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@@MsUjima Thank you so much for filling out the comment and for your kind words. Pass it around so I can hit that 100 comment goal! It means the world to me to have a community of people behind me supporting what I am doing. I hope that a lot of good will come for the bariatric community from putting myself out there. Keep up the awesome work with the FitBit. It is my go to tracking system. Keep working at adding just a few extra steps each day. You will be surprised how quickly they add up.

Dr. Lopez from Betancourt? If you want to go to him, by all means! Go. Nobody is stopping you. But you have been warned. You claim he is one of the top 3-4 bariatric surgeons in northern Mexico. Feel free to prove your case. I'll wait. You sure seem to have an agenda for someone who has a grand total of 10 posts. Your name wouldn't be Dee, would it?

Dr. Malley's website is malleysurgical.com his office is in Mission, KS but performs his surgeries out of the NewHope Bariatric Hospital just north of 435 & Nall. The other site Wheetsin mentioned is Tallgrass and they are out of Topeka. There are several other doctors performing the lapband in the immediate KC area but in my own humble opinion Malley & Hoehn are the most experienced doctors in this area. Malley has performed over 1000 band operations and Hoehn isn't too far behind him. Malley is a proctor for the region teaching other docs learning how to do the surgery and Hoehn works out of Shawnee Mission Med Ctr which is one of the only hospitals to get its Center of Excellence Rating for this surgery so far. In other words I think it would be hard to go wrong with either surgeon. I would recommend checking out both of their seminars and more importantly attend each of their support group meetings before making a final decision. If you are interested there is also another local Bandster Group that is not affiliated with any doctors called KCBandsters. They have an online Yahoo group as well as monthly meetings at a local library. The group has people that have been banded by many different docs even several that were banded in Mexico as long as 7 years ago. They are having a meeting next Monday night if you are interested. It may be a good place to meet and question people in person from some of the various local docs all at once without some of the bias towards one doc or another you might get at a doctor's run group. PM me if you want more details.

Last week I went to get my surgery date set. My surgeon's P.A. is the one I spoke to. She did EVERYTHING she could to try and get me to switch form the band to a G.B. I do not have diabetes, high blood pressure, or other co-morbidities. I have a BMI of 42. BTW, my surgeon is Blue Cross Bariatric Surgeon of Distinction She went on and on about what a hassle the band was and what would happen if I was on vacation and it got too tight or too lose. She said no one would touch it. She said we had better never move cause other surgeons won't do fills on patients that are not theirs. She mad it sound like I would never be able to travel again and that the band would become nothing but a hassle and a curse to me! Then she launched into the problems. She said 80% of all Lap Bands have problems. They get so tight they can't swallow their own spit, band erosion, reflux, esophagus dilation, having to get fills or unfills every few weeks, not losing any weight. Yet when i asked how many bands they had have to remove she said only one since they began doing them. Finally, she wrapped it up with the fact that, if I was lucky, I might lose 40 pounds of the 100 i need to lose.:smile: She said the only way for the band to work was to follow the diet without one goof-up and to exercise like a Trojan Warrior!!!! Why, why, why??? Please tell me it ain't so!!!!!

this makes me happy to hear! i also have anthem...and i'm waiting for them to receive my papers. they were mailed over two weeks ago and anthem 'never got them' so my bariatric clinic faxed them yesterday. i'm so nervous for the final 'yes' even though they verbally approved it if it was 'medically necessary'...love to hear from you! thanks courtney

Iron and zinc levels also have an impact on hair loss. http://bariatrictimes.com/2008/09/19/the-latest-on-nutrition-and-hair-loss-in-the-bariatric-patient/

Has anyone been able to get approved for assistance from the hospital? I was told by both Kasier and the facility where my surgery will be that bariatric is considered elective so would not be eligible. Just curious.....

Isqueezed the sleep study in between my last monthly class and my pre options appointment. It was crazy because the sleep study Dr said I didn't need cpap just an oral appliance but the bariatric surgeon insisted. Not sue why I had to have the study... I hate the cpap. It wakes me up constantly with this loud farty noise and thus far I have not woken up feeling at all "well rested and refreshed". The darn thing reports back to headquarters so I must comply. I plan returning it as soon as I can.

Has anyone tried Smile Bariatric pods? This just popped up on my Facebook news feed and I'm thinking this may be the route I go post op with my PCP's approval. (I am not affiliated with Smile Bariatric nor receive compensation for this post) https://smilebariatric.com/product/dispenser/

It's funny but the coordinator of the bariatric program where I had my surgery called just yesterday to ask me how I was doing. Two of the questions she asked was "how much can you eat" & "are you feeling full?" I was banded on June 8th and have been on full liquids this whole time. I have not had a fill. So basically she was saying the opposite of what you all are saying. The issue here is that I was the second person they banded, the first person they did an hour before me. I figured it was ok to be done on their first day because a rep from the company that makes the band would be in the Operating Room. Now I am slowly but surely finding out that there are many reasons that you shouldn't be first.

I am preop and having a real hard time with the Protein shakes. I find they taste like flavored dog food. They have a Vitamin flavor to them, which makes me sick. I have tried mixing them with both Water or milk. In fact, I had Syntrax twist cherry mixed with cold water the other morning and I threw it up. However, I have an issue. I have to purchase Meal Replacement shakes for after surgery from the doctors office. They give a choice of Bariatric Advantage, Celebrate, and unjury. Can anyone recommend any good flavors to me besides chocolate and vanilla? I also have the option of getting unjury unflavored. The only flavored Protein shake I like so far has been syntrax strawberry mousse. I started my preop diet on Monday and have already lost 7 pounds. I don't see the doctor again until April 7th. Jennifer

@WinterFish I can relate to what you wrote. I also became reclusive as my weight increased. One of my oldest friends is renewing her vows after 25 years in the Bahamas late next spring. I want to go, made the reservations to go, but I am not sure I will be physically or emotionally ready. I have lost over 90 lbs in the past few months, but I still feel reclusive. I do not drink either and its going to be weird being around a lot of people who do....actually it will be weird being around a lot of people at all. I am not sure what it will take to be ready or even if I will go next May. I still have a lot of healing to do before then.

I'm currently pre op, surgery on the 8th of July, someone mentioned to me once upon a time to calculate my BMR. I've always heard of bmi, but not bmr- which tells you how many calories your body burns per day and can be adjusted depending on how much weight you need to lose. Not sure if this applies to bariatric patients or not, but might also be a helpful tool. http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/

I am new on the site but have been a member of LBT for 2 years. I have not lost any weight since the inital month of the post op diet since being banded. They would do a fill then have to take it out due to not being able to drink liquids. I was doing that for like 2 years. I am livid!!!! I hate that this stupid thing is in my body not doing what it is supposed to. I have switched insurance due to my husband getting a new job. My new insurance has an exclusion stating that they will not cover anything to do with bariatric whatever. So I have written an appeal to the insurance company and have gotten a response saying that they are going to need a certificate of coverage from my old insurance co. I called to get that. Now what.... I have this stupid thing in my body that doesn't do what it is supposed to do and now I can't even get it out!!!!! I am so frustrated!!!!! What is up with me? Why didn't the stupid thing work? I tried to go on to LBT and see if anyone else has had this problem and of course everyone wants to tell you that you need another fill.....HELLO! I have had fills and unfills for 2 years now.....So the reason that I am posting on here is that maybe I can get this stupid thing out and hopefully get the sleeve put in. I am still considered morbidly obese because of my height 5ft 2in. I just need some encouragement and nobody telling me to get another fill (I have nothing in there now).

Vitamin shoppe bariatric support chewables... Like them a lot! I take the multi and the iron ones. Helps me so much.

My surgeon said that only about 20% of people undergoing bariatric surgery will have gall bladder problems requiring removal.

We're excited to share with you our latest product – Calcium Chews, the perfect accompaniment to our Multivitamin ONE. Our new Calcium Chews come in a delicious French Vanilla flavor and provide 38 percent of the daily recommended calcium intake and 100 percent of the daily recommended vitamin D intake per chew. Although we've designed these chews to help those with bariatric bypass to meet their nutritional needs, these chews are useful for anyone who wants to ramp up their intake of calcium easily and without adding extra calories. Each of our calcium chews has just 15 calories and no sugar or fat. They also meet ASMBS recommendations. To learn more about these easy-to-take, nutritious, and affordable Calcium Chews, visit BariatricPal today! Calcium Citrate Soft Chews USE CODE: CALCIUM19 SHOP NOW Cannot be combined with other offers. Cannot be used on recurring orders. Valid through 10/19/19.

I ordered Bariatric Advantage chewable multivitamin and Calcium Citrate chews from Amazon. Free shipping with a Prime account. Check with your surgeons office. Mine sells everything you need. Prices & my Dr's office was about 10% higher than stores or online but beats a blank.

Everyone on here talks about Premier Protein and I finally gave in and tried it. It is pretty tasty, much nicer than muscle milk, and has I think 30g of Protein in one RTD serving. They sell it at costco and Sam's Club and online. For me though, earlier at least, I stuck to unjury and nectar. You can buy a nectar sample pack at Bariatric Advantage -- online -- for like 13 bucks.

Well a couple of months ago my Dr. suggested sleeve surgery and sent the referral to Nova Scotia. I mentioned it to my husband and his answer - I would prefer you do it on your own......but there is lots of time to think about it until we hear something from the Dr. So I have been busy reading, reading, researching on-line and love the idea of the surgery. I found out that the surgeon in NS has a 5 - 7 year wait, but it isn't a list, it is based on need. Mid August - good news, the Province has agreed to pay for the out of Province surgery....... As suggested by one of the Ontario people, I called the Provincial Coordinator to see if they pay for surgery in Cleveland since OHIP pays for it (they only waited 8 weeks for surgery). She said normally it is only for emergency procedures, not obesity. She asked if I knew the cost and again based on the info. from one of the Ontario people (thank you for sharing the info!) I said $34,000. She couldn't say for sure the cost of surgery in NS - but thought it was quite a bit cheaper.....so she didn't think it likely but said do the research & send it in for the medical director to review. So I'm thinking, okay - possibly 3 options: wait for NS, self pay to Mexico, maybe maybe come up with enough arguments to go to Cleveland... So I thought to myself - I should mention all this to my husband. His answer - you know I prefer you do it yourself......you aren't going to Mexico for surgery, "I won't allow it". Now you don't know me, but I'm not the shy retiring type so I started to laugh. He didn't think it was funny and said if I went I would find the door with a different lock and divorce papers. Then I suggested the US....hmmm it appears that it really isn't Mexico that is the problem - seems it is a money thing. I have a good job (I have been blessed in this and in many other ways), and my Mom recently gave me $5,000. My parents don't believe in leaving an inheritance, they want to share what they have now. When I reminded him of this, he moved onto his next argument - well the last time you wasted all that money at Herbal Magic taking those pills and you didnt' even try. EXCUSE ME?? Yes I took pills, yes it cost a lot and yes I gained it back - but I did try. I ate properly and exercised (I guess he missed that at the time). Plus he knows someone who had bariatric surgery and they gained it all back........ He doesn't think I should take the "easy" way out, but should do this on my own. I did explain that once you have the VSG you still need to "do it on your own" - eat properly, exercise, etc. - but that the tool won't allow me to eat the same quantities of the bad stuff like I did before. Yes I told him if I ate a bunch of ice cream and stuff I would gain weight. So....that is my story. He is stubborn & I am stubborn. He says - just wait for NS until you talk to the Dr. I say - I don't want to wait that long.... Hopefully this is like other times where he stews over it for a while and then becomes more reasonable. I'd appreciate any tips you can give on how to convince him (I asked would he do some research - nope.....he would just like to keep his head in the sand and I hope I forget). Thanks for hanging in there long enough to read all this. Nancy

Even searching through posts/threads to see if anyone is from Pennsylvania or using Dr. Aerrola or even Dr.Ali from Hamot Bariatrics in Erie, PA?

UNJURY has vitamins "formulated" for bariatric patients and all chewable.

I think you would be hard-pressed to find a responsible doctor willing to prescribe you a weight loss drug (there are newer ones than phentermine on the market now) so soon after having bariatric surgery. I am assuming that you are eating very few calories right now, which is the point of both bariatric surgery and WL drugs. If you, say, cut that in half, your body wouldn't be able to function and would go into starvation mode, which would actually backfire and slow down your weight loss--not to mention messing up your metabolism. I would focus your energy instead on trying to get more exercise and making sure you get in your protein and water.

It probably is a company exclusion. I have United Healthcare and I read on here all the time how they paid for folks surgery. However, they wouldn't pay a dime for mine, and it's because my husbands company put an exclusion on any bariatric surgery. When that's the case there's not much you can do, maybe appeal through your HR dept. By the time you paid legal fees, it would probably cover the surgery. However there is a website I see mentioned a lot on here but don't know the exact address, if you search around you'll probably find it. Something like obesity law or like that.

Hi Rhonda. I actually am on regular foods now, with the exception of starch. The clinic that performed my surgery has patients progress quicker than most other bariatric centers. I eat mostly grilled chicken breast, lettuce, eggs, and various fruits. I had my first fill last week though and it seems like maybe I'm not tolerating raw veggies very well.