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Yes I'm from Queens. I'm going through my bariatric surgeon hopefully they approve me with 3 months visits to him.

Wow this topic is like a few years old... but who cares. Anyway I wanted to respond because I just got approved for stage 2 with Molina... and I am just feeling like why even bother at this point. I don't care about the 12 visits with each of the providers. I can jump through those hoops no problem, if they were all local hoops... but they are telling me that the mental health provider has to be one that specializes in bariatric stuff... and the nearest one to me is a 3 hour drive away. They expect me to drive 6 hours a week for 12 weeks to see this therapist? It's insane... My nurse at my doctor's office said that. I am trying to double check this information with Molina themselves but like.. there's no way my health would permit me to drive that much. Just no way. Does anyone here know if this is true? I thought the 12 visits with the mental health provider could be with literally any mental health provider as long as they write up an assessment at the end. I didn't know it had to be with some specialized one that has certain credentials. But the nurse at my clinic is adamant about it. She says it's that way even with private insurance and is acting like she sets these things up all the time. I said that might be the case with the psych eval, but I can't imagine that's the case for all 12 visits with the therapist. I don't understand why I can't just see a local one... She might as well just be telling me to throw in the towel right now. Does anyone know anything about this? I am so stressed out right now...

I have not been to my bariatric doctor since my surgery. Have never had a fill, I rely entirely on the band, do not need to have the feeling of full because of the band being tightened up. It has been my choice to use this where I am comfortable and if something should go wrong I will have to find a new surgeon since my insurance does not cover this locally and there is not a bariatric doctor within 200 miles from here. Good luck and and try to make this work where you are totally in control,not waiting for your body to tell you to STOP eating because of pain from eating too much.

For foods: Stick to whole foods. You don't need any premade, prepackaged, keto or bariatric foods. Meats, cheese, fruits & veggies, eggs, etc. If you buy ingredients and make your own meals, you don't need to worry about nutrition labels. I know it seems boring, but the trick is to switch up flavors (Spanish, Asian, etc. etc.) and figure out what you like. Cottage cheese, jerkey, protein bars/shakes, hummus, and things like that are all generally very safe bets as well. Recipes: Look in the forums here, Pinterest, or online for cookbooks. Also, find support from a registered dietician if you can - @theguacwarddietitian, @bariatric.meal.prep, @bariatricchefboyrd, and @mybariatricdietitian on IG are all great, as is @BariNation. Exercise: Fitness Blender (website or YouTube) and Get Fit With Rick (website or YouTube) are great resources for at home workouts. They both have a wide variety from super beginner to super advanced, many that do not require any equipment at all. Pre-Op Diet: This varies WIDELY from surgeon to surgeon. Some require a period of liquids only, some have a whole foods, low carb based approach. Your surgeon should be telling you exactly what they expect you to be doing pre-op. Lastly, please make sure you are having this conversation with your surgeon. They should be providing you with nutritional guidance, meal plan resources, etc.

@@Hiraeth I have someone like that at work too. I also have this lady who I KNOW has had bariatric surgery. I can just "tell". But she won't talk about it or admit it. I used to knock her for not being honest and just saying it but now I realize why she doesn't. It's like Jenn said, some people are against it out of legitimate concern, others for fear you may succeed. good luck to you! xoxo

oh that sounds amazing... my doc dictates 2 weeks of clear liquid. I think its a little restrictive but I'll yield given that this is my first experience with bariatric surgery and his one millionth lol

You can appeal the decision. Be sure to document everything, including the call information that you made prior to the 1st dr. visit. It's a long shot, because policy exclusions are an industry standard to get out of coverage (they often are not listed in the fine print, in fact.) If you are still denied, I would recommend looking at the fine print of your policy, and if bariatric surgery is not a stated exclusion, I would write a letter to the state board of insurance to lodge a complaint. This kind of practice won't stop until/unless enough people protest it. That being said, I encourage you to go ahead with the surgery. There is no better investment than in your health. It will be dollars well spent with a return you will reap for the rest of your life!

Also, just from (very) recent experience, make sure your bariatric clinic's insurance coordinator knows their stuff. I got a letter from my insurance after they submitted saying "hey, we need X, Y, and Z before we can determine," except I know for a fact X, Y, and Z were submitted. So when I called the insurance coordinator, she said this is normal, what happens is they open a request online which generates an automatic letter to be sent with what's needed, but it happens before the process allows them to upload the clearances, so it appears "missing". I had my answer back in 3 business days.

Also, this can happen anywhere...I'm not blaming Mexico....but it's a good warning for folks to remember that they really need to line up post surgical support at home. If you feel like something might be wrong, don't wait. Get treatment promptly. https://www.abc15.com/news/region-phoenix-metro/bariatric-surgery-in-mexico-turns-deadly-for-phoenix-woman

I’d have your orthopedics surgeon and your bariatric surgeon maybe talk? Or let your Bariatric surgeon know about your foot repair. He may recommend you wait. What kind of surgery are you having? What did you break?

Yes! you hit the nail on the head with that one. So excited for this new chance at life with out joint pain! I hadn't even thought about a bariatric trainer. I'm definitely going to look into that now lol

Duodenal switch surgery is a combination of a gastric sleeve and gastric bypass surgery, in simple terms. It decreases both the quantity of food that can be accommodated by the stomach and the number of calories that can be absorbed and used by the body. It is considered one of the more specialized weight loss surgery procedures and is only performed by bariatric surgeons who have successfully undergone procedure-specific training to perform it. WHO IS APPROPRIATE FOR DUODENAL SWITCH SURGERY? Duodenal switch revisional bariatric surgery is sometimes performed as a secondary procedure after a gastric band or sleeve gastrectomy surgery did not achieve the desired overall weight loss the patient hoped to achieve. This lesser know procedure actually offers the patient the highest opportunity to lose the highest volume of weight loss. DUODENAL SWITCH KEY FACTS: *It may reduce hunger significantly. *You may have nutritional deficiencies and must take multi-vitamins daily *You will not experience dumping syndrome if you consume sugar. *You will carefully monitor your diet to ensure you are consuming enough healthy foods. Duodenal Switches involve stapling about 70 percent of the stomach off and leaving the rest of the stomach connected to the first part of the intestine (the duodenum) which is then re-attached at a lower area of the intestine. This procedure prevents bile and digestive juices from processing food further down the intestine which results in less caloric absorption. Because of this longer period between eating and digestion of food, the food passes to the colon faster, and the patient doesn't process the full amount of calories he or she normally would have. The positives and negatives of DS Surgery Duodenal switch surgery has excellent results, with the average patient losing 70 to 80 percent of excess weight in the two years that follow the procedure. However, patients who choose this type of surgery are at higher risk for nutritional deficiencies than with other types of weight loss surgery. Nutritional supplements, including vitamins and minerals, will be necessary for the lifetime of the patient. If you are still considering your bariatric options, talk with your surgeon about the viability of this weight loss surgical option for you.

Time to start this journey [03 Sep 2006|10:57am] [music | The first time ever I saw your face [03 Sep 2006|10:57am When did it hit me? When Chris said, "think of all the things you would have done in Alaska had you not had a mobility issue"(?) Probably. It all seem to come to synchronicity (great album BTW). Half day at school, I needed to renew my prescriptions and see the doctor about that darn rash. I went to my dentist after school let out and had that off bite drilled down since it hadn't really felt right since doing the new filling. It took but a brief five minutes and I found myself back out in my car and heading towards Main Street. Left. I think I'll get those prescriptions in person rather than waiting for the pharmacy to call them in. Five blocks away and I was parking right next to the front door. How often does that happen? I walked up to the window and signed in and sat down. "Mrs. Reeves did you have an appointment?", a new receptionist peered out from the glass partition, "No I just happened to be in New Port Richey for a dentist appointment and need to have a rash looked at" (TMI I though to myself, too much information) but it seemed to appease her and I waited. Less than ten minutes and I was walking down the hallway past the examination rooms, going, going, to the last room which I know to be my doctor's preferred examination room. Wednesday, he's not there on Wednesdays, it's his day off. "What are you here for today?". I like the older staff. I know them, they take their time and I can ask about the issue "downunda" without feeling like the PHCC grad staff is "sewgrossing" about it at lunch. I tell her all of the truth, that I have a rash down there and that I have another rash on my arm. My back is killing me ( couldn't be that extra 200 pounds could it..answer your own question Patty, YES!) The list is long. She smiles, she comforts me and takes my blood pressure. She leaves. I'm waiting for the nurse practioner to come in but I hear my doctor's familiar pitch and tone. It's Wednesday, he isn't here on Wednesdays. The door opens and my nurse has returned, "Is Dr. Sichelman here?" "yes" "he isn't here on Wednesdays it's his day off" I tell her, "Dr. Galadi is on vacation so he is covering" she tells me. (how often does that happen?) This is going to be a day for unexpected things. My doctor comes in, I show him my rash on my arm, it's not really anything what else? There is the lump on my stomach in the mass of large fat on my belly I feel a pea like object, he feels it, it's nothing. He notices the rash below my stomach. I've been treating it with ointment for how long? (should I tell him years? Should I tell him two baths a day?) "it's been there awhile" I managed. He pulls at my underpants and notices another flush of skin below that. I admitted sex hadn't been what it use to be and he tells me to go to my OBGYN, "we really don't deal with that". Before I know it the conversation has turned with the problem at the moment and he begins examining me. This is a man of medicine, a healer at heart and I never appreciate him more than this moment. I have a staph infection and then a yeast infection. Before I leave there I will end up have a stack of nine separate prescriptions. I cover myself back up and sit down on the bench. He sits down at the other end and the nurse is stationed with my chart and a pen at the desk. The greater question, the greater issue, my weight. "So when are we going to get this weight off?" It's a question, a subject that he and I have talked about for years. My doctor of 16 years. Through the phase of Phen-Fen, Meridian, Redux, 1200 calories, 1800 calories, over the counter products into last year and the diagnosis of Type I Diabetes, rehabilitation to begin some type of activity until now. It's serious. My back is giving under the pressure, I take Lasix for water retention, blood pressure medication and he switches me today to two types of medication. "I know Doctor. I don't know what to do. I've tried, I've tried for years." This is a moment of honesty, the reality that my life is on the line. He tells me I'm looking at ten years. (ten years until my body breaks a blood vessel in my brain, tens years until my heart faults, ten years of semi goodness left in my body) He goes on to tell me about another patient. "He had the same problem as you. He had the gastric surgery, came in a few months back and I hardly recognized him." *A year ago I couldn't have, wouldn't have entertained this procedure* I can do this on my own I said. But a year later and an increase in 25 pounds told me that there comes a time when one has to admit they are in over their head. I was in over my head and I knew it. "Where did he go?" I was ready. I'll take some fries with that bypass [05 Sep 2006|11:59am] I refused to go to Community Hospital. Some how my brain is in 1983 with my first pregnancy and the halting news of things that had happened in this antiquated facility. But that was then, this is now. Reconstruction, new specialists are the norm for hospitals. This one has taken on the issue of obesity with a center for Weight Loss Surgery. I called three gastric doctors before realizing that there was going to be more than just a surgery. I went online and found the center's information site and read. I read for perhaps an hour. There was gastric bypass surgery, there was another type of surgery that was invasive. There was also the type of incision. I was quickly opting for laproscopic surgery. Small incision, scope to aid the doctor to see what was inside. Less invasive, quicker recovery(...I'll take some fries with that). I phoned the center and the voice on the other end was a rich accent (Jamaica?) and gentle. She asked all the questions I anticipated. I'd been down this road with my children and their pediatric disorders. Who? What? What kind of insurance? The quicker route would be to have my doctor's office call this center because everything is a referral. Making a decision to have a procedure like this is the first step the second, step is the business of it. Is it covered by insurance? The following Monday was a holiday and as it just happened to be, she was having a seminar with a few other patients. I would attend. That weekend went fast and Monday morning I was on my way down to New Port Richey, to the hospital, to the empty parking lot (holiday) to the office of Ivy. The first thing I did was sit down OF COURSE that is what fat people do when they first enter a room! (note to self: send that joke to Louis). We made our way across the hall to the meeting room. There is something about conference rooms that put me at ease. I expect a lecture, a Power Point because the screen is down and soon we are joined by a couple. Later I would exchange email addresses with "Patti" who happened to have a favorite color too...PURPLE! She saw my "Pattypreferspurple" email address on the sign up sheet and we clicked from that moment on. She had come with her husband. Then there was Gerry. I looked at them and we all seemed to have this spiritual connection. I was past being shy about my obesity, I'm big and I know it. After a few hours I was hungry and my sugar was getting low. I asked Ivy for a banana or something to raise my sugar, FOOD? She called down to the cafeteria and ordered up a few breakfast items and coffee. What do fat people love to do when they come together? ORDER IN! What did I care that there were pastries on the tray, I was here for a procedure that wouldn't allow me to eat more than 1 oz. of food, " A shot glass" as I put it. We laughed, ate, drank and got down to the business of filling out paperwork, copying identification cards and preparing ourselves for the business of weight loss. and it occurred to me. These people were smart, well articulated and with the collective as a group, we were already breaking down the percentages of the data on the Power Point and realizing that a large % of the group did not return post the procedure in the study group. So I admit that I too have the misperception that fat people are stupid, food numbed individuals who wile the hours away in front of a television doing everything but being nutritiously sound in mind and spirit. I'm beginning to learn a lot of WRONG things that like the rest of the world, I believe to be true.

Renew - bask away! You're doing awesome! I'm so proud of you...you are my fearless leader and inspiration. Thanks for everything gil.

Is your insurance through your employer? Regardless of the insurance company, if your insurance is provided by your employer the coverage is totally dependent of which policy your employer chooses and if they choose a bariatric surgery exclusion. I urge you to contact your human resources department and/or the actual insurance company and get specific written guidelines. Good luck!

Yah. It definitely sounds really different. I live in Philadelphia that maybe why. I already gotten my blood work an urine test done right after I left my seminar and the bariatric center called me back within acouple of days saying everything was in good standing. I think of it this way. The quicker you get the pre-op stuff done the better, my surgeon said the same as well because itll have you waiting and waiting. Thanks for the insite as well. Did you have surgery already?

I'm sorry you are feeling out of control with your weight. Set up an appointment with your surgeons office. Get their opinion if you have stretched your stomach. They can help you get back on track. Another option to consider is counseling/therapy. It will help address your mindset with weight loss. Food choices and grazing will cause significant weight gain. Grazing is the consistent, day-long consumption of low value food items, in other words: snacking. For example, mindlessly finishing your child’s breakfast cereal, stopping at mcdonalds, popping two donut holes into your mouth at the office, eating a protein bar mid-afternoon and a strawberry Greek yogurt with granola at night. The best way to address grazing after bariatric surgery is to employ preventive measures prior to the onset. That said, many patients will not succeed preemptively and must therefore deal with the problem of grazing only after it presents. Should you find yourself in the habit of grazing after bariatric surgery, the obvious resolution is to break the habit. This is no doubt easier said than done, but consider all that you have achieved to this point. The first step is to ask for help. It is unlikely that you can resolve your maladaptive eating alone. So simply ask for the help. Use your support network and those professionals who are currently among your inner circle. Begin to monitor yourself closely. Write down or log your food in MYFITNESSPAL all that you eat or drink for a period of three days or so, and then compare your notes with the nutrition plan from your bariatric surgeon’s office to note how much they do or do not correlate. Learn the different types of hunger, specifically head, eating out of boredom and physical hunger. In addition, cut out all junk food. Sit when you eat, and mindfully enjoy the meal. Eat meals that contain protein and fiber in the form of fresh and lightly cooked or raw fruits and vegetables because they make you feel full. Drink plenty of water over the course of the day except at meal time. WIshing you the best, Jenn

I am also required to do a 6 month diet documentation. I'm tracking my sugar intake through my fitness pal and keeping my sugar grams below 24 g, since I'm a diabetic. My focus is high Protein (between 80-100 g) and low carbs. So far, I've lost 13 pounds since the beginning of December. My blood sugar levels are thanking me because they are fantastic. I've also started taking a bariatric Vitamin.

it's going to depend somewhat on whether this is for the professionally-supervised diet that a lot of insurance companies require for a few months, or if it's just a visit or two that your bariatric clinic wants you to do with their resident dietitian as part of its requirements. If the former, the dietitian will probably have you keep records of what you're eating and you'll check in with him/her once a month to review your logs and they'll make suggestions on where to improve. If the latter, it'll probably be something more along the lines of FutureSkyDiver said - they'll probably talk about the basics of nutrition, how many proteins/carbs you should be getting, how much fluid you should be getting, etc. I had to do both - meet with a dietitian once a month for at least six months (to meet insurance company requirements) and then once I was closer to surgery, I had to meet with one of my clinic's dietitians to review their requirements for post-op eating. I think I met with her once or maybe twice.

Here are a few links to some threads for Katy-ites. They haven't been active for a while, but maybe they just need a kick start.:thumbup: Katy Lap Band Surgeons forum Katy - LAP-BAND Dr. Bonnor's forum (He's just been named head of Bariatrics at Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital!) Dr. Ricardo Bonnor - LAP-BAND http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f64/katy-bandsters-32963/index2.html http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f64/looking-bandsters-nw-houston-57193/

Hey Lisa, I need to get to Walmart and pick up the Body Fortress. I've heard a few things about them and it seems like it's a good price. That's the problem that I have with a lot of them is that the ones I like a lot are the expensive ones! I do have a BMI over 50. I was debating starting the liquid diet on Thursday so that by time next week rolls around, I'll be into it for a week already. I plan on asking Nancy about that tomorrow night at the support group. It's the first banders group I've been to, so, I can scope it out for you! I am hoping that they'll be able to get me in either in late November or early December, that's what Patsy led me to believe, but, there's Thanksgiving in there at the end, so who knows what Dr. D's surgery schedule looks like. I know that they do have a second surgeon there now, not Dr. Scott, he went to St. Clair's. The hope is that I'll have it not TOO long after the class, but, then, who knows? I thought I may as well get a head start and if I can add fruit to the shakes, that makes it easier! I've been trying to keep them at 200 calories or less and carbs under what the HMR800 shakes have which are 17 per shake. I'm trying to not have any expectations as to how much I'll initially lose, I know it's all a process! I'm the same way, if it's in the house, I'll eat it. I really have to learn to stay away from the sweets too as I have an incredibly unhealthy sweet tooth! I was doing REALLY well with Halloween until yesterday when people brought in their candy leftovers and my body told me if I didn't have chocolate I would die.... :-) I have been sticking to the whey protein. I went to a GNC and was looking around and the guy there said that he's heard that whey isolate is what he typically sees people buying that have had bariatric surgery. I plan on asking them about that too. I've tried so many protein powders that my fiancee is sick of it, but, he likes the one's that I don't like so at least he has plenty to put in his coffee..... Anyway, sorry, I've written a small novel. Talk to you soon and I will let you know how the group goes tomorrow night!

Oh yes! I found her blog last week! I have it open in one of my tabs at all times! lol I love that she has dessert recipes too. Yes, pizza and also my sweet tooth have been my biggest problems so far. I also like that she has a recipe index, whereas Egg Face does not- you just have to search. Plus, Nik seems much more relatable, personable and realistic about her journey. I feel like Egg Face can come off too idealistic and preachy. Ok, granted, I'm not trying to be friends with them, but the tone can turn me on or off. The other thing about Bariatric Foodie is that she has some great links to other blogs in her posts. I've found some sugar free blogs (not necessarily WLS).

Wow, I can't believe I've missed this thread. My weight gain started around 3 years out. I really wasn't doing anything differently. I would indulge more on the weekends, and gain a couple of lbs. Then all of a sudden, I dieted all week long, and I hadn't lost those 2 lbs, and it was time for the next weekend. Soon it was Christmas.Uh-oh! My labs after 4 years show I am usually anemic even though I take Bariatric Advantage Iron with vit c. My b12 was so high I was instructed to stop all b vitaimins. My vit D is normal after taking 10,000 a week for a long time. rest of my labs are normal. I am never hungry unless I eat a lot of carbs, or I can mistake hunger and acid sometimes. I am 4 years and 4 months out from surgery. I was really afraid I would never be able to lose my regain and I was very depressed about it, until I found the 5:2 plan and I've lost 10 of my 15 lb regain.

I found an app and it's called "slow mow eating timer".. it was .99 but I feel like $1 is definitely worth it! I have been using it all day to really concentrate on eating slower and I have to say this app is quite impressive. You can set it to make a sound, buzz, or flash on your screen which is helpful if you're out and about. I tried the bariatric timer, but wasn't feeling the whole donut bit. Lol

I did keto for a long time pre-op and even before I thought about bariatric surgery. My program is different, I guess, in that we don't do purees or full liquids and move onto soft foods like cottage cheese and yogurt, etc. on day 10. We are allowed chicken salad, even. She said to start with Greek yogurt, which I did.