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No. I'm taking the Bariatric Advantage High ADEK Multi that's specifically for BP/DS patients.

Here are some links: https://renewbariatrics.com/gastric-sleeve-ulcers-stricture/ https://www.obesitycoverage.com/uncomplicating-gastric-sleeve-complications/ https://bariatric.stopobesityforlife.com/obesity-surgery/correcting-obesity/bariatric-surgery-risks/ulcers-or-strictures/

The Bariatric Advantage ones are horrible. Try BariMelts Multivitamin, Dissolvable Bariatric Vitamins, In smooth Fruit Flavor.

Hands down BariMelts Multivitamin, Dissolvable Bariatric Vitamins in smooth Fruit Flavor are the Very Best tasting. I’ve tried several others and they all made me gag. I look forward to my vitamins now instead of a punishment. Amazon has them for $20 for a month’s supply. I haven’t tasted the calcium w/vitamin C by the same company, but I’ve heard good things.

are you also getting in your bariatric multivitamins and 64oz (2L) + water/fluids? As others have said, it might be that the processed protein foods/supplements you are having are a little high in processed carbs and not giving you the kind of satiety (and nutrition) that you'd get from things like gelatin rich soups, soft-cooked meats and eggs, or fibre-rich steamed vegetables and porridge (rolled oats cooked soft in water)? I'm adding a 14.5g collagen hydrolysate protein supplement to my morning coffee with a cup of 1% milk, and having half a protein water during the afternoon for another 18g protein, with the remainder of my nutrition coming from my breakfast (2/3 of a serving of porridge), and steamed veggies and soft chicken/fish for most of the rest of my solid foods, and home-made blended vegetable soups as part of my liquids. I"ll sometimes include half or a whole quest protein bar if I'm going to be caught out/away from home for a few hours when I need to eat. Or, you might just be someone who loses slower. Everyones genetics, dieting history, metabolism and hormones are different. If you are doing more exercise you may be building more muscle while losing fat, or holding more water temporarily. I've been progressively losing size since I started my 3 week pre-op VLCD, and am currently 3.5 weeks post op (just finished the common "3 week stall" where I stayed around 104kg for about a week before the scales started moving again the other day). Keep talking with your nutrition team about what you are eating, and how you are feeling, and they should be able to provide you the most practical and suitable advice.

Does any one make cloud bread and incorporate it in their meals ? I was doing some research on it and came across an article on a Bariatric Recipe site that says not to eat or make it due to the high calories of cream cheese. Anyone have any feedback?

I’m still taking my Bariatric vitamins, but plan to go on the YLEO ones when my supply has depleted. I also have used NingXia after I knew my stomach was completely healed. I knew it would not do damage, just didn’t want to have a complication and have that blamed. I also used Digize for digestive issues a month out. I love my YLEO!

What's a carb to you? In the context of "avoiding carbs" or "low-carb" as a bariatric patient? Fries, pizza, ice cream, cookies, etc. - of course (although most of those foods are actually 50%+ fat so it seems weird to call them carbs). Bread? White bread seems obvious, but what about whole wheat? What about the gross, "healthy" kind with all the seeds and grains? Pasta? Again, refined white pasta seems clear enough, but how about the kinda gritty "meh" whole grain version? Potatoes? Beans? Oatmeal, rice, quinoa, corn... all whole grains, so which ones do you avoid? Thanks for any discussion you can provide! I'm just curious about how real life post-op folks make their decisions about what's acceptable to eat when it comes to carbs.

The bariatric police 😂

The final tally was +6 pounds, 4 of which are already gone. How shocking is that?? I was hoping to break even because calories were higher than normal, but evidently I retained significant water! I really do wonder if cruising is such a great idea for bariatric surgery people like us.

Ditto. It’s been tough. I’ve cheated a couple times so far on my pre-op diet by having a hard boiled egg every day How bad can that be?! Low calorie, Protein, no sugar. I’m drinking the protein drinks too but the extra egg has helped. I hope the Bariatric police don’t bust me. 9 days to go. Trying to stay the course.

https://eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-05/eaft-sft052418.php Interesting article on the side effects of obesity on sex hormones in men, and how bariatric surgery reverses this

Interesting article. Apparently folks who have bariatric surgery have reduced risk for skin cancer! https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/897201 Here's my thought, though...while it's true that obesity increases your risk of cancer in general and WLS certainly helps correct that.... I think in generally, most fatter people spend less time outdoors in the sun throughout their lives. They also cover up more when they're outside than thinner people. (generalizations, of course) But yeah, this is intriguing! I'd rather not have skin cancer...so, cool

The error word in the above posting should read" inspiring" because it is, to finally find such a bariatric home in this desert of disregard I in the past have encountered.

Been battling ME/CFS for over two years. Spent thousands on specialists. All the rheumatologist wants to do is to use drugs to suppress the immune system. No, not doing it. Discussed at length with bariatric surgeon who indicated that weight loss helps a normal person’s energy level to increase, and that joint pain is reduced by the fact that your skeleton is not hauling excess fat, straining connective tissue, and so on. I was told that if I elected the sleeve that I would have some improvement. It certainly did help my overall health and the fibromyalgia pain seems less intense (but I clearly grapple with it). I am down 50 lbs in 4 months, I did NOT bounce back like others do — it took me 3 weeks before I could function. The chronic fatigue was horrendous. I decided that because I had most of my stomach removed, that I would only eat healthy nutritional foods, clean organic foods and began my probiotics. Fat stores toxins, I felt like crap as my body rapidly shed weight, hormones began to fluctuate and I seriously thought I had maimed myself further until I noticed that my vision wasn’t so blurred as before, the dry eye was better, I had less anxiety, sensitivity to light and startling at loud sounds. I went from bone broth to organic protein, fish, veggies and keep craving REAL lemonade (no sugar). Introduced oregano oil as well as my bariatric vitamin supplements. Started walking (5-10 minutes a day on treadmill). By 10 weeks out I was feeling almost human. At the core of my being, I feel there has been an improvement in my central nervous system but not one doctor can substantiate why. Considering where I was 1 year ago, this is a big turn around. I am by no means cured, I still have down days where I just need to rest. I budget my energy and log everything I put in my mouth. I have no cravings for carbs anymore, I don’t drink sodas and seldom eat bread or any kind of pasta. Bottom line is that I believe that gut was the primary cause of everything going whack — add to that a high stress career, a history of having a horrible case of mono, massive antibiotics after surgeries. My body just shut down and I was getting angry and depressed because these doctors have no clue. ME/CFS is real. In my case, VSG helped me but it wasn’t easy. The struggle is real.

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"Let's get excited"? Sorry, that's just not me. I'm quite serene. I'm the calm in the eye of the storm. My wife is more worked up about this than I am. I didn't even sweat when I started teaching my daughter how to drive a few weeks ago. I saw the surgical coordinator today and we confirmed my June 5th date and arrival time. He told me that despite the paperwork I'd been given by the hospital's nutritionist, my doctor only requires a day and a half of liquid diet before the surgery, so I'll get to have a Sunday brunch as my food funeral. No alcohol though He hold me I can have a drink tonight if I want, but that's it. He made it clear that the doctor expects my post-op regimen to be two weeks of liquids, two weeks of puree and two weeks of soft foods. I'm prepared for that, I guess. As for vitamins, he gave me a few samples of Bariatric Fusion Pink Lemonade Stick Packs, then I ordered a box of 60 from Amazon when I got home. I'll also have to grind up my regular pills (Lipitor, etc.) and add the powder to that as well. If the taste is horrible I'll add half a stick of Wyler's Lemonade Singles to Go. I also learned that my doctor recommends being off work for 4 to 6 weeks after surgery. I'm glad I've got a very good disability policy through my company.

One thing I found out is, we don't really need to buy our stuff from the surgeon or the hospital. Let me explain, vitamins, they are basically generic. At first I was purchasing them through my surgeons office since my insurance covered them. After two months my insurance stopped covering them. So, I consult my nutrionist and I go to Costco and buy multi vitamins, calcium pills, b-12 pills and save (excuse the pun) a ton of money. As for supplements, what are they selling you that you can't buy yourself at a cheaper cost? As for the cardiologist, mine would not sign off on the surgery unless I did a nuclear stress test. ( I have a heart condition) The psychologist is a standard one time procedure for most getting bariatric surgery. The only real problem might be the $300.00 for the assistant surgeon. At my group meetings the nurse practitioner who runs the meetings always says " Don't go to a vitamin store and tell them you need vitamins because you just had bariatric surgery, you'll end up walking out with $400.00 worth of stuff." What we really need doesn't cost that much. You can get a lot of good alternatives right here on the message boards. Just know what you specifically need. One other suggestion. Post surgery I started to see a therapist who recommended that I also attend Overeaters Anonymous (OA). Through them I realized that even though I had the surgery and lost weight I would probably gain it back because I am a compulsive eater. OA has turned out to be a very good support system for me. One person in the meetings had WLS. She said the surgery fixed this (pointing to her stomach) I know that I needed to also fix this (pointing to her head). It might be beneficial for you to try OA just to see if it will help you in anyway. If not you can always walk away. I wish you the best in your weight loss journey and just know you are only a keystroke away from getting support and advice right here.

Ok so I had the big first appointment today and as promised I'm filling everyone in. I went in and found out they have a new procedure I hadn't heard about called the duodenal switch I was informed that they believe this will be the best procedure for me both now and long term. I was pleased to hear that and through each step I was excited and ready for making my first step towards it, cracking jokes and keeping that smile on my face and then I met the dietitian. I was terrified he was going to tell me to throw out my kitchens worth of food... and i went in he was hella awesome. He did of course tell me a lot of no's. No carbs at all. To eat my lean protein first at every meal. No carbonated beverages ever again, and only 0 cal beverages. No liquids within 30 min of meals and no starchy veggies. Some groans out of me for the overall plan but in general it seems pretty doable. So I left his office still in a great mood. Then they did a scope and found a hyatial hernia and found that the ibuprofen I take semi often is starting to burn a hole in my stomach (very early stages) but that I need to lay off . Still smiling I go through the labs and the ekg and finally I wait for the patient care coordinator to come back from lunch (which makes me a little irritable because I haven't had anything to eat or during since midnight and it is now like 1230-1) and she comes in and drops a few big bombs on me. 1) medicaid insurance is not going to pay for the assistant surgeon. $300 2) Medicaid isn't going to pay for the dietitian that they require me to see for the next 7 months(including today)... which was not terrible $15 a visit 3) I have to pay for required supplements for meal replacements $250 4)I have to see a cardiologist 5)I have to find a special bariatric psychologist ... and the closest one who takes my insurance is 2 and a half hours from my house in the opposite direction from the weight loss center(which is an hour and a half away from my house) 6) I will have to pay $100 each time for vitamin supplement specific to the surgery I am getting. So after hearing that I was pretty deflated "where am I going to come up with all this money" I asked to which her response was well there are loan programs. "Loans require good credit and employment" I said "well I am just trying to help"she replied. So I sat and listened to the rest of her rehearsed speech and I came home.... Am i still going to try.... yes Is it going to affect other things that I had planned ...yes As I mentioned before I'm left with little choice because if I am to have s ok me kind of future I need this. KT

I was exactly the same. I switched to a protein specially made for bariatric patients. I use Unjury, I have chocolate, vanilla and plain. I use almond milk for the flavored shakes and put the plain protein in chicken broth. I tried 6 different brands before finding one that worked for me. Also popsicles count as fluid. I found sugar free big sticks (Stater Bros, Vons) that are a life saver. Best of luck, it gets better.

Most surgeons do. Bariatrics, I feel, is a whole new ball game/specialty to doctors & medicine in general. Even though WLS isn’t that new. I think it’s vital they follow up with you; you’re their art, their work and they want to keep track and make sure you don’t go off the wall as many WLS patients do. Especially if you have a sleeve; the sleeve is somewhat new as a solitaire weight loss surgery (it was the first step in having RNY years ago); so it’s best for these surgeons and programs to follow & study patients.

On the other side of this. Had lap band in 2005. Did well in the weight loss department, but quality of life was miserable. Started out with gall bladder issues only 3 months in that my doctor did not properly diagnose and I was miserable for months. Then for the next 5 years I suffered with all kinds of weird symptoms the doctor always chalked up to reflux. I couldn't tolerate fills and slept sitting up for the better part of 5 years. Eventually I had it out and only recently learned (during my sleeve insurance approval process) that my band was actually slipped. Since having the band out, I gained all of my 90 lbs back, thankfully they didn't bring many friends. I started considering and seeking out help. It took me 2 years to settle on the sleeve. I had a lot of questions and reservations because of the risk for increased reflux issues that seem to be associated. I discovered that my reflux was largely situational (undiagnosed slipped band, eating certain trigger foods, or eating a larger meal too soon before bed). So, I jumped. Had sleeve surgery 4/10/18. My surgeon said that the band left a mess of scar tissue for him and it took him a long time to clear it out to do the sleeve. I think it also delayed my recovery because I was really in no shape to walk or sip for the first day or so. General warning: those of us who have gone through previous WLS do tend to lose weight a little slower than those who are on their first time around. Not 100% sure why, but I see it a lot on here and in speaking with my friends who have been down the same road. Personally, I see it coming off. Not sure I care that it's slow. I feel good, I look better, and I will get there. Good luck on your renewed journey.

Horrible!!! Four Bariatric Advantage shakes a day and 2cups approved veggies... I hate sweets and the shakes are sickly so. Plus I have a toddler and a preschooler whom I have to still cool for. I feel so bad giving them freezer meals but it's all I can manage right now.

@acrowder61 I'm rewriting the old mid30s hit Why won't you answer my questions, dear Bailey I'm wearing my fingers to a pulp. You would not give me answers or a knowledge my calls I think you're doing me wrong. Remember you said this was quick and easy And it wouldn't take too long. Remember I've got a vacation coming You want me to stand in line. If I have a heart attack from frustration It will be on your head. So give me a date, I really don't want to wait. There's no rythmn or rhyme Why you won't give me a time Dang you Bailey Bariatrics, you're doing me wrong! Not the world's greatest poetry but I do work cheap!😝👍

My kiddo sprained her ankle at college and found one of those wheeled book bags really helped. LL Bean makes a sturdy one. Maybe something like that would help in early days after surgery? When traveling, plan for medical complications. It's rare, particularly in someone young and healthy, but strictures happen...margin leaks happen...obstructions happen. Have a plan in place, find a bariatric doctor where you're going to at least have a phone number, and traveler's health insurance for emergencies. I would be extremely careful with alcohol and run the experiment at home first to know how you react.