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This really is bariatric related. Today I received a visit from a very good friend of mine. He started out as a student. We became friends about eight years ago, and have been close friends ever since. He had sleeve surgery about four years ago. What is strange though, is that of all the people who knew I was doing this, he has been the least supportive. He practically begged me not to do it. He came to visit immediately after surgery, and fairly shocked me with his imagery of huge sandwiches, sumptuous meals, and high calorie Desserts I would never be able to eat again. I have been learning more about him and about this new lifestyle, and how the two aren't working out so well. We are still friends, and will remain so, but following is a lot of what I learned. My friend is one of those who is failing, and will continue to fail. I am pretty sure he was coerced into the surgery by his wife, who didn't want to see him dying prematurely of all the things that were going wrong with him. As far as I can tell, he never really bought into the premise of changing his lifestyle along with the surgery. As such, he has not changed it. He had enormous success during the honeymoon period, but has since regained at least 80 lbs of the weight he lost. His blood pressure problems have returned, and if I had to guess, he is going to have blood sugar issues again, if he isn't already. So he came to visit this morning, and we had a fairly blunt conversation. He was impressed with my progress to date, so I let him know, un no uncertain terms, that it was because I was FOLLOWING THE RULES. He does not eat Protein. When he gets hungry, he will eat a small piece of fruit, or a vending machine snack. He will often eat a Caesar salad for lunch. On his way to visit, had a coffee roll as the sole sum and substance of his Breakfast (along with coffee, which he drank to wash his roll down). When he is not hungry, he will not eat. I offered him several items, including some freshly made chicken salad, which I had for my mid morning snack. It was no go. It was kind of sad. I discussed some of his culinary choices, and offered him some ideas (he refuses to talk to a nutritionist). Simply put, he has not changed his mindset, and is fairly surprised that I have. But that is the difference between success and failure. While he was here, we were out doing some recon at the local Cabela's. I am about to embark on making my own beef Jerky, so I wanted to peruse the offerings they had in the way of food dehydrators. They didn't really have anything that got me excited. And we really did go to Taco Bell. We were on the way home, and I knew he had to eat something. Heck, I knew I had to eat something! So I asked him if he liked Taco Bell. I already knew the answer. It was kind of funny though. Even though he is completely off the reservation on content, he is chained to his sleeve for volume. So we go walking in, and up to the counter. I ordered a beef and bean burrito, figuring I would eat the insides and scrap most of the wrap. I also ordered an unsweetened iced tea for later on down the road. My friend said to the guy, "Can I get just one taco?" The kid taking our order looked at us like we were some sort of weirdos, eating practically nothing. He asked a few times if that was all we wanted. The total for our tab came to $6.43. For two people. I almost burst out laughing at the expression on the kid's face. As we were sitting at our table, slowing eating our pittance, a hugely overweight woman came lumbering by. She could not contain her interest in seeing two big guys eating almost nothing, and doing it very slowly. I almost wanted to get up and tell her why. He munched down his entire crunchy taco. I ate the insides of my burrito, and had a couple of very small bites which included part of the wrap. I tossed the rest of it. My friend was impressed that I did not stuff the whole thing down my neck. And the tea? It was awful. I don't know if my taste for tea has changed, or if it was just this batch or this brand. But I won't be getting any Taco Bell tea ever again, unless I am about as desiccated as a mummy. As for my friend, he has all the tools he needs. He just needs to change his attitude. I hope he does, now that I am in this thing right along with him. Why am I posting about this? This is for any of you out there who might be tempted to be like my friend. Most of this is in your head. You will win or lose mainly because of your mindset. Your sleeve is a tool, and one of many. If you learn to use your tools well, you will do well. If you think they will do the job for you, and you need not put any effort in, you will be left wondering why others are enjoying success while you linger in the land of the large.

I also had 6 months supervised weight loss. My doctor's office wanted me to use myfitness pal, but it had nothing to do with my insurance. It was mainly so that I was honest with myself on what I was eating, and so they could monitor what I was eating and help me make adjustments as I went. Most insurances, at least mine which is UHC, just want to see some type of weight loss; even a pound per month is good, of course more is better, but insurance wants to see a loss, never a gain. What will be enough for insurance coverage includes that you lose some amount of weight, that your bariatric office deems weight loss surgery necessary, also to have your primary indicate so on a letter. The process sounds intimidating and long, but it goes by quick. I am just over 3 months and can't believe my surgery already happened! The weight loss will be documented by your team on each visit. Hope that somewhat answered your question. In my case the app was mainly for my own personal tracking, and for them to monitor. You already started the process, don't quit no matter how hard it may seem! Best of luck!

The nutritionist at my surgeons office gave me a couple of recommended brands that are specifically for Bariatrics. Celebrate is the brand I'm using. I ordered them on Amazon. Multi with iron, b12, d3, and calcium citrate all came to $85 for about a month and a half supply.

That is too cool about your migraines getting better. I wonder about hormones with mine, but cant pin it down (everytime i try, it disproves itself). OM-as for the protein powder, the nutritionist/dietician i am seeing (because my insurance co requires it) has helped me with a few brand recomendations because of my food triggers. I am going to try Metagentics BX (bariatric)...something or rather. Its soy free and artificial sweetener free. She wants me to try that for a few weeks and see if i can tolerate it, if not we move onto other things on her list. Since i am doing this prior to my surgery hopefully i will have found one i can tolerate prior to actually needing it. I also crave food during and just after a migraine. Mine is sugar. I normally have a sweet tooth but when its migraine time OMG....i could eat straight sugar. It doesnt pass really until the next day. I dunno if sugar is just a subconcious comfort or because it spikes things in your body that make you feel better (chocolate=endorphines). This will be something i am going to have to deal with now and forever because the lap band cant save me from that. Hope you all have a great weekend. I am getting the startings of a headache now, so i am going to try and cut it off and log off my computer.

I don't get my blood tested for a couple of weeks but my doctor requires additional B-12 suppliments (I take 500 mcg, sublingual daily) I also take an iron suppliment because I have a history of anemia and my hemotologist recommends the iron suppliments. I also take bariatric chewable Vitamins that have extra iron and b-12. I get the iron tested every six months because that can build up if you have too much but b-12 is Water soluable and excess is passed on through the body.

I received a packet from the WMT* yesterday... my 4-hour appt. is coming up on Aug 7... this just explained where to go and reminded me to do my food journal for 3 days... Got that started... : ) Every meal I have now, I think about how it is going to change... We had steaks from the grill the other night and I told Dick I'd never be able to eat this again... now I realize I'm wrong.. I will be able to eat it, just not the WHOLE blessed thing! "Big Medicine" was on last night... A Father/Son doctor team doing bypass surgeries on 500-600 pound men and their sister/daughter had to fly in due to problems with her lap band. She needed an "unfill" and the doctors in Ohio didn't know what to do or how to do it. 30 sec. with her brother, and it was done! Like she really needed it... he high weight was 185 and she's now 135... cute as a button! They didn't show "before" pictures, but I wish they had. I'd be DELIGHTED to weight 175!!!! Another show about a bariatric center with bed-ridden folks weighing in at 700 pounds! Now, I didn't need to see that! Or maybe I did... maybe that's the kick in the butt I needed to get this in gear, going the downward direction! I worry about being able to do this... and can't wait at the same time! *Weight Management Team

I received a packet from the WMT* yesterday... my 4-hour appt. is coming up on Aug 7... this just explained where to go and reminded me to do my food journal for 3 days... Got that started... : ) Every meal I have now, I think about how it is going to change... We had steaks from the grill the other night and I told Dick I'd never be able to eat this again... now I realize I'm wrong.. I will be able to eat it, just not the WHOLE blessed thing! "Big Medicine" was on last night... A Father/Son doctor team doing bypass surgeries on 500-600 pound men and their sister/daughter had to fly in due to problems with her lap band. She needed an "unfill" and the doctors in Ohio didn't know what to do or how to do it. 30 sec. with her brother, and it was done! Like she really needed it... he high weight was 185 and she's now 135... cute as a button! They didn't show "before" pictures, but I wish they had. I'd be DELIGHTED to weight 175!!!! Another show about a bariatric center with bed-ridden folks weighing in at 700 pounds! Now, I didn't need to see that! Or maybe I did... maybe that's the kick in the butt I needed to get this in gear, going the downward direction! I worry about being able to do this... and can't wait at the same time! *Weight Management Team

Dr. Jesse Lopez is at the Mid-West Institute of Bariatric Surgery. Located in Lenexa, Kansas.

Let me tell you about protein shots! Lol Bariatric Choice has them for 3.79 and it's 42g of protein per shot. I just ordered 4... I'd rather drink a shot than to sip on Isopure all day.... It doesn't taste so good and I bought a whole case of them. Ask me where it is lol

I agree with most of you alls points & I think sadly a lot of people get on here & look for answers instead of contacting their doctor. There are credible sources that say the body does what they termed "hibernation mode" about 3 weeks into the post surgical phase. It's around this time your body is like what happened? And it needs to convert some stores to readily available energy. I think many forget we didn't wake up obese one day so we aren't going to wake up thin. That surgery is just a tool, that diet, exercise & other lifestyle changes must accompany it. And the biggest is moving everyday & owning what we put into our bodies. How can your nutritionist help you if you can't actually tell them what your eating? Plus it helps keep you honest. And yes every program has its own set of rules. Carbs are ok, carbs are not ok. Protein shakes are a good source of protein but you can only have them for so long... Read the materials your program gave you, in need be reread them & call for clarification. We all went thru major changes & have changed a lot of things to get this surgery. We need to remember most mainstream advice doesn't apply to us anymore, and your Bariatric center is your friend. If you have moved since getting your surgery find one locally & see if they can help you out when questions arise. I just want us to all succeed & not fall back on half truths to make something we have learned is not acceptable with our new life acceptable(like eat more lose more). There are times when we are just not feeding our body enough & it will metabolize muscle & not fat so adjustments need to be made. But again your nutritionist & your doctor will know what that magical calorie number is for you based on you & not someone else. Ok off my soapbox ????

Hi folks, I am in the Ocoee, Winter Garden area but I’m just in the research phase, really. I’m registered for that seminar with ORMC Bariatric this coming Thursday, but I haven’t received anything saying where the seminar is held. Could you tell me where that is? ORMC is huge! I’m interested in the sleeve surgery. Thanks.

Where do you live?? I was at Duffy's a week post op, for a party, I explained to the waiter that I was not ordering anything because I just had surgery (didnt even mention it was bariatric) I mentioned to him that I brought some broth, jello, and ice tea. They had absoloutely no problem with that. I have not tried my card yet, but most places where I live, Southeast Florida, you can order of the childrens menu and substitute sides for more healthier ones. Sorry you have had trouble, I would have asked for the manager in that situation, and possibly called the corporate office to explain the situation. Maybe you just had an insensitive waiter.

So you cheated a little on your post-op diet. When you were supposed to be on liquids, you had a few spoons of mashed potatoes or a swallow of yogurt, both nice and soft. Maybe you ate a few Cheez Doodles, but what’s the big deal? They’re like eating flavored air, aren’t they? And the McNuggets you tried during the puree phase? You chewed them really well, and you could only eat three instead of your pre-op portion of six – isn’t that great? No, it’s not great that you could only eat three McNuggets. And yes,cheating is a big deal, and I’m going to tell you why. You’re not going to get away with this one. Miss Jean has eyes in the back of her head. She sees the cookie crumbs on your face and the neon orange faux cheese film on your guilty fingers. SOME DEFINITIONS OF CHEATING The word “cheat” has two main connotations. One is cheating in the sense of lying and deceiving. It’s intentional dishonesty. You know what you’re doing is wrong, but you do it anyway. The other connotation of “cheat” is unfaithfulness. Unfaithful to a vow or promise you made to another person or to an organization. When someone cheats you, do you just shrug and say, “Oh well, he was having a bad day”? Let’s say you bought a car that you thought was brand new, and later discovered that the dealer had fiddled with the odometer and charged you full sticker price for a car with 1200 miles on it. Would that be okay with you? And what if your spouse, the person you trust with your life, cheated on you by sleeping with your best friend, would you be able to just shrug that off? If your child got a B+ grade by cheating on a test by copying answers from the student at the next desk, would you be proud of him or her? And what if you found out that a coworker betrayed you by using the great idea you confided to him or her and taking credit for it when it worked out splendidly? Would you still be eating lunch with that coworker? Or what if you donated money to a political candidate who you admired, and he or she spent it on a vacation in the Bahamas instead of on re-election expenses. Would that be okay with you? Would you vote for that candidate ever again? I’ll take a guess at your answers to these questions. In none of the situations I’ve described would you be happy or proud. In fact, you’d be disappointed and angry. So just how can you think it’s no big deal to cheat on your post-op diet? EXCUSES, EXCUSES I can hear grumbling in the room. I think I just heard someone saying, “I had to eat that mashed potato. I was so hungry and miserable and cranky from being on liquids for a week, I couldn’t stand it another minute.” I do understand very well how you felt, but in the big picture of world hunger, where babies die because their mothers eat so little that they don’t produce enough milk for nursing, your and my hungry misery is a big So What. And someone else is whispering, “My best friend’s surgeon let her eat mashed potatoes on her third day post-op, so it must be okay for me to do that too, even though my surgeon told me to wait until my 15th day post-op. It’s not my fault that every surgeon has a different post-op eating protocol.” While it’s true that surgeons’ eating instructions vary widely, you signed on with your surgeon, not your best friend’s. Presumably you chose your surgeon because you and/or your insurance company believe that he or she is well-qualified in laparascopic bariatric surgery. During your psych evaluation, you affirmed that you understand what the surgery involves and that you can and will follow instructions. You nodded when the shrink asked if you’re ready to make all the lifestyle changes needed for success. You nodded when the dietitian asked if you understood your pre- and post-op eating instructions. You scribbled your own name on a sheaf of release papers to indicate that you were informed about the risks involved and despite those risks, gave your surgeon permission to perform surgery on you. In addition to all of that, you spent weeks or months jumping through hoops to prove your need for bariatric surgery. Perhaps you suffered through a six-month pre-op diet. You had lots of medical tests and evaluations, most of them not much fun, because you were so eager to get your weight loss show on the road. You had surgery, suffered some degree of discomfort from your incisions and gas, and finally heaved a sigh of relief because all the struggles are over now. But then you discovered that there are still more struggles to survive because of that stupid post-op liquid diet. Yet despite jumping through all those hoops, in less than 60 seconds you blow it by popping a Cheez Doodle in your mouth, and justify that with the aforementioned misery excuse. And man oh man, that must have been some really serious misery, because evidently it drove out of your mind all the very good reasons for faithfully following that post-op diet progression. You forgot that one of the most common causes of band slips is the patient’s failure to follow the post-op diet. You forgot that food can get stuck in the stoma or esophagus and cause an obstruction or vomiting. You forgot that vomiting can disturb the position of the band, especially when you’re a new post-op and your stomach is still healing from surgery. You forgot that in order to move mashed potatoes or Cheez Doodles through your digestive system, your esophagus and stomach must expand and contract, which can disturb the position of your band and cause it to slip. You forgot all the promises you made to your bariatric team and to yourself about healthy eating and weight loss success, because you were so miserable and just a few little cheat bites are no big deal. I’ll try to give you the benefit of the doubt. Maybe you thought that being able to eat the Cheez Doodles without having any uncomfortable side effects or complications like a stuck episode, a PB, sliming, chest pain, esophageal dilation or spasms means that it’s okay to eat the Cheez Doodles. Well, I’m here to tell you that’s a wrong assumption. Cheating eating can cause problems without you ever knowing it until it’s too late. Cheating eating is just plain foolish. YOU’RE NOT ALONE Now here’s the good news. You’re not alone. Nobody enjoys the post-op diet progression. If any of us were good at following diets, we might not need bariatric surgery in the first place. And only infants enjoy a liquid diet. But in a sense, as a new post-op you’re a bariatric infant who must consume liquids because your body isn’t ready yet to handle anything else. Cheating on your post-op diet is cheating your health in a major way. If you already cheated once or twice or ten times, that’s not a good reason for continuing to cheat, so don’t do it again! I believe we should begin any project as we mean to go on. If you can’t follow your post-op diet, exactly when are you going to begin your healthy post-op lifestyle? Are you going to wait until after your first fill, or your second fill, or at some hazy time in the future? If so, don’t come running to me when your scale stays stuck on a number you hate. NOW is the time to begin your healthy lifestyle. NOW is the time to practice good band eating skills and making good food choices and controlling portion sizes. Doing that may not be easy, but it’s not impossible either. Losing a massive amount of weight is a big, tough project, but if you respect your band, it's going to be easier than any of your past weight loss attempts. Let me clarify that: it's going to be easier if you follow instructions. In addition to that healthy lifestyle, there’s another very good reason to stick to your diet. At some point you’re going to have to face up to your past and acknowledge that food and eating have been a major problem for you. The fact that you’re struggling with your post-op diet is a symptom of that. There’s no shame attached to that struggle. As mentioned above, if we didn’t struggle with eating, we wouldn’t need bariatric surgery at all. So I suggest that you look at the post-op diet (and your pre-op diet too, for that matter) as a rite of passage. During this rite, you’ll be painfully aware of just how many food devils you possess, because without food to shut them up, they’re going to be jumping up and down and screaming for your attention. But their wish is no longer your command. You’re going to send them a clear signal: that you’re not going to submit to their demands any more. From now on, you’re going to follow your surgeon’s and dietitian’s eating instructions no matter how much commotion those devils make. You’re in charge now. As the saying goes, today is the first day of the rest of your life. Do yourself a favor, and make it a day without Cheez Doodles!

Hi all, I am now beginning the process for my VSG surgery. The surgeon I am going to have it with is Dr. Spencer Holover in Roslyn NY... he is with the NY Bariatric Group. Anyone had their surgery with him? Please share your experience if you have. I have GHI and BCBS insurance, how long did it take to get the surgery with these insurances in NYS? I am hoping to have my surgery by July🤞🏽.

I got my Lap Band almost ten years ago, and I can't remember if they did pre op blood work and if they did what the results were. I'm almost three months post op revision Bypass now and this surgeon did do pre op blood work, but it was all normal. I've been on continual vitamins/calcium for nearly ten years, so that's probably part of the reason my labs were normal. It's not uncommon for obese people to be malnourished/have low vitamins & mineral levels. If you think about it, for most obese people, the choices that they make/made is part of the reason that gets a lot of us to wls. Fast food, pizza, burgers for the most part has very little nourishment as far as vitamins/minerals go (besides carbs, lol). I'm sure your team will get your levels up to normal before you have your surgery. As a matter of fact, after my pre op labs came back, even tho they were normal, I was started on chewable bariatric vitamins. It was standard protocol for pre op patients. So don't fret, you'll be fine! Best wishes!

Definitely going to look into bcomplex liquid drops. Just the idea of swallowing a big capsule makes me gag. My NUT actually said flintstone Vitamins aren't sufficient. I remember LOVING those! She's a tough one, though. Would you mind taking a few minutes and listing the nutritional facts? I'll list the ones for the Bariatric Advantage complete multi. calories 10 total carbs 2 sugar <1 Vitamin a 7500iu Vitamin C 120 mg vitamin d3 1000 iu vitamin e 30 iu vitamin B1 6mg vitamin b2 3.4 mg niacinamide 50mg vitamin b6 4 mg folic acid 800 mcg vitamin b12 100 mcg Biotin 600 mcg pantothenic acid 20 mg calcium 200 mg magnesium 50 mg zinc 15 mg selenium 100 mcg copper 2 mg manganese 2 mg

Omg I could tolerate the bariatric advantage while doing my preop diet but post op not no but hell no as soon as that Vitamin goes down my mouth starts watering and I have to use everything in my power to not vomit ugh so the dr told me to crush it and put it in my Protein shake so that's been working for me cause I'm determined to finish that big bottle since I paid for those darn bariatric advantage Vitamins haha!!!

My RD recommended two Flintstones Complete per day. It had to be the complete. I too purchased the bariatric Vitamins and they were horrible. Huge waste of money. Some docs recommend prenatal vitamins as well. My levels are doing great with the two Flintstones Complete per day. I also take Blue Bonnet liquid calcium 1 tablespoon 3xs per day. I get it at my local Whole Foods and it goes down fine for me. I also take 50,000 units of Vitamin D2. Thats a prescription. I have low Vitamin D levels prior to surgery and it took about a year to get my levels to come up to normal limits. Hope this helped! Sent from my DROIDX using VST

I have had this for 13 years. Mine started after I had my gallbladder out. It is usually refered to as dumping syndrome, or that is what all of my doctors call it. My bariatric surgeon had really hoped that mine would resolve after my surgery, but it has not. It has gotten a bit better though. I use to have to go as many as 10 times a day. Now it is not hardly that many. You have the same symptoms. My doc gives Questran powder. I couldn't take it though. So I am still like I have been for years...if I have got to go, I have GOT to go.

I have been using it for over 2 years. I love it too. I ws able to buy it from another place, when i put in my zipcode on the Bell Plantation site, It says that a low calorie, low carb ice cream shop called De'lites has it. I have also bought it at the Bariatric center that I go to. i love it ~A bit too much sometimes~ Thanks for the great recipe Miss Georgia Girl.. Keep up the good work everyone. All of you are doing so well....

Welcome all to "Bandsters Hell" During my entire weight loss experience with the band, this phase was definitely the hardest time of all...not to mention frustrating. My first fill was 4 week after surgery...after my first fill, I started to GAIN weight. I can't begin to say how upset I was, all the preparation and anticipation for nothing! To add insult to injury, the staff at the bariatric center started giving me handouts and lectures about counting calories, measuring portion sizes, and all these little self help do's and don'ts to help me stay on track.... I've been on every diet imaginable over my lifetime, know them all inside and out...and what they were telling me was no different! That really got me angry!! I did not need weight loss surgery just so I can do all that again! You think I wanted to have this surgery if I felt I didn't need it??? I'm going to say somewhere 4-6 months after surgery, a few fills later, a lot of hard lessons learned the hard way, (stuck, sliming, pain) and it all started to fall into place.... One year after surgery and I could say it was the EASIEST, most EFFORTLESS thing I could have ever done to make sch a major lifestyle change in myself... I learned to let the band be the band and to get out of it's way... learned to "Listen: to the band" and follow it's lead. Four years later and it is still Heaven! And it keeps getting better as I keep accepting this new way of living..

now I'm curious also. By the time one enters my decade of life,one has disposed of :gall bladder, appendix,tonsils adenoids. a breast or 2, a kidney or OMG 2 and most if not all of your female organs. And a hip, 1 or 2 knees,and even maybe an ankle fused. Fair to say, every thing has been removed or surgically stabelized, and here you are knocking on the front door of the BAriatric God's begging to have your gastrointestinal system monkeyed with. And that is the portrait I see being painted.🎆

I had been considering surgery for years.. At 5'3" and 393 pounds I was super morbidly obese and knew it. Overall, I was still pretty healthy though, and our insurance doesn't cover wls, so I didn't seriously consider it. Then, my liver enzymes started to elevate, and got higher each year I had them done. So I was scheduled to see a liver specialist in February 2020. In January 2020 I had my gallbladder removed and mentioned that I'd be seeing a liver specialist to the surgeon. He said while he was in there he'd biopsy my liver. When I went for follow up he said my liver looked really bad and he didn't see me living past 60 if I didn't lose weight. I'm 49 and was 48 then. He recommended surgery. He was very concerned and compassionate and just the way he said it really impacted me. So I made an appointment to see a bariatric surgeon that day. I had to pay out of pocket for the surgery, but it was worth every penny. My liver enzymes were close to normal last time I had them done. Sent from my Nokia 7.2 using BariatricPal mobile app

You will LOVE the care you receive from Crystal Run!! The entire process is fabulous--from the staff to the private rooms to the pianoist in the lobby. The surgeon I had is no longer there,( I'm 5yrs out) but knowing that Crystal Run is a "Bariatric Center of Excellence", so I'm confident that the new surgeons are of superior reference. Say, "hello" to Janet Kover for me. She is one fantastic knowledgeable and supportive NUT.. You are off to a wonderful beginning of your WLS by choosing Crystal Run. I'm confident of your success and your bariatric journey being a joyful one.

I've had 100+ hours of therapy at http://mocsa.org a few years ago. I was of "normal" weight then. My weight gain took off after I fell down some steps and mangled my right ankle. I had one unsuccessful surgery on it. Later, two ankle reconstruction surgeons told me there was nothing more they could do. I was sedentary and very depressed after that. It doesn't help that I have an autoimmune thyroid condition. I'm not suggesting that more therapy might not help me but a sedentary lifestyle really derailed my ability to walk or do much in the way of weight-bearing exercise. It's been 10 years since I injured my ankle. Morphine is the only thing that even gets close to taking the edge off the pain. (And I tried many other non-narcotic meds first, plus holistic treatments. My PharmD daughter finally explained to me that being dependent on a narcotic for actual pain relief is different from being addicted to a drug when no physical malady is present.) Taking 300mg of morphine per day doesn't give me a "high"; it just helps me move around without writhing in pain. I also take oxycodone for breakthrough pain. Believe me, nobody WANTS to rely on powerful meds like these. It's weird to say, but I often welcome competing sources of pain (gallbladder surgery; lipoma removal, or even my knee replacements) to help keep my brain confused about where the pain is. I expect my bariatric surgery to be no different. There's nothing that my surgeon can do to my body that can overtake the pain I live with everyday. Boo-hoo me.