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@ I read this article as well as others discussing the burden of excess protein (though i unfortunately cannot site them) a while ago which is why I am concerned with all this protein in the long run. I've figured out about 45-65(absolute max) is all I would need to consume and the max assumes I'm doing a good amount of strength training. I just wish there was an article specifically about bariatric patients and any needs they might have outside the norm. Also I really don't want to fill my sleeve entirely with protein dense foods skipping veggies that provide some many nutrients. Seems like the bariatric NUTs believe you can get all your vitamins from a supplement something I know is not true!

Your medical information is confidential and private under HIPPA laws. You do not need disclose any detail of any medical procedure/issues if you don't want too. You might qualify for FMLA, which is another law designed to protect employees from a medical issue, while working. Below is a link to the Department of Labor and FMLA. Your HR Manager will have more information about FMLA too! U.S. Department of Labor - Employment Standards Administration (ESA) - Wage and Hour Division (WHD) - Family and Medical Leave Act If you plan to utilize sick time for more than three days, then more than likely you will need to bring a doctor's note stating you were under a doctor's care and you are able to return to work. The note does not provide information about your medical information. Many employers have policies regarding the use of sick time, so you will also want to check with your HR Manager. Personally, I took vacation time, so I did not have to explain to anyone why I would be out of the office for several days. My employer does not know I had surgery and they do not know any of my medical information. I did complete an FMLA request, which my doctor signed. This allows me to attend all my aftercare procedures, which are monthly. When my doctor completed the FMLA form, I requested that she not utilize any identifying language, such as "Bariatric Center" which would disclose my medical information. I don't believe it is appropriate to share personal information of any kind with your co-workers and employers, as they are not my family and do not need to be privy to any such information. As an employee, I am paid to work not socialize. Thus, I do not share my personal info. But that is just me and you will decide what is best for you. :-)

Hello everyone, I am working with surgeon #2 for my procedure and the frist one was nice but very difficult when it came to his team working with my insurance provider. My current surgeon is wonderful but he has decided not to renew his contract with my insurance provider significantly increasing my financial contribution. I have worked hard to be put back at square one. As an alternative I was considering traveling to Mexico for work there and then using my current surgeon for adjustments. I know many bandsters have had their procedures done in Mexico and I am looking for success or caution stories in traveling there as an alternative to traditional insurance financing. Thank you all!

@@Luvin_Life125 Google the local restaurants and look up their menus online. Takes the guess work out of which restaurants will have bariatric friendly foods.

I have checked out the surgeons list on the bottom of the page and also googled bariatric surgeons for my area but I guess there aren't any around. Guess I will live with the miserable side affects.

Dear Sweatheart, I have NONE of the issues you are describing (a few minor ones for sure) but, I can tell you, you are right to be cautious and thoughtful and ask MANY questions. Questioning all this and doing your research does not make you a loon! lol It makes you an informed, smart patient. While I cant guarantee you that the waters will be always smooth, I can say that my father is a doctor in this area and was instrumental in developing the bariatric program here so, when I decided I wanted this, I GOT AN EARFULL!! I could go on for days about stats, case studies etc! lol Even in saying that, HE was concerned about me making such a permanent, life altering decision too. this is a BIG deal.All your emotions are the right ones to have , because they are yours. Its your body, your life, your feelings and your doctors and support staff should answer them all with patience and understanding. If you don't feel you have the right team, you can always stop and begin again with another. This is not my first surgery, I did have the band, now I am having the bypass. I will say, I lost almost 100lbs and for me, it was life altering. My health improved, my self esteem rose up off the floor for the first time in years, and I felt like a light, happy confident women just like all the other women in the room for once! Unlike some people will think of us, this is not magic! I worked VERY hard at this, I ate right, and worked out hard, and it paid off! I was my own fairy weight loss godmother! lol My band was defective and my thyroid has worsened so, my surgeon feels bypass is best now so, this is the continuation of my path. Its all scary uncharted territory for you right now and its tons of information to take in it seems but, remember, its also a learn on the job sort of thing to a point as well. You certainly want to follow direction but, you can ALWAYS ask if you forget, of feel weird or confused until you are a bypass master. Then it will be as much a part of you as breathing is. As for your illnesses, they will certainly be effected by this change (most likely in a very good way) but you learned to manage them when you first became diagnosed and you will relearn as they change as you are obviously a savvy patient. The only constant in life is change! I think your making a very brave change just for you and all for the best. However, as I said, if you have lingering doubt, keep on asking, get another consult, whatever it takes until you are FULLY comfortable. This process is tough enough, you have to feel confident you have made a good and informed decision. you will be in my thoughts and prayers, please message me any time at all, good luck and feel better, stay well and think POSITIVE!

I was hoping my insurance would pay. If I had to pay for a trip to mexico from the east coast I mind as well pay in country. My sister had bypass and I do billing for bariatric surgeons so I am aware of the complications. I am scheduled for the seminar tomorrow. I hope I have a better idea what i want tomorrow.

It might be beneficial to you to locate an informational seminar in your area and attend. Due to your neurological issues you would likely still need to have a consult with a bariatric surgeon but WLS would help you to lose weight with minimal exercise. It would just be a question as to whether or not your condition makes you a good candidate for surgery. As to the decision for bypass vs sleeve, currently the sleeve is so popular that for many it's just a matter of preference. For me I didn't want to reroute my internal organs and I was not thrilled at the idea of dumping syndrome. I also had not issues with heartburn or reflux prior to surgery so the sleeve was a better fit for me. I don't think one is better than the other. A good friend of mine had bypass. She is doing well and is very pleased with her results. She was even one of the lucky few to not have issues with loose skin.

I hear you. Has your bariatric team been able to provide any solutions? Mine was the 3rd and the first 4 days were HELL, but Day 5 I seemed to turn a corner. I hope you're able to get some relief soon.

go online and gregister at website,look to see if they cover wls or if they have Bariatric resource services, if they do call the number to BRS. If you're not sure call UHC to verify you have coverage for surgery.Find out the requirements. Find a surgeon and get the ball rolling. Good Luck!!

Google weight loss surgery appeals lawyers. Www.wlsappeals.com I've heard good things about them. My local bariatric group says to get a lawyer & appeal always. Its cheaper than self pay & you are sure to get coverage if you have complications later. If u give up & go to Mexico you could end up in mucho bills. allons-y

I feel ashamed even having to ask this, but I'm freaking myself out, so here it goes... The week before surgery I was diagnosed with Pleurisy and put on 7.5 to 10 mg of hydrocodone, which I took maybe every other day or so at night. My job involves driving, so my use was very limited. Then for surgery I was on dilaudid (patient controlled analgesic) at Lord knows what dose, plus oral Oxycodone 15mg. At home I was on the 15mg oxycodone for a couple days, then 10, then 7.5, and then I didn't really feel much pain anymore by about day 7 so I stopped... And I felt like complete crap. Achey, cold sweats, goose bumps, nausea, etc. I took 7.5mg because I figured that's just how post op feels without pain meds on board, and it all went away. I tried again yesterday, same story. Then it dawned on me that maybe those are withdrawal symptoms? I have a 4th year medical student friend (with no bariatric training) and I asked her about it, and she said it's fully possible to already have physical dependence, and to just taper off slowly. But I'm just in shock that I could develop a dependency so quickly. I keep thinking that this is just how it feels at 9 days post op without any pain meds on board. Like absolute trash. I was wondering if anyone had any insight into how they felt at this time in their recovery? Is it normal to be achey, have cold sweats, goosebumps, exhaustion, and nausea? Or am I withdrawing off of narcotics after just over 2 weeks of use? Please nobody be rude, this is a difficult question to ask, but I need your thoughts... HW: 296 SW: 262 CW: 251.4 Surgery date: 6/26/17

Do any of you get nauseous from your vitamins? I'm on the three part Bariatric Advantage vitamins my doctor's office recommended (Orange chewable multi 2x a day, caramel calcium citrate chew 3x a day, passionfruit chewable iron 1x a day). I had no problem with them at all the first 3 weeks. Now, all of a sudden, if I try to take them before my meal, I get violently ill, like heaving and tremendous pain. I did the obvious thing after this happened a couple of times and started making sure I take them with something on my stomach. I don't get nauseous that way, but I do get queasy. And overall, they've gone from no problem at all to something gross that I dread.

Hi, everyone. I qualify for lap band surgery (BMI of 38 and I have severe sleep apnea). I am currently on health insurance that covers lap band after a 6-month supervised diet. I've dieted forever and forever and tried to lose weight forever and forever, but never medically supervised. I did start weight watchers in late March, so my 6 months with that will be up in mid September. I am hoping to switch jobs and therefore insurances starting September 1, 2011 (I'm a teacher). I would be offered group coverage through my new employer, but there is a specific exclusion to bariatric surgery. (Same is true with my husband's insurance). From what I can tell, I will not be allowed to purchase cobrar insurance from my current employer if I am offered group insurance through my new employer. Is this still true if there are huge changes in coverage? Anyone have experience with this? I really want to figure out a way to get my surgery covered but still be able to change jobs in September. Any advice? Any way I can use my previous diets to qualify for the surgery during the summer? Why, oh why do I find out that I have severe sleep apnea and finally qualify for the lap band at this exact time when I am very close to having a new job lined up that I'm really looking forward to???? The timing couldn't be worse...

My medicaid is with deductible. when the bariatric doctors office sent it in my card was active but by the time medicaid got it and answered me back it was denied because my card of INACTIVE. they only activate it one month at a time depending on deductible and when u submit a bill to them as per amount . anywho, my case worker apparently is not familiar how it works and is not co operating with me she keeps arguing with me, . Should i call medicaid it self instead of the branch to make my card active??? helpppppppppp

Welcome to the boards! I also considered the band a few years ago when a colleague of mine lost a great deal of weight with a lapband. Since then, I've done a good amount of research and self-education. For me, having a piece of hardware installled just freaked me out. I can barely remember to get my car's oil and filters changed on time, and there are so many people whose bands slip, cause scarring, or flat-out fail that I sort of shied away from that idea. On top of which, my colleague gained back a lot of the weight she lost, so I had a real-life reference for bands not doing the job very well. When I went to my first informational seminar, the lead surgeon at my local Bariatric Center of Excellence was very up-front about lapbands. He told the audience that he discourages people from getting them, due to the issues that often come up. He did say that he would install one if his patient insisted, but he was pretty clear that his practice is trying to get away from them. One of his nurses told me that she expects the sleeve to become the new "gold standard" for weight loss surgery in the next few years. I'm really happy with my choice--and my surgery is just over a week away. I hope you find the choice that is best for you! Good luck on your weight loss journey, and welcome to the forums. (We're a wacky bunch, but it's never dull!)

This isn't exactly the same thing but I've have breathing problems too. I sing in church every Sunday and I've noticed that I lose my breathe very quickly now. We usually sing for about 45 min and I barely made it. By the time we were done (and yes, I had to Milli Vanilli some parts, lol) I was short of breath, a little dizzy and I had a headache. A friend of mine is a nurse who works with bariatric patients and she said that this is not uncommon....just a part of the healing process. Hope you feel better!

What is everyone doing for a multi vitamin & I am wondering if anyone has tried the swallowable pills from Bariatric Advantage? I have tried so many chewables & liquids and they are so nasty! Warning!!!! Do not buy the multivitamin from Vitamin World called "Origin of Life". Made me throw up!!! $30 wasted!

Mis73. I have been working in the field of nutrition for many years and as a 'lifestyle consultant' have studied to a PHD level, if not beyond. I (we) work in the field of lifyestyle medicine addressing the root cause of the issue, not just addressing the symptom. The Dr in question has given NO nutritional guidance at all. He is happy to suggest that high Protein is not good, but not able to give a recommendation on how much is optimal. All the peer reviewed academic studies I have conducted, or am aware of suggest that the Dr is incorrect. Though his closing comment is always 'its because he's post bariatric'. The three letters PHD mean a lot and thats why I have a team of them that I work with closely at my clinic however, we have never conducted tests on bariatric patients over extended periods so was hoping to get an insight here.

In the U.S., depending on the insurance company requirements, it can be months before surgery is approved. I was lucky in that my insurance is bariatric friendly. In less than 1 month, I had my 1st appointment, was sleeved and released from the hospital. But I went to great lengths to get all my pre-op testing done quickly. In 2 weeks, I'd had all the blood work, xrays, EDG, and psych eval completed. On top of that, I had a co-morbidity (sleep apnea) and I had done a doctor supervised diet years earlier that met my insurance pre-qualifications.

Oh yes! I found her blog last week! I have it open in one of my tabs at all times! lol I love that she has dessert recipes too. Yes, pizza and also my sweet tooth have been my biggest problems so far. I also like that she has a recipe index, whereas Egg Face does not- you just have to search. Plus, Nik seems much more relatable, personable and realistic about her journey. I feel like Egg Face can come off too idealistic and preachy. Ok, granted, I'm not trying to be friends with them, but the tone can turn me on or off. The other thing about Bariatric Foodie is that she has some great links to other blogs in her posts. I've found some sugar free blogs (not necessarily WLS).

Good news from United Healthcare. They now cover Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy the same as they would for any other bariatric operation. This is a milestone, as they are the first insurance company to accept VSG as being an effective "stand-alone" operation for treatment of severe and morbid obesity. Mark Pleatman MD Mark Pleatman MD Weight Loss Surgery Website 248-334-5444

​My bariatric team was wonderful, but so busy! It seems like I was the one that always had to keep in contact with them. I saw my surgeon three times before, the first initial consult, the pre op visit then a few minutes before the actual surgery. I received the information about the surgery first at the educational seminar, then more detailed information about diet guidelines ect., at the pre op visit. No, I don't think you are expecting too much too early. June 1st isn't very far away, if you haven't heard from and are becoming anxious...definitely give them a call. Good luck to you and welcome!

Hello Everyone, My name is Iris and I am with Bariatric Support Specialists and I would like to take this opportunity to invite the members of LapBandTalk.com to join us and Dr. Lloyd Stegemann of New Dimensions Weight Loss Surgery based in San Antonio, TX for the LapBand Buddies Weight Loss Surgery Cruise & Conference. The cruise & conference is scheduled to sail aboard Carnival's Elation from the port of Galveston, TX to Cozumel, Progresso and Belize, May 14 - 21, 2006. We have a great educational conference planned that will cover things like nutrition, exercise, mental health issues, fashion shows, makerovers and much much more. We have some great pricing for the cruise & conferece that makes it affordable for everyone. Even better we have a payment plan that makes it even more affordable. If you would like more information on the LapBand Buddies Weight Loss Surgery Cruise & Conference please send me an email to bariatricsupport@gmail.com and I will send the information out to you. This is a great opportunity to meet your fellow LapBanders and I hope that everyone will be able to join us. Sincerely, Iris C. Slack, CTC, ACC, CBSGL Bariatric Support Specialists

Have you talked to your Primary Care Doc or whoever is helping you manage your diabetes? I know in the Info. Meeting I went to they said that Gastric Bypass is much more effective with Type 2 Diab. I think there probably is better results with GB, but that is because in addition to the restriction you get (like the band) you also don't absorb the fat and calories like you used to , which can be good and bad. What is your BMI? If you have a BMI over 35 with the diabetes you qualify with most insurers, but I know nothing about Medicare. Can you call them yourself and find out? Check out the Insurance section of this site and see what other Medicare users have experienced. Look online and see if you can find their policy. And talk directly with the person that deals with insurance at the office you are going to and see what they say. They are old hat at this and should be able to really help you with the process. With any bariatric procedure you are going to get out of it what you put into it. That 50% loss is an AVERAGE. Some lose less, and some lose more! So for those that only lose 10% there are also those that lose 100%. What are YOU willing to put into this to make it work? The lap band is just a tool to help you out. But if you aren't willing to do the work of changing your eating habits and exercising regularly then it won't work and you will be right where you are now, but with a bunch of scars and a useless medical device in your body. Keep us updated on what you find out.