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I have found that a lot of the "bariatric" products are overpriced and come in small amounts like a month at a time. I just get the feeling they are trying to cash out on us. Centrum has an orange flavor chewable that has daily amount of Iron needed which can save you from having to take iron individually. There are roughly 90 for $10 and since I'm taking them 2 times a day that's enough for 45 days of course. Not a bad deal.

First, I would make sure you get that in writing -- check your Member Benefit Guide and/or Plan Document. You would be surprised how much faulty information insurance reps give out. If it really isn't covered, do you have access to other insurance that might cover it? For example, if you work, does your employment offer health insurance that covers bariatric surgery? If so, it might be worth your while to switch to that plan during your next open enrollment. You can also explore self-pay options. If you are willing to travel, many people go to Mexico and have excellent experiences and I think options start around $4-5,000. If you aren't willing to go out of the country, there are self-pay options in the US starting around $12K I think. There is a whole sub-forum here for Mexico and Self-Pay options where you can probably get more info. Good luck!

I know the guy at GNC tried to talk me out of buying Quest bars there and said you can google a lot of recipes using Protein powder. I just did a quick search for recipe Protein Powder bar and found a lot of websites. You'll definitely have to look at the recipes and make sure they are bariatric friendly and not just packed with protein (low fat, low sugars, etc.) Here's one I found that point to a lot of other sites. http://bembu.com/homemade-protein-bars

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.

amf1025, Well, he had the lap band for 13 years. He did lose 100#. But his starting weight at the time was 515#s. The Surgeon said he wasn't strong enough for the RNY. Which wasn't true because at the time he was still driving log truck and long haul trucking. He was 50yo. So after the surgery, they kept having problems putting in the fill and finally ruptured the port. Back into a day surgery got that fixed. So in 2013 it malfunctioned and he couldn't hold anything down. The VA suggested that he see a Bariatric Surgeon which we did. they said he needed to have the band removed. And they would do the revision at that time to an RNY. When they got in there the band had eroded into his liver. They couldn't do the revision but removed his band and gallbladder (due to him having stones) they told him that in 3 months when he was healed they would do the RNY. He ended up getting abscesses and was deathly sick for 9 months and 3 months he doesn't even remember. So now he is healed up so we go back to the Surgeon, he tell us he won't do the WLS because he said, he was a "PROBLEM CHILD". But he did refer him to another surgeon in Portland Oregon. Now they would do his surgery when he lost 25#'s and got his A1C (he is diabetic) down to a 7 or 8. Which if he lost weight his blood sugars would go high and if his blood sugars were down he gained weight. He just couldn't get it done. So then we get the news that he has Cancer on his kidney. Which the VA didn't tell us for 3 years. Now he has to lose 150#'s before they can do anything about the kidney cancer. So then we get the money up and off to Mexico we went. On June 3, 2013 he has surgery and is supposed to get the RNY. When they got in there they found that his whole right side is solid scar tissue. They can't do the RNY so he gets the Sleeve. So here we are now he has lost 60#'s but just can't seem to get any more off. This could have all been avoided if the first surgeon would have done the RNY. When he was strong enough to go thru it. They gave him 4 years if they can't do anything about the Cancer. Maybe 2 good years but the last 2 would be HELL!!! It has been a year already. Now I just found the KETO diet so I'm going to try it. We are both going to do it. You can do it to lose or to maintain. I feel like if I can do it wth him it might make it a little easier on him. I feel almost desperate like time is running out for us. So this is how the Lap-Band has been for him. Plus we have heard that most Dr.'s don't do them hardly, but the do many revisions. Please think hard before making your mind up on which way to go. Good luck!!

Also surgeons talk to us like we wont understand if they go into detail. When they learn that you too are a professional in the medical field, they they are more candid in conversation. They dont tell you everything because people tend to panic with too much info. Dumping syndrome is the reason they want us on low sugar everything. Also many bariatric patients are diabetics too and are very prone to dumping syndrome even before surgery. Every case of diarrhea is not dumping syndrome of course but post gastrectomy patients are at higher risk for it.

When I was a little girl, my grandmother had a "tattletale" cookie jar. It was what Grandmama called a "German Hausfrau" - the part that held the cookies was her full skirt of dotted swiss and the top was her head and torso. She was a plump lady(the cookie jar - not Gran) with a kerchief over her curly hair; rosy cheeks and her mouth was an open "O". One arm was raised and held a rolling pin the other hand was raised with one finger caught mid-wag as in "naughty - naughty". When you lifted her torso to get a cookie, a voice box in the torso would cry out "Mama! Mama!". That cookie jar came to mind the other day when reading some of the comments other bandsters post. If you're a doctor, nurse or other bariatric professional, please say so. If not, if you're just like me - banded and providing your anecdotal account of what you're going through, please - for the sake of your readers - drop the preachy, holier than thou, dogmatic, goody-2-toes, "I always do just what my doctor, nurse etc say to do delivery of your message. Reading it can be a real burn-out:w00t:!

Hi everyone. I'm glad to have found this forum. I'm in the very beginnings of my LB journey, so y'all will have to bear with me. I've just had my insurance confirmed, but must go through the 6 months of weight counseling, plus psych testing. My first counseling appointment is Nov 1 because of a pre-existing clause, so that means I won't have the surgery until May 2012. The only thing I am nervous about is if my insurance policy changes to exempt bariatric surgery on Jan 1st. I have CIGNA insurance through my employer. Currently I am 50 years old and have a bmi of 48.1. I am using Texas Gastric Banding (Dr Wilkenfeld), with the surgery at True Results in Houston. I'm for sure going the lap band route, but considering also an imbrication. The decision will be made as time goes by. I'm not interested in rushing anything because I'm looking to change old eating habits I've had for a lifetime. The LB is for assistance and encouragement. I can't do this by myself. My goals are to get healthy, reduce the aches and pains in my joints, and to finally be able to shop in the normal size clothing section! I want to run/walk a 10k by the fall of 2013. I am here to see your experiences and share mine. I've already added to my list of questions that I need to ask my doc. I'm thinking of blogging my journey for an emotional outlet. I live by myself, divorced in 2006, adult kids grown and out of the house. As a matter of fact, I moved 2000 miles from them last year to be closer to my parents and sisters. I'm hoping to convince my sister to join me and make her own journey to health. I'm so excited!

I agree with Mikeyy. This is a big deal having bariatric surgery and you should be 100% confident in your surgeon. Sent from my SM-N960U using BariatricPal mobile app

Just protiens very few carbs. Protien Shakes with less than 6 carbs, scrambled eggs or eggwhites, yogurt with more protien than carbs, ricotta cheese, string cheese and cottage cheese. No oatmeal unless it's the specially formulated bariatric kind because it has too many carbs. My nutritionist is very big on very low carb. She said our bodies burn our carb tank first and then fat so low carb is important for fat burning.

I received a lap band in 2009 (had complications with it and had to have it removed in 2010) and now getting a sleeve on the same date, July 9. I can tell you from experience, the pain is minimal. If you do experience discomfort, you will be given pain meds to minimize it. Gas pain is probably the biggest cause of discomfort from this type of procedure, although not as common as in years past. If you experience this type of discomfort (pain in your chest, shoulders, back, etc), walk as much as possible. This helps to disperse the gas. I can tell you that this surgery is a very safe, not only as a patient, but as a medical professional. I am a Surgical Technologist and can attest that this procedure is extremely common and safe. There a many abdominal procedures that use a laparoscopic approach and patients tolerate it well. Your experience will most likely be a good one. When you return home, you will have a new life to ahead of you. This is my third trip to the operating room (as a bariatric patient) and it's well worth it! I am so grateful to have this second chance. Good luck to you all and God Bless!

I keep it simple. I use the Bariatric Pal multi with iron - 1 per day, along with an extra B-12. That is with breakfast. With yogurt fruit bowl in the evening, I take Calcium citrate and Vit D3. That's it. It's economical and my levels are fine. I think you need to just stick to a routine for at least a few months and then see how your levels are.

I haven't had that issue but taking bariatric advantage's Iron chewable makes me sick. I've even tried just swallowing it, buy after a while it still comes back up Sent from my iPhone using VST

Thank you. Right now I'm just using the BP Bariatric Multi with Iron (first thing in the morning) and a supplemental calcium at dinner and bedtime to hit the recommended 1200 mg of calcium a day. I was just surprised my dietitian disapproved the bariatric vitamin I selected. I've conferred with my physician, too, and he is also satisfied with this vitamin choice. Based on this graphic the vitamin I selected from BP is perfect. Thank you for sharing this. I'm not going to sweat it. Thanks so much,everyone!! I appreciate you taking the time to help me out.

I was just wondering how you were doing! Glad to hear things are good! Thank you. Everything is going really, really well. Surgery has been very successful thus far. I have zero complaints and am pleased with how easy the "diet" is to follow. 2.5 months since surgery and 6 months since enrolling in a bariatric pre-op program. I haven't been taking many pics, sorry if these have been used in other threads. Before: Now: If you are on the fence about having surgery.......don't be. DO IT !!!!!!!!!!!! Get the relief you deserve and do something fun with it. Excellent advice. I really had some serious "discomfort" from that very thing. Glad it passed. I was fearful that I was going to wreck the hernia sutures.

Has anyone experienced knee pain relief from the sleeve surgery. My ortho doctor suggest for me to do WLS first before knee surgery (if necessary). Said it was risky with my weight so he suggested bariatric surgery as he thinks it will help with my weight and knee pain. HELP!!!

I was told 10 years ago I needed replacement and look into bariatric surgery. I did not want a bypass at the time. I regretted not doing this sooner cause I would have been like most people...weight comes off pain goes away. I waited to long.

the bariatric program I use says NO NSAIDS forever, for both sleeve and bypass. but my surgeon told me explicitly that they are fine for me. I also have other health care conditions to manage, and the longer I can get by with occasional Advil, the longer I can avoid stronger harsher medications.

I too have never had dumping and can literally eat anything I want. At first my bariatric team though I had not pushed the boundaries yet but I can assure you I have and although some things like ice cream make my yummy feel heavy and uncomfortable, I don't get sick. Here is the thing, your new stomach controls how much you can fit into it. You control what and how often you put something into it. This is why building good eating habits is critical to your success. Just because I can eat anything I want, does not mean that should. This is simply a tool to help you manage your hunger. You have to get to the point where you truly recognize real hunger and a whole new feeling of full. Full now does not mean stuffed to the point where you are uncomfortable. I used to do that all the time. Full now means satisfied and comfortable. This is exactly why having this surgery is very hard work. You have to manage your food, Water and activity every single minute of the day. If you do that, the rewards are incredible. Better health, massive weight loss and more energy than you can imagine. I consider myself very lucky to be able to eat what I want without getting sick. Good luck to you guys!

I prefer protein powder over ready-to-drink shakes, and powder tends to be less expensive. My favorite brand of protein powder is Ideal Lean, but it is really a matter of personal taste. For ready-to-drink shakes, Equate brand is pretty much the same as Premier Protein but priced much lower. I am almost 2 years out now and I no longer drink protein shakes. I get plenty of protein from food, and I'd rather eat food than drink a protein shake. It is really important to budget for what you'll need post-op, and don't forget about vitamins. The best value in bariatric vitamins is the BariatricPal brand multivitamin, which is $99.99/year for a subscription (I recommend you buy a smaller bottle first and make sure you like them before you subscribe; also, you'll probably need chewables for the first few months after surgery). Depending on your program/bloodwork, you may need additional vitamins (I take calcium, chelated iron, vitamin B-12, vitamin D, and biotin in addition to the multivitamin, and I also use pre-workout and essential amino acid supplements). Vitamins are super important for gastric bypass patients, so you have to make sure you're prepared to buy them before you have the surgery. In the early post-op stages, I was eating so little that the costs balanced out. Now that I'm eating regular food and larger portions, though, I am spending a lot more on food than I was before surgery, even though I'm eating less. I used to shop sales and buy cheap food. Things like chips, crackers, cookies, candy, frozen meals and snacks, baking ingredients (sugar, flour, oil, butter), etc., can be very inexpensive when you buy them on sale. Now, I buy a lot of fresh produce, meat, fish, herbs, and spices, plus some healthier substitutions (sugar-free sweeteners, protein bars, low-calorie salad dressing, sugar-free condiments, olive/avocado oil, coconut flour, etc.) and prioritize health and taste over price. I'm sure I could spend less and still eat healthy if I really needed to, but I have invested so much into this surgery and losing weight that I'm willing to spend more money on food that helps me stick to my plan.

I lost my lap band almost a month ago due to a severe slip. By the time it was removed, my stomach was coal black and the surgeon thought he may have to remove the fundus of my stomach. Luckily, the blood supply began to return and my stomach was saved. I am so horribly miserable now...I am still paying on my band, my last hope as I have tried EVERYTHING! In 3 weeks I have already gained almost 15 pounds and I am ALWAYS hungry. I do not want to have another surgery as I am so scared of ever going through what I went through before and the fact that I do not have the money. Not to mention my family would kill me if I decided on another bariatric surgery. I have lost so much, feel so miserable and alone...I don't know where to turn, what to do, I feel sooooo fat and ugly, helpless and hopeless. This was literally my last hope and now is gone...what do I do now?

Hi Guys, I am about 7 weeks out from gastric bypass surgery and I have some questions regarding how much I should be able to eat. I have been cleared to eat normal food since week 4 and since then I have been sticking to three meals a day of high protein homemade meals like chili, tilapia baked in salsa, an egg baked in lentil stew, or chicken cooked in crushed tomatoes. I had my surgery in Mexico so my aftercare from my surgeon has been essentially nonexistent even when I called early on with some issues I was having. Additionally, my health insurance here will not cover any weight loss attempts whether it's surgical or non-surgical so I can't afford to see a bariatric surgeon or nutritionist so I am relying on you guy's experience to guide me in terms of what a normal volume of food is at 7 weeks post-op I weight out all of my food and food prep so I know exactly what and how much I am eating at any one time. I am worried that at 7 weeks post-op I can eat anywhere from 4 oz to 6 oz of dense protein mixed with a sauce at a time. This is almost always at dinner time. So my usual breakfast is one container of Siggi's yogurt which is 5.3 ounces. That usually takes me an hour to finish. I feel no restriction when I eat the yoghurt but I feel no need to eat until lunch after having it. My lunches are usually chilli or chicken in some sort of tomato sauce. There I can consume between 2 oz to 5 oz of food. How much I can handle before I feel full varies day to day. Now the biggest issue comes at dinner. I can and have in the last week eaten up to 6 ounces of dense protein and sauce in one sitting within 30 mins. Now usually there will be 4 oz of dense protein 1 ounce of beans or other vegetables and then the remaining ounces will be sauce. Now I make sure to not drink water 30 mins before, during, or after my meals so I know the issue isn't that. And I am eating dense protein like ground beef, fish, or chicken so I should feel more restriction. I read posts from other people and they talk about how they can barely handle 1 ounce of meat at 7 weeks out. But it seems I have an iron stomach. I haven't eaten a thing so far that bothers my stomach or gives me any pain. So I am wondering if the issue is the fact that I am eating my protein with sauce? I have tried dry chicken and even with that I could eat 3 oz at only 4 weeks out with few problems. This seems like way too much food. I know stews like chili are considered sliders but the fact that I can consume 3 oz of dry chicken seems like way too much. Maybe I should limit the amount of sauce I use with my food. Mind you I make my sauces from scratch using canned tomatoes or so I am not using high carb premade sauces. What thoughts do you guys have? What has your experience been? Is my capacity way out of line? Am I pushing things too far? I am really starting to worry that my surgeon may have made my pouch super big and that will hinder my weight loss. To date I have lost 27 pounds since surgery and 42 since my 2 week pre-op diet. Sorry if this super long post it's been weighing on my mind.

Haha. My license has been renewed so many times that I actually finally weigh about what it says on my license: 180. Which was a lie: I'm sure I actually weighted around 200. But you can bet I never once heard anyone say "Man you have gained weight since you got that license"!! Lynda

I am talking to mexico bariatrics Dr. Luis Cervantes, I have done all of my paper work and pd the 500.00 down but I email them and I do not hear back from them. I paid through pay pal so I can get my money back. Just afraid of being scammed. How was the process? And congrats on your weight loss!! GREAT JOB!!

Hello Everyone, It has been a very long time since I have been to this forum and I wanted to check in to see how everyone is doing. I also wanted to catch up with my crazy life. Anyway I have been offline in the bariatric world just living my life. After a while things just start settling down and years go by... times change... faces get older and brains get used to life in the "new normal". I don't know if an of you will know my story so to make it short I have been through THREE WLS's. Yes, I said three... a lapband, a Gastric Sleeve and finally I resolved to be a RnY Bypasser. Ha! No regrets.. well maybe a few.. I'm human after all. ANYWAY!! I need to reconnect because I have NOT been working out much at all. Just the very minimum and even these past few weeks I have done nothing. No bueno! So, as I was lying in bed just now something just zapped me the hell out of it and I decided I needed to get UP!! Sheesh... So, here I am! Ready to get back to my serious workout and being kind to my body. My muscles are crying to come back out and play. I'm here to chat anytime. I probably have the most experience of anyone you'll ever meet as far as weight loss, gains, all surgery types, workouts, eating plans... anything. But I also need some accountability too. I'm older now and I see it. I see that I can't do this alone. I need my bariatric friends for guidance and a KICK IN THE BUTT! A shout out to anyone who remembers me. Check in and say hi! I really miss you guys. Much love and all peace. Irene and my most recent selfie. I'm on Facebook and IG too. FB: Irene Janel Avila and IG: Pookies_Mama