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I have a card in my wallet that I can hand to food service that says I have bariatric restrictions. That way they have to let me have 1/2 portions or order from children's menus. I'm surprised too that they took that I think if you completely restrict the occasional treat you'll go crazy and pig-out. Sounds like you did well and do sweat it!! Good job @ your inches and lbs lost!

Dr. Mitchell Roslin in Northern Westchester Hospital or in Lennox Hill Hospital in NYC. Chief of bariatric surgery. Why go anywhere else... It's your care. Go to the BEST!!!!

Dr Terrence Clarke at Ellis Bariatric. Can't say enough about him and the entire program. They are a Center of Excellence as well.

Hello! This is my first time posting and I figured this would be the best place to ask for advice. I'm going to be getting a gastric sleeve surgery in mid 2022. I've been meeting with a nutritionist regularly, and in January will be month 6 of supervised weight loss. After that I'll meet all the requirements for insurance and can go ahead with scheduling the surgery. In July/August of this year, one of my coworkers (Emily, whom I had recently met in April), had asked if everything was okay after I came back from a doctor's appointment. I had been feeling a little overwhelmed at the time with all the information I was receiving, but I didn't want to tell her that I was considering WLS. I told her that I had a small hernia that needed to be repaired, it wasn't a big deal, but I was going to the doctor regularly to monitor it before I could get it fixed. I hated lying to her, but I was still on the fence about telling anyone about getting WLS apart from my mom and my sister. I thought that this would be a good cover as well, since we work together and I'll need to take some time off to recover, but I knew that I didn't want to tell our other coworkers the real reason for my operation. Here is the issue I'm currently facing. Since we met, Emily and I have become incredibly good friends. We moved in together in October, and the living situation has been perfect. We have a very healthy and communicative friendship, and get along perfectly as roommates and as coworkers. She is one of the best people I've ever met and will be a part of my life for as long as I live. And I've already lied to her about the surgery. I realize this might be more of a moral dilemma than anything; I want to tell her that I'm getting WLS. I know that she'll be supportive. But I also don't want to put her in an uncomfortable place with the rest of our coworkers where she knows something that they don't. I don't know if I should roll with the hernia story and tell her that I've decided to get WLS at the same time (since small hernias can be repaired at the time of bariatric surgery), which will still be true to the rest of our coworkers as far as she knows. Emily isn't my boss in any capacity; she's been there a bit longer than I have, but we're in the same position so there's no issue there. Or maybe I should come clean and tell her the truth and that there is no hernia, which will then hurt her because I've now carried out this lie for 5 months. I'm going to have to tell her something, especially since we live together and my eating habits will drastically be changing. I wish that I had never lied to her in the first place; she's very important to me and I want to be honest with her. But I also don't want to put her in an uncomfortable position with the rest of our coworkers either. And yes, I realize that I should have been honest at the beginning. I didn't know her as well then and was scared that she would judge me. But I love her and I want to be honest with her without hurting her. Any perspective or advice is appreciated, I really don't know what to do from here.

here's the thing....you gotta address the disease of obesity....the noise in your head that pollutes your determination to be (& enjoy) good health. A 50 lb gain suggests you're "off program". It's a symptom of your disease of obesity. Make appointment for follow-up. Speak w nutritionist in bariatric program. Weekly weigh ins @ the surgeon's office doesn't require an appointment, & makes you accountable. Get to support group. There's no shame in the struggle. Anyone posting here has been & is, in the same boat.

Good luck. I agree with the other posts. Read EVERTYTHING you can. That being said, read everything that is valid and reputable. There is a lot of crap out there. When I first started reading and doing research on WLS, I looked at every option and each procedure to see which one was best for how I live. This is a lifestyle change but you still have to account for how you live your day to day life and mesh that with your new habits. This has been a 4 year journey for me and now I will be having surgery next week. 3 and a half of that was me doing some deep thinking, research, and self reflection. The last 6 months has been the required appointments and counseling needed for my insurance and the bariatric center. Think of and ask every question you can, no matter how insignificant or "'dumb" you think they are. I GUARANTEE almost every one in the room has or had the same question at some point. Good luck.

I would highly recommend The Centre for Bariatric Surgery in The Avenue, Prahran. There's several surgeons there, they all operate at The Avenue Private - the number is 9520 9520. I had Gary Crosthwaite, he was great, there's Paul O'Brien - who was one of the band's original inventors in its current form, um, Wendy Brown if you want a female surgeon, and several others. More importantly there's a great group of doctors to access for your aftercare and fills. Its a fairly convenient location if you're on that side of the city. There's also other surgeons at The Valley Private, and Peninsula Private if those areas suit better, and I read in the local paper that its now being done at St John Of God in Berwick too. Costs for me were $3,500 3 years ago, DH paid $4,000 last June, its pretty similar everywhere - the arrangement usually being that private health insurance/medicare covers it all except for that one fee, which once you've paid it, all your fills, aftercare and (god forbid) any revision surgery will be totally bulk billed, so there will be no cost for you in the future. Hope that helps!

I recommend the Centre for Bariatric surgery also. My surgeon is Paul Burton. Give them a call (number in previous post) and ask them.

Hello everyone... I've been lurking on here for awhile but this is my first post. I'm 26 and from Chicago and have finally decided to take the steps to have bariatric surgery. Attended a seminar a Loyola University Medical Center that was very informative. I'm nervous but excited for what's to come in the future! I was wondering if anyone on here has experience with County Care Medicaid from Illinois? I've called them several times and other than knowing that they do cover surgery, I keep getting conflicting responses about qualifications or where I can go to have the surgery. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

I had emergency gallbladder surgery about a month ago. I found out I had a BMI of over 50, & a fatty liver. My gallbladder surgeon highly recommends gastric sleeve surgery. He does bariatric surgeries as well as general. Yay me... I have begun my journey; I had my 1st dietitian appointment, done my upper GI scope, have a cardiologist appointment this week & a follow up to the upper GI this week. I am waiting to find out about the sleep study and have 2-3 more appointments with the dietitian before surgery... Was wondering what the best pre & post Op protein shakes are best as well as liquid & chewable vitamins are recommended..... Sent from my LM-Q730 using BariatricPal mobile app

Being nervous is perfectly normal! You are making a permanent change to your body which will make you change your lifestyle. It is a lot to take in. I suggest journaling to help you work through these feelings. The biggest help for me was 2 lists I made and kept right on the fridge. The first list is all the reasons why I chose surgery. The 2nd list was all the things I can't wait to do when I lose weight. It is my bariatric bucket list. Those papers helped me keep everything in perspective when I started to get nervous or overwhelmed. You made this decision rationally and after much consideration. There are reasons why you have worked so hard to get ready for surgery. Stop sabotaging yourself and reset your eating habits. You can do this. We all are here if you need to talk or need support!

I need some advice on bariatric vitamins. I am currently taking the Bariatric Advantage Mixed Berry flvor and I HATE THEM! They are so yucky and almost seem to fizz in my mouth...GROSS! I will take them until they are gone, but I want something different. Any suggestions? Also, what are you taking on top of your bariatric vitamins? B12? Biotin? What is your vitamin regimen?

I did not choose my surgery type.. my doctor did it for me... i think doctor know better than us!!!! I had sleeve I wish that my surgeon would choose for me but he left the decision up to me. He went over the pro's and con's of both of the surgeries and then gave me two authorization forms to sign (one for the sleeve and one for bypass) and said once I make my decision to send that back to the office. He suggested that I go to the local bariatric surgery support group and talk with friends and family who may have had the surgery to help make my decision.

Due to my new insurance excluding all weight loss surgeries, I am looking for high quality/low(er) cost surgeries, Gastric Bypass or Mini Gastric Bypass. From what you have read, what is everyone's opinions on the differences between Mexico Bariatric Center and the Obesity Control Center? If you had to choose, or do your surgery over again, which would you pick? Thanks!

What a b***h you should have given her a slap. See this is why I dislike the vast majority of nutritionalists; their total lack of empathy. So food isn't a pleasure is it? Tell that to every human since the dawn of history, and ask her why EVERY culture worldwide has developed a cuisine. By the same rationale sex is purely functional too, ask her if she enjoys that or is it missionary every time? And "normal people"?? Go take a jump. I bet she has a face like an old boot. She did not say "normal" people, she said, "normal weight" people, as in those with a healthy BMI. This woman is not a bariatric nutritionist, nor is she condescending. She is a certified Diabetes Educator, a registered dietician, and I have worked with her for 13 years. Of course she recognizes that food is pleasurable. She also recognizes that many obese people rely on that, and focus more on the pleasure than the nutrition. She shows complete empathy, knows me well, and knew at the time that I needed to change my thinking about food. Food is not entertainment, it is not a reward, and only on occasion is it a treat. It seems you have had some negative experiences with your bariatric team. I recommend finding someone who doesn't offend you. I have found great support and I have a healthy life and a healthy weight.

At five weeks, I was just a few days into eating cooked regular foods as tolerated. But, since your doctor has you on a slower transition, you should just roll with it. I am surprised that you seem to be eating mostly carbs. Even at the mushy stage, you can eat regular food, just cook it to softness and then run it through the blender a bit to break it down. On soft mushy foods, I was eating yogurt (protein), scrambled eggs (protein), refried Beans with cheese and a little sour cream (protein), beef stew run through the blender (protein), moist chicken meat (protein), moist ground beef or turkey (protein) and steamed fish (protein). Let the blender be your friend. For every 1/2 cup of Protein, I was to eat two tablespoons of veggies. One of my biggest issues with food was changing my habits developed around food. I loved sweet rolls, muffins, pancakes, etc. for Breakfast as soon as I opened my eyes - sweets with a cup of sweet tea. Now I have eggs for breakfast, but one day it's a fried egg, one day it is boiled, maybe another day it is a small cheese omelet with sauteed peppers, onions, mushrooms and ham, and today I am eating deviled eggs. lunch was frequently an hour after breakfast. Now I make a point to drink at least two bottles of Water before I eat anything else, and then it is a snack. Today I had a gherkin and an ounce of cheese. Some days the snack is 1/2 an apple with a tablespoon of Peanut Butter. A couple of days a week, my snack is 1/3 cup yogurt with some berries. See, it is not the same every day. lunch is now early afternoon, and I am starting to eat more tuna salad and other cold salads and vary the ingredients. My late afternoon snack might be a little dark chocolate with a handful of almonds. In my soft phase, yogurt was my go-to. I could put a little sugar-free jam in it to give it a little flavor. Supper was any soft meat I wanted plus a couple of spoonfuls of mashed veggies. My favorite was/is green beans because they are not starchy. My bedtime snack, if I have to have one, is usually oatmeal with stewed apples, or 1/2 banana and peanut butter....there are so many things you can do. Meals cannot be the highlight of my day anymore. I have to be creative and find interesting things to do that don't involve mindless munching on popcorn or chips. Bariatric surgery changes your life. You need to think differently to feel differently and get healthy. This gets better as you graduate through the various phases because your options open up. No, I do not eat Pasta anymore. Last night for dinner, I had two meatballs with spaghetti sauce and parmesan cheese, and a few green beans. I have had pizza a couple of times and just use a fork to pull the goodies off the crust. There is no flavor in regular crust anyway. It's just a plate you can eat. Dessert will be a peach, not peach pie. Put on your thinking cap and get creative. Drink water, sip, sip, sip until your eyeballs float. You can do this!

Insurance can answer what surgeons are approved providers, and required referrals. Yes get your records sent to both the PCP and the bariatric surgeon's team. If you know which surgeon is in-network request it, be him on the referral. Some (most) surgeons require you go through their program and it varies by surgeon - some are weeks and many are 6 months. You see nutritionist, psych eval, EKG/stress test, bloodwork, ultrasound of stomach and legs, EGD (scope of esophagus and stomach, etc. Some insurance requires this as well.

Ok I know its not the best subject to talk about, but I've had very soft stool to almost diarrhea every day, 4-6 times a day. Now I've got hemorrhoids from it and feel very uncomfortable. I went to my family dr, and he gave me a prescription cream for it which helps some. I had my surgery in Mexico so I don't have a bariatric doctor at home yet. Trying to find one to take me for follow up care is a challenge. Anyway, my family dr suggested increasing my fiber, but not sure if that is safe after having a bypass. Anyone have suggestions?

I had RNY, not VSG, but it's similar. Your volume will be unrealistically restricted for the first few months or a year, but after that, not really. Although I eat much less than I did pre-surgery, no one would be able to tell anymore that I had bariatric surgery. I eat like my never-been-obese women friends do who are "watching their weight". At restaurants I'll usually order an appetizer and eat that - or else order an entree and take half of it home. no I could never eat half a large pizza again at one sitting like I could pre-surgery, but I can eat 1-2 pieces. But 1-2 pieces is what my mother eats - and most of my skinny friends. so to answer your question - yes, of course you'll be able to eat at weddings and when traveling abroad. You won't be stuck forever eating 1/2 C of food or 600 calories. But you'll be eating much smaller portions than what you probably atepre-surgery (or you should be eating much smaller portions - unfortunately, regain is real!! Luckily, it's easier to eat small portions and be satisfied with that after surgery)

I went to Fusco's seminar. When he through that $3700 "Program Fee" out there I knew he wasn't for me. I just don't have that kind of cash laying around and I can't see getting an equity loan for it either. Besides, per my Insurance I have to go to a "Center of Excellence" for my ins to pay "In-network" amounts. And the closest one is Dr. Jawad in Ocala, he also does lap band and he includes the cost of the fills in the surgical fee, so that the ins will cover it. He has no program fee either. Only a $250 consultation fee. My surgery will be there but my follow ups will be in Orlando. After the initial post op visit, I will only have to go every 6 months. For me the drive was worth saving the $$ that Fusco charges. I hear he is a good Bariatric Surgeon, I just couldn't afford him. I also decided that GBP was a better option for me after talking to my PCP. I have read many positive and many negative things about both surgeries, but for me, having to continually get the fills was just not something I wanted to do. I need the restriction all the time, because I know me. I would just say, "Well maybe I'll go next week for a fill". Something would happen and I would put it off. So a GBS is my choice. Best of luck to you!! How much have you lost?

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)

Thank you all for your support. After thinking about it for a while I remembered why I didn't want the bypass. For me it just didn't seem right, I just never felt comfortable with the idea of bypass. I called my doctor and the bariatric nurse a bunch of times today, did my pre admit and now I've been approved for surgery. I guess my insurance works fast lol. I will be having the sleeve this monday July 28th! I feel nervous yet excited.

I am talking to mexico bariatrics Dr. Luis Cervantes, I have done all of my paper work and pd the 500.00 down but I email them and I do not hear back from them. I paid through pay pal so I can get my money back. Just afraid of being scammed. How was the process? And congrats on your weight loss!! GREAT JOB!!

I knew nobody in real life who had WLS. I knew our insurance would cover it. I googled and started looking at surgeon websites. One of the first I found was a center of excellence. I checked and he was covered in my insurance plan. I went to an orientation seminar and the team impressed me a lot, although the surgeon wasn't there that night. I booked an appointment for a few days later, met him, asked a ton of questions, and decided it felt right. Six months later I was banded. I'm happy with my experience and haven't had any complications. I will say that I haven't seen my surgeon since my six week post op. My NP does all my fills under fluoroscopy. She's wonderful and actually sent me away without a ninth fill two weeks ago with gentle advice to change up my diet and exercise instead. I think I've been fortunate, but I'd probably do it the same way if I had it to do over again. Matter of fact, I had a minor unrelated (not bariatric) surgery last January, and chose that doctor in a similar fashion.

While I'm not in California, I had the same thing happen. I've worked for years with my doctor and her nutritionist, but my insurance needed something more. I did my six months with my bariatric doctors office and now I am FIVE days away from having surgery. I would say keep up the fight, but don't delay on starting the Six month plan. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App