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My NUT and surgeon say to stay away from it. The purpose of Ensure is NOT for bariatric patients.

@Elode Do you want to have cosmetic procedures done? If you are within 15% of the lowest weight you might want to be, you can have cosmetic procedures done now. I was 157 when I had my consult for my first set of surgeries (tummy tuck and boobs) and 153 the day of surgery. My two other procedures were done when I was around 147 and 137 and they also look just fine now that I'm about 20-23 pounds thinner than when I started the procedures. I don't think I would have any better results waiting and I think I actually would not have hit goal if all the extra skin hadn't been removed. I can run so much faster now, lol. Also, not pulling away skin is really motivating to stay thin. I read a study that people who had plastics after bariatric surgery were more likely to maintain at their goal than those who didn't, which was another contributing factor for me. I know this is shallow, but I wake up everyday, weigh myself, and check my naked self out in the mirror. My boobs and stomach are my favorite procedure and everyday I love how they look. So...you're pretty small now according to your profile, you could totally go get your plastic consults out of the way and be ready in 6 weeks or so to have the procedures done without having to really lose much more first.

A nutritionist told me to take high quality vitamins. I thought I could use CVS chewable but she said they are worthless. I use Bariatric Advantage now. For me in the beginning I was using soy protein and it was causing more gas, so my Dr. had me switch to whey and I was able to digest that more easily. Water and walking are key for me. The healing process takes time so try and be patience with your body's needs.

Hi I'm Jaclyn and I'm 18 years old. November 2005 my mom went to Utah to get banded. After a year and 50 lbs of weightloss I was given permission to be banded. I was 16 when I got banded Sep 21, 2006 at 236.4 lbs by Dr. McKeen with South Bay Bariatrics in Los Gatos, CA. By my 17th birthday in May I was 139 lbs with a total weight loss of 97 lbs. In September 2007 I was rebanded when my band slipped and I hadn't eaten or drank anything for 7 days. By that time I was anorexic and belemic and would have starved to death if I didn't go in. Since then I've controlled my band and am at a solid 160 lbs and no where near slipping. I've experienced the worst case scenario and and glad b/c it made me aware of the consequences. I'm going on 3 years and I'm happy and healthy =] Feel free to ask me anything, I've been through it all and am happy to answer any questions

Thanks Renewed!! I have been following the other thread and you ladies are amazing!! You have really inspired me!! Fantastic time on your run!!!!!!!!! I bought a treadmill on the rent to own program and it gets delivered tomorrow!!! Now I don't have to wait or drag myself out on a cold rainy night, or wait in line to use the treadmill and have people keeping track of my time on it...I am a happy camper! The 3 minute runs are getting a little easier. I did it again last night and it was day 4 of week 3. I think I will do it another 2 times and then move on to week 4. I still haven't figured out what the best thing to eat is before a run. I usually have supper and then run 1-2 hours later. I eat mostly fish and veg or chicken and veg including sweet potato. Can you suggest what is best to eat prior to a program... Thanks and keep up the amazing work!!!! :girl_hug: Barb

I would think a renewed outlook for a healthy lifestyle would outweigh vanity. I have two boys and I would love to be able to keep up with them. They are my world and when I get sick from obesity related things, they worry. I feel sorry for them because they shouldn't have to be so concerned for me.

I had my surgery done in a Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence. There are many scattered throughout the country. The advantage was that they specialized in this type of surgery and had a complete complement of staff to support the surgery. My surgeon only performed this type of surgery. The nutricianist were specialized for weight loss surgery. The entire range of pre-op testing was done in that hospital. They provided courses. They had staff to work the insurance problems. They chartered and managed the various Bariatric Surgery Support Group Meeting scattered throughout the state. It was like a full meal deal (pardon the pun).

Hi. I'm here in Fredericksburg, VA. I started my journey to a VSG in September 2010 at Washington Hospital in DC. My surgeon is Dr. Timothy Shope. I found Dr. Shope through my insurance company, he was the only bariatric surgeon in the area they would cover. The Bariatric Surgery Center at the hospital is great. There were several requirements to meet (nutrionist visits (3-6), psych eval, excercise physiologist meeting, support group attendance, and a web tutorial). The staff is truly invested in your progress. The only down side for me is the commute to DC for doctor's visits but it's worth it to have a good doctor. I am super excited and a little nervous about my surgery which is scheduled for Jan 26, 2011.

I have no idea why I had no hair lloss. I asked my doctor about it since I read on here that so many have it, and he said he didn't realize that would happen, that he never heard of any of his patients saying anything about hair loss and he didn't know what would cause it. Other than anesthetic causes it sometimes, but he said that usually happens right away. I have always taken the Bariatric Advantage chewable iron and multi vitamins. I drink almost a gallon of water a day. Never had any complications of any kind.

Lovinglife, Congrats on the new baby and the new journey. So it sounds like February for sure. What's your current weight goal weight etc. do you have to do a liquid diet before surgery. I am currently on a low carb (under 20 a day) until a week before. Then I am on shakes for 1 week and clear liquids the day prior to surgery. As the days click by it is really feeling real. Excitement, scared, nervous, all in one. Trying to get every room In my house spotless since I will be out of commission for a few weeks. Only taking 9 days off from work and have planned it around the two holidays so I don't miss too much time. Then I am only working 3-4 days a week for three months. Good thing I have lots of vacation time! Well let me know how you are doing what you are doing..... I found a shake i like- Bariatric Advantage just in case you are lookin

Hi all!! Just wanted to let you know that I've created a group just for us girls!! Any surgery and any stage in the process. Just a fun group! Group is called Bariatric Girls 4 Girls United. Some people find it by searching and then some can't find it!! Freakin' FB!!! If you can't find it just FB msg me and I'll add you!!! In real life I am Ann Wroth (well most days!!). So glad to be back!!!! ???? Ann

I had my surgery on June 1st, 2018 by Dr. Monk in York, Pa. I've experienced nothing but good from Dr. Monk and his team. I chose this surgeon because he has an amazing sense of humor, a stellar track record, and he preformed my grandmother's bypass years ago. I know I definitely made the right decision. If you are looking for a surgeon in south/central PA, I highly recommend Dr. Monk and his team at Wellspan Bariatric Surgery in York.

Skinny, Fully insured does not mean the sky's the limit. There's a basic policy available and then there are riders the employer can add to the policy. Each rider has a cost associated to it and is added to the monthly premium the employee pays. Riders include: Bariatrics, DME(durable med equipment), cosmetic surgery, dental, eye care, infertility, self inflicted injuries and so on. Each employer designs a plan that is affordable and fits the patient population of the existing employees. Your "Fully insured plan" must have had the coverage you needed but it's still up to each employer to purchase the coverage it feels will fit their needs. No argument on UHS being the evil, amoral company you describe.

kamicola, thanks for all the info, you sound like you know what you're talking about. I was originally sent to an endocrinologist when my gen practitioner thought I had pcos and also was found to have high blood sugar at that time but she said my thyroid was "normal" and put me on metformin and said "don't think that you're going to lose weight on this drug". I was like well I didn't but okay???? She had a really bad bedside manner and I had this feeling she hated fat people, I don't remember why I got this impression because it was a few years ago but I remember the feeling. Anyway I ended up losing about 20 pounds after that because I went on a diet drug that I don't remember anymore. Went back to her and she didn't change anything but they did take a blood test every time I went in and that was a big twice! My gen pract. had then written the Rxs for metformin. Then, probably about 5 years later I decided to have lap band surgery and my surgeon was pretty thorough and he sent me through all sorts of testing. It was the blood test that I had done through them that caught the thyroid issue. I've heard there's a thyroid test that is very expensive and many don't have that test done, maybe that's what the one that caught the problem. I did a follow up with their endocrinologist and she's the one that put me on synthroid and I told her how I had been on metformin but my gen pract. took me off and didn't renew my prescription because I had lap band surgery (still hadn't gained it back yet) and she's the one that thought that was weird and I also told her how I never tested my blood sugar because no one told me to or how and was never given a kit. Anyway she whips one out and shows me how to use it and tested it right there so now I have one. Unfortunately she never wanted me to follow up with her but did order some tests so I made an appointment anyway. Probably because I went there for pre-op to lap band and she possibly thought I'd see another endo or something, I have no idea but my script from her for synthroid runs out in a couple months so I'll have to find another doctor because she moved to another office much further than I want to travel. Sorry for making this so long and I hope I'm making sense and not just rambling. OKay, I had surgery the end of last August and have put back all the weight I had previously lost on Medifast prior to surgery. I don't know why I totally screwed this up but you've said and so have others that I need to see the endocrinologist. I understand that I should take this into my own hands and find a new one, which by the way, there aren't that many endos here for some reason, but do you think this could be related to my weight gain? I can get on the scale one day and be five pounds heavier, it's awful. I tested my blood sugar yesterday and fasting was 125 but I kept it down most of the day with just one spike in the 250s and that was 2 hours after lunch which was mostly Protein. I don't drink any sugar drinks and rarely alcohol. Anyway hate to lay this all on you but you seemed to know a lot about this and God knows when I'll get an appt. with a new endo. Thanks for listening, brandyII.:regular_smile:

Do you have a required psych evaluation? Many people do. I don't know what the requirements might be with someone 5 years into substance recovery....but I know that crossover addictions are a huge concern with bariatric surgery. If you have not talked about this issue with your doc, it would be a really good idea to broach the topic. Also to ask if your healing stomach will be able to handle methadone, or if your blood serum concentration would have to be carefully monitored to adjust dose....I suspect it would be. Best wishes.

I was actually wondering about this too. I LOVE LOVE spicy food. The hotter the better, but I'll always have something to drink, or bread, by me for those times that its just too hot. I wonder what I'll do in those situations...? I received a newsletter from the Bariatric group where one person suggested "cutting a thin slice of apple and putting it on your tongue" so you aren't so tempted to drink after your meal. I've been trying not to drink while eating and waiting the 30 minutes after, but man, that's tough! I guess its better to try to break those habits now, before the band than after.

I was hardly shouting out negative remarks, just making an observation and trying to offer helpful suggestions. That you chose to take it negatively is a reflection of your interpretation, not of my writing. Different doctors have different food protocols, but yours seemed very different from virtually all those that I have read on several bariatric center websites and forums. Most of the food plans seem to emphasize Protein from the beginning (protein is what helps your body rebuild tissue and strength, especially after surgery) and shun carbs like bread, Pasta, Cookies, pretzels--foods that helped many of us put on the pounds in the first place. That's why I suggested you check your food plan--it seemed unusual and I thought that perhaps like some people you weren't following a plan. In any case, congratulations on your success to date and best wishes for the future.

Geeze I had to say something because I've passed this several times an every time I saw it my heart panicked. I kept reading thinking it said Oldham county. Scary thought! OP, where in KY are you? I know Louisville has quite a few Bariatric programs and there are some in IN that may be worth the drive.

What the issuance rep tells you is not always accurate. I UHC called when I started my journey and the rep told me that there was absolutely nothing they covered associated with WLS. Turns out the info for bariatric survey was given through Optum, not just from the UHC reps. I didn't learn this until I talked with a WLS center and they called the insurance company to verify, and sure enough they cover it.

A BRIEF HISTORY... SIMILAR TO MOST ... I AM NOW 57, AND YO YO DIETED ALL OF MY ADULT LIFE....(LOWEST 125!!) AFTER GIVING BIRTH - AGE 30- I FOUND MYSELF WEIGHING IN AT 235... MY HIGHEST!! I AM NOW 230. LIKE MOST OF US, I HAVE STRUGGLED WITH MY DIET, TRYING EVERY SINGLE FAD, EVERY SINGLE DIET TO NO EVAIL. I AM AT AN AGE NOW THAT I JUST CANT DO IT ANY MORE. MY METABOLISM HAS SLOWED AND NOW IT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP WEIGHT OFF OR EVEN GET IT OFF. MY KNEES, HIPS, ACHE, I HAVE PLANTAR FACIATIS IN BOTH HEELS, HIGH CHOLESTEROL, ETC..JUST TO NAME A FEW. I STARTED THIS FINAL JOURNEY SEVERAL YEARS AGO WHEN I HAD A FRIEND WHO HAD A GASTRIC BYPASS..SO I STARTED TO WATCH ON THE INTERNET FOR OPTIONS TO A PERMANENT SOLUTION TO MY DIETING INSANITY! FINALLY LAST YEAR I WAS ON LINE SPEAKING TO A SURGEON IN MICHIGAN WHO HAD SUGGESTED FOR ME TO LOOK INTO PLICATION. THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I DID. I FOUND A SURGEON NEAR MY WINTER HOME IN JACKSONVILLE FLORIDA. I WENT TO HIS SEMINAR..LIKED WHAT I HEARD. FROM THERE I MADE THE DECISION TO FOLLOW THRU. I CONTACTED MY INSURANCE, WHICH OF COURSE DENIED IT BECAUSE IT WAS STILL EXPERIMENTAL! I KNEW THEN I WOULD BE A SELF-PAY.....SO I ACCEPTED THAT AND FOLLOWED THRU WITH ALL MY REQUIREMENTS OF SEEING A DIETICIAN, AND A PSYCHOLOGIST AND GETTING A PHYSICAL WITH MY INTERNIST....GETTING THROUGH TO THIS DOCTOR WAS LIKE CALLING THE PRESIDENT OF THE USA!! ANY QUESTIONS I HAD HAD TO GO THRU A MESSAGE SERVICE THEN I HAD TO WAIT FOR DAYS FOR THEM TO CALL ME BACK! I DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH THE WHOLE PROCESS. SO BACK TO THE INTERNET I WENT...I KEPT SEEING Dr. Ortiz NAME, AND HIS OCC CLINIC OVER AND OVER AGAIN....I STUDIED HIS VIDEOS , READ TESTIMONIALS AND FOUND HE HAD DONE SO MANY BARIATRIC SURGERIES INCLUDING THE PLICATIONS THAT IT WAS A NO BRAINER! SO I MADE THE PHONE CALL TO CAROLYN WILLIAMSON. IT WAS A GREAT CONVERSATION AND I FINALLY FELT LIKE I HAD MADE THE RIGHT DECISION....... FOR ME! THE REST IS HISTORY.... MY PLICATION DATE IS SET FOR APRIL 17TH, I WILL MEET MY SISTER THERE (SHE IS HAVING SOME COSMETIC SURGERY AT THE ARIEL CENTER - WHICH I MAY HAVE SOME PLASMA INJECTIONS IN SOME FACIAL LINES TOO)!! WE WILL STAY AT THE MARIOTT UNTIL THE 20TH THEN GO ON A VACATION FOR ANOTHER WEEK! I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS JOURNEY AND PRAYING IT WILL BE MY LAST DIET ENDEAVOR!! I STARTED MY 2 WEEK DIET YESTERDAY, AND AM NOW 227.....SO I AM ON MY WAY. I WILL KEEP UPDATING AS I GO....SO TALK TO YOU SOON!! PS HAVE ANY ONE OF YOU NOTICED HOW PEOPLE TREAT YOU WHEN YOU ARE HEAVY? I THINK THEY LOOK DOWN ON YOU...BUT JUST MAYBE IT IS BECAUSE IT IS THE VIBE IM GIVING OFF BECAUSE I DON'T FEEL GOOD ABOUT MYSELF WHEN IM FAT? NOT SURE, BUT AFTER ALL OF THESE YEARS, IT IS DEFINATELY A FACT! BUT I WILL REMEMBER THESE PEOPLE AND MAKE SURE WHEN I AM MORE SLENDER AND HEALTHIER TO EMBRACE MY REAL FRIENDS WHOM I LOVE. :) :)

I work as a nurse and my typical patient is usually elderly, a new post op patient, a recent moderate to severe stroke victim, a bariatric patient who had a bad outcome, an accident victim, and/or a person who has been debilitated for a long period of time. The typical patient is a one person hard tranfer or a two person mild transfer. They weight anywhere from 100lbs to 500lbs, with the average being around 200lbs. They need to be tranferred into and out of the bed/wheelchair/bathroom and lifted and repositioned often while in bed, I work three-12 hour night shifts in a row so lots of this. I am hoping to have my sleeve done during a two week planned vacation, and return back to work about 10 days post op. I will be able to avoid a lot of the lifting by saying that I have had stomach surgery, but there is always times when it is hard to do. For anyone out there that is in a job like mine with this type of lifting, what is the amount of time you took off. I want to let my body heal properly, but at the same time I hate to make my co-workers work a lot of extra days to cover my days if I am off, so I would like to be back as soon as possible. Worse case I can tell my boss that I had the surgery and will only work if there are always two other people there with me, sometime there is only me and another worker. I hate to take this road because there are to many things that can go wrong and it is a major hassle to always make sure everyone hasn't forgotten that I need these needs met. Plus I hate feeling like I am whining or not pulling my weigh, I went through a year and a half of many complications with my lap band so everyone knows I have had these type needs in the past, so I really hate to go down that road once again. Any advice would be welcomed.

The bad outcomes from bariatric surgery were mostly from one doctor in the area, who has now moved to another state, and a few from the local doctors who are through the hospital I work at. A few were lap bands that had problems that turned into other problems, but most were from gastric bypass or DS surgeries. The bypass/DS patients were ones that were usually over 400pounds, got put on a vent after surgery and then took a while to come off. Once they did get discharged from ICU they have to come to rehab because now they are weak from post op diet intake, being bedridden, and as a result stay where I am at for weeks. They usually go home with family and home health care, some even go to a nursing home. Being fat and the road to being skinny is a scary thing, but I can't not walk it because I see what happens when you don't. I had an obese 35 year old co-worker who had one large and two smaller strokes last week that were a direct result of bad lifestyle and being obese.

I am about 5 weeks out. I am getting lots of Protein with tilapia fillets. They cook up fast and with blackening seasoning and go down very easy. Another trick is a poached egg over some corned beef hash (well browned). It goes down very easy and tastes like normal food. I got that one from the Bariatric Foodie site. I also found Boston Market meatloaf is very sleeve friendly. All that said. I am still hitting at least one shake a day to get my numbers up. My doctor told me to shoot for 100 grams of protein. I am losing weight pretty quick.

I am a Pinterest Freak! Oh wait, this is not Pinterest Anonymous.... I found the greatest information today. Search Bariatric meals on Pinterest and you will find more recipes than you can shake a stick at! Some look so yummy I might have to try them before I have my surgery.

Today my surgery date was set. September 18, 2012 will be the first day of the rest of my life as they say. I am very thankful for this forum! I am amazed at the mountains of information I have found just i the last two hours. I am a diabetic. ( oral meds) I have sleep apnea. I also have Barretts esophagus. For those who do not know what this is it is a pre cancerous state of the esophagus from prolonged acid reflux. My triglycerides are 563. I have about 65 to 80lbs to lose. My endo doc and my gastro doctor have told me its imparative that I lose weight. Its been very very frustrating. I have tried many diets to no avail. I have a concern I am going to throw out here to all of you. I am VERY afraid that I may sabatage my own success. Not sure if this makes sense to anyone out there but I have always cared and done for everyone else in my life.. ie my husband parents and children and friends. I have always put others before myself. It's very difficult for me to ask for help or to be center stage so to speak. Tonight my husband and I talked and I was so very suprised at how supportive he was and intends to be. Our insurance has a Bariatric exclusion so we are paying cash for this procedure. I told him I feel guilty that I have not been able to lose this weight on my own in the last two years. I cried and he told me he loved me and he wants me around for another 25 or more years and Im worth any amount of money that it takes to help keep me here. He made me feel so much better but I asked him not to tell everyone because I really can not handle people negative opinions. Is that the wrong type of attitude to go into this with? Should I be standing up and telling everyone? Anyway this newbie thanks those of you that have shared their experiances. I will be watching and learning! Thanks for taking the time to read my some what neurotic post!