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Kaydo...it's supposed to aid in recovery after surgery. Boosts your immune system and provides lots of nutrition for rebuilding tissues. My Bariatric groups makes everyone use it the last five days before surgery. Here's the sales pitch on the box: About the product Impact Advanced Immunonutrition Drink is a unique beverage specially formulated with 18 grams of protein and 24 essential nutrients per serving to help support the body's unique nutrient needs before and after major surgery. Impact formulas have been studied in dozens of clinical trials and thousands of patients, and have been shown to help promoted better outcomes in patients undergoing major surgery. it's only to be used under medical supervision. Not something you should drink for maintenance. Just for surgeries. I have no idea if it's good stuff or not...if it makes a difference or if it's mostly hype......but the research behind my center's protocol was developed with University of Michigan (awesome medical research university) and they haven't steered me wrong yet....so I'm doing what I'm told.

I just did a post on being cold . I love the "bariatric brrr" LOL I'm 5 months out and yep - I'm cold now that fall is here. It was unheard of for me to want the furnace on when it's 50 outside..... and yet ...here we are. 😁 Brrr....

After surgery did you get the “bariatric burr” did you feel colder than usual?! If so when did it happen, right after surgery or a few days/weeks after?

yep - evidently it's fairly common. I had high ones and my PCP thought I had "fatty liver", but then I googled elevated liver levels and bariatric surgery and yes - it does happen due to the rapid weight loss. And when I went back to have them re-checked, they were normal - as expected since my weight had stabilized by then. Although given all the other stuff you have going on, it's definitely possible yours might be due to something else, too. Keep us posted... P.S. you may not have heard this since I don't know if many people have their liver enzyme levels tested as part of standard bariatric blood panels. Mine were tested for something else (I think it was when I was having some upper abdominal pain a few years back that my PCP was trying to diagnose). So I googled it when I got home. Anyway, since then I've seen that issue come up on this and other bariatric forums - not a lot, but it does come up occasionally. But then that's only when people actually have them tested. My bariatric clinic doesn't test for that.

I'm in Rome and getting sleeved in April by Dr. Ryland Scott with Floyd Bariatrics. Nervous but excited!

Even still at the 6 month point, we need to make the most important things getting in the Protein (60-90gm or whatever your surgeon recommends), and at least 64 oz of water/liquid every day. This makes a big difference in our weight loss. And I agree with other posters--starchy carbs this soon after surgery can really mess with our weight loss. The more fresh (or frozen) veggies and (limited) fruits you can get in, the happier your body will be to let go of those pounds. Sorry you're dealing with stressful stuff at work. It's one of the biggest life stressors that drives us to making unhealthy eating choices. The stress isn't likely to go away, but WE can learn ways to COPE with the stress so we don't end up sabotaging ourselves by choosing our old reliable, comforting food, like we always have before our surgery. It takes work, but there are a lot of self-help resources out there to begin taking charge. We owe it to ourselves. Celebrate the 40 pounds that you HAVE lost, and if there are some things that you need to do to get back to your original Bariatric Eating plan, it sounds like you are ready and committed to moving forward. That's the key--move forward from here--don't look back!

@@galadriel535 - I would ask them about that. My handbook mirrored my verbal instructions and the tray they brought me only had what I was allowed to eat. There are many variations of bariatric diets. However I notice most of the differences are about when to re-introduce fruit and veg. The basic rule of thumb is still Protein & Fluid first and 30 mins spacing between eating and drinking..

cuorius... Has anyone actually tried and/or are taking the Vitamins from powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury????? i have my multi vitamins From Twinlab called Bariatric Advantage and im pretty happy with those ... however im still shopping around for a good combo of Calcium vit D3 and magnesium DONT JUST VIEW COMMENT TOO!

Hi I am Kelly. I am a 32y RN, mother of a 5y daughter and wife to a husband that has a bottomless stomach. I am from Dothan, AL. So us southern ppl are not known for our skinnyness. I have been battling with my weight almost my whole life. I have been under physician supervised wt loss for >2y. Highest wt. 291. I have do every diet and wt loss program possible and I YoYo between 290-260. I have been approved for VSG in April. No surgery date yet. Have my last appt 4/6/16. Hopefully I will get a date then. I have been on the 45gm carb diet for 3wks now and have lost 13lbs. GW- 160 CW- 265 Any help yal can give me would be Great!!!!!! Sent from my SM-N910V using the BariatricPal App

that's a question for your bariatric clinic. Some allow it, some don't.

Maplef50, Thanks for the info on sleep study very interesting. I thought about what you said about changing to a different psych. dr. but I had to call the ins co. and get the approval and an auth # myself, and the list of other bariatric psych. dr. on the list are pretty far from where i live but i did call the office and asked them to put me on a list to call if there are any cancellations. Who knows I might get that call. Today I am preparing to go on vacation next week. Me, my husband and 4 year old daughter are going to Branson, MO for a week. 5 hrs in the back of a mini van with a 4 year old. I hope this is going to feel like a vacation. Let me know when you find out your surgery date. Lisa

I like Pure Protein from Target. 25 gm in 12 oz, goes down easy, tastes good. I buy the frosty chocolate and the vanilla is ok too. Coupons on line are $1.00 off each. For a good size tub of the powder, I pay about 17.99 without the coupon. They last a couple weeks drinking twice a day. I didn't care for the Bariatric Advantage mix at all. I know some people don't like products hawked by the biggest loser, but truly I was drinking them on my diet months before surgery and I never watched the biggest loser, so I wasn't aware. Anyway, they taste good. GG

Hi! I was referred by my PCP to attend the bariatric orientation in Fresno (tried Fremont 5 years ago and wasn't ready and have heard good referrals about Fresno) on 3/1/13. Met with the surgeon on-on-one 3/13/13, NUT on 3/19/13, MH on 3/27/13, pre-op with surgeon on 4/5/13 and I have surgery scheduled this Tues, 4/23/13! My process has been super fast. No 12-week supervised diet. My surgeon took into account 24 pounds I had lost over the course of the last year and I already met my goal weight on 3/13. Kaiser called me 4/17 with my surgery time and then called today to pre-admit me. No co-pay either. Everything has really fallen into place. Only 5 more days until surgery! ????

I will be having mine Oct 13 at KC Bariatric Center in Lenexa KS!! I just got my date today!!

But all of that being said in my previous comment, I think they tell people that to get their asses into gear. I think what they are trying to do is create a sort of "now or never" mentality in hopes that it will shock people into action. Because I do think that if you cannot make some significant headway while the surgery is still fresh and new, the thinking is that you never will. If your stalling at 4 months out, throwing the rules to the wind and frequenting the local fast food joints and have not made any significant headway or have completely hit the brakes on weight loss, chances are you probably will never get with the program again. Its a sad but true assessment of bariatric patients. Of course that does not apply to everyone and its obviously a generalizations but where there is smoke there is fire and there is a reason why its a general assumption.... GENERALLY it's true.

@@peytonplace Marsha, thanks for the reply. Posts go "poof" on me sometimes too, I have developed a habit of saving the long ones half way through... because the short ones never disappear...grrr Okay, i had a lower body lift, breast lift and augmentation and arm lift. More recently I had some work on my thighs, so no stranger to plastics! I discussed my butt with the plastic surgeon and he advised against implants for all the reasons you mention. i didn't really want that anyway. Some people get this procedure where during the lowr body lift, they use some excess ... skin?... to kind of fill out the butt. I know a couple of people who went for that - they loved the results but it was a painful and difficult recovery. And, it took like a year before they could sleep on their backs! Not worth it to me and surgeon didn't think it was worth it either. I know big butts are what is currently in, but don't really mind, and most of the time it isn't really a big deal, but this particular outfit, it was a problem. I am glad i did plastics, but, it is a big deal and not for everyone! I believe it is riskier and bigger surgery than bariatric. Implants can have long term complications. I always thought that things like arm lifts were no long term risk once healed (mine were awesome!) but someone on these forums has long term nerve damage from an arm lift.... like i said, consider the risks because living with a bit of excess skin isn't so bad... As far as the regain, you can find much info on these forums on this topic. For most people, what works best is going back to what worked for you in your losing phase. Going back to basics - Protein first, no grazing, stay hydrated, yada yada. i think it is wise to weigh weekly (as long as that doesn't trigger obsessiveness for you) because then you notice the 5 before it becomes 50. If you want more advice, ask away and I suggest reading the veterans forum as that seems to be "regain central" My general feeling about goal, maintenance and all that - it isn't really a destination, it is more like the lifelong deal. I try to see it in a positive light - i have skinny friends around my age, and they ALL watch what they eat to stay thin. Okay, they were never food junkies, so maybe it is easier, but my point is that we live in a world where food is pushed at us constantly... our brain is stimulated to want to consume it! You really have to work hard to keep cravings etc under control. I have discovered that WHAT I eat eithr triggers or helps control hunger. This is why I maintain a moderate carb diet - sugars, even in fruit and other healthy sources triggers appetite for me. As far as the phone app, does myfitnesspal look a little like the older version of this sites app? It used to be black, now the app for Bariatric pal is white background.

Darn! I really thought Fair Oaks had a bariatric unit too? Not sure why I thought that. I had a spinal fusion (neck) there and got a private room. Hubby slept in the recliner for 3 days (and nights) til I was released...bless him! I hope and pray for a private room again!! Llamalover, do let us know how your appt goes!!

I went to Dr Taggar, and had an amazing experience. But he doesn't offer BLIS, only dr wizman does. Also, check out Blossom Bariatrics in Vegas. Cheap flights, nice hotels and his price is somewhere around $11k. Was one of my top choices, but I chose Dr Taggar. Sent from my XT1254 using BariatricPal mobile app

in the morning I mix a scoop of Upcal D powder into my yogurt (it'll supposedly mix into anything, but the filler is kind of sweet - so it works best in sweeter things like yogurt). During the day, I drop two Calcium citrate tablets into my 16 oz two-scoop (fruit-flavored) Protein shake. I mix fruit flavored Protein Powder with Crystal Light lemonade, so the acid in it makes the calcium tablets dissolve (takes awhile, though - but then I sip on the shake all day long, so it doesn't matter). after dinner, I take a Calcet Creamy Bite or a Bariatric Advantage chew. Both taste like dessert. They're also both kind of expensive, but then, I only take them once a day.

EDIT: Only just noticed this is a year old thread...hey ho! Hope all ended well. —————————————————— So sorry you had to deal with that crap. Ignore him. As has been fantastically said I’d address afterwards if you can’t shake it off. They’re almost all narrow specialists with god complexes. All the nursing staff will tell you to ignore them on subjects outside their remit. My surgeon has the best mortality stats and outcomes as well as numbers of procedures for this part of the country, but he is a social disaster zone outside pure factual consults and theatre...his secretary and the ITU staff confirmed as much. Just before sending me home 2 days post op he said “Great, now eat what you did before, just less” NUT was there too and her eyes near rolled out of her head. At 3 month follow up he spent 10 minutes not making eye contact and mumbling aggressively when I asked why I was having no post surgery bloods until 1 year. Not ideal, but my surgery and post surgical recovery has been great, my GP did interim bloods and his NUT is fantastic. If he had sufficient self awareness to backfill for his failings by recruiting her then some credit due, but kid gloves are off next consult. If we fall out then so be it. Sincerely hope you don’t let it get you down and find a great bariatrics aware fitness specialist to backfill for his muppetry xx

I have noticed when I dip below 1200 calories I start holding onto the weight. I've been sick with a cold and had a bit of a rough week emotionally. As a result I haven't been eating enough and haven't lost any weight this week. At three months I was getting upset because I was losing so slowly and the nurse practitioner at my Bariatric Program told me to increase my calories from 800 to 1200. The weight started melting off. For my body, 1200 calories seems to be the magic number. I swim 3-5 hours per week too.

I have surgery next Tuesday, the 17th. I started my chewable bariatric Vitamins 10 days ago, in hopes that I would avoid the fatigue and hair loss. I guess we will see!!! What kinds of vitamins is everyone taking?

I was always heavy. I am sure everyone here is in the same boat. When I was a young pup I was tipping the scales at 250. After following a strict diet and thanks to a job that was physically demanding I slimmed down to my ideal weight at 200 pounds. Alas, over the decades I soon gained those fifty pounds back; and eventually hit 360 pounds. My goal is to get back to 250 pounds. My doctor's staff tells me that realistically I shouldn't expect to lose more than 1/2 of the weight that would have put me at the recommended weight for my ideal BMI. That would be 280 pounds. But, I will keep trying... all I know is that even after losing 40 pounds since surgery I feel so much better and have more energy. My medical BMI says 200; but I suspect the best I can hope for is 250, but I will settle for 280. All I know is that the band has renewed my hope for a better future and quality of life.

Chunky all my life, most of my excessive weight piled on after the birth of my second child. After several failed attempts at losing the weight with Weight Watchers, Slim Fast and other programs, I decided to see a bariatric doc & a nutritionist. Under their care (and diet pills) I was able to lose 60lbs thru self control and exercise. I started at 260 and got down to 200, never getting into blessed Onderland. I fell off the wagon as far as exercise goes last June and the weight started creeping back up when the diet pills lost their effectiveness. By last October, I had gained back 40 of the 60lbs I had lost and was disgusted with myself. I knew I needed more help in controlling what I ate than I could give myself so I started exploring WLS. At the end of January 2011 I went to a local seminar and begun researching my options. I decided I wanted VSG because it was the best fit for me. Discovered that insurance wouldn't pay and even if I appealed the decision, they only covered 50% of the allowable charges anyway. Hubby & I talked it over and decided that we wanted to avoid the wait, hassle and expense of the appeal, nut and psych visits, etc. and made plans for me to go to Mexico as soon as possible. There is quite a bit of heart disease in my family - my oldest brother dropped dead at 44 from a massive heart attack, my dad died of complications of open heart surgery and he had congestive heart failure and suffered his first heart attack at 56, both my other brothers are over 300lbs, cousins weigh in at 400 and just last month another cousin dropped dead of a heart attack at 52. The writing on the wall couldn't have been any clearer for me. I turned 40 this year and I'll be damned if I spend the second half of my life trapped in an unhealthy and gross body.

Don't beat yourself up. Obesity is a multi factorial disease. It is caused by many things. Eating habits, activity level, genetics, gut microbes, hormones and who knows what else. The medical community can't even tell us exactly why weight loss surgery works. We just know that it is the most effective treatment that we have at the moment. Everyone is different. Don't compare yourself with anyone else. I also believe that stress is a big contributor as it affects our hormones and our genes. I still see my bariatric nutritionist at 20 months out and have no plans to stop because we have to be diligent and do everything we can to fight this disease. If you have access to one, I would highly recommend doing that because you are right, there is so much misinformation and information that does not pertain to us out there. Time and time again I have found her information to be spot on. She reels me in back to nutrition and away from the confusion. Also, I have said it before and I still believe that if we get to a point where we feel like we are loosing control, reaching out for psychological help is a good thing. It can't hurt and I've seen many people who said they were so glad they did. You can do this.