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You can always seek out a bariatric therapist and a nutritionist on your own and see them as needed. Of course you will have to pay but at least you know that is an option.

There's an app called bariatric timer my NUT told me about, when you eat something tap the bagel and when you drink, tap the wine glass and a countdown clock appears telling you when you can eat or drink next.

My bariatric team has been reviewing my chart for nearly 2 weeks. I emailed my patient coordinator asking how long it normally takes for them to review it. She messaged me back saying there is no time limit. How long did it take your team to review and approve your chart so it can be sent to your insurance?

Well I called and I meet the requirements. I can make my appt with a bariatric surgeon. I have to be on a 3 month supervised diet, get a psych eval and I'm ready to go. I can't wait. Looking for a doctor to make me an appt for consultation. There's one thing...my deductible is $5K.. Whoa!!! But I don't care. I broke down and mentioned the surgery to my friend she was kind of discouraging saying every one she knows gained weight back. If his is a tool for me. I have read so many encouraging stories on here.

Thanks for the replies. I thought it might be the dehydrating factor. I also think the acid on the tummy could be a problem. I read on the website for Northwestern Bariatric Surgery, to just limit yourself to 4 oz. a day. I think that was after 4-6 months. I'm 6 wks out and ready to fix me a cuppa java. ( : I miss my caffiene!

My doctor doesn't have us start vitamins & most supplements until two weeks out, maybe that's why he does want me to get protein in now. I don't know. He had me start B12 & iron now because my levels were really low for both, but his general rule is to not do supplements until 2 weeks out unless they're liquid. I did buy a liquid multivitamin at Walgreens to take until I can start my bariatric chewables. I've also had some Airborne to help boost my immune system for healing.

Hi folks. I'm Dave, and I'm one of the new guys here. I feel a bit weird right now, because for the last several months I've been researching and working toward getting the vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) surgery. Of the three main types of current bariatric sugeries, that seemed the best fit for me. I'd double-checked with my insurance carrier, and was told yes, the sleeve was covered. So I'd done all my homework, I attended some seminars, got my PCM to refer me to a weight loss surgeon who does my surgery type, and I got myself all psyched up for a marathon appointment with my surgeon and his team. After weeks of waiting I finally saw them yesterday. Things were going great until they said that I must have a misunderstanding. They said my insurance (Tricare Prime) does not cover the sleeve surgery. It seems the insurance agent I'd spoken with had misinformed me. After a bit of discussion and a visit to Tricare's website, it turns out that they're right - Tricare won't pay for it. They'll pay for LAP-BAND®®® and RNY bypass, even stomach stapling (which nobody does anymore) - just not the sleeve. So I had no serious option except to change directions right in the middle of things. And that's how I came to be here. RNY isn't something I'd want to do to myself, so I accepted the band as my only other choice. I mean no disrespect to anyone here, but I feel like I was at a great sale, and they ran out of my selection at the last minute. After all this time of anticipating and studying and planning for something else, all of a sudden I need to go 90 degrees in another direction. Is there anyone here who went through this sort of thing? Did you who chose the band do so after ruling out the other choices? Why? Or was the band your first choice? Can you please help me get my head around why the band is my best option? Help me feel good about this unexpected change. I want to feel great about this, but need some insider knowledge. What do you think? Thanks, Dave

Co-morbidities may be broad but some insurance companies are picky about the ones they count. UHC, in particular, has a specific list of the sort they consider. It has to be things like Type 2 Diabetes, Hypertension and/or high cholesterol you are taking medicine for or something like that. Joint pain, urinary stress incontenence and things like that aren't considered by them. They have their bariatric surgery policy on their web site. You can check it out and see exactly what they say about their requirements. OTOH, I thought they had 30 days to tell you why you were denied. It's been longer than that so you may be able to get them on a technicality!

Hello all, I'm 7 months out (almost) and I am having surgery on my urethra on the 13th...am I supposed to call my bariatric surgeon and let him know???? Thanks! rain

I've been stalking bariatric surgery forums and YouTube channels for about a year and a half. I finally decided this was right for me and have started the process. I've gotten my referral, gone to the seminar, and have my appt with the surgeon on the 16th. After about 4 different calls to Tricare, speaking with my pcm, her calling the medical directer, and what my surgeon's office is saying I decided to start a medically supervised weight loss attempt (again). They can't seem to agree on if I need to have a medically supervised weight loss attempt, the length it needs to be or the time that has passed since I've tried. So I give. I'm just going to cover my bases. Anyhoo... Awesome info on this forum and you all are extremely supportive! I love that!

Make Sure There’s Something for You to Eat The worst-case scenario is sitting down to eat, looking around the table, and not seeing one semi-healthy food that’s on your WLS diet amidst the mounds of candied sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes and gravy, dinner rolls and butter, green bean casserole, and sausage stuffing. Don’t let this happen to you! Whether you’re hosting or you’re a guest, you can always make sure there’s at least something for you to eat. Just make a big enough batch to share with the table. You can never have too many salads, sides, and desserts at Thanksgiving, so consider one or more of the following. Acorn or butternut squash roasted with garlic, rosemary, and chicken broth for seasoning. Roasted Brussels sprouts or green beans with Dijon mustard. Spinach salad with cranberries, chestnut pieces, and cubes of cooked sweet potato. Cabbage and roasted beet salad. Fresh fruit salad. Baked apples with cinnamon and sprinkled with chopped walnuts or pecans. These dishes can save your diet and dignity, and they’re pretty simple! You don’t need to aim for fancy dishes and give yourself any extra headaches in the kitchen at Thanksgiving. Protein and Veggies…You Know the Drill You know how to eat right after WLS. Thanksgiving dinner is no different. Protein comes first, then come veggies. A serving of starch can fit in, and watch out for the condiments. That sounds easy enough, and it’s what you do every other day. Ready to put it in place on Thanksgiving? Your lean protein is probably skinless turkey breast, unless you’re vegetarian or having a non-traditional Thanksgiving. Whether you have tofu, crab, chicken, ham, or venison, you can make a small serving of lean protein the center of your meal. Take mustard and only a dollop of cranberry sauce, which is high-sugar. Veggies come next. Load up on green salads, sautéed broccoli or kale, and anything roasted, such as carrots, green beans, and onions. Watch out for creamy corn and green bean casseroles and buttery vegetables. Finally, garnish your meal with a little bit of starch. Sweet potatoes are healthiest, but you can also opt for a small serving of mashed potatoes, half a dinner roll, or even a spoonful of stuffing. Pick One Special Treat You don’t need to deprive yourself completely on Thanksgiving. If you don’t let yourself have any treats, you might eventually break down and eat way too much later. Better to enjoy a few bites of pumpkin pie now and feel good about it than to cave in to the entire pie later and feel sick and guilty. Give yourself permission to choose a special treat that you love and look forward to every year. Whether it’s your mom’s sausage and apple stuffing or your brother-in-law’s homemade biscuits, let yourself have a few bites of that special treat. Savor every bite. Think about its flavors and texture, and what it means to you, and how proud you are that you can enjoy it and be satisfied with that portion. Practice Eating Slowly Eating slowly is essential on the bariatric surgery diet. Thanksgiving is actually the ideal time to practice your skills. When else do you get the pleasure of good company sitting around the table for hours? Take advantage! Engage in the conversation, and focus on the people, not the food. If you stick to the rule of not talking with your mouth full, and you put your fork down and make eye contact when you’re listening to someone else talk, Thanksgiving dinner will fly by, and you may find you enjoyed it more than ever while eating less than ever. Good deal! Don’t Let Leftovers Weigh You Down The dinner’s over, everyone’s left the table, and the house is quiet again. It’s not yet time to let your guard down, though! The leftovers can be even more dangerous than Thanksgiving dinner itself. Pack them up and get rid of the ones that are trouble – like chocolate cream pie. There are plenty of healthy ways you can use leftover turkey. One is to simply freeze it in small portions and defrost them when you need them. You can also try any of these ideas. Turkey wraps with shredded turkey, mustard, and leftover roasted veggies wrapped in lettuce leaves. Turkey soup with a base of chicken broth, onions, carrots, and celery, plus any veggies you want. Turkey curry with cauliflower, eggplant, peas, and Indian spices. Turkey salad with cooked cubed turkey, halved cherry or grape tomatoes, nonfat plain Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, diced pickles, and black pepper. Green salad with turkey, avocado, and black beans. There are so many healthy ways to use turkey, you may not even be sick of it after you finish the entire turkey! With these hacks and a little discipline and creativity, you can get through Thanksgiving dinner and beyond feeling healthy and confident, not stuffed and weighed down. That confidence is worth a lot, and it can carry you through the holiday season as you keep working towards your goals.

I would encourage you to continue the battle with your insurance company if they have not listed bariatric surgery as an exception. But, to answer your question, I am going to Dr. Kelly in Tijuana on Monday and I am using a passport card. A portion of the monies paid for the surgery also goes toward ground transportation from San Diego to Tijuana. It took two and a half weeks for me to get a card (I paid for it to be expedited).

Luigismama, I finally found the new list of support group dates on their website. The link is as follows: http://www.pvsurgical.com/bariatric/West_Springfield.pdf The next meeting is 2/23 at 6:30 but I would get their early for a good seat. I got their 5-10 minuets early last time and still had to wait for them to put out more chairs. I can't make the meeting in Feb. but I do plan on going in March to see if maybe it was just because it was the first time they combined them. Who knows maybe the have a plan on how to include those who have had the surgery more. We will see. :thumbup:

I was banded on 8/2010 by Dr Lusco at Sts Mary’s and Elizabeth Hospital in Louisville KY. Dr. Lusco, his office staff and the Bariatric Center at Sts. Mary’s and Elizabeth Hospital has provided me with one of the best medical experiences of my life. Their professionalism and obvious level of knowledge about all aspects of the LapBand process gave me the comfort level I needed to go forward with the LapBand operation. Somebody else in this thread stated that they are “Awesome” and that “They Rock”, I have to say that I 100% agree.

Welcome to the WLS mental battles. It’s ok to be angry. Many of us start with some buyer’s remorse. First food stages made me a bit hungry and angry. things got better with real food stage. Focus on the scale moving with your healthy choices. Keep your eyes on your short- and long-term goals. Recognize when food addiction is talking to you. Noting taste as good as weight loss:-) (make sure food suggestions are on your plan) (make sure they fit your calories and macros for the day) I like how it was said above. It’s what you can eat. bariatrics should not be torture. Food should be long term sustainable. Real food stage nutrition should be flavorful. There are healthy options for the foods I enjoy. I eat hamburgers without the bun (lettuce wrapped) I even enjoy the taste of a turkey burger patty over beef. Healthy pizza, Chicken fajitas without the tortilla, Check out bariatric friendly recipes. You will be able to go to restaurants. Make it about the conversations and quality food not crap foods. Your safe orders are protein and veggies. (replace carbs with more veggies) Kids or lite menus are also great.. You are now a cheap dinner date. Take home leftovers in a box for no cook meals later. Log them. Most restaurant menus are in MyFitnessPal food log.

Hi, I consulted with a bariatric surgeon before I even spoke to my primary about it ( you will need your primary to sign off as well so don't worry about the order, it's good to have them on board from the start, if they aren't try to convince them or switch) because I did not need a referral to consult with the bariatric program. From start to surgery just under six months. All of that time as just to complete the preop testing , there was not a required waiting period.

Every nutrition plan is different. My pureed foods list also included canned tuna and chicken, soft cheeses, etc. I also didn't have to actually puree a lot of the foods as long as I chewed thoroughly and kept things moist enough. I would ask your nutritionist if there is a recommended foods list for each stage. Here is the link to the website where my surgeon/nutritionist's office posted their food lists: http://www.mybrandnewlife.org/patient-stories-and-support/bariatric-dietitians-guide-to-successful-weight-loss/

Has any one used Alli after being sleeved? The subject of extreme constipation came up tonight with a group that gets coffee after the support meeting. The one woman is about 3 years out and she said she started taking Alli with one meal every other day for the last 6 months and that it helps hugely with the constipation. She has not been back to her bariatric but her primary said taking it at that low of a level with just 1 meal every other day would not be an issue. She had done well on her weight loss but is not underweight. She may be 20 to 25 pounds over ideal at this point. Just wondering if anyone had any thoughts or had asked about this. For those unfamiliar, this is the over the counter med that bonds with the fat in the meal you eat and passes it through your system instead of digesting it. She takes it with her "fattiest" meal, which isn't that fatty, but she said it's really "softening" things on the flip side of the meal. I'm really hoping I don't have this issue but it almost sounds like it's universal to WLS.

I'm truly happy for all successful banders, but even though some of us have issues not caused by slippage or erosion, does not mean we have "behavioral" issues with our bands. We are all different and there is NO "one size fits all" bariatric procedure!

Finally had my surgery on 5/25, back home and doing good so far. Had one nice chuckle while I was being poked and prodded during my 3 day hospital stay. Had my surgery at OSU (Go BUCKS!). Due to heart problems and a couple of the meds I was on, my stay was in the heart step down unit, instead of the bariatric wing. My surgeon came to see me each day, along with a cardiology team, and nutritionists. This is where it gave me a chuckle... After seeing a few different "straw topics" get posted in the past few weeks, I had asked my surgeon about it during my pre op. He said that he has no problem with his patients using a straw, and that excess air would not stretch out the sleeve. As I was taking my meds on Fri (using a straw to sip water), my surgeon and the cardiologist came in. A couple of minutes latter the nutritionist and bariatric counselor came in. She saw me sipping Water to take my meds and immediately told me I could not be using a straw. From there it was a rehash of every post I had read on here, between the 4 of them. FYI, my surgeon and cardiologist won out.

So i am in Florida. My insurance (any insurance from the Affordable care act) wont cover bariatric surgery here in Florida. So i ended up paying about $18-19,000 for my surgery at the Baptist Bariatric Center in Jacksonville, FL. Surgery went great. So far no issues. I thought about going to Mexico but i just wanted to be near home. If i would have done it in mexico i would have done it at Endohospital that is literally within walking distance from the border (but they pick you up and take you back) The Surgeon there is American trained at universities here. and this place only does sleeves. Beautiful location. here is a link to his youtube channel and a video of the facility. I think their rate is just around $10K.

@@dtiller1147 and all.. Great to hear from you. Glad all is going well. We are at a month now and it seems we're all doing quite well. So glad about that. At one month I'm 57 down and 18 since surg. Feeling great. Finally back up to my usual and customary exercises. My and my poor pups walked 13 miles yesterday...lol. 6.5 in the morning and 6.5 in the evening. Are you guys attending bariatric support groups? I go sometimes twice a week. I've really grown to appreciate the group. I've also taken on a couple of newbies to mentor....one of which is having surgery today. Just wanted to check in and which everyone a happy one month birthday. My best to all of you. @@LosingInAlaska, hope all is well. You've continued to be silent.

17 days post op & 17lbs down. Had my 2wk post op appt today....got my staples out and got advanced to phase 3 meal plan......YaY sorta solid foods....fish, ground meats....well done veggies never sounded so good. Finally got enough energy to kick my exercise up a notch. Sitting in my Bariatric Support Group now. Working the program & living the life. Feeling pretty great today.

Neither is my surgeon. He left the worst scars on me. Considering he does bariatric surgery, you would think he would know you can't tape together a fat woman's stomach incisions and expect it to heal well. Each incision spread apart much wider than they would have if he would have used something else. I think I would have rather had sutures and the marks they leave than the scars I have.

Hello everyone! I am new to this forum as well. I started my journey back in July 2015. I had my sleep study completed and then I had to register for a weight management class which is required by my insurance which is Kaiser. I had to wait until November to take the class because they fill up fast. The class lasted eight weeks and after the class I attended the orientation on January 27. My next step was to have an hour-long appointment with the nutritionist and social worker. I completed that on April 20 and also had my blood drawn the same day. Now I'm just waiting for the bariatric team to review my chart on May 4 and then call me to schedule a consultation with the surgeon. The process is so long but it is definitely well worth it. I'm so excited to get the call for my next step. I am so glad that I found this forum and glad that I have all of you for support. I would love to hear how your journeys are going and any advice that you have. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App