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The results of my sleep study showed mild sleep apnea. The mild range is 5-15. I scored 6.5. My surgery is supposed to be in 2 weeks but I don't know if they'll make me treat it first. Anyone know what range of apnea they require CPAP treatment for? Is it possible I'd still be approved for surgery since it's such a mild case? The sleep clinic said it will more than likely clear up with weight loss. Thanks for any info you may have. I just don't want to wait the long holiday weekend without an idea since I won't hear from my surgeon until next week probably.

Just got my ultrasound results back. Multiple Stones. Thank you to everyone who suggested my gallbladder! 3+ trips to the ER and not one of those high paid doctors thought of it even though my chart said I was a Bariatric patient! Thank you all so much! Holding off to have it removed Jan 23.

I had lap band in 2005. I lost about 80 pounds but was miserable almost the entire time. I later found that my band slipped probably in the 1st 6 months due to violent vomiting secondary to gall bladder dysfunction. In 2009, when my surgeon discovered the slip (FINALLY), he removed the lap band and offered to convert me to sleeve then. I chose not to for various personal reasons. Skip ahead to 2015. I have gained all of my weight back and can't seem to get back on track. A friend, who had also been banded and converted to the sleeve, got me thinking and I finally decided to get sleeved. I underwent gastric sleeve in April 2018. The pre-op and immediate post-op is nearly identical. The pain I had with the sleeve was similar to the port pain with the band, although I couldn't sleep laying down on my side for about a month. My weight loss was much slower with the sleeve. They say it's because I've been down the bariatric path before and my body is slower to respond (metabolism remembers). Besides, I'm a little older. Today, I've lost 86 lbs. At this point, I'll stall for 2-3 weeks then lose a pound or 2. I have more energy and I don't feel deprived, at all. The only negative is that I have a bit of nighttime reflux. It's a battle I wage every day and am seeing a gastroenterologist to monitor and treat. So far, it's not significant enough to consider any kind of revision and my plan is that the sleeve is my last stop on the bariatric train.

@Billy Bob I am drinking mostly Premier Protein and Muscle Milk shakes. Sometimes I’ll drink an Ensure Plus Max. I find the Muscle Milk shakes are thinner thus were easier to get down my first week. Any shake I drink is 30 grams of protein per serving. I will also have 8-12 oz of diet cranberry juice with a scoop of Nectar flavorless protein powder (to break up the monotony of the water). For vitamins I’m taking the Bariatric Fusion chewable (orange creamsicle flavor) 2 vitamins, twice a day (no other vitamins). I’ll be curious to see what others are taking for vitamins. As an aside I’m two weeks post op today so I just started on purées.

Has anyone ever moved quickly thru the phases of the post op diet? I have had no naseau or vomiting but only eat less.

Hi. I couldn’t imagine any bariatric surgeon not requiring their patient to get protein in post op. It is very important for healing. The cardinal rule for bariatric patients post op and for life is “protein first” i had sleeve in 2018 and revision to bypass last Friday. Both surgeons required 60grams of protein post op. Good luck with your research and hope that helped.

Right side under ribs could be your gallbladder if you still have it. Very common after bariatric surgery.

And once again I lost my entire juicy enhanced protein shake breakfast yesterday morning- Gee Whilickers THIS gets so OLD- probably peeve and look like I am ungrateful the powers that be at OSU Bariatric surgery but I want a t-shirt stating " Gastrointestinally Crippled- Slightly" today things are better but I may never be the Poster Child Success I once dreamed of Being- but Still it Is what it is, perhaps like the Biblical Esau I sold my " Birthright" and I now am reaping the whirlwind of THAT decision. But 1/2 the size I started AT...... GOOD..... but I have gone through' Purgatory on Earth" to get There.

@Chris NH thank you! I did not realize that they had a specific customer service team for this. I did meet with my surgeon’s office and they did confirm that they just revised the requirements and that it is no longer 6 months but that they would not give her a specific amount of time. She said basically for me to do 2 months followed by my physician and then they will send in the prior auth and see what they say. But I’m going to call back tomorrow and see if I can get the bariatric team and try to get a specific answer. thank you again for your help!

Hi, I, too, have The UMR / United Healthcare insurance and I just had my surgery November 12. How I understood the requirements I needed to be under the care of the gastric surgeon’s program for six months and showing a weight loss during that time. Also, super important, UMR requires your program/hospital be a COE (center of excellence). One thing I did learn along the way with dealing with UMR is that there is a specialized customer service team that deals with just bariatric questions. If you call the general service number any rep will talk to you but they may not be as versed as this team....you need to ask for them. Once I learned about this team I started getting direct answers to my questions rather than having people dig for answers. Good luck and feel free to message me with other questions.

Just counting down until tomorrow when I can eat baby food yaaay lol I found some really good pureed recipes on bariatric bits. So will be trying the pureed egg salad. Sent from my SM-G955U using BariatricPal mobile app

i have taken 3 nsaid the last few weeks due to some nagging back pain issues no problem btw way my bariatric doctor and surgeon said you can occasionally take them thank goodness i choose the sleeve over the bypass

You can do it! sounds like You are emotionally grieving right now hardcore. Keep your eye on the prize do your liquid first don't freak on the protein part yet. Outshine no sugar added popsicles r wonderful very tasty, and count as liquid. Contact your bariatric team for some support. Try learning meditation and try listening to DR. Duc Voung or BJ FOGG, both are great. You will feel amazing soon!

Hi Everyone, I’m scheduled to undergo the gastric sleeve surgery next Monday, December 2nd. I’m anxious and scared about this life changing decision but I’m also excited about the journey ahead. I’m on day 4 of my 11 day pre-surgery diet and the Protein Shakes are gagging me. I’m limited to using shakes from Bariatric Advantage and Bariatric Fusion. Any tips on how to make them taste better? I’ve tried using extracts and drink mixes. I’m also hoping for some encouraging words for this surgery. I hope I’m making the right decision. I have this fear that I’ll feel nauseous for the rest of my life and I won’t be able to enjoy food ever again.

Has anyone else just eased into a life that makes you think “wait, this is what everyone else was experiencing all along”? I don’t particularly track or restrict my diet, but I stop eating when I’ve had enough, which used to be unheard of for me. I can tell when I’m three pounds over or under my average weight just through body awareness, which again, I used not to be able to feel physically or predict. I’ve nailed the social interactions bit and no longer feel guilt for eating little or anger at splitting a check when my portion was much smaller (I see it as paying rent for the restaurant space and good conversation, rather than an exact percentage of food ingested). I can gauge food intake and plan for events almost unconsciously. When my coworkers order an Uber, there’s no weirdness around where I can sit, because I can be the third in the backseat and we can all still buckle up. i can sit in the middle, even. That constant mental calculation is gone, as is the paranoia when I catch someone looking at me, as is the constant obsessing about food. I realize my experience isn’t everyone’s, but it really is like I broke a chemical addiction and am now experiencing life like the majority of people do. And it’s INSANE to think of the gap in understanding between people who are obese and people who never have been. One side can’t understand how the other lacks an iota of understanding or sympathy, while the other side genuinely has NO IDEA and no life experience to remotely contextualize the reality of obesity, but THINK the human experience with food in general is universal and so feel comfortable basing their reaction on what they know. Like right now, in this moment, I can sympathize with some of my past tormentors who just said in exasperation “well, stop eating when you get full!”. Because for them, it was truly that simple. In fact, it was so alien to them to keep eating past that “full” trigger, so it seemed like anyone obese had to actively and obstinately keep pushing past that trigger deliberately. Hell, it’s easy for me NOW to obey that trigger, but it used to just be invisible. I like this life much better. It’s easier, it’s mentally more healthy, I get a constant wash of approval from society for conforming. But it also constantly reaffirms that obesity is rarely a choice, should be treated as a disease, and society needs to shift to stop valorizing weight conformity as a sign of personal willpower and control. Some people luck out with their factory setting when it comes to food. You don’t get a gold star for taking the easiest path and obeying your programming that happens to regulate caloric intake well, while the person whose factory setting has no “I’m full” switch and who also constantly gets bombarded with marketing messaging and economic incentives to eat large quantities of high-calorie food gets cast as some sort of slothful glutton. Again: life now is good. But there aren’t many of us out there who have genuinely experienced both obesity and the factory-reset of bariatric surgery, and it’s surreal to realize how few people on either side of that divide know what the hell is happening here.

I don't know that anyone on here is qualified to advise you one way or the other (maybe a nurse? We have a couple of nurses on here), so I don't know if anyone will want to risk telling you "it's fine" when it turns out it isn't, but I DID just do a search of this site and another bariatric forum (using "echinacea" as my keyword), and I did find that there are some post-op patients who have taken it. They didn't mention any particular issues with it. Another option would be to ask a pharmacist if you want a more professional opinion. They know more about drugs (and sometimes supplements) than doctors, although they wouldn't know as much about bariatric surgery as a doctor would (and vice versa!). They'd know more than us, though...

Not drinking enough water can really be a problem. I know that I don't drink near as much water post-surgery as I did pre-surgery. (No idea why though. Pre-diabetes? Habit? Filling the stomach with water to avoid feeling empty?) I can really tell especially in the morning when my urine is darker than usual. In fact, I have to take a water bottle with me for my morning dog walks or I get light headed and feel really off. I like really cold water and tend to put the bottle with just a little water at the bottom in the freezer to give me a nice piece of ice. Then I just pop it out of the freezer and fill it up before I go walking. My high-vis jacket has big pockets, so I just keep it in there to easily get at it while the dogs run around all crazy like. Another thing I do is drinking a meal replacement shake with extra water for breakfast and have a bariatric vitamin that takes lemonade-like and makes the water fizzy. I have to watch out for that one though since I love the taste so much that if I want more I can get constipated from all the iron (which I learned the "hard" way if you know what I mean). Now that I think about it, these habits really help me to keep hydrated. I never thought about it that way before. Get the water in though. The body has no way of metabolizing fat otherwise. (https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322296.php#six-reasons-why-drinking-water-may-help-you-lose-weight)

I've used the Hot Chocolate from the Bariatric Pal Store right here. Right now it's on sale for $13.99 for 7 packets. Here's the info on the basic Chocolate. There are other flavors available. BariatricPal Classic Hot Chocolate Protein Drink Highlights: 15 grams of protein 80 calories 15% of the daily value for calcium Suitable for the Pre Op and Post Op Liquid, Mushies and Pureed Foods, Solid Foods and Maintenance diets Suitable for gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, duodenal switch and gastric band patients Suitable for anyone watching their weight Enjoy anytime Aspartame free 7 X Classic Hot Chocolate Protein Drink Packets Per Box Ingredients: Calcium Caseinate, Hydrolyzed Gelatin, Non-Fat Milk, Cocoa Powder, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Salt, Potassium Citrate, Titanium Dioxide, Sucralose, Soy Lecithin. Allergy Information: Contains milk and soy. All products listed have been manufactured on equipment that has processed milk, wheat (gluten), soy, egg, peanuts and tree nuts.

Well, I tell you what - NYC is definitely hailing there's a new hot girl in town!!! You must be over-the-moon happy and as you noted, life is good! Feeling lighter on my feet everyday no longer carrying all the baggage. This morning, I moved into a new decade of 139 lbs. Yay! I'm still in loosing mode BUT if you'd let me borrow 2 inches, I'd be at goal today! Haha. That would leave you a nice 5' 7" tall and me 5' 2" taller! LOL. I really don't count calories and eat 75% raw like salads, shrimp or lobster bites, cottage cheese, lots of veggies, nuts and fruit. And, baked crackers with high quality thin slice of cheese for a treat with fresh tomato salsa. Eat very few processed foods. 80 - 100+ oz. water a day, decaf hot tea in the evenings. Cold shrimp cocktail appetizer is my go to for dinner's out socially. Not a big fish girl. I'll bring that dish with me to a friend's in Boca for Thanksgiving dinner. I remain very strict, and never wish to return to the carte blanch eating coma. I walk Bobby (the wire fox terrier) three times a day and my profession keeps me very physically active. How's your riding? Do you feel more flexible in the sport now? Do the horses respond to you differently now? I do have ample excess skin front side that really weighs down + off balances posture on new, very petite frame. i.e. The jacket below is a 10 petite, but really should be a 6 or 8 if not for extra abdominal skin. Clothing sizes, of course, vary with each garment style. I interviewed plastic surgeon's and found an excellent one here in Jupiter. If all goes well, Lolo, surgery is slated for late January 2020. Oh boy! It will be an arduous timely recovery given the fleur de lis tummy tuck - the breast lift, not so much. However, I knew this phase was to follow, and I desire to look my best going forward and in the gown I designed for our May 2020 - vow renewal and gala on mainline, Philadelphia springtime. So excited! So, I am a women on a mission. Planning holidays here? If in town, let's definitely get together and compare notes + celebrate our victories! I'd really enjoy that. We are decking the halls this weekend, even the car. Haha. Good to connect AND I am so very happy for you, Lolo. Your beauty, resolve and determination just radiant. CONGRATULATIONS! Life is good. ;]

I’m sorry I’m tired so I forgot to add that the card is available on the BariatricPal store, I got it free with a purchase at some point. I think some surgeons and nutritionists offer the medical card as well (I’ve seen it mentioned here) not all restaurants honor it but it doesn’t hurt to ask. It specifies that you’ve had bariatric surgery and can only eat very small portions and requests the ability to either order a smaller portion at a regular price, an appetizer or a children’s menu item. Though the buffet was the same Food options as anyone else just a children’s portion price. Not all children’s menus are just junk food. And it helps to learn to navigate restaurants for healthier options and smaller portions. I rarely eat out so don’t have much experience post op. But the card just helps show that you will eat less and hopefully be able to pay less.

I forgot to mention that I'm a 55 yr. Old female and that I'm having the bariatric Bypass Surgery Sent from my moto e5 plus using BariatricPal mobile app

Thanks for the referral, @sidvicious, I will take a look at the book. Maybe it will help both me and hubby. Right now I'm working through Bariatric Mindset Success, which is fabulous.

Why do i still feel so ill. I have awful nausea even on meds for it and my tummy just seems to be in hyper gurgling mode & feels empty. I am not enjoying food when i can eat and am on very low cals. Most days around the 300 cal mark, not getting close to my 80g protein and my hair is vacating my head. I've spoken to the bariatric nurse but not very helpful and can't give me a ball park figure for how long the nausea will last. So over it because i just can't function as a normal human being because i have to lie down so much! Bonus is that my weight loss has been steady and i am almost in the healthy weight range [emoji4] Any others have nausea issues? Sent from my SM-G935F using BariatricPal mobile app

@Kimberly3 my pain also started in my back and traveled to my chest under my rib cage. Dealing with chronic pain I actually tended to downplay it. I have high tolerance but at some point I was like enough is enough please do something because pain is exhausting. to the OP. Persist in getting answers and a solution that works for you. Mine was having my gallbladder removed during my gastric bypass surgery. My doctor almost didn’t want to because of the risk but thankfully he did. it is extremely common for rapid weight loss especially after bariatric surgery to cause gallbladder problems that need surgery to remove it (cholecystectomy)