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7 months since my first appointment with the surgeon and Bariatric Center. Good times for all the reasons @Creekimp13 gave. I had to have a licensed RD for my program.

bariatric surgery,i jumped off the horse before the rodeo was over, that was 7 months because I had an insurance company to please. Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

I use Dr Christopher Ibikunle. Great staff and they have been very accommodating with my phone calls and making appointments when needed. Offices in Loganville and Monroe off of 78. Georgia Surgicare-Bariatrics. Sanji the NP is great as well.

Everything was submitted to my insurance this past Thursday and this morning bariatrics called saying I was approved! I was shocked I wasn't expecting to hear anything for a few weeks. My pre op apt is February 22. So few questions, what's your go to unflavored Protien powder that you add to your drinks /food? I recently tried a sample packet of unjury.. Not a fan lol has anyone tried any of the New Direction products? I like the pre mixed premier shakes out of all the ones I've tried. What does your after surgery intake look like? I know everybody differs but do you go by a eating/drinking log to keep you on track? Set your phone on timers to remind you to eat /drink to make sure your properly hydrated or getting the right amount of protein? I've been looking up bariatric weekly sample menus to get an idea. Did any of you use compression socks after surgery? I know these are totally random questions but thinking out loud lol the only stupid questions are the ones you don't ask right?

My previous surgeon, not the Good bariatric one I have now threatened me with this so I've done a little research on it. First do you have a mental imagine of what a normal stomach looks like? You do? Goody let's move on. Usually these days done laprascopically as are most these days,not withstanding my buddy BiddyNZ in New Zealand who had an open gastric procedure. But I digress, surgeon takes the rounded part of your stomach and wraps it around and secures it , just below where the esophagus enters the stomach. Some wrap around from the front to back, others back to front. Think it depends where you graduated or what teaching surgeon you learned from. In theory it re-enforces a weak sphincter between esophagus and stomach, doesn't always work that well. My current bariatric surgeon states he's had people come to him begging for Rn Y because it didn't work. I have had.a few friends who had a Nissan fundaplicatipn , it worked for them and they loved it. A substrate of that, my local hospital and a few others I know of in this area do something called a Linx Procedure. A strip containing magnets is put on your esophagus around the cardac sphincter, that's the fancy name for the valve there, the magnets hold it closed unless you're swallowing food. Sound too be true? Well the drawback is: you'll never be able to vomit again, what if something poisons you? Tough luck,Charlie. The same strength magnets that hold back reflux also hold emesis in. Scares me! I'm pretty sure an ESG is pretty different, its done with an endoscope and you end up with a fashioned sleeve. Hope this clarifies a little. Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

Your daily protein requirement is met by a combination of the amount of protein you obtain from food combined with the amount of protein from protein supplements (protein shakes, protein bars). Right after bariatric surgery, the volume of food you consume is minuscule (2 ounces) per meal. But as you get further along, the meal volume increases. Therefore you have a very important option available to you. As a result, you can begin to reduce your reliance on protein shakes if you concentrate on consuming high protein meals. I went from 3 protein shakes a day, down to 2, down to 1 and eventually none when I reached 1 cup per meal at a year and a half post-op. Your protein requirement is dependent on your lifestyle and the level of exercise that you perform. http://www.eatright.org/resource/fitness/sports-and-performance/fueling-your-workout/protein-and-the-athlete Your stomach needs some time to heal after surgery, therefore go a little easy at the beginning.

If you're eating steak, you should be cutting it into teenie tiny little pieces at first. Slow the hell down and cut it into tiny little pea sized pieces. Eat a few at a time if you want a bigger mouth full, but consider your safety. Putting something large in your mouth to chew up with the idea of spitting it out is not only gross...it's dangerous. Yes, doctors DO have to surgically remove hunks of meat that get stuck. And NO, drinking flat or dilute soda is NOT the norm. There is no one on the planet who loves soda as much as I do....but I understood when I had surgery that it was something I had to give up. Empty calories and insulin spikes are not compatible with bariatric surgery....fizz or no fizz. And who the hell could gag down FLAT soda? Bleh! Creating "loopholes" to continue extreme habits is bonkers in my opinion.....it's self sabotaging and is a few steps away from a crossover eating disorder. You wanted blatant honesty...I think what you are describing sounds pathological and should be discussed with a therapist.

Thanks Alex It's good we have you on duty, thank you for originating Bariatric Pal, when it functions correctly it is a great service to us all. Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

I hate to be an alarmist. Last week we had a poster using the name of Eddie Larry. He was allover several threads stating lady posters had pretty smiles, he wanted to get closer to them, be special in their lives and things similar. He was using a Techo 3 phone which Big Viffer says is sold in Nigeria. Maybe he's a very lonely individual, a 14 year boy trying to get his jollies or a g a Eden variety pervie. He's popped up again this AM, same type phone, now he's using the name Justin Lawrence, claims to be 49 years old but the phraseology is sickingly familiar. It's making Bariatric Pal feel unsafe for me. Thank You Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

It will get better but not overnight. It took me 6 months to reach my happy state. Each day will generally improve a little. Some things in your description concern me. First you should have been given detailed directions about what to eat and how much to eat at each stage. For me I was directed to be on full liquids for the first month, pureed foods for the second month and only at week 9 did I transition to solids. Doctors will differ on their advise, but generally I recommend that you follow their guidelines. You stomach needs time to heal. The three most important elements after bariatric surgery are to meet your daily protein, fluid and vitamin requirements. Food is secondary because your body is converting your stored fat into the energy that drives your body. Thus you lose weight. Weight loss is achieved after surgery through meal volume control. With this minuscule amount of food, it is next to impossible to meet your protein daily requirements by food alone, so therefore you need to rely on supplements such as protein shakes. Right after surgery many individuals have a problem meeting their fluid and protein goals, but trying to increase this each day, you should be able to get there soon. It is common for your taste buds to change after surgery. Be willing to experiment. After surgery, my taste buds changed dramatically. Even water changed. In the hospital it tasted excessively chlorinated and I could not drink it. So I experimented. Sugar free popsicles became my best friend. Some individuals find hot or cold can help with fluids. For me, I found that I could tolerate flavored water. So I began using Crystal Light. I also found a new drink Bai which I liked cold. In the winter, I found that I tolerate hot drinks such as piping hot cocoa. But you have to use the "No Sugar Added" variety. Also fine English teas were very good. The fluid requirement is met by a combination. It is not only the water that you drink each day. But also the water you drink when you take your vitamins and medicine. It is the milk you drink. It is the fluids content of the protein shakes. It is the water component of the soups you take. It is met by flavored water such as Crystal Light. It is met by sugar free popsicles. It is met by tea and decaf coffee. It is a combination of all the fluids that you consume during the day. Another thing that concerns me is that you talked about chest pains. On my discharge instructions one of the problems that were noted that triggered a call to my surgeon's office was Chest pain, rapid heartbeat and/or dizziness. So it may mean nothing but is best to keep your surgeon informed.

Those forms were so crazy! Mine was like 12 pages long. There is no right or wrong answer - but the answers might help them guide you with which surgery is best for you and will certainly help YOU after surgery to stay successful. For example, I am a binge eater and I tended to binge on carbs/sweets. So my surgeon felt that the RnY would be a better option for me. And, post surgery, even though I have the tools to help avoid the binge eating and sweets I am still very mindful of those behaviors. My bariatric program can also use that information to provide me with therapy and support for my specific situation.

Bariatric just called I got approved!!! That was insanely fast!! My pre op is Feb 22. Excited!!

If you like to cook your meals, then you might want to check out the website: theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com She has lots of bariatric friendly recipes. She is a former WLS patient. I tried the ricotta bake, pretty much a no carb, high protein meal, it was delicious and quick and easy to make. I think I will try making the BBQ Beef Bites this week, virtually no carbs, packed with protein and easy to make. Snacks: I do almonds, yogurt, cottage cheese with cut up cucumbers, Salted caramel/chocolate Atkins bar (high fiber, very low carb, hardly any sugar, some protein)--very yummy for a snack or treat. Cut up veggies, I like to keep these in the fridge to snack on: baby carrots, red pepper strips, cucumbers. If you want something crunchy and protein packed, but no carb, make some homemade cheese crisps. Just do a search for them, they are so easy. You can eat them plain, or dip them in hummus (yum), or a homemade plain yogurt based spinach dip.

Recipes. I used recipes. There are lots of recipes out there for purée stage when it comes to bariatric post surgery diet if you haven’t looked. I also spent time planning recipes for the next stage.

Love happy stories, love success stories. I'm a future RnY early-mid March at Mount Carmel in Columbus Ohio. I do want WLS surgery but was not prepared to throw away,4/5th of my nstural stomach on a surgery that would not eradicate my GERD I had a cousin who died at 68 from esophageal cancer. The continued irritation in my esophagus could put me at risk,to follow in her footsteps.RnY gives you a little quicker weight loss, although many VSG are done, Rn Y is still the gold standard. I only plan one bariatric surgery ,in my lifetime so I want the best. I'm 72, want to spend the remainder of my life thinner, happier and healthier. Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

For alot of people the ketogenic diet means a diet that puts you into ketosis ( Under aprox 20g of carbs for alot of people) The most famous variation is most likely the high fat type. But there are many people in ketosis without the high fat part. Many peoples bariatric plan calls for under 20g of carbs a day, mine does not. But they seem successful.

My highest weight was 355, I'm down to 323 now. I'm 5ft8in am planning RnY.early-mid March at Mount Carmel in Columbus Ohio. This will be a hard journey to,lose weight, don't ,let anyone tell you surgery is the easy way out. Strengthen your resolve, you can and will do a good lot,of this.I've been telling,myself also, if I can do this at 72, so can you. We will all be here for you, you'll have,is worldwide group of Bariatric brothers and sisters behind you every step of the way. Welcome. ask,any questions you,may have,okay? Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

I only have like 1 when I first went to see my surgeon. 1 when I started my pre-op diet and then all after. Now that I lift, I take pictures after every workout because I like to see the gradual changes. You can reshape your body with weight training. The picture to the Right, I was 189lbs in August. The picture to the Left, I was 195lbs. These pictures give me renewed hope when my scale has stopped moving.

I'm happy to tell my story regarding my gastric sleeve surgery and being over 60. I have been heavy all of my 40+ years of marriage. I lost a significant amount once but gained it back. Since then I hadon't ballooned to my highest weight of 314 lbs. I had all the classic comorbidity symptoms of high blood pressure, sleep apnea, lower back pains, shortness of breath and prediabeetes. I looked into bariatric surgery three years before finally having it. I'm 63 and as I began doing my research, I noticed there wasn't a lot of information on people in my age range. So here I am...7 weeks post op and I have to say, the struggle has been real! But I'm embracing this new second half of my life and I hope to be encouraging to others as well as receive encouragement myself.

I wish I could be a gym rat. I asked my nutritionist and bariatric psychologist what the best indicator was for a patient's long term success. They both said it's when the patient takes up exercise and enjoys it.

Yes, check with your surgeon. Liquid or Chewables only. After trying Bariatric Advantage and Celebrate Chewables, I settled on NutraMetrix isotonic vitamins. It's a powder that you mix with 2 oz. of water. They also have a calcium supplement. They taste like an orange drink. Again, check with your surgeon.

Hi @daizeoh. Here's more information than you asked for. I'm just a thorough kind of guy, The insurance company will only deny you for these reasons: You do not meet the criteria. Failure to follow the pre-op protocol. Not passing the psychiatric evaluation. Not being covered for weight loss services. CRITERIA: I'm pretty sure the standard rule of thumb for eligibility, at least for males, is a BMI of 40 or up or a combination of BMI of 35-40 with other complicating factors like severe sleep apnea. It may differ for women. PROTOCOL: Each insurance company has different pre-op protocols regarding things like pro-op dieting. Your doctor's staff will know what your insurance requires. There are reports of requirements of pre-op diets ranging from zero to six months as well as other things like endoscopies and other pre-op exams to ensure you're healthy enough to endure the surgery. The doctor's staff will all handle checking with the insurance company to find out exactly what you need. It's probably better to let them deal with the insurance company than doing it yourself since they know exactly what to ask. PSYCH EXAM: If you do not pass the psych exam you may be able to get a treatment protocol to follow that would help you get past that hurdle. The psych exam includes things like not having drug or alcohol addictions, so if you've had that recently they'd require you to be sober for six months. If they determine you have undiagnosed or untreated depression they might recommend seeing a therapist weekly until the therapist believes you have a handle on it. The psych exam also ensures that you have a good support system in place for your recovery period, so if you live alone with twelve cats but have no local friends or family, you're a poor candidate. NOT COVERED: Not all insurance policies cover weight loss services and bariatric surgery. This is something you could call and ask about yourself. If you have coverage through an employer and these services are not covered, it's because your employer decided not to include the coverage, which can be done to keep premiums lower. The most important thing is to ask questions. You'll get a lot of advice here, often confusing and conflicting. In addition, all doctors are different: most will do the surgery in a hospital and have you spend the night, some will do it outpatient and you'll be home by 4pm the same day. Some will require a pre-op liquid diet, others won't. No two people will have a similar experience, so just because one person says they have the same insurance company as you does not mean you'll have the same requirements.

@Apple203 I'm not sure what "release your guard rails" means LOL. Whole30 eliminates grains and legumes and dairy, Dr. Weiner promotes whole grains & legumes as healthy and doesn't care much about dairy as long as it's low-fat. Not sure how that's Whole30 approved, lol. "He" throughout my post is Dr. Weiner... I thought that was clear, sorry. Is there something I'm missing as to why people say Dr. Weiner promotes the same diet as everyone else? I've read his book and watched all of his videos, many 2-3 times. I've never seen another bariatric surgeon request his or her patients eat mostly veggies and focus on plant proteins. (Except Dr. Garth Davis who's a vegan.) The immediate post-op diet for my surgeon is the same as everyone else. Focus on protein & water. (Except my surgeon only asks for 50g protein.) We have a graduated list of approved foods as we progress through the diet. Obviously I'm planning to follow that to a T for my own safety! I'm talking long-term.

Your doc should give you a folder with all his requirements . He should know what are the requirements for your particular insurance. You should call your insurance to double check that they do pay for bariatric. BELIEVE ME TIME GOES BY SUPEr fast . Good luck.

Check out this article: https://www.bariatricpal.com/magazine/622-types-of-bariatric-surgery-by-the-numbers-and-what-it-means/ Lap bands work for some people and I don't see the point of attacking individuals who have had great success. That said, there is a big chance of complications with the band. I live in Australia, where there were an insanely high rate of lap bands performed and now they are out of favour. Interestingly, if people are looking for a non-permanent, less invasive strategy they are getting the balloons. I think we'll see a growth in that. I wanted a lap band and my surgeon was like no. He has performed thousands of WLSs and basically won't do them anymore. Apparently, he constantly does revisions from the lap band to VGS or bypass. His view is that the lap band doesn't work long term for most people. There's no correct answer but make sure you get medical advice and are comfortable with your decision.