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learning to let go of old eating habits
BigSue replied to butterflywhisper's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
Before my surgery, I used to eat pizza, candy, chips, ice cream, and basically all of the junk foods. Eating indulgent food was basically my only pleasure in life. I ate a frozen pizza every Friday, and I looked forward to it all week long. But my tastes have changed after surgery. At first, I tried to make a bariatric-friendly version of pizza, with a Mr. Tortilla tortilla as the crust, sugar-free marinara, low-fat mozzarella, and turkey pepperoni. I also tried a chicken crust pizza. These are fine, and somewhat satisfy a pizza craving, but I don't even really want pizza anymore. There are so many things I'd rather eat that it's not even worth it to me to eat chicken crust pizza. I don't really desire chocolate anymore, either. I used to eat a whole bag of fun-sized Snickers in 3 or 4 days, but now, when coworkers bring candy to work, I have little to no desire to eat any of it. Part of that is because I discovered Built Bars, which I think are even better than actual candy bars. The things I look forward to eating now include fish fajitas (BTW, I hated fish before surgery and now I love it) and turkey wraps with low-carb tortillas, grilled chicken with sugar-free BBQ sauce (I love G. Hughes BBQ sauces and I think they're just as good as the sugar-laden ones), mashed cauliflower, riced cauliflower (cauliflower is another thing I used to hate but now I eat it almost every day), salad, and other healthy foods. I have found things to satisfy my sweet tooth (e.g., protein mug cake instead of cake/cupcakes; protein bars instead of candy bars), but for the most part, I don't even have much of a desire to eat junk food anymore. -
Sorry everyone I don't go on here much... Facebook has some great groups to check out Bariatric Living & recipes and Sassy & Sleeved Sisters Support Group. Check those out and I am on Facebook too!
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Cramping/constipation relief
Dlhandel replied to mrsmjmillet's topic in Gastric Bypass Surgery Forums
A warm cup of Smooth Move Tea made by Traditional Medicine works great! It was recommended by the head of the bariatric program at the hospital I went to. -
Hi all I just wanted to stop in and say hi. I've been lurking for a couple weeks reading your posts and getting a feel for the forum. I went to my seminar last Thursday and I am scheduled for my first consultation this upcoming Tuesday the 18th. I'm a little nervous...not too sure what to expect. But I'm very excited at the same time to hopefully get this journey started. I'm going through the Bariatric Center on NJ for the procedure so I'm not really sure how long the process should take but I'm really hoping to be banded by the end of 2013. I look forward to getting to know all of you and also hope to be able to come to you guys when I need advice or the extra push I might need to stay focused!! So here goes nothing!!!
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Dr Kelly, What Hospital?
thinmymind replied to damanda's topic in Mexico & Self-Pay Weight Loss Surgery
Cathy and I had our surgery the same day, so it may look like we are making things up! The building houses basically two hospitals. The doors and everything say Oasis which is the upper floors, known mostly for cancer treatment. The first floor houses the Florence Hospital where the bariatric surgeries are performed. -
My bariatric team has advised me to find a new pastime since I watch way too much tv, but can't stop me from watching the series finale of my favorite show tonight, parenthood!!!! I don't want to say goodbye to the Bravermans!!!!!!
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Alex First thank you so much for not only your words but for starting this group and site. It has been a godsend to me. I am grateful that I can be honest on here, grateful that people can post anything they are feeling and not censored. That makes your site, workers and Bariatric Pal Mexico very authentic and trustworthy. My biggest challenge will be replacing the role of food in my life, it has been the center of my life much of the time. I've been successful with weight loss in the past when I had accountability and was good for two years, but then the program got shut down and away I went. I am thinking about the diet trial, although I've been ok on just about every diet as long as I stuck to it and know I can again. Thanks for your suggestion I am thinking to start cutting back and go very strict before surgery. I am not happy right now. I'm happy when gorging but feel so sick after that I wish I had not eaten the stuff. Acid reflux and lactose intolerance, I have many direct reasons to eat healthy. I made my deposit and bought plane tickets. Looking forward to talking to Dr Illan on Tuesday! Thanks again for your personal attention and for this site TommyJoe
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Did you tell co-workers?
TQUAD64 replied to Minnah's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Hello Minnah: You legally do not need to tell anyone at work the details of your medical issues. You are protected under HIPPA and you do have the right to take FMLA. Of course your co-workers are going to know your gone, but they don't legally get to know why. Your HR department should be aware of that. (There are some requirements to qualify for FMLA, talk to your HR department or do a Google search). I did not tell my co-workers. I went on vacation for two weeks and had the surgery. I had my bariatric doctor complete my FMLA form, so I could take time off work to go to my monthly doctor appointments. I requested that my doctor not use her stationary or any identifying stamps that stated bariatric on it. It is my right to protect my medical information. My weight loss has been slow and gradual, which is why I chose this procedure. People are now commenting on how great I look. No one has asked what am I doing to lose the weight. I thank them for the comments and tell them the truth. I work my butt off. I am now jogging on my treadmill for 60 minutes on an incline at least five times a week. I count calories, get plenty of rest, cut back on my portions and stopped the snacking. I have had many surgeries and I have never felt compelled to discuss those procedures with my employer and co-workers. Personally, I believe keeping my personal matters and job matters separate. When I go to work, I don't talk about my personal life and when I go home I don't talk about my work life. Anyway, just my thoughts on the matter. Best of luck to you! -
Maybe they haven't heard of the procedure; I didn't know about it until I went to the ciminar for my surgeons office on bariatric surgery.
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Insurance question for college aged person
Barbiedollgirl posted a topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Hello everyone. I am Barb from Oregon. I have worked at the Good Samaritan Hospital(for 19 years) here in Portland that is the National Institute of Health's center for excellence for bariatric surgeries. We have insurance coverage for the bariatric surgeries. However, it only covers person over the age of 25. I joined this site to try to get help for my daughter who has decided she would like to have the surgery. Does anyone have words of advice for me on trying to get our insurance to cover her surgery? I will try to appeal approach and have already emailed our VP. I heard there was a lawyer out there that works for the lap banding manufactor that helps people who have insurance problems. Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated! Thanks alot! Barb -
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.
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Often it is your companies choice whether they allow bariatric surgery in their contract with the insurance company. Have your husband check with his HR department about coverage.Good Luck.
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Why would you leave the US for surgery?
Ellisa replied to Leuteus's topic in Weight Loss Surgeons & Hospitals
Just a little thought... I like my surgeon a lot... he'll be repairing my hiatal hernia and possible revision. I agree that there are great surgeons and not so great worldwide... so this isn't about MX vs. US. But even my beloved doc loves to talk about his vast experience and we generally like the thought of having a very experienced doc. But just my quirky sense of humor here... Wasn't the most experienced surgeon in the world once a less experienced surgeon? I don't hear the mega-experienced surgeons telling us about their terrible statistics when they were less experienced. Were they really dangerous in their early days? A co-worker had her lapband surgery with a doc who was fairly new to the procedure in a facility that had just opened their bariatric surgery department (in the US). And her insurance covered, so she could have gone to a more experienced facilty for the same cost to her. I couldn't believe it... after I had preached research, experience, etc... she said, "hey, I'm an experienced mid-wife, and everyone has their first catch." She felt confortable that he was properly trained and might be more cautious than a surgeon who was too routine. Interesting. I AM NOT there, but have to admit it's an interesting thought. She did just fine, BTW. I went to the same surgeon to have my gallbladder removed (he was much more experienced in that procedure LOL). He was in-network and at the time Dr. Curry was not. I wanted someone who would at least know what the band was. Bottom-line though, experience is important, some people are simply more skilled than others regardless of the amount of experience. Don't you guys watch Grey's Anatomy? LOL Yes this is humorous musing, not medical advice. -
Why would you leave the US for surgery?
WASaBubbleButt replied to Leuteus's topic in Weight Loss Surgeons & Hospitals
I am truly and sincerely sorry that a post on a message board upset you to the point that you had a sleepless night and need to go for a walk to shake it off. Honestly, I really am sorry. But please understand, those of us that went to Mexico or are planning on it have done a lot of research. We are forever getting snide remarks and stupid comments from those around us in real time that have no idea what they are talking about because they have never researched the topic. To repeatedly have to defend ourselves for going to a great surgeon with fantastic stats and a solid aftercare program... well, can you imagine how old it gets? Then to come to our support board and have it inferred that if we go to anyone that is not local we won't have a support system, we will be abandoned after surgery, or other posts that are dead wrong about having to change money to pesos and the banking systems... blah blah blah... it's not what a support group is all about. Shouldn't it be about truth? You just can't come here and infer things that are inaccurate because we did not make the same choice as you and then be in a huff because we point out that you are not correct and explain in detail how our experience was pretty darn good, too AND we have the same thing as you for half the cost. (Not referring to you specifically here) Do you have any idea how many people assume that because my doctor is in Mexico that he is a bad surgeon? Can you imagine the arrogance I hear when people make snide remarks about Mexican surgeons? Should I do nothing and respond with... nothing? Nobody is knocking you for your choices, not a single person has done so. All we have done is to explain what we got in comparison to what you got and it's the same. I'm not really understanding why this upsets you so much. Now, if it is a known butcher... yeah, I get that! There are butchers in every country just like there are good surgeons in every country and we should warn one another about dangerous doctors, clinics, hospital, bariatric staff. That's part of support too. -
Not about the patients...really
Mikee57 replied to monkeysnana09's topic in Weight Loss Surgeons & Hospitals
My surgeon did the first fill (he operates on Thursdays and Fridays) he has a bariatric clinic that does the rest of them, but they don't do them on Fridays either...only unfills if needed. I think most places are set up like this...the only thing you can do is ask for an exception to the rule...or like you said work around your husbands schedule. So sorry to hear about his health issue...I will keep him in my prayers okay...monkeysnana09!!! Take care!!! -
Is duodenal switch too drastic?
BigSue replied to Bon Bon Jovi's topic in Duodenal Switch Surgery Forum
I started with a BMI over 60, and nobody even brought up DS as an option for me. To be honest, I thought DS was an outdated surgery that's not really being done anymore because of all the risks. I didn't realize it's still popular for high-BMI patients. The surgeon who did my RNY doesn't do DS. He recommended RNY to me rather than sleeve because of my high BMI, since RNY patients statistically lose a bit more than sleeve patients. My understanding is that the sleeve is basically the first step in DS, and that's how the procedure was developed -- surgeons would do the DS in two separate surgeries for high-risk patients, and a lot of them didn't even need the second surgery because they lost enough weight with the sleeve alone. So, that is one option: get the sleeve first and have it revised to DS if necessary. You could also have a sleeve revised to RNY. I remember seeing a bariatric surgeon on YouTube say that he recommends the sleeve to all patients because you can always get it revised, but to me, that's crazy because I don't want to have more than one surgery! -
Hello Soft Foods! Started Wk 3 diet today and per my doctor's diet I can introduce the soft foods like loose grits, yogurt, cottage cheese. All I can say is GLORIOUS after several weeks of a liquid diet. I was feeling so incredible weak and was wiped out after walking around with the kids trick/treating. Although I am still on the protein shake, I had plain greek yogurt this morning for breakfast, some cottage cheese with a sprinkle of pepper for lunch, and grits tonight. I feel like I cheated last night as we made pork butt in the pressure cooker with chicken broth as the base and I siphoned off some of the liquid for dinner. I had to take an extra step to skim the fat and remove the chunks with a sieve and towel, but it was a naughty pleasure. Mrs made beef vegetable soup tonight so I plan on using some of the broth as the base for my grits that will be dinner. As a home chef, I gotta have some flavor and using all kinds of stock to cook things is a great way while staying healthy since I can't add in butter, cheese, or the like. I opted for grits to keep things gluten free and am using the stone ground organic from Bob's Red Mill organic grits (aka polenta) since the instant tend to get a little bland and gelatinous. Should be yummy if only a teaspoon worth. Anxious to see what happens with the weight loss after reintroducing solids. Walked three miles with the Mrs. this morning to try and compensate for reintroducing solids but shooting for at least another 20 gone by xmas. That might be a little ambitious and I'm not rushing it. Love the fact I am 30lbs down coming out of liquids. I do feel like I loss some muscle and I'll be anxious to start resistance training after week 4 (bands at first). To everyone out there in bariatric land, you can do this and I'm so excited for everyone who decided to take the initiative to begin the path towards a healthier and longer life. Hang in there.
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Doctors in Western Washington?
ellen1224 replied to cutiepiepmu's topic in Weight Loss Surgeons & Hospitals
I had my surgery with Dr. Oh of St. Francis Hospital in Federal Way, he doesn't have the greatest bedside manor, but they are a Bariatric Center of Excellence. I have had great results, and the rest of his staff is very good to work with ! -
I had my LapBand done in October 2007. I have been taking the Centrum Adult Chewable vitamin since then but bought the Bariatric Advantage VitaBand vitamins (lemon cream flavor) last month. They taste hideous ! I can hardly get them down. I'll go back to the Centrum chewables but feel like I've wasted my money on the expensive, supposedly-better-for-you vitamins. Would anyone else share their good/bad experiences with chewable vitamins?
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JoJo, My surgeon said if I really wanted the diet pop, I could have it *but* that most people have a problem with the carbonation. He suggested that if I really wanted it to let it go flat first. It's a myth that the carbonation will expand your pouch. Some people's comfort zone is in obedience without question to their doctors...and that's ok...but they find it difficult to deal with people who see their caregivers as just one more 'book' of knowledge. I've gone to great lengths to choose my doctors. I made appointments, paid their office fee and 'interviewed' many before choosing them. Not just my bariatric surgeon, but my gynecologist, internal medicine, endocrinologist, etc. I respect their knowledge and judgment immensely...but ultimately, this is my body and *I* will make the final decision on how to treat it. I require a 'reason' for why I should or should not do something. In the case of the pop, there was no surgical/health reason to give it up *BUT* there were other reasons. Studies show that the 'sweetness' (even of diet pop) and sodium actually increase the cravings to eat. Also, the chemicals used to create carbonation prevent our bodies from absorbing the Calcium our bones need (if I understand the explanation correctly) increasing our risk of osteoporosis. Based on that information, I chose to give up the pop, but others may not find the reasons compelling enough. I agree with you, by the way, on the craving issue. If I'm craving something, I'll tell myself, not today, but if I want it tomorrow, I'll have it. Usually, the next morning, I don't want it...but if I do, I'll have it. Sometimes those cravings go away because they're just a momentary weakness. My doc and I were talking about this and she said that's a very healthy way to deal with our cravings because she agreed that if we completely deny ourselves, at some point we'll go overboard and binge. We won't have that *one* cookie we've been craving. We'll eat the whole bag. .
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How much weight have you lost?
gbakerc replied to Soexcited's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I have lost 27 pounds in 38 days. I would like to lose about 20 more before Christmas. The Bariatric Coordinator said he hoped I would be at 199 by easter which is 43 pounds from now. I think I should make it. -
Can fills and unfills cause band slippage? I'm concerned that I may have slippage and can't get to my surgeon for a few days yet. My symptoms are not as severe as most I've read, though. I'd be interested in hearing more about symptoms, corrections and recovery times. The history (if you're interested): I was filled to 2cc's for 4 months with only a little restriction and went to a local NP for a fill. He's assistant to a local bariatric surgeon and sounded like he knew what he was doing. He gave me a 1cc fill. It was WAY too tight, so we unfilled the next day to 2.5cc. I could eat that evening, but the next AM I could hardly get Water down. I thought maybe it was swelling and waited a few days. Dehydration sent me back, and the NP completely unfilled me and prescribed Prednesone for the swelling. A week later we put back 2.1cc's. Again, I could eat thick liquids that day and drink anything. The next AM, same story. Again, waited a couple of days for swelling to go down, but no go. Back again for an unfill down to 1.75cc's. Kept to liquids for almost 3 days, then tried thick liquids (cream Soup, yogurt) and vomiting occurred (though not retching). Now, in the morning I have trouble getting even liquids down sometimes. Other times I can eat yogurt. At times (though rarely, and usually in the evening) I can eat softer foods and even crackers, but most of the time I can't eat anything.... That's where I'm at. I can't get to my surgeon until next week.
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Anyone from Memphis or Collierville,TN?
hrdlywurkin replied to sharirism's topic in LAP-BAND Surgery Forums
I live in Desoto County. My insurance prefers St. Francis, covers more if I use them. I just switched PCP a few weeks ago. She is willing to refer me to a bariatric surgeon. I asked her to help me with the 6 month documentation....she told me to go see a dietician to do that. I will be her 1st ever WLS patient. What do you think? Should I be more agressive with her or go see a dietician? Thanks -
The slimes.... can anyone explain them?
Telford p replied to GonnaLoseIt's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I am 10 yrs out of bariatric sleeve get the slimes ALL THE TIME , to many different foods gained 45 lbs hiccups hurt like hell can’t drink fluids makes me feel to full ALWAYS Constipated the new life is not what I expected I was happier FAT -
Saskatchewan Bariatric Surgery Support Group Monthly Meeting
CIBCSlayer posted a topic in LAP-BAND Surgery Forums
JULY SUPPORT GROUP MEETING Date: July 19, 2008 Time: 1:00pm - 3:00pm Event Details: Meet at Regina Holiday Inn at 1800 Prince of Wales Avenue Room: Hector Room Speaker TBA __________________ “There are two primary choices in life: to accept conditions as they exist, or accept the responsibility for changing them.” Denis Waitley
