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Can you take bariatric vitamins before surgery or are they too potent?

Yep you read that right. Four protein flavors. Two post-ops. In one hour. (Spoiler: We both survived!) In this episode, we taste test ALL the flavors of BariatricPal's new Protein One, the all-in-one protein/vitamin/fiber supplement. We may have also gotten a little "punch drunk." (protein drunk?) Check it out to see what we thought of the Chocolate Fudge, Creamy French Vanilla, Unflavored Natural and Cinnamon Roll flavors on this episode of Bariatric Foodie Live! And be sure to check out Protein One in the BariatricPal store, https://store.bariatricpal.com

Hi, My name is Becky and I am from San Antonio, Texas. I am married and have 3 kids (15 yr. old daughter and 7 and 4 yr. old sons). I have 3 weimaraners and 3 cats so we have a full house! I just had surgery on Wed. June 25th at Foundation Bariatric Hosp. through Weight Wise. Dr. J.J. Gonzales did the surgery. I am doing good...just sore and REALLY tired of chicken broth. Looking forward to losing weight though.

I'm a fan of bariatric fusion. All their flavored are good.

I just spoke with a doctor who works in an addiction clinic. He said stay away from alcohol as bariatric surgery patients become highly susceptible to becoming alcoholic. Don't know any statistics on this... Just may be one person's opinion. I've never been much of a drinker and certainly don't plan to start.

I am down 2 more lbs this week. I weighed in at 195.4lbs this morning. Surger weight 224lbs. That's 28.6lbs since surgery and 66.6lbs from my start. I am still at 2cc's in my band, 2nd fill set for May 2nd. I had a weird dream the other night and ended up rubbing my port site in my sleep. I am so aware of it all the time. I hope it's a fleeting sense of awareness. The less fat I have around the site, the more I am aware. I hope I just get used to it. Anyone else out there experience this? I posted some pictures last week of progress. I was left seeing difference but somehow they didn't encompass what I thought that 65lbs lost SHOULD look like. Expectations Jenny! Sheesh! So I have gone back into the old photo library and put together a Start to Today photo comparison. I feel much better about these ones! [/url] TOP: 262lbs - January 2010 BOTTOM: 197.4lbs - April 2011 The short of it? I'm still losing... slowly. I'm just fine with it! Content as can be! Working hard at beating my head and old habits and enjoying spring and the dog parks! And now for the delicious SUPER EASY bbq pork tenderloin recipe that's not really a recipe: 1 pork tenderloin 2Tbsp evoo 1Tsbp Pepper 1Tbsp Salt 2Tbsp minced garlic 3 large pieces of tinfoil Trim excess fat off of loin. Message 1Tbsp of evoo and half the spices on to each side. Press in half of the garlic on each side. The most difficult part: wrap loin with one sheet of foil. Roll like a sushi roll and twist closed both ends. Put the seam side of wrapped loin down on the centre of the tin foil and repeat. 2 wraps could do the job but I like to play it safe and repeat 3 times. BBQ on low for 40 minutes, turning every 10 minutes. Remove from grill. Let rest for 10 minutes. Open, cut, serve. Easy!!! This meat was so juicy and tender! No mess, no fuss! I served with boiled cabbage. 1 small head of shredded cabbage. Boil for 5-7 minutes in veggie stock. Strain, save stock in freezer for soups, throw in to hot wok and saute with onions. I also served with green salad and chickpeas with an oil and vinegar dressing. Have I mentioned how much I love produce in the spring and summer! Also, the BBQing so takes care of too many dishes to wash up. I could live off of meat, fruit and veggies over the summer months! The strawberries and pineapple are even starting to be good! The sunshine makes me feel younger. It renews my sense of dedication to my new lifestyle too! Ahh spring fever! No matter how old I get, I will still get wrapped up and carried away in your glorious rays. I will roll down my window at +4 degrees, sunglasses on, busting out a good sing along to Beastie Boys, Kings of Leon or even Salt & Peppa! YEAH SUNSHINE! Happy Spring!

I am 6 days post-op and my shoulder has been screaming with pain. I have a torn rotator cuff amongst other tears verified by an MRI. I was given tylenlol 3 and tramadol for the bariatric surgical pain but the shoulder pain cuts through this. I have had issues with my Walmart pharmacist just to get the tylenlol 3 that was prescribed to me. They treat me like a junkie and ask a million questions and act like I should not be given my medication. I was on T3 pills for a week for shoulder pain pre-surgery and then prescribed the liquid T3 after bariatric surgery. I also have bulging discs and bones spurs in my neck and diagnosed with fibromyalgia. Pre-surgery was taking Celebrex and Gabapentin but was told could no longer could take the Celebrex which was most helpful per gastric sleeve and not allowed any Naproxen / Iboprofen type meds. Has anyone else had problems with Walmart Pharmacy and getting your pain medications? Tylenlol 3 is not a very strong pill and yet they treat it like it is heroin. I am so frustrated to have to get the 3rd degree and fight for something my doctor prescribed. Am I the only one that's had any issues? Is it just Walmart?

Hey all! New to the forums and getting set with my process for Bariatric surgery. I feel like it's the best choice for me for many reasons, namely it's time to stop lugging an additional person around. I am seriously nervous though, a coworker who recently had the sleeve procedure done had leakage issues and was put in the ICU. What keeps you moving through the butterflies and nerves? What is something if you're post op you'd have done differently in the beginning stages? And for fun, what are you looking most forward to on the otherside of surgery? For me, one of the things I'm most excited to see is when I can shop in a different section of the store. I've worn women's sizes since grade school, it's a whole new world and I figure I'll bawl like a baby when it happens. At any rate, thanks for obliging me!

I've come across many people on here who seem lost as to what they should be drinking, eating and how much/how often. I came across this and thought it might help somebody. It's just 5 pages, but very informative! http://bariatrics.ucla.edu/workfiles/UCLA-Bariatric-postoperative-diet-instructions.pdf Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I feel so badly for you. Just making the decision to have surgery and preparing for it is a pretty big deal for us even when everything goes the way it's supposed to. For you to have gone through all those preparations and the pre-op diet only to be bumped for a patient who was more important than you (ok that's a bit dramatic I know).... I go along with the others here who say always trust your gut. You absolutely deserve a doctor you have the utmost faith in, and, you are going to need to be able to depend on him AND his staff to be there for you in the coming months. I hate to think it might delay things even more for you but I'd think about switching doctors too. I would only go with bariatric doctors, and if possible, one who specializes in lap band. That was important for me and I think it's the best way to go. But as with everything on this board, it's all personal opinion. Good luck to you.... you haven't been treated fairly and I hope that changes for you real fast.

I had a horrible experience. Historically, the sleep study technician is to form some sort of rapport with the patient thus learn sleeping habits in order to offer the right cpap for one's comfort. For example, if one sleeps with mouth open or not, which in my case I don't. So she waltz over to my room with a seemingly darth vader Cpap device and proceeded to place it over my face (without explaining anything to me regarding the apparatus) while I was half asleep. It's funny to me now looking back at my frustration with this device and how I failed the second part of the test and had to do it over. Thanks to my best friend who is a Dr who gave me some great tips on how to overcome the claustrophobic anxiety, I passed the test. The key is to take a deep breath, hold it in, keep your mouth closed and try to breathe in ONLY from your nose once the device is properly placed. Why didn't this tech say this to me? Where do they find these people? lol. Anyway, the wires were an inconvenience, the freaking glue remained in my hair for days...I was only able to remove the glue with an oil treatment. So glad that part of the WLS/journey is over. As it turns out I suffer from sleep apnea - I would have never found out I had sleep apnea if it were not for bariatric clearance. Well, I hope your results come back OK.

Good question, do you have any fills? I would seek a 3rd opinion asap. I too live in MI and you could always check out Dr. Nunn at the Barix clinic in ypsilanti. 1/734/547/1060 or 1/800/282/0066. People from all over come to this hospital. Bariatric surgery is all they do. There are several Drs at this location. Give them a call. Keep us posted.

@@lilyrose245 I had to see my primary Dr first and be referred to the bariatric surgeon.

I've never really been a huge drinker, and before surgery it was not uncommon for me to go many months without a drink. I had my surgery Nov., 2015 and am living an entirely different lifestyle in a new country where drinking alcohol is the one common denominator at every social event. Because I suffer from social anxiety, this appeals to me because it calms me down and makes me more outgoing and friendly. That is, if I wasn't drinking I would stay home. My question is how does this effect weight loss and maintaining weight?

Good Morning. I am Randi, almost 36, mom of 2. I am starting to research LapBanding. I'm scared to tell anyone I am doing this because I am afraid I will hear the same crap.. "Diet and exercise". I have been "dieting and exercising" for 20 years. How much longer to people want to see me fail? I want to play with my kids. I want to be able to go to Six Flags and ride the rides with my kids and not be told im too big to ride. :think I was too scared to consider bariatric surgery. This seems less invasive. I know 3 people who has Gastric Bypass. All 3 look wonderful. I am jealous.:cry Anyhow, I just wanted to introduce myself. Whether I go forward or nor, I need a place to start! Sincerely Randi Lake County Area, Illinois:)

I also had to do the 6 month diet for my insurance, and I went to the dietician on the bariatric team who will be adivising me on pre and post-op diet. For a small fee ($35 in my case) she set up the program and she documented my weight every two weeks. I finally finished it in mid January and she sent me paperwork to take to my PCP to sign off and mail back. Then it went to insurance. I have been waiting 3 weeks for insurance approval (seems longer than the 6 month diet). My PCP sent me for a stress test and echocardiogram (I work for Cardiologists, so I had them done at work--no out-of-pocket charges, just what insurance paid). If you have picked out a surgeon, check with their office and see if the dietician will supervise the 6 month diet for you. Good luck.

Thanks, Betsy! Yes, the doctor said that we are playing catch up now because he had to unfill the first 2 cc's in that 3rd week. According to him, I am moving along just fine. He is a Bariatric Center of Excellence rated doctor who has personally done well over 700 lap band surgeries alone, not sure how many gastric bypass surgeries in addition to that. He is definitely experienced in this. I agree that I would prefer a more conservative approach than some of the other doctors that I have read about on here that seem to be way too aggressive. I think that would definitely have more propensity to cause complications resulting in PBing and unfills, etc. Betsy, I admire your resolve and self discipline when it comes to your diet. Unfortunately for me, I cannot be that strict with myself all the time. If I do so, then eventually I will have a complete meltdown and cram any and everything I can find into my mouth! I do much better to allow myself a little here and there so I don't feel so deprived over all. But you are right, whatever works for you! Thanks for your input! It is much appreciated! I hope to one day be working on maintenance like you too!

I just left Barnes and Noble sure that I would find some great books regarding "Life After Bariatric Surgery"...no. Nothing. I'm looking for some resources on ideas for eating, especially in the 2-6 weeks period. During the time I need to eat "mushies" I am traveling and I really need to know what to pack for food. I won't be hitting any restaurants at all. Plus, I want a good variety because the temptation at the resort where I am going (business trip) will be tough to handle! Is there a web-site with this information? Maybe something that could even be printed out?

You might lose more than you intend - but if you do, you increase your calories until you are in maintenance. That's totally preventable and not something to worry about. You're not going to starve yourself. Some people lose hair, but some don't. The most important thing to do is follow your docs guidelines regarding protein and take your bariatric vitamins. Even if you do lose some hair, that's a small thing and isn't worth sacrificing your long-term health over.

I had to do 6 months also. I started march 22nd and my surgery date is Sept 10th!! Have you picked a bariatric surgeon yet?? If not, go ahead and schedule that. There will be a list of things he will want you to do like nutrition and exercises classes, going to a pycholigist, maybe even a sleep apnea test. It's better to start now to where when u have met tour 6months criteria, you will be ready to schedule!! Good luck!!

Ok...I strongly dislike my job. The only reason why I am still there is because of the insurance. Here is the thing...my company was bought out recently by another company and before the buy out...I wasn't covered but now since the new changes..bariatric surgery is covered. Now to the point...the new insurance doesn't take in affect until January. If I happen to resign..how long can I keep COBRA and will I be covered in January once they switch over?

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I have not been cleared to start into real carbs yet, although I understand from other people that most of us won't tolerate much of these foods. However, I know there is a product out there called CarbQuick that is a low-carb baking mix - you can use it to make pancakes and waffles. I have seen it in many of the Bariatric Stores, such as American Bariatrics.

OK, so I had my very first consultation with Dr. David Ward in Morristown New Jersey he will be my surgeon. He addressed all my questions and my husbands as well. We had pretty common questions like, how long does the surgery take, healing time, what to expect, any complications that could arise, mortality rate etc. The first thing he asked me was what type of surgery was I interested in. I did not let him know right away that I wanted the sleeve. I asked what he thought would be better. He let me know that the sleeve would be better for me. Which is what I wanted to begin with. He informed me that bypass would not be in my Best interest. Also, he does not like to perform bypass surgery on smokers. I asked him how long I need to be smoke-free in order to have surgery. He said, obviously it is better to be totally smoke free but, he does understand how hard it can be. He did say that I can use nicotine replacement such as the patch he wasn't too happy about vape only because there's not too much information on it. He did recommend that I at least cut back even if I don't use the nicotine replacement. I also asked about liquid diet and what I need to do now to start preparing. He said we definitely want you to cut back calories and carbs. you will be meeting with a nutritionist who will help you with that. My husband asked when would I need to start the liquid diet the doctor informed us it would not be necessary until much much closer to surgery. He said it is not mandatory that I lose weight just not to gain any weight but it would help if I lost obviously it would make surgery go easier. So my first of three appointments with the nutritionist will be on the 26th of this month. I still need to make an appointment with a Gastro and the psychiatrist. I did ask why does it seem to vary so much as far as everyone's diets preop and wait times. He said is far as wait times go, that's the insurance requirements. Pre-op diet really depends on the individual some of us are not as heavy as others. Some of us have different issues Healthwise. That's why it varies so much from person to person. For example he already told me that he is sending me home after surgery with a blood thinning injection. Most of you probably didn't need that or won't need that. my BMI is very high (63.7) He did warn me already not to compare what I can tolerate and what's in my program to what others have. Oh on a final note, I mentioned that we have a few family events coming up and that I'd be heading into NYC and probably eating my head off. He laughed and said get it out of your system now because once the nutritionist appointment starts it becomes very serious. So that was my very first visit to a bariatric surgeon. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hello, Lately I've been having a lot of mid to upper back pain. I noticed it tends to happen after I eat something as it causes a lot (I'm talking sailor style) of burping. The upper to middle back pain is painful enough that I have to take 2 pain meds to even help. Sometimes it does nothing. I'm even trying to rub icy hot because I"m desperate. I went to my primary Dr a few months back because of this & had an ultra sound of my gallbladder. It came back negative. Someone told me it could be missed via an ultrasound & that I should have a HIDA scan? Does anyone have any information on this? Also, I was going to try to see my primary Dr about this but am wondering if I should try to see my bariatric surgeon instead? Appreciate any feedback you guys might have. Thanks Fran