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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.

I am. I have bariatric multivitamin chewables I got from the vitamin shoppe but forget to take them sometimes. I think that's why I feel so exhausted when I dont take it.

Yep.. Everyone pain is different and docs close the incision differently also. I had glue, a drain that was removed on second day.. As said before it was the weirdest strangest feeling. I was lucky and had no issues and was up a couple hours after surgery. Never stopped going since! I've had several bariatric surgeries and only had bad gas in my shoulders on one of them. I've had 3 ten lb babies and laparoscopic surgery is a piece of cake in comparison

Congratulations on your new journey and welcome to Bariatric Pal. Seems like you have been rocking and rolling. I wish I only had 3months of nutritional visits..

Just to let you Bariatric Bullies know--when someone posts a question here it is because they truly don't know or want constructive criticism! Not to be laughed at or made fun of or be answered condisendingly! Some of us know more than others and that's why we are here! You are not supposed to be a BULLY about it! I for one have been talked down to and literally laughed at for my question about protein!! I was new an knew very little about it and thought I was safe to ask anything here! BOY WAS I WRONG!!! There a quite a few Bariatric Bullies here! Grow up and be an adult already! I wondered why children bully and now I see its adults as well! =

Drink water. I usually buy a bottle of water. Even though they only sell that nasty tap water Dasani. Sometimes I drink coffee. If you call ahead they will brew a pot for you so you don't have to wait when you get there. You might as well get used to making good choices with what is available to you, and not sneaking food into the movie theater. Nicer movie theaters have Brussel sprouts and other things that are bariatric friendly. Post-op life is easy if you understand nutrition and your nutritional needs. You can find something to eat/drink almost everywhere if you understand the basics.

I only had to get an EKG and then my cardiologist asked me if I could walk without being extremely out of breath. That was it and they sent that in to the Bariatric center as my cardiac clearance needed. I even have a slight heart arrhythmia I got diagnosed with last year but he still said I am clear and ready for surgery.

There is an AMAZING group of Bariatric Surgical Specialist in Louisiana & Mississippi. They are SURGICAL SPECIALIST OF LOUISIANA & MISSISSIPPI, & their # (985)234-3000 for the office I use, & they can direct you to your closest location. They have a very informational website, www.whyweight.com. The dr I use is Dr. Rachel Moore & she is top-notch! After 19 years in Medical Field, I've experienced, seen & witnessed it all. I floated from ER, all ICU Units, OR & Trauma, & I know all about physician credentials, what flags to look for, etc. so, in short, THIS GROUP IS IN A CLASS OF THEIR OWN! Take a few minutes & go check out their website I listed. BEST OF LUCK & GOD's SPEED

I would go with the Bariatric Advantage! I think I'm going to stick to those post op! I never thought I would ever like frozen portioned meals like those and I like the variety too! I might try those again down the road for dinner!

I thought you all may want to see the infor below.. Insurance Company to Cover Newer Method of Bariatric Surgery by Kerri Seidler on April 21, 2010 ? Comments | Weight Loss Surgery Aetna, one of the nations largest health insurers, revised its policy on obesity surgery this month to include open and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy among its covered bariatric procedures. The sleeve gastrectomy procedure, often referred to as the gastric sleeve, is a newer method of bariatric surgery that is gaining in popularity as a treatment for morbid obesity. The gastric sleeve promotes weight loss by reducing the size of the stomach to help patients eat less and feel full faster. It appeals to many patients as it does not require a medical implant or need adjustments like laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding and does not require cutting and rerouting the small intestine like the gastric bypass procedures. Prior to the policy change, Aetna considered the sleeve gastrectomy ?investigational? and did not cover the surgery. As of 4/9/2010, Aetna revised its Clinical Policy Bulletin for Obesity Surgery and stated that the ?sleeve gastrectomy is considered medically necessary when criteria are met.? The policy now reads: Aetna considers open or laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), open or laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, open or laparoscopic biliopancreatic diversion (BPD) with or without duodenal switch (DS), or laparoscopic adjustable silicone gastric banding (LASGB) medically necessary when the selection criteria listed below are met. Although the sleeve gastrectomy is included under bariatric procedures, coverage for obesity surgery is still dependent on benefit plan details and approval by Aetna. Aetna?s decision follows in the footsteps of United Healthcare, another healthcare giant, which began covering the procedure in October 2009. In response to the Aetna and United Healthcare change in policy, The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) issued a press release announcing its support. In the statement, John W. Baker, MD, FACS, President of ASMBS, said ?We are pleased that Aetna and United Healthcare now includes sleeve gastrectomy among its covered bariatric procedures?Sleeve gastrectomy has now reached that threshold where the data and our experience with the procedure supports its safe and effective use in people affected by the chronic disease of morbid obesity.? The ASMBS, which is the largest organization for bariatric surgeons in the world, is a non-profit group committed to educating medical professionals, patients, and the general public to the various effects, risks, and benefits of bariatric surgery. The decision of Aetna and United Healthcare to cover gastric sleeve will benefits patients who are morbidly obese and considering weight loss surgery. While weight loss surgery is the most effective treatment for morbid obesity, it should not be considered a ?one size fits all? approach. As the best surgical intervention for obesity can vary from patient to patient, insurers who cover a wider range of options will better allow surgeons to treat patients on a more personal basis.

Find a therapist you can talk to, and one that has experience dealing with bariatric patients. Talk to several before you decide. Here are some additional resources that might help: The Emotional First Aid Kit: A Practical Guide to Life after Bariatric Surgery * RECOMMENDED by Cynthia L. Alexander, PsyD Dr. Alexander discusses many of the difficulties a bariatric patient is likely to encounter and some realistic and practical strategies for dealing with them. Most people go into bariatric surgery full of motivation and hope, only to find day-to-day postoperative existence more stressful than they imagined. Here are the psychological tricks of the trade to help make your own journey a successful one. Exodus from Obesity: The Guide to Long-Term Success after Weight Loss Surgery * RECOMMENDED by Paula F. Peck, RN Paula Peck provides the information, encouragement and guidelines for maintaining long-term success after weight loss surgery. Ms. Peck has been a Registered Nurse for over 30 years and personally has experienced a weight loss of more than 175 pounds twice in her life: Once unsuccessfully from "white-knuckle" dieting, and once successfully from weight loss surgery 5 years ago. Ms. Peck interweaves intelligent discussion with humorous stories about herself and individuals that have faced diet after diet and ultimately chose the gastric bypass procedure. The Success Habits of Weight-Loss Surgery Patients by Colleen M. Cook Colleen Cook, a weight-loss surgery patient since 1995, has taken the real-world experiences of thousands of weight- loss surgery patients and condensed them into the principles you'll find in this book. These time and people tested principles are the results of years of research of long-term weight loss surgery patients. They work regardless of the particular type of weight-loss surgery you may have had. Weight Loss Surgery For Dummies by Marina S. Kurian, Barbara Thompson, Brian K. Davidson A guide to weight loss surgery – before, during, and after. This compassionate guide helps you determine whether you qualify and gives you the scoop on selecting the best center and surgical team, understanding today's different procedures, and achieving the best results. You also get tips on eating properly post-op and preparing appetizing meals, as well as easing back into your day-to-day life. Before and After: Living and Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery by Susan Maria Leach In addition to more than 100 recipes in this book, there are ideas to help a post-op cook stay on the path and adapt his/her own recipes. Includes tips for eating out and cooking during the holidays. There is an introduction to Protein, sugar, and carbohydrates for those who are post gastric bypass surgery, as well as a list of sources for special foods and ingredients. Eating Well After Weight Reduction Surgery by Patt Levine The author has created 125 recipes that contain no added sugar, are very low in fat, and get their carbohydrates almost exclusively from fruits and vegetables. Each recipe includes specific guidelines for preparation of the dish for every stage of the eating programs for Lap-Band, gastric bypass, and Duodenal Switch patients, as well as suggestions for sharing meals with those who have not gone through gastric surgery. Recipes for Life After Weight-Loss Surgery: Delicious Dishes for Nourishing the New You by Margaret Furtado, MS, RD, LD/N, and Lynette Schultz, Chef, LCRP, RT Margaret Furtado and Lynette Schultz have a combination of almost 40 years experience in clinical nutrition and the culinary arts. Together, they will help you navigate your way through the sometimes turbulent waters after your weight loss surgery, and will provide you with general clinical guidelines after your procedure, as well as helpful hints for easing your transition from surgery to your new, healthy lifestyle. With sections on home entertaining and eating-on-the-run. Laparoscopic Associates of San Francisco (LapSF): WLS Lifestyles Magazine: http://www.wlslifestyles.com American Society of Bariatric Surgeons: www.asbs.org

Thank you sooo much for posting this article from the May 2008 issue of Bariatric Times!

This is kind of long... I suffer from autoimmune disease and have heard that the band can be good or bad for it. Some docs won't touch you if you have it. The only article I can find linking it to autoimmune disease in a quick search is the one below http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.ezproxy2.library.drexel.edu/sites/entrez We report 2 patients who developed sarcoidosis after the implantation of adjustable silicone gastric banding (GB) in Germany. Before implantation, no pulmonary diseases were evident in the medical history of either patient. The 1st patient suffered sarcoidosis 12 months after GB. He has been treated at a hospital specialising in pulmonary diseases. Because of the treatment with corticoids, the patient has regained weight after the initial weight reduction. The 2nd patient developed signs of pulmonary infection on the 7th postoperative day (after GB). Pulmonary sarcoidosis was diagnosed 4 months later after consultation with a pulmonologist. On the other hand- this article states that it helps: Bariatric Surgery Improves Asthma, Autoimmune Disease WASHINGTON, D.C., June 2008 — Obese people with asthma, osteoarthritis or autoimmune diseases who undergo bariatric surgery may be able to say sayonara to their steroids and/or the other immunosuppressing drugs they use to treat these diseases within about 18 months of their surgery. This is according to new research presented at the 25th annual meeting of the American Society for Metabolic amd Bariatric Surgery. And that's a good thing, as long-term use of these drugs can have harmful effects on health. Precisely how bariatric surgery can help resolve or improve these diseases is not fully understood, but losing weight may decrease certain inflammatory markers that are known to be elevated in autoimmune and inflammatory disease, according to study author Elizabeth A. Dovec, MD, a bariatric surgeon at Western Pennsylvania Hospital, a teaching hospital of Temple University School of Medicine in Pittsburgh. The new study comprised 49 morbidly obese people who were taking steroids or other immunosuppressive medications to treat co-existing chronic autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), myasthenia graves (a neuromuscular disease characterized by weakness of the skeletal muscles) and lupus, or inflammatory diseases like asthma. In autoimmune diseases, the body engages in friendly fire against its own organs or systems. More than 50 percent of the study patients were able to discontinue or significantly reduce the use of oral steroids and immunosuppressive agents within 18 months. Specifically, 89 percent of people with asthma who underwent bariatric surgery were able to discontinue their steroids. What's more, 33 percent of patients with the inflammatory skin disease psoriasis and 25 percent of those with myasthenia graves were able to stop taking their medication. In addition to improvements in autoimmune and inflammatory disease, the study participants lost 65.2 percent of their excess weight, and 80 percent of the study participants showed improvements or resolution of many of their other obesity-related diseases, including type 2 diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea and high blood pressure. "Patients with compromised immune systems [such as occur with autoimmune disease] or taking steroids for chronic inflammatory disease [like asthma] may have been excluded from bariatric surgery because they are at higher risk for complications related to their disease or immunosuppressant medications," said another study author, Daniel J, Gagné, MD, director of bariatric surgery and laparoscopic and minimally invasive surgery at the hospital. "However, this study shows not only that these patients can safely have bariatric surgery, but they can achieve significant improvements or elimination of many diseases." — Denise Mann

You can get packets of powders from Bariatric fusion and unjury.

I'm in Elizabethtown KY. But I go to a different town for my bariatrics, here I had to have a recommendation from my dr to see a wl doctor! Out there he saw me and it went on through. I do hope you get your date soon

And @GotProlactinoma I am very happy to know you. I yearn for and am working towards the day when i am no longer morbidly obese. If I end up in the overweight ranking where my personal weight goal will still put me, I will still be grateful for the chance bariatric surgery will give me, I will use my tool,to the good of ME. And bottom line that is who I'm working for, although my family may reap some benefits, the surgery is still mine.😝👍

I started reading Before & After a few days ago. The author had RNY but I am finding it a good read and many applicable tips. She went on to start the site www.bariatriceating.com and opened a bariatric store in Florida. I'm going to have to pick up the other recommended book. I ordered mine at barnes & noble, the one I stopped at didn't have it on the shelves.

Geeze I had to say something because I've passed this several times an every time I saw it my heart panicked. I kept reading thinking it said Oldham county. Scary thought! OP, where in KY are you? I know Louisville has quite a few Bariatric programs and there are some in IN that may be worth the drive.

Whether you are willing to share this information with others does not matter. Your health record is your business and your business only. This is a violation of HIPAA as they have completely exposed you as a patient. Granted- all of our names are called in the waiting room of doctors offices..but my surgeon does both bariatric AND general surgery. So no one in the waiting room ever has to know what I'm being seen for. But this email you received, it point blank states what kind of treatment you are being seen for. I would definitely bring this to their attention in the most respectful manner possible.

I bought some protein soups at the Bariatric Pal store. The cream of chicken is my favorite. I was sooo tired of the sweet tastes too.

Finished all my pre-op appointments in June, met with the surgeon, scheduled surgery for July 31, then found out I had AFib. I spent the rest of July and August dealing with my heart instead of my belly. Now that is taken care of, so I have another couple of bariatric center appointments next week, and then another scheduled appointment with the surgeon. Planning/hoping for mid-December so I'll have 2 weeks off for recovery before I have to go back to work. Wish me luck! ( I need it!) Amy

Nicie your post reminds me of one not too long ago where the OP said that she was 80% sure about having the surgery and wondering how she could get to 100%. Bypass or sleeve are major surgeries. All surgeries have risks and bariatric surgeries are no exception. There simply are no guarantees. 100% implies absolute certainty. I believe that any goal you set has to meet two criteria - it must be realistic and it must be sustainable. Any goal that does not meet those two criteria should be abandoned in favor of one that does. Absolute certainty is neither realistic nor sustainable. When I was trying to make the surgery decision and subsequently the choice of which surgery to have, my goal became to do as much research as possible, learn everything I could about the potential benefits - and risks - of each option. That goal was both realistic and sustainable. The result of that effort was that I concluded that the odds were overwhelmingly in my favor of having a successful, literally life-changing outcome. And that is exactly what happened. Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment known to medical science for the treatment of obesity and more than 30 comorbidities associated with obesity. By a huge margin. Once I had all of the facts, the decision was relatively easy. That is not to say that I wasn't frightened. There were times right up to the moment they wheeled me into the OR when it scared the bejesus out of me. But courage is not about never being frightened (unrealistic and unsustainable). Courage is about doing what you believe to be the right thing for you and your family, in spite of your fears. Today I'm a little over two and a half years post-op. Hypertension, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea and 130 pounds - gone. I hit 155 lbs about fourteen months post-op and my weight has been between 151 and 156 every since. This morning I was 152.4. I've had two complications. About six months post-op I developed an ulcer at the anastomosis that was confirmed with an endoscopy. My surgeon increased my Rx for Prevacid from one capsule a day to two. No other changes. No other treatment. Three months later a second endoscopy confirmed the ulcer was completely healed. The second complication - I'm one of about 15% of patients that experience reactive hypoglycemia aka "late stage" dumping. Definitely not comfortable but easily avoided by avoiding too much sugar or carbs. And when I make a bad choice and my blood sugar drops, I simply eat something with a little sugar, or simple carbs or just chew a glucose tablet. Without fail, the symptoms completely disappear in about 20 minutes. All in all, a very small price to pay for a life that, not that long ago, I thought would never be possible. Would I do it again? Without a moments hesitation. Am I the exception? You don't have to look any further than this forum to read countless stories similar to mine. When you have questions, there are tons of great folks here who are more than happy to offer the benefit of their experiences. Good luck in making your decision! Thank you for your response. I am so appreciate that you took the time to give me such a thorough narrative. Congratulations on your success with this challenging journey to better health. I hope to also be a success in this journey. What you wrote has made an impact on how I will move forward with this issue. You are so right in pointing out that this surgery is the most effective treatment for obesity. I think I was just kidding myself that I could lose 100 lbs without medical intervention and that was a big reason for my indecisiveness. It was also very helpful to hear that I am not alone in my fear of the unknown when you wrote about how scared you were up until surgery. I am going to write down your quote about "Courage is about doing what you believe to be the right thing for you and your family, in spite of your fears." Thanks again for your insight.

@@Stevehud … WOW, for once you and I actually agree on something. I too saw the article about Tess Holliday who is 5'5 and a size 22, and just received a huge modeling contract. Although I think this woman has a very attractive face, I find absolutely nothing attractive with her photos, and I also feel it is beyond wrong to promote such an unhealthy lifestyle. Her heart has got to be under so much pressure, and I know there are co-morbidities that have her name written all over them, she is perfectly fine with it. How do women become convinced of this false sense of security? Has the greed for money gotten people to the point that they will promote to so many unsuspecting women and young girls that being this big is ok? They even call this woman "Chubby Lumpkins" @_@ WHO DOES THAT??? It sickens me that magazines already promote the unhealthy lifestyle of these stick figure models as being the perfect image of the American woman, but now to take it to the other extremely is unbelievably disgusting. As for the overweight/obesity shows, I find some of them to be very good, and others to be complete sensationalism. My 600-lb life shows many positive examples of people who have had different types of surgeries, and the success they have had with them. This "My Big Fat Life", or whatever its called is simply and exploitation of this young girls misery, and I don't find it funny or entertaining. Like Stevehud, I truly wish they would put on a show that follows bariatric patients through each and every stage of their journey, pre and post op. Finally for once give the world a bird's eye view of what we deal with every damn day!

I have before and after pics in my profile. It's funny cause I wouldn't put the before until I reached my goal and could put the after pic. Kinda shows how the renewed feelings of self confidence washes away all the negative feelings and embarrassment we felt when we were fat But now it's all good...... You'll get there too. It's a fantastic feeling.

HoneyBunz and Renew Me......we should stay in touch along the way!