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I take the Bariatric Advantage Cinnamon Calcium tablets and they taste amazing. I got some free samples at the hospital, tried a few other kinds, then bought these. I got mine on www.dietdirect.com. Their prices were better than the Bariatric Advantage site. They also sent me some free samples, which caused me to send them another order. I'm getting BariWise protein bars and hot chocolate too. But that's another topic - sorry to digress!

Well, at least they didn't use the standard line about band patients potentially becoming milkshake addicts. Bright, you might find some comfort in this Australian study, which says that there is no evidence that sweet eaters are less successful with the band. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12568183&dopt=Abstract "CONCLUSION: Sweet eaters do not have less favorable weight outcomes following Lap-Band surgery. Our study confirms the findings of two other major studies. Sweet eating behavior should not be used as a preoperative selection criterion for bariatric surgery." A couple of other thoughts. Before I got my band, I thought about food a LOT. While eating lunch, I would think about dinner. I could eat dinner, and feel hungry enough to have a snack or sometimes another plate full of food before bed. Miracle of all miracles, I no longer do that. My 2nd fill reduced my appetite so greatly that the food thoughts just went *poof*. My husband will even ask me "Have you eaten enough today?" My relationship with food is so far removed from what it was before, I am still quite amazed by it. Tonia

After the surgery, I developed a serious problem with constipation. I tried several things to resolve the problem including Probiotics, Metamucil, and laxatives; without success. The only thing that was effective was using glycerin suppositories. I just couldn’t accept inserting a suppository up my rectum every three days for the rest of my life as a viable solution. This was a serious problem. Then almost by accident I stumbled on a simple solution. I found that eating an apple or two each night before I went to bed corrected the problem. But it was important to also eat the skin of the apple. I have followed this regiment for the past 10 months and no problems. My mother who did not have surgery also suffers from this type of problem. I suggested she eat an apple each night before bed. But she says she can't because she has false teeth and the skin gets stuck. I was at my monthly bariatric surgery support group meeting yesterday and another person said they experienced the same problem because of her false teeth. She wanted to know if I had any solution. I thought about it and decided that perhaps one could blend the apple. I experimented today. I cut the core out of the apple and blended it with the skin to the consistency of apple sauce in my Ninja blender. I soon discovered that I needed to add a little liquid to make it blend properly - about a quarter or half cup of (no-sugar) apple juice. It seems like it might work. But since I still have my teeth, I am not able to perform a complete test. So if you suffer from constipation and if you have false teeth and are up to an experiment - try blending an apple a day with the skin (but not the core) and let me know (1) does this type of apple sauce get stuck in your teeth and (2) does it solve your constipation problem.

I ended up canceling my surgery at oasis of hope..do to unforseen circumstances. I have nothing bad to say about them...they refunded my deposit.. Now I'm going to mexico bariatric center on June 6th. I believe things happen for a reason.. I started my 1 week diet. I feel bad a ate a healthy protein salad...but now I start my liquid diet and im ready👍

Greetings, My name is David and I am a medical research student in the department of surgery at the University of Alberta, Canada working with Dr. Daniel Birch in general surgery. The Centre for the Advancement of Minimally Invasive Surgery (CAMIS) is conducting a research study to estimate the financial healthcare consequences that may occur when Alberta residents seek bariatric surgery in another province or country (known as medical tourism). We are surveying all Alberta residents who had bariatric surgery outside of Alberta. Your input will help us to assess their costs to the healthcare system. The link to our 5-minute survey can be found here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JCF3Q95 (Please copy and paste the above link to the address bar of your browser and press enter to access the survey.) Your input is very important to us, will be kept strictly confidential, and will be used only for the purposes of research for this project. You are consenting to participate in this study by completing this survey. If you have any questions or would prefer to complete a paper survey, please call us at 780-735-6733 or email me at dhkim1@ualberta.ca For detailed information about the project, please refer to the participant information sheet here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/3xi0u2hc162snue/Information%20sheet%20popularity.docx (Please copy and paste the above link to the address bar of your browser and press enter to access the information sheet.) Thank you for your participation! Sincerely, David H Kim, Bsc. Research Student Faculty of Medicine, Department of Surgery University of Alberta 10240 Kingsway Ave NW, Edmonton, Alberta, T5H3V9

Hoping to find people who have been or will be having surgery at Penn State Hershey. I'm 5 months into my 6 months of insurance requirements. Let me know if any of you are like me!!

Hi all, (VGS) I wanted to get some outside opinions. Firstly, I will say I am following what my dietician has directed. They want me to do a 3 month supervised diet which is fine, but they want me to cut out almost all carbs. I understand that getting the high protein is important and I agree. But my main concern is their opinion on things like brown rice, oatmeal, bananas and telling me not to eat ANY of it (even in small amounts).I feel like after surgery I would definitely try re-introducing some of those foods in small amounts because I believe they are healthy. I can tell my bariatric center is one of the ones that struggles to understand vegetarianism in detail, as everyone there pushes the protein and meat being easier (but no one has actually told me to eat meat or anything). It just seems strange to me that 3 whole months before surgery they only want me eating protein sources and vegetables,low carb fruits and no grains or anything at all. I have seen other surgeons in various places suggest different restrictions on diets and not all of them ban all carbs. I am at 38bmi and I don’t need to lose much before the surgery so it isn’t like, a rapid weight loss diet or anything pre-surgery. They sort of act like any carbs aren’t good for you. I understand immediately after surgery protein is top priority so getting in any carbs would be pretty difficult. It’s more-so that before and after permanently they are kind of saying to ban grains and things like that. But I know there are people eating a vegan diet etc and we’re able to re-introduce small amounts of carbs just fine. I am completely willing to cut down on carbs a lot, but has anyone else run into this experience ? My goal is to figure out a diet that works for me as a lifestyle and provides me with nutrients- before and after surgery. Just looking for some input from people who have gone through the surgery and how they handled this/what they are and if they agreed to long term elimination of most carbs. Thanks for any help!

Type "Recipe Frenzy" in the search bar. Bobbyswife put a post together that includes a collection of free, downloadable bariatric or weight loss cookbooks available online. They are great! The previous responder that mentioned going back to the beginning of the post op diet, is correct. I wanted to lose 5 in a week in order to fit into a Christmas dress, so I just duplicated my first week post op diet. It worked! I actually lost 6 pounds! I think it is a good kick start to getting back on track again. Good luck!

If Aleve is OK with your bariatric surgeon.. that's fine. However, it is a NSAID and many bariatric docs prohibit or severely limit the use of NSAIDs. They are thought to contribute to the possibility of erosion. Just wanted you to be aware of this if you weren't already.

One more thing. If you go to the ASMBS (American society for metabolic and Bariatric surgeons) or something close to that, they have a physician finder. One of the search criteria is to find doctors who will care for other doctors patients. In my area both large practices will treat other patients. For me, that was a huge piece of mind before having surgery.

I don't recall seeing what your self pay cost is, but there are places you can go in the US for $9000-$12000. I paid $8999 in Ft Lauderdale at Bariatrix, FL. Dr wizman offers BLIS, but I used Dr Taggar. Blossom Bariatrics in Vegas seems good, and Dr Borland in Louisiana has gotten good reviews. Maybe one of these cities has a non stop flight? The other question I wanted to ask, is did you ask your insurance about complications or did you take your surgeons word? I wouldn't trust them, be your own advocate and ask your insurance company directly. I asked mine, and they were very clear that they would treat complications just like any other claim. It didn't matter where I had surgery, whether it was in our out of network, if they paid, or if I paid, etc. Good luck! Sent from my XT1254 using BariatricPal mobile app

Wonderful! You really sound good. I am jealous of your puree stage. LOL I have 4 more days of juice and broth. I'd almost rather not eat by now, but I know I have to. Look on pinterest for bariatric meals you should find some good things there. I was looking before my surgery and some of the foods looked really yummy. So keep us posted!

I finished all of the Medicaid requirements for surgery, and then the surgeon I was going to see stopped taking Medicaid. The only other doctors who accept medicaid won't see anyone outside Covington/NOLA or Thibodeaux. All Medicaid suggests is calling general surgeons and asking if they do bariatrics as well. I'm devastated and desperate. What can I do? I have no money or credit for self pay. Has anyone seen Dr. Dominguez recently who can plead my case? Should I move to NOLA temporarily? Should I call every day? What can I do? It's just not fair that I'm this close. Does anyone know if other states accept Louisiana Medicaid? They said it doesn't travel but I believe nearby states would accept it. It's United Healthcare Community Plan by the way I think I wrote this in the wrong section earlier.

Renew - bask away! You're doing awesome! I'm so proud of you...you are my fearless leader and inspiration. Thanks for everything gil.

bamboobabe, 50 pounds in 6 months is great! You should be very proud of that accomplishment, but I completely understand your feelings. Dear Lord, thank you giving bamboobabe the courage and strength over the past 6 months. Please give her a renewed commitment to her band. Remind her of the gift that you have given her in the band. Help her to jumpstart her continued weight loss so that she feels empowered and motivated as she enters her 7th month.

Vitamins! if you want to order vitamins ahead, which you should, Bariatric Pal is definitely the way to go, if you like to get them reasonably priced and convenient, as I do, without the shopping hassles! Link: http://store.bariatricPal.com?rfsn=724473.84c6dd Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using BariatricPal mobile app

My Dr is good I think - saw him ONCE for the consultation. His Bariatric Coordinator is NOT however. She literally rolls her eyes when talking so fast I have to ask her to repeat things 3 times! I was told "call anytime" but can never reach her and if I can, she gets off the phone before I'm done asking questions - hangs up on me literally! So I am looking elsewhere. I know this will delay my surgery date but oh well. I have all the referrals/recommendations,; don't know if Dr has approved it and if it was sent in to Insurance for their approval or not. Don't know ANYTHING> One person at office changed my 2nd Dr appt for the 3rd time, to 2 weeks away and said "have you done your weigh-ins yet?" WHATweigh-ins? No one said anything about THAT! She said, you'd better talk to Gina, the B. Coordinator, and I said yeah right, like she ever calls me back... So it's time to get another surgeon /practice I think. Any comments? Is this typical? Should I follow my "gut" - pun intended - and move on? Hate to postpone surgery but really this is not good! I am 5' tall with BMI of 40 at 206 lb and 3 co-morbidities. Need to get this resolved!

Unfortunately the reason surgeons here in the USA don't want to touch patients banded in Mexico is because off the liability. Once they take you as a patient & do a "simple fill" not knowing how the original surgeon implanted the band, if it's sewed in or not, where the catheter is placed or port is facing, he is responsible for ANY damage done to your entire band therefore liable for the costs to replace it. No primary physician unless a bariatric one is really willing to do fills or touch the band. I figured some people needed to know this before continuing acting so Darmstadt astonished & surprised lol.

I thought I would post a recently published abstract from the Journal "Obesity Surgery," one of the leading Bariatric Surgery Journals. The reason I do this is to point out the difference between real research and the anecdotal "research" reported by some people, consisting of reading of posts on forums such as this and others. This series reports 6 staple line leaks in 200 patients, for a rate of 3%. This is a fairly typical leak rate reported in the literature; my leak rate is slightly lower, but in the same range. If your surgeon says he has done 600 VSGs and never had a leak, he is either a god or a liar. You decide. Mark Pleatman MD www.drpleatman.com G. Casella1, E. Soricelli1, M. Rizzello1, P. Trentino1, F. Fiocca1, A. Fantini1, F. M. Salvatori2 and N. Basso1 (1) Department of Medical and Surgical Digestive Diseases, Policlinico ?Umberto I?, University ?La Sapienza?, Viale del Policlinico, 00161 Rome, Italy (2) Department of Radiological Sciences, Interventional Radiology, Policlinico ?Umberto I?, University ?La Sapienza?, Rome, Italy Received: 22 January 2009 Accepted: 1 April 2009 Published online: 21 April 2009 Abstract Background Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is gaining popularity as a ?per se? bariatric procedure due to its effectiveness on weight loss and comorbidity resolution. The most feared and life-threatening complication after LSG is the staple line leak and its management is still a debated issue. Aim of this paper is to analyze the incidence of leak and the treatment solutions adopted in a consecutive series of 200 LSG. Methods From October 2002 to November 2008, 200 patients underwent LSG. Nineteen patients (9.5%) had a body mass index (BMI) of >60 kg/m2. A 48-Fr bougie is used to obtain an 80?120-ml gastric pouch. An oversewing running suture to reinforce the staple line was performed in the last 100 cases. The technique adopted to reinforce the staple line is a running suture taken through and through the complete stomach wall. Results Staple line leaks occurred in six patients (mean BMI 52.5; mean age 41.6 years). Leak presentation was early in three cases (first, second, and third postoperative (PO) day), late in the remaining three cases (11th, 22nd, and 30th PO day). The most common leak location was at the esophagogastric junction (five cases). Mortality was nihil. Nonoperative management (total parenteral nutrition, proton pump inhibitor, and antibiotics) was adopted in all cases. Percutaneous abdominal drainage was placed in five patients. In one case, a small fistula was successfully treated by endoscopic injection of fibrin glue only. Self-expandable covered stent was used in three cases. Complete healing of leaks was obtained in all patients (mean healing time 71 days). Conclusion Nonoperative treatment (percutaneous drainage, endoscopy, stent) is feasible, safe, and effective for staple line leaks in patients undergoing LSG; furthermore, it may avoid more mutilating procedures such as total gastrectomy. Keywords Morbid obesity - Bariatric surgery - Sleeve gastrectomy - Complication - Leak

I wasn't calling anybody names or singling out a particular surgeon. The article I posted was not preselected. It was from the latest edition of the Obesity Surgery Journal. I agree that Dr. Cirangle is excellent; he taught me bariatric surgery. Even his leak rate is not zero. One needs to be careful about making judgments about small series; your statement that under 1% is OK and above 1% is not makes no sense, as it would be the same as saying that 2 leaks in 210 patients is acceptable, but 3 is not. The fact is that there is no statistically significant difference between 2 and 3 leaks in a series this size. And then, there are other issues to consider. At the recent VSG Summit Conference it was shown that leak rates are higher when narrow bougies are used, as the pressure in the sleeve is higher (though weight loss is better). I use a very narrow bougie (32 Fr), so one would predict that my leak rate would be higher than if I used a large bougie. You also need to consider how many revisional procedures are being done, as well as the risk factors and comorbidities of the patients. You have to make sure you are comparing apples to apples. Finally, I didn't start this fight. I was responding to the inappropriate comment by Wasabubblebut that I am "kinda cheap for a reason," as well as the downright false statement that my patients are only allowed one night in the hospital. In addition, your administrators are claiming that one needs to have done 250 VSGs before they can be trusted. Please supply data to support this claim. I'm not here to "push myself on anyone in this forum; only to defend myself against false and misleading accusations. Respectfully, Mark Pleatman MD Mark Pleatman MD Weight Loss Surgery Website

YES… Stress can stall weight loss. I have dealt with this challenge prior to getting sleeved. I was able to loose 65 lbs with low carb high Protein diet and hit a terrible stall when I was very stressed. The stressors affected my life for over 6 months and I did not loose another pound. I gained about 10 lbs over that 6 months and "justified" this as my body balancing out despite the diet. I went off the diet and gradually gained another 10 lbs. Then my PCP changed my thyroid medication and I gained all the weight plus another 10 lbs (getting to 265 lbs) Thats when I decided it was time for bariatric surgery. Now when I get stressed and see the scales stall…. I try to be calm, take a deep breath and tell myself that I am in control of the choices I make so, think, pray and choose what will be best for me.

That's a pretty routine amount of work at one time. From what I've read, that's not at all too much. Have you been on Realself.com? You can post concerns there for plastic surgeons to comment on. You also can review hundreds of procedures. Pretty complete site. Similar to bariatric pal. It's totally normal to have fears and nerves before surgery. I think you can let go of the anxiety and allow yourself to be excited Some of those Brazilian butt lifts are crazy!!! Is that what you're getting? Doesn't sound like it. I would be curious to know how does someone get comfortable after a BBL and TT? I bet they don't combine those two cause you can't sit on your butt...rambling. I'll go ramble somewhere else.

Didnt you ask this before. I saw that post didnt get any responses either. probably not many or any that follow your specific religion. May i suggest finding a Jewish group on facebook and asking if anyone got bariatric surgery if no one answers here. I am sure there are groups on there with thousands of people and hopefully someone else has gotten bariatric surgery.

Hi I am 6 days post op on liquids now for almost 21 days - I am gazing longingly at the cat's food at this point - & if I have one more Bariatric Advantage Shake or broth or pudding or pureed whatever I am going to puke!

Weigh in day: 187lbs. The scale has not moved. So I am back into the swing of things for 3 more days until I hit the road to go camping again this weekend. This weekend will be purely a social event without ANY work included or even thought about! The weekend in Jasper was Amazing! We met 50 New Canadians from all over the world and provided them with thier first camping experience. I truly have had a renewal of love for my job. I forget sometimes when I am stuck behind my desk under mountains of paperwork. The real ones are much much more amazing! In bandland, things are at a steady pace. I have been lacking in my exercise routine with work being so busy. My food choices were terrible this weekend travelling in a van with 3 young adults for 800km. I was easily influenced and all to quickly made the foolish excuses in my mind that all of the junk that we packed was really for them. Pffft, I'm not kidding anyone! I got home later Sunday evening and had a grilled chicken breast with salad for dinner. Monday, grilled shrimp and pineapple skewers with some brown rice. Tonight, stuffed peppers and Turkey sausage. I also got back on the workout wagon lastnight too so I can't complain. I am course correcting! I learnt that at my fancy staff summit earlier this year. Last week, Sparms bestie and I were talking about the dating world for people our age and people our weight. The matter of assumption about fat people being lazy came up in conversation and it pissed me off, so I thought I would share. Really, a person like me who has been active and healthy (besides being 250+ lbs)for most of their life is automatically pegged for being lazy. I am and have always been anything but LAZY. I personally, can't stand a lazy person. It is one of my pet peeves and maybe that's why this whole topic makes me angry. I am just curious about how many of you out there have been pigeon-holed into the bon bon eating, soap watching, couch surfing fat girl? And what do I plan to do about it? Nothing! Continue to workout my frustrations! Cheers all!