Search the Community

Yes, I am eating fewer than about 20g net per day from diet alone--mostly in the low teens. My vitamins which are surgeon approved, gives about 12g of carbs with 10g of those being sugar alcohols/fiber. Celebrate Bariatric Vits.

Chew your food thoroughly Digestion begins in the mouth. Your saliva contains important enzymes that begin to break down food in your mouth, so it will be less work on your stomach. Ideally, you want to chew your food until it reaches applesauce-like consistency. Chewing more thoroughly also helps you to slow down. For many of us, it is a habit to take a bite, chew a couple of times and then swallow it down with a chug of water. But after bariatric surgery, you can no longer do that so it is even more important to chew your food. Use a baby spoon While it is important to chew your food thoroughly it also helps to take small bites of your food. Using a baby spoon or chopsticks may slow you down and regulate your bite sizes. If you are having a difficult time tolerating chicken, try smaller bites before giving up. When you eat smaller bites, less food will reach your stomach all at once and it may prevent nausea. Eat every 2-3 hours Since you can no longer tolerate large portions at a time, it is important to eat small amounts of food every two to three hours. This will give you more opportunities to eat enough protein. You can have protein drinks or eat a high protein snack like string cheese. Eat protein at every meal By building your meals around protein you will be more likely to hit your daily protein goals. Every meal or snack is an opportunity to help meet your daily protein goals. Pack high protein snacks Having high protein snacks on hand is key to meeting your daily protein goals. Examples include cottage cheese, string cheese, tuna, hard boiled egg, and sliced deli meat. These are portable snack items that you can store in the fridge at work or in a thermal lunch container. For more ideas on what foods to eat after bariatric surgery, please be sure to check out my Top 10 Dietitian-Approved Foods to Eat After Bariatric Surgery. Experiment with different types of protein Everyone has different tolerances after bariatric surgery. I have met some people who never had any issues with food, while others need to avoid certain foods for a period of time. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different types of protein. After surgery your taste preferences may change, so be willing to try foods that you previously didn’t like. If you cannot tolerate chicken then try yogurt. If you don’t like yogurt then try white fish. For other ideas on different protein sources to try download my free guide, Top 10 Dietitian-Approved Foods to Eat After Bariatric Surgery. Eat protein first The cardinal rule after surgery is to eat your protein first. This may seem counterintuitive because you may have been programmed to eat your vegetables first. But after surgery, your pouch size is so small that you need to make sure to fill it with protein first because you may fill up quickly. Yes, vegetables are important too. but you will be able to eat more of them as your pouch size expands. In the meantime, please make sure to take your multivitamins. Add PB2 to protein drinks PB2 is a peanut butter powder, but it is lower in fat and calories than your traditional peanut butter. Although peanut butter can be a healthy source of fat, it’s usually not recommended right after bariatric surgery due to its high calorie and fat content. PB2 can be a flavorful addition to your protein drinks, smoothie or yogurt and be a sneaky way to get more protein. Use protein drinks Including protein drinks in your diet is essential to meeting your protein needs in the first few months after surgery. Even if you ate protein at each meal you would likely not be able to meet your protein goals because of your new pouch size. Most surgery centers recommend using a protein drink during the first 6 months after surgery. As your pouch size expands you will be able to get most of your protein from food and reduce your protein drink intake. Experiment with different protein drinks to identify which one you tolerate best. Although whey isolate is usually recommended if you cannot tolerate it then try a different one such as egg white protein. Use Quinoa as your grain If you have started to include grains in your diet then quinoa can be a good choice after surgery. It is higher in protein than other grains and high in fiber. You can have a small amount with a stir-fry or add to soups. Please join my Facebook group if you would like to receive Dietitian-Approved Bariatric Recipes on your weight loss surgery journey.

i hope not, surgery with Usculpt in about a week. they have rave reviews. suggest you consult there if you haven't already, they specialize in bariatric patients.

I just had an orientation for Bariatric surgery. The dr that gave the seminar stated that lap bands are being phased out slowly because too many patients are coming back with issues from either the lap band or new issues arise from it and they have to go through revision surgery. I am undecided as to which surgery I’ll be going with but I definitely do not want to do any revisions later down the road. How long have you all had yours? Mila

Just went back and found more information for the area I am in. These are prices of the procedure if you pay without insurance. Gastric Bypass Surgery Cost Comparison Kansas City Bariatric Center of Kansas City Blue Valley Surgical Institute North Kansas City Hospital St. Luke’s University Of Nebraska Medical Center Private Pay Gastric Bypass $18,000 Not Offered $20,000 $25,000 $23,000

Yes I was sleeved march 9 with dr Szomstein at Cleveland clinic in Weston FL. It’s about a 25 minute drive. The Bariatric team is awesome. I was treated so well during my hospital stay. I highly recommend them. They definitely live up to their stellar reputation. Over all I feel fine . Just a little sore where they removed the stomach. On surgery day they gave me Tylenol and nausea meds prior to surgery. That really helped bc when i woke up. I didn’t have any pain just tightness in my abdomen. I didn’t have any gas pain either. I have not had any issues swallowing or vomiting. Extremely smooth recovery.

I read this and thought... This is MY life. I was angry last week ago when I noticed that there was a notation of non-specified eating disorder in my record, but now I GET IT. I never did the full-on binge thing, but I definitely was an extremist when it came to dieting and then falling off the wagon HARDCORE. I haven't dieted for about 1 1/2 years, but I would rather address this now than have issues surface when I'm pursuing the surgery. I'm relieved. I've scheduled a counseling appointment with an eating disorders specialist at the bariatric clinic and put everything else on hold. Perhaps I won't be able to be sleeved at all, because of my history. You know what, that's okay. I choose health first. Wish me luck all!!!

Ok so for my surgeon it is 80-100 grams of protein a day and 64 oz of water also a bariatric multivitamin x2 a day and calcium citrate x3 a day they want you to get like 1500 mg of calcium with Vit d3 Sent from my SM-T380 using BariatricPal mobile app

Hello all! I just signed up here because I'm finding myself completely lost I was sleeved 1/30/18 with Dr. Khrais in Jordan. I stayed there four days and then flew back home to Qatar. I'm currently a month and a half post op and I have no idea what I'm supposed to be doing. I was given a diet to follow for a month (liquids, no chunks, purees), and since the month ended, I'm kinda just doing my own thing and eating chicken/fish/meat and veggies. I keep seeing posts about getting your protein in, but I'm confused because I was never given any guidance for protein intake...or otherwise, really. I'm really feeling like I should be doing a lot more in terms of exercise/protein, so I'd like some guidance based off what your surgeon instructed you to do. I know that every surgeon has a different plan, but it will still be super helpful so I can get an idea. Also, when should I see the bariatric surgeon for a follow up? I'm trying to get an appointment scheduled with one in Qatar, and I'm honestly worried because I've gone a month and a half without a checkup. Also, I've lost 28 pounds since surgery, is that good, should I be losing more? I personally feel like things are moving superrrr slow

Hi y'all! Just wondering, I have some fears/nervousness about my upcoming procedure. My first fear is that I wasn't truly approved and someone at my surgeon's office made a mistake. The only reason I feel this way is because on my silly insurance website, my procedure is still not listed under authorizations. However when the office manager for my surgeon called last Thursday she said she heard back from them and I was approved. The other fear I am dealing with is my surgeon going in to to the procedure and for some reason will have to close me up without completing surgery and tell me there's no way I can have bariatric surgery. (I have had 3 C-sections, a hysterectomy, and my gallbladder removed so I guess my fear stems from maybe having too much scar tissue from those procedures?) I do suffer from general anxiety disorder and social anxiety disorder. I guess I just wanted and needed to get all of this off of my chest and maybe ask if any of you have any suggestions to calm my irrational fears and nervousness? Thanks so much for listening if you made it this far. [emoji8]

I'm doing a revision surgery and found a doctor who's supposed to be amazing. (the dr who did my original surgery has since retired) He's the head of Bariatric surgery at the big University in my town and seemed very confident and gave me a positive vibe in his introduction videos. But find this new doctor's office and staff very strange. - First, I have yet to meet the guy, 1 month into appointments and tests (endoscopy, upper GI, psych, nutrition, etc). - I have only communicated once with the nurse practitioner. She never got back to me with any of the results of the tests and I had to call her for them. - The meeting with the nutritionist was a joke, where he basically met with me for 10 minutes to give me a handout that said what my diet would be after surgery and told me to practice chewing and not lose too much weight or I wouldn't be eligible. He also wouldn't look me in the eye... so strange... - The meeting with the psychologist was wierd too... no eye contact either, just filled out information on her computer. (I will say the group therapy she's making me do is the only real thing that might help in this whole process). - The insurance advocate gets things done but I only find out if I call her constantly. - They never answer the phone at the office - In the one month I started the process, they have lost a nutritionist and a medical assistant... Is this normal??? The doctor himself seems very qualified, and I think the Group Therapy is actually helpful!

I had my surgery in Mexico... My insurance specifically doesn't cover bariatric surgery. My PCP was on board with me having the surgery and when I came home, I went to him for my follow up labs... I am happy with my results.

I got my sleep study results back today. I have severe sleep apnea, 32 apneas per hour. I'm going to get a CPAP machine. I will also be able to get an appointment with the bariatric surgeon now that I meet my insurance requirements. Sent from my XT1575 using BariatricPal mobile app

I'm almost three months post op, and I've never vomited. Did have the 'foamies' somewhat regularly for the first few weeks, but rarely anymore. I do get nauseous every once in a while, but I just lay down until it passes. What I did struggle with is bowel movements, which my doctor gave me colace for, and bariatric clinic told me to take a ducolax every weekend to clean out. I just started having BMs without having to take anything just two or three weeks ago..

My Surgeon name is Dr. Kruger he is just so nice. Sorry guys i thought this was my thread, it is not. If you have a chance check out my thread Massachusetts Bariatric Singles. I am hoping to get a group going that will meet for support and social. But im glad I found this thread too. Dawn Marie

When I finally told my family, my dad said “I think you should’ve done it years ago!” That wasn’t what I was expecting, at all. He is an anesthesiologist and works with a bariatric surgeon so I am getting a lot of “we see so many people gain their weight back.” As far as in laws, I have not told them a thing bc my sister in law knows everything too. I am so hypersensitive about the weight and HATE talking about it and I overheard her telling a complete stranger, “my sister in law has been struggling with her weight...” and I wanted to dig a hole and hide. I see a wonderful therapist who has such amazing advice for how to deal with the comments. If you see one or have access to one, they can totally help! I’m so sorry your sister in law is like that. I will say, and tho we all know this and it took years for me before it really sank in, but it is all her sh*t and you’re just the lucky one she projects it on. Sleeved 8/7/17 HW: 256 SW: 248 CW: 188 on 3/7/18 5'7" GW: 150

Here's link to a site that calculates what to expect statistically at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months: https://www.obesitycoverage.com/the-complete-patients-guide-to-bariatric-surgery/ You have to scroll down a little to get to that part.

Check your binder! It’s in there, and it’s your Bible! Mine allowed me to drink 8 oz of decaf as soon as the liquid phase. My bariatric cookbook included a recipe for a frappe-type drink that used decaf.

Cards similar to this given out by various bariatric clinics for post-op patients to use at restaurants.

Just a heads up neither of these things are big deals. The overwhelming majority of obese people have fatty livers. WLS fixes or improves it in most. The thrombocytopenia thing doesn't mean much either. As far as having a fantastic medical problem goes, that's not a serious one (unless it's severe in which case you would have figured it out a very long time ago) People get bariatric surgery with thrombocytopenia all the time, they just give you platelets the same day (this isn't even always necessary). None of this would disqualify you from having surgery (or honestly impact you, though anemia could be a concern if you were having a bypass) , they would probably just postpone it to confirm this new onset diagnosis. I know it sounds and feels stressful, but I can assure you this is no big deal and will have little to no impact on your life.

I was wondering.... What kinds of questions do they ask? I spoke with my UHC Bariatric nurse for about an hour and she asked me things like, "What will be the hardest thing for you to have to change before, during and after surgery and what will you do to make sure you make the right choices?" and "What made you feel that surgery was the best choice for you?" and "Do you think you are emotionally ready for the changes that you will have to make for the rest of your life?" I would think these questions would be right there on the tip of my tongue ready to be spoken but i froze and for a moment didn't have answers. I think i kinda spooked myself. I felt like i was being prosecuted lol Does this make sense to anyone?

Don't be nervous you are now part of a big loving worldwide Bariatric family and we take care of our own. Any questions, please ask, if I personally don't have an answer someone on Bariatric Pal will. Welcome and stay as long as you like. You are among friends now. Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

I too have psoriasis,haven't had my surgery yet.You bring up a good point, since it is an auto-immune disease it easily could improve. I even have,psoriasis in my nailbeds, makes them slightly misshapen and I have putting if you run your fingers over the nail surface. I have a good friend who has it much worse than either of us, his arms usually look like alligator skin. He has creams to help,with it but seldom used them. Says it's too much of a bother. Did you know we share this disease with Cyndi Lauper, the singer? Truth! ,,,,,,,,,,,,i haven't had my surgery yet, if I do I'll be sure to let you know if I do. In the meantime welcome to Bariatric Pal if nobody ever bothered welcoming you. Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

Wow! I feel so welcome already. Today is my first time posting as I’ve been waiting to find a group that I felt I could connect with. Thank you, thank you for welcoming me/us with open arms. I am so excited to be on this journey with the love of my life but also with all of you as we support each other through every step of this new endeavor. My husband and I begin our WLS journey January 23 at our first bariatric visit. It was so nice to actually be treated like a “ normal human being” by our doctor/surgeon. There wasn’t the uncomfortable feeling of being incredibly overweight and someone looking down on you for it. A little about us… I am 45 years old and my husband is 50 years old and we live in Atlanta, Georgia. We have two beautiful daughters age 15 and 11. We own our own business so that means that we’re together day in and day out thank God we are best friends as well as husband and wife! Never had bariatric surgery even been on our radar prior to December 2017. We traveled to Michigan for the holidays and the process of getting through the airport security lines, etc. was excruciating for my husband. I didn’t think he’d be able to stand the hour to make it through the security line. Little did we know that was just the beginning of next challenges. After a short break we continued to the gate and by the time we got there he was so winded it took several minutes to catch his breath. It was one of the most frightening and eye-opening experiences of our marriage. While we were visiting family my husband ran into a gentleman who had had the sleeve surgery and lost 180 pounds. The gentleman told my husband that he had not felt this good since high school. That was really a game changer for us. We have two good friends who have had weight-loss surgery and were very successful but we really never saw ourselves going that route. My husband has several medical conditions including sleep apnea, cardiomyopathy, high triglycerides and several debilitating ailments (back, knee, quad muscle, etc.). His quality-of-life is diminishing right before our eyes. Waiting isn’t an option anymore. We have read many stories of couples splitting up after WLS when one took the plunge but the other didn’t. On the flip side, we have heard that couples embark on the journey together have a very good success rate which is why we want to walk hand in hand each step of the way.

I don't use my bariatric card. I love going out to restaurants to eat. You can absolutely make it worth your money and make healthy choices. Get a take home box. Makes for a great lunch or dinner the next day. The joy of a meal without cooking. Google restaurant menus before you go: (especially if you are traveling) Every restaurant has protein and vegetables. ( Beef, fish, poultry dishes) They have no problem replacing the carb choice with extra veggies..Just ask. Some have healthy lite menu items. I do fast food rarely - It's because the quality of the food sucks. - A few things I order on the run.. Carl's Jr. Low carb natural grass fed burger. Most burger restaurants will do lettuce wrapped burgers or I don't eat the bun. I prefer turkey burger patties - Just me..lol Love cafe zupas high quality great salads. qdoba childrens burrito bowl. Chicken or beef - beans/black or pinto - veggie- cheese -salsa - guacamole (no rice or tortilla )