Search the Community

Actually they aren't. They are made from boiled cow skin and boiled horse skin. They are the worst quality protein on the market and are not endorsed by the American bariatric...whatever it's called. They are not a complete protein source by any stretch and they are not all whey. Some are part whey and part collagen and some are all collagen.

nothing wrong with having a protein shake for breakfast. I know several bariatric patients who've had those for breakfast for years because they can't stomach solid food first thing in the morning.

I think the FDA (panel) has just approved a BMI as low as 30 with at least one comorbitity, and a 35 with no comorbidities, for lap band surgery. The actual FDA is expected to soon follow. Usually when that happens, the insurance companies will have to agree to pay, but a lot would depend on your personal situation. Is you PCP involved? I have a BMI of 32 but have a couple of comorbidities, and since my PCP has known me forever and knows of my weight loss struggles, he agrees that Lap Band would be right for me and has referred me to a Bariatric Surgeon. Keep your chin up!

So funny. I was just researching this myself. I'm going to school learning about app development. I already decided I'm going to take on making Bariatric-centric tools and apps as a personal project. A quality eating/meal timer is definitely on that list. Not saying you should wait around for that lol! It's just surprising to me that there are so few apps aimed at WLS patients.

So I have a question, my surgery is December 20th, and I know the incisions will be on the upper half of my stomach and hen in the middle and such. Did anyone ever have trouble with bras? Or do you know of any solutions to be had with them? I bought a Bralette that wouldn't be as much pressure on that area but I didn't know if anyone had a better solution! Thanks! ❤️️ Bariatric Barbie Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I love hearing all these stories! So much of it is the same as mine! Highest weight was 265 and I did manage to drop some and keep it off but could not lose more and keep it off. I used to spend hours at the gym, swimming and lifting weights. I got pretty strong but no fat went away. I have the co-morbidities ( hate that word, makes me feel like I am dying), did the 6 months record of food and activities.......I lost 7 pounds in 6 months! That added to my depression! I worked so hard and the results were practically nil. My PCP says my metabolism is shot and has been pushing me for a decade to do this! I looked into it years ago and Blue Cross said NO WAY. I got heavier, felt guiltier about it, developed more problems and now we have different insurance! After so many diets for so many years, I am tired of listening to other people, especially when I have learned enough about Bariatric surgery to know most of what they say is really wrong! I tried it myself for decades without asking for help, now I am asking! My husband had a DS in 2013, he was insulin defendant, his stomach stopped working from the diabetes and he was getting bad nerve damage from it, too. Things were going downhill fast for him. His best option for any kind of health was the DS and he took it. About 150 lbs later he is in great health and feels terrific. There is no better proof for me! As for telling other people, I have told plenty of people I work with and they are surprised I am big enough but are really supportive. Maybe it is because #1 I work in a hospital and #2 they have all seen me drenched in sweat after very little activity or just because it is humid! I have not told my family (in an other state) but I will at the last moment. They did not really understand my husband's surgery very well, they still think it was some kind of diet! Since the Dr. will also be fixing a hernia for me I will tell them it is surgery for that and later tell them the rest. My Mom is 90 and worries about EVERYTHING, so I kind of hate to add to that............ It is a conundrum! For all the nay-sayers, I say mind your own business and health problems and let me mind mine!!!!!!! Getting excited and it is hard to wait!

"My 600 lb Life" is both good and bad - good in that it's exposed the general public to weight loss surgery, bad in that it gives actual bariatric patients unrealistic expectations about how much weight they're going to lose in the early months. One of the biggest factors in your rate of weight loss is your starting BMI. At 320, you're still an average weight loss patient. The people on that show start off at over 600 lbs. With that high of a BMI, they're going to drop 30-35-40 lbs that first month. Although that occasionally happens with some of us "normal" bariatric patients, that is the exception, not the rule. If you only lose 20 lbs the first month, or even 15 lbs, you are NOT a failure. You're experiencing a pretty average first-month loss. I've been hanging out on this and other forums for about five years, and I've been working with pre-op groups in my clinic for the last three years. So many people seem to get down on themselves because they don't lose 40 lbs the first month - and I'm sure that's due to the fact most of their info comes from "My 600 lb Life". Although I've never seen actual research stats on this, I've been involved with the community enough to wager that most of us "normal" bariatric patients lose in the 15-25 lb range that first month. Just something to keep in mind...

On another thread a poster complains about the pdcaaas score of premier. They claim to have called premier and got a score of 1 out 100 . They also claimed their shake got a 100 out of 100. I posted a link on that thread to Bariatric Advantage that stated the score was 1 but that was the top score other things such as chicken breast scored .97. I think the poster is confused with the scoring system. Does anyone else know any thing about this pdcaaas scoring system

July 11th is my Big day starting to feel anxious !! I had my pre-op class today met with the Surgeon 'nutritionist ,Bariatric nurse , for all instructions before surgery !!! Next time I see them will be @ the hospital !!! Im scared ....!!!! I have a tons of paper work to read over !!!

Does anyone know a good bariatric therapist anywhere in florida who may be willing to do telehealth appointments? I found one person so far and after two appointments I don’t feel like she is the right fit for me. Apparently they are few and far between in my area but I’m thinking post COVID maybe telehealth will work (someone said they have to be in the same state to bill insurance).

I was trying to decide between two different programs and went to my second informational meeting last night - made the decision then and there to go with that program after seeing how much more detailed and involved they are with their patients both pre and post-op. They've done over 2K bariatric surgeries in the past 15 years, with almost 400 being sleeves. I like those numbers! SO I handed in my 20 pages of paperwork/history last night, put an insurance referral request in to my PCP when I got home, and await the call to set up my many appointments/classes/tests. Looks like they run about 4 - 6 months on average. My insurance is easy so it will mostly be the surgeon requirements- and since they'll require me to lose about 22 lbs before surgery, that will likely be a major factor in determining how long I'm in the pre-op process. I freaked out a little on the drive there last night. Knowing that this is finally going to happen. I'm finally DOING something solid with regards to my weight. I've been obese since I was 5. I'm 36 now. I can't believe that by this time next year, I have a real chance of not being obese anymore, with a real chance of staying in the "normal" range for life. I can't even imagine what it feels like to be a normal size. It's a bit terrifying, but exhilarating at the same time Yay!

My surgeon uses a robot to perform the surgery. It is totally manipulated by the surgeon but is supposed to be more precise and recovery is faster. Sent from my SM-N975U using BariatricPal mobile app

I have been taking meds for bipolar for a number of years. Took MMPI-2 as part of my psych eval and showed I am totally "normal". Really shocked my psychologist. I will stay on meds though to be sure I stay stable. If you have mental health issues, they just want to be sure that you are: (1) stable on meds and continue under treatment (2) Addressing any eating problems. (3) You have adequate social support (family, friends, church, etc.) I was pretty stressed about psych eval because my history. Don't stress about it. If you have a current therapist, see if your bariatric center will accept psych eval by him/her. Who knows you better? Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

Bariatric Surgery patients represent a surprisingly increasing number of patients in inpatient treatment for anorexia according to John's Hopkins. Yes, anorexia and other eating disorders are a serious risk for our population. Yes, treatment....including eating more.... will be a help even if you gain a little weight to find a managable maintenance level of calories. Passing out is incredibly dangerous and can kill you or others if you drive. It's also incredibly unsafe on stairs, around heavy equipment, and in the company of unsafe people. Being that low on nutrition is hard on your body, particularly your heart. You can do permenant damage in short order. Take your condition seriously. Your very demanding job and thinner body are of no use to you if you imperil your safety, health, and eventually your life. (it's tough on relationships, too) Wishing you the very best.

5’3” 127 pounds. Your BMI is 22.5 Normal weight. For someone your height underweight is 104 pounds. BMI 18.4 You may want to research bariatric centers in your area or find a dietician that can help you out. If you don’t feel healthy at this weight, increase your calories and carbs to gain weight. If your restriction is still tight, Find less dense foods…Example peanut butter, sweet potatoes etc.

Congrats!! Being able to go to the gym does not mean kill yourself exercising. You need to take it slowly. I went to the gym the third week post op. I started two days with cardio 2 hrs and the third day I started with weights. My routine is 3 hrs 5-6 days per week with 30 mins cardio and the rest weights. The Vitamins I like are Bariatric Choice . They are cheap and they are awesome. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

@@capricec It's great that you are trying some of the steps that will take place after surgery. Most of us before surgery have struggled on diets and exercise.We have seen the yo yo effect of weight loss then gains over and over. With bariatric surgery I looked at food differently and felt satisfied. Food no longer ruled my world. Just know the changes you make with the surgery will become your new normal. My behaviors before surgery put me in a place where I was not living my life the way I wanted. Making changes both physically and mentally with bariatrics is so worth it. I have a sleeve. Understand I can eat what ever I want. I have had to make a choice. My food addictions and bad habits. Or to make changes to get healthy to live and enjoy life. I am at goal. Yes I can have a treat now and then. But I know I have to workout even harder to not see the scale reflect that food choice. With the sleeve you do not get dumping syndrome. Some of the other surgery types will get dumping syndrome after eating sugar. I had my doubts before surgery if I was strong enough to be successful. You have a lot of support on bariatricpal. Try not to think of the never going to be able to do.....and think of all the things you can get back in life if you are willing to make changes. I wish you the best, Jenn

A little about myself: I am 28 years old and I have been struggling with my weight all of my life. I am tired of being the girl that has a pretty face. I hate how I feel about myself. I have been toying with the idea of doing some type of weight loss surgery for the last few years. For years I was encouraged to get the lap band, which I seriously thought about for a while. Now, after the long term effects of it have come out, I am so glad that I did not do that surgery. In May of 2011 I went to the bariatric orientation at my local Kaiser office. That is when I first learned about the gastric sleeve. My insurance requires everyone to go through a 12 week class before getting any type of weight loss surgery. The days and times that the classes were on conflicted with my work and school schedule so I wasn’t able to start the classes. At this point I wasn’t ready mentally to go through with any type of surgery. So I started counting calories and exercising. In four months I lost about 26 lbs. When I started school I stopped counting calories and didn’t make time for exercise. Now I have gained back each pound that I lost along with an additional 6. I have come to the decision that I now must take drastic measures for my health before I develop any major health problems, while I am still young(ish). On April 17, 2012 I went to a second orientation at Kaiser (my first referral expired). Now I am making time for myself. I start my 12-week class on Tuesday, May 1st. As long as I make each class, which I will, I will be done with the class in mid-July. I should meet with the surgeon late July/early August and hopefully have the gastric sleeve done by mid-August. I have to quit smoking… I started that journey, and it is way harder than I thought it would be. With the future ahead of me, I am determined to get this done. After all, I AM WORTH IT. I have been lurking around for about a week and feel like I have learned so much. I can see what I have to look forward to and I am excited.

I am a RnY, healing slowly post-surgery on September 5th, on Stage 2, 600-800 calories which is truly deficent for proper needs. My bariatric team knows, I see surgeon again on October 9th and am scheduled for an Exploratory EGD on October 12th, I am tolerating soups, broth, liquids but my pouch does not accept purees. Maybe a slight stricture, But that is a bypass problem, not only sleevers regularly encounter. Until you restart solid foods, I doubt you'll reach 1000 calories,but then i, too, am learning as I go.

American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) calls for safe resumption of bariatric and metabolic surgery before COVID-19 pandemic is declared over Newberry, Fla. — Jun. 23, 2020 — The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), the leading organization of bariatric surgeons and integrated health professionals in the nation, declared metabolic and bariatric surgery "medically necessary and the best treatment for those with the life-threatening and life-limiting disease of severe obesity" and called for the safe and rapid resumption of procedures, which have been largely postponed along with other surgeries deemed elective amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In a new position statement entitled, "Safer Through Surgery," published online in the journal SOARD, the ASMBS strongly rejects classifying metabolic and bariatric surgery as "elective" and prefers the use of the term "Medically Necessary Time-Sensitive Surgery" or "Medically Necessary Non-Emergent Surgery" to better characterize the effectiveness of the intervention and the progressive nature of the many diseases it treats including obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. "COVID-19 may be a factor for quite some time and the longer the treatment of obesity, type 2 diabetes and other related diseases are postponed, the greater the chance they will become worse," said Matthew M. Hutter, MD, MPH, president of the ASMBS and professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School. "Each state, doctor and patient must make a decision as to when conditions for metabolic and bariatric surgery are right, but the sooner it can be safely performed, the more quickly obesity, type 2 diabetes and other diseases can be reduced or resolved." The ASMBS recommends that the precise timing for surgery be carefully considered based on factors including an individual patient’s health status, local prevalence of COVID-19 and the availability of resources including hospital beds, ventilators and personal protective equipment (PPE). The ASMBS statement concludes, "Before COVID-19 began, it was clear that patients with obesity were ‘safer through surgery’. In the era of COVID-19, ‘safer through surgery’ for patients with obesity may prove to be even more important than before." Obesity has been identified as an independent risk factor for adverse outcomes including death among COVID-19 patients. Metabolic/bariatric surgery has been shown to be the most effective and long-lasting treatment for severe obesity. 1 Its safety profile is comparable to some of the safest and most commonly performed surgeries in the U.S. including gallbladder surgery, appendectomy and knee replacement. 2 An estimated 252,000 bariatric surgeries were performed in the United States in 2018, which is approximately less than 1 percent of the population eligible for surgery based on BMI. 3 The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports 42.4 percent of Americans had obesity in 2017-2018. 4 Obesity has been linked to more than 40 diseases including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, stroke, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis and at least 13 different types of cancer. 5,6,7 About the ASMBS The ASMBS is the largest organization for bariatric surgeons in the nation. It is a non-profit organization that works to advance the art and science of bariatric surgery and is committed to educating medical professionals and the lay public about bariatric surgery as an option for the treatment of severe obesity, as well as the associated risks and benefits. It encourages its members to investigate and discover new advances in bariatric surgery, while maintaining a steady exchange of experiences and ideas that may lead to improved surgical outcomes for patients with severe obesity. For more information, visit www.asmbs.org. ### 1 Weiner, R. A., et al. (2010). Indications and principles of metabolic surgery. U.S. National Library of Medicine. 81(4) pp.379-394. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20361370 2 Gastric Bypass is as Safe as Commonly Performed Surgeries. Health Essentials. Cleveland Clinic. Nov. 6, 2014. Accessed October 2017 https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2014/11/gastric-bypass-is-as-safe-as-commonly-performed-surgeries/ 3 https://asmbs.org/resources/estimate-of-bariatric-surgery-numbers 4 https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html 5 The Effectiveness and Risks of Bariatric Surgery: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, 2003-2012. Accessed from: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/fullarticle/1790378 6 Steele CB, Thomas CC, Henley SJ, et al. Vital Signs: Trends in Incidence of Cancers Associated with Overweight and Obesity — United States, 2005-2014. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep2017;66:1052-1058. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6639e1 7 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015) The Health Effects of Overweight and Obesity. Accessed from: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/effects/index.html

The sleeve keeps your digestive system intact, no long term dietary supplements except OTC Vitamins, much quicker recovery AND my surgeon said it is the most performed bariatric surgery he performs at this point in his career. I really didn't want my digestive system "replumbed" and the band wasn't even worth discussing due to it's long term failure rates.

I just downloaded Lose it, having a hard time navigating, I see a forum with a lot of topics. Do you know if there is one for Bariatric Surgery? Would like to customize some things.....Thanks in advance!

I thought you all may want to see the infor below.. Insurance Company to Cover Newer Method of Bariatric Surgery by Kerri Seidler on April 21, 2010 ? Comments | Weight Loss Surgery Aetna, one of the nations largest health insurers, revised its policy on obesity surgery this month to include open and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy among its covered bariatric procedures. The sleeve gastrectomy procedure, often referred to as the gastric sleeve, is a newer method of bariatric surgery that is gaining in popularity as a treatment for morbid obesity. The gastric sleeve promotes weight loss by reducing the size of the stomach to help patients eat less and feel full faster. It appeals to many patients as it does not require a medical implant or need adjustments like laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding and does not require cutting and rerouting the small intestine like the gastric bypass procedures. Prior to the policy change, Aetna considered the sleeve gastrectomy ?investigational? and did not cover the surgery. As of 4/9/2010, Aetna revised its Clinical Policy Bulletin for Obesity Surgery and stated that the ?sleeve gastrectomy is considered medically necessary when criteria are met.? The policy now reads: Aetna considers open or laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), open or laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, open or laparoscopic biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) with or without duodenal switch (DS), or laparoscopic adjustable silicone gastric banding (LASGB) medically necessary when the selection criteria listed below are met. Although the sleeve gastrectomy is included under bariatric procedures, coverage for obesity surgery is still dependent on benefit plan details and approval by Aetna. Aetna?s decision follows in the footsteps of United Healthcare, another healthcare giant, which began covering the procedure in October 2009. In response to the Aetna and United Healthcare change in policy, The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) issued a press release announcing its support. In the statement, John W. Baker, MD, FACS, President of ASMBS, said ?We are pleased that Aetna and United Healthcare now includes sleeve gastrectomy among its covered bariatric procedures?Sleeve gastrectomy has now reached that threshold where the data and our experience with the procedure supports its safe and effective use in people affected by the chronic disease of morbid obesity.? The ASMBS, which is the largest organization for bariatric surgeons in the world, is a non-profit group committed to educating medical professionals, patients, and the general public to the various effects, risks, and benefits of bariatric surgery. The decision of Aetna and United Healthcare to cover gastric sleeve will benefits patients who are morbidly obese and considering weight loss surgery. While weight loss surgery is the most effective treatment for morbid obesity, it should not be considered a ?one size fits all? approach. As the best surgical intervention for obesity can vary from patient to patient, insurers who cover a wider range of options will better allow surgeons to treat patients on a more personal basis.

Hi all, Well I had my weight check with the surgery clinic today and I was greeted by the bariatric coordinator who weighed me and put me in a room to tell me that they are going to bring me in for a preop appointment on September 2nd and that my surgery can possibly be either September 4th or October 16th. The surgeon will determine on the 2nd. I am excited and nervous all together!

My surgeon requires the sleep study to rule out apnea but says most of bariatric patients have it. I did the test but did not have apnea thank goodness. BUT I had a home sleep study. My insurance required a home study because it was cheaper. The equipment was sent to me, I hooked it up and turned it on and went to sleep in my own bed. It is cheaper so insurance companies prefer it and I was able to sleep better. If you have to do the test, ask if home study is an option.