Search the Community

So far I have been to two bariatric seminars. Each time the surgeons, had negative information to share in regards to gastric bypass in comparison to the lap band and gastric sleeve. They repeatedly spoke about the complexity of the surgery, life long commitment to taking supplements and the increased possibility of leakage from stitches. I had originally settled on getting gastric sleeve, but found out my insurance does not cover it. This leaves me with two choices lap band or gastric bypass...or maybe I will need to come out of pocket for the sleeve. The doctors have kind of scared me away from the bypass. Does anyone mind sharing why they chose gastric bypass over the sleeve? Just curious and wondering if anyone had similar experience as me.

Yea I am hoping it's him again too! On a serious note: I've said it once I'll say it again I absolutely love doctor spangler. She is conservative in her approach to bariatric surgery, etc. On more then one of the Pre appointments from January to June of this year she's said: "I don't want to be the one to say you 'have to' have surgery." She supports every choice I've made and has been very informative, on point and accurate. The students that are at Riverside observe some of the procedures that she does etc. The staff and students all have glowing things to say about her. Now with a surgery behind me I physically know, she has good judgment and is a top par doctor who actually cares. PS. My dad was with me for this first surgery and he's slowly coming around to the idea of WLS. It's been good for my dad he's seen the good work she's done, met her briefly (she was busy that morning) He'll be coming with me to my August 2016 check up with her. And my dad stated about the surgery center: It feels like a nor'easter blew through here. (It was cold)

You really do need to start getting your protein in any way that you can. try the high protein shakes from Bariatric Advantage! They are great and have 27 grams of protein in an 8oz cup. They have all different flavors, i have the banana and just recently bought the strawberry and its great!., im 7 weeks out and i still take the shakes even though im eating protein all day. if i dont have a shake for breakfast, im eating a piece of fish, or chicken. i make sure that i get the protein in. i am having a bit of trouble getting all my 64 oz in but i hope that the decaf tea that i drink helps with that. You will get used to it but try to eat something maybe softer, you have to eat to lose weight. Your body is in shock right now and its gonna hold on to the fat if you dont reteach it. The stall is normal and you will get pass that. Good luck to you and If you need any further advice, let me know.

Hi All, I am Renee' from Washington state. I am a wife to a wonderful man (together for 17 memorable years), mother to 2 fantastic children, one beautiful daughter (who has given me 2 beautiful precious granddaughters and a wonderful son-in-law) and a handsome fun loving son. I think my weight story starts in my memory when I was about 10-11 and in 4th grade. I really was not extremly overweight just "chubby". I now do not even think I was that chubby but the teasing from the other kids assured me I was. Once I hit teenage years, I started dieting and got quite thin. I had my daughter at the tender age of 16 and after birth started the "Jane Fonda" craze. It was easy becasue at 16 and 17 you have all that energy anyways. I even got thinner then before pregnancy. At the age of 24-25 the weight started creeping up slow at first, then I was in a car accident that messed up my back and neck and the weight really started to pack on due to the lack of phyiscal excercise (which I really needed to lose and keep it off). I remember when I hit about 200 lbs, I was looking at my knees and I thought something was wrong with them because they looked different, not really realizing it was because they were fatter. From that point on, I think I blocked out my weight gains, even though I have weighed myself every week now for 26 years and have kept a weight diary just as long. I had joined Nutrisystem when I was about 27 and was able to lose about 35 lbs at that time. I joined a TOPS group about 1999 and got down to 246 at the time I stopped going. What a wonderful group of people. I have joined Weightwatchers at least 3 times, all with some degree of success, only to stop going due to finances or other reasons and gain it all back and then some. In 2003 I really started looking into weight loss surgery. I even attended a couple of seminars put on by the surgeons only to find out my insurance did not cover it. In August 2008 I weighed in at my highest weight ever, 305lbs, an extreme amount on a 5'4" frame. At this point my knees were so bad I was heading for a wheelchair fast. I learned in 2005 that I have Degenerative Joint disease in both knees and also arthritis in both knees. In October 2007 I was diagnosed with Type II diabetes. My father died at the age of 39 (when I was 12) from a heart attack. He was extremly obese as well. Being a long haul truck driver did not help his weight. All of these aliments and all the odds against me and having such a wonderful family, I finally got serious about doing something about my morbid obesity. Wow what a hard word to say about yourself, morbid obese, morbid meaning death. When the realization came, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I was way too young to keep on living this way and my family watching me suffer, how unfair to them. In April of 2008 I started the battle with my insurance. Even with all my co-morbitities and several doctor recommedations and appeals, I lost. Talk about a punch in the stomach, it hurt hard and deep. It also did something else, it made me so determined to find a way to get surgery, that I was like a freight train with a vengeance! My husband attended yet another seminar with me that my surgeon Dr. Lee Trotter was putting on, this was in early September 2008. Out of all the seminars that I had gone to, this one was "the one", the one that really insipred me, informed me and gave me the strenghth to pursue a Bariatric Surgery. It was at this that I learned about the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy. I had heard and read up to this point about RYN and the band. I was leaning towards the band until this seminar. After I got home, I researched the VSG and at first thought I must say I was like no way, I am not removing a good portion of my stomach! The more I researched though, being that I would have to self-pay, the band would have extra costs for fills and possible slippage (which would be extra cost which I do not have), and the RYN was way more extreme (and more costly) then I wanted to go. At the seminar the surgeon handed out the paperwork if you were interested in WLS you had to go out and get several tests. Within 2 weeks and the hard work of me and my husband we got the finance part figured out and I got all the tests that were required. I made my appoinment with Dr. Trotter. At the first appointmnt we discussed the different surgeries. I shared with him my research and felt that the VSG would be best for me, he agreed. I was able to make my sugery date for 2 weeks later on October 20th, 2008, a date I will never forget! The day of surgery I was at 292, down 13 pounds since my high at the end of August. I remember being so at peace, I knew this was for me. My surgery went well and I went home after about 28 hours. My surgery cost me 17,000.00 which included 1 year monthly followups with Dr. Trotter, labs done every 3 months and a BIA (Bio-electrical Impedance Analysis) at each visit. My experience from start until now has been phenomenal and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat! Within 3 months of surgery I was off of all my diabetes medication. I am still currently on Hypertension meds but only a half a tablet a day now. I can now walk more then a mile at at a time which I could not do for so long! To date (8/1/09) I have lost 93 pounds since surgery (just 9 months) and 106 lbs (less then 1 year!) since my high last August 25th, 2008! I am like a whole new person which and I am so thankful to have met Dr.Trotter and for his tremendous talent, experience and compassion, he helped me get my life back! My family is so supportive and I am so glad I am here for them and they for me. I wish each and every one of you reading this, the best whether you have had surgery or seeking surgery! Dont give up, you are worth it! Renee'

@@Stevehud Wow, 10-15g of carbs a day is extraordinarily low. The bariatric paper referenced above indicates (CHO = Carbohydrates): "Clinically, it has been proven that a low intake of carbohydrates may cause some damage to the human body. A severe restriction of CHO (in diets of about 15g of CHO per day) may lead to an increase in low-density lipoprotein (LDL), following the increased consumption of foods rich in fat and low in nutritional value, thus raising the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, diets rich in fatty foods can induce a state of insulin resistance. Over time, these diets may cause acute ketonemia, which can lead to metabolic acidity. Additionally, the specific recommendation of a high-Protein intake and totally eliminating CHO from the diet has serious consequences to patients’ health, such as Vitamin and mineral deficiencies and ketosis, which can lead to cognitive alteration and an increased glomerular filtration rate. Furthermore, long-term effects can include nephrolithiasis and osteoporosis." I would be very cautious about such incredibly low carb diets for any extended length of time.

You should check out allrecipies.com. They have lots of great recipies that you can search for by ingrident. Theres even an app with a slot machine that puts meals together for you. You can search for me on there. My user name is Chef_Dad. I have lots of recipies on there that are Bariatric-friendly. The best part is that there are pictures and nutrition facts for every recipe!

You need to make a bariatric cookbook Sent from my iPad using RNYTalk

@@Browneyedgirl41, you're still young. All you'll ever have to do is wear the bathing suit that makes you feel like a righteous babe. You hear that, @@christinah ? Listen up all of you. A scar is not a sin. It's not the mark of Cain. It's not even the mark of Zorro. It's not a crime against humanity. If you're insisting on being unattractive or insecure or any other in- or un-, find another way. Our bariatric scars are marks of our own power.

Constipation can be a difficult problem after surgery. After several months after surgery I developed this complication. After trying several stool softeners that gave me no relief, I finally resorted to inserting a glycerin suppository up my rear end every three days. Obviously I did not want to make this fix a permanent thing. I stumbled onto a simple fix. I found that if I ate an apple before I retired for the night, I would have a good BM the next morning. The trick is that you must also eat the skin of the apple. This approach has worked for me for over a year. Constipation can be brought on by a lack of fluids, so make sure that you are meeting the requirements in this department. Other suggestions on past threads for this problem are: Smooth Move Herbal Tea Prune juice (warmed) Prunes (4 in the morning and 4 at night) Magnesium citrate Insoluble fibers (Garden of Life Raw Fiber or Renew Life Triple Fiber). Haribo sugar free Gummy Bears Aerobic Magnesium 07 Low Fat Bran Muffin (recipe). 80 calories each 1 cup flour 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon cinnamon 2 cups bran Cereal 1 ¼ cups milk 1 egg ½ tablespoon applesauce optional: banana, berries, mini chocolate chips Bake 400° F for 22 minutes

My psychologist said the Magellan Health behavioral clearance requirements for bariatric surgery say they have to do the test to have a score of questions and then she interprets it and recommends for the surgery. It isn't bad to get through. I look at having the psychologist as having one more tool in my toolbox to work with after surgery.

I know this sounds crazy but I like buffets...I get to choose 1 bite of numerous different things. What I don't like about them is I don't get to bring home a to go box. I have tried my bariatric card (the only time it's ever been rejected) at Hometown Buffet and they politely said no. So I hafta pay $11 for about $1 worth of food. But hubby makes up for what I don't eat. He's a low carber so he enjoys getting all the meat and veggies he wants. Last month, we visited a Soup Plantation. They gave me the $4 kids price. Still didn't eat $4 worth of food but it was nice to not pay full price. At buffets, they frown upon u just taking a couple nibbles off ur hubbys plate! At Hometown, I usually get: Baked chicken, cornbread stuffing, broccoli, mashed pots, 1 butterfly shrimp, roast beef, and maybe a small salad. I take a bite or 2 of everything and it doesn't look like I've even touched my food. Enjoy ur Mothers Day. At 5 weeks, however, not sure how I'd feel about it. I was still on soft foods (of which the buffet has lots of, btw). I wouldn't try to tackle a salad or ribs! Good luck! Oh and I usually sneak a few Cookies in a napkin in my purse. Figure since I'm not getting $11 worth of food, I'm gunna take dessert at least! Embarrasses hubby...oh well...

Keep in mind, most insurance companies stipulate Medically supervised in order to approve the surgery. As a previous poster mentioned, most Nutritionist associated with Bariatric programs, are considered medically supervised. But choosing a dietitian, may not do the trick for insurance. Just double check before you spend the money.

Hi John, I haven't received a date yet for my surgery but, I did have Lapband surgery and went through the same thing. Everyone thinks they know what's best but, you know only YOU can make that decision. Think about the reasons why you're thinking about the surgery and why you started this journey in the first place. With any surgery..heck with anything we do with our bodies there are risks. It's whether those risks out-weigh the risk of being obese. If you have too many doubts within yourself, not taking into account what others who haven't had the surgery but, within yourself then maybe you should post pone it so you're comfortable. You don't want to go into anything not having your whole heart behind it. Are you scared and nervous.....sure you have to be. Heck this is no light surgery and if you weren't a little scared or nervous then I would say there is something wrong! I don't have a date and I'm nervous but, I really...REALLY...don't want to keep up with this weight and then some because I'm sure I'd gain more. I already have enough aches and pains that make me stop in my tracks. I want to be able to go places and do things as I get older...I want to retire and actually be able to do things I can't do during my working years. Anywho......people mean well but, heck we've all heard horror stories and if you did your studying and researching for your surgery you saw and read stuff too. The risk is much, much less now than it was even four years ago. They've improved their techniques etc. So think hard and deep....maybe a pro/con list for yourself and take it from there. Heck even call the surgeon, therapist or your bariatric center's help desk and let them know your feelings. I can bet they'd offer help Good luck with whatever decision you make just make sure its the best one for you

I haven't tried any of Nectar...I saw them on the bariatric advantage page but wasn't sure about them

I’m just sharing info in case there are people who aren’t aware of this option. I know some people get very bad GERD after the sleeve that can’t be controlled by medications. I was told the only other option would be to convert to bypass (which is why I ended up choosing RNY). Turns out another option is out there. I’m a nurse practitioner and went to a meeting last week that included dinner and an educational presentation. The presentation was done by both a GI doctor and bariatric surgeon. They were talking about the Lynx procedure. The simplest way I can explain it is to imagine a beaded bracelet that goes around the esophagus. It applies enough pressure to stop the regurg. Complication rates are low. The bariatric surgeon said he has had excellent results for his sleeve patients. He said right now the procedure is still off label for bariatric but the literature on it will be published later this year. Just something to think about or to ask your physician about if you are having GERD issues. If your physician wants more info he can contact a LYNX rep or I can share the name of the surgeon who presented.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! Thanks so much for such delightful visions of what it is really all about. I'll be driving over to my most special brother's house. This will be my second banded Thanksgiving and I hope I do as well this year as I did the last. I recall leaving without that 'stuffed' feeling and really proud of myself that I didn't devour everything single thing available. I made myself a small plate with spoonfuls of most of the things I liked. I also had Desserts, but they were small in comparison to years before and I left feeling completely satisfied and NOT GUILTY for having eaten like there was no tomorrow. I was able to actually sit back and observe my loved ones and actually 'see' that sparkle in their eyes, enjoy their laughs and their warmth toward others. I left feeling truly thankful for so much. My own life and health returned, my totally dysfunctional, but awesome family, new generations, new traditions, renewed faith in a God who got us as far as we have come. Finally, what Thanksgiving is all about. Bounty IS more than food, and it is far more visible to one who is not in a food induced stupor.lol

I was just reading what another patient, age about 40, wrote pre-op about her wls goals. She said that she wanted to fall in love and get married. NOT that she wanted to be healthy, or to move better (her pre-op BMI was around 55), or to be able to fit in normal-sized places, or to NOT be pre-judged by strangers based on her obesity, or to be able to go shopping without becoming exhausted or needing a helper, or to NOT base her restaurant choices on which ones had armless chairs, or to be able to go out of town and know that if her luggage was lost she could buy clothes...etc. Nope, she had an adolescent, romantic vision of what wls would do for her. So, after this woman lost a considerable amount of weight and got down to a BMI of 27 or so...and she hadn't found Prince Charming...she picked up drinking as a substitute behavior...and regained to a BMI of 35...so far. I would HOPE that any mental health professional or bariatric surgeon would recognize that having the dream of falling in love and getting married at the top of her list was like a warning flag. This woman doesn't know who she is or what she wants, other than she just wants to be acceptable to a man. WLS does what it does. People who are counting on it to solve all of their problems should be educated on what they can reasonably expect the surgery to do and what needs another approach.

Hi bullwinkle, I "flunked" my MMP and I was told the same thing. They wanted me to take 12 sessions for anger management issues which in my opinion were totally unband related. All of this was really about the shrink's office who was just pissed off that I called a half dozen times after waiting almost a month for test results. I got angry wiht her receptionist since they kept putting me off with no answers and they didnt like me pushing them. I had to find another surgeon since they were tied to a training hospital and I had to meet the criteria even though it wasnt a trial and my insurance was paying. I went to a second shirnk specializing in food disorders who actually interviewed me for two hours instead of taking a test, which was not a requirement for my insurance anyway. She wrote a letter saying that I wasnt insane and although she didnt support bariatric surgery, she felt I knew what i was doing and cleared me on the mental front. I DID on my own go to a therapist post band for almost a year to try to resolve some of my issues. Not anger management, but the other stuff that happens when you lose a lot of weight. I advise everyone who has insurance that will cover therapy to take advantage of that if you can. It didnt solve my problems but it sure helped me to "think" differently. Good luck!!! Babs in TX 334/190 ish 3 1/2 years and counting.... and still insane!!!

I have also already done the sleep study! 2 things off the list I have diabetes, sleep apnea, infertility, depression and occasional incontinence. My bmi is 61.8%. I don't think I will have to jump thru too many hoops. My insurance company is actually all for me having the surgery. They have been so helpful I can't believe it! They have gone above and beyond to help me get all the information that I would need to choose a hospital and a surgeon. They sent me a copy of their entire policy for bariatric surgery. I think they looked at my $600 a week insulin regimen and realized that this was going to save them a ton of green hahaha. It's the only time in my life this fat has ever come in handy.

I have lost 27 pounds in 38 days. I would like to lose about 20 more before Christmas. The Bariatric Coordinator said he hoped I would be at 199 by easter which is 43 pounds from now. I think I should make it.

Right! I have made a joke of it but it is a serious issue that is concerning me somewhat. I think I know the answer to my problems but would welcome some input on this. Since my op in July, I, unlike most other sleevesters, do not get any clear signals of when to stop eating. I don't feel full until it really is too late. I quite often keep going wondering to myself if I am feeling full or should be feeling full. I mean this has been my problem all my life because before I had bariatric surgery I could easily keep eating way past when I was feeling full or should have been. Do you know what I mean? Anyway, just recently, after eating I am feeling really rough. I feel shaky all over and it feels like my heart is racing. I don't get it after drinking and I don't get it if I just have a biscuit, for example, so I am certain that it is a quantity issue and just need someone to clarify that for me or confirm that that is the case. It may be that I am being too adventurous in what I am eating as well, although most of what I eat is still accompanied with a sauce of some sort in order to help it go down. Yesterday we took our daughter back up to uni and stopped for lunch and I didn't order a meal as it was a waste, but, I did have a few bites from my family's meals and that included a couple of fries, onion rings and breaded mushrooms. I felt fine at the time I was eating and even had a bit of apple crumble with some cream (only a very small amount), but, after we came out and got in the car I felt terrible and it lasted for about an hour afterwards. My heart seemed to be really racing and I felt so shaky and awful that I couldn't sit or stand or anything. In the end we had to find a supermarket so I could go in the toilets to be sick. I was sick there and then later on I was sick again into a bag in the car (family were not impressed at that!). Now,I am convinced that I overdid it and ate the wrong things , you know, they just didn't agree with me and maybe it was too early to try them, but, I had no warning of feeling full at all. I felt fine until I said to myself that maybe I should stop eating at this point! I didn't physically feel full at all. I just don't seem to get the signals that other people here talk about having. I have an appetite most of the time and crave stuff and can physically stuff myself. 'I' have to tell myself not to eat, not my body. It's weird. I have just had my lunch now and I have had to make myself stop eating just in case I feel awful after. I have only had a very small amount of cottage pie with gravy and whilst I generally feel ok I didn't feel too brilliant after I had finsished and was worried that I was going to end up feeling really ill again. Is it the food I am eating, dairy, processed, carbs....? I am not thick but am a bit confused at this point and it may be obvious to you so please help if you can. Thank you all Helenxxx

Yes you can! Some doctors will do it as part of a bariatric procedure anyway. Talk to your doctor about it and see if it is an option for you.

You are right nolongerfat, cheaper isn't always better. However, Mid Michigan Medical Travel Agency LLC strives to match individuals with the best international hospitals in the world for their desired treatment. In this case, bariatric procedures such as LAP-BANDing. The main goal of MMMTA is not to save money, but to provide access. It is usually preferrable to have these procedures done domestically, but medical tourism may be the right choice for individuals who lack the financial ability to get a potentially life-saving medical procedure. I'm glad that you were able to get the surgery you needed and are pleased with the work in Texas. I hope that I can help Michiganders get the same results and level of satisfaction you did.

Reminder-If you have your surgery in another country and get home with a complication ( infection, leak, band slip, etc ) Who are you going to find to take care of you? Not many bariatric Dr.s want other Dr's dissasters. It is a liability issue for these Dr.'s to take care of other Dr's patients. The cost of a complication after you get home will be minimal to the saving of having it done in another country. :laugh:

Mathew Cheaper is not always better. Sometimes you get what you pay for. Remember this is your life you are putting in the doctor and nurses hands. I had lap band surgery and my friend had a gastric sleeve with Dr. Stephen Hamn in Plano and Frisco Texas. If insurance does not pay it is 14,500 for everything. that includes overnight stay and you can stay longer if you need to. The sleeve is a two night stay. They want to keep you comfortable and not heard you out like cattle for the same price. at a very plush hospital all private rooms. You can even finance it through his office. It is Baylor hospital in Frisco TX. I is a real country club hospital. Dr's that are offering cheap prices are doing whatever they can to get cases. They discharge you the same day and the follow up sucks, plus their lap band fills are not included in the price. With Dr. Stephen Hamn all your fills are included the first year. Most places charge you 250.00-650.00 per fill. I do not feel 14,500.00 is a bad price at all. If I were to have plastic surgery , ex. tummy tuck with a reputable Dr. it would be the same or more. There are over 240 bariatric surgeons in Texas. Be real careful who you refer these people to. You may be included in a law suit for a bad outcome. Dr. Stephen V. Hamn is awesome and I recommend him without reservations. He was one of the first Dr.'s in Texas to do bariatric surgery with over 19 years experience. That is why I choose him. I really did my research. It was the most important decision of my life!