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I just found this app in the Google App Store made specifically for bariatric patients for tracking all of our nutrition. It's awesome, it's free, so I wanted to share. [emoji16] It's called Baritastic. Let me know if you use it it if you decide to use it. Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using BariatricPal mobile app

Because the FDA regulates the patches you mentioned. Manufactures need to demonstrate their effectiveness. Supplements like vitamin patches are unregulated. So any claims can be made, without needing to be proven. Some food for thought: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/wellness/can-vitamin-patches-help-you-gain-focus-lose-weight-or-sleep-experts-are-skeptical/2018/09/03/250cdc7c-aa36-11e8-b1da-ff7faa680710_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.d33ecbea9101 https://www.atlantabariatrics.com/2018/04/vitamin-mineral-patches-effective-bariatric-surgery/ https://www.unjury.com/blog/serious-questions-patchmd-vitamin-supplement-claims

Nice!!! I have Anthem Blue Cross (non-California, I'm in Texas, employer is based in Cali)...well, I WILL have it when January 1st rolls around. We just finished open enrollment. I'm going nuts because I don't know the policy requirements yet like nutrition visits, etc. and I can't call because I don't have any policy/ID numbers yet. I do know bariatric is covered from the basic paperwork we were given on the plan. I'm just too impatient LOL

You hope something like Norco will touch it, I am an RnY who also has Tramadol in reserve. Does not work for every body but does for me. Have majority of the bottle. still left,haven't had that major pain, otherwise hot water bottles, heating pads and rage against life's injustices. My original ulcer was from NSAIDS. I have reconstructed what happened in my mind. See I also have a slight % of COPD, often have mucus down in my lungs. To handle that my Primary Doctor prescribed a demulcent, helped lungs clear up and out but also destroyed the protective mucus layer in my stomach.Okay, bad enough but also I have been arthritic since 25, bad enough both knees have been replaced, while I was dragging around 365 pounds of blobby blobby flesh, I was having LOT OF PAIN. Didn't consider all the ramifications, so PCP said 4 Advil each 4 hours for pain flares. Down go the Advil, there sits my largely naked stomach and Chomp Chomp like Pac-Man the NSAID starts taking chemical chomps until I had Gastritis and Hector my original ulcer. I was on Omeprazole(Prilosec) but it still happened. Now I am happy to say I weigh over a 100 pounds less, and that was only Autumn of 2017. My gastroenterologist had put me on Dexilent, kept things quiet,Hector went back to sleep. Then Bariatric Surgery happened. Apparently among their post-surgery protocols is omeprazole administration, oh I did protest, tried telling them it is not gastroprotective for ME. Did they listen? Of course not, said I had to take it anyway, why not take 2 doses,if something doesn't work,why take twice as much? At my 2 week post-surgical follow up, I stated There is SOMETHING WRONG! And once again my complaint got ignored. But I kept whining each and every chance I got. Finally( and my guess was to shut ME up) an endoscopy was scheduled at 1 month, 5 days, October 12th 2018 and guess who was right? ME ME ME. Score Frustr8 Ulcers 5 Medical staff 0. A stomal stricture, 2 ulcers within the pouch, 3 on the back wall of the jejunem, all angry-looking threatening critters, would rather bleed than heal. More endoscopies on October 26, November 9 and November 28. And ulcers show signs of healing, stricture No plan to resolve without continual interventions by Dr Noria. She is my Surgeon, Dr Needleman's partner and uber-smart herself and she. ❤doing endoscopies, you might say it's her " bang zone" along with Bariatric and General surgery. And actually I believe that I can be fixed yet.

Mine said "any multivitamin will do" when I asked what he recommended. So I don't even need to take special bariatric vitamins, except I do coz I want to make sure. I take a once-a-day capsule (UK brand), plus Celebrate calcium plus OTC iron (Galfur), plus biotin and chromium. Can't remember why I'm taking the chromium, I'll probably stop once the bottle runs out. Sent from my SM-G930F using BariatricPal mobile app

OMG - best dinner ever. I can't really share this anywhere, so sorry to post about food. Based on the Fire-Roasted Tilapia recipe on Bariatric Foodie. 2 oz Tilapia, 2 fl. oz fire roasted tomatoes (pureed so its easier to digest), some diced onions, and cajun spices. SO good. And was able to cook the fish from frozen since I forgot to defrost it this morning. I am SO thankful that I can still eat spicy foods! Added some green beans and had a nice (small) full meal.

I called my insurance company today to see what the status was. It's still pending but a funny thing happened after I had called. About an hr later I get a phone call from my insurance company so I started getting excited. The lady said I am calling for Pam I'm with the authorization dept. I said No this isn't Pam but I'm waiting on my bariatric approval. The lady said oooohhh sorry I dialed the wrong number I was calling a drs office. Before I could say are you looking at my chart the lady hung up. So I do know Pam works at my Bariatric Dr's office soooo fingers crossed!!!!!!

I began my pre-op liquid diet on November 26, 2018. I am scheduled for surgery on 12/12/18. I knew that I would lose weight during the pre-op stage, but I didn't know it would be such a mind screw. The liquid diet can result in rapid weight loss, and when you begin to see the pounds fall off, you may begin to rethink having surgery. (Well at least this thought did cross my mind). You begin to think, "Wow, I have lost, so many pounds already, maybe I don't need to go through with the surgery." "Maybe I can just stick to a diet plan and keep losing the weight." But just as this thought went through my mind, the parallel thought of, "if you could just watch your diet and loss the weight, why haven't you been able to do so and keep up with it?" This truly a mind screw. Don't get me wrong I know weight loss surgery is not a miracle. It's a tool to help you reset your lifestyle for weight loss. I am definitely going to continue my preop, and have my surgery, but I that mind screw was something I hadn't prepared myself for. I asked a few friends that have already had, different forms of bariatric surgery if they felt this way anytime during their preop, and all of them said YES! One of my friends even talked to their surgeon about it, but lucky for them the surgeon knew this was a phase and asked my friend to think it over for a few days before they took any steps to cancel the surgery. Another friend said a lady in per surgery group had cancelled their surgery for this exact same reason and had to start their 6-month supervised program all over again...twice. I even found previous VSG patients on YouTube, who stated they felt this way. Has anyone here felt like this?

Oh I soooo get you. Here is my timeline thus far: 8/3 required education class 9/16 1st wl class (classes done monthly) 10/31 doctor meeting to discuss vsg 11/5 blood labs 11/16 endoscopy (erd) 11/30 4 hour wellness visit (met with RN, psych evaluation, exercise physiologist, nutritionist); cleated by all. Just have to finish attending 3 remaining weight loss classes. 12/3 required bariatric support group meeting (today and optional to continue after today) Scheduled: Feb 2019 pre-op consult before docs submitted to insurance. My insurance said it takes 4-6 weeks for approval.

First off, I just want to say this very important thing, if you take nothing else away from this article, let it be this- People’s reactions to you are based on their relationship with themselves, not you. Always. Someone who is living at peace with themselves will have no need to harshly criticize, no desire to humiliate, and no feelings of unresolved jealousy. Sadly, once you understand this, you also realize how many people in your life are unhappy with themselves on some level. It makes it a little easier not to take things personally, but I would be lying if I said those things don’t hurt anymore. So how do you deal with friends and family members who are not living at peace with themselves? What practical steps can you take to be at peace with yourself so that you are able to reject those statements and hurtful judgments instead of internalizing them? Here’s the bottom line- You will always have people in your life who do not wish you well, who want to see you fail. If you do not learn to look past them and stay focused on you and your progress, and live at peace with yourself- you will experience re-gain. I love the words from Eleanor Roosevelt, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” 1) Start with yourself- You need to be at peace with yourself. Who you are, what you weigh, your progress level, etc. Easier said than done, I know. But working towards that will allow you to bypass other’s opinions of you because you know who you are and where you’re going. A simple way to begin embracing yourself is positive self-talk. Start by looking into the mirror as often as you can, and saying things to yourself like, “I am a beautiful, peacefully person and I love me.” Say hello to yourself. “Hi Ash, you are a wonderful, beautiful person and I am SO proud of you.” It’s going to feel super painful and may trigger some emotions. Process those as they come, don’t shy away from the feelings that embracing yourself brings. If you need to cry, do so. If you smile, embrace it. Enjoy yourself. Changing that negative narrative in your head that so many of us carry around, is step one. 2) Be honest- When someone says something that’s offensive, it usually comes from one of 2 places: a poor relationship with themselves, or a lack of education. Use your best judgment to determine which it is. Keep in mind, there are a LOT of myths and misinformation surrounding bariatric surgery. Don’t assume people know more than they do. Think back to before you became an expert on Bariatric Surgery. How many questions you had, how many myths you thought were accurate. Seek to educate. But be honest, if someone makes a hurtful comment, let them know. Keep it simple, “Hey, that was uncalled for.” or “Please don’t say things like that to me.” Try to stay calm and in control. 3) Take a break- If you need a break, take one! Go for a walk, get out of the house, go listen to music alone. Don’t feel bad for needing a break. Family time can be stressful, don’t allow others to jeopardize your progress. When you’re stressed and anxious, you’re more prone to overeating which puts you back on that harmful cycle you’re working so hard to stay off of. Give yourself permission to stay home sometimes too, you don’t need to be at every single family gathering. It’s okay to opt out. People may get offended, they may try to make you feel guilty, but remember- it’s not about you. It’s all about how they feel about themselves. Those who are at peace with themselves will support you and do their best to understand where you’re coming from. 4) Stay focused- This is a tough one. Holidays pull our focus in so many directions, it’s easy for us to lose focus on our goals. Be proactive about making plans for yourself for food and exercising during the holidays. Being ahead of the game and staying on top of your plans will make you feel peaceful and accomplished. When you feel this way, your confidence is harder to shake and you will feel more secure. When you’re focused on a goal, it consumes your focus and the other things that pop up to derail you just fade into the background. Stick to your routine, take your supplements, and stay on track. You can do this! 5) Stay connected- Join a support group in-person or online, find an accountability buddy, hire a coach, or grab a friend who will keep you focused without judgment. Someone you can call, text or write to keep them updated so they can provide you with the encouragement you may not be getting from others this season. Having connection fills an emotional need that many try to fill with food. If you’re getting that need met, you won’t be as tempted to eat for comfort. Connection is something we all need, so make it a priority to have someone in your corner this holiday season. Remember, at the end of the day- this season is temporary. All the food, all the family, all the hustle and bustle. The things that can make or break this season. It’s all temporary. You are what you carry into the New Year. Your health journey is what lasts. Keep your sights on the long term. You can do this, I believe in you!

No matter who you are, the Holidays can be a tough time dealing with family. When you’re a bariatric patient, it can be either a time for those you love to gather around you and help you celebrate the amazing work you’ve done this year...or it can feel like an emotional onslaught of criticisms, misinformation, and awkward conversations about your new lifestyle. First off, I just want to say this very important thing, if you take nothing else away from this article, let it be this- People’s reactions to you are based on their relationship with themselves, not you. Always. Someone who is living at peace with themselves will have no need to harshly criticize, no desire to humiliate, and no feelings of unresolved jealousy. Sadly, once you understand this, you also realize how many people in your life are unhappy with themselves on some level. It makes it a little easier not to take things personally, but I would be lying if I said those things don’t hurt anymore. So how do you deal with friends and family members who are not living at peace with themselves? What practical steps can you take to be at peace with yourself so that you are able to reject those statements and hurtful judgments instead of internalizing them? Here’s the bottom line- You will always have people in your life who do not wish you well, who want to see you fail. If you do not learn to look past them and stay focused on you and your progress, and live at peace with yourself- you will experience re-gain. I love the words from Eleanor Roosevelt, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” 1) Start with yourself- You need to be at peace with yourself. Who you are, what you weigh, your progress level, etc. Easier said than done, I know. But working towards that will allow you to bypass other’s opinions of you because you know who you are and where you’re going. A simple way to begin embracing yourself is positive self-talk. Start by looking into the mirror as often as you can, and saying things to yourself like, “I am a beautiful, peacefully person and I love me.” Say hello to yourself. “Hi Ash, you are a wonderful, beautiful person and I am SO proud of you.” It’s going to feel super painful and may trigger some emotions. Process those as they come, don’t shy away from the feelings that embracing yourself brings. If you need to cry, do so. If you smile, embrace it. Enjoy yourself. Changing that negative narrative in your head that so many of us carry around, is step one. 2) Be honest- When someone says something that’s offensive, it usually comes from one of 2 places: a poor relationship with themselves, or a lack of education. Use your best judgment to determine which it is. Keep in mind, there are a LOT of myths and misinformation surrounding bariatric surgery. Don’t assume people know more than they do. Think back to before you became an expert on Bariatric Surgery. How many questions you had, how many myths you thought were accurate. Seek to educate. But be honest, if someone makes a hurtful comment, let them know. Keep it simple, “Hey, that was uncalled for.” or “Please don’t say things like that to me.” Try to stay calm and in control. 3) Take a break- If you need a break, take one! Go for a walk, get out of the house, go listen to music alone. Don’t feel bad for needing a break. Family time can be stressful, don’t allow others to jeopardize your progress. When you’re stressed and anxious, you’re more prone to overeating which puts you back on that harmful cycle you’re working so hard to stay off of. Give yourself permission to stay home sometimes too, you don’t need to be at every single family gathering. It’s okay to opt out. People may get offended, they may try to make you feel guilty, but remember- it’s not about you. It’s all about how they feel about themselves. Those who are at peace with themselves will support you and do their best to understand where you’re coming from. 4) Stay focused- This is a tough one. Holidays pull our focus in so many directions, it’s easy for us to lose focus on our goals. Be proactive about making plans for yourself for food and exercising during the holidays. Being ahead of the game and staying on top of your plans will make you feel peaceful and accomplished. When you feel this way, your confidence is harder to shake and you will feel more secure. When you’re focused on a goal, it consumes your focus and the other things that pop up to derail you just fade into the background. Stick to your routine, take your supplements, and stay on track. You can do this! 5) Stay connected- Join a support group in-person or online, find an accountability buddy, hire a coach, or grab a friend who will keep you focused without judgment. Someone you can call, text or write to keep them updated so they can provide you with the encouragement you may not be getting from others this season. Having connection fills an emotional need that many try to fill with food. If you’re getting that need met, you won’t be as tempted to eat for comfort. Connection is something we all need, so make it a priority to have someone in your corner this holiday season. Remember, at the end of the day- this season is temporary. All the food, all the family, all the hustle and bustle. The things that can make or break this season. It’s all temporary. You are what you carry into the New Year. Your health journey is what lasts. Keep your sights on the long term. You can do this, I believe in you!

Wonder they didn't demand an Mammo from me with everything else, had one every year, delayed this year's because I was centered in on RnY or Bust a Gusset Trying, so actually waited until October, that's Breast Cancer Month so I got a tote bag of goodies and coupons for vitamins and a Lemon Bariatric Bar. Made the boon squeezing almost fun!👸👍😛

And in that vein, many complain about family members especially adult children not understanding why Mom thinks she needs to do This. I had a son who died 11 years next month at the age of 31. I wish every day my Kevin could have seen me make a success of Bariatric Surgery because he would have been So Proud. And he would have been a Great Supporter, his little brother the Tomkitten is great support, but I often wonder why I couldn't have both my boys in my corner at this point in life. And the doctor who allowed his death, because he was not medically compentant. to intervene is still practicing medicine with great impunity. And I do rage at the unfairness of it all!😭😪😥😧

October 1st- PCP October 10th- Bariatric Seminar October 24th- 1 appointment with Dr. Gagne. October 30th- had all of my labs done November 5th- PCP November 7th- Meeting with Nutritionist November 7th- Meeting with Psych November 29th Support Group December 10th- PCP December 12th- Appointment with Dr. Gagne My new insurance takes effect January 1st. I don't want to start doing the EKG, etc until after the 1st of the year so it all hits the new insurance and the same deductible.

I am not a soft touch. I am direct. Feel free to ignore my post. You said "I hate them. I justify it. wondering how bad my checkups will be ?" Your choice to take them or not. A cancer patient is doing chemotherapy treatments. I person who had a leg amputated is learning to walk with a prosthetic leg. They would gladly trade places with us for our bariatric struggles.

Great news on the Labs! My 6 month labs are coming up in January and hoping for the same! Why is Bariatric Pal changing from Patch MD? I order mine thru Patch MD website, they frequently have BOGO sales!

Awww, thanks! Girl, it has been a long road on my own. That 55ish lbs has taken 2 years on a ketogenic/LCHF "diet". I've fallen off many times. Part of the struggle has been trying to heal my metabolism due to years of taking Adderall. It destroyed my ability to keep my weight under control after I stopped taking it. This fall, my company was bought out by one of our partners and our insurance benefits changed. For the first time in my adult life, I have a job that will pay for bariatric so I jumped on that boat with a quickness! LOLOLOL The policy won't change until 01/01/19 so I won't know the particulars of the plan for a couple weeks like how many required nutrition visits, etc...but I'm just happy to finally have some hope. No matter how long it takes 💓

Has anyone switched from the ready to feed to the powder form? My Wal-Mart deleted every flavor except vanilla and chocolate, chocolate allergy for 43 years, growing to loathe vanilla RTF, yeah I could order site-to-store, but when I want something , I want something. No Sams Club (23 miles distant) no Costco (30 miles) never had Amazon account, let alone Prime, and Bariatric Pal, much as I 💓them, couple days wait-time. And if I found WM disappointing, Krogers was more so÷ God I used to be a Kroger Kid, why ? They have little to offer Bariatric-friendly. Any advice to replace my (sob) deleted Premeir Protein friends. I need them or a tasty repkacement to keep protein counts sky- high🌈 Your Frustr8 Friend.

And with healthy meals, my bariatric vitamins and a Good Doctor to guide me, I actually lost weight my last 2 pregnancies and had a 9 pound bouncing baby boy both times. It can be done, do what is best for you and that previous new life you carry. Your baby has a lot of God-Aunts and God-Uncles out here cheering You and Baby on!

Not enough water but I've been working on it. Unfortunately, only hot beverages seem to go down nicely and I hate tea. I've been stuck drinking the bariatric hot chocolate and warmed up water. Sent from my SM-G960U using BariatricPal mobile app

@missmoe I'm just over 4 weeks post op and I was really regretting my decision at week 2 as well. Tbh I still have days I regret having the surgery done. It's a mental battle every day and there are days I lose the battle. This is a really hard time to be going through the beginning of the post op phase...the holidays, the parties, the family gatherings. But we can do this. This forum has been a huge support system for me as I struggle through this....post surgery complications? Stalls? Mental hunger issues? There are others out here who have been through it. You're not alone. One thing about bariatric surgery is what's done is done so, even on days we regret taking on this task and these life changes, all we can do is push forward and look for brighter days. It will get easier.

Are you released to lift without restrictions? I'm finding many trainers don't have knowledge of bariatrics. But, they do have the knowledge of starting a weight lifting program. Trainers work with many people that had other types of surgery/medical issues. I think @BigViffer can give you some ideas.

I ordered Lysine through Amazon, after clearing its addition to my meds with my PA. I also did some research on the most reputable pharmaceutical brands (ethical, purity, accuracy, fair priced, ingredients not made in China) that are also available through Amazon: Thorne Research, Pure Encapsulations, Douglas Laboratories, ProThera -- I'm sure there are others... ultimately I bought Thorne L-lysine capsules. Here is a link to just one of several articles on all this https://www.stopandregrow.com/my-top-5-vitamins-for-healthy-hair-growth and another article I just read https://www.drdkim.net/ask-the-dietitian/understanding-hair-loss-after-bariatric-surgery/ indicating hair loss may last for 6 months - O NO! - didn't hear that before. We all need to be careful not to overdose on these things in thinking "more is better" - there are toxicity levels to be mindful of.

@amy6152 @GirlShrinking @Hrsnjs Thank you all for your support. I know it came from the very best place. I don’t think I communicated myself properly. My surgeon was in no way being mean, rude, or demeaning. He told me I was ahead of schedule and told me what we should expect out of my tool by the next appointment. I believe the point of having a weight loss goal for the next appointment is so we both have a benchmark to measure that periods success against. I Met and exceeded my weight loss the first 6 weeks. If I don’t come close then that might indicate that I’m developing some self destructive habits again. He doesn’t want that and I certainly don’t. My Surgeon is part of a private hospital that only does Bariatric surgery. That means the nutritionist work closely with the surgeon. They are both contributors to an overall weigh loss program. In my experience, they are both on the same page. While 5 lbs a week is daunting, if that’s what my tool is capable of, I want to meet that goal. If I don’t, I won’t beat myself up but I will be forced to be very honest with myself and reflect on the things that were within in my control. I appreciate the target that he set even though it’s daunting. I’m confident that he will not shame me if I don’t meet it, he will only brainstorm how to course correct. I’m a revision from a band and although he was not my original surgeon, he was in charge of my fills and maintenance the last 4 years. Under his guidance, I lost 110 lbs before my band failed. It’s really hard to talk about weight when you have spent your whole life overweight. I didn’t handle my banding like I should have in the beginning. I told myself I was doing everything right but I was lying to myself and others. I was seeking out slider foods more and more until my weight stalled completely. Then I was ashamed that I wasn’t loosing so I didn’t go back for follow up appointments. It took several years for me to go back and be real with myself and my doctor. I ended up gaining a lot of my weight back when I had my band removed because I thought I could battle my disease without a tool & the help of my weight loss team.

I am hopeful, yes I am. Still hospitalized, have been since Wednesday November 28, my first guess was dismissal tomorrow, now maybe 35% ? I now have a PICC line in my upper left arm, inner side toward my body. And I have a bag of TPN RUNNING IN continuingly, tonight if all is well they will start cycling it to prepare me for exit. But I WILL go home with the PICC line still in. I need to be on a higher protein count than my current diet will provide to heal my rampant crop of ulcers. Every endoscopy they are discovering more, I have followed every instruction, taken every med, tried to ingest as much as my tempermental gastric pouch, Precious Pouch, will permit. Last I attemped to eat something she in the past had accepted, over 40 minutes to swallow, less than 10 minutes to empty back up. And that had been happening pretty frequently. So here. I BE! PICC SITE- not excessively painful,feels like it was attached with a staple gun, but am learning how to pivot with it, got to take a walk with Physical Therapy pushing my pole, pretty fine to do. Alerted my nurse I was on the verge of an breakdown in my backside, near and into a**. crack, had one before, k,ow how it feels, have a shock- absorb dressing. And Oh I Does Help! Otherwise turning the corner on a slow pivot toward renewed health!