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I'm sorry to hear you've been dealing with breast cancer; I wish you good health. It's good to hear you can be successful with this vegan whole food plant based diet. My primary care provider has told me that they are starting to recommend this way of eating to patients, but that for me, for now, only six months out of surgery, I need to follow the high protein, low carb bariatric diet. But once in maintenance, she wants me to explore the vegan plant diet with my nutritionist. Thanks for sharing.

I am only two months Post surgery and Since I paid cash did not have to deal with any of the Bullshit you guys did with insurance. I also have a brother 3 months ahead of me so between the two of us we got experience. To put this in perspective I got as confused and buffeted as you guys are on this site. My doctor had support groups and books and flyers and found it all to be one big jumble of a mess that was not easy to understand and Since I am a typical Male - Give me a damn list and i will follow it. So I went a different route and hired a Nutritionist in my area, one that specializes in Medical diets like for cancer! Here is the program that we got calibrated in under two weeks. Not going to give you the fluff just the program - 1. Forget Food - Food is a luxury and to painful to eat and to think you have to eat enough to meet your requirements - My view Screw food - 2. Get a Blood work up from a local lab - Full work up will tell you all your vitamin levels as you currently are - you have a baseline to work off 3. First few weeks are recovery - My view Survive, It sucks! 4. Now its time to set the Nutrition plan - 15 days after surgery 5. Protein shakes from Sams are key, Be careful some shakes are loaded with Carbs and sugar, Sams has the cheapest and the best for you. - FYI I hate protien shakes but trust me this will make your life a lot easier. - Here is my recipe but you need to set your own levels ------3/4 Protein shake, w/ 1 scoop of whey protein, Ice, GNC 50 plus vitamin Powder, Nutricost Pure D-Ribose Powder (250 Grams) , frozen fruit, 2 tablespoons yogurt, and two sugars. i drink a 8oz every morning by 10 am - You will be full of energy - 1/2 Nutrition vit and min. and No way you are hungry. ----- Twice a day i take the following pills - GNC multi vitamin and Cardio vit and Bariatric Vitamin. Around 1:00 and 3:00 - ---- Twice a day i Take a vegetable blend drink with Kale and other nutrients and mixes - I buy the pre made from Sams. That is pretty much it for me every day for the last few months - I don't need any food because i have exceeded my vit and nutrients for the day and the protein. Eating is to much of a pain in the ass to me, Hurts, and Just not worth it, I was going every week for a blood work up - after 5 days of above my levels were perfect, You will feel the difference and energy level will sky rocket! Most of the issues are mental, and i fully understand - But once you plow thru the head games and get calibrated - life is way better! Best decision i ever did

Are you pre or post op? If you are post op, What are your dieticians’ instructions? Are you losing weight consuming 3000+ calories? If you are pre op or researching surgery Your stomach space will be limited after surgery. Your calories will be low. Follow your dietitians instructions. Not all protein shakes are created equal. Many brands have high sugar, calories, and carbs. Your dietician will give you bariatric approved protein shake advice. They also make vegan protien powders. A few links that may help if you are in research phase. We have a vegan bariatric forum on this site https://www.bariatricpal.com/forum/1101-vegetarian-or-vegan-eating/ https://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/402037-bariatric-vegetarian-life/ Many people that lift after surgery. They have been successful building muscle and strength. https://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/418762-is-it-possible-to-build-muscle-after-the-sleeve-im-about-to-find-out/?tab=comments#comment-4684423 https://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/425762-power-lifters-bodybuilders-strength-trainers-ocr-runners/?page=2&tab=comments#comment-4792696 Sent from my SM-G930T using BariatricPal mobile app

I am getting a Mini Gastric Bypass with Dr. Jalil Illan Fraijo at Bariatric Pal MX On October 1st

All major NHS hospitals have an on call bariatric surgeon on call so they would ring and ask them for their advice x

Wow! Congrats to you hon! That is soooooo impressive! So excited for you about your success and for being active and healthy!! Mine was 45 in the hospital this past Friday before surgery. I "rawlk" (run slowly at 3mph LOL *snick*) for an hour+ per day plus do core exercises 2 x per week. The doc said if I'm not symptomatic then no need to worry. The only thing I do have is my ankles/feet are swelling (they think from venous insufficiency from the weight loss), but also sometimes my toes and balls of my feet ache tremendously (beyond my neuropathy from chemo). Do you have any toe aching or discoloration or swelling in your feet or toes? I think it may just be a "thing" with bariatrics who are active? Will be interested to hear from others!!

I ordered some vitamins from barimelts and was sent a cookbook link. I thought I would share with the group. https://1drv.ms/b/s!AgoefiqgreQgp2rUTCqDKlI0YaNg Sent from my SM-N950U using BariatricPal mobile app

I have reached my goal weight. Combo of being a hard core follow the diet, walking, rucking, weighty lifting, sword fighting martial arts, and running. This year, I am running particularly better that last fall. Faster, and better form. A 38 min 5k to a decent 31:30. Now, I have a low BPM of 42. 6 months ago it was 60. I happened to met another physically active bariatric patient, and he has a 37 BPM. Then, met another patient that has 45. Not barycadis. All of us are healthy, and have awesome blood pressure. Is this a "thing" with bariatric patients after loosing a lot of weight? Is there something about having better blood flow or something? Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using BariatricPal mobile app

Hey there @NurseMichael! Just watched the video, liked and subscribed - really enjoyed it. Love your energy and passion, and while I don't know how much I can get out of it at this point in time (only one month post-op), I know it won't be long at all until whatever I learn will be so valuable. Thank you for doing this, what a great service to the bariatric community! P.S. Is it bad that I burst out laughing when your mic fell over? 😂 I'm so glad you didn't edit that out, it made the video even better!

Sorry but this is ludicrous!! The part that makes me fume is a Dietician saying to have flippin' orange juice which is horrendous on so many levels. A protein shake or protein water is far more beneficial than a sugar-laden orange juice pfffft It is cruel to expect someone to live on clear fluids for a week for bariatric surgery when it is a known fact we have much bigger appetites than the average person. Hydration is the most important thing though and it is "just" a week and you CAN do it, be strong and keep your surgery date in focus!

So I can only speak from experience here. I have competed in a few longer distance obstacle course races (13 mile spartan, 18 mile Bone frog, and the NY Half Marathon) so i can speak to what I did for those events. Lets start with during an event. I find that carrying small easily digestable carbs works really well. Items like the Cliff Blocks Energy Chews or GU Energy Chews are really easy to carry and i usually eat half a pack every hour. I also like the stroopwaffles for a little texture and energy. I have gone with the GU brand or the Honey Stinger ones. Any of those options work great during endurance events. That being said, with the concern about dumping, i would try any of these items before your actual event. Like maybe during a shorter workout. As far as prior to the event, you are on the right track with the oatmeal or a protein shake. Both of those should give you the energy you need to get through the first bit of the event. Quick comment on intermittent fasting if I may. I tried it and found that there was no possible way to get in all my calories for performance in the time window. Its just too much for my restriction to handle and personally i do not recommend it for anyone who has undergone a weight loss procedure. As well, if you read the literature, the results of IF dont vary that much from balanced eating throughout the day. Hope this helps a little and hope you guys tune into the show. As always, stay Bariatric Strong!

I'm sorry you had to deal with that too. I'm great at losing 30 pounds by myself but then something happens and I regain everything and more. I was hoping to have sleeve as an additional tool to get me over the hump and keep going. Obviously I wouldn't know how my restriction would be like until after surgery, though. I've mentioned this to my psych and she was still like "I'm not risking what you'll do if you don't have restriction etc so we need to keep going." Sigh... I'm planning on calling the clinic tomorrow and see if I can at least contact my nutritionist. My NUT is a sweetheart and I felt comfortable talking to her. Thank you for the validation. I seriously felt like I was going crazy. I'm going to start with seeing the NUT again and maybe switching to another psych if I can help it. If that doesn't work then advocate is an option. I have Aspergers. I had disability assistance along with therapy for depression and anxiety from Kindergarten to college (note: the therapy started in high school). My psych claims that she has approved people "lower functioning" than me so I'm wondering what did they do "right" and I'm doing "wrong?" HIPPA prohibits specific information about the others but still, that's a serious question. Everyone else has been willing to work with me including my surgeon during our initial consultation. Heck, my normal therapist approves of my surgery plans and thinks that even with the new lifestyle changes that losing the weight would overall help my mental state. The problem is that she has no bariatric experience so her thoughts on the subject are considered moot. You're right about the new psychologist having my records. Maybe having someone new will make it easier to talk since I have to re-say everything. Who knows. I really want this surgery; I wouldn't be struggling with this if I didn't want it.

Hey everyone, So im trying out a new endeavor. I have created a new YouTube channel dedicated to people like us: Baritric surgery patients who now want to be more athletic. What should i do for a workout? What should I eat for performance? What foods fuel muscle growth? Questions like these and more are what I will try to answer through some simple little videos. Its not bout money or sponsors, its about creating a bariatric fitness community. I only ask that you guys watch, comment, and maybe give me some suggestions on topics to talk about for future episodes. No one seems to be able to give us good answers on this stuff so I figured I should seek them out myself. You can check out episode 1 here - https://youtu.be/2NvPVKE_kv0 - and feel free to subscribe to you know when new episodes come out. and as always...stay Baritric Strong!

Look for an obesity practice that is tied to a large teaching hospital. They are generally ranked as Centers of Excellence and will have a very broad spectrum of care. My practice here includes: Appts with Surgeon Post Op: 1 week 2 weeks 3 weeks 4 weeks 6 weeks 3 months 6 months 9 months 12 months 2 year 3 year 4 year 5 year ***** Additionally--I can see my RD for free whenever I need a touchstone or am struggling. I just make an appointment and it's covered as part of the surgery treatment. **** I also have access to bariatric counselors. There are appointment fees/associated with this, but well worth it! **** I also have 2 free support groups per month that I could attend. I only go to 1 per month. ***** Studies are showing that the breadth and width of the follow-up care program is instrumental in long term compliance and success for losing the most weight and keeping it off long-term. It's all about compliance and following the plan laid out by your bariatric team.

Probably pure spasm, possibly a stricture, been fighting it for over a year, trying to remain patent/open, I'm told now ( late September 2019) that my stoma is small in size, that my jejunem is open with visible scars from where last year's ulcers were, so thin foods do go through slowly but they do finally go through. Still. have not graduated to any more than moderately tho k pureed chew as I may. Precious still provides me with emesis on a frequent basis, 3-5 times weekly, keep extra gray Wal-Mart bags in the wastebasket near my Recliner so I can tie off and dispose of what Precious Pouch declines. On the Good Side I am regaining the size I had as a late Teenager- never expected to be under 300, under 200 and we'll into Onederland, after a starting BMI of 53.6, finally found my Ist Visit Summary from O,S,U, Bariatrics--- a BMI of 28.3 seems like achieving an Impossible Dream. And after Size 30W, a Size 16 to 18, majority 16 is a definite WhewBaby. So perhaps there are benefits to the Whole Shebang I have gone through. Just for my Own Peace of Mind, I wish somebody would be honest and stamp "Gastrointestinally Crippled" because at coming up to 13 months, I wonder if I will ever be "RIGHT" again, will I still have a "Healing Day" IDK When, IDK in what Manner, but nobody told ME yet to stop praying👼🙏so I continue till my breath leaves ME SomeDay. Maybe I trusted in -All Things Will Be Made New- perhaps for ME only a Bible Verse. But, you know, I AM still better, healthier and thinner than I started out so perhaps I should be praying for Placid Acceptance at This Point.

Hey there! I did. Did the 6 months of nutrition visits, the physch appt and got pre approval! Great, right!? Nope. I didn’t have a COE either and went to one out of state. Still have a bill of 11k because with my plan Bariatric surgery doesn’t count under the out of pocket max. So make sure to triple ask that. I called and was told it was however did not get an official estimate and am now appealing. It’s been 3 months of appeals and all answers are no. I’m sure I’ll be on the hook for it. Ask and get written verification for it all.

Azlanie I Do Like Your Surgeon's Thinking- wish all Bariatric Surgeon's would do That- sometimes I think my PCP could use all the guidance he can get- the NEXT TIME he says " You're such a Different Beast Now!" I AM going to stay in Beast Mode, slap him with my Grizzly Bear Paw, Claws and All and make Him Bleed! Okay Okay I REALLY probably won't but don't KILL that dream just yet! I may be Different but I am still HUMAN after all, not asking him to become an Large- Animal Vet!

You can still submit a written request for your medical records, you have a right to those. I would call around to the bariatric offices (or whomever you are seeing) in your area and inquire if they could help you out. If you find one that works with your insurance (if you are insured) make an appointment and get their phone and fax number. Provide that information to your old surgeon's office and they can fax them over so you do not need to worry about carrying to the appt

Sadly, they are unwilling to talk to me on the phone, I have to have an appointment to get any medical advice/support from my surgeon's office- and no longer live anywhere within range to do that. It is such a pain in the butt. I wonder if I found a bariatric surgeon locally, if they'd be willing to support me? Probably not. uggg.

Well my memory is terrible but I had surgery April 29th and I stayed in hospital two nights, I had a rough time of it since I was bed bound. I was also not doing well. Yet they sent me home day three, maybe they shouldn’t have and I wasn’t sure what was going on. I hated feeling so out of sorts and wanted my own bed. I got home late into day three, and the next day I tried to do some normal things, to get my body moving but I was having a hard time breathing, I managed an errand and laundry but started having intermittent fevers. But because I have chronic Illness (immunodeficiency) my body doesn’t have fevers normally when it should. I tried to ignore it until it went up at night over 102. Now mind you this likely won’t happen to you but I ended up at the Er and admitted for pneumonia, acute uti and critically low potassium. I got stuck there another three days. They were going to make me stay longer. They had no clue about bariatric patients. So maybe your doctor is just being extra cautious and if you do well after surgery and are up and walking about soon after and once you can tolerate small amounts of liquids, they will give you the ok to go home. It could be much sooner than the doctor estimates but since you won’t have help at home they just are extra cautious. Maybe inquire with your insurance if you can get a home visit from a nurse a few times. All the best to you in your journey ahead.

some people just go to their PCP after the first year or so. Most of them have enough understanding of bariatric surgery these days that they can help with this.

5'2", ♀️10m PO, maintaining 118.3 lbs this morning. So yesterday I decided to go on a pre-vacay-food-intake-plan (i.e., my old WLS diet, lol) in anticipation of all the mangiare bene that will be going on next week. It's weird that I find eating "bariatric-ly" easier than eating "maintenance-ly". It just feels like there is so much less effort, stress and thinking involved, you know? (or is that just me?) Menu for Yesterday, Thursday Sep 19: Totals --- 546 cals --- 62g protein --- 11g NET carbs --- 25g fat 9:00am (0 cals) black coffee + ½ packet Stevia 1:30pm (120 cals) protein shake: 1 scoop powder + 2 tsp Benefibre + 17g Clearlax + 2 tsp instant decaf coffee 6:00pm (421 cals) salad greens + vinaigrette >>> @MarvelGirl25 ..tried the cumin, not sure it went very well with my mix, lol, will have to try it with yours. 1 fl oz pumpkin seeds 100g grilled shrimp 1 poached egg avocado smoothie: 50g avocado + 38g spinach + 25g cucumber + lemon juice + garlic powder + cilantro + mint + black pepper + Greek yogurt + ice >>> @FluffyChix ...my first crack at this was too watery so I added some Greek yogurt. Then I added some mint and black pepper. Pretty yum ❤️ Yesterday's Exercise: 1hr hot yoga 30 mins on treadmill 15 mins strength training (arms)

I'm one year post sleeve surgery and am ready to start looking into having some plastic surgery to clean up the horrible excess skin. Although I'm happy with the Dr who did my sleeve, I'm not really impressed with the plastic surgeon he has teamed up with in his office. Any suggestions on how to find a good plastic surgeon? I would think I want someone who has a lot of experience with bariatric patients, right?

I really think it would help you to have an advocate. I find it wrong for the I really think you might benefit from an advocate. I don’t think the psych is being fair to you. I live with my mom but my having surgery is not reliant on her support. While it’s true, other people’s eating habits can effect your own this shouldn’t be a deciding factor. It’s also unfair for her to shame you for having a piece of cake. Change takes time and surgery will be a tool to help with change. My first surgeon appointment went horribly for me. Like your psych, he talked at me and made assumptions instead of listening. I could barely conceal my utter and total meltdown when I left the office. It was the combination of constantly telling my pcp about my weight loss efforts and my finding a better endocrinologist (the first endocrinologist was also a disaster) but the second endocrinologist listened to my history and medical issues and referred me to Cleveland Clinic, she said the whole bariatric surgery process was easier and she ended up being right. I know some require psych clearance and yes you need to do the head work, dealing with eating habits, cutting carbs and sugar, etc. but you are working at it and it’s that pre surgery diet that is what prepares you for what comes after. For me I had already fought hard some years ago to deal with sugar and carb addiction due to metabolic disorders. Even with my strict changes in my eating habits I ended up back to square one with my weight. I got to where I knew I needed extra help of bariatric surgery. I wish I had better answers but keep fighting. Try to find an advocate and if possible see another psych and try to write down exactly what your goal is with bariatric surgery and the steps you have taken so far. I know it’s hard when options are limited. See if you can talk to the nutritionist or have an advocate talk to them and ask why the psych is clocking you from getting clearance for surgery and if they have the right to do that to you. Someone in the bariatric surgeons office might even be able to help you with the process.

I had gastric bypass on 8/28 and have lost 23.2 lbs since. My highest weight was 275 when I went for my consult but I had a very active job over the summer so I lost some weight before the surgery. HW: 275 Surgery day: 266 Current: 242.3 I've been back at work since a week after surgery, with permission, since I'm just on orientation right now. Overall I feel fantastic. A week after surgery I felt completely normal, like I didn't have surgery at all. I was shocked at how quickly I bounced back. My only complaint is ridiculous hip pain at night that wakes me up. My physical therapist said that people who have bariatric surgery are at risk for hip and core problems because the body can't adjust as quickly as the weight comes off. I'm seriously considering going once a week to get this under control, I'll see what my surgeon says when I see him next week.