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Syntrax Nectar shakes have been my saving grace...drinking Roadside Lemonade right now! I got my last batch from BJ's Bariatrics - you can make your own sample pack so you can just get the flavors you like.

@@Jay05 My Bariatric doc doesn't require a pre-op diet. Amberc425, you mention the no smoking 8 weeks pre-op. I found out last week that my doctor turned down two patients because they smoked and weren't planning on quitting after surgery. Tough love I guess. I'm so glad I quit, it's been 13 years on Sept 17th. My surgery is set for Sept 16th, so I'll have two anniversaries to Celebrate in the coming years. When is your surgery set for?

I'm in Jax, Fl. My surgeon does many of his bands at their surgical center, but all of his sleeves are done at the local hospital because he keeps them at least overnight. I have never been there (luckily!) before, except for the seminar.... so hopefully they have nice staff. I think the entire hospital dedicated to bariatric surgery is a wonderful idea! The "digital bariatrics" sounds awesome as well. I bet if most hospitals were that organized it would make the entire insurance issue much easier. I am lucky insurance wise, I am still covered under my mom's policy and they state quite clearly that as long as you meet certain qualifications that they cover it. Good luck with the wait!

Wow! Thanks for all the responses. I appreciate each and every one of you. Looks like a lot of options. I am just curious as to why there is such a large gap in what different surgeons charge, if anyone cares to comment. Also, do you guys think I will be able to simply transfer all my pre-surgery stuff since I've had it all done, but am not going to have the surgeon I've seen do it ? (For inquiring minds, and without going into all the details because I don't have the strength...the bariatric surgery center I've been to are just herding people through the doors....gimmicky stuff to get the upfront fees then not helping with a damn thing---I may post something further at another date but it has just taken too much out of me).

Congratulations on your success! We are pretty similar — I had my surgery just a week before yours, and I have also lost 100 pounds since my surgery (I lost about 70 pounds before surgery). My initial goal weight was 180 pounds based on average weight loss (this was before I lost the first 70 pounds), but now I’m shooting for 150, although I honestly don’t care all that much about the number on the scale; for me, it’s all about the NSVs. When I stop and think about it, I’m in disbelief that I have lost such a massive amount of weight. I used to see people who have lost 100+ pounds and think it was impossible, and now I’m one of them. i also have the same sense that it doesn’t feel like I’ve lost as much as I have. I am literally half the size I used to be, and of course I can tell that I’m smaller, but I definitely don’t feel like I’m half my old size. I actually like to cook, and I spend a lot of time on Pinterest looking at bariatric-friendly recipes (I find a lot of recipe on keto web sites, even though I don’t exactly follow the keto diet, but a lot of keto recipes are good because they’re low-carb). One of the cool things about being a bariatric patient is that my portion sizes are so small that I get a ton of servings out of a single recipe. I made a batch of turkey meat sauce that came out to 27 portions! I have a freezer full of single-serving meals from just a few cooking sessions. I’ve really enjoyed finding new, healthy recipes that I love, and I hardly even miss the old unhealthy foods I used to eat. I recently discovered that I like spaghetti squash! And I eat cauliflower rice all the time. I hardly recognize myself anymore. Anyway, it’s great to see someone else enjoying great results from WLS. It is truly life-changing!

So, it seems like I may have to do my nutritional visits over again. The new bariatric program is much more strict regarding their testing and requirements...which is a good thing. However, all of this pushes me back even more! Smh Oh the wait!!!! Dawnie_doo

Hello, I am new to this forum. I had my bypass on January 29th in a Hong Kong hospital. The surgery went well and I have not had any complications except recently, in the past couple of weeks, I am developing sharp pain underneath the healed scars. It feels like the fat beneath is being torn apart. It got so bad this morning that I couldn't even get out of bed without squeezing my fat together to my side. I told my surgeon about this but he is not particularly concerned as long as i'm not developing other symptoms like fever or vomiting. It's incredibly lonely for a bariatric patient in Hong Kong. The community here is almost non-existent and I long to meet buddies who are in similar progress with me to share and cheer me on along the way. I have so many questions about exercises, nutritions and diet and often there is no one to turn to because the support in HK for bariatric patient is next to nothing. So a lot of the time I'm just making things up along the way just hoping i'm doing the right thing. It would be good to have a buddy...

Are you talking about the Bariatric Advantage grape multi? I just sampled it today. I liked the initial taste but left an aftertaste that I didn't like. I will be trying the others over the course of this week I take the ones by Nature Made.

I just started using frutis fall fight shampoo and conditioner. So far less strands in my comb. I sure hope this works. It has biotin in it and the bariatric vitamins have 150 per cent of biotin everyday. The vitamins were not working but this shampoo seems to be. Will let everyone know after a few weeks.

I found out on Monday I was team approved at my Bariatric program to have surgery so I picked my surgery date as June 11, 2012. They sent all my paperwork into my insurance co on Fri, 4/13/12. I talked to the bariatric program yesterday and she said Health Alliance usually decides within 1-1 1/2 weeks. I am hoping to hear something by April 27. I hope they approve me cause I am unable to pay for this surgery unless my insurance covers most of it less my deductable and some other fees. Anyone have any experience with this insurance co? Thanks in advance!

I would also recommend getting your gall bladder checked! Gall stones are very common post bariatric surgery, and can lead to nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite. I would reach out to your doctor about it, for sure!

Hi I'm Sierra from Ontario as well new to this journey have my very first bariatric orientation class on the 26th of June kinda nervous and been having second thoughts about surgery mainly due to the one i wanted to be my main supporter and now I'm really not sure if i can actually do it

Every office is going to be different but asking any questions you can think of is the best thing. Even if it's an embarrassing one ask it because I'm sure they've heard worse.....lol Also do research on the Internet to come up with questions, maybe about something you don't understand. My office required me to go to 3 pre op bariatric support groups. Very very informational ! You also can ask a ton of questions there too and no one is there judging you. Good luck too you and this wonderful journey!!

What the heck is "mindful eating" anyway? It might sound like some hippie thing, but it backed by real science. You'll be losing weight and feeling great again, all while enjoying food to the fullest. Check it out here! Mindfulness basically just means paying attention to something - without judgment. Mindful eating is paying attention to your food, and to your appetite cues - again, without judgment (that's the hard part!). Dieting vs. Mindful Eating: Diet = Weight gain: 95% of people who diet will regain the weight they lost within 5 years. 2/3 of those people will regain more than they lost, ultimately resulting in overall weight gain. All about willpower and rigidity. Relies on external cues. Restrictive and depriving. Food & body are the enemy. Mindful Eating = Weight loss: Studies show that mindful eating programs result in weight loss, fewer calories consumed, lower fat intake and increased self-confidence (Timmerman et al., 2012) All about trust and acceptance. Relies on internal appetite cues. Permissive and satisfying. Food & body are the ally. Which would you prefer? For me, I'd much rather give mindful eating a shot. Especially since dieting was what led up to most people having bariatric surgery in the first place. Step-by-step how to eat mindfully: Pick a calm and quiet place to sit down and eat. Check in with your hunger. Are you physically hungry? If not, wait until later when you are hungry. The food will be much more satisfying if you enter the experience hungry. Choose a food that will be satisfying. Give yourself permission to eat that food without judgment (toward the food or yourself) or guilt. Use all of your senses - look at the food, touch the food, smell the food, taste the food, feel it in your mouth, move it around and notice the way the texture and taste changes as you chew. Chew slowly and thoroughly. As you swallow, feel the food going down your esophagus and into your stomach. Notice how the food feels in your stomach. Ask yourself if you want more. If so, take another bite and repeat until you feel satisfied. At the end, take a moment to express gratitude for the experience, for the food, and for your body. Carry the awareness of mindful attention to other areas of your life - you'll be shocked at what a big difference this makes! Be patient with yourself. The practice of mindful eating is just that - a practice. Your mind and attention will wander, you will inevitably catch yourself judging yourself or the food. That's ok - it's normal. Just notice it, and return your attention to the experience. Practice this as often as you are able. Of course, it's not possible to eat mindfully 100% of the time, so don't be rigid with it. As you get more skilled at mindful eating, it will become more effortless and second nature. See, I told you this wasn't just for hippies! Mindful eating is very doable for all of us. We just have to make the conscious decision to do it. Paying attention to our food and our bodies allows us to get infinite more pleasure out of life. Give it a shot and let me know what you think. Share your experience in the comments below. What was it like to pay close attention to the taste and texture of the food? What was it like to refrain from judgment about yourself for eating the food? What surprised you about mindful eating?

I would also suggest asking your doctor for a prescription for Protein shakes and bariatric Vitamins. Once you add all those in, your chances of meeting the deductible required for tax purposes (x% of gross Income) is much better. As kindle said, I too am not an accountant so.... )

I can't believe I'm even writing this. I had heard great things about Dr. Arif Ahmad and Long Island Laparoscopic but after my various interactions with the office, medical staff and the group meeting, I'm seriously considering looking elsewhere. My initial consultation went wonderfully, I felt comfortable and excited for the next step. Then...the other shoe dropped. I scheduled my first battery of tests (blood work, pulmonary, ultrasound, nutrition and psych evaluation) and off the bat something was wrong. I'd speak to one receptionist/scheduler who would tell me my insurance won't allow me to do everything on the same day so she schedules the tests on various days - then I got a call from someone else who asked why I did it this way and when I said someone in the office had told me to do it that way she said "oh, don't listen to her...she doesn't know anything". I scheduled everything for 10:45am (I had planned other things later in the day), I got a call 3 days prior and was asked to come in at 12:15pm as they had a scheduling issue (I rescheduled the rest of my day). I then show up at 12:15pm and was told everyone had been waiting on me! They rush me into the room for blood work, then into another room for the ultrasound then a 3rd room for a pulmonary test. I'm then told due to a scheduling error (again) I have an hour and a half until my next appointment. The nutritionist, bless her, was a fresh faced college grad who clearly had never struggled with food or weight and spent 20 minutes telling me about sugar free Jell-O. I was then rushed into a meeting with the psychologist (who is not a psychologist but a licensed master social worker - not the same). She spent, at max, 30 minutes with me (10 of which were telling me it's her birthday and then she was fielding calls from her mother) asking if I've ever been suicidal, what diets have I tried and have I decided who is going to drive me home from surgery. I was disheartened and confused -- I have friends who had the surgery with other doctors and who had wonderful pre surgical experiences, that's what I was hoping for. But, I thought "hey, you've already spent the $250 program fee and you have the group meeting tomorrow...it could turn around!". I just left the "support group" and I'm completely disappointed. The "meeting" started with a 30 minute sales pitch from a Bariatric Advantage salesman. We were then "discussed" surgery...by discussed I mean we sat around in a circle, introduced ourselves and talked about how we can't drink after surgery. WHAT? I didn't come here for AA, I came to ask questions and be informed. The "group meeting" was again run by stick thin dietitians, not people who have gone through surgery and could give first hand experiences. Bottom line...I don't feel comfortable. I don't think this is a competent group of people and I don't want to put my life and future into the hands of a bunch of halfwits. I run a business and had been conducting my meetings/schedules (I perform wedding ceremonies) based on the idea that I'd be having surgery in the middle of July, now I have no idea if that's possible and I could have potentially lost hundreds of dollars from clients. Has anyone switched surgeons? Is anyone familiar with Dr. Arif Ahmad? I'm thinking of using Dr. Brathwaite at Winthrop - any tips?

Yes GA Medicaid will cover it. 100 pecrent if you meet the qualifications. You have to find a bariatric center that they approve, do 6 month diet with a nutritionist, a sleep apnea and a psychological exam.

I find it amazing that a Kaiser dietician would make such a ridiculous statement. With a very short list of exceptions, I eat anything I want to eat. The success of the surgery is not about what you can or can't eat. I find it unforgivable for a healthcare "professional" to suggest otherwise. It's about what you choose to eat. Or not eat. Lifestyle changes. Apparently Bariatric Pal should be required reading for bariatric dieticians - for life!

My therapist asked me what food I felt like I could not do without post-op. Pizza was the only thing I could think of. Once you can eat foods - there's some great bariatric friendly pizza recipes. My therapist suggested a portabello mushroom filled with pizza toppings. Stay strong!

Hi Mare, I have heard of a band being placed after a failed RNY; however, the sleeve wouldn't be an option. I wondered though, have you checked out a procedure called the ROSE procedure? I will copy and paste what I found below: ROSE Procedure, Restorative Obesity Surgery, Endolumenal, obesity surgery, gastric bypass, Albany, Macon, Columbus, Dotham Restorative "Incisionless" Obesity Surgery Even the most successful gastric bypass patients occasionally regain weight [/url]New surgical technology now allows surgeons to treat one of the potential sources of this weight regain. The ROSE procedure (Restorative Obesity Surgery, Endolumenal) provides an incisionless surgical option to restore gastric bypass patients' anatomy to closely match original post-surgery sizes Dr. Bagnato performs the scar-free ROSE Procedure (Restorative Obesity Surgery, Endolumenal) entirely through the mouth without making any external incisions into the body. Eliminating incisions means less risk than traditional open or laparoscopic surgery, minimal post operative pain, fast recovery time and no scarring. Patients generally report minimal or no pain after the procedure and many of them return to work and normal activities the next day. Who is eligible? Patients who originally lost significant weight following gastric bypass but who now find themselves regaining weight may be ideal candidates for this procedure. After an initial screening, you will undergo a series of evaluations including nutritional and dietary counseling, a full medical exam, and endoscopy to determine if you are a good candidate. What does the ROSE procedure entail? The ROSE procedure is performed with the patient under anesthesia using a four-channel tube and special Incisionless Surgery tools. The bariatric surgeon advances the flexible tube and a small endoscope through the patient's mouth, into the stomach pouch. The surgeon will then insert the surgical tools through the channels of the tube. Tissue anchors are used to create multiple tissue folds around the stoma to reduce the diameter. The surgeon will then use the same technique to place anchors in the stomach pouch to reduce its volume. Are there other treatment options available? To perform the initial gastric bypass, the bariatric surgeon creates smaller stomach "pouch" and then bypasses the top portion of the small intestine. The procedure leaves a significant amount of scar tissue behind. This scar tissue makes traditional or "open" revision (performed through an abdominal incision) surgery far riskier than the original surgery. The most feared complication of gastric bypass - a leak, an incomplete tissue connection that allows the stomach contents to spill into the body - is four times more common in revision procedures than in the original bypass. Most surgeons don't perform open revisions today because of the risks. In recent years, many medical device companies have developed new tools that allow surgeons to operate through the mouth. We've chosen a set of tools known as the EndoSurgical Operating SystemTM (EOS) because the system's sutures and tissue anchors distribute holding force across tissue, leading us to believe that they will hold longer than other tissue fasteners. The EOS is also unique because it allows us to reduce the size of both the pouch and the stoma. How long will you need to stay in the hospital? Hospital stay is determined on a case-by-case basis. You may be discharged the same day if the procedure was done early in the morning or Dr. Bagnato may want you to stay overnight. Your surgeon will make the determination following your procedure. What are the benefits of an Incisionless procedure? By eliminating skin incisions, the new procedure may provide important advantages to patients, including reduced risk of infection and associated complications, less post-operative pain, faster recovery time and no abdominal scars. What type of side effects can I expect? It is anticipated that patients will feel little or no discomfort from the procedure. To date, the only noted side effects have been short-term sore throat, swelling of the tongue or lip discomfort from the insertion of the instruments into the mouth. These issues usually go away in one or two days. Is it safe? As with any surgery there is risk involved. This less invasive approach should reduce the likelihood of many of the complications associated with the other open or laparoscopic revision procedures. ROSE is a new procedure, however, and long term outcomes are unknown. What is the success rate? As with any weight loss procedure, results vary with each patient. The ROSE procedure has been well tolerated and most patients immediately lose weight as they eat less - with the return of the early feeling of "fullness" due to the restriction of the new, smaller pouch. The ROSE procedure is new and long-term data are not yet available. What is the recovery process? Typically, patients return to normal activity within a few days of their procedure. Dr. Bagnato will give you specific instructions. In addition, you will be required to follow a post-procedure diet and exercise plan, similar to the regimen prescribed following your initial bypass surgery. This generally means that patients will need to consume only liquids for a day or two after the surgery, and then slowly add soft, pureed foods for about two weeks before resuming a regular diet. To help you on your journey, follow-up appointments with Dr. Bagnato and regular visits with our bariatric support staff will be required. Laparoscopic Bariatric Surgery LAP-BAND System REALIZE Band Advantages of LAP-BAND LAP BAND Adjustments StomaphyX procedure ROSE Procedure Weight Loss Procedure Videos Weight Loss Surgery| Meet Our Team| LAP-BAND System| REALIZE Band| StomaphyX proced

That's awesome. I have BCBSIL PPO and the surgery is covered under my employers contract. It has to be deemed medically necessary! Well, I fall within the guidelines of what BCBSIL require >40 and I can see a Master's Degree or higher NUT to say I'm mentally stable and understand what's expected before, during and after surgery. But ... My surgeon, through Cadence Health Bariatric Treatment Program, @ Central Dupage Hospital is having me to meet with my PCP for bloodwork and a letter stating there are no medical contraindications to surgery and a release to exercise, NUT, Pulmonologist, consult with an Exercise Specialist prior to surgery, Gastroenterologist eval or blood test to screen for H.pylori, an ECD and attend at least 1 support group. This along can take months. Is all this needed to help with the approval from the insurance company? These are all things your surgeon requires to ensure a successful outcome. This is major surgery and lifestyle change. You have a surgeon who wants to ensure success.

Hi James, good to have you on here! I'm in Mayo and had a gastric sleeve in the Galway Clinic a little over a week ago. Whereabouts on the bariatric journey are you? HW 365 CW 332 GW 220 Sleeved 6th March 2018

I can't speak for others, but I review requests for bariatric surgery as part of my job. Typically the documentation is included in two places: your psych eval, and your surgeon's note. Some surgeons even use a checklist with the more common diet programs out there. As part of the evaluation process, both the psychologist and the surgeon review previous attempts at weight loss. I actually wrote it all down for my doc in table format, along with how much I'd lost and how long it lasted. I did that as a useful exercise for myself, mainly, but it makes it easier for the surgeon to get a grasp of the big picture. The only time you would need to provide proof is if your health plan requires documentation in a supervised weight-loss program for a specific period of time before you can be approved. I hope this helps!

Any news on your revision nikki2524? Are you feeling any better? That's strange, that nurse telling you since your body wouldn't use the calories to go ahead and eat anything. Doesn't sound like any Bariatric nurse I've ever met. Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

I was in quite a state last night when I discovered, in just googling Lahey Clinic and one of the surgeries my posting in one of these forums. "Beside myself" comes to mind. To think of all the very personal and generous shares people post in these forums, believing only others considering or having had weight loss surgery could read what they wrote or perhaps see a very personal photo... It never occurred to me that people who I have not told I am going to do bariatric surgery yet could google a hospital and discover my post on the forum without finding the forum to begin with or joining it. I have deleted my photos...and will just use my nickname, mojaleski from here on...and hope to continue participating because it is so valuable to me, although I am still very new. I am feeling confident about the surgery...now hoping to have the sleeve after discussing at length with the nurse practitioner at Lahey. It seems the most prudent option for me, given my age, osteopenia and family medical history...so if my upper GI fluoroscopy is okay that is the direction I will keep heading. I am also a good candidate for the band so it is still an option. Started weight loss plan today too...tracking my food...and will be joining a health club so that I can exercise, in earnest. (argghhh) Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. me