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BTW this is what BSBCNC said to me. They just seem like they auto deny and don't even check records as we have been so compliant and have plenty of evidence. It sucks because I don't even live in NC - I only have this because I work remoltely for a company in NC and live in CA.. We are gearing up for the peer 2 peer now but here is what was said: Revision of a primary bariatric surgery to a gastric bypass is covered when you meet one of the following scenarios: (1) You have regained weight after your original surgery. In this case, you must continue to meet basic criteria for weight loss surgery, including nutritional and psychological assessments, and you must have documentation of compliance visits (including compliance with nutrition and exercise recommendations) after your previous weight loss surgery (2) You have severe reflux disease that has not been responsive to optimal medical management (maximum medication therapy, diet alteration with the assistance with a nutritionist, and change in activity and positioning). Failure of medical management must be documented, and studies to support persistent untreatable reflux must be submitted. Review of your provided records reveals that you have regained weight after your previous surgery; however, we have not been provided with compliance records from your prior post-surgical visits. Additionally, it does not appear you have undergone optimal medical management for your reflux or that studies show severe signs of reflux.

Hi! So I see a lot of bariatric patients drinking all kinds of different protein drinks after surgery. My surgeon and dietitians have all said that anyone who goes to their clinic can only have their specific brand of protein or unjury. They've said after surgery our bodies don't tolerate other brands well because they're not whey based. But if that's true then how do other patients who've gone to other doctors tolerate them? They're not doing the surgery any differently. Im just wondering if this is a ploy to get us to buy their stuff, or if there's any truth to this? I'd like to buy pre-made shakes because their protein powder makes me nauseous. Thanks!

Amongst all the paperwork that you sign with the surgeon is probably a form where you approve him to make a decision on the fly as to which procedure is best once he gets inside you - sometimes they find some obstacle to doing a bypass and will do a sleeve instead (or vice versa, though that is more rare.) Of course, one can not sign that authorization if one really wants a bypass and absolutely not a sleeve (or vice versa,) but then you wind up being sedated and going into surgery and having nothing done. So, a change in procedure once bariatrics are approved is not a big deal.

I know I should probably talk to my doctor, but has anymore changed their mind on which weightloss surgery to have? I have one more step left on Monday before everything is submitted to insurance for approval. I chose the sleeve 7 months ago when I had my 1st and only appointment with the Bariatric surgeon - I only entertained the surgery initially as a less invasive procedure compared to back surgery per my primary care dr. However, after completing the 6 month dieting for insurance purposes and learning about my eating habits, how my body responds, etc., and by doing a lot more research, I strongly feel Bypass will be better for me in the long run. My question is will I have to start this whole process over, although it hasn't been submitted to insurance yet?

Can we pretend this is an Overeaters Anonymous meeting and it's my turn to stand up front and bare my soul?...especially since I never had the balls to set foot in a live meeting during my 35 years of having a BMI score higher than my IQ. There's donuts in the back...JOKE😁 It's been almost a year since my sleeve surgery and I couldn't be happier with the physical results. I was 60 years old, 5'4" and weighed close to 210 when I finally made an appointment with a bariatric surgeon. I'm now 61 and 134 pounds...I'm still 5'4" though. The past few days I've been in deep thought mode and was just hoping to use this forum to vent and hopefully get some feedback, positive or negative. Dining out: It's going to happen. It was probably part of your life pre-surgery, so it's naive of you to think it won't be a part of your life post-surgery. So maybe it's just me and my family (obese mother) and significant other (F, normal weight), but the minute the menu appears, I get a barrage of "Oh..they have plenty of appetizers and small portions you can order. Be careful, etc. Did you see the vegetable plate?" OK, so I know my significant other and my mom love me and are probably just concerned about my health and eating habits post-op, and if I'm being overly sensitive, just tell me and I'll shut up, but when they say things like that, it's not helping! If anything, something deep in my primordial starving "fat" brain wants to order the biggest thing on the menu and attempt to eat it. When it happened yesterday at lunch, I calmly and nicely asked both of them if they could refrain from offering me ordering advice, as I assured them, thinking about the ordering process and the actual eating of said meal in a healthy manner was the number one priority on my mind pretty much 24/7. They didn't seem to take it too well. Which leads me to my next thought... I might be stereotyping, but I'm willing to bet that a lot of us here were never/are not selfish people. I'm sure there are pages of psychological data written about the personality traits of the chronically obese and the myriad reasons we ended up as we did. My point is, after bariatric surgery, you might have to become a little selfish. You may need to put yourself first, sometimes to the detriment of others. Obviously, it helps if you can do this in a nice manner, but with certain people and situations in your life post-surgery, you might just have to be a selfish a*****e. If your new lifestyle (diet, whatever you want to call it), exercise regimen, food habits, etc don't quite mesh with those around you, too bad. This is your last chance at success and you need to make YOU the priority. I walk a lot now...and it takes a lot of time. Some of that is time I used to spend with other people...now it's not always like that. Some have mentioned it. I don't care. I always invite them to walk with me but I'm not going to not walk because they want to do something else or don't feel like walking. When I think about some of the healthiest people I have known in my life, they were/are quite selfish when it comes to exercise. One of my friends has been to the gym every morning from 5:30-7:30 for 35 years. He never misses. It's not an option. That's amazing to me because despite the genetics of obesity, there's no question that having some type of exercise regimen helps at some level. Did I ever have that level of commitment? Only to stopping at Whataburger several times a week. So as much as I read pre-surgery and even with the psychological profiling the doctor did, I never read much or heard anyone talk about some of the changes I needed to make mentally to make this work. It seems like most of the pre-surgery discussion is about how to eat before and after the surgery and most of the psychological discussion is about not letting one addiction (food) be supplanted by another (drugs, alcohol, etc). The crux of this dissertation, if you're still reading, is that there couldn't be more truth to the phrase bantered around here...."They operated on your stomach, not your brain". Prepare yourself for some mental challenges that being thinner does not make any easier. I must look a lot better because everyone tells me so...but I don't always feel better. Some of the same issues I've dealt with all my life, totally unrelated to weight, are still around. It's not that I expected them to disappear, but I think at some level, deep down, many of us think/thought, "Oh, if only I weren't so fat, I wouldn't have to deal with this problem [insert the problem/issue of your choosing]". Maybe I was just being naive or stupid, or both, but even being "thin" comes with plenty of challenges. I know these are "first world" problems and I'm not trying to sound like a complaining, spoiled brat. I just wanted to let off some steam here in the hopes that I'm not alone. Thanks for listening.

Not foamies. Sounds more like dumping. It occurs after eating foods high in fat or sugar & yes for some people carbs or dairy. Have you raised it with your surgeon or support team? This link has information about dumping. It is for bypass but dumping with bypass is the same as dumping with sleeve. https://asmbs.org/resources/bariatric-surgery-postoperative-concerns#:~:text=About 85% of gastric bypass,syrup) or high glycemic carbohydrates.

My nutritionist suggested ProCare with 18mg iron as i am past menstruation. I think they have a ProCare rep that gives them samples and that's why they suggested it? 🤣 I didn't like switching from shiny leaf bariatric vitamins but i cant find that one with 18mg iron. My bloodwork was always great with shiny leaf so we will see how it is after 3 months of taking ProCare. The Procare are more expensive also which i do not like.

I know in the US, our requirements for insurance to cover the surgery (if you have insurance that does) is generally a BMI of 35 with co-morbidities (blood pressure, diabetes, etc), or 40 without. I've had similar struggles to yours, weight gain starting in my 20s blamed on thyroid. With diet and exercise I could lose a few pounds, but never enough. I hovered in the 190s until my late 20s, 210s in my 30s, climbing to 225+ in my 40s. I went to my weight management center that was connected with my hospital network for 6 years starting at age 43 and started with nutrition and lifestyle changes, followed by medical interventions (Contrave, Saxenda, Wegovy when you could get it). I never got below 204, and that was with a strict 1200-1500 calorie diet that I tracked religiously and 10k or more steps daily for a year (I never missed a single day!). As soon as I relaxed even a little, the weight came back with a vengeance. This summer, I hit 251 and also have hypertension and prediabetes (A1c of 5.9) . That was when my weight management doctor (an endocrinologist) finally asked if I wanted to talk to the team on the surgical side. I'm awaiting insurance approval now. It should be covered though I have no idea about out of pocket expenses. I don't really care at this point. I'll make it work. If you are considering paying out of pocket and concerned at all about going to Mexico (although my brother went that route many years ago and it was fine), I did see a self pay option here: https://www.poundofcureweightloss.com/bariatric-surgery-cost/ I know it's frustrating, and if there's one thing I wish, it's that I had dealt with this when I was turning 40 instead of 50. Wishing you luck!

Have you tried something like the unflavored protein from Genepro? You can add it to anything you are eating or drinking and it will boost your protein count, so you can alternate between protein and non-protein drinks. 3 weeks of liquids post op?? And I thought my 3 week pre-op diet sucked. LOL Good luck to you, I will have 2 weeks of liquids which is pretty standard for the more progressive bariatric practices. I bet that extra week of liquids will help your suture lines heal suuuper strong!! Are they letting you have sugar free popsicles and sugar free jello? That helps break up the all liquids a bit.

Going on month 5 now. Takes about 6 months for mine. Started back in June. Found out had iron deficiency anemia. So its been a roller coaster. So my process was get the referral from my primary care provider, then made the consult with my bariatric surgeon. Ran that fine, they drew labs and two days later diagnosed me with iron deficiency anemia. Started my nutrition appts (have to have 3 of them) that week and the psych (have to have 2). My nutritionist jumped the gun at my anemia diagnosis and instead of holding off to see if therapy and a GI look helped, she referred me to a hematologist, GI, and sleep lab. At this point I've had all my nutrition and psych (passed with flying colors) appts, my GI done and cleared (found a sliding hiatal hernia with erosion causing my anemia, which is now resolved thankfully), Hematologist done and needing clearance, sleep study done and cleared by my understanding. Now I just have to wait 30 days min prior to the date I want for Surgery for my primary care clearance. Hoping I can get surgery on December 13th. Best of luck and keep one foot in front of the other. You will do great and definatly think about therapy or a class to go to. Helps tremendously getting your mind in the right space.

My body temp has been lower than normal for as long as I can recall, so I definitely feel that "bariatric brrr" these days. Camping a couple weekends ago saw me wearing 4 and 5 layers. I don't mind being chilly, though. I find that is quite preferable to being sweaty, just like @BabySpoons

I just did a post on being cold . I love the "bariatric brrr" LOL I'm 5 months out and yep - I'm cold now that fall is here. It was unheard of for me to want the furnace on when it's 50 outside..... and yet ...here we are. 😁 Brrr....

After surgery did you get the “bariatric burr” did you feel colder than usual?! If so when did it happen, right after surgery or a few days/weeks after?

Congrats on your upcoming surgery! DS makes up less than 5% of all bariatric surgeries so we're definitely a rare breed lol. But I have found a handful of people between Reddit and Discord who had DS and were willing to chat. It's definitely not like finding RNY or VSG buddies though. I'm only eight weeks out at this point but I'm happy to help if you ever have any questions.

I had gastric bypass lol Man, fish is one thing I never liked. I didn't like tuna fish for awhile after surgery(always liked it before). A couple months ago, I started liking it again. Some things I don't like anymore are tacos/nachos (those were one of my favorites!), hot dogs, last night we made homemade subs that I usually like but I just didn't care for it this time, bread type of foods are starting to bother me now. I too can only eat about 2 slices of pizza depending on how thick the crust is. If I eat more that two, I'm asking for it lol. Sometime I can eat 2.5, that's rare. I don't like a majority of the sugar free drinks(the packets). I used to like the lipton sugar free lemon iced tea, not anymore. I can't stand making my own coffee anymore and the only coffee like drink that I really like is a small iced caramel latte from Mickey D's. Better than Starbucks strangely. I ask for 2 equal, 2 cream, whipped cream and caramel drizzle. No, it doesn't make me sick or dump. If it was a medium, I would get an upset stomach tho. Its hard making meals when you don't always have real protein. My fav protein is chicken. I've been using recipes lately and they've been good. But yeah, the salad sounds good, maybe I can make a chicken salad tomorrow for lunch. I have a frozen chicken that I got from Walmart that a bariatric patien suggested and the nutrition facts are pretty good on it and it actually tastes like chic fil a but better in my opinion lol. I saw a recipe for mcgriddle muffins. Except I'm going to use my protein pancake/waffle mix for extra protein. They sound so good. Has anyone gotten sick of yogurt or protein drinks that are already made? Lol I have and that was since a few weeks after surgery. I just bought a protein powder this month and I want to start making 2 protein smoothies a day. Why does some stuff that has sugar in it not bother me but others do? I should eliminate sugar stuff and switch to sugar free instead, but hey sometimes it's better and just need it. Is there something wrong if it doesn't make me sick? Or am I just lucky? Lol I don't like that I don't get sick if I eat something with sugar 😪 Sorry this was long

Thank you for all the responses! I appreciate everyone’s advice. It’s amazing how quickly the weight can start creeping up on you. I have been watching my daily calories but have been drinking half the water i used to and decreased my exercise to only 2 days a week vs 5 I’ve also noticed that I’m feeling hungrier in the evenings and will often have late night snacks, so hopefully taking this drug and trying to follow my old post bariatric diet will help make the difference here. I was surprised that my doctor only wanted to prescribe the Topiramate since there are so many other options out there!

Agree with the other posters. Almost never done by bariatric surgeons here any more because of the rate of adverse outcomes. I would never have had it having done my own research but I'm in a totally different life stage so best of luck to you if you do go ahead!

I had a gastric bypass 2.5 yrs ago and have recently experienced a 17 lb weight gain. My doctor recommended Topiramate to help get me back on track and advised it’s very successful with bariatric patients however the possible side effects were kind of concerning has anyone taken this? And if so what was your experience? I appreciate your feedback!

I also have high blood pressure and insulin-dependent diabetes, Shnee. I'm 5 days post-op and my blood sugar has been so low that I have not needed to take insulin since the surgery (though I am monitoring it constantly!). As my doctor said, "Bariatric surgery is the only cure for Type 2 Diabetes." WE HAVE GOT THIS!

4 days post-op and feeling good. Walked a MILE today! Stopped to sit down very briefly halfway through and paused to stretch a couple of times. It took me almost 24 minutes, but I did it! My doctor allows sugar-free low carb Greek yogurt and sugar free nonfat pudding during this initial liquid diet stage. Today, I put sugar-free PBFit powder in vanilla Oikos Greek yogurt and it was amazing. I could not eat the whole container, but it's a 5.3 ounce container, so that makes sense! I am also enjoying the bariatric chicken soups for a little variety away from all the sweet flavors.

Hi All! My name is Jill and I had my VSG on Oct. 2, 2023. My surgeon was Dr. Bilof at Garden State Bariatrics in Millburn, NJ. The doctor and office staff are wonderful. I felt taken care of every step of the way since my initial consult in April, 2023. I am back to work and doing very well. My main issue was my emetophobia (fear f being sick). I have not felt nauseous or gotten sick. I took anti-emetics a few times when my stomach felt sensitive. I also did not have much pain. I took Percocet for a few nights to ensure a good night's rest. Otherwise, Tylenol worked fine. I had a headache for a few days, but I am also prone to them. I also had about two days where I was not well mentally as I already suffer from anxiety and depression; this after-effect is something that is not talked about enough, in my opinion. Know that "this too shall pass" and you will be A-OK soon enough. I started at 215 lbs. and was down to 199 lbs. by Oct. 10 (8 days out). Like I said, I am doing well and nothing has been too hard for me to get used to. I would recommend following your diet instructions, take time to eat and drink, and trust your body. I had felt like the post-op journey was so hard and my life will never be the same. On the contrary, I already feel like a healthier and better version of me! Good luck to everyone! 💖

I cant say for everyone but I was not able to eat beyond my stomachs capacity. I did not try the slider foods. Still can not. When you are healed enough to get the full signal, about 6 - 8 weeks out, if you have one mouthful more it will sit in your chest like a brick. You will probably become very nauseous and will be unable to drink for hours till you have got rid of the extra food. It will be a very unpleasant feeling. There is no way that I can eat when I feel this way. As for worrying if it was the right decision ? yep I did. Its lots of money to take away from the family. It cost me over £12.000 so that would have been lots of holidays they would miss. It was a huge leap into the unknown for me. All I knew was at my age and size my heart was struggling with the most simple household tasks. Then they told me I was diabetic .... no brainer anymore. I booked a appointment with the surgeon the same week. Everything has failed for all of us before. Doctors now believe that Bariatric surgery is the only way to keep weight off. I am not at maintenance yet so can not say if its easy to do it but I know it takes work and regular monitoring. I am overjoyed that I was able to do this. I am a different woman now. TBH I feel blessed

This is the first time I’ve made a post on bariatric palsy. I normally just read things but today is really big day for me. I am six months postop. My highest weight was 250 pounds and I was 242 pounds at the day of surgery, as of this morning I am 198 pounds with a total weight loss of 52lbs and 44lbs surgery. I’ve lost 13 inches off my waist 10 inches off of my apron belly 12 inches off my hips and 7 inches off of my bust. I am currently in a women’s extra large down from a 3X I can fit larges now but they’re still a little too tight for my comfort. I have not been this small since I had my first child at 19 I was 150 pounds before I got pregnant with her. This is the smallest I’ve been in 10 years. It feels amazing but it also doesn’t feel real. I keep getting on the scale to double check if I’m imagining things, but it feels really good to come this far and have all the health changes that I’ve had.

Congratulations! You got this!! Good luck on your 2nd Bariatric journey! I'm in the same boat. I had my sleeve to RNY revision with a hiatal hernia repair on 9/11/23.

Congratulations! You got this!! Good luck on your 2nd Bariatric journey! I'm in the same boat. I had my sleeve to RNY revision with a hiatal hernia repair on 9/11/23.