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Hello there, Longtime lurker, first time poster here!🖐️ I had my stomach stapled (vbg) in 2003. Went from 320 lbs to 189, I don't remember in how long. But I was never comfortable eating, threw up most of the time(due to in part no education pre-op whatsoever back then, but also as it turns out a stricture). could not tolerate meats of any kind and soon after realizing how easy it was for me to tolerate "sliders", I started gaining weight. So over 15 years I gained back up to 276 lbs. I started being ok with myself, started buying cute clothes( well as much as I could) and stopped dieting. Over the years I developed fibromyalgia, psoriatic arthritis, osteoarthritis and a few other choice chronic conditions, so I decided it's time for me to get serious about my health(without dieting) and my biggest concern at the time was the ridiculous acid reflux, that would sometimes wake me up by rushing into my nose!! And I had started developing more severe symptoms that resembled gastritis . Anyways, a year ago I started seeing a gastroenterologist, who after further exploration discovered the stricture and budding gastritis. He told me right then that the position of my stricture is not going to be helped by dilatation, and my only way is a revision. Of course, 1- I did not think insurance would pay for it, so out of the question. 2- I did not want to have any more "elective" surgeries. 3- I had just started being ok with myself and advocating for big people, remember? So, I chose to do a dilatation and my doctor was willing to try. Did NOT work! Big surprise! My doctor made an appointment with a revision bariatric surgeon, without consulting me. Gotta love how things work out! Anyways, long story short...er😉, here I am jumping through insurance hoops to get approved for a revision to rny bypass. My question is, in people's experience, did the fibro pain get any better after weight loss? Thanks for bearing with me through the long post and thank you, all for the vast wealth of information on this website!

Right. The one that I directed you to is one capsule with everything inside. this one https://store.bariatricpal.com/products/bariatricpal-multivitamin-one-1-per-day-bariatric-capsules-yearly-subscription

I also have BCBS of TN. You can have a BMI of 35 as long as there are comorbidities. For me, it was sleep apnea. Go on their web site and look up the requirements, There are 3 pages. One for the psych to fill out, one for the surgeon, and one for the PCP. There is a 6 month supervised weight loss requirement with the PCP. My PCP was wonderful. SHe documented everything that was required - previous attempts at weight loss, current plan - like using smaller plates and all other efforts. She documented everything for 6 months, (you cannot miss a month or you start all over), and even though I did not lose a lot during that time, there was no problem getting me qualified. I dont thing BCBS even cares if you actually lose much - you have to lose a little bit, but if the documentation shows that you are making a good effort and still cannot lose 10% of your body weight, you quality. The wording is tricky. That is why you must print it out and read it over and over until you understand all the ins and outs of it. Now, here is something to remember. BCBS will indeed pay for the surgery, pre op labs, and all that is associated with the surgery. HOWEVER< after the surgery, they don't pay for anything. So follow up appts, lab work, etc are not covered......... IF they are coded as "bariatric, obesity, overweight", etc. Labs need to be coded as "malabsorption, iron deficiency, chronic inflammation, etc - anything EXCEPT something that refers to the surgery or obesity. I got a bill for almost $1000 for my 6 month labs! I am having the office recode and resubmit. Just read everything carefully and make sure your PCP is on your side and has experience in getting these surgeries approved.

I just made a smoothie! Big handful of spinach, half cup of frozen fruit (strawberries, banana, kale, blueberries) 1 scoop of Fusion Protein powder and 1 cup Fairlife skim milk. Black coffee, 16 fl oz 5 1 0 0 9 0 Carnation - Coffee Creamer, 1 tbs 20 0 0 1 0 1 Fairlife - Skim Milk, 1 cup 80 13 6 6 120 0 Spinach, 3 oz 20 2 3 0 67 0 Bariatric Fusion Powder - Protein Powder, 1 scoops 75 14 5 0 30 1 Add Food Quick Tools 200 30 14 7 226 2

Meal prep for the bf, non bariatric portions Thai Red Curry with Chicken and Brown Rice The curry sauce broke and curdled, so it looks awful, but at least still tastes good. Asian Smoked Yellow Tail Salad (dressing not pictured)

I had my gallbladder removed during my surgery but it wasn’t the deciding factor for what type of surgery I had. I had gastric bypass surgery due to severe gastric reflux (GERD) I had a HIDA scan that showed low gallbladder function and honestly was suggested possible removal when I first decided to finally pursue bariatric surgery. Since they are similar recovery for both surgeries. I wasn’t sure either would happen. When I finally got a great Bariatric surgeon he wasn’t sure if he would remove my gallbladder during the procedure, he said if it was too risky he wouldn’t. But thankfully he did because it turned out to be severe chronic inflammation of my gallbladder. Which I feel contributed to my weight problems (not to mention metabolic disorders and other medical conditions) my personal opinion is, if the doctor says your gallbladder is bad and they can remove it during your surgery then best to do that. because there is a high rate of gallbladder problems after rapid weight loss. I'm glad to have had gastric bypass surgery as an option for the added tool it offers of “malabsorption “ and that it benefitted me since I had severe GERD.

I have to go on a 6 day liquid diet for surgery. VSG scheduled 02/05/2020. I have been drinking Premier Protein and chicken broth however I am quite sick of the Premier. I just made my own shake today with some samples of bariatric fusion chocolate shake powder I had and a little pb fit- it was so good! I have 3 more days of this. I feel hungry but I know it will get better. Keep your eye on the prize and keep hydrated. Were all doing this for good reasons! 😊

I found that study. And I noticed that every other article that mentions the 85% divorce rate quotes that one study. There was another study done in Sweden (which has a 47% overall divorce rate - about the same as in the U.S.) said that 9% of couples get divorced after bariatric surgery. That sounds a lot more believable to me, just based on anecdotal evidence I pick up from the various WLS boards I've been on the last five years. I wonder if the person who did that first study meant an 85% LIFETIME divorce rate? (divorce rate for everyone - WLS or not - is about 48% in the US). Even an 85% lifetime divorce rate for WLS patients seems a bit high - but 85% in the two years after WLS seems really farfetched. I wouldn't be surprised if that study is flawed. Unless people who join internet forums are overwhelmingly in strong, happy marriages - but that seems implausible as well. I don't doubt the divorce rate increases after WLS. People gain confidence after losing weight, and many aren't as likely to put up with crap anymore - and they probably aren't as afraid of leaving someone for fear of never finding another mate because of their weight. But I think we'd hear about divorce A LOT more on these forums if it was happening to 85% of us.

Here in Texas, I order off of the children's menu when possible for the smaller portion, but (believe it or not) the children's menu is normally filled with even less healthy options than the regular menu! So far, I have not run into any issues with restaurants accommodating my needs and I almost always take a box to go. (I do not have the bariatric patient ID card).

Congratulations! I don't know what your plan recommends, but I grabbed this from the University of Pittsburg Medical Center website. Suggested Foods Ideas for Pureed Diet After Bariatric Surgery Protein Sources Yogurt (plain or sugar-free, low or nonfat, blended without fruit chunks) Strained cream soups (celery, potato, mushroom, or chicken made with skim milk) Skim milk with ½ scoop protein powder Protein supplements added to food or water for extra protein Mashed cottage cheese (low or nonfat, small curd) Ricotta cheese (low or nonfat) Scrambled eggs or egg substitute Pureed beef, chicken, or turkey Baby food meats White fish (cod, haddock, tilapia, orange roughy) mashed with a fork Canned chicken breast, mashed and moist Canned tuna fish in water, mashed Grains/starches Cream of wheat or cream of rice Farina Grits Baby oatmeal Mashed potatoes/sweet potatoes Pureed winter squash Fruits Diluted, 100% fruit juices (apple, grape, cranberry) Light juices sweetened with non-nutritive sweetener Applesauce Mashed bananas or mashed canned fruits in own juices Pureed peaches, apricots, pears, pineapples, melons Vegetables Tomato juice Diet V-8 Splash® or V-8 Juice® Pureed spinach, carrots, summer squash or green beans Avoid pureed broccoli, cauliflower, and other fibrous vegetables at this stage Sample Menu for Phase 2B: Pureed Diet After Bariatric Surgery Eat the protein portion of your meal first, and don't forget your liquids between meals (about 30 minutes after each meal). Breakfast Protein: 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup scrambled eggs or egg substitute Starch: 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup cream of wheat Lunch Protein: 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup mashed low fat cottage cheese Fruit: 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup pureed peaches in own juices Dinner Protein: 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup baked skinless chicken breast (pureed) or mashed canned chicken breast Vegetable: 2 tablespoons to ¼ cup pureed carrots Liquid meal- If you're having a liquid meal replacement, soup, or high protein shake: Drink 4 ounces (1/2 cup) over 20 to 30 minutes Try adding mashed, canned chicken or tuna to soup to increase protein content Blend if needed Pureed food should be the consistency of baby food, “spoon thick.” Cut food into small pieces and place in blender or food processor Add liquid (broth, low-calorie gravy or skim milk) Puree until smooth Season food to taste

Similar stories: two bariatric surgeries, and we are celebrating our 44th anniversary in May. I agree with ms.sss. Bariatric surgery is a lot like having kids--it'll make good relationships better, and doom the ones that were in trouble from the onset. Sounds like you have a good start!

I have had two bariatric surgeries and we will have our 28th anniversary on Feb 29th. I think it just depends on the people. I can see how if you do this together you would have more support, and a walking buddy. Change is hard, but doable!

Oh man, what a story. Bariatric surgery done as a couple could be a good thing, you'd support each other. Remember that you are doing it for your health, and being able to be a part of your four boy's lives longer! Are you sure about the 85% divorce rate? Sounds kinda high... What ever you both decide, good luck!

I also posted this in my bio... I just needed to vent and blog a bit. Here's my not quite elevator speech. I've always been the big guy. Chris Farley like, but not as funny. Fat and kinda slapstick, and willing to use my body to get a joke. I make the fat jokes on me before others can. That being said, I always said I was "fat and happy". There was a time when I wasn't fat and happy. I was fat. And I didn't like it, But I didn't do anything about it either because I was lazy. Eventually I just accepted myself, and that was good on paper at least. The lab results over years though were telling a different story. High blood pressure. High cholesterol. Borderline pre-diabetic. I probably have sleep apnea. Winded while walking any minority substantial distance. Running, not on your life. I also suffer from ostrich syndrome: If you don't admit that it is there, it's not there. Just stick your head back in the sand. Oh did I mention smoking? Quitting is easy, but not starting again is a b***h. For 20 years off and on. Poorly hiding it at times, too. Some how I was able to meet a great wife. Seriously the bee's knees. We have 4 boys together. I love them all dearly; they really are my life. I'm starting to see signs in a couple of them of developing bad habits. Eating way too much. Sitting around not doing much activity. It's scary. My wife is a bigger gal, too. And short. I never saw her as fat, though. However, I know she did. When she was in her late teens she struggled with anorexia. She worked through it. After our last child was born she couldn't loose the weight. She would work out, she would diet. She'd lose 60 lbs. Yay! My passive "fat and happy" ass would just be that passive and not support her like I should. Something about late night Taco Bell runs that would destroy that ****. She started exploring Bariatric Surgery last summer. I was pretty passive about it. I thought she's talk her self out of it. She didn't. She plowed ahead full steam. I went to her surgery consult, and it actually made me feel better. She'd go to her education classes. Mention things out of the little handbook they give you. I'd smile and nod. I wasn't listening. Then her surgery was approved. She asked me to go to her pre-op surgery class. She got in early so I could go, and I totally missed her asking if I would go with her. I knew it was happening, and she wanted to do it while I was in town (I travel for work). Missed the whole YOU NEED TO BE THERE thing. So she asks the night before if I'm going, and I was like WTF, yeah sure what ever. Turns out this class is the one, single most important class of this process.. The one they review all that **** you've been learning over the months (or years) on your journey. I go in to this class with the very minimal information. Like its happening and I know where but that's it. This class scared the everlasting f**k out of me. But I watched. I listened. And man... I was scared. You know how I said I didn't read much. The stuff I did read was about the sky high divorce rate of couples who involve Bariatric Surgery. I read one place as high as 85% after 3 years. My parents? Yeah, they divorced about 18 months post-op. Why would my wife who I love want to risk our marriage with those odds? The next two weeks I spent trying to convince my wife she didn't need the surgery. I took her to a fancy dinner. Promised to go on a regular diet and start exercising with her. She stood her ground. So then I told her I didn't want it to happen point blank. We screamed at each other. She stood her ground. Hours, minutes, I don't know what exactly... It was in the heat of battle, but she said she would't have the surgery and just blame me for her unhappiness for the rest of her life. OUCH. I almost said good and fine. But I couldn't do that. It was obvious this was important to her. She wanted my support and blessing. Not my ridicule or being told she can't do something. Did I mention this was happening on the one anniversary of her dad passing? God I'm an ass. She's my world... I can't have her unhappy. I left that match ugly crying. I was convinced my marriage just ended right then and there. 15 years. Good run, but nothing lasts forever. Who's side would people be on? Hers. I'm kinda a prick... Hell, even my step mom I bet would choose her. I was sitting in a parking lot smoking and thinking. The tears had stopped. Why was I against it? What was my problem? Self reflection can be painful. I realized I wasn't as fat and happy as I thought I was. I had an epiphany. I needed to change, too. So I scheduled a consult. Quit smoking as of 1/20. I did have one cheater on 1/21. As of 1/20 I weigh 327 lbs. I have a BMI of 44.5. I need to loose about 100 lbs. They fit me in an unorthodox manner to get me going sooner on the program because of my wife. I'm trying a sympathy diet as she's full liquid pre op at the moment. I'm still eating regular food, but for the most part not around her. It f**king sucks for me, and I can't imagine what it is for her. I was averaging about 3500 calories a day before I started this sympathy diet. Most the week I've been below 2000. I have 24 weeks to go before I will likely look at getting me approved. for a similar procedure.. She'll be at regular foods again by then (there is this whole diet progression thing). When I anticipated doing this I was thinking I could delay her so our timing was more together. Like some sort of fucked up couples massage. It didn't work out that way. She's going forward on Tuesday. I don't know if I can do this. The anxiety is suffocating. On top of all of this work has been bad. It's been kinda slow. They have me learning something new and I'm too distracted with this going on to give it the attention it deserves. People are noticing my heads not in the game. I cleaned out my desk yesterday because I thought I was going to get fired. I didn't. So now it just looks like I'm quitting because I don't have **** there. Well f**k.

That is the lunacy of 6-month waiting to lose weight. Most people will see worsening of co-morbidities. You are one of the small percentage who loses weight enough that comorbidity actually improves. You could raise your A1C in 3 months by eating high carb diet but not soo high to gain a lot of weight. Ironically, Medicare requires you TO FAIL a 3-month weight loss diet but my surgeon wants me to to lose as much weight as possible. I don't know how Medicare defines "failure" to lose weight but my bariatric center said to not worry about that. Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

Thank you for the mention. Each day I am giving my all to advocate for those with Obesity and to change the stigma and bias surrounding bariatric surgery.

I chatted with a customer service agent through the web portal. Apparently the dates were submitted by my bariatric clinic. So either they’re booked until then or they just wrote a date tentative to change. Won’t know until Monday when they open unfortunately.

NP at bariatric center said a lot of patients find this laxative "Slow Tea" effective. I have tried, psyllium fiber, MiraLax and stool softeners. Fiber produces large, bulky, hard-to-pass stool. Nothing helps. My constipation is due to medications I take. Sent from my SM-T580 using BariatricPal mobile app

Thank you for your responses! I’ve asked everyone I know and they all have no idea. I’ve heard sometimes a “dummy date” can be used. I will just have to wait til Monday to call the bariatric office.

yes - your bariatric clinic does the scheduling. I suppose if the clinic is scheduling before or after that, they'll clear it with the insurance company first. Although it could be that when your bariatric clinic sent your paperwork in to the insurance company for approval, they put those dates on the form - so those dates may have originated with your bariatric clinic, not the insurance company. You can always call the bariatric clinic and ask. But it's not at all unusual for surgeries to be booked a couple months in advance.

But my insurance shouldn’t be the ones doing the scheduling, right? It should be my bariatric clinic. Does the bariatric doctor communicate with the insurance? Is that why it’s so far out because he is booked?

I read about your doctor. It sounds like you are going to one of the top bariatric surgeons in Mexico! You are doing to do great! 😘

If you’ve reached your goal weight and are maintaining a high degree of athletic activity, I recommend working with a sports nutritionist rather than a bariatrics one. I struggled with endurance for over a year before I realized carbs were no longer my enemy. if you’re still losing or not yet at goal, I’d be cautious about changing your diet too much unless you’re really struggling with energy.

It's for all bariatric surgery. Do you ever watch Doctor v? This is a good watch if nothing else Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk

Hi, OzCaz. I'm from the U.S. but live in Canberra! A few options: - Just order appetizers or sides (that's what I normally do). At breakfast, I typically order a meat side only, like bacon or sausage. Not great in terms of fat, but it is protein. - Don't order anything and eat a small portion of your partner's main course. - Order from the children's menu if they let you. If you are comfortable with it, you could tell them you've had the surgery as an explanation--it's much more common in the U.S. - Some restaurants will allow you to order half-portions at a reduced price. The portion will still be too large, but you wouldn't be wasting as much money as with a full portion. - Eat something high-protein and bariatric friendly before you go out to eat and just have tea while your partner eats lunch or dinner. (I've done this as well. The servers won't love it, but it's your right!)