Search the Community

At some point, you've just gotta commit to a plan, have a strategy, and realize it's for life. Most effective thing I ever did for maintenance, maybe even more effective than the surgery....was going to the bariatric therapist and starting to address why I'm always trying to sabotage myself with food. We never talk about the WHY behind the disordered eating. It's important to get to the bottom of it.

You are funny about keeping your stomach in a jar. The only thing that would do for me is keep me from eating even more. That does not appeal to me at all! I've never heard of having a recording of your procedure. Here in America everyone is so afraid of lawsuits, they probably don't allow video taping--at least not to give to the patients. My insurance will not pay for the procedure unless it is done at a "Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence" meaning they have to have certain standards and certain programs in place. I will only be in the hospital for two days, though. They send you home early in the US--too expensive to keep you longer. I have been dealing with hair loss for quite a while myself as I have been having thyroid issues. Even though I see alot of hair in the shower and bathroom sink, and I have less volume, I still have quite a bit left--no bald spots or anything. I did start to take biotin (I was told to get a high dose (500mg, I think) and I have seen an improvement. I wish I knew where my grandmother was from. A cousin did some geneolgy research a few years ago, but I don't believe she went back as far as that. Let me know how things go for you! Anne

I just got the call from the new bariatric surgeon's nurse! My sleeve IS too big and will require a revision if I wish to do so! So I'm meeting with the dietician to stay on point and from there we will have a follow up appt to discuss next steps! Again thank you all for your kind words and support. I'm working on getting the surgical medical records for this DR to see now and I'll keep you all updated.

supplements can be expensive, so I highly recommend you try samples and single serve packets until you find what you like, then be sure and look for sales. Also, keep in mind your tastes may change after surgery. You can order sample packs of protein supplements directly from the manufacturer (Syntrax nectar, unjury, Quest, etc.) and some stores (GNC, Vitamin Shoppe), and even online stores like Bariatric Choice and BariatricPal. My surgeon's office also had some products (like ProtiDiet). Since it was hard for me to get out and shop pre-op, I liked drugstore.com for vitamins and supplements, too. I buy quest bars by the box from them now. Drugstore.com also carries GNC products. Some of the manufacturers will also send you coupons.

I had the lap-band done back in 07, and while I don't have it anymore (long story) I was blessed with a good doctor and support function. My friend got one in 06. He hasn't seen as much success as he would like. The doc and support staff are inaccessible and refuse to admit there may be anything wrong despite years of adjustments, pain and disappointment on his part. We have found it impossible to get any other physician to take him on as a patient. We get the same story everywhere: if we didn't put the band in, we cannot touch it. "Liability, don't ya know." Right now he's having all the symptoms of a too-tight fill (reflux, vomiting, coughing, etc). We contacted the emergency rooms of the two local hospitals. Both do bariatric surgery. Both told us that their bariatric doctors would NOT do an unfill on someone who hadn't been banded there. God help you if you get a physician who moved, closed, is incompetent or died.

Hi, I'm a newbie here from the other land Down Under (New Zealand). I had roux en y gastric bypass two years ago and while the lead-up to my surgery wasn't without its hassles, my recovery and life since has been almost boringly easy. Touch wood! I've been overweight nearly all my life: I arrived kicking and screaming into this world weighing a healthy 9 pounds and was pretty much "normal" weight until I hit my early teen years. It was then the weight just piled on, and stayed there. I managed to lose a decent chunk of weight a couple of times through old-fashioned healthy eating and exercise, once in my late teens and then again in my mid-30s. But as we all know, losing it and keeping it off are two entirely different things and as much as those who have never struggled with their weight like to insist it's simply a matter of eating less and doing more, that is so much easier said than done. And let's face it, if it was really as easy as all that, there wouldn't be a multi-billion dollar industry built around weight loss. We have free major medical care here, which is funded by our taxes, but because demand far outstrips availability of surgical care, there are waiting lists for pretty much everything and even if someone has been scheduled for a particular surgery, they can still be bumped from their spot by emergency procedures (accidental injuries etc). Aside from that, some of us do have private medical insurance, often subsidised by our employers. However, our major insurers have weight-loss surgery listed as one of their exclusions. I was fortunate enough to have chosen an insurer that does fund it with some qualifications (basically at the recommendation of your primary doctor). There are a very small number of procedures done on the public health dollar (in my region, with a population of around 50,000 people, I believe about a dozen cases are funded per year). Most people I know who have had the surgery have actually self-funded via personal loans or extending their mortgages. About 8 years ago, I developed gallstones and had my gallbladder removed. While organising the claim with my insurer for that hospital stay, I noticed a one-line mention of weight-loss surgery in my policy and phoned the company to ask about it. I was told I didn't qualify because I needed to have at least one co-morbidity. I was still recovering from my emergency gallbladder surgery and was also probably a little naive, so I didn't question their response. Then, about three years ago, I was looking over my policy again and decided I should go back to my insurer and question them further ... demand some answers and justifications on why the co-morbidity was needed when it wasn't actually mentioned in the policy. Interestingly, the person I dealt with immediately agreed that yes, they would generally fund the surgery if a bariatric surgeon recommended it. At that point, there was no bariatric surgeon in my home city so I booked an appointment with one a two-hour plane trip away and started counting down to my initial consultation. During that time, I'd been feeling a bit unwell and things got a lot worse very quickly: I became incredibly short of breath and tired and just felt terrible. As it turned out, I'd developed dilated cardiomyopathy with a bundle branch blockage, incredibly high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes for good measure! Yep, I felt like death warmed up: heart failure will do that for you! That meant the surgery was, of course, put on hold. My cardiologist reckons the cardiomyopathy was probably caused by a virus and that the heart condition was likely what caused the diabetes because I'd been tested just a few months earlier and had been fine (family history ... mother was type 1, father type 2) so I'd gone from healthy blood sugar to HbA1c of 85 in just 4 months. The next year was spent dealing with the heart problem and I have to admit, I was a bit stunned by the whole situation: I really just wanted to survive at that point, to get well enough to have the heart surgery my cardiologist said I needed (an implanted cardioverter defibrillator) but was at that stage too sick to have done. A year later I'd had quite a remarkable turnaround, still in heart failure of course, but my heart had reduced in size and everything was looking a lot brighter. Bright enough, in fact, for my cardiologist to decided I perhaps didn't need the defibrillator surgery after all. I was about then I decided to push ahead with the bariatric surgery. I'd lost quite a bit of weight when first diagnosed with the heart condition but had come to a screaming halt, I just couldn't shift another pound. I had to get a cardiac clearance from the anaesthesiologist, which he was happy to do (said my blood pressure, blood sugars and cholesterol were better than those of his marathon-running, vegan wife!) Meanwhile, a New Zealand surgeon who has spent several years working in America as a bariatric surgeon had returned to NZ and set up shop in my home town, so I was able to have my surgery much closer to home. I got had my consult, phoned my insurer, got approval that same day and was booked in for three weeks later. It all happened so fast my head was spinning! The surgery itself had one little hiccup: my heart went out of rhythm and gave them all quite a fright. However, they phoned my cardiologist and she told them that so long as it went back into rhythm on its own, they were good to go ahead (I knew nothing of any of this until after the surgery of course, I was already knocked out). Aside from being incredibly tired when I woke up, and for the next day (they reckon because of the heart rhythm thing), being left with a lineup of fist-sized bruises across my ample tummy from the blood thinning injections, topping off those bruises with some impressive red welts after a cracking delayed reaction to those same injections on day 4, and developing a weird all-over itch for just one day a week after surgery that we never found a cause for, my recovery was pretty good! I wasn't able to sleep in my own bed for about three weeks because our bed is quite high (I'm 5ft 4 and it's hip height on me), so I have to climb on to it. However, I just slept on a recliner chair and it was all good. Oh good lord, and sorry for what turned to be something of a novel!

Thanks so much for the kind words Paul! I have no medical experience at all. Although I am grateful for your trust, I'm no hero - just a guy that lived with obesity for a very long time and finally decided to do something about it. I have done, and continue to do, a fair amount of research. Mostly motivated by my belief that bariatric surgery is a life-changing, and in some cases a life-saving procedure. Many folks don't have the time to do the research themselves but still need honest and objective answers to their questions. I enjoy sharing my experience and the things that I have learned along the way from researching my own questions as well as others that come up on the forum. I'm certainly not unique. There are many very knowledgeable folks on this forum. We're all fortunate to have such an amazing resource!!

Hi Melissa, My fills have never been done in the hospital... always in my Doc's office. I think if the fills are approached slowly there is little reason to do them under flouro. Private pay cost for a fill with my surgeon runs 200.00. The bariatric surgeons here where I live charge 75.00 per fill and they also include 1 years worth of fills with the surgery. I don't think there should have been 2 charges in regards to the radiology. How experienced is your surgeon in regards to placing and caring for the Lap Band? Don't fret yet about not feeling the restriction... it is not unsual for the fill to "kick in" a few weeks down the road. All in all... I still think that banding is the best option for bariatric surgery... once you have restriction you will have the help you need for controlling food intake. Don't be afraid to express your concerns to your surgeon... and perhaps even ask why they feel it is necessary to do the fills in the hospital with radiology assist. Darcy

Sara, first off every thing is going to be ok. Yes it is true that it is best to wait at least a year, preferably 2 after being sleeved to conceive, but you can't change that now. This is going to be a bit trickier than a traditional pregnancy, but you will be just fine, and so will your baby. As was pointed out earlier you will need to keep your Obstatrition, Bariatric, and PCP in a close loop. I highly advise including your NUT in that loop. Everybody needs to be on the same page. I highly recommend seeing a naturalist too, someone that has a lot of experience in cramming tons of nutrients into minimal foods & supplements. I'm sure you are going to be taking some awfull tasting stuff (like blackstrap molasses), but you gotta do what you gotta do now. I promise you are not the first one this has happened to & you won't be the last. I'd also recommend journaling this experience so that once it is over you'll have it documented when the next person comes along & they're scared about what's to come.

I'm so conflicted about this. Sleeve or Bypass. I'm so glad Dr. Illan from Bariatric Team Mexico is calling me when I get home from visiting family back home. I was certain about the sleeve but also have had Gerd for years. I also have Barrett's esophagus from reflux I've had for years. I've been wondering what to do. If I can get the reflux finally solved. Have been on Prevacid and Pantoprazole for 30 years. I'm scared of the bypass because of side effects? Is it always hard to drink or eat from the bypass? I'm so grateful for this forum.

I changed jobs and my new (crappy) insurance doesn't cover anything bariatric- and on top of that, my doc decided to stop practicing. I found a new doc, and for self-pay patients he has you pay $500 flat for a whole year of fills under fleuroscopy. You might shop around for something like that- and you could pay that out of an HSA or flex spend account. I went in to see him, and one fleuroscopy later he discovered I had a hiatal hernia, which I had surgery for about a month ago. Previous doc didn't use fleuro. If you go with the lower priced insurance, maybe you can use some $ for HSA or flex spend for out of pocket expenses. Good luck! Nicki

Good point. I said that in jest. In my opinion, food is probably ok as long as it's only because the guest speaker of the night is a bariatric chef, as @jenn1mentioned. Everyone should be responsible enough to either try a sample, take one home, or not take one. I'd have a problem with it if the group is always serving ou d'oeuvres or asks someone to bring "snacks to share" every evening. Yikes!

I'll tell you the truth: yes, you could certainly lose the weight without surgery. For many of us, losing it wasn't the problem. In fact, I've revealed previously that I've lost 200+ pounds over the years prior to resorting to bariatric surgery. Yep...I'd lose 30, regain 50, lose 50, regain 60, lose 60, regain 100, then rinse and repeat the miserable yo-yo process. Keeping the weight off is the problematic issue here. Personally, bariatric surgery has been my last hope for keeping the weight off. So far, since entering maintenance a year ago, my weight has been the most stable it's been in my entire adult life. A clever physician who specializes in obesity medicine stated, "If you disliked what you did to lose the weight, you'll dislike what you've gotta do to maintain the weight. Therefore, you'll regain the weight." The pre-op diet is good for short-term weight loss, but it ain't sustainable in the long run. If we are true to ourselves, we'd know deep down that we really wouldn't adhere to two shakes a day and a 'sensible' protein dinner for the rest of our lives. Good luck to you.

Not sure is this is a dead thread or not but wanted to say Hi. I'm a 32 yr old mama of 4. My boys are 10, 6 & 4 and my last little one is my 2 yr old baby girl. I live over in Greenville about an hour east of Dallas and I will be seeing Dr Stephens at Tx Bariatrics. Sent from my Z970 using the BariatricPal App

There are several bariatric surgeons in the Omaha and Lincoln area that may be able to accomodate you. Otherwise you might have to go to Kansas City to get your fills. Hope this helps. Mona

My preop appointment was 2 days before my surgery. Part of the preop was done at the doctor's office with the bariatric nurse & then I was sent over to the hospital for registration & bloodwork. I am a total planner, and I remember feeling anxious about getting everything scheduled, too. Try not to stress too much....I'm sure it will all work out just fine. Good luck to you!

Your insurance policy is what you need to focus on. If you don't meet their requirements, then ...you don't meet their requirements. A doctor's office can only do so much, in terms of "creating" comorbidity. Joint pain and psychological effects of obesity are not among those covered by my insurance. The place to focus your attention is your HR department. They have the ability to request changes in the policies they offer employees. You may have to wait until they are next negotiating contracts to get approved--but between now and then, you can make a lot of noise so that they DO make this request. Fact is, with a BMI of 47, comorbidity will ultimately cost your employer health dollars. You can make a strong argument for them to change their requirements. (It's their decision; they chose the coverage based on $$--they thought it would be cheaper to restrict bariatric surgery; you need to convince them that in the long run, it's not.) Failing that, is there another health plan they offer? We have the choice of a handful---and have a window, each year, during which we can switch. If so, read ALL the policies to find which is most favorable to you, in terms of approval for the surgery you want.

I wonder about the fact that we have our follow up care for bands done with our surgeons and not some other type of specialist. It does seem like it would be better to use a doctor that specializes in aftercare, not surgery. Anyway, his "bedside" manner leaves a lot to be desired, but believe me, I researched very carefully before deciding to use him, and his record is very good. And it is a center of excellence. He does only bariatric and does several each day he operates (four on the day he did mine), and he's been doing this for more than five years. I'm not filled to tight--until my fill last week, I had virtually no restriction at all from my band, and now I have moderate restriction. So, the doctor is good and his results have been excellent for most people, and perhaps they are good for me, too. I think that perhaps I am just extremely sensitive to the band, that my body is not "rejecting" it but is not exactly accepting it happily, either. I don't think that there is anything really "wrong", per se, as this is not acute pain, but more chronic, low level pain/discomfort. And I would guess that there is a bell curve here of levels of comfort, with some people on the happy end, never having any problems (yeah, I've seen them on this board!) most people somewhere in the middle, and then a few of us on the other end of the curve, with chronic discomfort and pains from the band. I think that's where I am. To me, here's what it feels like: I feel like someone opened me up and wrapped a tight rubber band around the top part of my stomach, and attached that band with stitches to my stomach. And that when I move around, that band kind of digs in and hurts, and when I eat, it restricts me and hurts, and when I lie on my side, my stomach flops over on top of the band a bit and gets dug into by the band, and when I...hey, wait a minute, this IS exactly what's happening... But then, I guess I am still worried, especially when I read posts like the ones above, that there might be something more. I do NOT want to damage myself, no matter what!

My moment came when my doctor told me that my cholesterol was 347 and my blood pressure was 180/100. I had been on weight watchers for several months at the time and I was sure that they had gotten my blood mixed up with someone else. I insisted that she re-run the blood test before I could accept the truth. My father died at age 60 from complications after a stroke, and apparently I was on the same track. I realized that I had to do something drastic to gain control of my ever increasing girth. My daughter had been banded just about a month prior, and I began to consider this for myself. I began researching and learning all that I could about the band. My insurance excluded bariatric surgery entirely, but I was determined to get this surgery even if I had to pay for everything myself. I am thankful that I found an excellent surgeon, and it was affordable to me. Now my cholesterol is 195 and blood pressure is 145/75. I'm only half way to my weight loss goal, but I have attained a healthier state. Love my band!

Great Question! My moment was being told by my doctor that I had insulin resistance and that I needed to watch my diet, lose weight, and exercise or I would soon have diabetes. Suddenly at age 49 I realized that I was all out of tomorrows. As in I'll go on a diet tomorrow. From that moment it had to be TODAY or I would end up with a serious chronic illness. I gave myself 6 months to lose weight and get with the program and told myself that if I wasn't able to do so, I would have surgery. I gave it my best try. I lost weight, I exercised, and all symptoms of insulin resistance went away. But just as with so many times in the past, I found I couldn't maintain my new way of living permanently. So here I am. With normal blood sugars. And a renewed spirit. Nancy

I had Bariatric Advantage banana w light strawberry yogurt for Breakfast, Water then potato's I couldn't eat. Water. chocolate for dinner. Then more lovely water. There's 27 grams in a serving. Working third right now so water water. Hoping uping fluids will help Sent from my 5054N using the BariatricPal App

Hello, I had lap band surgery in 2005. I have lost 30 lbs. I need to lose 90 more. I had a lot of problems with reflux and had to be unfilled. I also was with a practice that kind of let me down because they have never called me or followed up with me since my unfill 9 years ago. I'm establishing now with a new group in Central Maine. I am seeing the dietitian and getting a fill on Thursday. I am very hopeful that with proper follow up and better compliance on my part, I'll be successful this time around. Can anyone tell me how to like a post on here? Thanx

I received mine at my last preop class..there bariatric card..Iv never used mine..we either split or I get a to go box and eat later..

LOL- I guess Ive been Googling the wrong words, here's a new one.... https://www.bariatriceating.com/2017/03/bee-keto-bariatric-plan/

Hello. It's been a long time since I came on this site or posted. I am scared to death to write this post, as I already know what many of you will say and I also know most of the answers. I'm so scared of all of you because everyone has success stories and I am a complete, dire failure. I had my revision from band to GB last June. I have a lot of emotional problems that are being treated with many medications and weekly therapy. My really good therapist has little experience in WLS or food addiction. We've tried to communicate my issues, but seriously, each time I go in there is a new legitimate crisis that must be addressed first. She speaks about using EMDR to combat my complete refusal to follow my WLS program. But that has yet to be done. I'm completely and profoundly ashamed of myself and it has made me ditch the whole GB life that I was absolutely excited about in the beginning. You're all such a success, even the ones who struggle are doing laps around me. Please don't beat me up for being such a failure, I do that every day. My highest weight was 372. I put myself on a diet before even applying for WLS and lost 35 pounds. I had the bypass in June a week before my Father died of cancer. I tried so hard. After surgery I lost 35 more pounds, leaving me at 300. And in the deepest shame, I must admit that I only lost 8 pounds since my WLS a year ago. I have never gained, just maintained. At first, I was totally committed, then more crises occurred and I slowly let go of the rules. I know, it's awful. I began to eat a little larger meals at dinner and did not eat all day. It's like torture pushing food into my mouth in the morning. I made egg muffins, did them for a while but gave up. I had a hard time eating at all. Food did not appeal to me. I was doing my Protein and Vitamins religiously, oddly still am. My bloodwork was perfect. If you knew me and my life experiences, you would wonder why I didn't kill myself. But I am. I let go. My stomach never rejected extra food or made me sick. I had hoped I would dump on sugar or something, but that never happened. I began to eat a little sugar and that escalated to more and more. My stomach must be very large as it holds a standard adult meal. I always held in more food than those of you here on the forum. It was suggested that I eat three meals a day and two or three Snacks. I also drink a lot, even pop. By all accounts I should have blown up by now. I did damage and did not care. I don't really care what I eat. You know the destructive thinking of not caring even though you know it is only killing you. I'm super messed up. I'm a very honest person to others but not to myself. Yes, I hate myself, sometimes. I don't even care (or so I force myself to believe) if I ever lose weight. But honestly, I wish I could get it straight in my head that that is the path I chose with such enthusiasm. I was diagnosed with severe asthma and put on supplemental oxygen, in and out of the house. Yes, I felt sorry for myself. I have two replaced knees that prevent me from walking well or far. I had to use a walker to get around and do my job. It sucked. But, having lost the weight I did, I was taken off the oxygen, and with a lot of work, began to walk on my own, though not well. I want to go to PT so bad. I lost my job a long time ago (which has taken a mean toll on me) I was denied unemployment, took them to court and am awaiting the judge's decision. If I am denied again, I will request yet another hearing. My husband has been taking care of us on a $9.00 dollar an hour job. The past few months we have been surviving on all the cheapest food, which does not offer much nutrition at all. We are so poor, we sold everything we owned on craigslist for pennies. My husband cooks all our meals, but doesn't really support a WLS diet. I hate to say that he doesn't support my necessary diet. Not cruelly, but just not "think" of it. Especially since I'll eat anything. I can't stand long enough to cook. I tried to sit on a bench to cook, but my legs ended up hurting more. I do the housework I can, and try to walk the supermarket when I can. Good, healthy food is more expensive than we could afford. I'm still managing to get all the protein I can. But financially, we are screwed. Back to my failure to desire to get back on my diet...I want to care, but my mental health has deteriorated so much I can't. Even my psychiatrist feels for me but I've been on most of the meds that there are no more options. He is worried, as am I. I've looked for groups in my area, found and tried a few, but people don't get bariatric surgery. I was in groups of anorexics, etc. I just don't fit. Like I don't fit here, but I'm reluctantly reaching out. I have a dual diagnosis of severe mental illness and obesity. Its hard to fit in when the two are inter connected and I don't understand how to manage the two. But no weight loss after an entire year is an emergency in my opinion. I'm so hard on myself. I drink so much Water that I float, take in enough supplemental protein and take my prescribed vitamins. I just can't seem to get in a regimen again. I can't even believe I'm sharing this deeply personal and shameful post to you. Keep in mind my dual diagnosis, it is very, very hard for me to care about myself. Even with therapy. I don't regret the surgery at all, as I'm hoping with all my heart that I will make this happen. I'm a survivor. But coasting on no weight loss or gain is not good enough. I did not have this surgery to only fail. But I did. Please don't berate me. I'd just like to see how you successful people would respond to such a post. And, no, there is no easy answer. I need help.