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You don't need your Dr's OK to attend the Overview class, so try to go to the first one you can because it's a required step before getting the referral to the Bariatric program. I didn't think the point was to scare people away. What they told us is they found so many people decided not to have the surgery after going to the longer Orientation class that they make all people go to the Overview class first so they understand WLS surgery and the alternatives. I thought the class was pretty good. The instructor also told us about how Kaiser's Bariatric program works. Lynda
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Doctor wants to make a poster of my 5 month "transformation" as he calls it!
willow13 replied to JanetPRN's topic in Tell Your Weight Loss Surgery Story
I can see why he wants to make a poster of your transformation you look fantastic and have done so well, you are an inspiration to us all. I was only sleeved 2 weeks ago so seeing the difference in you is amazing. BUT I also understand the body image issues, I hate getting my picture taken and I seriously doubt I will ever have my picture taken until my driving license needs renewing. -
This is VERY different than they way the band was explained to me. My surgeon is one of the top bariatric doctors in the country... That's not to say that there is not value in the information...different approaches work with different people. I do like his message of eating a specified amount and walking away. That is good advice no matter how you believe the band works. This guy seems to have a helluva marketing department...
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Nearing my 3 months....too much too fast??
Sherrie Scharbrough replied to Melissa315's topic in Tell Your Weight Loss Surgery Story
I am almost 4 years out and I lost my weight very fast!! I lost 132#'s in 6 months. Because I had stricturres and needed 5 endoscopes with 4 dialations with a ballon. It started right after my RNY, I got to where I couldn't even hold down water. This started in Nov of 2013 with my last endo dialation on Jan of 2015. Strictures are like scar tissue that closes your opening so nothing gets in or it takes a long time to go down. It felt like the food or water would sit on the top of my pouch and then went down slowly. Only to make me vomit it all back up. So I developed a Food Adversion, because I was so afraid to eat. I lived on Oatmeal, Baby Bell cheese and Cheeto's!! Which my Dr knew about the whole time. I was told that if I had to eat whatever it took to nourish my body. But up side of this is I am great!! I have finally been able to branch out at what I can eat beleive me. LOL Not one Counselor knew what to do. The one I went here in my town didn't have a clue of what to do with me. Finally, I called my Surgeon who set me up with a Bariatric Counselor. But I didn't like her anwsers. She wanted me to eat every 1/2 hour that I was awake. She had me buy BOOST High Calorie junk!! I was so frustrated!! I told my hubby that I just traded one eating disorder for another. Now for the good stuff here are my stats: HW 249 (this time I had lost down from 285's) SW 232 LW 117 CW 125'#. So I have maintained my 124# loss for 3 and 1/2 years. I really don't know if my quick weight was a probem with my skin issues or if it is my age because I had lost 135#'s during one of my ups and down dieting. I didn't have any skin issue then but I was 52 and very very sick at that time. I have had a Panni done in Sept of 2015. They removed 10 plus pounds off my lower stomach. Now thats another story. LOL Sorry that I wrote a book. I just have lots to say!! You should meet me in real life. My hubby threatened to buy a Chastity belt for my mouth. LOL When we were first married. LOL Those memories just pop up sometimes. Any how have a great Sunday. Congraulations on your journey. Look forward t following it. -
Questions about my upcoming surgery :) please help
Sosewsue61 replied to Jpsl1028's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
1) My insurance had a 'no wt gain' stipulation and it was from my starting weight and I had 6 months required supervision. 2) My insurance approval was sent in after my last NUT appt. , I already had my physical clearances but had not had my surgery labs and EDG - those are scheduled after approval. 3) N/A - had Humana 4) If your insurance requires PCP approval, then yes a PCP can be biased and could stall your chances. BUT you can change primary physicians, or fight through the PCP's supervisors - everyone answers to someone. This has happened to people on bariatricpal, and they changed to another PCP. Mine wanted to send me to a Humana bariatric physician 2 hours away and I said NO. I will petition my insurance to go out of network - at in-network cost because that is a burden to go that far and it was approved. Good luck. -
Protein powder & fiber powder?
Karleena replied to confusedturtle3's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Hiya! So your surgeon/ bariatric nutritionist will probably give you a diet plan that they want you to follow, mine may be different. Mine had me do 4 protein shakes a day ( I only had 3 choices of shake too), all other fluids were separate. Of course you could mix your shake with crystal light or skim/ unsweetened almond milk though as long as it's approved. Some shakes like bariatricfusion have fiber in them (and tons of vitamins and minerals too), so he said there's no need to add unless I feel constipated. However other shakes do not, so to each drink to add 5g of fiber to each shake. I also had 1/2 cup of un-starchy veggies a day I was allowed (i added them to broth). If it is a pure liquid diet there is unflavored fiber powder you can use, food could keep your liver from shrinking, but of course you can ask your doc! My liquid diet has been going great I haven't cheated once and on day 4 I am no longer hungry since I pump myself full of fluids and my protein drinks. -
Adequate food intake at 2 years study
Escape_Pod replied to swimbikerun's topic in WLS Veteran's Forum
I worry about folks who think that healthy eating and having VSG rather than RNY will protect them from deficiencies. I consider my intake to be very healthy, AND I take good quality bariatric Vitamins, and still ended up with deficiencies. Maybe it's just marketing hoo-ha, but I'm willing to believe it matters which brand of vitamins you take, because the source of the nutrients differs, and some are more readily absorbed than others. We were all told to take Calcium CITRATE, not CARBONATE, right? So it makes sense to me that other nutrients in a multi-Vitamin may also differ. I'm willing to pay more to take a Multivitamin that's formulated for post-ops. And while it's true that we don't have the same risks of deficiencies as RNY post-ops, we still have smaller stomachs, and many of us are on PPIs long-term, impacting absorption of nutrients that require an acidic environment. I'm vigilant, but I still ended up extremely low in thiamine and Iron. I keep up with my tests, and I focus particularly on calcium, since I can't check that with a blood test. I had a bone density scan done along with a DEXA scan a couple of years ago, but since most women in their early 40s don't have bone density scans done, my PCP tells me there's not good data to compare my results to. I'll test again in a couple of years so I can compare to my prior results. -
Dr. Garcia Govea--anyone know anything?
DONNAZANG replied to mommy2six's topic in Weight Loss Surgeons & Hospitals
I saw your post here and I'm new. I don't know if I'm even responding properly. I found this post by searching for info on Dr Garcia on Google. I received a call today from a woman named alma. She was calling from Ready4Achange.com. We talked about bariatric surgeries and she recommended Dr. Garcia above all those other doctors, and she actually works for all of those four. Ready 4 a Change is rated well with the BBB. I don't know if that makes a difference. Anyhow, I was wondering if you got your surgery and if so, who with. Would your recommend doing it and with the doctor you chose? I have been doing a lot of research and am very interested and excited about surgery. I am also apprehensive about doing it in Mexico. Please contact me at your earliest convenience. BTW...I am a mommy to six also:) Thanks and blessings, Donna donnazang@msn.com -
Northern/Central california surgeons?
feedyoureye replied to RaiderRob's topic in Weight Loss Surgeons & Hospitals
There are several Drs in Sacramento. I found these, but you need to do your own research to find out which one is best for you. I go to UCDavis Med Center Dr. Ali. I think he has just started doing the Sleeve. He has tons of experience with RNY and is the head of the dept. which is a center of excellence. I was told a five year followup is included. My insurance covers most of it, so I don't know how much is self pay. 2221 Stockton Blvd # E Sacramento, CA 95817-1418 (916) 734-2680 Dr. Paul T. Cirangle Laparoscopic Associates of San Francisco (Sacramento Office) 1111 Exposition Blvd Building 700 Sacramento, CA 95815 Phone: 415-561-1310 Alt. Phone: 866-957-3627 Fax: 415-561-1713 Gregg H Jossart - Fellow American College of Surgeons Contact Information Laparoscopic Associates of San Francisco (Sacramento Office) 631 Fulton Avenue Sacramento, CA 95825 Phone: 866-957-3627 Alt. Phone: 415-561-1310 Fax: 415-561-1713 Laura L. Machado, M.D., F.A.C.S. Sacramento Bariatric Medical Associates 5769 Greenback Lane, Suite 1 Sacramento, California 95841 Contact the Doctor http://www.locateadoc.com/doctors/bariatric-surgery/ca/machado-laura-374644-sacramento-contact.html -
Vsg Negative Reference In Book 'weight Loss Surgery For Dummies'?
vsgm posted a topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
Am approved for surgery but have been struggling with whether or not to do it. (analysis paralysis, chicken, etc.) Main concern is any potential long term negative consequences. So in reading the book 'Weight Loss Surgery for Dummies' (suggested by my bariatric team) Chapter 3 explains the various surgery options. It says "In the 1980's the term 'stomach stapling' referred to vertical banded gastroplasty' and goes on to say 'the failure rate for VBG was very high'. My question: what has changed that now makes the vertical sleeve (which uses staples from top to bottom) different/successful? -
And I will tell you from experience that snacks is not the problem. Snacks are almost necessary in the early stages to meet your nutritional goals. Unless you have a Bariatric NUT, which I'd be surprised if you do, they don't have a firm grasp on our stomach capacity and how our anatomy is limiting. I've had to educate my NUT on certain things. I'm not saying they all do, but they forget that the things that work for regular people who are dieting, or eating healthy, don't always work for us. There is nothing wrong with snacks to meet your goals. I don't want to toot my own horn but I lost 100lbs 5 months post op, 128lbs overall. And I eat 3 snacks per day. My typical meal plan looks like this: 8:00a- breakfast 11:00a- snack 1:30p- lunch 4:00p- snack 7:00p-dinner 9:00p- snack (almost always is FairLife milk) Obviously times vary, but very typical for me to have 3 snacks per day.
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What Do You Do When a Craving Hits?
mi75 replied to Alex Brecher's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
honestly i generally don't get too many cravings but i have been at several catered luncheons where something 'looks good' and i will go ahead and take the tiniest little try of it (EXCEPT for sweets, sugar, pop, desserts). none of those. something like the 1/2 tsp potato salad i had the other day, or a tpsp bbq baked Beans i had yesterday. both sat well. scale is still moving. TINY amounts seems to be key for me. i am truly following my bariatric program and eating all foods as directed so i don't feel like i'm cheating, but it's funny because i have found myself counting and tracking like crazy on days when i choose a 'looks good' option! -
I don't know of any specific doctors, but I see you're in California like me. Stanford Children's up north has adolescent bariatric surgery and they list their doctors who do the surgeries with their hospital too. I know Stanford is a great hospital and family who have gone to the hospital (non-bariatric reasons). Here's a link to their bariatric page for adolescents. I wish your son and you the best in this new journey! https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/service/bariatric-surgery
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Sorry to ask this here, but I’m scared. I don’t know what to do or have anyone else to ask. I’m what I call “irregularly regular”. Irregular in the sense that I never know when I’m going to get my period. Regular in the sense that it always lasts for 3.5 days, four at tops. Last month, I got my period and it lasted for almost two weeks. That has never happened to me before. I figure it might have to do with my recent weight gain (about 30 pounds since July) and the related hormone changes. I haven't felt "healthy" for a while now. After my period ended, I was fine for about two weeks. Then I got my period again. I’ve had it now for over a week and it’s very heavy and there’s more …”material” than before (not a ton but noticeably more). I’ve had a little bit of dizziness – my shrink says that’s a side effect of Wellbutrin, but over the weekend, I had a few dizzy spells. (Haven’t had one since, though.) I did some research on the internet and though my flow is very heavy (for me) I’m not changing my pad every 6 hours, so maybe it’s not that an extreme a case. I think the blood loss has made me a little anemic and caused a little of the fatigue and dizziness so I started taking an Iron supplement today. I had a little bit of cramping yesterday and today, but I took an Aleve and I’m fine. There’s no pain or anything otherwise weird. I just can’t seem to stop bleeding. I’ve just about convinced myself that I have cervical cancer or something. As far as I know, none of this runs in my family. I haven’t been to see a doctor, mostly because I’m chicken. I’m 31 and have never had a gyno exam. (I rationalized it by saying I’ve never been sexually active, so I didn’t need to.) I’m also in a tricky situation because my company switched to a new health insurance carrier effective Jan. 1, but Blue Cross is taking forever to do the paperwork, so I don’t have a member number, a group number, a PCP, or anything. I’m waiting for it any day now, but who knows how long it will take them? I’m really scared, but apparently not scared enough to be smart about this because the second I have my insurance info I’m going to see the PCP about a referral to bariatrics. I’m afraid to mention it to my doctor because she will be someone I’ve never met and she may want to do all kinds of history and testing on me before she’s willing to do any kind of referral. I’m all twisted up in knots. Have any of you experienced anything like this? Any advice would be much appreciated.
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what on-line stores are you using for protein?
Butterfly2010 posted a topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I would love some feedback for purchasing protein powder and other pre/post op items on-line. Has anyone used the bariatric pantry? Coupons anywhere? Specials? Customer service issues? Thanks! -
More support can't hurt!
elli'smommy replied to elli'smommy's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Truly, not very long. But, I have a lap-band that was ruptured during a fill. So after a failed four year stent w the band I seen a new Bariatric doc and discussed removing the band. He suggested rny. That was in December. I drug my feet for a while and did some research and soul searching. Then seen the doc again in Late march. Paperwork was submitted in April and approved a week later. I had to attend a revision class. A week later after that I had my may 10 & 14 appts. If all goes well, ill have a surgery date by the end of may or early June. So I started attending the support groups last night. I'm seeing the dietician next week as well. Moving right along! -
I have Cigna, I had to do 6 months of dr visits with the bariatric dr, 2 visits pre op and 1 visit post op with the nutritionist, a psychiatric clearance, and a pulmonologist clearance to get it done here in NJ. Not sure if its different there though. They didnt say anything about it being within such amount of a time frame after though...
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No caffeine!!! Geaux, seriously no Caffeine, I about died when I heard that roflmao! One thing with Myfitnesspal.com since you know how it works. If I followed their suggestion for Protein, Carbs, sodium and calories I would end up gaining weight! Almost all doctors recommend the same thing with gastric sleeve and that's 80 grams of protein, 45-75 of carbohydrates and try to stay at 800-1200 calories a day (if you exercise and it tells you to add more calories and it says your aren't eating enough) ignore it. I quit doing Desserts like yogurt etc. and I started incorporating Peanut Butter on a teaspoon. I always ate my meat first, chew like 20 times and then go for your vegetables second, then and only then eat your carbs. Also, you have to learn not to drink with your dinner. I was a "choker" especially when I went out to eat. Something about eating in public, I always end up choking on my food and I am used to drinking Water with my meal. I learned that about an hour before dinner if I drank something hot like hot peppermint decaff tea I would be less hungry. I learned once I took away my drink with dinner, I chewed slower and chewed more thoroughly. I learned to wait at least 1/2 hour after I eat to then drink my water. These are all suggestions that were given to me in my packet and I spent 6 months practicing them. Not all doctors are that thorough, but it's worked for me when other things haven't. The reason for no caffeine is that it promotes stomach ulcers and more importantly, it causes dehydration. After surgery it's a struggle to get all your Fluid intake in and your liquid Protein in. Dehydration is a real problem. It's easier to quit caffeine before surgery than right after surgery because most people have withdrawals and headaches. I waited until I got approved to quit, so I had time to get used to it before I started on pre-op shake. Surgery is a week from tomorrow. A bit tired of drinking protein shakes and I decided not to have a big Memorial Bash because truthfully it would be hard having a huge party while on protein shakes, but my parents are going to swing by tomorrow to do some wii bowling. Good luck to you and can't wait to hear how your plan is going to go. All bariatric centers are different, mine seems to be one of the strictest compared to most. After surgery 2 weeks of Clear liquids, then 4-6 of full liquids then pureed, then soft, then regular. With pre-op diet, that's 10 weeks of no real solids.
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Who tried to talk you out of Mexico?
Fat2Phat2016 posted a topic in Mexico & Self-Pay Weight Loss Surgery
Anyone ever tell you DO NOT go to Mexico? I just had a dietitian at a Bariatric Seminar freak out on me when I told her I was going to Mexico. I informed her that it was done through Bariatric Pal, and she looked at me as if I was crazy! She works for a Bariatric Center and didn't even know what this was. hmmmm She said I would be "butchered" in Mexico. I told her I had done my research and it is 100% legit and I am doing it. So my question to all of you, is who has completely freaked out on your Mexico Decision? -
my bariatric dr was willing to assist my plastic surgeon and install a low profile port and I didn't take him up on it because it would have been an additional $1500.... There are times when I wish I would have done it but I was nervous that I would have more complications. Which is most likely silly thinking
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I was sleeved on 5/29 and will be starting my vitamins on Thursday. What multivitamins do you use? My NUT recommends a multi with iron and I haven't been able to find one at my local pharmacies. Have any of you tried the ones from bariatric advantage? Thanks for your responses!
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I am renewing my commitment in the new year with the 21 Day Sugar Detox.
ProudGrammy replied to endless80's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
renewing my committment endless80 good for you Its when people screw up and don't realize til tooooo late, (as in gaining way too much) looks like you caught yourself before slipping on the ice and breaking your leg "stuff" got out of hand with your eating - not good - but its done/over with can't go back hopefully you've learned from your experience and now move onl live in the present and look towards the future concentrate and use all the knowledge you've taken in/absorbed ifffff you even think about grabbing Taco Bell or Kentucky fried chicken- i am slapping your hand, HARD (ouch! ) 83 lbs down!!!! thats terrific!!!! good luck kathy congrats -
Well I am new here too.....I having been wishing to have the lap band for over a year now. First my insurance was going to pay for it....so I did all the required stuff. Bariatric Surgeon consult, seminar, then to a psychologist, blood work for thyroid.....the they decided it was no on my insurance plan. I was devistated. Right now I am trying to get financed...since I am self pay. My credit is awfull.....I made a lot of mistakes when I was younger...but have paid off all my bed debt. Well I fixed my credit to buy a house and now.....I have to much credit owed since I owe my house!! UUUUGGGG!!! So my boss is helping get the financing! Everyone cross your fingers and say a prayer. I have never wanted anything so bad. I want to start posting my progress!
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My scale measures body fat, lean muscle, Water, etc in addition to weight. It's a Tanita brand, got it from Amazon. It's the same brand my bariatric center uses, just not as big. I weigh second thing every morning (pee first) and record my weight. I record the fat, muscle and physical tape measurements just once a month.
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After the first night dr asked if I wanted to stay another night and I chose to stay. I was not getting out of bed too well and did not feel that I could handle all of my care at home. Is it being done in a outpatient facility? Or a hospital? My dr was a bariatric surgeon of excellence and so was the hospital. I had terrible pain that did not improve significantly for a week. But everyone is so different. You read about some going back to work in a week. You still have time to research him. Best of luck.
