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Hi Everyone, Rather than rely on what some website states, the proof is actually in blood tests checking on the levels of the vitamins and minerals. The Bariatric Center of Excellence where I had surgery uses blood tests to check the levels of patient’s vitamins and minerals and say they are a safe alternative. Each Center, Surgeon, NUT, etc. has different views on this. I’ll go with solid lab results that show which product works or doesn’t work. HW: 225 SW: 214 (5/2/2018) CW: 208 GW: 145

Elective surgery? You're not having a facelift. You're having surgery to deal with a disease that will only get worse the longer you wait. Tell your surgeon that you're having problems at work and have some certificate as backup that you need the surgery now to avoid further complications (believe me, someone in your bariatric team will do that, it's more common of an issue than you think). Now with a medical note that you need it, you can plan it whenever the hell you wish. If they try to even move a finger against it, it's a HR/legal nightmare. And doctor patient confidentiality is a powerful tool. You don't even have to tell your boss it's a bariatric surgery (sadly, you already did, but no reason to panic, the following still stands). You only need a medical order that says that you need surgery. So... is your boss against something with medical experience ordered? Is your boss actively trying to sabotage your health? My, my... that looks like something that would be frowned upon... to say the least. Go for it, the law is on your side.

https://www.hospimedica.com/surgical-techniques/articles/294773291/pre-op-weight-loss-improves-bariatric-surgery-outcomes.html

I've been looking into various vitamins as well. Found something that looks pretty interesting to me and wanted to see if anyone has heard of or tried. It's called Tespo and they have a bariatric one as well. I like that it's a liquid. I can't do ones that are too chalky.

https://mexicobariatriccenter.com/not-losing-weight-after-gastric-sleeve-surgery/ This is advice from one particular bariatric center, but an interesting read.

My surgery is also on May 22. I had my pre- surgical appointment at the hospital today. Discovered the consent was for gastric bypass and not for gastric sleeve. I called the bariatric coordinator. She did not look at the consent I signed in the office. She only looked at the office note and saw the physician talked to me about the gastric bypass surgery. Unfortunately she did not get insurance approval for the gastric sleeve surgery. The approval is for gastric bypass. So now I am waiting for approval again [emoji29]

I’m beyond frustrated with my PCP right now. Last month my Bariatric coordinator told me that his documentation on my monthly visits were lacking a lot of details the insurance company wants. So she contacted him, I mentioned it at my last visit and he said “oh yeah yeah she talked to me about it”. I checked on that visit visit today on my patient portal and it was STILL lacking details. Has anyone else had this happen and still get approved? I don’t know if he can go back and amend his previous notes but I SWEAR ON ALL THAT IS HOLY IF I DONT GET APPROVED BECAUSE HE IS A LAZY SCHMUCK THAT CANT DOCUMENT MORE THAN HALF A SENTENCE OF THESE G***DAMN VISITS IM PAYING FOR EVERY MONTH I’M GOING TO HIT HIM WITH MY MOTHERF***ING CAR!!!

What does Earth Day have to do with bariatric patients? First, a little background is needed. A group of people in the 1960s were becoming concerned about the adverse effects of pollution on our environment. In 1969, the Cuyahoga River by Cleveland, OH caught fire because of chemicals that were dumped into the river. Environmental pollution was now on the national political landscape. Senator Gaylord Nelson, (D-Wisconsin), is credited with promoting the idea of Earth Day. He envisioned a growing a grassroots effort to clean up our planet. This led to celebrating the first U.S. Earth Day in 1970 and is celebrated on April 22. Earth Day went global in 1990. From this effort, Americans have seen the establishment of the Clean Air Act, the Water Quality Improvement Act, Endangered Species Act and several other environmental initiatives. So, how does this relate to bariatric patients? The focus of the 2018 Earth Day celebration is “End Plastic Pollution.” Last weekend’s Parade magazine featured several environmental efforts by Americans. A story from Seattle caught my attention. Americans use about 500 million plastic straws per day. Seattle is our nation’s first major city to ban plastic straws offered to the public by businesses such as restaurants. This will stop 1 million plastic straws per month going into the city’s trash per month. That’s a bunch of straws. As a bariatric patient, we ask you to avoid straws so you don’t fill your stomach pouch with air, which can be quite uncomfortable. What can you use instead of straws? Reusable drinking containers with a pop-up sports top or a flip top opening come to mind. Sipping out of the side a glass is a habit to consider. You can reduce plastic pollution by using reusable containers to pack your food, fabric shopping bags to carry home your protein shakes or by recycling plastic containers that held your protein powder. Check out earthday.org for more ideas. Let’s start off by ditching those plastic straws, y'all!

What does Earth Day have to do with bariatric patients? First, a little background is needed. A group of people in the 1960s were becoming concerned about the adverse effects of pollution on our environment. In 1969, the Cuyahoga River by Cleveland, OH caught fire because of chemicals that were dumped into the river. Environmental pollution was now on the national political landscape. Senator Gaylord Nelson, (D-Wisconsin), is credited with promoting the idea of Earth Day. He envisioned a growing a grassroots effort to clean up our planet. This led to celebrating the first U.S. Earth Day in 1970 and is celebrated on April 22. Earth Day went global in 1990. From this effort, Americans have seen the establishment of the Clean Air Act, the Water Quality Improvement Act, Endangered Species Act and several other environmental initiatives. So, how does this relate to bariatric patients? The focus of the 2018 Earth Day celebration is “End Plastic Pollution.” Last weekend’s Parade magazine featured several environmental efforts by Americans. A story from Seattle caught my attention. Americans use about 500 million plastic straws per day. Seattle is our nation’s first major city to ban plastic straws offered to the public by businesses such as restaurants. This will stop 1 million plastic straws per month going into the city’s trash per month. That’s a bunch of straws. As a bariatric patient, we ask you to avoid straws so you don’t fill your stomach pouch with air, which can be quite uncomfortable. What can you use instead of straws? Reusable drinking containers with a pop-up sports top or a flip top opening come to mind. Sipping out of the side a glass is a habit to consider. You can reduce plastic pollution by using reusable containers to pack your food, fabric shopping bags to carry home your protein shakes or by recycling plastic containers that held your protein powder. Check out earthday.org for more ideas. Let’s start off by ditching those plastic straws, y'all!

Key Points: · Having your own food with you helps you stay on track with your nutrition. · Foods that need to stay cool will need some type of cooler, insulated lunch bag or ice pack. · Bringing leftovers may require heating, so look for containers that are safe for microwave cooking. Lunch Bags · The size of your lunch bag will depend on how many meals and snacks you need for your day. · Insulated lunch bags can keep food cold for longer periods of time if you don’t have a refrigerator available. · You can buy reusable ice packs to put in your lunch bag. · A reusable lunch bag is environmentally friendly and you can use this for years. · The size will be determined by how many meals and snacks you need for the day. · Neoprene lunch bags can be put in the washing machine and dryer. Cooler · Great to have when driving around for work or when traveling. Pack with ice, load with your protein drinks or other protein foods. · Coleman and Igloo are the classic brands, but others are available. · Coolers now come in hard and soft side versions. There are coolers you can carry, sling over your shoulder, carry as a backpack or roll behind you. Mini-Fridge · If your workspace does not have a refrigerator that is convenient to get to, consider buying a mini-fridge to stash protein drinks, leftovers and snacks. Check with your employer for guidelines. Certain electrical outlets may limit the type of mini-fridge you can bring to work. Plastic Containers · Find plastic containers with lids to bring your food in measured quantities. · Some plastic containers can also be microwaved. · Look for 2 oz., 4 oz. (1/2 cup) and 8 oz. (1 cup) servings. This size you need depends on how far out you are from surgery. · Tupperware, Rubbermaid, Ziploc and Glad are available brands. Look at discount stores for smaller containers. Bento Boxes · Look for Bento box for kids on Amazon. These are boxes that are divided to separate food. You can measure your portion into the sections. The kid-size has portion control for bariatric patients. Bento boxes also available on The World According to Eggface blog. Stackable Containers · GoStak is a product the dietitians found at Obesity Week 2017. There are four containers that range from 2 to 5 ounces. They twist together to form a column. You can find it on www.blenderbottle.com. It is also on Amazon. · Described on the website: “Durable jars secure tightly to carry powders, vitamins, supplements, snacks and more.” · They are BPA free and dishwasher safe. Travel Cups/Mugs · Designed to fit in cup holders in your vehicle. These usually have a small opening on the side to sip from. Helps to avoid straws. · Grocery stores now carry disposable hot beverage cups with lids. This would be great way to sip warm broth or a high protein warm cocoa. Warm up a chocolate protein shake and hit the road. Insulated Tumblers, Cups and Containers · Insulated cups can keep your protein drinks cold or hot. Look for double-sided cups. · Thermos is a brand that has been around for decades. There are water bottles and other food storage items available. · YETI is a brand that is popular. It is more expensive, but it is a double wall, heavy gauge, stainless steel product. You can find a 20 oz. tumbler with lid for $29.99 at Academy, Gander Mountain and Cabela’s. A less expensive brand is Ozark Mountain at Walmart. A 20 oz. Ozark Mountain metal tumbler is about $10. · S’Well is another brand that comes in a lot of styles and colors. Prices around $35. Part of the money you pay helps S’Well help provide clean drinking water to children around the globe through the U. S. Fund of UNICEF. · MyHydrate is a water bottle that has a built-in reminder to help you remember to sip your water. It’s $40. · There are other insulated containers for hot foods like soups and stews. Serving Plates, Bowls and Utensils · You can find a variety of styles. Warmers · Crock-Pot makes an electric lunch crock that has a 20 oz. capacity. Prices range from $20-$30. One reviewer recommends to turn it off about 45 minutes before your lunch, because even the low setting can be too hot. This would be great if splitting a meal with a co-worker or family member.

Key Point: · Products listed were chosen to make preparing food easier to achieve. Slow Cookers: Small · Small slow cooker brands include TRU (0.65 quarts), Proctor Silex (1.5 quarts) and Crock-Pot (2.5 quarts). Prices range from $10-$30. · Smaller slow cookers make cooking for one or two people more practical. There will be leftovers for bariatric patients. Slow Cookers: Large · Crock-Pot, Proctor Silex, Hamilton Beach, Elite, Cuisinart and West Bend slow cookers with 4-8 quart capacities. Prices are less expensive for manual controls when compared to digital/programmable controls. Prices range from $25-$200. Microwavable Dishes · Nordic Ware – Makes micro ware to cook eggs (poached, boiled, omelet), heat soup, plates and bowls to heat meals and other containers to cook or reheat a casserole. Check out www.nordicware.com. · Poached egg cookers also made by Walter Drake and Miles Kimball. · Look for a variety of microwave cookware that can steam fish and vegetables, reheat food or have protective screens to prevent splatters. · Plastic storage containers are now more often able to go in the microwave. Check the label to make sure the plastic is microwave safe. · Pyrex -type cookware and measuring cups are microwave friendly. Other Stuff · Spiral cutter for making zucchini pasta (“zoodles”). Helps maintain low carb eating. There are handheld and tabletop versions. Spiralizer and Veggetti are brands to make veggie noodles. · Good set of knives for chopping and cutting. · Meat tenderizing mallet. You basically pound your meat to make it thinner, and it helps tenderize the meat making it softer to chew. Nice way to burn a few calories, too!

Measure, mix, make and move: When it comes to preparing healthy food, which cooking products are best? Rene put together a series of the best products for measuring foods and fluids, mixing protein powders, making meals and what to use while on the go. Here’s part one: Key Points: · Products listed were chosen to help you in your pursuit of a healthy weight. · Choose what works best for your budget and lifestyle. · Keep in mind what type of storage space is available in your kitchen. · Products that are dishwasher safe will make your life easier. · Read product reviews or find product comparisons or how to use the products on YouTube. · Check for warranties. · Understand return policies. · Manufacturer may contract with a retail store to have a “special edition” product for just that store. The manufacturer may stop producing a product when a newer model is launched into the market. MEASURE: Measuring your food and fluids keeps you on track with getting the right amount of food and fluids. This includes measuring spoons, measuring cups, small food containers and food scales. MIX: Whether mixing protein powders with fluids or pureeing foods, having a good quality blender or mixer makes it easier to accomplish healthier choices. MAKE: Find kitchen equipment that makes your food preparation easier to help keep your nutrition on track. MOVE: Your food needs to move with you. There are items available for packing lunches or keeping your food hot or cold while you are on the go. WHERE TO FIND: Stores will vary by your area. Try both the brick-and-mortar stores or online: Ace Hardware, Amazon, Bed Bath and Beyond, Belk, Best Buy, Big Lots, Dollar Tree, Dollar General, GNC, Home Depot, JCPenney, Kohl’s, Kmart, Lowe’s, Macy’s, Overstock.com, SAM’s Club, Sears, Target, Tuesday Morning, Inc., Walmart, Williams Sonoma and restaurant supply companies.

After surgery did you did you follow up with a bariatric surgeon [emoji67]‍⚕️ or primary care doctor [emoji68]‍⚕️? If so did you have any trouble being accepted by the doctor?

I have used the Mayo Clinic online diet:) It's very cool. Lots of cookbooks available, too. Awesome recipes:) I have not consulted with Mayo about post bariatric surgery diet since I did not have my surgery there. However, my team's protocol embraces low glycemic carbs and is fully supportive of my use of Mayo Clinic Diet after surgery. They are pleased with my results. I weighed 270 last June. On my 6 month pre-surg diet, I lost 36 pounds using Online Mayo Clinic Diet and a new Fitbit addiction to walking. I weighed 234 the day of surgery. Today I weigh 189 give or take half a pound. So, I've lost 45 pounds in the 5 months since surgery.....which I'm really, really happy with....because I eat a solid 1200 calories daily and feel like I can have pretty much what I want. That said...I don't crave junk anymore. I genuinely crave better stuff. I eat tons of fruit and veggies. A slice of whole wheat bread most days (in a half sandwich or as avocado toast). Lentil/chickpea pasta, lots of low fat protein on grill, lots of stir fries with lean meats or tofu and veggies served with no more than 1/4 cup brown rice (I rarely finish the rice or all the veggies), smoothies with lots of raspberries for fiber, spinach for greens, lots of diversity (I go around the kitchen and throw in a little of all the fruits, nuts and veggies to build good gut microbiota. I do the same thing when I make my veggie soup....all the veggies in the house go in there with cabbage, tomatoes and beans, and that soup is a staple in my diet. I do eat baked potatoes, beans, corn. (a half a baked potato has 80 calories and 2 grams of protein...top it with little lowfat cheese and chili and it's an awesome meal) My favorite snacks are home made dry meat and roasted chickpeas. And cans of mushrooms that I eat with a fork. LOL. And cupcake whipped greek yogurt. About the only thing that gets me in trouble these days are Yasso bars. LOL. Greek yogurt frozen bars....I love the chocolate ones. But even if I overindulge on them...how bad can you feel about 80 calories and 6 grams of protein? I'll admit it....I've made a meal out of a couple of Yasso bars. Maybe not brilliant...but once in a while...meh? LOL I do have a sweet tooth. Mayo Clinic diet allows for 75 calories of sweets a day. You can eat them daily or bank them for a special occasion. I love this because I can save up for literally anything I want to eat. But most of the time my sweet tooth is handled by fresh fruit. Melons are a favorite. Strawberries with a little chocolate sauce are another favorite. Fresh golden pineapple:) Figs! Sugar is a slippery slope for me, so I'm extremely careful about anything I eat with sugar. Refined carbs are generally not a part of my diet anymore. I don't buy them or bring them in the house. (but will occasionally have a bite of daughter's dessert at a restaurant and use those 75 naughty calories) No more white bread. No more white rice. No more crackers, candy, cookies, cake (save a magical bite here and there outside the house with witnesses) To boost protein in my diet, I often still drink one Premier Protein shake a day...caramel....in my coffee and tea. I do 12,000 steps per day religiously, and 3 cardio activities longer than 30 minutes each per week. If you have a Sky Zone near you, I STRONGLY recommend the trampoline work out...OMG...you burn a billion calories in an hour...it's crazy. I don't do the same cardio twice in a row...I mix it up. My week might go....Tuesday Sweatin to the Oldies DVD 1 hour.....Thursday Sky Zone Trampoline workout with bestie 1 hour......Sunday Water aerobics and free swim with family after at YMCA 2 hours (followed by lunch and library). Lately, I'ev been doing a shite ton of yard work too. Just about to go outside and till up more raised beds with my Mantis tiller:) Am very into the idea of planting cherry tomatoes, cutting them in half and sun drying a million of them! When I started out and heard you'd likely lose 60% of your excess weight in 18 months....I thought....OMG, I could weigh 210 someday! Awesome! That number was beautiful to me at 270. I'm 5 months out and weigh 189. I have 13 months to go...to lose 19 pounds and get to my goal of 170. (less than a pound and a half a month to stay on track) I really could not be happier with my results. I'm shocked and amazed daily. Best wishes to everyone! Be patient and stay the course:)

Just curious of any long timers that do Ketigenic diets. My nutritionists says they do not recommend it for bariatric patients. I am curious if anyone does the Keto lifestyle and if it works. I am 3 1/2 years post Gastric Sleeve and need to lose more weight. Any thoughts? Sent from my SM-G935V using BariatricPal mobile app

Which one do you use of vitafusion? I'm doing Bariatric Advantage High ADEK and they are huge capsules. 😭😭😭

I was told to get my protein from food sources but starting out I wasn't using any powders. I was drinking protein shakes. As for Vitamins, I went from taking some bariatric multivitamin that I checked out upon recommendation, Bariatric Fusion, I believe. They were okay at first but then the chalkiness just made it gross and I could taste the vitamins in the Vitamin. I bought a big bottle off Amazon. They were chewables. Now I switched to gummies. I love those way more. They're by Vitafusion, you can buy those at Walmart, Amazon and Rite Aid. Walmart is the best bet when it comes to value though. At least to me. I take my vitamins in either pill form, by shot or the gummies. Might want to start off with chewable vitamins and go from there since you'll be just starting out. Not sure if they'd let you take gummies so soon. Hw-273 Sw-226 CW-124 GW-130 Size- 2, Small in sweats. Small in shirts. depends on how it's cut or made. Bra Size- 34C Surgery Date- April 26th, 2017 RNY "Only those who try will become" FFX

OMG Mattymatt I am so sorry😭 I know some people on here are against prayer, it will make me feel better to do it so I shall. It seems a small thing to do for one of my first friends on Bariatric Pal. Please know I do feel your importance, the world would be a colder place had I never met you.😪

Protein and vitamins usually boil to quality and tolerance. I LIke RTD protein like premier and EAS mainly because i can still stomach them Many people only use bariatric vitamins and thats worth looking into, i use sams club or equate brands that boasts of being compared national brands because they cost less Safe journey!

I'm 1 pound away from 100 loss from my most recent high last May 5th! Expect my 100lb loss post tomorrow. Today I'm at 188.6lbs post poopy! And I wanted to post another daily menu, cuz I was just spending morning coffee time with the YOUTUBE and Dr. Weiner and his Pound of Cure program. And he suggests that even bariatric patients should be able to reach 1lb of veggies and fruits per day at 3-6months out from surgery. Tomorrow is the start of Week 12 from surgery (3 months baby! Can't believe it. Time flies.) And I've heard the Atkins style low carb diet repeatedly bashed for being a diet that is SO unhealthy that has wayyyyy tooo much protein, gobs of fat, and void of beautiful fiber and the veggies and fruits we all need! (Now. Please don't misunderstand. This is MY style that suits me and one I've honestly been doing for more than 80% of the last 18 years--it's not for everyone. And I'm not suggesting that this is the ONLY way to a healthy diet. I believer there are many paths and the best one is the one that you can personally stick with for life! And while I couldn't lose all my weight though it alone, it did keep my PCOS and pre-diabetes in control. It was actually dx'd as T2 before I ever started Atkins, but since then, they only ever refer to it as pre-dx since my A1C went from 6.9 down to 6.0 with it and stayed there.) So I wanted to post my menu today. It is indeed Atkins style. It is exactly what he suggested--protein adequate (I am aiming to get to 74g of protein per day per my RD) high in leafy greens and even has some low glyc. fruits (yes, I'm testing green smoothies...AGAIN. *le sigh*), it's low fat due to my food choices. It's packed with veggies and some fruits and for around 29g of net carbs, I will eat about 11oz of veggies and fruits. IDK. Not too shabby, Dr. Weiner. Feeling pretty proud. This is a pretty typical menu for me. The MFP lists it in excruciating detail (sorry), but short hand, here's what I had: (each meal is about 3/4-1c of food) B1: 2 protein lattes with Miralax and Colace B2: 1/4 lo Egg White Delight - no muffin; 50g egg white puff with lite LCow cheese wedge & salsa; 1oz steamed spinach L: 1/3 lo Caprese salad; 2.5oz grilled shrimp; 1/4c pico with avocado and cilantro AS: 16oz green smoothie (after PT) (apple cucumber spinach cilantro psyllium and lemon in vanilla protein powder & uns. coco. milk) D: 2.25oz grilled fajitas with grilled zuccs/ysquash and avocado BS: 1 protein latte Daily Totals: 704 cals; 74g protein; 30g fat; 40g carbs; 11g fiber; 29g net carbs; 11g nat sugars (You can click on the pics to make them bigger if you want to geek out.)

I would love to hear from anyone who had their Bariatric surgery done at Mayo. Curious what their post op diet recommendations are. The link above is great but not specific to WLS patients. This is all I could find online with a quick search— https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/gastric-bypass-surgery/in-depth/gastric-bypass-diet/art-20048472 And it says— “Focus on high-protein foods. Immediately after your surgery, eating high-protein foods can help you heal. High-protein, low-fat choices remain a good long-term diet option after your surgery, as well. Try adding lean cuts of beef, chicken, pork, fish or beans to your diet. Low-fat cheese, cottage cheese and yogurts also are good protein sources.” But no specific or long term recommendations. Also will be great when there are long term studies that show the results of different diet plans and choices.

you’re misinformed. you can easily eat and enjoy pizza, bagels, ice cream, etc after bariatric surgery. the thing is - you won’t want to.

OK :-) So since your labs are coming back low, may I suggest that you switch to Bariatric Advantage or Celebrate vitamins and calcium supplements? Both are designed specifically for bariatric surgery folks.

Welcome. There are primarily a couple of types of surgery that are most common. These are RNY gastric bypass surgery and gastric sleeve surgery. If you have severe acid reflux (GERD) then bypass surgery is the primary choice because the sleeve will only make that condition worse. You might review the requirements of your insurance policy for bariatric surgery in Ireland. Many insurance plans can be accessed on-line. That will give you the requirements to qualify for the surgery.

Hi all, Just joined today! Have been scouting the site unregistered for about a week - and said I might aswell join up. Have gotten a letter from a referral to a Bariatric Surgeon here in Cork in Ireland - a highly recommended Dr. I havent visited yet - as I am hugely petrified. Petrified of surgery and everything that goes with it (only surgery I had was a tonsillectomy about 15yrs ago). I am currently at my heaviest weight of 357lbs - depressed and need to get my life back and take control. Have tried many slimming classes and cant seem to stick with it so definitely need a tool to help me with it. I know its by no means an easy fix - I understand it is a complete lifestyle over haul - but feel this is my last chance. Can I ask all the ins and outs? I need some more info. What's the different procedures after I go visit my bariatric surgeon's clinic... I am not even sure if my health insurance will cover me, as been told that if I have symptoms they will not cover me for up to 5 years... So this may not even be a step I can afford to take. Would love some more information, as booking app with the doctor tomorrow. Thanks x