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I had my sleeve on May 17th. In January, I weighed 385. I started preparing and had my first bariatric meeting with the surgeon around mid March. My weight when I started my 2 weeks of shakes was 362 and my surgery weight was 342. I track almost everything I eat and I am setting at 256 right now. Kinda tough to track around the Holiday, but feel like I have a new lease on life. I danced for almost 3 straight hours on Nov 27th at my daughter’s wedding! Your stomach will be tiny which will help you while you get/keep your mind right. Do NOT cheat! Have and keep the faith in the process! If you do that you will be extremely happy and able to get back to an active lifestyle!!! :-)

The BariatricPal Store carries a huge selection of Bariatric friendly Protein Snacks & Desserts at https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/bariatric-high-protein-low-calorie-snacks-and-desserts Here are some other bariatric friendly ideas as well: Chips and Crunchy Snacks: https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/protein-chips-and-crunchy-protein-snacks Chocolate Bars & Candies: https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/bariatric-friendly-chocolate-bars-chocolate-candies Cakes, Cookies & Wafers: https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/cookies-wafers Sugar-Free Candy: https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/sugar-free-candy Cheese Snacks: https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/cheese-snacks Meat & Jerky Snacks: https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/meat-snacks Fish Snacks: https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/fish-snacks Protein Bars: https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/protein-bars Pretzels: https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/pretzels Nuts: https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/nut-snacks

When I had my first Bariatric doctor visit and decided to do this, I told myself I was not going to say anything about it to my friends. Not close friends but groups of people we hang out with at times. Well, I've been telling a lot of people and I kick myself every time. I just can't shut up about it. Most people look at me like I have 2 heads and go on about how it's extreme and scary and oh "you better be aware that it will change your life a lot". I want to snap back and say, don't you think I know that and don't you think I've done a lot of research on this before I going in to it? Most don't have any clue about it. My fat friends look and feel guilty when I start talking about it, like I'm going to try and talk them in to it. I guess, I'm just excited and I want to talk about it. Then I get disappointed when I get weird, uneducated, ignorant responses. That's why I love to get on this site. It brings me back to why I'm doing it and how great my life will be and that I'm not alone.

Hello everyone. I am new here. December 14th I am going to have GSV in Mexico at ALO Bariatrics with Dr. Ramirez. I start my pre-op diet on Monday and my clear liquid the week after. They have been wonderful. I am so excited.

Pumpkin also delivers a punch of potassium, a comely amount of copper, an interesting bit of iron, a pleasing amount of magnesium and a fair amount of fiber. A caution for bariatric patients is the 10 grams of carbohydrates found in a ½ cup pumpkin puree. And who doesn’t love carving Jack-O-Lanterns with your children (or just for you) for All Hallow’s Eve? Who has not posted adorable pictures of their kiddos in your local Pumpkin Patch? You can prepare your own pumpkin puree or stock up on the canned type. Perhaps our greatest love of pumpkin awaits us at Thanksgiving with our beloved pumpkin pie. One estimate says Americans eat 50 million pumpkin pies at Thanksgiving. Alas, a pie is known as a confection loaded with sugar and fat. What is the bariatric patient to do? Modify the recipe, of course! Lower the sugar and fat and pump up the protein is the goal. Try the Pumpkin Pie pudding recipe on the BariatricPal website. If you need a pumpkin treat before Thanksgiving, there are many pumpkin-flavored protein shakes, protein bars and yogurts in the stores right now. So, pumpkin can be a health partner this season. Enjoy!

That is ridiculous! My psych eval was very thorough and detailed! It only cost me 50 of $150! You need another doctor in my opinion! Oxford Bariatric is awesome!

Oh my gosh - totally in my prayers! My orthos said both knees need to be replaced and urged me to get bariatric surgery to get my BMI lower (I had already been planning to get surgery)..and I have a long way to go, but hopefully in next year or 2 I will hit the right BMI. When my Dad was alive he did both knees at once. I've considered doing the same but my Dad had a huge tolerance for pain and it was..interesting. I think I'll only do one at a time. What an accomplishment! Lost your weight and now on to one of your key goals! You go, MstressB69!!!

I just had my two week post op apt Wednesday and asked the same questions. My surgeon told me cardio is fine now but core workouts like Pilates, TRX, barre should be at least 4-6 weeks out. I'll be going back to my weekly Pilates at 6 weeks out, starting back with a one on one with my instructor before going back to my group class. At our bariatric support group on Thursday, this also came up. The bariatric nurse from our local hospital was there and she said it is imperative that we get protein in before and after our workouts. I'm a little freaked out to go back to orange theory bc I can't seem to get all my water in and those workouts make me want to down water like crazy. I was thinking taking a protein water to orange theory with me. I think I may start walking my 3 mile loop for a couple weeks first and then hitting orange theory. I'll be three weeks out tomorrow and am definitely feeling like I'm not moving enough. 5'7 HW: 256 SW: 248 CW: 235 At 2 week post op GW: 150 Fantasy GW: 135 Sleeved 8/7

Medic5301 - Hope it helps! I also bought Bariatric Choice water enhancers and the blue raspberry was just ok.. the berry was really good. 15 grams of protein

Google gastric sleeve diet. Many of the bariatric surgeons have their diet progressions online. Here is a link to one: http://www.northwestobesitysurgery.com/pdf/sleeve-gastrectomy-diet.pdf

I got my first round of labs back the other day. I was surprised that almost everything came back within range, seeing as how I'm only taking a non-bariatric multi-vitamin once a day. Especially surprised I didn't have low calcium. I was a little low on iron, but not anemic. The only thing that came in low was potassium, which kinda makes sense because of the frequent diarrhea. I've stocked up on white beans and PowerAid Zero, and they are gonna re-test in a week. Regardless, they spooked me enough that I went ahead and picked up the Bariatric Advantage multi (with Iron), and some calcium citrate. Will try to take doses both day and night, although they said something about taking the calcium two hours after the multi, which is gonna be difficult.

I've used Pinterest. A huge amount of Bariatric diet sites post there and you'll find yourself still looking through all of them hours later. Congrats on your success!!!

Probably pure spasm, possibly a stricture, been fighting it for over a year, trying to remain patent/open, I'm told now ( late September 2019) that my stoma is small in size, that my jejunem is open with visible scars from where last year's ulcers were, so thin foods do go through slowly but they do finally go through. Still. have not graduated to any more than moderately tho k pureed chew as I may. Precious still provides me with emesis on a frequent basis, 3-5 times weekly, keep extra gray Wal-Mart bags in the wastebasket near my Recliner so I can tie off and dispose of what Precious Pouch declines. On the Good Side I am regaining the size I had as a late Teenager- never expected to be under 300, under 200 and we'll into Onederland, after a starting BMI of 53.6, finally found my Ist Visit Summary from O,S,U, Bariatrics--- a BMI of 28.3 seems like achieving an Impossible Dream. And after Size 30W, a Size 16 to 18, majority 16 is a definite WhewBaby. So perhaps there are benefits to the Whole Shebang I have gone through. Just for my Own Peace of Mind, I wish somebody would be honest and stamp "Gastrointestinally Crippled" because at coming up to 13 months, I wonder if I will ever be "RIGHT" again, will I still have a "Healing Day" IDK When, IDK in what Manner, but nobody told ME yet to stop praying👼🙏so I continue till my breath leaves ME SomeDay. Maybe I trusted in -All Things Will Be Made New- perhaps for ME only a Bible Verse. But, you know, I AM still better, healthier and thinner than I started out so perhaps I should be praying for Placid Acceptance at This Point.

Most people complain of a "stall" 3-4 weeks post-op. Your body is getting used to the changes and the trauma it has experienced. As everyone just said, if you stick to your plan, the weight will come off. If stepping on the scale is making you crazy, stay OFF it! I weighed once every 2ish weeks only at my bariatric center. If I owned a scale, I'd get on it several times a day and go bananas. Breathe. You got this!

One week out same problem for first four days I can now sip the bariatric soups and hot chocolate very slowly and keep them down 15gm protein each 6-8 not the most flavorful but the sweet flavors are too nauseating

Sure. I'm at about 18 months. FOODS Not nearly as sensitive to foods are I was, but I still feel like avocados do me in. Ice Cream. Beer. Basically sugar, carbs, wheat. VITAMINS I take two normal chewable bariatric vitamin in the morning (dosage is two). That seems to keep me covered for everything except D and calcium. Based on advice from this board, I now take 50,000 iu of D3 every day in capsule form. NOTE: THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT AND TOOK A YEAR BEFORE SOMEONE ON THIS BOARD CLUED ME IN: After this surgery, anything oil based goes through you like **** through a duck. This is in general a good thing. I can literally eat a stick of butter at every meal and it will not show up on waistline. BUT, this means that any vitamin or other drugs that are "Gelcaps" run through you without effect and do not absorb!! Most D3 is sold in gelcap form so you need to find a version that isn't. (I dont know what brand im using offhand, but if you ask I will go upstairs and figure it out.) . SInce switching to non-gelcaps, my D3 is right where it needs to be. I've also had issues with calcium, which is common. I recently switched to the more expensive version. Haven't been re-tested yet, but will report back after my next test. Lastly, I take generic Prilosec for heartburn. I didn't need to before surgery, but now its a must. I take one more 'vitamin' for joint issues, but that IMO is unrelated to bariatric. THat's it. Not the fistful of pills you sometimes see others taking. But Im SIPS- not full DS - one of the advantages of which is less vitamin issues BATHROOM Yeah, that's still major issue. 12 to 20 times a day. Usually explosive. Not quite as smelly as the early days, but....yeah... i **** A LOT. I usually have to get up 3 to 4 times a night still. And It isn't pretty. I carry wet wipes with me at in my back pack at all times, along with poopouri. Also, having a toilet brush in every bathroom in my house is a must. Sometimes I have to do cleanup duty in restaurant or other public bathrooms, just because I feel guilty about the damage I have created. Its really really wrong NOTE: I still eat fast food and all types of garbage. If I cleaned my diet, I assume things in the bathroom would improve. But I like fast food, and I still keep getting skinnier, so I guess the trade off is worth it.

I don't know what your sweet tooth craves, whether it just be something sweet or something like a candy bar. I went into my local Vitamin world the other day and was looking at the powders and Protein drinks they have available (because that is the ONLY place in my town other than Smith's grocery store & Wal-mart that has anything I will be needing for surgery) and I ran across these OhYeah bars. They had 4 different bars the one I tried was chocolate Caramel Candies I was surprisingly shocked at how good it tasted and reminded me of "Candy" It has a soft filling with tiny M&M looking candies on top and covered with chocolate. It says "Good Grab right size right choice" (it's a little smaller than a payday bar) It has: 180 Calories, Total fat 9g, Carbs 19g, Sugars 8g, Protein 14g I know calories and sugars are maybe a little high but if you do it once in a while it shouldn't be to bad, I figure with 14g of Protein it makes it ok ;}~ Also I just got the Bariatric Choice Catalog and it has some "candy bar" like Protein Bars. The SF chocolate Dream Protein Bar that looks just like a candy bar says it's similar to a Nestle's crunch bar it has: 160 cal, 10g Protein, 12g fat, 6g carbs, 0 sugar. So these are a couple things im planning on looking into. I hope this helps ya a little bit.

Almost 8 yrs VSG and had severe GERD beforehand. It significantly decreased post op but I've remained on PPI medication the entire time. I was down to 1-2 total doses per week, however I had some regain over the last year and am up to THREE TIMES daily!! It's everything to do with how I carry my weight- all in my middle. While I was quite satisfied with the GERD being almost totally resolved initially, I'm fearful that even IF I lose the current regain it won't go away to the extend that it was in the past. I have been told by my bariatric team that a revision is likely the ONLY way to get the GERD to go away with 100% certainty. That sounds pretty good to me but I am quite fearful of surgery in general because I'm a nurse practitioner and we make terrible patients... I would love to know what the loss pattern was like for those who had the revision and can I plan to see awesome results? I mean, BESIDES the GERD clearing up? I am currently about 40 lbs about my ULTIMATE goal- I never reached that goal with my VSG, stopping about 12 lbs away from it...

That would be awesome to have a bariatric friend nearby. Yes, I was told to only weigh in on Fridays too, but I just want to see the scale budge. Patience is my enemy lol. I will try my best to stop checking daily. You can text me at 347-620-4969 if you like.. just mention who you are when texting. This is just an app number that I use since I would never put my real number on here. We got this!

Thanks for the information but its a little too late for me. I used weightlossagents but as a nurse and having bariatric surgery before, I didn't ask any questions. I had revision surgery (lapband to sleeve) April 7, 2015 and had a great experience. ☺️

For what it's worth I use Bariatric Fusion chew-able vitamins. They were designed for patients that have undergone weight loss surgery. You can buy them on-line.

My surgeon is a general surgeon with laproscopic expertise. He isn't a bariatric surgeon, and I was his 11th patient. He was GREAT. I wouldn't have traded him for any one else. My scars look great, and I was never in very much pain, and so far he has held my hand every step of the way. And fills are free. (self pay). I say if your confident in the doctor then go for it. It all depends on if you trust the guy or not.

Hi Guys I found this site and think it will answer your question plus other information. The second point answers the life of the band question. LAP-BAND® System Surgery Frequently Asked Questions </SPAN> LAP-BAND® System FAQs | Gastric Bypass Surgery FAQs | Bariatric Surgery FAQs 1. What are the advantages of having LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Band Surgery instead of gastric bypass surgery? See the LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Band Surgery Information page 2. Should I have the LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Band taken out once I lose the weight? No, the band is designed to stay in for a lifetime. Studies show that most patients will regain their weight if they have the band taken out. 3. Do I have to have adjustments for the rest of my life? How many adjustments will I need? Patients may need a little adjustment to the band volume every couple of years after the incremental adjustments required at the beginning. The average patient will come in for adjustments 6 to 8 times in the first year after surgery and may come in for an adjustment once or twice the second year. Patients may not need an adjustment at all in the third year. 4. Why don't you just "crank it up" and make the band tight all at once during surgery? The body needs to adjust to the new band. There is a little bit of swelling immediately after surgery and tightening the band too early or too fast has been shown in the research to result in more complications (including having to have the band taken out). 5. Is there such a thing as having the band tightened too much? Yes, the band can be over-adjusted. When the band is too tight, patients cannot eat solid foods without regurgitating the food or feeling very uncomfortable for many hours. When the band is too tight, patients tend to gain weight because they are resorting to the liquid and/or softer foods that travel through the band easily. These foods tend to be higher in fat and higher in sugar. When patients start this dysfunctional eating pattern, they are taking in more calories than if the band was looser. A band that is too tight will also cause heartburn and coughing in some patients. 6. What happens if 10 years from now I start to gain weight? What do I do? We see you annually in the office for a check-up, however if you are gaining weight, it is time to come in so that we can assess the problem. It could mean that you need a little adjustment in your band volume to provide a little more restriction. There may be a problem related to the types of food you are eating or there may have been a life crisis and emotional eating or depression may be taking hold. 7. What is the LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Band made out of? The LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Band is made out of silicone and titanium. 8. Is it possible for a person to reject the band? Yes, it is possible to have a reaction to any foreign body. Studies on the LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Band have shown that it is extremely rare. 9. Do adjustments hurt? There are fewer nerve endings in the skin of the abdomen and patients say that the adjustments are nearly painless. Patients have said that the needle stick hurts less than a shot and less than the needle stick for blood studies. 10. Are adjustments made in the surgeon's office? Yes, adjustments are made in the surgeon's office. On a rare occasion, the port is difficult to feel and a patient may have to go to the radiology department to have the port accessed under fluoroscopy. 10. How long has the LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Band been in existence? LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Band was first placed in a patient in Belgium in 1994. The FDA approved the LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Band for use in the U. S. in June of 2001. 12. How much weight loss can I expect with LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Banding Surgery? For the first 1-2 years you should expect 1-2 pounds of weight loss per week. In the long term, you can expect to have 50-70% of your excess weight stay off. 13. If after surgery, and despite following all the rules, I am at a plateau of weight loss, what should I do? Plateaus are a normal part of the weight loss process. In the first year or two after surgery, weight loss plateau usually means that you need to come in and have a little bit of Fluid put in the band to increase restriction. Occasionally, plateaus are caused by the Band being too tight. If the Band is too tight, weight loss will resume after a little fluid is taken out of the Band. If the above causes are ruled out, we will have you keep a food and exercise diary. The diary will include the times and quantities of foods eaten, drinks taken, Protein grams consumed, and an exercise log. We may have you consult with the dietician as well. 14. What should I do if I "can't cope" after surgery? Weight loss surgery causes a lot of changes in a patient's life including dietary changes and development of a new lifestyle. With any change in our lives, there is a feeling of loss of previous life patterns. Patients may have feelings of sadness, anger and frustration when going through so many changes at once. We remind patients to be patient with themselves! We advise patients that if they experience persistent sadness for more than 14 consecutive days, along with loss of interest in things they were previously interested in, they should contact the Bariatric Center or their primary care physician. These are signs of depression. 15. What should I do if I cannot exercise very much due to back pain? We know from experience and scientific research that you will decrease post-op complications and increase your chances of weight loss through following the pouch rules and nutrition handbook AND being more active. We encourage you to find resources in your community to help you develop a program of movement and activity. For example, many of our patients with joint problems enroll in Water exercise programs at a therapy pool. Others find that recreation programs have recumbent exercise bicycles that allow you to sit while pedaling a bicycle. 16. I'm worried that after surgery, my emotional eating will return. Want can I do? Here are several suggestions we give our patients: Talk about your feelings with your support persons. Perhaps the stress in your life is high and you are returning to old habits of coping. Schedule an appointment with the behavioral nurse or other specialists to explore alternatives to dealing with emotions in ways other than eating. Call the bariatric center and ask for assistance. Attend support group meetings to hear how other patients are solving that problem. 17. What is the purpose of support groups? There are many benefits to attending support groups; here a just a few of them: To hear from others who have similar problems to your own To Celebrate positive changes in each patient's life since the surgery To learn new information about bariatric lifestyles To brainstorm solutions to problems To provide motivation to follow the rules that will work for individuals for a lifetime To meet people who have had successful results of the surgery and are willing to help others To talk with a group of people who understand your journey like no one else does! 18. How much pain will I be in after LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Banding Surgery? Most patients experience mild to moderate pain. A common analogy used by patients post-op is that it "feels as if they did 200 hundred sit-ups in a row and their abdominal muscles are sore". More pain is commonly felt over the port site incision. Your pain will be well controlled so you will be able get up out of bed to walk and move around after surgery. 19. When will I be allowed to drink after surgery? You will most likely be able to drink Clear liquids on the day of surgery or the day after your surgery. 20. If I qualify for same day discharge, how long will I be in the hospital? Starting from the time you reach the surgical floor to recovery, it has been on average 6-8 hours. Times differ from patient to patient. 21. What are the expectations of patients in the hospital after surgery? Get up out of bed Walk in hallways as much as tolerated Sit in chair as much as tolerated Use your incentive spirometer (plastic breathing device) 10 times per hour while you are awake Concentrate on fluid intake Work on achieving good pain control with your nurse prior to discharge 22. What is the age range for being eligible for LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Banding Surgery? Age range is 18 to 75 years of age but depends on the individual surgeon’s preference. 23. How many days off work will I need to take for the surgery? Depending on the type of surgery and the surgeon’s preferences, most patients take 3-5 days off from work for LAP-BAND® Adjustable Gastric Banding surgery. It varies from patient to patient.

Rox.. Just ask for the bariatric "bible" It's not an exclusive thing. Almost everyone will share their drs instructions if they still have it. Mines on my desk top and I don't need to religiously refer to it in order o succeed. You learn what you need to through research and others helping you out. That's what this forum is for

Can someone translate this for me? I take it as they want me to fail a diet before seeing my surgeon and bring them proof. "Patients should have documented failure to respond to conservative measures for weight reduction prior to consideration of bariatric surgery"