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I drink carbonated beverages (Zevia and LaCroix) sometimes 2 or 3 times a week and sometimes every few weeks. I have now for over a year after my Registered Dietition from my bariatric program suggested it. I also do Kombucha which she suggested and I drink from straws! Yes, call me a rebel! I just sip and don't chug. I do burp a lot, but that's it. After you're healed you can try it and see. But I definitely wouldn't chug it. You're pouch would definitely explode! Totally! And that would be unpleasant.

I love this question! From my personal experience, I don't think primary care doctors are qualified to address this issue. They are not trained in nutrition, they are not bariatric doctors and frankly, they have nothing to offer except to refer you to a specialist or information you can find online. I had to change my primary care doctor because he advised against wls. No health issues except being 290 lbs. Some issues were definitely coming though. Then the doctor I was referred to from the wls program I was going through told me (I kid you not) that "at least it's not bariatric surgery".....I had vsg. Yes. yes it is bariatric surgery and she looked at me and said, no it isn't. I wrote a letter to my wls program person who referred me to this very uninformed doctor. She said it is very difficult to educate doctors who are not in the bariatric circle. She said they offer information and try, but it is always a struggle. For years I would ask my original doctor if there was anything new that might help me. He just said nothing except diet and exercise. Which obviously I was already trying over and over and over. Yes, we know we're fat. And because there is so much misinformation out there, I don't take advice from anyone who is not HIGHLY qualified to dispense advice on weight loss or someone who has been successful at loosing a LOT of weight in a healthy way. The ignorance is real. One assistant tried to give me weight loss advice. She said, I bring a water bottle with me and drink lots of water all day, and I walk to work. She was overweight also. I said, that's great. I have some recipes I can give you on my next visit. I think that ticked her off. But I took offense for sure. She knew NOTHING about me and what I had done over how many years and how many times I had heard drink more water and exercise more. Did she really think I was 290 lbs and never even thought of water or exercise?? It's highly insulting to be spoken to as if you have no brain and have just emerged from a dessert ed island where there was no internet access. Give me a little credit please. My obgyn (physician's assistant) said my weight loss was impressive. I told her all about it then she looked at me and said "I see you have found something that works for you FOR NOW". For now! Ok, so I guess there is some other method for weight loss out there that I missed that works FOREVER? Sorry, what is that, cause I'd love to know. Any method of weight loss is for now. You don't just say, I'm done now, and the weight loss struggle is over. It's ongoing for life. It is great that you want to help people . I don't mean to take away from that. If you were to try to help your patients, personally, I would want to see statistics and research. Maybe ask them if they would like information for proven weight loss methods. And provide a pamphlet with websites where they can start researching to find their answer. Or ask them if they would like to attend a bariatric meeting and provide information. Ask if they have considered seeing a registered dietitian who specializes in morbidly obese patients. Great question!

Watching a bariatric surgery being done on Youtube gave me serious respect for the liver shrinking diet. The surgeon is working SO CLOSE to your spleen when he/she does a bariatric surgery. Spleens are terrifying. They bleed if you breath on them wrong...and they bleed dangerously. Giving my doc plenty of space to work around an organ that resembles a hemorrhage hand grenade with a loose pin....is extremely purdent in my mind. Reducing a fatty liver is also good for anesthetic metabolism and general recovery. Also...doing the liquid diet gives you a psychological clue what you're in for. If anyone is gonna find not eating intolerable and have cold feet...better they reach this conclusion before surgery...than after surgery.

Well, she probably has her science wrong. But according to this article "Patients Who Undergo Surgery to Remove Excess Skin Less Likely to Regain Weight after Bariatric Surgery" https://www.plasticsurgery.org/news/press-releases/body-contouring-improves-long-term-weight-control-after-gastric-bypass

@pumpkinlocks Yes im on the protein shakes right now, for three weeks (cries)! I actually like the Bariatric Advantage but I am allowed to make mine with unsweetened Almond Milk, then I freeze it for 30 mins so its like "ice cream" LOL! I have the banana, chocolate, and vanilla. Sometimes I mix it up and do banana and choc together, choco and vanilla, etc. The Vanilla is a little plain so I threw in some cinnamon and vanilla extract.

Never tried Bariatric Advantage but did try Premier Protein. They were "OK" but the fake sugar after taste put me off a bit. I've been using Body Fortress, which they sell at Wallmart. Have had Vanilla and Chocolate and Peanut Butter and they taste pretty good even mixed with plain water. 60g of protein per scoop.

I'm trying different ones, and I haven't cared for the Bariatric Advantage too much. The Premier Protein shakes are AMAZING.

New here doing protein shakes this week surgery is scheduled for July 18th. I am starving! Anyone else doing the Bariatric Advantage shakes.

It’s crazy how much we have in common. I first saw my Bariatric surgeon on 4/25 and was sleeved on 6/25 also. I am older than you (32) and a female, but your feelings are exactly mine. I also have two little boys that I did this for. I want to run around with them at the park and not be so self-conscious and embarrassed of myself. I wish you the best of luck!!! You are going to do great!!

I know other OPs that take Flinstones, but it seems like you have to supplement with other vitamins. I like the ones that I take because, besides calcium, its got it all, plus some. Like I said, I take at bedtime. I get nauseous with vitamins unless I take at night. These are perfect. And you can't beat the price for an actual Bariatric Vitamin. This is the description from the website. It doesn't specify to eat with food. It also specifies that it is easy to digest and absorb. Product description: ProCare Health Bariatric once-a-day Multivitamin 30ct. capsule The ONLY complete once daily multivitamin in the industry! Our vitamin is designed to specifically meet the health needs of those who have undergone bariatric surgery such as gastric bypass, vertical sleeve, Roux-en-Y and Duodenal Switch. This formula was developed in cooperation with Doctors, Dieticians and Nutritionists to make this the most complete once-a-day vitamin in the industry! It is designed to be convenient, small, easy to digest and absorb and cost effect. Convenient. Unlike other products on the market today, which require you to take 3 to 4 tablets per day, ProCare Health’s Bariatric Nutritional Supplement gives you all of the ASMBS and your Doctor’s recommended daily nutrients in a once daily easy to swallow capsule. Affordable. Our competitive pricing makes ProCare Health’s Bariatric Nutritional Supplement affordable to everyone. Over 45% less than other leading brands.

I always take mine at bedtime, never with food. I’ve been taking these for my last two checks and all perfect levels. All Bariatric patients can’t eat or drink at the same time, I doubt they would put it on the market with that assumption. Also, if you have a small sip of water before a meal, that isn’t going to hurt you. It’s the act of eating while drinking that can cause problems. I hate for you to pass on an awesome vitamin for these reasons.

Hey everyone - noob question here. I'm having trouble figuring out this bariatric pal forum. Is it not possible to reply directly to anyone? It seems that all replies simply get thrown into the bottom of this forum sequentially. How does anyone know I am talking to them directly? I see this issue both on Safari on my MacBook, as well as the Bariatric Pal app on my iPhone. Any advice any of you have in this regard would be much appreciated, as I really would like to interact a bit more with you all.

Here is the perspective of one bariatric surgeon on how our meal volume progresses over time. In short, after a few years, we will typically be able to eat about half of what we could eat pre-op in a sitting or meal. This is consistent with my experience at seven years out, and my wife's at thirteen years out. There is still enough restriction to aid in effective long term weight control, but also plenty of capacity to go overboard on the wrong foods and see extensive regain. This doc is one of the few that I have seen that discusses this aspect of our surgery, and offers a prescription on how to mitigate the negatives of it. You may or may not get along with his prescription (I don't buy into everything he says....) but he does offer a model that we can use to develop our own approach to long term maintenance and weight control.

Thank you Bryn910! Welcome Anonbaribabe and I hope you succeed in your next chapter of your life! Hi KatallacStrong, I wish you the best of luck with your surgery! Thank you everyone for your responses. I have been struggling with the food and eating very unhealthy things. I feel like I have a "free pass" to indulge on crap until I have to start my diet. It also has been affecting me emotionally. I get these thoughts, "you're not good enough", "you are to old", "you wont stick with it", and it feels like I am sinking in quicksand! I am glad that I am in therapy and I do see a phsychartrist but I am going to be transitioning to a new one since I have had no luck with this one. I started to journal write and share some of my thoughts on here, maybe someone out there can relate. I am going to my first Bariatric support group at Metrowest Medical Center in Natick.

Hi, has anyone used ultimate bariatric in Fort Worth? How did it Go? Which Surgeon did you use? Any advice? THANK YOU

Yeah, my PCP is running some labs for me now because I can't make it up to Chicago for my 6 month follow up. But I made a copy of the ones from 3 months, she ordered the exact same things. If I did have to relocate, I'd def establish with a bariatric physician to do my annuals.

Definitely it would be better to not switch doctors, but if you had to . . . Also, I think I'd be worried that my bloodwork might not be as thorough with a non-bariatric doctor. I am probably overly paranoid about long-term vitamin deficiencies and or excesses. After my little misadventure last month with my calcium getting too high, I don't want a repeat of that!

Or just switch to a local bariatric doc for followups wherever you live.

This was actually discussed last night as well. One of the main reasons for the follow ups, besides to make sure you're doing ok and bloodwork, is that they collect information for a database on bariatric surgery/results in order to decide best practices for the future. They have about 10 years of data now, but want to get to 30-40 years of data to understand the long-term ramifications. Non-bariatric surgeons are probably less likely to participate.

When/if you move, check on local bariatric support groups. The one at my hospital is open to all, doesn't matter where you had your surgery. That would be a good place to look for a new surgeon to use for follow ups. Literally, support group was last night and this very topic was mentioned. Just for you, I guess!

I had WLS in Massachusetts & about a year later moved to California. The hospital I worked with in MA is a bariatric center of excellence. However, once I moved, they weren't helpful at all. They wouldn't suggest any names to contact for followups. Instead, they told me to go online & find support. They said it in a nice way, but almost useless is almost useless. I hope your experience is better. Good luck!

So my significant other and I have been mulling this over this last 5 years or so. We're not planning on doing anything for 2-4 years, but I would sure be interested in knowing how others have handled this situation. We are looking at either moving to upstate New York or Ontario due to career opportunities. My partner works in engineering and has gotten some lucrative employment offers over the years. There's lots of unfinished business here, so we aren't in any hurry at all, but it would be nice to hear from people who have done it afterward. Did you transfer your care to another bariatric surgical team? How was the process? Canada is particularly interesting because I'm not from there (partner is though). Any experiences would be most welcome.

I have quoted this before on Bariatric Pal but it is good enough for a repeat! Laugh so hard your stomach,hurts Sing so hard you wake the neighbors Love as though the entire world's survival depended upon it And you will have a wonderful life. ,,,,,,And another is Seek joy in what you give- Not in what you receive.

I wish I had the surgery at your age. If you did not have the surgery, and waited to my age, you would have gone through 20 more years of failed diets. You will still have to loose weight naturally. Bariatric surgery is NOT a solution, its a tool. Even people with the surgery will loose weight, and gain a lot back because they stopped working on their health. Your stomach will get larger eventually. This surgery is NOT a one way track to your ideal weight. YOU WILL HAVE TO WORK ON YOUR DIETS NOW, NEXT YEAR, AND FOREVER. Let me repeat that, YOU WILL HAVE TO WORK ON YOUR DIETS NOW, NEXT YEAR, AND FOREVER. The surgery is a big help, a giant jump start and increases your success potential. It's all up to you to keep on your diet. And your diets won't be enough, you need to be active, and exercise more than you have before. As you loose weight, you'll be able to so more, and it you want to get to your ideal weight, you will need to work out, naturally, like everyone else. You had your surgery not long ago, your rate of weight loss will taper off, and then you'll be working hard. . So, in the relatively near future, you will be working naturally to loose weight still, or maintain your weight. Sent from my XT1609 using BariatricPal mobile app

I'm also very glad to have found this forum. Not to sound cliche, but you took a huge step to take care of yourself and get healthy. Statistically speaking, people have a 5% chance of losing weight by dieting and keeping it off. Bariatric surgery is becoming the recommended treatment for obesity. I'm five days post-op and I have struggled with the usual battles of nausea, getting adequate hydration, etc. but I still think I took a brave step and one that will help me in the future. Ignore the social media posts where everyone has lost tons of weight on some great program. People only post the rosiest things about themselves on social media (except here, which I love!). Don't let them be your yardstick.