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I usually don'y eat more than a cup per meal, but my doctor say that I should actually be at 2/3 to 3/4 cup per meal, not a full cup. That just seems like so little food, even for a Bariatric patient.

Bariatric fushion is chewable and an all in one. take 1 chewable 3xs a day for the sleeve.. works great and better than taking 5 pills 2x a day Chris

With all due respect, your doctor sounds like an idiot. Your body needs Protein to repair itself. How much WLS experience does he have? Is he part of a Bariatric Center of Excellence or is he a regular doctor who just does a few of these now without providing adequate follow up and support? Every doctor has their own program (as you will see from reading the letters here) but yours is so far from the norm, it is very worrisome. I suggest you look at the guidelines published by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (the leading national organization of bariatric doctors) at asmbs.org and discuss these with your doctor. If he is not up to professional standards, try to find another doctor.

My surgeon sells a powder Vitamin specifically for wls patients, here's a link: http://www.barilife.com/bariatric-vitamin-products/bariatric-multi-vitamins.html Personally I find them very gritty and nasty and can't really recommend them due to that, but they do have the numbers you need. GNC sells a powdered Multivitamin for men called Mega Men that a friend of mine takes. He loves the flavor -- he does the vanilla. http://www.gnc.com/Powdered-Multivitamins/family.jsp?categoryId=4394053 You would definitely want to account for all those calories though! I used a double dose of Wellesse liquid multi-vitamin after surgery, and found it very easy to tolerate: http://www.amazon.com/Wellesse-Multivitamin-Absorbing-B-Complex-16-Fluid-Ounce/dp/B004YB429Q/ If you can tolerate a chewable, I recommend the Trader Joe's High Potency Chewable Multivitamin -- it tastes good and is much cheaper than just about anything else on the market. Plus it has a lot fewer calories and carbs than most multi's, including, ironically enough, those marketed specifically for wls patients. And by the way, I think seven months out is way too early to call your surgery a failure! Definitely you want to get back on track with your vitamins, that's important for your health, but also, if you haven't, give a scathingly honest and detailed look at what you are eating -- my dietician, surgeon, and exercise physiologist all say that if you aren't losing weight, it can 99% of the time be traced back to what you are eating, rather than supplements, exercise, hormones (yes men are subject to hormonal fluctuations, thyroid problems and so on too), etc.

I would love to start a Cincinnati support group. On the east side near Eastgate / Anderson .. I would love to do clothes swaps and bariatric friendly pot luck dinners BYOT (Bring Your Own Tupperware ) lol let me know if anyone is interested

Yes, do a local search for a bariatric clinic/doctor and spend an evening at a seminar. It could prove to be a catalyst, one way or another to your decision.

I liked Bariatric Fusion in chocolate mouse flavor the best.

I have been preparing for my surgery for months, and my little sister has been very supportive. She is also very heavy, and has been taking Phentermine for a few months. She had a check in with her primary doctoday and told the doc the meds aren't doing anything for her. She asked for information about bariatric surgery and was told by her doctor that it is a cosmetic procedure that most insurance won't pay for!!!! I'm utterly shocked! When my sis said she isn't interested in a bypass but a sleeve, the doc then told her it's not called a sleeve, it's called a lap-band. I told my sis I would be looking for a new doctor. That shocked me!!

My bariatric team was spot on to reply quickly to my questions and emails.....same day. I agree with SherB, An effective team will not leave you dangling in mental anquish and worry. Be proactive.

Hello everyone, I have decided to see a patient advocate at TrueResults in Phoenix to see if I am qualified for the gastric sleeve. I gave all my insurance information to them before my appointment (I have Highmark BCBS through my employer, Centene Corp). The patient advocate informed me that they verified my coverage and that I meet all the requirements for a bariatric surgery. However, my BMI is under 40 and I do have one of the co-morbidity mentioned in the insurance requirements which is HBP. My dilemma is that the patient advocate said that I am required to be on two blood pressure pills in order to qualify - which I am - but the customer service people at Highmark BCBS keep telling me that I need to be on three HBP pills in order to qualify (they even sent me a hard copy of the requirements). I don't know who is right and I don't want to start this journey and to find out that I am denied. Has anybody else experience something like this ? I would think that the insurance people at TrueResults have accurate information, but I doubt it right now. The customer service rep at Highmark gave me the requirements for Highmark BCBS in general, but I know every employer might override these general requirements. Please help ! Thank you. Isabella

Do you have a local Bariatric program you could consult with? I know our bariatric program welcomes people who had surgery in other places but live locally to the plan. Maybe see if there is a support group you can attend and see if a NUT or local Surgeon can look at your medical records and suggest a plan for you to eat after surgery.

if there was no one to stop me i would be getting my wls in Mexico. i researched for hours on end and decided upon Ramos-Kelly or Fernando Garcia. My husband wont allow it so i will have my surgery in the US but to answer your question: Besides all the success stories you will read i made it a point to google phrases like "death after bariatric surgery in tijuana" and "death of patient dr. XYZ" my research was to find all the GOOD and BAD for each doctor i was considering. and there are doctors who have repeat situations. also keep in mind that people can die in the US from the same surgery. It is just one of the risks. good luck

My first surgeon (before I switched because I'm 'high risk') told me that they are, within the next few years, phasing out the Lap Band as are many other bariatric programs just due to its complication rate and lack of concrete success for everyone. I originally went in wanting it, too, because I thought of it like a tool to help me get to a weight where I could do the rest myself, but since I was diagnosed with diabetes in March and the sleeve has greater success with relieving comorbities, and a constant back and forth with all of my doctors including my kidney transplant doctor, the sleeve seemed more appropriate for my situation. My SECOND surgeon made the very good point that because the Lap Band is a foreign object, it is highly likely to become infected or be an infection magnet for someone like me who is a medicated immunocompromised patient (for my transplant). So yeah, I'm having the sleeve on the 21st and I'm both nervous and excited.

Hello! I am a newbie and just recently decided on surgery in Mexico. Can anyone give me suggestions on how/where they did most of their research at to find mortality / complication rates? Who did you guys go with and why? I had a couple of doctors picked out but now I am not sure again. This is such a huge decision... How did you know when you found the right doctor? Any suggestions or information will be so helpful! Thank you all! I can see already these boards are going to be my new best friend! I was looking into Dr. louisiana Valenzuela (mexico bariatric) and Dr Ortiz (from a lighter me) also might consider Dr. Osuna SO WORRIED ABOUT MAKING A WRONG DECISION....

I personally have always taken Bariatric Vitamins, I tried the chewables even Flintstones YUK YUK!!! I buy Celebrate Capsules for $15.00 for 90 capsules. I buy 4 at a time so I don't have to pay S/H. I was told that you can open them and add them to food if you can't swallow them. I was told from the beginning that I needed to take a Bariatric Vit. I know that Dr.'s don't always agree. But I figured I would rather be safe than sorry. Thats just me tho.

You can take a look at several "bariatric vitamins", e. g. Celebrate or FitForMe. There are chewables and pills available and you don't need to take a whole heap of them. They are usually taken two times a day.

You should definitely consult your doctor on his/her plan for your first couple of weeks. I know that some doctors do only clear liquids the first two weeks, and then "full liquids" the second two. My doctor, on the other hand, does anything liquid during the first two weeks, as long as it is the consistency to be sipped through a straw (BUT DON'T USE A STRAW - TO MUCH AIR/GAS). Of course, protein needs to be FIRST PRIORITY. I have been doing lentil soup put through the blender, and fat-free greek yogurt. I have also been doing drinks that I ordered through American Bariatric - both their clear fruit drinks (a little like Crystal Light), and their cappucino mix (delicious - I mix it with warm coffee - 15 grams of protein and 90 calories!).

Ok, here's some thoughts and perhaps some tough love.... Yes. I'm wondering if your doctor didn't tell you this? A lot of posts I read here I'm finding that what doctors do and don't tell their patients varies wildly and I find a lot of folks maybe didn't really understand what they were getting into. I fear this may be the case for you...you had certain expectations that weren't properly set by your surgeon. Here's the take from my doctor. Yes, you can eat around the band. You can eat pretty much all the stuff. That's why the band isn't for everyone. The band takes work. It's about a 50-50 match of you and your band, the weight doesn't just "fall off" while you happily eat whatever you want. It was never designed to do that. I'm pretty sad because I think your surgeon left out some details in the pre-screening. This would be true of any surgery. There is no surgery out there that takes this away. For some of us in this world, sadly, we were given the burden of always obsessing about food and our weights. So is this all bad news? No, because over time with some work, things can improve. I believe if you've "got the demon", you always will. It's basically an addiction.... But there are times the demon can be quieter than others. I know this is a rather unpopular thing to say...but from my own experience, the only way I've ever been able to get that damn demon to hush a bit is through talk therapy with a trained counselor. There is a lot behind food addictions and food issues. A LOT of mental and emotional stuff. And for better or worse, having a bariatric surgery makes you have to take a real good hard look at that.... It's up to each of us to decide how to work with that..... If you are eating chips and crackers and not Proteins and veggies, then no, the band isn't going to work for you. And if, as you mention later, that what you are supposed to be eating hurts too much to eat, then I have news for you..... You Are Too Tight. This falls right into my surgeon's rules regarding fills. If you are overfilled, you will make bad choices and not lose weight. He's seen this time and again. It's counterintuitive, I know...but it's true. I was overfilled and I gained weight. The rule is "I'd rather see you be too loose and eat too much chicken than too tight and eat around the band (ie chips, crackers, ice cream)" (<-- loosely paraphrased) No. I think you should make an appointment with your doctor and talk to him/her about what you've said here. And how frustrated you are, and how you think you might be too tight. And you have to look deep within yourself and remember what your motivation was to be banded in the first place..... See, now I'm beginning to be suspicous about this doctor of yours....is there another dr anywhere nearby that you can go to for fills because that type of attitude is just crap, in my humblest of opinions. Yeah. I really do think you need an unfill. Hate to break it to you....gastric bypass...you would be having the exact same problems you are now. Sure, you would have lost like a banshee for the first year while you "dumped" and freaked out your body's insulin for the first year from all the carbs from chips and crackers..... And then after the first year, all loss would have stopped....and if you kept eating like you are, the weight would start coming right back on. Because there is NO surgery in the world that allows you to eat anything and everything you want and NOT diet or exercise or work through food issues. No, that's exactly right. And it sounds like your doctor never told you that. And THAT is very concerning to me because everyone should get a long detailed and rather stern lecture about this very point. The band is not a magic bullet. Neither is gastric bypass, or "the sleeve" or verticle gastrectomy or duedenal switch or ANY of the bariatric surgeries out there. There is no magic bullet. There, I've said it. I've spent a lifetime looking for it and would sure love to find it....but it just doesn't exist. What exists is a lot of us with a lot of pain and sad thoughts and troubles with food. And everyday we have to fight a little harder. And you, my friend, are one tired soldier today. I get that. I really do. Ok....now...you've had a chance to think about it. I'm holding out my hand...are you ready to stand up and give it another try?

Yeah I think now that I have written everything down and spoke with all you lovely people, I think it most likely is the meds, hormones and insulin so I guess it’s back to the surgeons and doctors and Bariatric specialists yay 🙄

I was also sleeved 3/31 and have been having this exact issue. It's funny because I had never experienced constipation before and now I'm more familiar with it than I ever care to be. I think I was over doing it on the iron, so I cut back on that, then I tried milk of magnesia, as recommended by my bariatric program, but that didn't work, until I did several doses, so I added a daily stool softener and I'm trying to add more fiber and more exercise. I see my pcp for the first time since surgery in a week. I guess if I'm still having issues, I will see what he thinks. Might have to go back to coffee...

PAR, that's a very slippery slope you've tried to manage and it is one best left alone. The best way to discuss these things is in one of the support groups where everyone, including the employees, open up about their experiences. They generally tell their beginning weight and what they have lost to date and sometimes show the before and after pictures. This is where you will get the true gist of what is working for whom. Some people have larger amounts of weight to lose and it takes them quite awhile to get to the point that you might not consider them to be overweight. Everyone is different and not all bariatric patients wish to keep working to get thin. Some just want to get enough weight off to help them deal with their medical problems. I'm not that familiar with the band but from what I've read on here, the weight loss is slower than with the other surgeries so you can compare the bands with the VSG or the By-Pass. The surgery is a tool to assist patients with their diets, it's not a miracle cure and it won't work unless you stick to the diet and we all know that not everybody sticks to the diet. So, you can't look at that particular Bariatric Office to see if the surgery is successful. This forum is awesome and you can see by the posts people make, that they are getting out of the surgery exactly what they put into it. Some people have better results than others, it's just one of those things. Another thing, are you having the lap band? If not then you should be directing your questions more towards the people that have the surgery you plan on getting. I had the sleeve on Feb. 10th, I've lost 46 pounds and I feel its the best thing I've ever done for myself. Good luck.

Noooo don't think that!!! Seriously give your doctor a call. Having gas like that even with out WLS is a sign of digestive issues. If your bariatric Dr. does not have a gastroenterology Dr. as part of his team ask for a recommendation and go see them. You do not have to live with flatulence.

I have BC/BS of IL. Their requirements don't stipulate and weight loss during the 6 month program. In fact, here are their words: · It is expected that appropriate non-surgical treatment should have been attempted prior to surgical treatment of obesity Non-surgical treatment of morbid obesity appropriateness criteria: · Medical record documentation of active participation in a clinically-supervised, non-surgical program of weight reduction for at least 6 months, occurring within the twenty-four (24) months prior to the proposed surgery and preferably unaffiliated with the bariatric surgery program. [NOTE: The initial BMI at the beginning of a weight reduction program will be the “qualifying” BMI used to meet the BMI criteria for the definition of morbid obesity used in this policy.] · A program will be considered appropriate if it includes the following components: 1. Nutritional therapy, which may include medical nutrition therapy such as a very low calorie diet such as MediFast or OptiFast OR a recognized commercial diet-based weight loss program such as WeighWatchers, Jenny Craig, etc. 2. Behavior modification or behavioral health interventions. 3. Counseling and instruction on exercise and increased physical activity. 4. Pharmacologic therapy (as appropriate). 5. Ongoing support for lifestyle changes to make and maintain appropriate choices that will reduce health risk factors and improve overall health. Good luck...Dan.

I would do it again. It has now been a year since my band. I feel so much better. I have more to lose, but I know I am going to get there. 1. Get involved in a support group and stay involved. I started, but do to my scheduling I couldn't continue. You get so much support from your bariatric community. They care about you and want to see you succeed and will help you to get to goal. 2. Get counseling right away. I started counseling when I started thinking about surgery. I learned a lot about my behaviors. Having the band does not make those feelings for eating go away. Counseling gave me the tools I needed for my emotional eating. 3. You still have to exercise. Even if you only walk 30 min. a day 5 days a week...every bit helps. If you exercise, you will be less likely to get too far off track. 4. DON'T FORGET....THE BAND IS ONLY A TOOL! NOT A CURE. Good luck and best wishes. :scared2:

I was told by my Bariatric nutritionist that meats did not have to be pureed, but rather chopped finely and moistened with broth, fat free gravy, or low-fat Mayo. As long as you chew properly, the food is pureed before it hits your stomach. Chicken salad and tuna were staples of mine. I also did shredded crock pot meats that were chopped prior.