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I will order some of the ProtiDiet.. they seem to have some great reviews.. anything that tastes like Water, but yet sweet will help me get through this phase. Do you know if they are only available online? Thank you!Yes, I think I got mine from Bariatric Choice. My surgeon's office also sold them. I don't know if the BariatricPal Store has them or not but you can look.I ordered mine from the Choice store last night w/ 2 day delivery.. and just picked up some Protein20 at my QT a little while ago, so hopefully I can get a little protein in me. My hormones are still a mess though, went crazy crying this morning because the rabbits cage hasn't been cleaned out a week ago like I asked since I can't bend down to clean it myself. Ugh Sent from my SM-G900P using the BariatricPal App

Looking for a reason to go to Orlando, Florida? This could be your excuse! This September 25-27 is Your Weight Matters! The Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) sponsors the event, which is a non-profit organization that advocates for individuals who are affected by obesity. Your Weight Matters! is an initiative to help you take control of your weight. The national convention is focused on…you! It gives you the chance to mingle with other individuals who are fighting obesity, as well as healthcare providers and other experts. Educational sessions include talks by surgeons and other doctors, physical therapists, dietitians, and nurses. Topics include: Avoid weight regain after bariatric surgery. Figuring out which weight loss option is best for you. Stress management. Getting active at work. Mindful eating. Long-term medical concerns after weight loss surgery. Besides these talks, you can attend useful and fun events such as: Group exercise classes to start the day. lunch with experts in obesity treatment. Free health screenings. A health expo, where you’ll find BariatricPal! That’s right. BariatricPal is going to be at Your Weight Matters! I hope you’ll make it, too! If you can make it to Orlando between Thursday and Saturday, September 25-27, I’d love to see you at the expo! Stop by the BariatricPal booth and introduce yourself! You need to pre-register for Your Weight Matters! if you want to go to the talks. There are free tickets available if you live in the area and just want to go to the Your Weight Matters! Expo. I hope to see you there! Even if you can't make it to the convention in Orlando, you can still support the Obesity Action Coalition by becoming a member or an advocate or getting involved in other ways. It’s a great way to get involved in the fight against obesity. I hope to see you soon in Orlando!

I am also having my surgery done by Dr Fitzer at Fair Oaks. My surgery is this Tuesday, all these months of waiting are up and the big day is right around the corner. I'm anxious about it but also so excited to start my new life. Today was the start of my three day clear liquid diet. I had a really nice dinner with friends last night and my last Cadbury bar when I got home. I'm definitely feeling hungry this evening so I'm trying to stay busy in an effort to distract me from the rumbly belly. When is your surgery Karaya? I don't know anyone personally who has had bariatric surgery so I'm glad to hear I have a couple of allies here on the forum.

Draytonp- I am one week postop today. Feeling good, minimal pain, no nausea. Just feeling weak and wobbly.... I cant wait for some cottage cheese on Thursday, lol. The liquid diet pre-op, for me, was easy the first day. The second day was hard. I was emotional and hungry! The third day I was so nervous about my surgery I couldn't have eaten if I wanted to. Be prepared for diarrhea ???? I had no problems with VBSC or Fair Oaks. Everyone was great. Did you know it is a bariatric center of excellence? That means they are held to higher standards than non-excellence hospitals.

I was banded through NJ Bariatrics with Dr. Chou. He is wonderful! He told me the left sided pain is from the air they use to blow up the abdomen. He said it stimulates the same nerve as would cause pain with a heart attack, but not to worry, it goes away with time. I am two weeks out and it is much better, although I still feel it if I cough.

Erika- my friend is a little extreme and even at a yr out is at 600-800 calories now. My surgeon told me to focus on Protein now just going into.my 3rd week, but eventually 900-1200 calories a day would be an end goal. Nutritionists that specialize with bariatric patients help a ton. I saw one that goes with my insurance last week, and seeing one directly to do with my surgeon April 18th and she is open to questions from me anytime. Helped a ton so far. I personally don't know what I am doing yet (havent even had puree yet), but what my friend told me is to treat premiere Protein shakes as Meal Replacements, like Breakfast or lunch and then food protein rich at other times. But I have no idea. I am going to try weighing myself 2 times a week now, because I am getting discouraged due to a stall already [emoji20]. I hope by Friday I am down something. Fingers crossed. I also started taking measurements, because many say we lose inches over weight and not focus on scale as much.

Almost any multivitamin would be fine pre-op but post-op you need specific vitamins, so I would look up bariatric multivitamins to make sure that your are getting the nutrients your post-op body will need.

Dr. Jalil Illan and his team at Florence/Oasis of Hope Hospital is absolutely the only way to go for bariatric surgery in TJ.....hands down the best experience from beginning to end - I am 2 weeks post-op and down 15 pounds - I was comfortable and felt like family the ENTIRE time - I was in constant contact during the pre-op portion of my journey and all the way through to my first step back in San Ysidro - and they have checked on me several times since my surgery as well (what American doctor does that??) I felt safe and secure and now am on a pathway to a healthier life ahead of me - Dr. Illan was so assuring and kind - I am a very talkative and inquisitive person and he answered all my questions and made me feel at ease - I work in a hospital in the States and I know what to look for - the hospital staff was courteous, attentive and took wonderful care of me - I had a friend with me but when I woke up from surgery, my coordinator, Omar, was the one just reading in the chair in my room until I was awake - he notified my husband when I was out of surgery and kept my family "in the loop" - which of course made it moved smoothly at home. The private, clean rooms at Oasis are definitely a bonus and I even had a beautiful window view! Please feel free to message me if you have any questions - I am happy to help!

I am hoping since the original post was 2011 your revision has been performed but it took me many years to find a doctor to help me out. I had the Molina band in 2003 by Dr. Molina. In 2006 I began having complications but at the time I wasn't aware it was band related. I would be woke up out of a dead sleep coughing and chocking on stomach acids. I just thought I had reflux. Now i know it was that I was forming an obstruction due to scar tissue from the band. I had severe chronic reflux and vomitting from the food not passing thru. I tried for several years to find a doctor to help me. Due to the high risk of this complication of the Molina band I attempted to see many doctors but they did not do Molina band revisions. I went to several others but my insurance did not have bariatric coverage but in reality I wasn't obese and the surgery was not for weight lose it was for a complication. I was almost completely obstructed when I finally remembered seeing Dr. Nowzardan from Houston on TV and I worked for a plastic surgeon previously that worked with Dr. Nowzaradan. I gave his office a call on a Friday and they got me in the next day on a Saturday and by Monday afternoon my surgery was approved and scheduled. His insurance girl was great. They knew the correct way to code it since it was not a bariatic surgery. I had a hiatal hernia repair, gastrectomy and gastrojejunostomy. So basically I had a hiatal hernia from years of throwing up so that was repaired. The gastrectomy was to cut the section out of my stomach that the band was adhered to and the gastrojejunotsomy was the gastric bypass. According to Dr. Nowzardan I was not a candidate for the sleeve gastrectomy and the only real option I had was gastric bypass surgery. Without him I do not know where I would be. Malnutrition for sure. I am going on 5 years since my bypass and it has been great. My weight stays within 138 to 145 over the past few years. Initially I got down to about 130 but then went up a few pounds after maybe the first two years. It's been the best thing for me. Other than dumping every so often I have no complaints. I have to take that back. I tend to be a noncompliant patient in regards to taking Vitamins so there are times I am Iron deficiant anemic but as long as I am taking my vitamins and supplements my levels are perfect. I hope this helps anyone that is suffering with issues from the Molina band.Angie

Haha, my appointment didn't go as well. My doctor said that I don't qualify for the referral at all. She said even if I did Kaiser requires like 50 weeks of a weight management class (only offered in Panorama City or South Bay) and if you miss one then you are out of the program. It is pretty apparent to me that I need to switch insurances or pay for this out of pocket. I ONLY weighed in at 252lbs and that wasn't FAT ENOUGH...are you kidding me? It made me sick... I really hope your appointment with the bariatric dept goes well and I hope we can keep in touch and track each others progress. Gabi

I have medicare. Even though they covered me they didn't actually pay for much of the surgery. I payed mostly out of pocket. I believe your BMI needs to be atleast 35. Here is an article on it. Medicare Issues Bariatric Surgery Policy Guidelines — DOC NEWS

I agree with what the ladies above wrote. Let me also say that you can probably find a lot of information on the internet and youtube videos. I will be in the same boat you're in because I'm having my surgery done in Mexico. I will have folllow up check ups done by a general practitioner rather than a bariatric Dr. Send good vibes. I hope my diabetes goes away.

Well a bunch of us were going to break in and get you out of that prison , 'cos we couldn't couldn't send a bariatric patient a big pie with tools in 😉 Glad you are safe home and hope you heal quickly x

I agree with KCgirl. Your employer has chosen not to include Bariatric surgery as part of what they purchade insurance coverage for. Definitely reach out to HR. An appeal won't work. Sorry. Hope you eventually get it covered and get your surgery ! Sent from my SM-N960U using BariatricPal mobile app

Dr Kim did my surgery Jan 2012 and since I have lost a little over 90 lbs! If you are looking for a knowledgeable doctor you can trust, Dr Kim is the one! He is out of Colleyville, TX but also handles traveling patients. He knows what he is doing and I totally trusted him. I liked the fact that he was well known. I was so glad I chose him to do my sleeve. He is a very nice gentleman that doesn't beat around the bush one telling you what you need to do to get surgery done. I love that his practice is growing adding more doctors. Dr Holden is a very nice doctor as well. I am truly living life again thanks to Dr Kim! His staff is amazing and very helpful! Dr Kim is the man!!

@LELH she stole the warm and fuzzy feeling right out of me for you! LOL I eat plant based as well. I also love to learn from Dr Michael Greger. (I will always be grateful for @fruitandveggiesfor sending him to me!!! lol ) He's got a non-profit organization, the website is https://nutritionfacts.org/ ,a whole load of information he puts out there for free and why we should eat lots of veggies, fruits, legumes, grains, etc. But not only that, it's the science and explanations for everything, and IT JUST MAKES SENSE!!! Also, Dr Garth Davis, bariatric surgeon, and author of Proteinaholic, had to renounce his previous book that had everything to do with eating high protein, due to his failing health and his quest for a better one. Early on post op, I did focus a bit more on the protein as suggested. I did substitute a lot of it with plant protein though, and tried to finish the Premier protein that was covered by my insurance at that time, but about 3 months post op, I made the switch to not worry about it anymore, that is, I don't count any nutrients. I'm almost 9 mo post now and all is well. Blood work is excellent too; I take my multi (currently it's the Flintstones chewable and my B12). It's totally doable...but the best part is, you will know your insides are healthy!

@Apple203 I'm not sure what "release your guard rails" means LOL. Whole30 eliminates grains and legumes and dairy, Dr. Weiner promotes whole grains & legumes as healthy and doesn't care much about dairy as long as it's low-fat. Not sure how that's Whole30 approved, lol. "He" throughout my post is Dr. Weiner... I thought that was clear, sorry. Is there something I'm missing as to why people say Dr. Weiner promotes the same diet as everyone else? I've read his book and watched all of his videos, many 2-3 times. I've never seen another bariatric surgeon request his or her patients eat mostly veggies and focus on plant proteins. (Except Dr. Garth Davis who's a vegan.) The immediate post-op diet for my surgeon is the same as everyone else. Focus on protein & water. (Except my surgeon only asks for 50g protein.) We have a graduated list of approved foods as we progress through the diet. Obviously I'm planning to follow that to a T for my own safety! I'm talking long-term.

Really??? LOL I actually think it's pretty darn different. The standard advice is to eat your protein (and the word "protein" in that context almost always means meat or dairy) first and then if you can fit in other healthy foods, do it. (As you mentioned in your post, fitting in 1-2 oz of broccoli around your protein, maybe, if you have room.) In contrast to this Dr. Weiner strongly emphasizes eating vegetables first and fitting in protein around that. He also recommends plant foods - veggies and legumes and fruit and raw nuts - ahead of meat and dairy and has fairly low protein requirements - about 50g compared to many bariatric plans encouraging 80-100g. (Of course he isn't vegan by any stretch and I've seen him recommend yogurt smoothies and small amounts of animal protein, etc. He even said in one video that he doesn't think that a fully plant-based diet is "necessary for the general population." So yeah, while we're claiming him he's not necessarily "ours," know what I mean? Just a good resource!) While Dr. Weiner's diet is "low carb" compared to our pre-op sugary diets, it's certainly not low carb in the bariatric sense. You can't eat many fruits and certainly not any beans and whole grains and still remain under 30-50g carbs. It's also low-fat. Difficult to be low-fat and low-carb at the same time! He also promotes eating in abundance instead of focusing on calories, a huge difference from most bariatric plans. You just need to eat your abundance from healthy plant foods (Obviously you still end up eating fewer calories because you're eating high-volume, low-calorie foods but it's the mindset that helps make a difference!) So on a spectrum with keto/Atkins on the left and veganism on the right I'd say he's definitely well across the center line to the right, while most bariatric plans are basically keto except with low-fat dairy and some wiggle room for beans. Sorry for the long post, Fluff - I am fully carbed again, having eaten an abundance of fruit, oats, and rice in the last couple of days that I've been free from my liquid diet. So I'm all peppy and ready to argue again!!! Heehee!

I'd like to echo a lot of what has already been said here. 1 - Your medical team wants to help you, please go in and ask for help. You are not the first one this has happened to and they can help you make some adjustments to get you back on track, though I expect you already know what some of those are going to be. 2 - There are a ton of emotional issues associated with being overweight. Please find a therapist to help you strategize, provide support, and help you talk through whatever issues you may have surrounding weight. Being able to benefit from therapy DOES NOT mean there is anything wrong with you. It simply means that there are some issues that you need to work through. We all struggle with things and you're no different. 3 - My surgeon told me that the definition of a "successful" bariatric surgery patient is one that loses 100 pounds or some (50% maybe? cant remember...) percentage of their excess weight. You've lost over 100 lbs according to your ticker, so by definition, you are successful. Hold on to that. Remind yourself of how far you have come, and get back to some of those strategies that have allowed you to lose that 108 pounds. Call your clinic and make a new start Monday morning. Think back on all those reasons that you had this surgery and remind yourself of each and every one. Write them down and read them everyday if you need a reminder. You can do this! You already proven you can be successful! Good luck

@@laguerr13 There are quite a few bariatric veterans on this site that helped me make my decision, and they give me some great advice when I'm in a panic over something dumb. I'm still learning what works and what doesn't. At first I was hungry all the time. No kidding. I thought maybe the doc took my stomach but left the grehlin hormone behind. lol But once I began soft foods, I filled up really quickly. I have to remind myself to chew the crap out of everything and take my time eating (or it feels stuck in my chest), and I have to remind myself to drink. Drinking seems to be harder for me when I'm at work, but I am going to figure that one out too. If you need anything, as far as advice we all will try to help you out. But I only know from my own experience, and everyone is different, and experiences things differently. So far I am psyched at how great I feel. So...cheers to you, friend!! You will do great!

Bottom line: don't have WLS until you're ready to have WLS. Succeeding with any kind of bariatric surgery is going to require you to change your behavior, like it or not. If you're not ready to do that, I think WLS would be a mistake for you. Unless you have some co-morbidities (obesity-related medical conditions) that need to be resolved quickly, there's no need to rush into this.

I had seven months of Binge Eating Disorder therapy about a year before my RNY surgery, October 15, 2013. I'm not sure I'd be as successful at 4 months out as I am if I didn't have some of that training to fall back on. The following 3 books are great ones to read to arm yourself. The books aren't very long and are easy reads. You need to know what your triggers to eat are so you can be very vigilent for signs that a trigger situation is coming your way. Of course, nothing beats therapy with a professionally trained eating disorder therapist. If you have access to one, use it now. If you haven't had surgery, this is what you could be doing in the months prior. 50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without food, Susan Albers Crave: Why You Binge Eat and How to Stop, Cynthia M. Bulik, Phd The Emotional First Aid Kit: A Practical Guide to Life After Bariatric Surgery, Cynthia Alexander My triggers are all social interaction or disappointment in myself. I may have Asperger's, a highly functioning form of autism that makes social interaction hard. My nephew was diagnosed 12 years ago and I see so much of myself in him. I've struggled to learn social cues and was puzzled by how to interact with others. At 56, I still occasionally have difficulty, but I've learned to compensate and even laugh with others when I stumble. I have about 5 good friends, something I never had until College. Anyway, my fear of how to act socially as a child was often soothed by food. And, food was a way many well-meaning relatives showed me love. I've had to learn to soothe myself with talking to a friend, music, baths and positive self-talk. I wish you all the best as you learn how to find comfort in things other than food. Food is really not your friend. Friends don't let friends eat themselves to death.

Hello everyone. Haven't been around for a while--real busy w/work, etc. But I'll try to stay more connected. The revision went fine, did I tell you that they were able to use the same holes that were used for my band? The recovery was longer than after banding, 2 weeks home; 3 would have been better. I'm doing well. So far I've lost 35 lbs, which my doctors insists is good, but I feel like a slow loser. I know it's because I "only" weighed 210 lbs. at time of revision. Still, I'm pleased with my ability to eat, believe it or not, more normally than I did w/the band & I think if I stick to my food plan, which is basically the same as when banded, I can get to goal within a year. If you go back & read my posts, you'll see that I had an unusual condition that necessitated being unfilled, and even then I had problems w/a lot of foods (tuna, chicken, hamburger & others). So, now I'm on a full foods diet. I can eat chicken, chile, hamburger, sushi (no rice, I have it rolled w/cucumber), cooked veggies & most fruits. I haven't tried steak yet, but I will next time I'm around it. I need to get 60 grams of Protein a day & 2 liters of Water. I supplement my food a whey Protein Drink most days. Also must take bariatric multi-Vitamin & extra Calcium every day. A huge treat for me was a grilled tomato topped w/melted cheese on a piece of whole wheat toast. I would have PB's on that w/my band. I had one minor complication, a stricture, which is is caused by scar tissure & causes a narrowing where the stomach & intestine meet--2 painless endoscopies later (they use the scope & inflate a small balloon at time of endoscopy) , 3 weeks apart & I was fine. I'm not one of those people who gets full after a bite or two of food, but my portions are small. I feel satisfied after 1 scrambled egg w/melted cheese on top. The denser the protein, the faster I get full. One very interesting thing: things that I didn't find sweet enough before, i.e. sugar free Jello pudding, now is just fine. That's really the only sweet "treat" I have, I don't crave sweets at all. Not ice cream, not Cookies, not cake. gone. It has something to do w/the bypass procedure; not sure it lasts forever, but for now it's very good. I'll take it while it lasts! (that's not to say it doesn't look when I see a candy bar or ice cream, but it's a passing thought, not a craving at all.) I love my surgeon. He does bands too. All his patients love him, he answers emails within 24 hours & if one has an urgent problem, the office connects you to him or his partner AT THE TIME OF YOUR PHONE CALL. Amazing, huh? I go to a support group @ the hospital he & his partner operate ,and the group is split between bandsters & RNY'ers. And guess what? We all get along. So, that's my progress so far. Take care, my friends. Karen

I can't be sure, but I would imagine that it refers to the fact that you will still have head hunger, you will still want to turn to food for the same reasons you used to turn to food (emotional eating, etc.), you will still feel compelled to make unhealthy choices, you may still order or make more food than you need, your attitudes about food are not being altered by surgery on your stomach. The surgery is just one step in a long road of change. You'll see many people on the boards talk about bariatric surgery being a tool. They're correct. That's all it is. It will not solve your weight problems alone. You still have lots of work to do. Changing your brain is imperative.

I'd add a good-quality protein supplement. My favorite is the PURE unflavored whey protein isolate from Bariatric Eating. I stir in into all kinds of things to bump up the protein.