Search the Community

My supplement plan, approved by my doc, is this: Morning: bariatric multivitamin, iron, vitamin D (I'm very deficient), and a probiotic Throughout the day: 3 calcium supplements (500 each) and one more probiotic

I'm thinking I'll call the after hours general nurse line today and depending what they say I'll call the bariatric nurse for my surgeon on Monday morning and get advice. Sent from my Pixel 3 using BariatricPal mobile app

My business is my business, if I want to tell people that’s my decision... I shouldn’t have to walk around with a sign around my neck saying “I had bariatric surgery”!!!! So if you had a medical procedure u r saying u should tell everyone!!! Make no sense, your business is your own business to be talked about only if u decide to tell others!!!

Yeah, I'm with you! My surgery is on March 27th, and it is a big deal!! Ive also had a lot of surgeries in my life. Im sorry your last surgery was so complicated. Believe it or not, bariatric surgery is really, really safe these days, and surgons do a lot of them. Nonetheless it is natural to worry a little bit. I really think all will go great for you. You've got this!!

Thank you for your kind words!!! I am confident I can handle the changes, I'm mainly scared of the procedure its self. My last surgery in August had major complications, I almost died and had to stay in the hospital, for what was supose to be an outpatient op. I found out in october of 2018 my thyroid was bad, and got on meds, have since with help of my bariatric team have lost 50lbs. I'm at 310lbs now. I guess I'm just having a little PTSD. Sent from my SM-N950U using BariatricPal mobile app

Loving this thread and the responses! Okay so this is kinda getting personal, but I’m gonna share here because I’m thinking there are others here with me that might have this issue. As part of this procedure, my insurance company set me up with a therapist that I have phone calls with for 45 mins every other week. I’ve been with her now since November and she is a 32 year bypass veteran. When I hit my “stall” in week 3 and the scale didn’t move for almost 2 weeks, she didn’t tell me I was being silly in worrying, and didn’t make me feel selfish for complaining that I’d lost almost 2 pounds daily and then stopped cold. She also didn’t berate me for not believing in the science behind the procedure. What she did instead was to empathize with my feelings that I was going to be the only person who “failed” bariatric surgery while follwing all instructions to a tee. She understood what kind of psychological damage my body has done to me by never wanting to lose weight easily and by giving me breast cancer at the age of 40. She understood my feelings of distrust during years of infertility and repeated miscarriages in my 20’s and how when I finally did have that second baby, that my body rewarded me with gestational diabetes and 80 pounds that I carried around ( lots of yo-yo dieting in the intervening 22 years) to this day.  Her response was “ you’re afraid of being judged negatively because your body has repeatedly shown itself to be untrustworthy and because it ‘betrays’ you all of the time. Who in your position wouldn’t have these fears, my dear?” Well that was pretty profound because after thinking hard about it, the hard truth is I really can’t trust my body to “ do the right thing” so when a mini stall happens, or I don’t lose what I think I should those feelings of “ omg, here we go yet again” creep back like some kind of PTSD. None of us should ever need to apologize for those feelings because they are REAL and we’ve all been scarred at one point or another or else we wouldn’t be here. I will continue to have optimism and follow instructions to the best of my ability, but I will also continue to keep looking over my shoulder and keep an eye out for future betrayals like a jilted lover does with the one who keeps cheating on her over and over and over again

Try unjury brand protein bars they are the Bariatric brand0 grams sugar and 20 grams protein.

Hi there, I’m glad to see some posts on this hunger issue a few years after the first one. I’d like to add a few things here after years with the sleeve. If you google “hunger after the sleeve”, you’ll more than likely end up on sites talking about “mental hunger” and trying to distinguish the difference. I’m here to tell some of you that there is something else going on with a few of us sleevers that is not being researched from what I can see. Before I had the sleeve, I had mild acid reflux and was on acid reducers. After the sleeve, I thought I could come off the acid meds but I was SO hungry after the surgery that about a week post-op, I was back on them. This did help me to stop feeling hungry ALL the time. However, it didn't take away the starving feeling throughout the day. In the first post-op year, I thought nothing of the times when I’d have to get to a convenience store, supermarket... any place close that served food at times when suddenly I had hit “starvation mode”. All that time I told myself it was because I had a small stomach and I just needed to eat more often. I guess I can be slow on the uptake because it took me 4 years to figure out that I had serious issues with hunger. One day, I had eaten a pretty good breakfast, was starving by 10:30 AM so had my lunch at work, and by 1:00 I was starving again. I was ticked off because I didn’t want to leave work to get food and it suddenly hit me…after a few years post-op with the sleeve, I was able to eat a lot more food in one sitting. So, from what I had eaten that day, why was I as hungry as I was less than 3 hours after my decent-sized lunch? I am now 7 and a half years post-sleeve and realize that my weight gain and eating habits are dictated by my hunger issues. No matter what I eat (dense protein, healthy fats, light carbs, etc.), I will be starving about 3 hours later. If I don’t plan right, I have to get up out of bed to eat and it’s really frustrating. I go out to eat with friends and then a few hours later, I have to tell them I need to eat more. I am on acid reducers because I do have acid reflux and more of it since the sleeve. I am 100% convinced that the hunger is an overabundance of acid build-up in my stomach. There have even been times when I have been starving and can hear the gurgling sounds in my stomach. Coincidentally enough, a year back, I had a conversation with a colleague who had just had the gastric bypass surgery. Without sharing much about my own surgery, she told me that one of the reasons she had had the bypass was because she had had the sleeve before that and was “hangry” every two hours. I didn’t know what “hangry” meant and she explained it is when you are so hungry, you get angry. I was stunned as she described my situation perfectly…except for me it’s every 3 hours. Post-bypass, this colleague no longer feels “hangry”. She knows when she needs to eat but that gnawing feeling in her stomach is gone. I have been in touch with a few bariatric surgeons because of my acid reflux and all of them have suggested I have the RNY bypass. I will have it in the near future and am hoping that the surgery will help my hunger issues go away. After 7.5 years post-op, my sleeve is still intact and I don’t eat an enormous amount of food at one sitting. Of course the first two years post-op are considered the "Honeymood Phase" and so I do eat more than I did back then, but still, it's not crazy amounts. I’m very happy with that but what I learned is that when you end up having to eat every 3 hours, you can really take in a lot of calories during the day. My weight issues were always due to bingeing at night, but never grazing during the day. Now, I find it really frustrating having to eat during the day when I really don’t want to…because I’m starving. (And a light snack when starving doesn’t do much for me at all. I’ve played around with calories and if I don’t take in about 300+ cals at these times, I’m starving even earlier than 3 hours.) So, I’m writing this because when I asked the last bariatric specialist I went to see about whether he knew of any research done on hunger issues post-sleeve, he said no. (I’m not talking about research regarding reduction of hunger…I’m talking about those of us who end up with MORE hunger.) This post is not meant for those of us who have had bariatric surgery and aren’t sure if they are really hungry when they eat. That sounds more like head hunger to me. This posting is for those few of us with the sleeve who know we’re starving all the time. I hope I remember this site after I get the RNY. If I do, I promise I’ll leave another post to tell you if the RNY actually did relieve my hunger issues. Stay tuned!

My surgeon was David Dyslin, in the Alliance area. He was at a general surgery practice in Arlington when I had my surgeries, but has years of bariatric experience. He recently went out on his own to focus on bariatrics. He's in temporary digs right now while his new offices are being built, but you're not ready for the surgery part for a while yet. Even though I had some complications, I have no reservations about Dr. Dyslin. His new number is 817-832-7227. Also, I have Cigna and had no problems with it. Feel free to PM me if you'd like more info.

Looking for any recommended doctors with a good/long track record performing gastric sleeve/bypasses within a 4 hour driving range of the Dallas-Fort Worth area. As with most people, one of my biggest concerns is not living thru the surgery. I've hung out here and have researched weight loss surgery for over 3 years now and am finally at a place where I feel more than ready for the surgery. I've been doing supervised weight loss with primary (was 390, now down to 340) and I don't want the work I've put into changing my way of eating, what I eat, and the weight loss I've had, not be counted. I also have knee surgery pending more weight loss and the pain has been getting shockingly worse despite the weight lost. Am at my wit's end in trying to find a surgeon I feel comfortable with. There is a surprisingly VERY VERY few bariatric surgeons in this part of the country whose reviews don't immediately make you rule them out. My company just added bariatric surgery to our insurance plan last year. I have CIGNA insurance - I hope they aren't awful about it.

I had heard of this "card" but thought it was a thing of the past...Until this past Wednesday when I went in for my one month followup...they gave me something that looked like a business card on one side (had their contact numbers and such on it) and on the backside, they filled my name in a blank, and it said that I had bariatric surgery and asked they allow me to get discounted prices or be able to share a buffet (at a buffet restaurant), or to be able to order from a kids menu without being charged extra for it...

Good morning! So my surgery date is 3/28/19 and I started my 2 week liquid diet yesterday. I was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes last year in June before I started pursuing bariatric surgery and this diagnosis actually pushed me to go through with it so I decided to not go on insulin since this surgery has such a high rate of success in putting diabetes into remission. I'm getting nervous though since my fasting glucose result just came back and it was really high, 170 to be exact, and I'm worried my surgery might be delayed because of this?

First of all congrats on your success so far! But I’m glad I’m not the only one who obsesses over this. I’m already thonking about that issue and I haven’t even had the sleeve surgery yet!!! I have lost (easily) anywhere between 60-100 pounds a handful of times throughout my life so far and yet here I am!.... getting ready to submit my request to insurance for Bariatric surgery because I gain it back and then some every freakin time! So I’m already terrified that this will ultimately end in the same scenario. I know this is different though. It’s a great tool given for weight loss that I feel this time might be pretty darn hard to ignore.

Thank you, everyone who has gone through bariatric surgery and is working hard to loss the lbs, don give up, remind yourself, its your health, its your body and mind, only you can make it happen, one day at a time. Sent from my SM-N960U using BariatricPal mobile app

83 lbs is GREAT! It sounds like you and I are on similar paths. I'm at 11 months and have lost 78 lbs and I have about 40 left to lose. I contented myself with losing very slowly. Could I have been more faithful to the bariatric diet? Yes. But I'm happy and I feel great and to me, that's all that matters.

Thank you for responding, Frustr8. Guess there are not a lot of outstanding bariatric doctors in the dallas-fort worth area or everyone who may have had their surgery around here is just busy, which I understand.

Seeking support from people who have been through the same experience really helps. My job is working with bariatric surgery patients, and I run the support groups for my hospital program - otherwise I would not have ever attended, but it makes such a huge difference for me. It's a monthly reminder of how far I've come and the challenges I still have to face, but I have the support of those around me. If you think you're heading into disordered eating territory (anorexia/bulimia/binge eating disorder) seek support from a therapist with experience with eating disorders.

Wanting to find friends of all languages but curious if there is anyone that speaks Spanish that we can share and have this bariatric surgery in common to support each other. Sent from my LGMS210 using BariatricPal mobile app

If you can visit your team to start. Especially the nutritionist if available. You want to know where you are (labs, etc) before you begin anything new and drastic. Then back to the start of eliminating processed foods and sugars, dense proteins first, vegetables next, fats and complex carbs sparingly to jump back into weightloss mode. For support try in person bariatric groups or online chats like this one. Here's a challenge for March to stay mindful about food choices and motivated about exercise and self appreciation. Hope that helps! You got this Mama 💜

I am 2.5 years out from gastric bypass. I had lost 100 lbs but have gained about 15 back. In November my blood sugar started dropping out of nowhere. I have seen my both my gastric doctor and my pcp and they both tell me to cut carbs and eat every two hours. Those are both ok but I have found that if I eat some carbs along with protein I have many less episodes which is great except I'm scared I'm going to gain. Anyone with experience or advice on this? I have an apt with a endocrinologist that specializes in bariatric patients but it is not until November. Sent from my SM-J700T using BariatricPal mobile app

You are fortunate if you have a trainer that is familiar with bariatrics. (Most are not)

Yes, after all your tests, your bariatric office sends the paperwork to your insurance for approval. Then the scheduler at the bariatric office sets up your date. Then they call you with info. Good luck! Sent from my SM-T810 using BariatricPal mobile app

Why not switch to a ONE per day capsule like BariatricPal Multivitamin ONE for your Multivitamin? You can follow your meal plan and get your exercise in, but you are selling yourself short if you are trying to lose weight without taking your vitamins! BariatricPal Multivitamin ONE capsules can help prevent the nutrient deficiencies that are all too common after bariatric surgery. With just one convenient & affordable BariatricPal Multivitamin ONE capsule each day, you can get the vitamins and minerals you need to stay healthy!* The vitamins and minerals in BariatricPal Multivitamin ONE may help: Maintain normal metabolism and energy. Promote healthy bones, joints, blood, and heart. Support normal mood. Support healthy wound healing and immunity. Maintain cellular integrity and antioxidant functions. Promote healthy hair, skin, and nails. BariatricPal Multivitamin ONE was designed and developed by a team of the world's leading Bariatric medical professionals. The fast-dissolving small veggie capsules are very easy to swallow and use. You only need one a day to meet recommendations for bariatric patients. BariatricPal Multivitamin ONE is based on the latest post-op guidelines from the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) to provide over 20 vitamins and minerals. BariatricPal Multivitamin ONE is especially high in nutrients such as iron, vitamins B12 and D, folic acid, and biotin, that are known to be at risk for bariatric surgery patients. Specifically formulated according to ASMBS recommendations not to contain calcium to avoid interference with iron absorption. BariatricPal Multivitamin ONE Highlights: 100% of the daily value for 20 essential vitamins and minerals. Formulated based on the latest ASMBS guidelines. One small convenient capsule daily. Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free. Fast-dissolving veggie capsules. Made in the USA. Easy to swallow. Affordable. BariatricPal Multivitamin ONE "1 per Day!" Bariatric Multivitamin Capsule is also available in an Iron Free version here. Designed for patients that have undergone weight loss surgery such as RNY Gastric Bypass, Gastric Sleeve, Duodenal Switch, and other malabsorptive weight loss surgery procedures. Available in 30-count or 90-count bottles, with or without Iron! *Please take a calcium supplement separately to prevent interference with absorption of iron.

Ive been using the Patches that they sell at this site and they have been a blessing. reduces the amount of pills I have to take and has helped me a lot. My question to anyone. Do you think the patches are enough, or are the pills stronger and still should be taken? the patches can be costly but its a month supply of about $23 each pack. Is anyone else using them and what are your experiences with them? Sally