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There are lots of bariatric patients with conditions such as bipolar disorder who have been approved. I think they're looking for things that would make it really difficult for the person to follow guidelines or understand what will happen to them or what that means. I've been active on forums for a long time and it's pretty rare to see someone denied. Although maybe they're more stringent at your clinic that at most (??). I don't know.

I'm really sorry this happened to you, but this kind of thing is extremely rare. People can have bad complications from the sleeve, too, but as with bypass, they are very rare. I've been involved in the bariatric community for several years and you almost never hear about this kind of thing. The vast majority of people who've had either kind of surgery have had either no complications at all or very minor ones that were an easy fix. P.S. You only joined this forum two hours ago? If you'd have been on here for several years, you'd know what you described almost never happens. I've been on this and another popular bariatric forum for about six years, and volunteer with bariatric patients at my clinic, and I can count the number of severe cases like this one on hand....

I'm so glad you posted about your continued success and showed us photos of you looking toned and fit. You've helped me get over a mini-depression after hearing one person say that her bariatric surgeon said that *every* patient gains 10-15% of their weight back around three years post-surgery, seeing a photo of a three-year post-op who had gained back about 40 lbs., and then having my primary care physician tell me that all of her bariatric patients so far have gained back all of their weight. So thank you again!

Hi everyone, I have no choice during this time but to do what I most passionate about which is helping people. I had VSG 11/10/2012 and have successfully kept off my weight since then. the first 3 years was the hardest, I actually gained 30 lbs back before.. I was 320 lbs prior to surgery and am now a healthy 175lbs and 5’9″. The lowest was 168 lbs.. Long story short, I am creating a non-profit to give back to people in our community. But I need to connect with people who have real stories or need real support first. I plan on helping people fund for personal trainers, nutritionist, post-bariatric cosmetic surgeries, and therapy. I’d love to talk to any of you and really get back into supporting this community since I completely understand the challenges that we deal with internally and externally. I have a website which is misswisetree.com and you can set up a call and/or virtual call with me. I have extra time since the COVID-19 crisis. I’m here for anyone who wants to talk. God bless you all & take care!

Can you see a gastroenterologist or bariatric surgeon about this? It's just a guess but it might explain your problems.

Nope never... as I said I only got to see 4 GP’s who seem clueless of Bariatric surgery a dismissed my issue as being a natural side effect of my surgery that requires diet adjustments only.. they never bothered to refer me to a specialist or run further tests

May I add, that I’ve had a friend recommending and insisting on enema and especially coffee enema.. this friend has never had a bariatric surgery so I’m sure she’s unaware of the exact causes of my problem. I have been hesitant on trying it but a quick google search doesn’t make it sound like a good idea.. but yet if this works I’m ready to give it a go. Anything to ease my problem

My next door neighbor works in the local funeral home so I guess he'd be OK to say this. My eval was NO questionnaire and a twenty minute chat with the doc. He mostly wanted to know if I really understood the ramifications about what I was about to do. It wasn't like he was trying to talk me out of it, but he kept harping on this being a lifetime change. He doesn't take insurance but I only paid $150 (I talked them down from $175 by dropping hints that I might go elsewhere) . I did find another one that would bill insurance but the earliest I could get an appointment was December, and my surgery was Nov 20! So it was worth the $150 to get it done. Sounds like these psychiatrists, just like the bariatric surgeons, are all over the map with their requirements.

I just had my psych evaluation yesterday evening and my doctor said it will take about a week for him to get an answer to my surgeon. Is this typical? For some reason I thought I would have an answer at the end of the evaluation, but I guess he has to go over my test and do some other things? Anyway, just wondering what the average was for an answer. My appointment was around 2.5-3 hours. I had to take a 567 question personality test and also fill out another bariatric form. I met with the doctor for about 30-40 minutes after I completed all the necessary paperwork. I am kind of bummed because I was hoping for an answer last night and now I have to wait a week. It's gonna be a long week.

1st, a few Ritz crackers aren't going to completely sabotage your success. The question here isn't whether you CAN but whether you SHOULD. As others have posted, most bariatric programs are low-carb. Crackers, bread, etc are some of the "no-no's." My concern is this statement in your post: If at anytime you feel that there's a rock sitting in your chest, something isn't right. It could be a number of things: too big a bite, not chewed well enough, you've advanced your diet too quickly. I suggest you reach out to your bariatric team to let them know you're experiencing this and what you're doing that leads to it. More than likely, they'll have you go back to full liquids. It's possible you just irritated something and you still need to heal. Good Luck! PS: Soft diet is NOT the same as mushy/puree. Make sure you're eating the right stage for you.

is there a dietitian at your clinic? If so, I'd consider scheduling an appt with him or her to discuss your eating If your program requires an ultra-low-carb diet, then they're not going to go for the Ritz crackers at all. My clinic's diet was mostly a balanced one, so that although crackers would have been *OK*, they're not your best choice from a nutritional standpoint. You only have a limited amount of space in your stomach now, so you need to eat things that give you the biggest nutrition bang for the buck. Protein, vegetables - maybe a small serving of fruit now and then (like a few berries on your yogurt). Ritz crackers have very little nutritional value. and 300 calories is too low for where you are now. I was eating around 600-800 from about where you are until I was almost a year out. I know you're not hungry - but you do need to eat a bit more and also eat more than one meal a day. Your body needs the nourishment. Hunger comes back for the vast majority of us sometime during the first year, so no worries about that (actually, I LOVED not having hunger and hoped and prayed I'd be one of the lucky few who never gets theirs back, but no -- mine came roaring back at five months post-op). Until then, think of your body as a machine - like a car - that needs gas now and then to keep going. when do you meet with your bariatric surgeon next? I had post-op appts every three months that first year (and once a year thereafter). You should talk about some of the things you mentioned with him or her. It sounds like you need some direction.

I am a bit jealous of your bariatric team. Go go! Also focus is a good thing. I used Jay Robb for protien. Be inspired is fitting

I just spoke with my bariatric surgeon. He is prescribing antacid and anti-nausea medications as well as having me undergo an endoscopy and CAT scan. I'm glad he is taking extra precautions because I haven't had this problem before.

Agree 100%. I called my insurance to ask if I was covered, and they provided the full coverage policy for gastric sleeve. This helped a ton! When my bariatric place did the initial check on the insurance they said that I was not covered and would have to be self pay. I told them that I had already checked with my insurance and that they should try again. Come to find out I was covered and the person she spoke to thought she was checking on plastic surgery vs. bariatric surgery.

first of all, not all of us dump - I've read about 30% do. I've never seen an actual percentage in peer-reviewed literature, but just based on anecdotal evidence (I've been hanging out on bariatric forums for 5 or 6 years), that 30% sounds about right. I can handle sugar - but high-fat meals I can't. I don't dump, but it just makes me feel like crap. "good" fats are things like nuts and nut products, avocados, olive oil "bad" fats are saturated fats and transfats. Saturated fats are mostly animal fats (although palm and coconut oils are also saturated, but evidently not as bad as the animal fats). The saturated fat issue is a bit controversial. They used to say to really limit them, but now some doctors and dietitians are saying they're not as bad as we once thought. I usually go for lean stuff when I'm eating animal products (like chicken, turkey, and fish), though, just in case.

My PCP just put in the referral for me about a month ago. I haven't heard from them so I called today and the bariatric practice is not scheduling any appointments "until things cool down." I mentioned that it could take a year to which they said, "yeah, maybe." I asked about tele appointments to get me started- nope. I'm so disappointed! They told me to call back in a few weeks to see if they were opening up again. I hope so. I really wish I had settled on this course of action 6 months ago instead. Then I'd already be losing the weight. =(

For the past ten days, I have been experiencing constant dull nausea in my lower abdomen. It worsens when I eat (so I'm only getting about 400 calories a day) and sometimes I have to lay in bed because sitting and eating can increase the nausea. I messaged my bariatric surgeon last week and only heard back from his nurse on Monday. She was rather dismissive, saying that I might have the stomach flu and I should write again in a few days if I'm not feeling better. I also messaged my PCP who does not have a bariatric background, and she hypothesized that it might be heartburn (I don't think so -- I have no pain in my chest or upper abdomen) but said if the nausea continued, she would see me in her office. But again, she's not familiar with the surgery and possible complications, so might not know what tests to order. I spent time researching through Dr. Google and got worried about internal hernias, which could be life-threatening if left untreated. Apparently, sometimes the only symptom is mild nausea. Or maybe I have an ulcer. Am I worrying too much? Has anyone else had a long episode of nausea (lasting over a week) that resolved on its own? Or was from another cause? As you can see, I am already seeking proper medical advice, so only would like to hear anecdotal information and suggestions. Thanks.

check "The World According to Eggface".. She's a long-time bariatric patient and loves to cook. She has recipes on her site for every phase. At 12 weeks out, though, you should be able to handle most things - so you're in luck!

I do these from time to time. They're tasty and super filling! https://www.barilife.com/blog/10-single-serving-meals-you-need-in-your-bariatric-life/

Hi, can you tell me what happened with this? I had the same thing happen with UHC in February. Last week I exhausted my final appeal and the bariatric center told me I'd have to go somewhere else, because they do not offer a self pay or financing option.😨

Hey Amboyle728, When you say regular food, what exactly does that mean? I had this problem a little bit in the beginning and even once in a while recently. I have to say that you are going to have to be kind to yourself and to your body. You kind of have to get to know what works for you all over again. There might even be things that you can consume more of than other things. This is true for me and in this instance I know that I have to be more careful with those particular foods. I also know that for me if I am too hungry, which by the way it is totally possible especially since ghrelin (this is primarily what causes hunger and for me this was the part of the stomach that was removed, which is not always so in all weight-loss surgeries) is NOT only in our stomachs. Anyways, when I realized hunger was somewhat of an issue I went back to journaling my food and realized I was not consuming enough protein. I make sure to have a premier protein shake which has almost no sugar but for about 10oz or so has 30g of protein, Iv'e also obtained a love for sunflower seeds (in shell) as a 'just in case I feel hungry but I shouldn't be' snack. But the main thing is to try adding and/or taking away different foods as well as maintaining intake of protein, bariatric type vitamins, the right calcium, and water. Good luck on your journey and I hope that you find what works the best for you!

Meh. My PCP just put in my referral for a bariatric specialist last month but now with all elective surgeries cancelled, who knows now when they'll call! I'm so bummed out.

Hello everyone what a ride it has been. I spent a year researching bariatric surgery before choosing RNY BYPASS. my highest weight was 322lbs and I was very unhealthy and probably heading for an early grave. With a BMI of 43.7 now today after 7.5 months I've managed to hit 170LBS. that's a total loss of 152lbs in 7.5 months and I think I'm done and in maintenance mode. I've started adding more variety and carbs into my diet but still being mindful of my Weight. I'm just so grateful for the bypass it has completely and literally changed my metabolism for the better. Lately I have indulged here and there on a few squares of chocolate or a Mars Bar or even a cup of icecream without it affecting my weight at all. it's like I'm a new Man. thank you all for your ongoing support. MIKEY

AJ Tylo is probably going to pop in here any moment to tell you about how hunger is all in your head. Personally, I don't agree. Your body has multiple metabolic pathways that stimulate hunger in response to multiple physical triggers - bariatric surgery changes some of those pathways fundamentally, but it does not affect them all and it does not not erase the ones it does affect. I got this surgery because pre-op, I was struggling with feeling starving all the time - even after a full meal. I was on metformin 3 times a day, my blood sugar was steadily inching up towards the diabetic range, and I am nearly the same age as my dad was when he got diabetes. My pre-op hunger was not head hunger - it was physical hunger from a broken metabolism. I'm 3.5 weeks post-op - a few weeks behind you. I've noticed really interesting changes in my hunger throughout this process. The first week after surgery I was starving - once I moved on to full fluids and found a protein supplement I could tolerate, this hunger vanished. In the past two weeks, I have gone back and forth a few times between not hungry at all and fairly hungry. For instance, for about 4 days my weight didn't change at all and I was so not hungry that I barely got my protein in. Then I dropped 4 pounds in a day and suddenly felt hungry again. You might need to do a little detective work to find out the cause of your particular issue. It could be that you're eating too much carbs in your meal, and your blood sugar takes a dip at the 1 hour mark. (I don't know if you're carb sensitive like I am.) Or it could be that you're hungry for a nutrient you're not getting - like how many people are hungry right after surgery until they start getting enough protein. Or it could be that you'd benefit from eating a smaller amount but more often for a while. Does this happen at a particular time of day? Maybe you're just more hungry in the mornings or something? (Or it could be that this is some funny symptom that entirely goes away in a week 😂.) Try out some different things.

Yes, I have PCOS as well. I was actually diagnosed years ago - probably more than 15 years. But in the past few years, things have gotten bad, and while I was not yet diabetic, my doctor upped my dose of metformin to 3 times a day. Even taking all that metformin, I was struggling to even maintain my weight, let alone lose it. And I knew diabetes was around the corner because things were getting worse and my dad got it around this age. This is the main reason why I chose to have bariatric surgery. I think PCOS is a very common reason. I did my surgery self-pay, so I did not have to go through the pain of a doctor monitored weight loss regime before hand. However, I have read others talk about it on here. It sounds like there are two point of the monitored weight loss regime. One is to make sure you can follow a restricted diet, since your diet will be very restricted after the surgery. I am 3.5 weeks post-op, and I probably spend more time and energy on food that I did before the surgery - I have to eat more often, and I have to track my food to make sure I am getting protein, and I have to make sure I am getting enough water. Not everybody is up for that, and those people who aren't ready aren't successful long term. The second is to reduce the amount of fat stored in your liver, which makes the surgery safer. It sounds like you are following the advice from your doctor well. He knows you have PCOS and about your medication problems and why you are struggling with weight loss and how hard you've been trying. Your profile says you have lost 26 pounds - so that's not nothing. A 26 pound loss is enough to reduce the fat in your liver, and to show that you can follow a diet. So let us hope that you still will be approved. Also, talk to your doctor directly about this concern - she probably has dealt with insurance companies/patients before. If you're wanting some suggestions on how to get your diet back on track just to make sure you are approved, I wonder if you have thought about low-carb? I'm not an anti-carb fanatic, and I hope to be able to eat reasonable amounts of carbs in the long term now that I've had this surgery. But before surgery, whenever I was having trouble controlling my appetite, low-carb usually got things back on track. At it's core, PCOS is a metabolic problem with your glucose/insulin metabolism and low-carb helps. And doing low-carb pre-op will prepare you for the post-op diet. The post-op diet isn't strictly low-carb, but when you can't eat much and you need to make sure you get your protein, it pretty much ends up that way.