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1500 mg calcium citrate and 2 bariatric vitamins a day. B12 once a week. Oh vitamin D 4000 units a day. Not bad I think. I already took calcium and a vitamin daily before surgery.

Hi. I have BCBSGA. They require a Nutrition Evaluation, a BMI of 35 with 1 co-morbidity or a BMI of 40+. My Dr's office submitted for approval on 8/17 and I was approved 9/1; my surgery is 9/22. They don't require a supervised diet or any % of weightloss; but your specific doctor might. I would call BCBSGA to verify your specific plan has bariatric benefits. [They can email you thier gastric policy, which lists their requirements for surgery in detail] Good Luck!

I haven't dumped except during the soft food stages when I was ok'd to eat Bariatric vegetarian chili. It was just this side of hell. Not something you want to go looking for. I have kind of poked at that bear a few times like tasting a bite of cake(it was gross btw) and it didn't do anything to me. I've had pasta sauce that was over my 4g of sugar limit given to me by my NUT and still no dumping. Not all people dump so you cannot count on that safety net. You have to just go knowing that it "may" be a possibility, but don't go poking for how much you can get away with before it happens. When I recognized my behavior I made changes so I don't go testing to see what I can get away with again. It's not very beneficial in the long haul to be trying to defeat or push the limits of our surgeries.

Hello I am new to this forum so please bear with me. I am 30 years old, male 285 lbs with a bmi of 38. I have hypertention, gerd, high cholestorol, and back and joint pain, along with depression about my weight. I went to an appointment at Kaiser Permanente here is San Diego today and asked my doctor about LapBand and Sleeve. She didnt seem to know much about either or maybe did not want to talk to me about the details which really made me angry, but she did say that it might be a good choice for me. This was after she told me of the positive choice program and other options. I have had problems with weight and dieting does not help. I have been on medifast and HMR while supervised with my old doctor through insurance at a previous job. Anyway after she referred me for what she called bariatric evaluation and gave me a number I called them. They are sending me a packet and want me to come to a meeting held each monday. Here are my questions for you guys. My doctor did not say if they support the sleeve, she just said gastric bypass. Also I really dont want to have to go through 6 months of a supervised diet. I have no problem with waiting or waiting 6 months to do the classes for the surgery. Anyone have Kaiser in Southern California? Specifically San Diego? I could really use some support and advice. Thank you.

Someone shared this article from bariatriceating.com that I wanted to share here: Don’t eat bread! That latte has 35g sugar! No macaroni salad. NO tortillas. No rice. It won’t last without change There is no delicate way to say this. We have always set ourselves apart from other bariatric groups in that we don’t look the other way while post ops continue to eat the bad carbs. We try and bring them back to the bariatric reality. We coax you to knock off the Pasta, rice, tortillas or bread and often people get mad or try and justify it. For years we’ve watched people blow through this surgery and they all have the same story. Everyone thinks they are ‘Different’, that they can handle the bad carbs and the sugar (they don’t get sick!) and ‘because they have lost 100 pounds in 7 months they must be doing something right’. The first hundred pounds is the surgery Hate to keep making the same point, but your surgery did it, not you. Remember that you are not driving the car for the first year. Eating the same foods that grew you to 300 pounds, but in smaller amounts is not a good long term plan as eventually you will be able to eat larger portions. Ask yourself why eating the same bad carbs would be a good plan. No doctor has advised you to eat the same way post op as you did pre op. Post ops pick this up somewhere, latch on to it and defend it, often to the bitter end of a total regain. No one fights for broccoli carbs! It’s not that the bagel will kill you, it’s that these carbs make you hungry. They rapidly turn to glucose and burn… poof, gone, #Lookingformore. They don’t give you any nutrients. They don’t create a feeling of satiety or lasting fullness. The empty carbs work against what you are trying to achieve. If you were arguing for eating salad or green bean carbs, more power to you… but people are trying to hang on to foods without value. If this big argument was for VEGETABLES… well it wouldn’t be a debate as vegetables didn’t make us fat, it was those ‘other’ carbs. Did you ever meet an obese vegetarian and wonder ‘HUH?’… how’d they get obese if they are vegetarian? Same deal… its not the vegetables, its the other stuff… the carbs… the potatoes, bread, macaroni, rice, tortillas and sugar! Square peg… round hole Stop looking for slightly better substitutes for bad choices and find new healthier foods to love instead. We keep trying to force that square peg into that round hole. Stop EATING crackers and chips… don’t find ones that you can justify because they have fewer carbs. Enough with the terrible fishy shirataki tofu noodles. Learn to live without bread and pasta so it will not call your name. We aren’t changing the behavior or trend if we continue eating them, just slightly shifting it. Before long you’ve got your hand back in the Doritos bag & fork in the Mac and cheese. Look It’s Protein Cheesecake! Don’t add protein to muffins and convince yourself they’re good for you. Stop with the Starbucks Creme Brûlée Lattes because ‘they’re your one indulgence'; they have 500 calories and thin people don’t even drink them. Stay the heck out of Wendy’s. I read an article the other day touting all the ‘good choices’ in fast food restaurants. How about stay out of them. That’s the best choice of all! Why go to the place where you know there is danger. Before you know it, oops… there are fries in your bag! You know people gain back weight, right? In our first month of new Facebook Support group I have cried for new members who have gained back all their weight. I am not immune either after fourteen years, three bariatric books and knowing better. When life hit the fan, I comforted my bruises in the way I knew best and it has taken me ten months to lose fifty pounds of it. People are having revisions, a lovely sounding word for a second serious body damaging operation. What will change? Unless there is major change along with that new surgery, won’t it have the same result? Step away from the bagel! Own that there was and maybe still is something wrong with your food picker! Use surgery as an opportunity to change, not cheat. I used be bothered by the ‘word on the street’ that we were the carb or food police, but am now proud of it. If you want to promote the virtues of Everything in Moderation while eating half a Subway, there are plenty of groups that will help you do it. If you want to eat right and learn new behaviors to make the feeling of slipping on those skinny jeans last… we have a support group that’s a healthier fit. Bariatric Surgery IS the easy way out It’s a personal food cop that is always with us, that helps us push away from the table. We make it hard when we don’t live by the bariatric rules we’ve been given. There is nothing harder then gaining weight back after surgery. There is nothing better than losing it a second time. Control is empowering. If you need to pick up and start losing again… If you need to work off a regain… it’s not too late and your pouch works just fine if you choose the right foods. Clean those lethal carbs from your life and go back to Bariatric Eating – protein first and lots of fresh salad and vegetables. We’ve got the support for you to make that change!

I don't believe the author meant that having bariatric surgery is all you have to do to lose weight. I think they were just saying that it can be very helpful. I lost 150 pounds on my own before surgery. I have lost 85 pounds since surgery. I can say with 100% confidence that it has been easier to lose weight post-op than it was before. In my mind, that makes it the easy way.

I'm Researching Bariatric Sleeve Plication Surgery In Mexico. Has any one had a good or bad Experince there. My Insurance will Not Pay For It In States. I Have High BP, Border Line Diab, Good & bad Chol Border Line. Nothing I do Helps. Bariatric Surgeon In States Say"s This Will Get A Lot Better With Surgery. My MD Thinks This Surgery Will Help Me.

Thanks Tropical! Since that post I have upgraded to one of the new Horizon BCBS of NJ plans that will in fact cover the surgery. If I didn't do that, I would have had to wait until April 1 which is when my current plan would renew and it would be the one year I needed to be eligible to have any pre-existing conditions covered. Originally HBCBSNJ was not going to renew that plan, but I recently got a letter stating that since President Obama had promised us that we could keep our current health coverage, they decided to allow the policies to be renewed. I didn't want to take any chances, so I went ahead and got one of the new policies. It's way more money, but when I file me taxes in February, I'll be able to apply for a subsidy (which will lower the cost). One more week of pre-op stuff in January, then I can submit!

I was reading some information on stomaphyX procedure which is done through endoscopy....isn't that basically the same as VSG, though it is done to patients who have had RNY previously and stretched out the stomach? StomaphyX - Bariatric Revision for Gastric Bypass Surgery Would sure as heck be nice to have it done without incisions.

Here is what I wrote in a previous thread, I hope this helps: Posted August 23, 2013 - 12:30 PM I agree that some of the "bariatric" Vitamins are way over priced! I decided to continue w/ my pre-surgery regime with some additions. I just had my blood work done ( 3 months post surgery) and everything was great (Vitamin levels too) except I am low on Vit D. Here is what I am taking: Centrium Silver Chewable Multivitamin (Daily) - $6 / month Celebrate Chewable Calcuim w/ Vit D (Daily)- $7 / month Celebrate Chewable Iron + C (2 - 3 times per week) - $6 / month GNC Biotin 5000 mg (Daily) - $ 7 / month GNC Vit B-12 Lozenge (Daily) - $3 / month I will be adding a GNC Vit D-3 tablet to my daily pills starting tomorrow. I have always resisted taking any vitamins, but I realized with this surgery and the reduction in food, that it was necessary. I put all of these pills in a 7 day pill holder and it really seems to be working for me. One thing to watch out for is the number of servings required to get the vitamins listed on the bottle. Some I looked at (gummies especially) require you to eat 3 or 4 to get all the required vitamins. That raises the overall price dramatically. I think $100 per month is excessive.

I swear by my Twin Labs Bariatric Support calcium citrate. They are always on sale on at least one website or another. To keep costs low, I take 2 Flintstones complete multi-vitamins a day. Get the ones with iron already in them, avoid the rest. Also, I ordered free samples from several Bariatric vitamin makers, got enough b-12 that I won't have to buy it for months. There is a thread on here with who gives out samples.

You need a calcium citrate supplement not one made with calcium carbonate. The citrate is better absorbed by your new stomach than the other type. We lose the optimal area of calcium absorbption when we have the sleeve. I buy the Bariatric Advantage calcium chews online from Amazon. There are other Vitamin threads on this site that have a lot of good information if you search for that topic. Good luck with your surgery!

Dr. Ortiz is a good surgeon but he is not the pioneer surgeon for plication - where are you getting that information? Has it been suppoted by the IFSO?Dr. Lopez Corvala who is on staff at Hospital Angeles has performed more than 250 plications beginning in December 2009 and based on that experience is considered by far to be the most experienced surgeon in the world regarding plication. Not sure where the 300 comes from but I assure you - it's not correct, there is a typo there. Lopez Corvala invited by the Cleveland Clinic's head of bariatrics to present a special session on his plication findings at the recent IFSO meeting. After Dr. Lopez Corvala, the most experienced surgeon for plication is in Brazil.

Sweets and high fat don't make every person sick after the surgery, and most of the time it is a short term effect for those that do get sick from them. I couldn't touch high sugar for about 6 months, but guess what? That effect wore off and I could eat anything now with no serious repercussions other than gaining weight. I know that, so I don't eat crap foods all the time. I do eat stuff like a cupcake or a cookie for special occasions, but I plan out my day so I know I have room in my calorie count and I eat healthy 90% of the time, so eating something "bad" occasionally doesn't derail my whole life. Relearning how to eat healthy during the honeymoon period is what the surgery is really all about. You have to throw out everything you used to do and establish good eating habits while the restriction takes care of the portion control. That is what everyone is supposed to learn how to do during the honeymoon phase after surgery. It is really sad that the doctors don't explain this part better to every single patient before they have the surgery. If you don't do this, then the weight loss will happen in the beginning just because you're not able to eat as much, but likely will slow down sooner, and also regain is very likely once your metabolism adjusts in a year or two and all you still eat is crummy foods. Anyway. You definitely need to try doing the 5 day reset. It will help remind you how your stomach feels and feel the restriction again, and should help you detox from the sweets/crap food cravings - eating high carb usually makes you crave more carbs - it is a vicious cycle. You made some mistakes, but the sleeve is still there, ready for you once you're ready to recommit to eating correctly. You lost the best time to make fast and easy changes, but if you put in the work, you can still make it happen. But you have to be willing to do the work. Start tracking every bite of food and sip of drink. Get your Protein and Water goals figured out, keep your carbs low (under 100 definitely but if you can push it down to 50 grams/day that would be even better), and get your calories for the day down to around a 500 calorie less than you burn in a day. Throw out all the junk food in your house. Tell friends and family to not tempt you with foods like that and don't go places where you'll feel weak until you get control of yourself. Think of it like being an alcoholic or trying to quit smoking. You don't go places where you'll feel tempted and you ask friends/family to be supportive of your struggle and not offer you things you shouldn't be having, and do your best to remove the temptations from your path. Exercise - find something you enjoy doing and then do it a minimum of 5 days a week. Even if it's just walking a 2 miles around your neighborhood after dinner, it's something if you're currently doing nothing. What seems to work best food wise is whole foods, that you cook yourself. If it comes in a box or frozen package, it probably isn't a very good choice. Learn to read labels REALLY well, and figure out things like net carbs, sodium levels, etc., and check out both here and bariatric recipe sites like http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/ Proteins should be the main part of each meal and every snack: things like fish, chicken, lean cuts of beef, cheese, yogurt, even Beans and lentils. Healthy vegetables - leafy greens, red peppers, squash, zucchini, avocados, broccoli, cauliflower... watch the ones that are high carb like corn and green peas as even healthy veggies can have high carbs sometimes and you need to be aware when you eat them. Should also be including healthy fats like coconut or olive oils and things like nuts or avocados have fat too, but it's a good fat (just watch the amounts and calories). Watch things like lunchmeat that are usually high sodium (again, read labels!) and be aware of times of day that you might be weak and have healthy Snacks on hand to prevent the quick stop at the drive thru or dropping by the office vending machine. MEASURE everything. You can't rely on eyeballing food amounts. Get a digital scale, and weigh your food so you get accurate calorie counts. It is way too easy to guess and over-estimate your food portions. And you might need to see a counselor that deals with eating disorders if you can't get control of your eating and get your head in the right space to succeed at this. Please don't take this as being mean, but worrying over what others did and comparing your lack of success while eating bad foods isn't helpful or realistic. But here's the thing. You aren't a failure unless you give up completely. Don't give up, and you will succeed.

As frustrating as it is, I have come to the conclusion that the supervised diet, etc., is a good thing. I chose to do the 3 month intensive as prescribed by Aetna. I've had some helpful diet counseling from some nutritionists, a four hour class about what to expect and what to do before, during, and after surgery. I've attended some exercise classes with bariatric trained leaders. It has all been valuable. I feel very ready to move forward and get this done. While I've been waiting, I've dropped 37 pounds since January, 24 of which came off since my first dietician session in early March. I was already doing a lot of things right, but she helped me tweak it, and the results have been great. I looked at it like this: Sure, I'd like my band yesterday, but in the meantime, I can do my best to lose 1-2 pounds per week just as if I were already banded. And I have most of my good habits in place in preparation for the band. My paperwork has been submitted, and I'm waiting for news. This is the hardest part! Orea

Is this from bariatric?

Agree with @vikingbeast. You need to take a big step back. You’re stressed & emotional which only enhances those cravings. You crave the foods which offered you comfort in the past & you crave the familiar of being able to eat what you want, when you want it. And the more you worry the more anxious you become. You may find a therapist who specialises in supporting bariatric patients very helpful. Ask your surgeon for a recommendation. Constipation is part of the journey. I tried to keep on top of mine by taking Benefibre at least every second day, keeping my fluid intake up & taking a stool softener if I got to day 3 or 4 without movement. I also ate very mild instant rolled oats from purée stage. Took me days to eat a full serve but it was good fibre. You may need an enema since it’s been 15 days or a visit to the hospital for assistance. Being constipated does make it seem you’ve stopped losing or have gained. Get rid of it & your weight will be lower very quickly & you’ll feel much better. Stalls are very common. They can last 1 - 3 weeks, sometimes more. And you can experience a number of them as you’re losing. The first usually occurs around week 3 give or take. You just have to ride them out. They’re just your body taking a time out to come to terms with your weight loss. Changes to your sense of smell & taste are also common. They usually are temporary but how long it lasts is individual. Are there specific foods that upset you more you can avoid? The strong body odour is from your body being in ketosis - fat burning. It’s like every bodily secretion reeks. It passes too. I took deodorant, toothbrush, tooth paste & mouth wash & body wipes to work for refreshes during the day. I was someone who frequently skipped meals in an effort to lose weight (did that for 40+years) & tried all those very low calorie diets including one I did several times that was only 500 calories a day. I still lost all my weight & more. Stick as close to your plan as you can. It may take you a little longer to reach a stage recommendation for calories, portion size &/or foods you can eat but that’s ok. You’ll get there.

Hello dear fellow bandsters.. since almost all of you re reading a lot of stuff about the bariatric surgeries (in your effort to learn more about the band) i wonder if you have a personal opinion about the sleeve gastrectomy or if some of you you would prefer that operation than the band. thanks for your answers __________________ Originally posted at www.lapbandtalk.com

Dr. Robert McKeen at South Bay Bariatrics is awesome. He operates out of Good Samaritan Hospital. Self pay I think he is about $15k with $200 per fill. He is wonderful.

Get a new PCP, one that has experience with WLS patients. You are going to need a strong doctor who will do the follow up blood tests, etc. I am blessed with an excellent PCP who knew nothing about WLS but learned all about it so he could support me. Now he tests me every 3 months and checks my vitamins etc., even though my bariatric surgeon is available. I hope you can find the same.

I called MetroPlus and they told me they don't cover Bariatric surgery ='[

Hey everyone I just wanted to share that I had the gastric bypass one week ago today and so far so good! I think the preop diet really helped me to prepare for this. The surgery went very well and I didn't need much pain meds in the hospital. I made myself get up and walk and was released the next morning. I had bloating and gas as expected but not too bad. I really want to thank the Methodist Hospital Bariatric Program (Sacramento, CA) and my surgeon Ruby Gatschet for such a smooth process. I referred to my postop eating booklet once I got home and have lost 4lbs so far. I am looking forward to progressing in the booklet and changing my life to better my health.

Find someone new! Just to give you perspective (if you need any, you probably don't) my weight loss was about the same as yours six weeks out and my dietician* told me I was doing great and should be proud of myself! Your surgeon needs to go eff himself! *In my surgeon's office, the staff dieticians handle the nutritional aspects of follow up care. She is an expert in working with bariatric surgery patients, not some uneducated yahoo from off the street.

Ok. So where to start. I have been reading this forum for a year or so but have never posted. Weird how I can be so computer shy, but not so much in real life! Everyone who contributes is stellar in my book and I have appreciated all of your stories and experiences from afar, so thanks. I had lap band surgery in May of 2008 and it was a nightmare from the beginning. We've all read the terrible stories, mine not really any different. Couldn't keep Water down sometimes, stuck all the time, etc. Where my story does seem to differ is where my surgeon is concerned. My surgeon, John Dietrick in Tampa has terrible bedside manner, I knew this going into it, but was confident in his skill set. He was adamant that the band was not to blame, it was me, end of story. "The band doesn't fail, people fail", whatever! I became immune to his personality and just conceded to that fact he is how he is. In June 2011 I had the lap and out finally. Hallelujah!!! I started researching Vsg in the beginning of 2011 to see if I could get both procedures done at the same time. Surgeon wouldn't do that which I was fine with. I just researched my brains out on if I really wanted to go through another procedure. What if it felt like the lapband!?! Gasp! And it's irreversible! Needless to say, I did a lot of soul searching and research which I'm glad I did. Would not change the procedure for the world! I love it!!!! Fast forward to October 28th 2013 when I finally had my VSG done with Dr. Dietrick. I stayed with him because he knew my history and I figured I could just try to push through the personality, try and make him laugh for god sakes, blah blah. So it's been about 6 weeks and I am down 27 lbs! Listen, I compare myself to others that are losing quicker, but man! I doing pretty damn well I think!! I think I only lost 27lbs the whole 5 years with lap-band! I'm happy and in a good place, and know that it's just a matter of time for where I want my weight to be. I have for the first time in my life, changed my frame of mind about why I did this. It's not temporary, it's here to stay and I embrace it! I'm rambling, sorry. The whole reason for the post was because I just came from dr. Dietricks office and am shaking I'm so angry, and confused. I had my 6 week check up today, and instead of being encouraged, I got downright scolded! I told him that i religiously track everything in MFP 700-800 calories a day, 70-80 Protein, carbs under 45 ish. He flat out said that the app is lying or I am, because there is no way that I only lost that much with that caloric intake. Plus I ride stationary cycle everyday 20-30minutes. He said, actually said these words, they actually 100% came out of his mouth, "maybe you're drinking TOO MUCH water!?!?" wtf? After 6 years I just lost my shiz on him. I said you've been doing this to me for years and I'm done. isn't every body different In which it loses its weight? My muscle building? My water retention? Stalls? Etc etc, all the things WE already know, yet he doesn't?! He didn't know what a stall was! He said "all bodies are the same, you must be putting your calories in wrong, because you are the only one in the world that will only lose 1.5 lbs a week on 700 calories".....Oh my lord! I just started crying to where I couldn't even speak, got my stuff and bolted. Isn't my surgeon supposed to be encouraging? Ayayayay. So the million dollar question is after all my rambling, does anyone have any experience in the Tampa Bay Area with a good bariatric surgeon? Is this guy nuts, or am I emotional? I won't let this sidetrack me in the least. I guess I just needed to let it out to people who would understand. My husband, bless him. After he hung up with me crying he called the surgeons office and asked if he should go down there,hahah. Silly. Thanks for listening!

@@LMSWNYC Sounds like you have a insecure husband and due to his low self esteem and low confidence, he does not like the new you. Whatever happens, do not stop living a healthy lifestyle. As someone above mentioned, divorce isn't uncommon after bariatric surgery. Once you begin to lose weight, you start to gain confidence and realize your self worth. I had the gastric sleeve performed in December 2015. 3 weeks after my surgery, my husband and I separated and he blamed he surgery when in fact, he was the issue. I had not lost that much weight, as I was only 3 weeks out from surgery. A month later, I filed for a divorce. We were married for 7 years too long. When I married my ex husband 7 years ago, I was already overweight. I had no self esteem, no confidence. He on the other hand was not overweight, educated and said he wanted to marry me. I grabbed him by the coat tails because I didn't think anyone else would want me since I was overweight. Every year that we were married, I continued to gain weight because I was extremely unhappy and depressed in our marriage. His actions kept me on edge and I was thrown in competitions with women and his porn addiction. After I had my surgery, I sat down with him and asked him to change his ways or lose me forever. He refused to stop watching porn and also rejected me in the process, yet he insisted he loved me. I left home thinking he would change but he got worse. He ended up finding a mistress and slept with her the day after our wedding anniversary, which was this past January. Our divorce was just finalized in July 2016. I am pretty sure he hates the new me and I am ok with that lol. I suggest that you and your husband consider marriage counseling and I hope he is receptive. If he doesn't wish to go through with counseling and believe that you love him and only him, your situation will just go from bad to worse. I really wish you the best and I apologize for my long post lol. Feel free to reach out to me anytime and please keep us all posted. Congrats on your weight loss and keep up the good work no matter what!