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You posted that you work within the same hospital system as the office where the fax came from. If you look at your HIPPA documentation there is a statement in there that there is a relaxing of HIPPA rules when "communicating within the same hospital systems, and their representatives." Was there some mistakes made? Yup.--on both sides. In this day and age, no one should never fax personal information that you want to keep confidential--unless you KNOW that the fax is going to a PRIVATE fax machine/computer. Once again, I have to question the reasoning of "hiding" one's bariatric surgery?? Are you ashamed of having it?? --afraid of what others with think?? Does it really matter? Aren't we all supposed to be having WLS for OURSELVES?? Especially those of us who work or have worked in the Healthcare field. I would hope that we would want to set an example.--to stand up proudly that we had the courage and determination to conquer our "disease demons". I find absolutely nothing to hide nor be ashamed of by having WLS. Once we try to hide it, cover it up or lie about it, --that is when the spider web of telling two lies to cover up one lie and so on and so on. I don't know about you all, but my memory isn't good enough to remember what lie I told to whom. Getting back to the faxing fiasco: Lesson learned by all involved--I hope. You know. I've been sitting reading and rereading this trying to decide if I was going to comment. Sorry, but the ugly monster got the best of me. Valentina- I may be new-ish to this forum but why do you think it is ok to bash someone who was sickened at the thought of her personal information being spread around a large office? You say you aren't ashamed of having surgery- good for you. But do not project your opinions on others as though you are right and they are wrong. In fact- YOU are shaming anyone who does not subscribe to your belief that you need to tell everyone your business. Heck- I bet you have told tons of people who actually couldn't care less. Who we choose to share our surgery with is our own business and ours alone. That goes for you. Rent a billboard for Petes sake. But don't think for one moment it is ok to tear down those who think differently from you. As for Hippa laws- there has not been any "relaxing" since the days it was set in motion. Your facts are wrong. I've been a healthcare provider since 1985. Been there. Done that. When she is acting in the capacity of a patient, her rights are to be maintained just as any other non-employee patient.

I am in shock and so upset. I needed my pcp to fill out a form for medical necessity for the surgery. She also needed to fill in my weights, comorbidities and also a years worth of progress notes from my visits. I faxed the form from work to their office, with a letter stating they could notify me when completed and I would pick it up. Well......a coworker came in to me today with a fax for me. All of my personal health information, my weight for the past year AND the fact that I am in the process of qualifying for bariatric surgery was for anyone to read. They randomly faxed this information to my employer. I have no idea how they got the fax number. I could not believe it. My employer has no idea I am having surgery. Or at least HAD no idea. A good friend got the fax and brought it to me. Next thing I knew, another person gave me another copy that was faxed. Not sure what else is floating around. I am hoping it wasn't read, and I did ask the coworker to keep it quiet. I blasted the doctors office. But I am truly so upset. I wanted to wait until I was approved before i told work. I just feel like any moment someone else is going to drop off my personal health information at my office door Just venting. Ugh!!!

I would generally go with the advice of your surgeon's patient coordinator, as they have been through these hoops before, particularly if it is with a common insurance carrier in your area. If your surgeon has a dedicated insurance coordinator, who handles all of the insurance issues, that would be a better person to get an opinion from, but that might also be the patient coordinator that you have talked to - it's worth checking out to make sure you are getting the best information. You can verify this by calling the insurance company's customer service line, thought those reps don't always give the correct information (sad, but true.) The best thing is to look up the company's policy bulletin for bariatric surgery on their website which will spell out all of the specific requirements - that is their legal document that they must follow, irrespective what a customer service rep may say (but the doc's insurance coordinator should know all of the in's and out's of the language in it.) For instance, with my company, they implied that they wanted six monthly appointments, but did not specifically state that. Between my schedule and my PCP (who was my "medical supervisor" for this) we were only able to work in four appointments over the six months, and that was fine. (The insurance coordinator was concerned about how the PCP wrote up the report for it relative to the insurance requirement, but that was a different issue.) If your insurance requires simply a "medically supervised" six month program like I had, then the first and last months being with your surgeon and the others with an RD should be fine. but if they specifically require six monthly meetings with an RD (nutritionist), then is won't. It's all in the wording. Good luck on getting through all of these hoops - this is often the hardest part!

Bowel prep is one of the many things that varies from doctor to doctor and program to program. May the Bariatric Surgery Gods bless you with not having to go through THAT particular experience. The worst part for me? The first of two days of bowel prep was on my birthday. Crappy Birthday to me! Literally.

Welcome to our bariatric community. Take a tour around the forums and you'll find many helpful threads and answers to a lot of the questions you might have. We share our experiences here and learn a lot from one another. Wow, you two did it together, huh? That's pretty neat.

For foods: Stick to whole foods. You don't need any premade, prepackaged, keto or bariatric foods. Meats, cheese, fruits & veggies, eggs, etc. If you buy ingredients and make your own meals, you don't need to worry about nutrition labels. I know it seems boring, but the trick is to switch up flavors (Spanish, Asian, etc. etc.) and figure out what you like. Cottage cheese, jerkey, protein bars/shakes, hummus, and things like that are all generally very safe bets as well. Recipes: Look in the forums here, Pinterest, or online for cookbooks. Also, find support from a registered dietician if you can - @theguacwarddietitian, @bariatric.meal.prep, @bariatricchefboyrd, and @mybariatricdietitian on IG are all great, as is @BariNation. Exercise: Fitness Blender (website or YouTube) and Get Fit With Rick (website or YouTube) are great resources for at home workouts. They both have a wide variety from super beginner to super advanced, many that do not require any equipment at all. Pre-Op Diet: This varies WIDELY from surgeon to surgeon. Some require a period of liquids only, some have a whole foods, low carb based approach. Your surgeon should be telling you exactly what they expect you to be doing pre-op. Lastly, please make sure you are having this conversation with your surgeon. They should be providing you with nutritional guidance, meal plan resources, etc.

I would highly recommend The Centre for Bariatric Surgery in The Avenue, Prahran. There's several surgeons there, they all operate at The Avenue Private - the number is 9520 9520. I had Gary Crosthwaite, he was great, there's Paul O'Brien - who was one of the band's original inventors in its current form, um, Wendy Brown if you want a female surgeon, and several others. More importantly there's a great group of doctors to access for your aftercare and fills. Its a fairly convenient location if you're on that side of the city. There's also other surgeons at The Valley Private, and Peninsula Private if those areas suit better, and I read in the local paper that its now being done at St John Of God in Berwick too. Costs for me were $3,500 3 years ago, DH paid $4,000 last June, its pretty similar everywhere - the arrangement usually being that private health insurance/medicare covers it all except for that one fee, which once you've paid it, all your fills, aftercare and (god forbid) any revision surgery will be totally bulk billed, so there will be no cost for you in the future. Hope that helps!

I recommend the Centre for Bariatric surgery also. My surgeon is Paul Burton. Give them a call (number in previous post) and ask them.

I have not heard the term...but for those of you were were wondering...this is what I found. And after reading it... I need it. LOL Mermaid Lift procedure is designed to achieve the following: 1. Accentuate the waistline to create a more feminine flare at the hips. 2. Flatten the abdomen to improve its contour and definition. 3. Lift the pubic area to create a more smooth youthful transition to the lower abdomen. 4. Redefine the belly button to compliment the bottleneck waistline. 5. Lift and restore shape and volume to the buttock and lateral thighs. 6. Cinch and redirect the skin to reduce /or eliminate the appearance of cellulite in these areas The design of most lower body lifts often does not address each of these crucial aspects, leaving many patients disappointed with their results. Over the last ten years, working with over 2500 post-Bariatric patients, we have developed the Mermaid Lift procedure--inspired by the feminine curves of these mythical creatures which are emulated both in art and fashion, to enhance and accentuate the female body. The key to this surgery is properly placed tension. Just as in any graceful, well-constructed wedding dress, the lines smooth out wrinkles, lift key areas, augment curves and give an overall pleasing shape. We begin centrally by making sure to lift the pubic area smoothly without leaving any unsightly mound while flattening the upper abdomen, without any need for a vertical scar. The incision is then carried out to the sides along a bikini cut, lifting and curving the thighs. We always tighten the midline abdominal muscles since this helps lower the scar further and brings in the waist, allowing us to have the thighs flare out naturally from an hour-glass shaped abdomen. The incision is then carried to the back along an imaginary bikini line and the buttocks lifted and augmented with fat from the lower back creating a pleasing curve. The total effect is similar to that achieved with so-called Mermaid-cut dresses and perfectly addresses all the key points that concern most massive weight loss patients. Another very important aspect to achieving the optimum shape is that we pre-operatively size every patient for a compression garment customized to her figure. By choosing the right size and shape of garment before the surgery and placing it directly on the patient in the operating room we are able to better control tension and allow the newly placed tissues to conform to their ideal positions. This also allows easier mobility for the patients and they are encouraged to begin walking the same evening after their surgeries. Proper preparation before surgery is also crucial. Patients’ weights need to have stabilized and their nutritional status must be optimized. In addition, any anemia must be addressed pre-operatively. We are often able to combine tummy tucks or the Mermaid Lift procedure with hernia repair or gallbladder surgery by the Bariatric surgeon at the same time, saving the patient recovery and expenses. Because of the extent of the surgery, we are cautious about doing a great deal of additional surgery. On select patients we will also do breast or arm lifts or augmentation along with a Mermaid Lift procedure. For most patients, a day or two in the hospital is sufficient, but depending on whether other procedures are done simultaneously we sometimes keep our patients longer. Recovery is usually about three weeks, but varies a great deal. Insurance coverage for at least a portion of these procedures has improved dramatically over the last few years and this often takes a great deal of the financial pressure off of patients allowing them to recover with a little more peace of mind. Plastic surgery is often the “icing on the cake” of the Bariatric experience. Once a patient has lost the weight and is feeling good, she feels complete when her newly restored inner harmony is matched by a newly harmonious outer appearance. The Mermaid Lift procedure transforms these patients’ figures and helps them radiate their new inner happiness outwards.

Finding a Protein shake that you actually like is a trial and error process... I wanted to share that, per instructions from my surgeon, "100% whey isolate protein" is the best choice for bariatric patients. Be certain to read the label. I found "Extreme Wheybolic" Protein powder at GNC which I can tolerate well. I use 1.5 scoops powder per shake, when mixed with skim milk it has 37 g of protein per shake. I stay with the chocolate and Cookies 'n cream flavors. The Atkins shakes are a good alternative if I am traveling, and don't taste too much like chemicals, but they fall way short on the protein content per serving. The same for Muscle Milk Lite: too much of a chemical taste and too little protein for my needs. You may have to try several different brands to find one you like...it's important to like your choice of shake, as we will periodically need to rely on them as part of a liquid diet after fills. Best wishes as your journey continues!

Hi everyone. I have bcbs and was approved within a week. I had my surgery done over at the u of m fairview and it was great! My surgeon dr. Buchwald is awesome and is literally world renowned for his work with bariatric surgeries. He has done many sleeves and has a good success rate.

Thank you so much everyone!! I'm really lucky in that I work for the Dept of Defense (as a civilian) and we have fantastic resources on base -- including two trainers, two physical therapists and a bariatric nutritionist. We have three gyms, and plenty of safe running room. Im being monitored by all of these folks on demand. And I get to work out with some very healthy folks from all of the services (we r a joint base). All free. That said, none of them has lost 120 lbs lately, and I value the advice YOU folks gave me above all. I will take it to heart. Thank you again for your kindness and willingness to help another fitness newbie stretch hiz wings!!!!

Hopefully not. The last thing this site needs are local bariatric heroes with a know-it-all-attitude that are all about people needing to "wear their big girl panties" when dealing out their so-called "tough love" and behave like crybabies themselves when someone dares to talk back in the same manner. However, if you're really missing them quite a few can be found at Obesity Help.

Dr. David Kim at Kim Bariatrics was my surgeon. Not only is he an amazing surgeon but his office staff is amazing. He has an office in Frisco and Colleyville. It is definitely worth going for the free consult. Like ironpoorer mentioned Dr. Frenzel is good (he is the surgeon I started out with) but switched due to his inadequate staff. I'm very happy with my final decision!

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.

Rebecca... obesityhelp.com has a physician finder to assist in finding a bariatric surgeon near to you. Good Luck!

I am using UHC also, and I think the doctors are working for them to. The orthopedic surgeon who suggested I see a bariatric surgeon about losing weight told me he would write me a letter back on April 7, he never did, all he and his assistants did was lie to me about him being too busy and taking days off or some stupid mess, anyways I sent a damn good appeal letter to UHC just last Thursday, July 7, what is that 3 months and I am yet to be banded, I hope they come back with a YES! But UHC overall has not helped us out one bit and has been total idiots, where do they find people to work there?!?!

What are your thoughts on an air fryer post bariatric surgery. Is it worth it? If so, any suggestions/ recipe ideas?

When I start to feel fear or anxiety about which is often accompanied by tears, it tells me that whatever I'm doing or about to do means a lot to me. so if your feeling that way about surgery this is a good thing (in my book) that means this new journey is something you're taking seriously. Hang in there and in times of true Emotional doubt hang onto your Logic, this is a safe procedure with amazing results and unless everyone who has ever received bariatric surgery is lying to us, we have a bright, healthy new life waiting for us just around the corner. All my best

I've had the band, and over a 2 year period the band is more expensive than the sleeve due to follow up appointments, fills/unfills, and the other issues with the band. With the reoperation rate of the band, it's actually way more expensive than the sleeve. Hug your doctor, and thank them for being honest and giving you an option. Some surgeons prefer the band because it's the real money maker of the bariatric surgeries. I've had both the band and the sleeve, and my personal opinion is that the sleeve is superior over the band for several reasons. The band has the lowest and slowest loss stats, highest rate of long term complications even outdoing RNY with the exception of Vitamin deficiencies. The food restrictions alone with the band are horrific. I couldn't eat meat, any type of breads, lettuce, raw veggies, and most fruits caused major issues. The less ghrelin thing is true. Just because you fill up your little pouch with the band doesn't mean you are satisfied. That hunger is still there, and once the food slips through, you'll be hungry again, and really aren't supposed to eat because you're on a forced diet. The maintenance thing is true. You don't even need to go to a general surgeon. Your family doctor or primary care doctor can pull your labs, and monitor your levels. This is a post I share often when people ask about VSG vs. Band, or VSG vs. RNY, or VSG for a revision from band vs. band to band revision. At the very bottom, you'll find some research links that I enjoyed reading for research purposes. Hope this helps. This is directly from the band manufacturer so there is no skewing facts or stats here. This is their own study.

Atkins baking mix has been discontinued! I was so sad when I went to my local health food store last weekend. I used it a lot in recipes I found online, specifically Bariatric Foodie. I've looked on the Atkins website and on Amazon and nothing... does anyone know where I could still get it? I know it's kinda limited the stores that sell it. Or have an unopened bag they'd want to sell?

At my next post up support group we are having a cook off. We have to make a bariatric soft high protein holiday dessert. Any ideas?

Are you taking little sips and allowing them to go down? Are you on Clear liquids? Did they give you the little one oz measuring cups to help you gauge your intake? Those really helped me. The best thing though, was the bariatric coordinator's advice to change my posture - to put my shoulders back and stick those boobs out, head straight up - and that helps things move smoothly through the new little stomach. Man, I wish I had seen her earlier. That didn't fix everything immediately, but that was the beginning of the end of the terrible pain of day one and two! I am here thinking about you and hoping things will get better. Try the posture thing for sure.

Hi my name is Rebecca and I'm on my way to a healthier life! So I am a 46 year old mother of 4 grown children (amazing children ) I have suffered from bipolar depression, ptsd, anxiety with panic attacks, and borderline personality for many years. As a result I have been on numerous medications that have caused me to gain significant weight, as well as having used food as my "comfort" food... That was the beginning of a life long struggle with weight. This past two years I have had a stroke and a mini stroke, my left knee has been totally replaced twice and is still very unstable so exercise is virtually impossible and my weight reached an all time high of 383lbs! In August I decided to take control and regain my life back.. Starting in September I met with the Bariatric team and have since lost 34bs 4oz and now have a surgery date for January 25th ...I must admit that as excited as I am about my new healthier lifestyle I am also very very nervous and constantly anxious about the "unknown". I have sleep apnea, high blood pressure, Fibromyalgia, and other health issues that can only be improved with the gastric bypass so I have weighed the pros and cons of it all and feel this may be my last chance of ever getting back to the "healthy Rebecca" that I need to be for myself, my husband, my children, and my precious grandson. Sent from my 6045O using the BariatricPal App

I'm having my surgery July 19th and I bought the bariatric Fusion chewables they are huge I don't know how we're supposed to get for these chewed up a day and try to eat some food too.