not want to hire someone with a similar cardiac history as Vice President Cheney. Individuals, such as Mr. Cheney, are more likely to miss work time and cost more to employers and tax payers to provide sufficient health care, regarding their dire conditions. That is why, for most positions, your medical record is kept private. In contrast, in the case of morbid obesity, there is no anonymity and a test is not needed to diagnose. It is physically and socially self-evident. Imagine someone of Dr. Mariano’s status commenting on an issue of race, religion, sexual orientation, or even other any other status of adverse medical condition. Her comments would be treated with outrage. It seems that obesity is the last bastion of accepted prejudice. In a world were we have become socially and legally evolved enough to understand and accept all divergent issues, whether they be diverse in ethnic, religious, economic, racial and sexual identifications, obesity still endears itself to cultural stereotyping and profiling. It may be my prejudice, but I think Dr. Mariano was saying much more with her comments: if you are not able to balance your caloric intake, do you have the self-control to balance our budget? Can a person who is morbidly obese be a proper role model to be Commander In Chief? If you do not have the discipline to manage yourself, how can you manage our country? Also if you are not potentially in denial, would you not seek treatment and accept responsibility for creating then solving your own medical problem that would impede you from such? All such simply continues to add to the misperceptions and misappropriations regarding obesity. They also explain why surveys and studies have shown that people would rather be dead than severely obese. No matter how ridiculous this sounds, when you are obese, society looks at you with scorn. You are responsible for your condition. As a result, little compassion is expressed. Besides having a strong family history for heart disease, Vice President Cheney smoked heavily for 20 years prior to his first heart attack. Although, this certainly contributed to his heart disease, his heart disease was viewed as a medical condition, and not equated with character flaws. Obesity is not viewed with such largesse toward any individual. Another unspoken message was that Governor Christie was in denial or should be actively working to lose weight. The truth, in my opinion, is that he struggles everyday and is very much aware of the issue and frustrated by it. It has been my experience that people who are successful and severely obese wonder: ‘how can I succeed in most everything else and still fail this battle?’. So what have we learned about obesity? Is there truth to Dr Mariano’s comments? Is this just another essay that states that no one should be held accountable or have personal responsibility? Severe and morbid obesity combined with a sedentary lifestyle is the biggest medical issue that people, and de facto, our country faces. Despite medical innovation, life expectancy is expected to decline, only seconded to the epidemic of obesity and diabetes. Thus, clearly, someone that is as obese as Governor Christie is at a substantially increased risk of significant heath detriment than someone of similar age, who has a normal body mass. His statement that he is the healthiest fat person is one that I hear commonly. It usually means that he requires no medication for hypertension, diabetes and hypercholesterolemia. Obesity is representative of an energy imbalance. The causes are multifactorial and the impact variable. Not all severely obese individuals are diabetic or prone to heart disease. Those such propensities depends on the distribution of the adipose or fat tissue. Those that have central obesity, especially with fat in their abdominal cavity, are much more likely to have metabolic disease. When the majority of fat resides in the subcutaneous tissues these co-morbidities are less likely. However, their excess adiposity has other consequences. There are only few people that I have cared for that are Governor Christie’s size that do not have sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a condition that generally results in patients awakening at night to get adequate oxygen, due to the stress on the body of excess weight. The blood vessels in the lungs contract and this puts strain on the heart. As a result, the heart is more likely to have rhythm disturbances. In addition, excess corporeal weight causes undue and substantial wear on joints and the lower extremities. It is a misnomer that Gov. Christie does not care about his physical state or is in denial about such. Besides surgery, there is absolutely no documented or successful treatment option. Laymen watch popular television shows like the Biggest Loser or daytime talk shows and think that weight loss is easy. Unfortunately, the majority of people that lose large sums of weight – regardless of whatever method – suffer cataclysmic recidivism. Intuitively, most believe that we can be trained or be taught to change our behavior and maintain weight loss. However, science contradicts these widely-held beliefs. The body resists weight loss. When caloric intake is curtailed, we respond by becoming more efficient and reducing our metabolic rate. A registry is kept of people that have lost substantial sums of weight and maintained the weight loss for five or more years. On average, to preserve their weight, at the new loss state, they eat less than 1200 calories and exercise more than an hour per day. The story of Dr. Stuart Berger is typical of the weight loss struggle. Dr. Berger was perhaps the first famous television diet doctor. While in medical school at Tufts University, he weighed in excess of 400 pounds. He lost a substantial sum of weight and authored The South Hampton Diet. His diet book was widely-publicized and he became a weight-loss guru. He died from heart disease at the age of 42. At the time of his death, his weight was again 400 pounds. With the development of minimally invasive techniques, bariatric surgery has become safer than virtually any other abdominal or weight-loss operation. Despite these improvements, surgery is a frightening proposition. Family and friends who believe that all that is needed is further education and more willpower discourage many people. This circle also differentiates obesity. In most every other condition when you reach a threshold, treatment is mandatory. In obesity, the desperation of the patients and their desire to seek options determines who gets treated. The differences in how obesity is handled and viewed continue when the decision to pursue treatment occurs. Rather than have a physician decide when a patient is ready or qualifies for a specific procedure, insurance companies require a detailed pre-certification process. This typically includes documentation of a recent diet that is supervised by a physician and includes monthly medical visits. For people like Governor Christie, this means that their life-long struggle is unimportant. Instead, they need to duplicate and relive their frustrations to obtain treatment. Such an approval process exists in no other area of medicine. d**k Cheney did not have to document his gym regimen before one of his many heart surgeries was approved. When proper treatments are met with such difficult fiduciary remuneration, it is not surprising that there are few new remedies. It is estimated that 36% of the American population is now obese. At current growth rates, by the year 2050 the entire population will be obese. Thus it would seem that products that effectively treat obesity would have a large market and a priority for ambitious entrepreneurs. Yet, this is not the case. There has been only one medical device and one pharmaceutical product approved by the FDA in the past ten years. The reasons are multifold. There is no agreement about who should be treated for obesity. There is no agreement as to what constitutes successful or meaningful treatment. Additionally, obtaining insurance reimbursement for obesity treatments is an obstacle. The approval process for surgery is arduous. Less than 30% of insurance plans cover weight-loss pharmaceuticals. In comparison, look at the new products and procedures that were developed for heart disease during d**k Cheney’s life. They include stents, defibrillators, as well as surgical procedures such as coronary artery bypass grafting and cardiac transplantation. All benefited from widespread public acceptance and a clear path for reimbursement. More than 20 years ago, former Surgeon General, Dr. Everett Koop, wrote Shape Up America. He became the first public health figure to recognize the significance of the obesity epidemic. Regardless of the dangers of obesity that have been published since its publication, the emphasis has been placed on education rather than cure. Hence, the epidemic has continued. We must realize that behavioral modification techniques that have not even succeeded in halting the rise in the prevalence of obesity are unlikely to be successful as a treatment for morbid obesity. Stated succinctly, prevention and treatment are different. We prevent bacterial infections by washing hands and avoiding contact with infected sources. We treat people, de rigeur, with surgical debridement and medications such as antibiotics. It is possible that if Vice President Cheney never smoked, he would not have had a heart attack at 37 years of age. However, no one would treat his heart disease by only having him stop smoking and change his diet. While an important component, such efforts would be combined with medications. Yet, in obesity, we still want to believe that the same techniques that are used to prevent weight gain will result in successful treatment. It is time to address the obesity epidemic. Just as we check blood pressure, we need to measure body-mass index. At a young age, those with a mildly elevated BMI need to be referred for treatment. There needs to be reimbursement for these treatments. If initial approaches are not successful, a different approach is warranted. At the end of the line will be surgical procedures. The combination of a mandatory treatment threshold and reimbursement will stimulate the search for better solutions. Coverage should be mandatory. Only with mandatory coverage will insurance companies take preventive efforts seriously. We also need to face that combatting the obesity epidemic will require difficult decisions that will limit personal choice. I am not sure that Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s sugar tax will be successful or the correct approach. But, I highly commend his attempt to bring awareness to this issue. It is naïve to continue to rely on nutritional education. We need to be bold and explore even unpopular options. These may include higher prices for items such as soda and other simple carbohydrates. An emphasis has to be placed on physical fitness. Each week, I see people in their early twenties that are permanently disabled secondary to medical issues caused by morbid obesity. Our society cannot afford for this trend to continue. What about Governor Christie? We should judge him based on his ability to govern and the record he has assembled. Should he ever feel his obesity is interfering with his public duties, effective surgical treatment exists. In all probability he could return to his normal duties in 7 to 10 days. With current surgical techniques, his obesity is far easier to treat than Vice President Cheney’s heart disease. What we also have to realize is that Dr. Mariano was talking about a lot more than the medical implications of obesity. What I heard was a fat man does not appear to be presidential. Additionally, by not addressing his obesity he has character flaws that she does not find acceptable. However, looks can be deceiving. FDR led us through WWII, and The Depression from a wheelchair. What should not be questioned is Christie’s determination and inner strength. As a leader, as a person. Despite constant ridicule and jokes about his weight, he has risen to become a national leader and is being urged to run for president. To survive the discrimination he has faced, he probably has had to perform better than those who merely look the part.

Hi Kathy, I hope you make the decision that is best for you and your body. I also have the band and it needs to come out. My band is almost 10 years old so instead of having my band completely taken out, my dr. is going to replace it with a new band (depending on the shape my stomach is in once he's in there) but I'm keeping my new port and tubing and I'm either going to have a gastric plication or the sleeve. I haven't decided which way to go yet either. When I spoke with my band dr. he normally recommends the bypass but I'm unable to have that plus I wouldn't get it anyway if I could (I think). He doesn't recommend the sleeve and doesn't do many of them mainly because he thinks the leak rate is too high, even though he is a very skilled surgeon he doesn't like the sleeve. I went to a different bariatric dr. who is also very well-known in southern Cali and skilled and he also doesn't really recommend the sleeve. So now I'm really confused. I was leaning towards the sleeve but now that I know about the gastric plication, I am leaning more towards that. My main concern with the plication is that there is no long term data. The longest term data I could find was between 3-5 years out. I was very happy with my band until about 7 years out, so I'm not real comfortable with the limited amount of information as my own data would show good progress at 3-5 years out. Anyway - do lots of research, ask lots of questions and good luck to you. genepha

Hello, and welcome! You've definitely come to a place with lots of information, and a lot of us will be happy to answer questions! I haven't yet been sleeved, but I've been hanging around VST for about a year now, first researching and now waiting for all the ducks to finish lining up so I can have my surgery this summer. I can definitely talk about things from the pre-surgery side, and about the various theories and "how it works" sorts of things - I'm a bit of a research geek that way First, do you already have a bariatric surgeon picked out? If not, you might see about attending whatever seminars the local bariatric specialists in your area may have and start getting answers. Additionally, look into having a 1:1 consultation with reputable surgeons after you do that research. Ideally, find a surgeon who will take time with you to make sure your questions are answered! If you've already picked a surgeon, you've made a great start. There's no question that you should think about this carefully and weigh your options. No surgery is without risk, and this one certainly has risks for complications or even death. There are people on these forums who will tell you that they very much regret having the surgery because of the complications they've had to live through and are still dealing with, and that's a fair assessment from their perspective. There are many more who will tell you this isn't easy, but it is the best choice they could have made and they are very happy with the results. Make sure you understand the risks as well as what success really looks like. It sounds to me like you have a lot of motivating factors, but it's a seriously big decision. Third, don't have unrealistic expectations. This isn't a magic bullet - you'll still have to work and diet and exercise. What it is, is a tool. If you do what your surgeon and/or nutritionist tell you to do, you will lose the weight. It won't be instant, but it will likely be pretty quick in the overall scheme of things. Realistically, they will tell you that most sleeve patients lose 60-70% of their excess weight and if you do that, you've been successful. Honestly, though, if you're truly focused and determined you can lose it all, it just gets slower as your overall weight gets lower - there are plenty of folks around here who are near or at their goal weight, and others who are still moving down the scale. Finally, don't get hung up on comparing your decisions and your diet and your progress with everyone else. We all respond differently to this surgery, to the diet, and so on. Remember it's your personal journey, and if you're moving in the right direction, then you're probably doing just fine. We're all here to support each other. That doesn't mean we'll always agree with each other, but don't let that bug you too much. Mostly, the disagreements are because we passionately care that we all succeed. Good luck in moving forward!

I forgot to post this link. This is a basic manual for bariatric patients and may not conform to your doctors wishes so take it all with a grain of salt: http://www.peachtreebariatrics.com/docs/Gastric-Band-Patient-Manual.pdf

3 days of a diet and you want to quit....THAT IS EXACTLY Why I needed this surgery.... ANY DIET and after a few days I wanted to quit also...there were a few diets where I went a few months, lost a lot of weight, felt good about myself, only to gain it all back, feel like a miserable failure.... I could not, and cannot diet...I do not have what some people have as far as following a calorie counting, portion weighing, regime for any period of time. My PCP realized this, and refereed me to a Bariatric Surgeon.... Coming up on 4 years and things could not be any better....this surgery has done everything for me that I could never do myself..... My portion sizes are limited, I have no cravings or hunger....and since I eat so little, I make the best of what I do eat so counting calories does not matter in my case.... All I need to do is be sure I get my daily Water and Protein requirements...and I have found that exercising is essential to burn fat away....(not to mention the other health benefits) Now there are many different people on this forum with many different experiences....and I don't expect people to be like me, and people should not expect others to be like them....but the point is, THIS THING DOES WORK!!! You can continue to do it on your own and face the risks of Obese related illnesses and even premature death, or you can have surgical intervention and face the risks of surgery........

Did you call Cigna ? Cigna sells many differing type of policies. However weight loss is covered is covered by Cigna. What could be happening is the following 1- your employer specifically excludes it. Cigna can tell you 2- Vanderbilt could be mistaken. Cigna can tell you 3- Cigna may only cover it at a Cigna center of excellence for bariatrics. Vanderbilt may not be one. You can follow item 4 4- log onto/register at www.mycigna.com and check your own benefits. Pm me if you need more assistance. I have Cigna

The only time that I can vividly remember getting ticked off about the chair arm thing was when I went to Stanford to see the Neurosurgeon in 2017 I remember complaining about their chairs lol. It was sooooo uncomfortable! I was 370-ish pounds at the time and you have to fill out a bunch of paperwork and then wait for like 30-40 minutes to see the doctor and meanwhile they have these really crappy chairs and if you actually want to be comfortable you have to go sit in the hall where they have couches, but chance not hearing your name called. Needless to say I stuck it out and was just irritated the whole time lol I was lucky enough with all my other doctors offices, the hospital where I live, and the bariatric doc's office that they all have a mix of armed and unarmed chairs.

Any fears I felt before surgery were mitigated by all the success stories and first-hand accounts I heard in my bariatric support group. I was absolutely sure I was doing the right thing, but--like so many of other people--I wondered if I could just 'do it on my own"...again. I knew I could do it on my own, but I knew I'd also gain it back. And now with pre-diabetes cured, sleep apnea cured, high blood pressure cured, and high cholesterol cured...I wish I could've been sleeved 20 years ago. Best of luck in your surgery!

Good evening, Unfortunately yes, Even though I thought the nutrional and psych counseling was a big waste of time and money but I had to play the game. The longest part for me was getting the paper work from my PCP. His office staff is not the smartest. They kept faxing in various months of my dietary plan opposed to sending in 2 three consecutive months or 6 months of documentation. Finally, the office manager took care of everything. All she placed on all six months of diet documentation was: The month (make sure they are consecutive with Aetna) The dosage of Phentermine my weight each month and the doctor stated that he provided nutrition information. Medical history that proved that I have been overweight for the past 5 years and the Bariatric surgeon requested bloodwork and EKG. Thats all I started the process on May 18th 2007 with my consultation May 21st (nutrition counseling) June 3rd (psych counseling) June 28th (office visit: EKG, bloodwork, etc) then at the end of July my doctors office faxed over all documents and the insurance company approved me. I hope this helps...if not..... Please feel free to ask me any question....as I will be happy to respond.

Everytime I read something like this, I am so GRATEFUL for my doctors office and my bariatric surgeon... they are on top of everything for me... today they called about the test results from Friday!!! I was impressed, unfortunately, they want me to take yet another test, something was a little "off" on my upper GI...but shouldn't pose a problem, they just want it checked out... may not be able to get sleeve because of it ... but we shall see... good luck to you!

I take Fusion vitamins that I get from my Bariatric Specialist, so I thought the calories were freebies!