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Hi everyone, I am considering asking my PCM for a referral to see a bariatric surgeon in order to get the gastric sleeve. Are there any other military spouses in the MacDill area that has had success getting a referral? I go to the Brandon Clinic and have an appointment today to talk with my PCM. thanks

I was sleeved January 25th, 2016. I am down 35 pounds since my journey started last November (24.3 pounds down since surgery). For the last week or so I have had pain in my right hip... I can't tell if the pain is really up in the joint or if it is more to the front of my thigh/in my pubic area... all I know is it HURTS... it hurts if I sit my "normal way" on a hard surface (I often tuck my right leg up and under my left leg when I sit) and it hurts when I walk (though if I walk a lot it sort of calms down some and isn't so bad for awhile). I have arthritis in other joints, and I am wondering if (as the fat goes away) I am losing the "cushioning" that held all my parts together; and that is revealing pain from damage done to my body while I was overweight. I probably need to see my doctor, but my next post-surgical appointment is on the 14th and they simply can;t see me until then. I may need to go to an orthopedist, but in the meantime - has anyone else experienced this or something similar? I don't think bariatric patients are supposed to take Ibuprofen - which has ALWAYS been my go-to for ANY kind of pain - is it not allowed? Should I try Tylenol? Is that even likely to help me with this kind of pain as well as Ibuprofen would?

My VSG Story PRE-OP: Two weeks prior to my surgery date of April 10, 2013, I had a check up with my primary care physician and tipped the scale at 343 pounds, 5-10 in height. I researched the VSG procedure and doctors in Mexico due to my insurance not covering bariatric surgery in the US for several months. All my findings led me to Dr. Fernando Garcia in Tijuana, MX. I went through the coordinating company, Ready 4 a Change. I chose that company because the response was instantaneous and I never waited more than a couple of hours for a response to my questions via email, even on weekends which is unheard of in the States. All in all, I would definitely recommend this coordinating company again. Also, I travelled alone, which went extremely well, and I guess would depend on the circumstances but I would not hesitate to do it alone again. On 3-27-2013, I started my two week pre-op diet which consisted of all liquids, protein shakes, and small salad for dinner. I did fairly well on the diet but cheated a few times very minor like one bagel bite, or a small bite of my wife's burger. Anyways, the diet sucks nonetheless but after day 2-3 it's really not that bad. The protein shakes I used were syntax nectar strawberry kiwi, and the chocolate/vanilla premier protein. I would advise to start some type of workout regimen during this phase. This pre-op diet is meant for shrinking the liver to provide a safer surgery, not necessarily weight loss. Again, all in all the two week pre-op diet went well and it went by fast after the first couple days. DAY OF SURGERY: On the day of surgery, I flew out from Dallas, TX to San Diego, California. Upon arrival to the airport, which I was 15 minutes early, I called the driver with R4AC, and he said he was just around the corner and showed up in 5 minutes flat. He even asked me on the phone if I wanted him to remove the company sign from the outside of the van, which I though was courteous. I told him no need, I'm not ashamed! So the driver picks me up and we head across the border which was uneventful and easy. We make our way to the hospital, as I elected for same day surgery so I would stay two nights in the hospital, and three nights in the hotel. Upon arrival to the hospital (Hospital was Florence Health System/Oasis) I was immediately checked in and taken to my private room with hospital bed with nurse call button, TV, an extra bed for a support person, etc. pretty much anything you would find in a hospital in the states. Now, this hospital is in the process of renovations with state of the art operating rooms as in the states, but the rooms are a bit older but nothing to gripe about for sure, and very clean. So I make it to my room and put everything up, and I am greeted by Melissa from R4AC, and she starts going over paperwork and answering any questions I had. The nurse comes in with a hospital gown and says to take everything off, including the underwear. So during the next 1-2 hrs, I have blood drawn for labs, an EKG done, chest x-ray, and an IV put in (first try,) and given a happy pill to relax. I also meet with all of the Dr's at the hospital including Dr. Velasco who is a bypass patient herself. Dr. Grafias who is a sleeve patient. Dr. Cabrera the anesthesiologist, Dr. Luna who is a bariatric surgeon as well, and Dr. Fernando Garcia, my bariatric surgeon. Pretty much all of the Dr's ask about medical history and prior and current health conditions so your basically checked 4-5 times to make sure your clear for surgery still. At about 5:30 or so, I was wheeled in to the operating room. You have to scoot over onto the operating table but no biggy. Dr. Luna took my wife's number down on his phone to call and let her know once surgery was done and everything was ok, which he did according to my wife. I remember one of the Dr's asking me if I had anymore questions as he was pulling out the left arm rest. I said just make sure I wake up and I was out like a light. I woke in what felt like was just seconds after going out. I sat up with minor pain in my abdomen from the incisions, not gas pain. I looked at the clock and it said 7:30. I'm not sure how much of that 2 hours was surgery time vs waking up, etc, and I didn't really care. I immediately stood up when I woke up and started walking the halls. All of the nurses looked at me like I was crazy and asked if I was ok. I told them I was because several speak pretty good English to communicate. They said most people are not up and walking that quick after waking up from surgery. I guess I was the exception. So that first night was pretty good except the minor pain in my abdomen from the incisions which basically felt like I did too many sit-ups, not unbearable in the least. POST-OP DAY #2 So I slept off and on mainly because the nurses come in every 2 hrs or so to check on you and give meds, check BP, etc. The nurses were AMAZING! No complaints whatsoever, and if I pushed the call button, the longest I waited for a nurse was maybe 25-30 seconds. This day was pretty much the same, walk, rest, meds, repeat! I also had 2 leak tests done, which went good and no leaks detected. One of the leak tests was odd as you lie down on the x-ray table and drink some liquid while laying down. It didn't hurt to drink but was just an odd feeling. While walking the halls, I met 3-5 other people from various online forums and FB who had the surgery and became friends and exchanged info to keep up with each other and our progress. POST-OP DAY #3 I had my drain out this morning. it was WEIRD, like a snake in your tummy. it did not hurt at all, just awkward. I got copies of my lab work, x-rays, etc and was discharged. Then around 10 or so, I was picked up by the Hotel Marriott shuttle and taken to the hotel. It was extremely nice and the same as you would get in the US. I got checked in and taken to my room. You get 3 free bowls of chicken broth, 3 free Popsicles, and 2 free bottles of water daily. I would not eat the Popsicles, but there is a small shop in lobby you can buy Popsicles which were awesome. The broth was ok at times, and way to salty others, but then again it's broth...boring! The first day I relaxed mostly and went out by the pool and lounged around and didn't really do much. Still no pain really except for abdomen from incision sites. POST-OP DAY #4 Today I lounged around again and walked a bit around the hotel. I ventured out and took a can to the local Walmart as I started feeling some acid reflux, which is common with VSG, and bought some omeprazole which helped a lot and it was gone in 2 days. Dr. Luna came by and removed the staples from the incisions, which did not hurt, and cleaned all the sites and put steri strips on them and covered up the drain hole. I was given medicine before leaving the hospital which included antibiotics, disgusting liquid acid reducer, and pain meds, which I didn't take any of it. I had dinner with some new found friends and co-sleevers and got some sleep. POST-OP DAY 5 Today was the same as day 4 pretty much. Lounged, went out with some new friends, had dinner, etc. I packed up all my stuff and got ready to leave in the AM. I got a call around 8:30 by the driver who gave me the option of leaving at 6 am or 9 am. My flight left at 1:20 pm but I was ready to get back to the states so I opted for 6 am. POST-OP DAY 6 I woke up and was checked out of the hotel and in the lobby by 6, when driver promptly arrived. Myself and 2 other sleevers headed back to the US. It took us about an hour and a half to make it across the border, it was very busy but an easy process as we all had our passports. Made it to the airport, caught my flight home, end of story! All in all, I would say the level of service and care in MX was equal to and even greater in some areas than that in US. I would highly recommend Dr. Garcia and his team, R4AC, and Florence/Oasis Hospital. I would do this whole over again and look forward to taking some of my family members and/or friends to MX for this procedure. If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me and I hope to help others with their journey if I possibly can. Johnathanw1988@gmail.com

I was part of the anthem BCBS bariatric case management. Mine was a free service that provides a nurse to call and check on you monthly. As a nurse practitioner I thought it would be pointless. But actually it was kinda nice. Just another person wishing me well and saying encouraging things when I got off track. It's weird they are asking months later but it may be to cover their butts if they were supposed to follow up sooner. I was almost kind of sad when my nurse told me she wouldn't be calling anymore after 8 months.

Greetings, My name is David and I am a medical research student in the department of surgery at the University of Alberta, Canada working with Dr. Daniel Birch in general surgery. The Centre for the Advancement of Minimally Invasive Surgery (CAMIS) is conducting a research study to estimate the financial healthcare consequences that may occur when Alberta residents seek bariatric surgery in another province or country (known as medical tourism). We are surveying all Alberta residents who had bariatric surgery outside of Alberta. Your input will help us to assess their costs to the healthcare system. The link to our 5-minute survey can be found here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JCF3Q95 (Please copy and paste the above link to the address bar of your browser and press enter to access the survey.) Your input is very important to us, will be kept strictly confidential, and will be used only for the purposes of research for this project. You are consenting to participate in this study by completing this survey. If you have any questions or would prefer to complete a paper survey, please call us at 780-735-6733 or email me at dhkim1@ualberta.ca For detailed information about the project, please refer to the participant information sheet here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/3xi0u2hc162snue/Information%20sheet%20popularity.docx (Please copy and paste the above link to the address bar of your browser and press enter to access the information sheet.) Thank you for your participation! Sincerely, David H Kim, Bsc. Research Student Faculty of Medicine, Department of Surgery University of Alberta 10240 Kingsway Ave NW, Edmonton, Alberta, T5H3V9

I am 3 1/2 months out and I consume 90 grams of protein a day , So I do not think you are overdoing it ... As far as hair loss ... I am currently going through it , started around a lil before my 3rd month ... It seems to be inevitable .... I take a bariatric multi vitamin , Biotin , Vitamin D and B12 ... however the hair loss is worrisome ... Per my surgeon it happens and it will grow back , Keep up the good work

Today, my friend Steph called the Plano Surgery Center, and they've already set up her 1st appt for this Wednesday at 2pm. I am soooo excited for her. I had called the UT Bariatric Center last Friday, and they said they would call me this week to set my appt. If they don't call this week (or they set my appt out in to December), I am going to call the same place Steph did. I have already met all my deductibles for this year, and would like to get banded this year.

I searched my insurance company's database of therapists "in network" (Aetna). In the database it listed each therapist's areas of expertise. The therapist I chose had "eating disorders" listed as an area of expertise. I had actually started seeing her well before I decided to have surgery in order to heal some childhood scars (which incidently were tied to my emotional overeating), but I knew when I chose her that my head issues with eating were something that needed addressing. Fortunately, she had treated bariatric patients before so she was able to really help me through the process. We did a lot of work prior to surgery to get me ready for my new life. It was very eye-opening for me. She helped me connect a lot of eating issues to personal experiences and learn how to adopt new behaviors when emotions take over. And, an area where I didn't expect to need help but she was really instrumental was in learning to accept attention again as I lost the weight. It was very difficult for me at first when men began to actively check me out/hit on me. I felt very "exposed" for lack of a better word. I quit my weekly visits two months ago and I am still going strong on my own. If you still have questions, feel free to ask. I'm happy to answer!

So today, I had to do my labs work which included that nasty 2 hour glucose test. So I was pretty much wiped. I have extremely small veins (I think that is the only part of me that is small). The girl in the lab rocked! Anyways, I also had my EKG at 4 PM. The nurse was awesome and very supportive and talked about how great the doctor I am going to is. So she tells me that Dr. XXXX, is coming in to talk about my EKG. First, let me state he is not a doctor. I think he is like a physician assistant. (My husband was with me) This is our convo: HIM: "So your having surgery? Have you done the psychological evaluation?" ME: "No, the doctor would prefer me to do all the lab and other required testing prior, to ensure I am a good candidate. " HIM: "Well, you know your insurance probably will not pay. The consider it kinda like cosmetic surgery." ME: "I have spoken to BCBS and they do cover Bariatric Surgery." HIM: "Well, there was someone else in the region that has BCBS and they did not pay. You know they have criteria you have to meet. Also, you know there are horrible side effects like dumping sydrome." ME: "The surgery I am considering does not have dumping syndrome and is a relatively new procedure. Yes, I am well aware of BCBS requirments and have done my research." HIM: "There was a lady here that had liposuction and they punctured her lung and she was in the hospital and we could not help her and her insurance is did not cover it. You know we do not endorse the surgery and if you have any reoccurring side effects you will not be covered by our office." ME: MOUTH OPEN HIM: "But if you do decide to do it we want to be there with you to walk you through it." WTF>>>>>>>>>>>>>>, Let me just say this as an American Stationed Abroad, yes, we have different standards, but I didn't need all the negativity and comparsion to COSMETIC SURGERY, again WTF!!! I can understand them CYA'ing and telling me they do not endorse it....I have to be medically cleared to be here and they decide that, so what they yank it?

Hi! I had LapBand sugery in 2010 at the age of 51. I had prior health issues such as SIJ arthritis, & back surgery (2008). Before my LapBand surgery, I took myself off my presciption anti-inflammatory as directed. I lost around 30 lbs. in 4 months while going to the gym & walking on the treadmill at least 4 x per week. When my anti-inflammatory med finally left my system, my knees started KILLING me! I went to a Osteo surgeon who tried shots; found a torn miniscus and worn joints, but who didn't want to do sugery. Well, of course my weight loss journey not only stalled, I gained most of the weight back. I could barely go up & down my stairs at home, it was so bad. I got back on my presciption anti-inflammatory and am doing much better. I contacted my Bariatric surgeon and had a consult wih him yesterday. Heres the deal, I want the LapBand out so I can take stronger meds than acetametaphine for my pain. He and I are now talking LapSleeve. Has anyone else out there gone from a LapBand to a Sleeve? If so, are you happy you did? My doc did a flueroscopy and it looks like I have a hernia ; he said my band looks "flat". I'm praying my insurance will cover this re-do. I was self-pay for the band but no way I can pay for a removal & sleeve. Thanks to anyone who can respond to my question of LapBand to Sleeve.

Hello everyone. I was banded Jan.6, this year. I have lost 47lbs since then. I lost 26lbs before surgery for a total of 73lbs gone today! I started with a BMI of 50 and it is now 38. My surgeon is Dr. Voellinger at Southeast Bariatrics in Charlotte, NC. It hasn't been an easy journey. I have had a few bad stuck episodes and my first fill was way too tight :thumbdown:. But it has been worth the pain. I now have good restriction with 5.4 cc's in my 14cc band. Hope this encourages anyone who is worried about their upcoming surgery. It feels good to be a successful bandster! Good luck to you all! :confused:

​I now have MVP and they do cover Bariatric Surgery.

I'm confused. Do you have coverage through an employer or through the healthcare exchange? If its through the employer, the employer has probably chosen to opt out. If this via the state exchange, you may live in a state that excludes bariatric surgery as a necessity. If your employer has opted out, suggest talking to your benefits manager. If your state excludes contact the department of insurance in your particular state and appeal your case.

I've contacted several Insurance Companies that have told me they don't cover Bariatric surgery. I have an Individual plan.

Most insurance plans cover it. Bariatric surgery is optional so employers can opt out. You can contact an insurance broker or check the health insurance exchange (healthcare.gov) for what you need. Pricing will vary depending on insurance company and options. Deductibles also vary. So to that end, what information are you looking for exactly?

So today I had to go in to have the last testing done (EKG) prior to meeting my bariatrician in a few weeks. I got to the check in window and the receptionist began to check me in. Im assuming she sees alot of walk ins that are bariatric surgery candidates , also once I gave her my card she accessed my medical record. She looked around her computer and in a loud enough voice said" tell me you're not havin that surgery to lose weight" I was floored! As calmly as I could I responded with a yes. She then said ..mind you infront of the check in line " girl please you do not need that, you can just exercise and lose that little bit of fat". After stating yes I am opting for WLS , I walked away and waited to be called. I am 5'3 227 #..I do carry my weight well and ppl dont believe that I weigh that much when I tell them. I cant help but feel some type of way! No I haven't been overweight all my life, however this is to much weight for my petite frame. Ive experienced all the yo yo dieting and have given this whole thing alot of consideration .

Hospital gown all the way.. just bring a little something for underneath just in case.. I loved my hospital gown, it went to mid calf and wrapped all the way around and then tied on the side so it wasn't uh, "drafty" in the back. Of course it was MADE for bariatric patients so all 290 pounds of me fit in there comfortably! Also it had all the slits and holes necessary for them checking vitals/putting the drain through, etc.. Also incisions/drainsite can ooze a bit even through the bandages so why get your own stuff oozed on when you can just ooze on the hospital gown!

How do you guys deal with Vitamins? I have been really bad about taking mine for at least 6 months and need to get back on track. One of the things that I need to do..... My doctor prescribed prenatal chewable vitamins... I am just not sure how many to take considering the bariatric part... I am also supposed to be taking folic acid because of my methotrexate. The only other thing I take are b12 injections because of another deficiency.. I am trying to get back on track... Have been dealing with a lot and things have gotten away from me.. I have been experiencing some odd symptoms that I haven't dealt with before... I have been bruising a lot and then breaking out on my face- I have never had acne at all... Maybe my hormones are out of wack.

Well, about 6 weeks ago, my husband and I attended a seminar for Lap Band Solutions led by Dr. Scott Stowers. In the ensueing weeks I have found out that my insurance has an exclusion for bariatric surgery. My wonderful hubby told me that he would support what ever decision I made and would be there for me every step of the way. (I so love my hubby!) As a result, I am going to be a self-pay patient. I have my appointment with Dr. Stowers on Dec. 22nd. Hopefully my surgery will be in January. I am very excited.

Im 6 days post op and Im wearing mine everywhere. To bed, when I wake up, I literally have it on at all times. My left side is the main side the work was done on and I can tell a major difference in pain when I don't have it on. Ive linked this previous but this is one I bought, LOVE IT! Its thicker in width and length so it covers the entire area pretty well. Several sizes. https://www.amazon.com/BraceAbility-Bariatric-Abdominal-Compression-Circumference/dp/B00QLYZ1DK/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1533334829&sr=8-3&keywords=braceability%2B3x&th=1

Looking for local folks who'd like to get together to discuss their own bariatric journey. Whatever kind of surgery you are planning to get or already have gotten is cool for get-togethers. I'm in the downtown Los Angeles area most days of the work week, and usually hang out at a local Starbucks, where I drink plenty of coffee (with a protein shake added as "legal" creamer), working on any of a number of new stories, and/or playing computer games (World of Warcraft and Diablo 3, generally). I'd love the chance to meet up with others who are on this particular journey. I look forward to hearing from you.

I also live in NorCal but I'm not with Kaiser. The psychologist I saw was named Lorraine Hutchinson. She specializes in bariatric surgery patients. You can see her website at http://www.hutchinsoncounseling.com. She did the vast majority of the talking at my appointment. She talked a lot about the types of changes and emotional issues I'd be likely to go through with this surgery and weight loss. She only asked me two questions. She asked what I was most concerned or worried about, and she asked what I was most looking forward to. That was it! Nothing to be nervous about.

holy hell! I'm frustrated. I'm above my bounce weight of 130's for maintenance . It's not a good feeling. I'm getting things reigned in before they get out of hand. Some days I need to shut my inner voice off. I'm telling myself It's my new medication, My sports injury, I might as well eat this because I'm already at a higher weight. The scale is not moving. I'm pressing on! I'm tracking food and I have increased my workout for the last 5 days. Keeping up all the things I have been taught by my bariatric brothers, sisters and professionals. Waiting for the scale to move again.

Well my drs office when I asked about Tespo had not heard about it. I asked about the Bariatric Vitamin patch and they want their patients to take multi in pill form for first 2 months. Sent from my SM-G900H using the BariatricPal App

It sounds like you are at the front end of the process so I will discuss the steps along the way from my experience. I attended an introductory seminar at a hospital that specialized in bariatric surgery. In this seminar, the various types of surgery were discussed, I underwent an initial screening, I met with the surgeon and selected the surgery, and I met with the liaisons on insurance. Insurance is an important consideration for this type of surgery. My insurance required that I undergo a 6 month medically supervised weight loss and exercise program in order to qualify. So I began this program. I underwent a mandatory psychological review to see if I would qualify. Many of the weight loss problems have a psychological component to them. I began attending free bariatric surgery support group meetings once per month. I began to diet and exercise on a daily program. I went cold turkey on caffeine and carbonated beverages. I had been on a 6 diet-coke per day habit for many decades. I went through a week of terrible withdrawal syndromes after I went cold turkey. After 6 months my insurance indicated that I qualified for the surgery. I underwent a one day pre-op physical exam to uncover any physical problems that might endanger my operation or recovery. These uncovered a few problems, so I underwent a second round of pre-op exams with specialist in their respective fields to resolve these issues. I attended a one-day training session that went into fine detail about the surgery, the vitamin/protein/fluid/meal volume allocation after surgery. I underwent a RNY gastric bypass operation 17 months ago. I lost 110 pounds. I am now at 150 pounds. My diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, frequent urination problems, profuse sweating have all gone into remission. In clothes, I went from a size 3X in shirts down to a size small. In pants, I went from a size 46 down to a size 33.