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I hope some of you are able to appreciate the humor in this. For others I know the struggle is no laughing matter but i must digress.

I was starving after surgery also. Moving towards real food helped - particularly the step from full liquids to purees. This is where I started to be able to eat some normal protein containing foods, like eggs and cottage cheese. (I really, really hated protein drinks until I discovered my protein powder latte.) After 1-1.5 months, when the amount I could eat also increased somewhat as the swelling went down, I went from starving to really full. Now I'm 18 months out and I still feel much reduced hunger. Personally, I think when people feel starving right after surgery, it is often because they aren't getting enough protein and their body has started to eat its muscles. I was reading a study the other day that says out of all the muscle mass you'll lose in the year after bariatric surgery (about 10-15 lbs on average), you lose half of that muscle mass in your first two months. That's almost certainly because people aren't getting enough protein at the very beginning because of the liquid diet/small amounts you can eat. Sure, it may be head hunger. But either way, I'd try increasing your protein first. Any time you feel hungry, start with whatever you can tolerate/is currently on your diet plan that contains protein.

Anyone on here go through NW bariatrics in Post Falls Idaho? Dr Pennings? Thanks

For me, my insurance (BCBS TX) has a bariatric surgery exclusion.

Best wishes on Monday ! ! ! Most of that plan is super strict, and pretty rigid. I've been drinking caffeine since being about 6 weeks out. I drink soda and have for 18 of my 25 months post-op. All with the go-ahead from my surgeon and nutritionist. Our losing plan was strict, but maintenance is much more lax. The no caffeine rule applied only until I could drink enough clear fluids to compensate for the diuretic effect of caffeine. As for ulcers, the risk for marginal ulcers is slim to none with VSG and/or gastrectomies unless the patients has had a history of ulcerative conditions. This is well documented in studies with VSG and gastrectomy patients that did not have it performed for weight loss. The low risk of ulcers with VSG is the main reason that NSAIDS are allowed with VSG and not with RNY. As for Vitamins, with the calcium citrate and your multi (the multi needs to have iron), do not take the citrate and multi within 2 hours of each other as the calcium counteracts the Iron from being absorbed. I'm glad to hear your nut discourage Gummie vitamins as they are not a complete Vitamin for most adults. I still take chewables, not only because they work for me, but because I kind of just suck up the chalkiness and move on. They go down easily, and well, they have not ever failed me on my labs. I choose to use Celebrate Multi complete (includes Iron), and their Calcium Citrate Plus 500 (which contains Vit D and Magnesium). I have been allowed to remain on this regimen in my pregnancy, and my labs have remained stellar in the pregnancy since the formulation of Celebrate actually beats some of the more potent pre-natals on Iron and Folic Acid counts. You can order samples from Bariatric Advantage, and Celebrate Vitamins to see which ones you might like to use. I personally hated all the BA supplement/vitamins. With the Celebrate, I'm able to take (chew) just 4 chewables per day. I'm further out and only need 1000mg of Citrate, and take 2 of the Multi completes per day. Early out, I had to take 3 of Calciums because I was to take 1200-1500mg per day in the early months because my intake was so low. I use a sublingual B12 2500mcg from WalMart, and pop one under my tonuge 3-4 days a week.

I am currently in therapy. I continued with my therapist who completed my psych evaluation. And the plus with this counselor is that he is a certified bariatric counselor. He is able to address my current weight loss journey that my previous counselor sorta did not have a clue. I am a stress eater, so we mainly talk about life issues that stress me. And this strategy helps because I feel like I can decompress every week.

Let's see if I recall enough about kosher eating. meats and dairy are supposed to be separated from other and pigs have cloved feet but they don't chew cud. Nope not kosher! Bariatric kosher though, as I recall it is Protein first so... Beef, yep. Shrimp, yep. Bacon, yep. Cream cheese, yep. Rosemary, nope. Lime juice, nope. The yeppers have it for the bariatric kosher win!

I haven't been on Ebay for clothes in a while. You have renewed my interest.

OK, so I'm reading all the super stories here and I'm 80% sold on a procedure that six months ago I would have told you "no way!" and while doing my research, as so many of you say to do, I ran across this LINK: http://www.promedica.com.gr/erevna_en.htm What is super sleeve? Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is not so simple as any other gastrectomy. There are some important technical details, unknown to inexperienced surgeons. Gastric tube size influences both the degree of weight loss and weight stability. A large sleeve predisposes to gastric dilatation and weight regain. Inexperienced surgeons tend to create large tubes (:thumbup1: or to leave back large remnants of the gastric fundus. A standardised technique with a gastric capacity less than 100 mL (A) is mandatory in order to get the patient achieve a durable weight loss. The sleeve should be "super" which means a small gastric sleeve diameter and a higher degree of restriction. In our hands, with the gastric capacity been restricted to 60-80 gr and Ghrelin (the appetite hormone) totally suppressed, the resultant weight loss is predictable and comparable to this achieved with gastric by-pass (60-70% EWL), without any serious complication or side effects (e.g. Vitamin malabsorption). We introduced super sleeve in our bariatric program, as the most effective and safe bariatric solution even for the super-obese patients. ============================ Before you tell me I'm losing it, I would like to ask, are there any Super Sleevers on board here? Might there be? Thank you.:biggrin0:

My BCBS TX plan specifically covers bariatric surgery in the plan with a $5000 co-payment. All I had to do was meet with the surgeon and complete my psych evaluation. Once the surgeon sent in the paperwork, it was quickly approved within a week or two. The surgeon I picked required a couple of things not required by the insurance (thus not covered by the $5000 co-pay) which were a one time NUT class, and an endoscopy. The endoscopy was covered by my insurance minus my yearly deductible.

You are doing a really great job. I am a Medical Assistant to a bariatric surgeron so I see sucess stories 5 days a week. I recently had the sleeve on 07/30/13 (by the surgeon I have worked beside for 2 years now) so I am 2 months out today! Keep up the great work you should be at your goal in no time! Best of luck to you!

I mix with water. Been using them for my pre op. I tried Bariatric fusion but the Protein taste is strong to me. Sent from my DROID RAZR MAXX using RNYTalk

Considering moving my aftercare to another bariatric practice - if they'll have me. Could use some feedback - as in am I crazy to consider doing this? Here's the deal: I had gastric banding in early March and lost 27lbs in prep for the procedure. In the two weeks following the surgery I lost 12lbs. Since then, I've had four fills giving me 4.8cc in an 11cc band. My weight has not changed give or take 2lbs - so I'm 238-240 - regardless of activity level and apparently, what I consume. I'm hungry within 2 hours of eating and can eat pretty much anything, but since my surgeon's practice states "No in-between meal snacks" I really try to hold the line which means there are quite a few meetings in which my loud, literally howling stomach is the source of discomfort for me and an amusing distraction for others. Couple this with the fact that I'm a Type II Diabetic who controls her blood glucose with a small amount of medication, diet and exercise. By the time I do breakdown and eat the forbidden "snack" rather than waiting for the next meal, I'm often sweating, hands shaking due to my blood sugar having dropped too low. Thus there's a chance I'll eat too quickly - we know what happens then or I eat the wrong, but safe items like ice cream or candy that melts quickly, and raises my glucose so I feel normal. Beyond the obvious problem of not making progress with my band is that I'm not getting through to my Bariatric Practice. 1) I haven't seen my surgeon since the operation - he doesn't "have time" as he's busy with new patients. 2) I see a PA for my fills. She's almost always overbooked and frazzled. When she complimented me on losing 25 lbs between fill #1 & #2 without even looking at me and I said, "Excuse me? I haven't but a pound or two!" She had to check the chart - "Oops! My bad - I read it wrong!" 3) I keep telling her (see above) and the reaction is basically, "Uh-huh...well, let's get this fill in". After fill #3 she told me I had 5.5cc in the band; last week she advises me it's only at 4.8cc?! 4) No labs have been ordered, the saline hasn't been removed to check the band is holding what it should, no fluoroscopy - and no concern that I'm getting nowhere - just "see you in four weeks!" Last week's trip in for my big 0.6cc fill was the same experience as fills 1-3. I arrive on time and wait for over an hour and a half - and it's an hour drive each way, so I've had to take at least a half-day off from work. While I wait in the over-crowded waiting room, wishing I'd brought something, anything to eat, I watch the single PA juggle fills and consults for pre-surgical patients, have a melt-down because the surgeon has asked her to squeeze in another post-op having problems. Meanwhile the bariatric nurse is ranting at another pre-op patient about his "failure to lose weight" on Medifast, when in trots a pizza delivery guy with two large pies for the staff...right through the waiting room of starving bariatric patients. When it's all said and done, I leave with a raging headache, a long drive and the need to find a convience store for OJ - not a "clear liquid" but better than having a hypoglycemic incident on that hour drive home. Thoughts? Comments?

New study on hair loss and WLS http://bariatrictimes.com/2010/11/11/hair-loss-among-bariatric-surgery-patients/#more-1289

I have had Crohn's disease for 23 years, limited to the terminal ileum (the end of my small bowel). I have had two bowel resections (one in 1989 and one in 2005) and have been maintained for the last six years on Imuran (an immunosuppressant similar to 6MP). My last colonoscopy (2-1/2 years ago) showed only one tiny superficial ulcer and was otherwise free of disease. I am considering the vertical sleeve gastrectomy. I have spoken to a bariatric surgeon, who feels that this is the best choice for me because it doesn't involve the small bowel and does not cause malabsorption. I have asked about a band, but he doesn't believe this works well (he has performed this procedure as well as the sleeve, the Roux-en-Y, and the duodenal switch), and could potentially cause erosion - not a good option for Crohn's sufferers. My surgery was just approved by my insurance, BCBS. I would like to lose 130-140 pounds. I would also be interested in hearing from anyone who has Crohn's and has had the VSG.

Hi everyone! Had my PCP appointment today. I asked for a referral for bariatric surgery and he put in a referral for it, and he referred me for the health classes (I'm assuming and HOPING the Options program?) he says its a process, which I know. Anyhow, just wondering how long it took for them to call you to get everything going? He said they would be in touch with me. I'm getting my bloodwork done tomorrow as he said it would be good to have that done and over with. *edit: spelling

I am very picky and want something that tastes good. I don't wan to have to chug it down, I want to enjoy it. With that said I LOVE the Bariatric fusion shakes. http://www.bariatricfusion.com/ So far I have had every flavor and they are all great. I have tried many others and they don't compare. You can get sample packets too so you don't need to buy a big tub if you don't want to. Hope this helps, Wendy

Hi Dunatl - There are several doctors in Atlanta that work with the lapband. I'm just not sure if they'll give fills to patients banded elsewhere. I see Dr. Duncan at Peachtree Bariatrics. You could always call their office and ask. Good luck!

You won't get many responses here. This is the blog section of the site where people talk about their experiences. Click "forums" at the top of the page and post your questions there. That said, there are some great recipes at BariatricEating.com - BE, Inc. The number one bariatric website for protein, vitamins, and success. and flabby skin looks a lot better and is a lot healthier than obesity.

Hi Baileym, I originally saw my PCP in June 2003 to "talk" about weight. I wanted to get a feel for his thoughts on WLS (all types) and to also request a referral to a nutritionist. I was hoping that someone could test for my true basil metabolic rate because I swear I have stunted my metabolism from so many years of yo-yo dieting. Anyway, he referred me to a dietician and I was a bit miffed, but I went anyway. I ended up sharing ideas with her and teaching her a few things about foods I currently eat that are high Fiber, low fat, etc. She taught me absolutely nothing and I think she realized that. During my last visit we spoke about WLS and she encouraged me to go back and talk to my PCP. She thought I would be an ideal candidate for Lap-Band and my Medical Group had recently contracted with a Bariatric clinic, so she thought he would be more receptive than when I originally spoke to him. By this time it almost November, so I did some research on the Bariatric clinic and attended their informational seminar. That night they gave me a bunch of paperwork to fill out; over the next week I filled that out and met with my PCP. He put in the referral request on Nov 4th and I was approved to meet with the surgeon less than 2 weeks later. I met with the surgeon and she submitted the request for insurance approval back to my PCP and I was approved for surgery just after Christmas. If you are interested in a “generic copy” of my WL Resume, provide your email address or email me at sassaay1@yahoo.com and I will forward you a copy. Hope this information is helpful.

Has anyone used Dr. Michael Perez or US Bariatrics in Ft. Lauderdale? I'd like to hear your experiences - good or bad. I looked on obesityhelp.com, but there weren't very many recent entries in the patient feedback area. I live in Key West and am looking for a doc in the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale area to perform the procedure. I'll probably self-pay, so any feedback on that would be appreciated also. Thanks - Dani

i called the 3 er in my area and all of them said that they wouldnt do a unfill. they would have to transfer me to my surgeon's hospital which is 2.5 hours away. thats why i hesitated at first. still not sure if i don't need a unfill. i see my doctor on the 31st. i will just eat fish and salad. both of those things go down without problem. so i know what you are talking about that most emergency rooms are not set up to do a unfill. one of the hospitals i called even do bariatric surgeries but said they couldnt unfill my band.

Here some info to follow. http://www.muhealth.org/documents/bariatric/bariatric%20booklet%20vsg.pdf

You have to remember that many of us bariatric weight loss patients lose our weight rapidly. Due to the high speed of our weight loss, our skin begins to sag and our faces look fallen. Now, everyone is different. There are so many factors that come into play with ones outcome (starting BMI, age, genetics, etc.), but you need to give your skin's elasticity time to catch up. My family would criticize me and mention that my face looked fallen. And, even now, when I look back at pictures of myself within the time frame of that first year post op--even past that first year--I can see what they are talking about. My face and neck looked sickly and tired. My turkey neck hung. I am now over 2 1/2 years out and I can honestly say that your skin will retract. It just takes time. So, even though your family's comments are hurtful--despite that they are coming from a good place--remember, they are seeing the after effects of rapid weight loss. Once you stabilize and your body begins to stabilize, you will start to look healthy again. I will say that I also began practicing facial expressions that a lady advised me on. There are a series of facial exercises that one can do to help "tone up" your face. Here is a website that has a few of them, but a quick search will reveal many more: http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2010/05/18/the-best-exercises-for-your-facial-muscles-to-stay-looking-young.aspx It is a long journey. As cliche as that word is, it is true. This is a process. A time consuming one at that. However, it is one that hopefully leads us to a better and longer lived quality of life.

​I AM SO EMBARRASSED TO CALL THEM CAUSE THIS IS MY FAULT I WAS NEGLECTFUL AND WANTED TO TEST MY SLEEVE. They are there to HELP you. Shame is probably one of the things that made you fat in the first ace. Let go of it. My bariatric clinic has a psychologist on staff. Does yours? If yes go see him/her asap or call the office for an urgent referral.