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I'd research the Titanium Dioxide that bariatric pal uses as well as other sugar free/bariatric hot chocolate. Its been banned in the UK for a reason. Its a known carcinogen 😔. Its also found in so many things, food and topicals such as make up, powders, sunscreen etc. Its a micromolecule and gets into the blood, lungs etc. Just a heads up.

Hi. My brother is seriously considering to do the mini gastric bypass. He will be the third member in our family to do it. First it was my sister and me in Egypt and now it is his turn. He is currently working in Bangladesh and travelling to Egypt for the surgery is not a viable option for him. Anyone over here who had their MGB or WLS in India? Any recommended surgeons or hospitals to consider? Anyone had their WLS at Dr. AMAR BARIATRIC & METABOLIC CENTER? Thanks in advance

Hello, My name is Alex and I am scheduled for the gastric sleeve procedure on 12/18/23. Growing up I never had a problem with my weight; as a matter of fact I was very thin. Due to changes in life and past trauma, I used food as a coping mechanism. I ballooned from 160 pounds at 18 years old to 475 pounds by the time I turned 31. I was "content" being overweight because I refused to deal with it. At the behest of my wife, I begrudgingly scheduled an appointment to be seen by a primary care physician for the first time in years at the height of the pandemic. At this appointment, I weighed in at 475 pounds and was diagnosed with high blood pressure... extremely high blood pressure. This made total sense as I couldn't walk very far without being out of breath, I couldn't go up steps without sweating and having my heart pounding, and I couldn't play with my nieces and nephews. I was prescribed blood pressure meds at 31 years old and told that if I didn't make significant changes and lose weight, I was staring down an early death. That was the kick in the ass I needed. I immediately got a gym membership, downloaded a calorie tracker, immediately made improvements in my diet and dove in head first. Over the course of the next year and a half I lost nearly 100 pounds through diet and exercise alone. I knew that to get to my goal weight though, that I needed more tools.... or a more powerful one. So I was seen by a bariatric provider and over the course of many months was approved for sleeve gastrectomy and was scheduled for surgery. I am currently on the liquid diet and I am struggling. I am dying for flavor... the protein shakes, cottage cheese, greek yogurt, and jello that have been my diet for the last three days are not cutting it. I've made a few mistakes... a piece of cheese here or a nibble of chicken there. I am striving for today being a good day.. but it has been hard. I am constantly cold, I'm less tolerant of daily B.S. than I normally am, and am just now starting to not feel as irritable as I have the last few days. I am looking forward to having this procedure done, but I am nervous that I won't lose enough. I'm nervous that I'll ruin it or some other nonsense I keep telling myself. After being overweight for so long its hard to imagine not being as large as I am. I am looking forward to a healthier life, the ability to play with my nieces, nephews and daughter, and being in more control of my life. Thank you for reading this very long post and I look forward to chatting with you on this journey!

I wish I knew what they have planned. They are supposed to call me to explain, but so far the only person I've spoken with is the guy who answers the phone, and he probably wasn't supposed to tell me anything. He just said, "unfortunately, the center is closing, so..." The worst part is, I've been a patient there for almost 7 years, doing nutritional and medical weight loss. I love my endocrinologist there, and the nutritionists, the staff. If they are losing their jobs, I will cry. And they are always so busy I don't see how they can afford to close. I am so mad because I had a chance to move my surgery to right before Thanksgiving, but I had to pass because it was too last minute for figuring out the childcare. Now I'm kicking myself. Literally, my insurance approval is in and everything. I have a pantry of protein powders and a bookcase of bariatric cookbooks. I have watched every video on the planet. I just needed my final pre-test, which was supposed to be next week. My mom had booked a hotel in Harvard Square to be close by the night of the surgery and take me home the next day. The kids would be off school for winter break. Now I have no idea where anything stands. I will still have my insurance for January because my husband's job doesn't start until a few days into the month so we'll have paid the premium for January, but as of February it'll have to be the new insurance, and I don't yet know what they cover, or even which insurance company it is. Plus, my deductible starts over on Jan 1, naturally.

Oh, I am so sorry! Why couldn't they have intergrated those patients with planned surgeries into their bariatric department? I knew that Mt. Auburn had merged with Beth Israel/Leahy a while ago (it seems like they are swallowing up a lot of smaller hospitals, mine included) But, they had to see this coming. And what are they doing to support the patients that just had surgery? Did they give you any information as to what happens next? Will they arrange transfer for you to the other program? You have already met all the requirements and done the testing! This is so unfair.

I called again this morning and the person who answered let slip that the entire weight management center at the hospital is closing. So, I am not the only person impacted by far. He said that a manager is supposed to call everyone to explain, but still nothing has happened. Maybe tomorrow? As for what happens next, I'm not sure. The hospital was recently acquired by another big Boston hospital, which has a bariatric department of its own. I assume they are trying to integrate all of the departments across the system to eliminate redundancies, but their communication so far has been appalling. Why they wouldn't have planned for this by shutting down the pipeline of patients months ago so that all surgeries were completed before the closure is a mystery. I attended my full day immersion class in August and completed all my requirements on October 6. At that point, they were booking 10+ weeks out and there was no indication anything was changing. This isn't an independent bariatric practice where I could see there being management or money issues, but a center that is part of a Harvard Medical School teaching hospital. I find it shocking to say the least. I've spent most of the day wishing whichever faceless bureaucratic suit responsible for this trips and falls into a fiery pit. Clearly emotional intelligence was not a job requirement.

Yes, your relationship with food is supposed to change. How you view it, how often you eat it, what you eat, etc... Also, having a specific meal plan to follow helps a lot while you navigate your new normal. Definitely slow down your eating, start looking at what you're eating and what your calorie/carb/fat/protein intake is, look at your activity levels and adjust them accordingly, and look into speaking with your nutritionist and a bariatric therapist. This is all stuff that should have been gone over with you long before you actually had your surgery.

So it's not that you can't have any carbs. You want them last, and you want them not to be "bad" carbs, like from pasta and breads and white potatoes. You should be eating 5 times per day. 3 meals and 2 snacks. You want protein first, then veggies, then carbs. No sugar, low salt (himalayan is the best if you need it). Avoid carbonation because it stretches your stomach out. My bariatric diet stated 60-80g of protein per day, 1000-1200 calories per day, less than 50 net carbs per day, and less than 50g of fat per day. If working out, or if you have a very physical job, then it would be slightly modified to 75 - 90g of protein, 1200-1400 calories, no more than 65 net carbs, and no more than 65g of fat per day. It seems like a bariatric therapist might be a good thing for you, because it sounds like your relationship with food never changed, and you never learned to tell the difference between real and head hunger. And lastly, you should be eating very slowly. You're filling up fast because you're cramming a lot of food into your stomach all at once. After it makes its way through, the food is gone but you're hungry again. Eat slowly, chew it well, follow the bariatric diet, find a bariatric diet, and reach out to your nutritionist and see what they can do to help you get back on track and maybe map out an eating plan for you.

Holy crap. Ok, so a few things. First, just because you CAN eat these foods, doesn't mean you SHOULD. You're not even close to healed. You still have numbness from nerves being cut. You could be doing damage you can't even feel yet. There's a reason we're supposed to increase our eating in stages. Second, the amount you eat is more of a head thing than a physical thing. You cannot fit the same amount of food into your new stomach that you used to, and you shouldn't be trying to. Your pouch is only so big, and you have to remember that and start working on your head hunger and your relationship with food. Third, talk to your nutritionist about how you're eating and how to get back on track with your bariatric eating plan, because if you aren't compliant now, you'll never be able to be later on. In no way should you have been eating actual, solid foods 1 week after surgery. So before you do damage that has to be surgically fixed, reach out to a bariatric therapist to help you with your relationship with food and learning the difference between real hunger and head hunger, and your nutritionist to figure out how to map out an actual way to get on track and a realistic meal plan. You might also want to talk to a nurse practitioner about what possible damage you might have done and if there's a way to kind of fix it before it gets to a surgical level.

Still hurting. Actually looking forward to surgery on Wednesday. Also upset because I'm probably going to miss ALL of next week. Plus the 2 days I missed last week and I will only have 3 paid days on my check on the 15th. Not only do I have bills to pay, that was supposed to cover Christmas. And not just the gifts, but the decorations, the dinner, cards, all of it. Now we'll have literally nothing. And the pain meds don't do anything but knock me out. Once I wake up, I'm in pain again. Time to take my meds and pass out. I'm so over it all.... Oh, before I forget!!! Let's not leave out that I'm basically back on my stage 1 bariatric diet because when I try to eat regular food, it KILLS my hernia (it's a delayed reaction, so I'm guessing it's happening as it makes its way down my colon, or to my bowels, or wherever it goes). That was ok yesterday, but today....nope. But TODAY!!! Oh TODAY has been a joy because now even liquids and YOGURT and Jello hurt. And I have had absolutely ZERO appetite since yesterday around lunch time. I can't just not eat, but I have no hunger feelings, and when I remember to eat, I don't want to because it hurts so much. I don't know what else to do, but I feel like I'm losing it over here. I'm so so over all of this. I've never had a hernia before. Is this normal? Because I feel like I'm about to lose my mind. I walk hunched over, trying to roll over in my sleep causes me to cry out and wake up my husband, and don't get me started on coughing or sneezing or pooing. The early stages of both my bariatric surgeries COMBINED didn't make me this miserable.

December 27th is going to be a very busy day! Regarding meal prep, I'm making room in my freezer now to freeze some favorites ahead of time. I'm also going to be teaching my daughters, 12 and 15, how to make some of the simpler meals they like. This way, after surgery, they can cook for themselves with minimal supervision. Which they should learn anyway! Meals like spaghetti, tacos, chili, shepherd's pie, and quiche, that barely even need a recipe. For myself, I have a cookbook I'm really looking forward to that covers bariatric meal prep. It has 6 weeks of meal plans and directions for making ahead and portioning. I'm using that and Dr. Weiner's bariatric cookbook for most of my new recipe ideas. Here's the meal prep one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1645674967 I'm choosing 1 or 2 new things to try making each week this month, hoping to have a few to add to the rotation that all of us will like, and some small containers to freeze for later.

Still hurting. Actually looking forward to surgery on Wednesday. Also upset because I'm probably going to miss ALL of next week. Plus the 2 days I missed last week and I will only have 3 paid days on my check on the 15th. Not only do I have bills to pay, that was supposed to cover Christmas. And not just the gifts, but the decorations, the dinner, cards, all of it. Now we'll have literally nothing. And the pain meds don't do anything but knock me out. Once I wake up, I'm in pain again. Time to take my meds and pass out. I'm so over it all....Oh, before I forget!!! Let's not leave out that I\m basically back on my stage 1 bariatric diet because when I try to ear regular food, it KILLS my hernia (it's a delayed reaction, so I'm guessing it's happening as it makes its way down my colon, or to my bowels, or wherever it goes). That was ok yesterday. But TODAY!!! Oh TODAY has been a joy because now even LIQUIDS

I had a doctor's appointment today. I just had my first serious talk with a doctor about considering bariatric surgery. She sent a referral for a specialist so I haven't even had my first intake yet. I will ask her all the questions when I meet her but for now, I can't stop thinking about how big of a life change that would be, and the idea is kind of terrifying at the moment. I'm most interested in the sleeve. A bit about me, I have PCOS, will likely get a hysterectomy, and am around 400lb. If you have experience with these things and have a sleeve I'd love to hear more. What made you choose the sleeve? What are your top pros and cons?

Thanks so much. This has been absolutely miserable. This pain is worse than the pain immediately after bariatric surgery. And the pain meds kinda take the edge off for 2 or 3 hours, but then it wears off and I'm miserable until I can take it again (every 6 hours).

That's the exact pre-op diet I had! Are you required to use a particular shake or can you use any type? I had to use either Premier Protein or Bariatric Advantage for my pre-op, but I could use anything post op. I agree with the others, samples are your friend. BariatricPal has a fair number of brands you can get samples of. You can get the samples of protein broths from Unjury. Make sure you get some clear drink samples like the Syntrax Nectar line, as I found those MUCH easier to get down post surgery. The milk based ones felt too heavy for a while. My favorite of those are the Fuzzy Navel and the tropical one I can never recall the name of. You can pick up the ready made Premier Protein drinks at places like Walmart and Target in 4 packs so it isn't a huge commitment to flavors. I like the Cafe Latte ones (if you are allowed caffeine), Pumpkin Spice, Cinnamon Roll, and Vanilla the best. They are all good mixed with coffee (or in my case, decaf because I can't have caffeine for 6 months).

So I had a CT with contrast on Wed the 29th and it confirmed that I have a ventral hernia. I'm scheduled for surgery On Wednesday Dec 6th. It's a same day surgery, so at least I won't have to stay overnight. By this past Wednesday morning I was beginning to have pain in that area (where the hernia is), and by Thursday, I was in agony. After work, I called the on-call doctor with my bariatric surgeon's office and they said to go to the ER. I couldn't drive myself, so I called an ambulance. They did a repeat CT and confirmed what was seen in the last one. They said it was stable (not strangulated) but it was very close to my extremely large uterine fibroid (I have 3, but it's close to the biggest one) and that was causing a lot of the pain and inflammation. They put me on dilaudid and zofran while I was in the ER and sent me home with Hydrocodone-acetaminophen (Norco) and promethazine (phenergan). They also did an ultrasound on my fibroids (they now measure 13cm. 9cm, and 7.5cm) and ovaries (which are very cystic, thanks to my PCOS) and they confirmed there is no torsion and there's good blood flow. I'm off work today, have my pre-op appt on Monday and then go to work the rest of Mon and all of Tuesday. Then I have my surgery on Wed and I'm off work until Mon the 11th, which is when I go back. Just thought I would update you guys. My hysterectomy is still scheduled for March 6th. I'm in a lot of pain, so I can't wait to get this surgery over with.

I have seen some vitamin melts with iron at Walmart. My friend that had sleeve got hers from Bariatric Pal. I just find them expensive. 60 day $150 but it is bottles of all the different ones I will need in Melts. I think I’m going to bite the bullet and order the 60 day supply to get me started. I have a surgery date of 12/27/23 so I am hoping to be ready. I am reading back through the forum for all the suggestions and seeing what works for me.

You need to be an advocate for yourself. If something felt off then your gut (pun totally intended) is telling you it’s not right. I would definitely work on getting any test test results that you have had done and find someone else. I am not sure what stat you’re in but I am sure there must be someone else to go to. Heck I live in Atlanta area and we have a bariatric surgeon every three blocks. You did the right thing and if they get defensive about it then that tells me they are the problem. I understand things happen sometimes but you need to be able to follow up. My Dr had a pre op appointment with me but he was called into surgery (he does other surgery too not just WLS) and instead of cancelling our appointment he called me and we talked on the phone while he was on the way to the hospital (It wasn’t an issue because it was mostly to go over test results and the next steps) it showed me that he was there for me if I need him. Just make sure you document everything you have done so far so you don’t have to start from square one.

Hey. I am just starting to get all my stuff and I have asked a few different people that I know that have had surgery. One gets all her stuff from Bariatric Pal. They do have a meltdown vitamin package I found it is just very pricey. I saw some at Walmart if you search liquid or melts vitamins they will come up. Other then that the only other company o know ,because I met them at a conference, is Celebrate. I would trust them also. The women that run the company are also post op. Any they have vitamin packs specifically for your surgery type. They are great women.

Welcome! You're the same day as me! One of the things I have done that I think has really helped me feel more prepared is watching YouTube videos. I started with every video available from both Dr. Matthew Weiner and Dr. John Pilcher, and I also watched all of the ones from Dr. Vuong, although I know he's a more controversial figure these days. But I did get a lot out of some of them when he was talking about your mindset and that type of thing. I also watched a ton of videos made by regular people talking about their experiences. I've done book research and such too, but I feel like the videos are just a way I can get a little bit of something to think about every day. With 4 weeks to go, my plan is to try out a few recipes from the bariatric cookbooks I've bought and see if I can get some menu ideas for some of the earlier stages, figure out the groceries I will need, etc. Oh, and freezing some meals for my kids so I can avoid cooking the first few weeks. Other than that, I think we just have to take it one day at a time.

Anesthesia can mess with our bodies for a while after surgery, and it has been clinically shown that major surgery can trigger depressive episodes in people. What you are experiencing is completely normal even though it sucks. Add to that hormonal changes, and body changes, and changes in the nutrients you get, and recovering from a major surgery and yeah, you could feel pretty down! I'm 3 1/2 weeks post op. Some days are good and some days aren't so good. I've heard the first 3 months are really challenging and the first year takes a lot of resilience and adjustment. Next time your husband starts with the "this is what you wanted" I'd kindly remind him that those words are not supportive and guilt trips are not necessary. That you are cognizant of the fact that you wanted bariatric surgery to lose weight and improve your health, but NONE of us can even begin to understand the fullness of an experience before we actually have it...and living this experience is feeling challenging right now. Even the BEST things for us often come with distinct downsides. You are allowed to be upset! You are allowed to say this is a struggle! What would be more supportive of him would be for him to validate your feelings and assure you that things won't always feel like this, but while they do, he's there for you. I'm sure he's doing what he can, but everyone deserves feedback when their words are making it harder for you to deal with what you are dealing with. I too feel a little off kilter from the world right now. Any surgery brings grief with it when it alters your body. Let yourself grieve. You are in a liminal space right now, transforming from one version of yourself to another. Much like the caterpillar who winds itself into a cocoon, you have had to bury yourself into this new experience, and you will never be the same. Some parts of you have to die so that other parts of you can blossom forth and live. When you finally come out of this cocoon, flying will be so thrilling!! But in the meantime, the transformation sucks! LOL I don't think caterpillars think the process is fun either...

It may help you, like it has for me, to focus on adding good habits as much or more as taking away your bad habits. When I first talked to my doctor about bariatric surgery, I spent several weeks cleaning out all the items in my pantry and freezer that I knew were not doing good things for me. Things like snack foods and highly processed stuff, and anything I know I will binge eat, like pretzels or chocolate. I also bought some WLS books, including A Pound of Cure from Dr. Matthew Weiner. I read through all his steps for changing your diet and figured out the easiest ones for me to do and started there. For example, I'm not a big fan of artificial sweetener, and Diet Coke was the only thing I was really doing that broke that "rule," so it was pretty easy for me to make the cut. Same with adding a pound of vegetable per day. That change alone has made a lot of other things easier for me, like cutting out bread and reducing dairy. I find I am so full after a green smoothie at breakfast or a salad with beans for lunch that I am not as hungry at dinner, and don't feel the need to snack as much. When I do snack, I've bought raw or dry roasted nuts to replace the junk I used to buy. I've lost about 16 pounds in 4 months, and unlike in the past when I've "dieted," I don't really feel like I'm missing out. Plus, I make exceptions a couple times per month and don't feel guilty about it. By focusing on the health aspects and not tracking the calories, it really helped me make changes that promote a healthier weight without feeling overburdened or deprived. I hope that helps!

Not strange at all! Anesthesia can affect our mood and takes a while to get out of the system. Then the weight loss itself releases hormones that can trigger PMS on steroids 24/7 in some people. Plus, you just had a major surgery, depression is not unusual after major surgery. And on top of it all, bariatric surgery is stressful! The water and protein requirements are a full time job that first month at least! I'm 3 weeks out. It gets better once you can add food. Just focus on that water! If you get all your water in you'll feel a little better. Food will make you feel better still and will help you feel a little more normal. Hang in there! And if by change you are on psych meds you may need to talk to your psych if you continue to have mood issues, you may need a change in dosage. It's less common in the sleeve but it does happen for some people...

Had my first consult October 13th. All my testing is complete as of last week. Was hoping to get a surgery date for late December but that doesn't look like it's going to happen. (Duodenal Switch) I've been reading about others having 3 day up to a week liquid pre-op diets up to surgery. My surgeon said no less than two weeks. I guess all surgeons have their preferences. I've read a few books and listened to as many podcasts about Bariatric surgery per-op and post-op. I feel like a have a good hold on it. I started a Keto/Carnivore diet back in June. Limiting carbs and Sugar wasn't a big deal starting a 100 Gram Protein & 100 Gram carb diet the dietician has recommended for me to be on now. I've lost 47 pounds since June and 27 since my October consult.

Both methods have a failure option. You go off meds & return to your old eating habits, the weight comes back. With the surgery, you go back to how you used to eat, you regain the weight. Both require you to do the work to change your relationship with food, make better food choices, become more active, learn to recognize real hunger from head hunger & learn about what drives you to eat & develop strategies to manage those drives like your food obsession voices. Neither routes are true easy permanent solutions without doing this work. The class you attended seems like it got you started on this & on the right path. The win of the surgery for me was time. The period of time when I wasn’t hungry or interested in eating, the change to my taste buds, etc. allowed me to start doing that work. I learnt what my body needed, how to keep my boosted metabolism going & to keep my new weight set point stable. Certainly worth conversations with your doctor & a bariatric surgeon to see what they think is the best way forward for you. Also ask for a referral to a therapist who specialises in disordered eating to support you through doing the head work. Many who’ve had surgery find therapy very helpful & contributed to their success & it would likely be helpful even if you choose not to have surgery. All the best what ever you choose to do. PS - I second the Dr Matt Weiner’s Pound of Cure you tube videos. He’s also on instagram & has some great books. Dr John Pilcher also has some great you tube videos on weight loss & surgery. Another consideration is I understand the newest weight loss med is supposed to less expensive & is expected to help push down the cost of the existing ones.