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The number of WLS are trending upward! https://asmbs.org/resources/estimate-of-bariatric-surgery-numbers I believe a lot of people do it but in private and you won't hear about it because there is still stigma attached to obesity moral falling or character flaw.

I am presently 7 weeks post op. I calculated 5 lbs per week loss thus far. Feeling great, no problem in nutrition due to ordering food from Bariatric Pal. For example the oatmeal cereal packets, I add in a small amount of old fashion oatmeal to it. My nutrition recommended me to increase to 1 cup verses 1/2 cup. Gastric bypass on Aug 28, 2020 with total loss of 37 lbs. Feel good, some straining in the beginning for BM but now it is much better with increase liquid intake of up to 8 cups per day. Meeting all my vitamin and protein intake. I also eat with a baby spoon that helps me control food intake. I use FairLife liquid instead of regular milk for cereal and liquid intake. So much easier with the packets/foods from Bariatric Pal. I do sugar free popsicles as well. No ice cream cause this was one of my down falls prior to surgery. It feels so good to fit in smaller clothing with ease instead of struggling to put it on or off. My husband is proud of me and very supportive. By watching me lose the weight, he is watching his food intake and lost weight with food portion control. Good luck to each of you on your journey.

I could really do with some advice. I had gastric sleeve done April 2019. In 6 months I lost 6 stone (84 pounds) I was pleased with this as I had 3/4 stone left to lose. I started a medication around 6 months post op and it caused me to stop losing weight, fast forward a few months and I had gained two stone in a month due to my medication so I had to stop it. Ever since I’ve struggled hugely to lose weight I eat about 1,000-1200 calories a day and my restriction is still there. I’ve had no support from bariatric team or dietician, I need some advice on what I should eat, how many calories I should be having and how much exercise I should be doing. I don’t think I’m doing enough.

I think capsules are preferred over pills/tablets. I take a calcium citrate capsule and the Bariatric Pal multi vit with iron that is also a capsule. My D3 and B-12 are small tablets that I suck and sort of dissolve in my mouth before swallowing.

My doctor referred me to a bariatric surgeon. I am scared that my insurance won't cover it. I have a BMI of over 50 for my height.

Does anyone know what they mean when they said we have to submit the Bariatric Resource Services weight loss form or UHC with chart notes? I’m not sure what kind of notes? Can my doctor type up a letter in regards to the chart notes? Cause my chart notes said discuss weight lost and out in a low carb diet. And the other didn’t even mention my diet.

The Greater Fool, I would tend to agree with you, but I'm not sure what else it could be. The doctors have tested everything else and this is all that's left. A specialist would be a good idea though, I think I will do that. Thank you so much! MsMocie, I did the pouch reset because I had fallen off the wagon and I was feeling bad overall. I had fallen into old habits and eating unhealthy food and a friend had told me that a pouch reset could get me back to where I need to be. I'm still not sure if I just didn't do it right or it didn't work. I'm 24 y/o, so I don't know about menopause, but my cycle has been almost clockwork-like, which is weird for me, I'm usually very irregular. I didn't consider that maybe my hormones had something to do with it. Oh my, quite the list, lol. I have considered going to Neuro and ENT, simply because the headaches are worrisome and my thyroid problems are recent and I don't know too terribly much about it. When I find something new I usually research it until I could be considered an expert myself, but I find that I just don't have the energy that I used to. Cardio and a full blood workup and everything else is definatly going to be added to the list as well, those are very good ideas. Thank you so much! Tarotcardreader, First, I love the username! Lol. I often consult my own tarot deck, sometimes it gives me the positive reinforcement I need to continue on my chosen path. I love it. Unfortunately, my surgeon retired a little over 6 months after he performed my surgery so I'm at a bit of a loss as to where I can turn to find answers. My PCP doesn't know enough about it to really point me in the right direction so I'm not sure if it's ok for me to call up a bariatric surgeon near me and ask questions? Thank you so much! -Dannie

I did leggings and if something hurt i didnt do it. Touch base with your bariatric team about the soreness but maybe try to avoid the positions that cause it if u just came out of surgery. I was pretty sore for awhile (positioning pulls on incisions and deeper cuts) but it gradually improved. Invested in more pillows to make things comfy while healing

Make sure you call your surgeon. You can usually talk to your bariatric nurse for ideas as well. Did they not give you an IV while there? You can have your surgeon set up an outpatient IV to get you hydrated again. Dehydration can cause vomiting.

Hi Ladies, This is what I have done to get ready so far. 1) Purchased my pre-op liquid diet shakes called Optifast and I will be starting them on Oct. 19th 2) Bought the required vitamin supplements recommended by my bariatric team for the 1st two months after surgery. 3) Purchased Premiere Protein for my liquid protein supplement for after surgery 4) Purchased a small single serve blender "Ninga Bullet" to help me with making my shakes yummy and my pureed food yummy (I'm hoping) 5) I'm telling my office on Oct 19th that I will be having surgery on the 10th of November 6) Joined a very local WLS group so I can connect with people in person. I think I am going to initiate some group walk events so we can meet outside safely. We are in a rural area so that will be easy for us. That's it so far....

Yes, a tilt test which most cardiologist’s office are able to do. You can do orthostatic vitals. Take blood pressure and pulse lying down. Sit up wait 5 minutes and take them again. Then stand for 10 minutes without walking and take them again. You are looking for an increase in heart rate of 30 beats per minute or a significant drop or rise in blood pressure. I have the Hyperadrenergic type and my blood pressure goes up with positional changes from lying to upright. Have you had a chance to google orthostatic intolerance after Bariatric surgery?

I didn't even lose that much during the first MONTH, and I started out at over 300 lbs. 5 lbs a week is about average for the first month or two (an average range seems to be about 15-25 lbs for month 1, but of course there are outliers), but after that, it slows down quite a bit. I've been involved in the bariatric community for about six years, and I've never heard of anyone losing 15 lbs a week. Maybe five lbs - but again, usually just for the first month or two.

Hi everyone, Not sure if this is still an active thread or not. My highest weight was 395. I started the bariatric program at around 330 and had surgery at 318. I had a VSG on 9/24/2020 and I'm currently down to 305. I was down more before surgery and then Covid hit, so I put a little back on in the middle. I'm almost 3 weeks post-op and feeling pretty good. I have really bad knees and need to lose weight before they will do the knee replacements. Hope you are all doing well.

It’s has been well established that Bariatric patients can develop orthostatic Intolerance post Bariatric surgery. It is a complication of the autonomic nervous system. Just google Orthostatic intolerance after Bariatric surgery and you will find page after page of articles documenting this syndrome. All the symptoms you mention are there. Autonomic dysfunction is not well understood and many physicians are unaware. I have had this syndrome for 4 years and I have not had Bariatric surgery yet. I ran across all this information while looking for research about my illness. I get shaky, sweaty, nauseated and dizzy with brain fog. I have collapsed numerous times but have never lost consciousness. If I lie where I collapse lift my leg up in the air to allow the blood to return from my legs to my upper body I can get up and be alright for a little while. I specifically cannot stand in place. I must be walking or the dizzy collapse feelings hits me immediately. All my symptoms resolve when I lie down. I understand this has been noted to be a common post op complication of Bariatric procedures. Please take the time to do a little research. You may just be able to tell your physician what is wrong with you. I wish you luck. There is no cure but there are treatments to improve it. I was diagnosed at the Mayo Clinic. This is a neurological condition and I was in the Emergency room 27 times before a cardiologist picked up up all this was happening when upright. I was fine lying down. I am a registered nurse and I was absolutely scared to death when I was told over and over you are alright, your test are normal. I did not feel normal and it was not anxiety/ panic attacks as many suggested. I had become very angry with the lack of concern for my symptoms. I was dizzy with a racing heart and all the symptoms you mentioned and more. I am so thankful that I ran across a physician that was knowledgeable of the condition and knew I needed expert care. I struggle, and was unfortunately completely disabled 7 months after my symptoms first appeared. I am so debilitated physically that I have gained 60 pounds and am pre diabetic. I am currently working towards the gastric sleeve. I am afraid it may worsen my condition but I have a glimmer of hope it may improve my situation somewhat. I forgot to mention that I experienced the same situation when showering. The Mayo Clinic physician explained because of the blood shift and pooling to the legs and lower abdomen upon standing, that the hot water in the shower acts as a vasodialator which worsens the blood return to the upper body. The dizziness is hypo perfusion of blood to the head. I get short of breath, with chest discomfort and dizzy. The heart begins to pump hard and fast to return blood to the upper body.

I couldn't say specifically, but as the VSG is within the US standard of care for bariatric surgery, (along with the RNY, DS and lapbands) as generally defined by what is covered by Medicare, it should be covered by your insurance also. If Medicare covers something like this, a company has a hard time explaining to their customers and, particularly their regulators, why they don't cover it.

I already tried that and I have to wait until I officially get the green light from my Bariatric team 😑 I already had a TON of bloodwork run in May for something unrelated so that might end up cutting at least one bloodwork appointment out of the mix. Good luck on scheduling a surgery date soon

The curied salmon pate was prepped like tuna or chicken salad, so nothing was fried for that recipe BUT You may be surprised to find that different bariatric plans (under different bariatric team supervision) allow for different food standards. Also individual tolerance will account for what can/can't be eaten. On my plan and with my tolerance, I can have some fried foods. I for a long time I have stuck with pan, oven & convection fried vs deep fried as matter of preference because I rather not waste oil for no added value. I'm sure many others like @sillykitty @summerset @MarvelGirl25 @ms.sss @Sophie7713 @Cheeseburgh will be able to give you their perspectives too ❤️

If you can return to your previous Bariatric team (or find a new one) they can order tests to check your anatomy. Good Luck ♥️

yep - evidently it's fairly common. I had high ones and my PCP thought I had "fatty liver", but then I googled elevated liver levels and bariatric surgery and yes - it does happen due to the rapid weight loss. And when I went back to have them re-checked, they were normal - as expected since my weight had stabilized by then. Although given all the other stuff you have going on, it's definitely possible yours might be due to something else, too. Keep us posted... P.S. you may not have heard this since I don't know if many people have their liver enzyme levels tested as part of standard bariatric blood panels. Mine were tested for something else (I think it was when I was having some upper abdominal pain a few years back that my PCP was trying to diagnose). So I googled it when I got home. Anyway, since then I've seen that issue come up on this and other bariatric forums - not a lot, but it does come up occasionally. But then that's only when people actually have them tested. My bariatric clinic doesn't test for that.

Wow it's coming in fast. I got a call today, they want to schedule my bypass surgery for Oct 26, exactly 2 weeks from today! I am totally unprepared! I don't have any supplies! I am not sure I call pull it off by the 26th. Plus, it is very short notice for time off from my job! I am very stressed about this. First they told me early November and that is great, perfect even. They are going to get back to me if they have a November date, if not I will be taking the 26th of Oct, and start fasting the day after tomorrow! I'm not sure where to start. Not sure what kind of protein water to buy, etc. I started this journey in August of 2019, lost my job and insurance in Oct 2019. Was blessed to get a new job with the same insurance in April. Now my bariatric checklist is done. My health is terrible and I can't this surgery soon enough. However I want to be able to do it right. Any advice appreciated!

Update: From 10/1 until today 10/12, I have only eatten half of a single loaf of the bread. I thought I would have had more by now, but I really didn't want to eat it as often. I think it is because it's no longer off limits to me. I think the behavioral idea of partial reinforcement or psychological idea of unpredictable rewards maybe behind my waning desire (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/fulfillment-any-age/201211/the-lure-the-unpredictable-lover) ; (https://www.jneurosci.org/content/21/8/2793) I just wanted to mention it because I used to really LOVE bread (honestly I preferred it over anything other food) and in the beginning of my WLS journey I swore off bread, rice & pasta believing there was no room for them in my life anymore. It was what I commonly saw when hearing about the diets of other WLS patients, permanently giving up foods. Granted I don't like rice and pasta so I'll likely never willingly choose to eat those and certain textures of bread no longer work for me because of conversion to RNY - BUT I am happy that there is some flexibility still possible in a Bariatric diet, especially when I find really solid substitutes. I also understand that some foods are triggers for binge eating and our people prone to that maybe should not try to be flexible without proper guidance from their teams. Well that was a ton of heavy introspection for a Monday 😆

I felt I had a great support system, but I got some eye rolls from my sister when I mentioned this app today and It did bother me. She didn't want to hear about it. She been with me from the Beginning so she knows how much I've put into it. I lost 95lb on my own following the dieticians plan and daily workouts, and logging every bite I put in my mouth. If you're like me the bariatric program requirements just to be approved for surgery includes jumping perfectly through all those hoops to give us the best chance for long term success possible. So we do A LOT to get approved, then it is so hard afterwards, NOTHING is easy about it. I knew that i had to do this tho and for your reasons so do you. I am 3 weeks post op and i have said 25 times "why in the world did I do this?" My surgeon said I will probably be saying that 25 more times before I get everything figured out, and in the end it will be worth it, I do believe that. You deserve to have all the support in the world. I would ignore those so called friends unless they have an apology for you and some respect that you deserve. I hope that this gets much better for you. They should be proud of you and stand beside you throughout. You'll be in my thoughts, & Good things coming your way! Sent from my SM-T307U using BariatricPal mobile app

Hello friends, I am in the process of svg surgery. I was ready until the day of pre op and bariatric class I had to sit through. I kind of felt that years down the line I might have issues and need additional surgery. Not to redo the sleeve because I’m not loosing weight or regaining but for scar tissue or Gerd or other reasons. If there is anyone that has had the sleeve for many years I would love to hear from you. I just want reassurance. I always wonder if 10,15,20 years from now there will be problems and what would happen if I don’t have half of my stomach... The thought of it scares me...it’s an important organ in our body... any information will help. Thank you!

Hello I'm new to bariatric pals, this is my first day actually. Im still trying to figure out how to fix my profile to show post op instead of pre op?? As far as my stomach issue, I do plan to call my surgeon in the morning. I am wondering if anyone else experienced this issue? I knew to expect pain on the left side however surgery soreness has improved everywhere except this one place is like along my ribs and an area about as big as my hand it is visible swollen and is a dull pain mostly except when I reach or bend I feel a sharp pain and it's gotten worse about every day. Am I alone in this?

For me, getting to my highest weight meant eating fast food twice a day. Following my current nutrition plan involves home prepared meals and packing a lunch to work. I'm saving so much money I'm sure the savings will offset the out of pocket (thousands) I had to pay for surgery and treatment this year. I take a bariatric vitamin once a day from BariatricPal. I just passed my blood work so I know the vitamins are quality.