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Why I Eat When I'm Not Hungry
Darktowerdream replied to Tamarita's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I struggled with this long before bariatric surgery was ever hope for being an option and when I fought to lose weight alone. But even when I got there couldn’t stay there. Partly due to lifelong chronic illness and disability, metabolic disorders, inability to exercise, etc. but I struggled with being a member of the clean plate club, with not having a sense of hungry or full which I often wondered had to do with being on the autism spectrum. I also never rejected food if a friend offered. And the one person I trusted and thought was a true friend, like a sister, mocked me for it and turned on me. I make sure to portion out and prepare exactly what I am going to eat. What will fit my pouch based on the stage I’m in. Does it work perfectly in the early stages? Not as simple since you need to be more aware of how your pouch reacts to foods with each new thing you introduce. Some people advance quick some slow. So it’s different across the board. I tried to be mindful and if I couldn’t eat it, I tossed the rest out the window for the birds (I hate waste) I use the little plates that came with my corelle dish set, I think they are appetizer plates. And the small bowls. Never prepare and put in front of you more than your pouch can handle and you will still feel that you are cleaning your plate. i thought I had works on this years ago but now I’m learning to change my mindset on portions. And eating what I need. I still don’t have that judgment of hungry or full so I just track my daily calories and protein so I stay on track and in my daily goal range, I also stick to low carb options because I know carbs trigger cravings for me. And I don’t want to tempt that monster. its not easy and I hope to keep this as a permanent way of eating. I honestly thought I had made good changes before but it wasn’t enough without the tool of gastric bypass surgery. -
Wow, that was a super fast turnaround and great news for you! Congratulations! That alleviates my fears a little. there’s a woman in another bariatric group that I’m in that just had Aetna deny her claim because they wanted five years of her weight history instead of two. Isn’t it strange? I totally think it’s just up to the whim of the person reviewing it.
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Feeling Discouraged
JRT Mom replied to TheAngryMeow's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
It's amazing how a good office staff can make or break a practice. When I first started exploring getting my lap band out, I went to the closest bariatric office, three hours away, I liked the surgeon and his PA, but the office staff was a DISASTER. You could never get hold of anyone on the phone, and they gave me a lot of incorrect info about Medicare benefits. So I started seeing the next closest surgeon, 5 hours away. The difference was like night and day! The office always answers your questions, and if they can't, they get you an answer the same day. There are a lot of good surgeons out there, so if the office staff is bad "shop around" if there are other options where you live. -
Keep a log of everything you are eating and visit a bariatric nutritionist ASAP.
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My surgery date is March 11th at Blossom Bariatric. I am starting to test out protein drinks and preparing for post op. I am very allergic to dairy, with a mild allergy to stevia and sugar cane. I keep seeing people say to stock up on sugar free popsicles and jello but I can’t do artificial sweeteners at all. When I do use sugar I use monk fruit or xylitol. Neither of which you can find in popsicles and jello. So my option is regular sugar foods (which I can only tolerate a very small amount of), or I don’t know what else. I have pea protein and egg white protein to make smoothies with. Any suggestions for other post op foods I could get during the liquid stage?
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February Surgery ?
lisafrommassachusetts replied to PSquared_vsg's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Good luck! My pre-op is less restrictive than some, but I am still getting sick of the protein shakes. Everything is too sweet! I did find some with 30 g of protein that I have frozen to a slushy state and eaten as dessert: Premier Protein Caramel and the Banana Crème. They are unbearable (to me) unless I freeze them, but it is a break from chocolate/vanilla. Can you have clear liquids? Bone broth gives me a bit of a break. I'm wondering about it post op, too. I'm on all liquids (so shakes are the main source of protein) from day 2 until 10; I had bought some crème of chicken soup from Bariatric Pal with 15g of protein; I'm hoping I can have them when I'm off clear liquids, just as a break from all that sweet. Good luck! For me the first 4 days were the worst, but then I got the flu and had to extend my surgery out another week. -
So I've had these "episodes" of all of a sudden feeling really ill. Read all my symptoms and I have the symptoms of being hypoglycemic. I read it can happen more commonly in bariatric surgery patients . Has anyone else developed this?! Sent from my moto g(7) supra using BariatricPal mobile app
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January 2020 Surgery Date
Taj replied to Krimsonbutterflies's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
It’s funny because Naltrexone was developed for opium addicted and alcoholics and at the time my bariatric doctor was prescribing it off labor because it was proven to reduce sugar cravings. They now have a weightloss drug called Contrave and it’s a combination of naltrexone and bupropion. When I was taking it five years ago I’m pretty sure the pharmacist thought I was a Verizon addict or alcoholic because they always looked at me in a strange way and it wasn’t my imagination. I tried the Contrave but it didn’t work for me because the dosage of naltrexone is too low. My current bariatric surgeon said if my sugar/carb cravings come back she will prescribe the naltrexone again. It really was a miracle drug for me and the first time I really understood what it meant to be an addict and changed my perception of people addicted to drugs. The sense of freedom I felt to no longer crave and eat carbs until I was about to burst is indescribable. I’Ly’s not just about breaking a habit like smoking. There is a chemical imbalance and going months or even years without sugar will not “cure” us of addiction to sugar. 25 years ago I was a body builder and for over 3 years I lived a low carb life. Got pregnant with my daughter and went into early labor. Put on complete bed rest for 3 months so had to stop weightlifting and jogging. My church family was cooking my meals, which was a lot of rice and pasta and chicken. Beggars can’t be choosy so I ate whatever they brought and in those 3 months my weight ballooned to over 200lbs for the first time in my life. I did manage to lose weight after my daughter’s birth but never was able to get back to my goal weight of 145 until I was put on Naltrexone. -
January 2020 Surgery Date
Uomograsso replied to Krimsonbutterflies's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
For me pureed food included refried beans. I mixed them with a little mild enchilada sauce and some reduced fat cheese. Also ricotta and cottage cheese is considered pureed. The only thing I couldn't puree was meat. I did a can of vegetable soup in my blender for a minute and it was smooth. I added some parmesan cheese and a scoop of unflavored protein powder after heating it up. I suppose I should have added the protein powder while I was blending it. Just do a search for bariatric pureed foods and you will find a lot of recipes. -
January 2020 Surgery Date
Taj replied to Krimsonbutterflies's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Sarah Singh and BadWolfGirl, your tummy’s might surprise you, as mine has with rejecting all fats. A few years ago I did an intensive bariatric weightloss program through NYU and learned that my body was insulin resistant. I did the weightloss program because I had done a Whole Foods diet for six months and even though I felt fantastic and my skin was glowing, hair was shiny and beautiful and allergies completely cleared up, I DEVELOPED HIGH CHOLESTEROL and only lost 6 pounds in six months, despite also doing 1 hour of intensive cardiovascular exercise five days per week. I was overweight but at every physical my pcp said my numbers were healthier than healthy (her words). The bariatric doctor put me on a low carb diet and I lost 50 pounds in five months and my cholesterol dropped to normal. I put the weight back on in the last two years because I stopped eating low carb and menopause and I stopped working so no more daily commuting on the NYC subway which is walking blocks and climbing stairs daily. At any rate, not sure what I’ll do if my tummy doesn’t want any fat so hoping it will get better for me. Today my husband felt so bad that I haven’t been able to eat anything but snow crab that he came home from work (on the crowded subway) and drove me to Stop & Shop in rush hour traffic to buy me snow crab. And yay!! I was able to eat it!! And I didn’t overeat, even though I felt like I was starving. -
A discouraging doctor....need to vent.
lisafrommassachusetts replied to Onmyway301's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
Wow. I am so sorry you had to go through all that. I, for one, am completely capable of catastrophizing without some doctor spouting a worst case scenario. I would certainly let your PCP, and your surgeon for that matter, know about this encounter. I was really lucky, because it was my PCP who encouraged me to consider this surgery. He reviewed my destructive 12 + years of yo-yo dieting where I always regained more than I had lost and had the information on the statistically grim likelihood of my dealing with my obesity through diet and exercise alone. He also made sure to tell me this was not a failure of will; we did not evolve to have this abundance of food and are physiologically hardwired for famine and feast. Add in the crazy food we have now (chemicals, added salt and sugar in everything and carbs all day long....) and the obesity crisis makes all the sense in the world. This gem of a doctor obviously would think nothing of "fat shaming" patents, and has not bothered to keep up with the evidence on the efficacy and safety of bariatric surgery. Shame on him. Good luck to you in this journey, and may your medical providers from here on out be at least competent and informed. -
Hi everyone, I am new here but I have been in my Bariatric program for 8 months of so. I had a surgery date for February 4th however a week before my surgery I went to get cleared by my primary care. My EKG came back normal but she decided to send me to the Cardiologist and have him review my results just incase my surgeon decided something additional would be needed at the last minute. I went to the Cardiologist and after his initial check he said he would clear me. He then asked what kind of surgery I was having and once I told him he responds with "Are you sure you want to do that?" He then decides to look into the labs database at some blood work results I had done over a year ago and said "oh it looks like your cholesterol is elevated....I can't clear you until I give you a stress test." I was furious. Then he says the only open appointment he had for the stress test was on THE SAME DAY AS MY SURGERY. But not before telling me all about a patient he cleared once and they arrested on the operating table. I went in yesterday for the stress test and passed with flying colors. As I was about to leave he says "I still think this is a radical option for you to take." He promised he would expedite my results and get my results over to my surgeon the same day which didn't happen. I called back today and he had his aid to tell me AGAIN that my cholesterol was elevated and that may cause me to have a heart attack. If that wasn't enough he called me personally after I hung up with his aid and repeated the same thing. I explained that I went over my RESENT results with my primary care yesterday and everything is under control. This man knew nothing about my struggle with my weight my entire life. All of the different size clothes in my closet, all of the diets and WL programs I have joined. From the start he decided he didn't agree with my decision and took every opportunity to discourage me. It was at that I realized I had met this doctor about 5 years ago when I accompanied a dear friend to his office at another location. I remember he asked my name and when I told him he said my name was really pretty but I should lose some weight because "my name was too pretty to be overweight " Needless to say, I will NEVER go to this doctor again. Sorry this is so long. He really upset me with all of this. Hopefully I will have a new surgery date soon. Thanks for listening
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Thanks,@MsMocie. I do take Pantoprazole for my stomach. But that said, I still can't take NSAIDS. My orthopedic surgeon is not up on what pain meds a bariatric patient can take, which is why I'm asking here. There might be something that folks here have found to be helpful. I am at a healthy weight now, and don't think more weight loss will help my neck!! Sent from my SM-N960U using BariatricPal mobile app
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Scary stuff.... i hope im ready for this
Healthy_life2 replied to JAKE H's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
Hi Jake, Congratulations on going into maintenance. Do you have your dietitians maintenance food plan? Did she mention adding in low glycemic carbohydrates? We get it, Transitioning to maintenance after living the "baratric weight loss rules" is hard. It takes time to get into a new mind set. Talk with @BigViffer @BlueCrush @NurseMichael @Albus @deadmanwalking @PWMDMD for lifting advice from a guy's perspective. This will be long, because I love this topic. I'm five years out, I got to goal in six months, I still had tight surgery restriction. You may need graze maintenance food and calories ( eating many small meals) It can feel like you are eating all day long. Did you ever think you would have to work to eat more food? Your surgery restriction will relax over time. It gets easier to eat to fuel your body correctly for lifting/running. I lift and distance run. I hired a sports medicine dietitian to learn how to fuel for endurance sports with my sleeve. Some things to think about: Exercise on low calories is counter productive. Many of us lose muscle with rapid weight loss. If you workout hard on low calories you will lose even more muscle. It's not a healthy look. When you eat your maintenance plan, you will see better lifting and sport performance results. I have done full and half marathons. I am training for an elevation half marathon trail run in April. I've learned many things from other bariatric runners and my own experiences. Fueling your body is going to be a different diet. I carb load seven days prior and do a taper before the race. (I'm on facebook - BAC with you. If you want, message me. We can talk more about running/lifting and fueling healthy. Also GardianWilliam in BAC has done competitive lifting/body building. He had RNY and is a certified personal trainer. Some threads to read on this site: -
February Surgery ?
lisafrommassachusetts replied to PSquared_vsg's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Best of luck! This is not easy, banish that I couldn't do it on my own self talk! I'm betting you have lost weight lots of times "on your own", but made this decision based on long term success and the strong science that supports bariatric surgery. Safe travels -
Phase 1 nutrition class
catwoman7 replied to Shyree Wimberly's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
no - it's due to anesthesia plus the trauma of the surgery. Hair loss is actually a potential side effect of any surgery, but I think you see it more after bariatric surgery because people are taking in so few calories those first few months. Here's an article about it (there are tons if you google it): https://dermnetnz.org/topics/telogen-effluvium/ most of us do have hair loss (but not all - some people don't lose any), but for the majority, you're the only one who'll notice it. I noticed extra hairs in my comb for a few months after I washed it, but looking at myself in the mirror, I couldn't tell, so there's no way anyone else noticed it. And I know others who lost a fair amount - enough that they noticed it while looking in the mirror, but no one else noticed it. Losing it enough that there are big hunks coming out isn't very common, though. It happens, but not to very many. Most of us just "shed" for a few months. It all grows back. -
Surgery this month, wife threatening divorce
Bari Babe replied to Xx1jpt5xx's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
Hello, I hope you are well. I have been a registered nurse for over 12 years and my Bariatric surgery will be in March. When I was in shape (all of my life except for 5 years ago), I used to think the same thing as your wife. 5 years ago I fell into a depression and gained over 100 pounds. I’ve been trying to get it off ever since. Now, I have high blood pressure, sleep apnea, acid reflux and pre-diabetes. People in my family say I should not do the surgery. They say I can do it on my own. But as I said, I have been trying to lose the weight for 5 years and my health is actively declining. Should I wait until I am fully diabetic so I can meet the approval of my family? No. Obesity is one of the most unhealthy modifiable conditions you can have. Despite how widely accepted it is, it’s worse than smoking, drinking, and quite a few illegal drugs (arguably combined). It damages every organ. Fat puts pressure on your organs, making them secrete hormones that alter your ability think and function properly. I know your wife is concerned about the risks of surgery. But what about living long enough to go to your child’s wedding? What about being able to play with your child in the park? What about setting a healthful example for your child so the cycle does not continue (I come from an obese family so I know how hard it is to break free from bad Family eating habits)? I hope my comment helps.- 60 replies
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Anyone had their surgery cancelled?
Carmen Linette replied to nicky2221's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
Yes unfortunately. My a1c was too high and he cancelled. I had already been prepped with an IV. I had done all the requirements and he cancelled. I had adult children who came from miles away. I myself live in the next city over. I was shocked, angry (blood work could have done prior to) , felt deceived. He did emphasize and explain the danger in moving forward. He said the cuts he made inside and out wouldn’t heal at the normal pace and I could hemorrhage. I surely don’t want that to happen. I cried for two days. All of my family was there with me.... so..... that happened January 29th, 2020. My first appointment back at the bariatric program is this Wednesday. I’m a little anxious to find out what all I have to do “now”. I don’t feel my sugar would have been at 8.1 if I hadn’t been pressed to drink all those protein shakes a month early. I’m good tho, it what it is. I just hope it isn’t long before I can get back in. -
New with questions about insurance and comorbidities
AcidArmor posted a topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Hi! I’m new to the forum but have been lurking for a few weeks. I just started the process to get approved for the VGS. My currently BMI is about 38, and I have high blood pressure as my comorbidity. My insurance is BCBS of MA, and so far their requirements aren’t too strict. I did my nutrition, psych eval and surgeon consult yesterday. I still need to do some tests and follow a 3 month diet (per surgeon, not insurance) to help transition eating habits. I am still so nervous of getting denied even with my comorbidity. Mostly because my BP is mostly contained with a combination medication, but it still does go higher than is ideal. I’m just wondering if anyone knows what kind of documentation is usually required? I was diagnosed 3 years ago, but recently my blood pressure hasn’t been crazy high because of the medication. I guess I’m just worried the insurance will be like nope simply because it is in an acceptable range sometimes. I wasn’t sure if it was simply the diagnosis or if they want a bunch of proof I have high BP? I’m sure it may be different for different insurances, I guess I am just looking for a little advice. Does anyone have any experience with this? I am also waiting to try to get a sleep study for potential sleep apnea as well, but if I don’t have that then my blood pressure is my only qualifying comorbidity on the BCBS of MA list. I’m just afraid to get my hopes up. I have my visit with the NP at the bariatric center to start the 3 month supervised diet next Monday and I’m just very nervous something will go wrong. Thanks for any help! -
January 2020 Surgery Date
rene50 replied to Krimsonbutterflies's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Ugh! I am so sorry you are dealing with a terrible cold and your family doc is being a jerk. That comment was uncalled for, but don't let it scare you or bring you down. Where i live, there has been some junk going around, not the flu, but a very nasty virus, and it's taking people a few weeks to get over the mess! I found this article from a place in Salt Lake about cold medications for bariatric patients: https://utahbariatrics.com/cold-and-flu-season-after-weight-loss-surgery/ Hope you feel better soon, hon! -
Soy Protein Powder After Sleeve Surgery
BigViffer replied to AnnaMarieSRQ's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Just to be clear - collagen is a junk protein for anyone, not just bariatric patients. As long as one eats sufficiently our bodies makes it's own collagen. And lots of it! All of the marketing hype and celebrity endorsements for the wonders of ingesting collagen to smooth skin and repair bones are lies passed under the loophole of supplements not being reviewed by the FDA. However, collagen itself has been studied and review and was deemed to be an insignificant protein (i.e. incomplete). If anyone really wants to use collagen, I'll save you $20. Buy a box of jell-o. Or eat pork rinds. It's literally the same darn thing. -
Just finished 1st week of liquid diet
JRT Mom replied to ThatDudeCK's topic in Gastric Bypass Surgery Forums
Ha! That is the biggest understatement I have ever read on these boards!🤣 It's amazing that there is NO consensus on what these bariatric doctors recommend. Toodlerue is right--follow what your doctor recommends. -
Soy Protein Powder After Sleeve Surgery
catwoman7 replied to AnnaMarieSRQ's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Whey protein isolate is supposedly the best absorbed and is generally preferred by bariatric surgeons. But if you can't tolerate whey, you can go with another form of protein. I've heard the same as BigViffer, though, in that collagen isn't a particularly good option for us. -
To revise or not to revise...that is my question
FluffyChix replied to Carat711's topic in Revision Weight Loss Surgery Forums (NEW!)
Honestly? If I were in your present mind-set? I would ask myself very honestly and carefully, if I get this surgery, what will change? Because the "supposed" truth from the docs is that revisions do not have "quick weight loss" and if you ate your way back up to your pre-surg weight, what will stop you doing it again when life gets sucky? Also by your admission you don't want to make the lifestyle changes that lifelong weight management takes--even after WLS. Plus drinking your cals along with eating poorly, I just don't think magic bean surgery has been invented yet. I would start preparing by starting counseling with a bariatric specialist. -
To revise or not to revise...that is my question
catwoman7 replied to Carat711's topic in Revision Weight Loss Surgery Forums (NEW!)
I haven't had a revision (I got RNY the first (and only) time around because I had GERD), but I've been hanging out on this and other bariatric forums for several years, and most everyone who's had a revision is very glad they did.
