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Today is my 2 week post op! Since surgery I have lost 21 pounds! I have been weighing myself daily which was great until yesterday when I stepped on the scale and it said I had gained 3 pounds. Today I stepped on it again and it said I lost 1 of the 3 I gained. This was frustrating to me. I am not over eating and in fact I'm not getting more than 500-600 calories in a day. I feel a little bloated too. I just had my menstrual cycle so it isn't premenstrual swelling. I have my first 2 week post op apt in an hour so I will see what the doctor says. I'm hoping she allows me to move onto pureed food. We spend years putting on the weight and expect it to come off in days. I need to relax! Slow and steady. I'm so glad I have Bariatric pal to turn to when I have questions and there are tons of people who have had or are having the same questions. This site is so helpful! Love it!

@@hollybower, my Bariatric Doc told me not to diet or lose weight until after I see the Nut and that's tomorrow (10/21). I actually gained a few pounds of water weight because it's that time of the month for me and I also have not been able to take my lasix water control medication in the past 4 days due to my work schedule so I hope a gain doesn't count against me. I'll keep you posted.

While I agree that selecting the right tool is important (right for your needs, health & medical considerations, lifestyle etc.) getting your head right is equally as if not a more important part. Not everyone loses their appetite after surgery & if you do it’s temporary. We all say, the surgery changes your body but it doesn’t change your thinking. It doesn’t stop your cravings, emotions, habits. They’ll still be there when your appetite returns. You have to do the head work as well. It is possible to eat around your tool, to make poor food choices & then not lose or regain your weight. Changing your relationship with food, understanding why you eat (habit, emotional support, craving, boredom, etc.) are essential. It’s like getting a gym membership or buying a treadmill, how successful you are depends upon you changing your behaviours & actually using the treadmill or going to the gym. Many people find working with a therapist extremely helpful in understanding & developing strategies to manage what motivates or drives our eating & the food choices we make. Unfortunately, life does tend to throw crap at us at times, & knowing how to manage the emotional turmoils that usually come with it & not fall back on old eating behaviours will help you continue your weight loss & maintain in the future. As @NickelChip said, Dr Weiner & Dr Pitcher have amazing resources but I do encourage you to consider seeking counselling. Your doctor, surgeon & team should be able to recommend someone with experience in disordered eating & bariatric patients. (Many insurances require at least one visit as part of your approval anyway.) All the best.

NO. They make them for bariatric patients as well! They will be slightly tight, but that is how they are supposed to be!

I would encourage you to contact your bariatric team and insist on being seen by the doc. At the very least you could get anti nausea meds. Good luck and I'm sorry you are experiencing this.

Hi my name is Rebecca and I'm on my way to a healthier life! So I am a 46 year old mother of 4 grown children (amazing children ) I have suffered from bipolar depression, ptsd, anxiety with panic attacks, and borderline personality for many years. As a result I have been on numerous medications that have caused me to gain significant weight, as well as having used food as my "comfort" food... That was the beginning of a life long struggle with weight. This past two years I have had a stroke and a mini stroke, my left knee has been totally replaced twice and is still very unstable so exercise is virtually impossible and my weight reached an all time high of 383lbs! In August I decided to take control and regain my life back.. Starting in September I met with the Bariatric team and have since lost 34bs 4oz and now have a surgery date for January 25th ...I must admit that as excited as I am about my new healthier lifestyle I am also very very nervous and constantly anxious about the "unknown". I have sleep apnea, high blood pressure, Fibromyalgia, and other health issues that can only be improved with the gastric bypass so I have weighed the pros and cons of it all and feel this may be my last chance of ever getting back to the "healthy Rebecca" that I need to be for myself, my husband, my children, and my precious grandson. Sent from my 6045O using the BariatricPal App

I'm starting fresh, I have been without insurance so I have been waiting. Self pay has been so expensive! Not from experience, but from reading on here insurance companies can be tough to deal with. Hopefully you get approved, I think you will! I also have a wonky thyroid. Hypothyroidism I have seen BCBS updated their policy on the website, however I haven't seen a timeframe for that! I have seen the timeframe for tests and such, but none about a supervised diet I know on the website for Bariatric Specialists of NC they do notify you of changes if you have BCBS about a 6 or 12 month program, but it's not in the policy. It confuses me, but I will find out eventually! Hoping it's not a 12 month thing, I can live with a 6 month program lol Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

How long have you been waiting for an approval? I think I will pass on calling for now lol, I'm okay with the information I have for now I'm looking to go through Bariatric Specialists of NC located in Cary Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I have BCBSMA. After I started my appointments and got some information from my bariatric surgeon. I called my insurance and they told me exactly what my responsibility would be. They needed the Dr's name and the hospital that the procedure would take place at. Sent from my SM-G935V using the BariatricPal App

So I'm actually working towards a revision which is a bit different than just starting a fresh journey. I started seeing my surgeon in April 2016 and putting together all the records of my compliance while banded, as well as test results of an endoscopy, an upper GI, a sleep study etc. Essentially we have to make a really good case as to why they should pay to have the band removed (because I've developed health related problems with it) and why they should pay to revise to the RNY (because I have a history of compliance and success....at least prior to my wonky thyroid and pregnancy). We just now go all of the records and tests and everything together, I got my psych clearance right before Christmas and I emailed my surgeon's nurse to see if things have been submitted. Both duke and bariatric specialists of NC are marked as bariatric centers of excellence - I looked at them when I was doing initial research and ultimately chose duke because my primary is in the duke system and so I wanted my doctors to easily be able to share information and be on the same page when it comes to my health. My surgeon did mention that BCBS was changing their bariatric policy after the new year, the requirements on how long we are required to be enrolled in a surgical center's program. I believe it used to be 6 months, and they are moving to 12. In my case I don't know if it will apply because I'm a revision...but if it does it means I'll have to wait until after April for my procedure. It will suck if I have to wait but it's worth it and in the meantime I can continue to focus on making the lifestyle changes I'll need. I would definitely check with BCBS to find out what the new (if any) changes to the requirements may be so you've got a game plan for the coming months

I'm dealing with the same thing right now. My BMI hovers around 34 to 35, and has off and on for the last 25 years (gaining and losing the same 30# every couple of years). The second I saw the bariatric doctor's paperwork, I knew I was facing an uphill battle. In addition to the preop labs and tests, which I think PCP would reluctantly order, they want my PCP to sign a form that states PCP deems weight loss surgery to be medically necessary. As predicted, PCP is balking at signing this form, as 'diet and exercise' should be sufficient.

My insurance doesn't cover bariatric surgery, so I've decided to get it done in Mexico. That's not the "wrong" part though, believe it or not. I do feel there is value to the pre-op hoops you jump through to get approved and other preparatory and follow-up work that I'm worried I'm not even aware of. Like everyone else here, I want the best possible chance at success and I feel like I'm already behind the curve. Here's where I stand with my own attempts to get the right support network in place: DIETITIAN - Do I need one after surgery? I'm not currently seeing one, but I used the services of an RD for 2 years, 2006-2008, so I've got all the knowledge regarding portions, balance, nutrient density, etc. I tried to find one, both locally and remotely, but the bariatric specialist RDs are all affiliated with surgical centers and only deal with those patients. I will try again if I need one, I just don't know if I do. THERAPIST - I've tried therapy five times before and never got anywhere. I'm currently getting medication management by a psych nurse, who is on board and has changed my anti-depressant scripts to regular not extended release. Anyway, I'm utterly convinced that this surgery won't succeed without 'head work' and I'm giving it another shot. Unfortunately my first appointment isn't until 2 weeks before my surgery, but at least I'll have it in place for afterwards. He does bariatric psych evaluations for insurance companies, so I'm feeling positive about this choice. POST-OP SURGICAL SUPPORT - I get follow-up support via phone afterwards. My primary doc where I live is on board with ordering the vitamin level tests and such afterwards. This is, unfortunately, all I have figured out...I simply don't know what else I need. BOOKS - I've read Bariatric Mindset Success by Kristin Lloyd, but it didn't really resonate the way I hoped it would Feel free to recommend a book that takes you through all the steps, or a dietitian who does skype sessions, or even just write a bit about a valuable piece of the puzzle I'm either understimating or missing completely. Thank you.

I’m thankful that my body is teaching me to pause, listen, learn and renew. Thankful for this website and the lovely souls gathered to empower and encourage one another. Thankful for my sweet, gentle, strong, self confident, funny, tender, courageous, wise, spiritual and handsome hubby. Thirty years together and still crazy for each other.💖

Hello all! I just went on my Kaiser website and logged in and saw that there was an appointment for me scheduled there for Fremont Bariatric orientation. I kept staring at the appointment like it wasn't real because I've been waiting four months and battling the process every step. It's true you have to be very pushy and keep calling or else you get forgotton about. I'm just wondering if this means that I am definetly in for the surgery or if I still have to wait for approval. Hope everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving dinner!!:thumbup:

i'd also recommend something with the gall bladder...i had mine removed about 3 years before i had the band done and my bariatric surgeon said that the scars would be very similar, which they were! good luck

I had some xrays done so maybe they can find something with those xrays that will be a complication. The doctor that did the xray said he saw a little bit of slippage. No erosion... i wake up with pains in my shoulder blades. I'm hoping to get the sleeve.... or RNY. Thanks for your help. I have found in the past that some bariatric doctors are not familiar with our insurance and require us to do stuff that in the past our insurance didn't require...... like diet for 6 months... a psych eval.... it seems as if they make everyone do that even tho the insurance didn't require it at the time. SO, I was thinking maybe this was the same type of situation. It makes sense tho since I have not really been under the care of a doctor in a year.

I guess I should update my Journey a bit. I have been kind of moving slow since my consult. I don?t know if it is because I am afraid of being denied. Or it maybe I am hoping that by the time I finish the 6 month diet, they will approve the sleeve and I won?t have to deal with deal with the appeal process. I am 99.9% sure they will deny me on the first try. I just turned in my release of information to my PCP yesterday. They need to send 3 years of records to the surgeon and get my psych evaluation before they will submit to the insurance company. I haven?t scheduled the psych evaluation yet either. When I talked to the receptionist to turn in my release form to my PCP, I told them to just send the records to me. I figured I could make copies, and keep a set for myself. That way if I decide to seek a 2nd consult, I?ll already have them. The receptionist was somewhat concerned about releasing the records to me. She said they might have to charge me for them if they release them to me, but don?t charge anything if it is being sent to a Dr. That makes no sense to me at all. The records lady is supposed to call me and discuss my options. I am also waffling on if I should go to another surgeon. There are not many sleeve surgeons in my area that I know of. The one I consulted (Dr. Lamasters) who has only done a dozen. She has done hundreds of RNY bypasses though. I don?t know if there is anyone in Iowa who has much experience at sleeves since hardly any insurance companies will pay for it. Kind of a catch 22. I don?t know if I should contact Dr. Gary J. Anthone, I know he is a highly regarded DS (duodenal switch) surgeon, so you would think he would be good at doing sleeves as he has 1600 DS surgeries. It also says he has done 250 Open VSG?s, and 25 VSG (I assume these were done Lap). My only concern is he may be great at Open, but are his LAP skills up to snuff? I think I also have concerns that they may try and talk me into getting a DS. I don?t really think I want to deal with the severe malabsorption issues. Ironically, my insurance company would pay for the DS. I have also been looking at appeal strategies. I think I have a good case that the VSG is the only acceptable WLS for me, since I take NSAIDS twice a day for my ruptured disc in my back, and my father died of stomach cancer. Once concern I have is that according to the WLS policy for wellmark BCBS, they state the following. ?Surgery for morbid obesity, also known as bariatric surgery is based on intestinal malabsorption and gastric reduction. Surgery is considered successful if weight loss is maintained at greater than or equal to 50% of excess body weight for more than 10 years.? Are they going to wait for 10 years before they approve the sleeve? Well I guess I should get off my butt, and schedule a psych evaluation and get the ball rolling. I won?t ever get anything done procrastinating. I suppose I can wait to choose a surgeon once I know i've jumped through my insurance hoops. Wish me luck!

I am thinking about having a Super Sleeve done in at Star Medica Hospital, 15 mins across the border from El Paso, Texas in Juarez, Mexico by Dr. Jose Rodriguez. The cost is $6200 for everything. Has anyone gotten the super sleeve done or know of anyone that has. OR Has anyone worked with this company or Doctor or even hospital? Can I trust them with my money and more importantly my life? Here is the Info they gave me on the super sleeve: What is super sleeve? Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is not as simple as any other gastrectomy. Gastric tube size influences both the degree of weight loss and weight stability. A large sleeve predisposes to gastric dilatation (stretching) and weight regain. Inexperienced surgeons tend to create large tubes (:thumbup: or to leave back large remnants of the gastric fundus. A standardized technique with a gastric capacity less than 100 ml (A) is mandatory in order to get the patient to achieve a durable weight loss. The sleeve should be super which means a small gastric sleeve diameter and a higher degree of restriction. With the gastric capacity being restricted to 60-80gr and Ghrelin (the appetite hormone) totally suppressed, the resultant weight loss is predictable and comparable to those achieved with gastric by-pass (60-70% EWL), without any serious complication or side effects (e.g. Vitamin mal-absorption). We believe the Super Sleeve to be a very effective and safe bariatric solution even for super-obese patients.

well, duh...obviously I'm in. (hubs too, and even though he's not a bariatric patient I'll have him doing bariatric diet with me so i'll post his stats too)...

Most bariatric patients should avoid sugar six months to one year after weight loss surgery. Many stick to this plan because they have experienced the impending sensation of doom. (aka dumping syndrome) Depends on which procedure you have done and even then, some don't even experience it. Also, there are a lot of sugar free ice cream options out there too, but I prefer to add those type of things after reaching my weight loss goal and during maintenance. I do allow myself the SF popsicles for now when I feel a need for a sweet treat.

No offense taken :biggrin: We are all in a learning process together and everyone's body is different. We all lose at different rates and have a variety of different health histories. I didn't really have any major health issues, but didn't want to develop any either. My mother has some serious health problems and I didn't want to end up just like her. My problem was that I just ate too much; mostly out of boredom or when emotions ran high. When I did diet, I would take it to the extreme and still never lost weight. I was even on diet pills prescribed by a bariatric physician and never lost more than the 8-10lbs of Water weight. He told me it was because I wasn't taking in enough fuel and my body went into starvation mode. Like you, I am not an expert either. I just want to get my fat butt into shape and not develop any health issues in the process. Looks like you are doing quite well. Keep up the great work

Saraj- I went through the same issue with Bariatric chews and Celebrate capsules. I think it is the Iron in them that leads to rejection. The only advice I can offer is to keep looking for Vitamins that will work for you because they are so important to keep on top of when nutritious food is absent from your diet. The Trader Joe adult chews worked for me for quite a while before I switched to GNC sports vita paks and now Opti-men. You might also look into some liquid vitamins that places like costco sell. I know you stated that you have tried a liquid Vitamin, but perhaps there is another better product that will stay down. As for Protein goals, I do relate with how hard it is to make that 80 oz goal in the beginning when it is a struggle to eat, let alone drink. You can work up to 80 oz a day and it will get easier to meet and beat protein goals over time. One strategy that helped me until about 4 weeks out was to focus on drinking 2 oz of protein every hour from shot glasses (3 oz). 2 oz is not so bad over an hour and there are a good 10-12 waking hours during the day. Let us look at a conservative consumption of 2 oz x 10 hours = 20 oz. Let us assume you measure out 24 g (1 scoop) per 8 oz of Water. This means 1 oz has 3 g of protein. Multiple 20 oz by 3 g per oz and you can easily drink 60 oz protein with this approach. Better is to drink 3 oz per hour so that you are able to consume 30 oz a day or 90 grams of protein a day. 3 oz per hour is not so bad. If you do somewhere between 2-3 oz an hour, you will easily meet the minimum protein requirements of 80 g a day after practicing for a few days or even a week of graduating from 1 oz / hour to 2.5 oz an hour. Good luck. Hope this helps.

I had the same experience with the bariatric advantage vitimans. My sister and husband love them. Just thinking of them make me nauseated.

I got lucky - I belong to Kaiser, Richmond Ca. Their bariatrics department is number 4 in the nation! We all were given a 1200 calorie diet to follow - most of the girls have lost 20 to 30 pounds on it pre op! some of us have a hard time with it due to the high carb count. Once we lose the 10% required body fat, they schedule the surgery. If you are interested in a copy of it, let me know and i'll get it to you. Good luck!

Removing a large portion of your stomach is extreme and comes with potential health hazzards of its own. Having to go the extreme of injury to healthy organ tissue and a diet of under 1000 calories just to mobilize fat loss that would happen in a normal sized person with moderate diet and exercise changes should be indication of how complex obesity is phisiologically. Even with surgery, long term results are not 100% for weight loss even at the 50% EWL mark, especially when you look at all bariatric surgery historically. Not everyone is willing or wants to do that or can do that due to their health, finances, personal beliefs, etc. You can change your sex with surgery too. You can also modify your looks with surgery, makeup, and hair dye enough to be seen as another race. Religion is a protected class and it is completely voluntary so saying "you can change being fat" does not really hold Water, especially when diets fail 95% of the time. My point is that saying "those fatties can stop eating" when you were unable to do so is buying into the exact line of thinking of the discriminators. Someone should not be forced into surgery in order to get a job or keep a job. Obesity, particularly morbid obesity, is a much more complex phisiological issue than just someone eating twinkies all day. You as a fat person should know better.