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Good maybe they'll telescope a lot of yours on one day. Mine were spread,iut,iver a couple months. Hope you don't have BCBS there's a whole group of people on Bariatric Pal ready,to slit somebody's throat there. Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

I was sleeved by Dr. Arellano with Mexico Bariatric Team in Mexicali. Wonderful surgeon and great team of people. His surgery price includes one year of follow ups and he is available night and day with any issue question or concern you may have. I had my surgery 12/20 without complications. Hw 274 Sw 252 Cw 226 Sent from my SM-J327T1 using BariatricPal mobile app

Hi@Nsmith. That is good question, will you be self pay, are you doing it with insurance? Most insurance companies come with prerequirements, some surgeon's have theirs also.if you have co morbidities that may help or,hinder you. High BMI that's body mass index, diabetes, sleep apnea those are partially mine. I'm not diabetic but have BMI of over 45 and apnea. I did not have go,to thru,6-12 months weight loss and nutrition tracking but my PCP had sent a letter that I had not been able to lose weight,on my,own. I had a pulmonary,cardiac and psychological consult, had to meet with the hospital bariatric dietician and attend a support group. I've met twice with my surgeon, once each,with his nurse practioner and a Medical assistant. Oh and a EGD, that's a upper GI scope to make sure my esophageal, gastric and small intestines look healthy and clear of any structural abnormalities.If youre trying tonpleases an insurance I'd guess 6 to 78th months but some are faster. We all will,be here to cheer you,on your journey. Welcome again. Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

Okay, I had been down to 280, goal of 220. Due to some very depressing life situations as well as a stint in jail and then a move and.....basically, I was failing hard. I haven't even done the blood work in nearly a decade, and I was eating so unhealthy and not taking vitamins, I know I was doomed to fall apart. However, this past Wednesday (Jan 24, 2018) I bought a scale (rated to go up to 440), afraid I had gone back up to my 445 pounds after ten years and doing stupid stuff and stretching my stomach. I bought vitamins (yes bariatric vitamins). I even started going back to as purely a protein diet as possible (Yogurt, eggs, chicken, and loads of sugar free popsicles and a salad. Oh, sometimes I'll do a coffee from starbucks. First night (I know you shouldn't weigh at night) my weight was 393.2 lbs. Next morning, 384. I wasn't too concerned. I was naked on the scale in the morning and had just gone to the bathroom. Next morning, 381.4. Then 381. Today, 376.6 That's 7.5 pounds in three days. (not counting the First night to morning which had differences in clothing and at different times so not concerned about that.) That's 2.5 pounds a day on average. That's still safe right?

I just started my journey but the vitamins I take are OPTISOURCE it's a post bariatric surgery vitamin. Was told I needed to take for the rest of my life. Chewable citrus flovor

Central Ohio-pre Rny- Buckeye born and bred- I bleed scarlet and gray. Won't that surprise my Bariatric Surgeon!!! Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

Ohio, 50 miles from Columbus where I'll have my surgery. I actually live in Mount Vernon, a city of just under 20,000 14 miles from Ohio' s Geographic,Center. Founded 1805, known for Dr Semple, a dentist who had the first US patent for chewing gum, Daniel Decatur Emmett, who wrote "Dixie". Paul Lynde the actor and Me. Ok I'm not quite as famous but I'm working on it. Figure I can be a star on Bariatric Pal if nowhere else. Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

It will be 10 days tomorrow since they had every thing , no come to think of it it's 12, I am getting very impatient, told Amber to check and make sure I wasn't missing anything. Wouldn't want a misscrossed t or undotted I to screw me over. Amber is my Bariatric Facilitator, my buddy thru all this, I've known her since August 2015 when I first started on my journey. I had almost everything completed, my job terminated in January 2015 and I lost my insurance coverage. Restarted last fall and hopefully mid March, might even be early March. Some of my clearances carried over but most had to be resubmitted. Come on Surgery Day!!! Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

Those are terrifc questions, genia. I don't think that seeing your PCP for your supervised weight loss will hurt your odds...but he/she really should do some research for you on the appropriate things to cover. Hopefully your PCP is willing. Your bariatric surgeon should be on board, too. At my visits, my dietician did a lot of documenting the kinds of meals I was eating and going over everything in my food journal (where I was expected to write down literally everything I ate). I was quizzed on portion sizes (dietitian gets out measuring cups and says....which one is an appropriate serving of veggies/potatoes/protein?) We were given resources and recipes, snack ideas, talked about the role of protein in post bariatric surgery diet....talked about vitamins and started taking them presurgically. The big thing...was getting weighed, and having a medical record of that weight.

My food in the hospital was definitely in sync. The menu said something like “bariatric post op” and it was broth, diluted juice, and diet Italian ice. And there was a note on my chart that they needed to check with the nurse before serving it to me.

Hi Dear , For 8 years I struggle with my weight , for the last 5 years I’ve been trying to bring my weight down with docs prescriptions such Ephetamine but no success , in 2 years I work on the gym so hard 5 days a week same times twice a day , I happily went down 18 pounds , still not enough for my body I have a lots back pain and neck problem WICH prohibit me from work out as I used to gain all the weight back , so frustrating , have a appointment with Bariatric doctor , my question , do I have chance to be approved ? I’d love to hear some comments ...thank you

Any updates on how things are going for you? If you need a shoulder to cry on or anything else just ask. I'm pre surg myself, if I can't give you an answer I'm sure one of our veterans on Bariatric Pal can. At any rate welcome my friend. Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

A few years back, I was 1 of 6 people featured in a photo shoot of real people who have defeated their diabetes. And what an incredible day it was! I got to choose the location of my shoot -- the beach -- and was driven there by limousine. The photographer took shots of me doing planks, sprints, and meditation on the beach, as well as hanging out on the boardwalk. That experience was the closest I've come to being a model (a teenage dream of mine). Across the decades I have been every size, from a junior size 7 to a women’s size 24. Getting a diagnosis of diabetes was a critical turning point in my life. It was a wake-up call that I answered, the impetus for me to have my gastric bypass surgery. Had I not gotten diabetes, then I likely would not have had the surgery and turned my health and my life around. My diabetes earned me a 3-night staycation in the hospital. I went home with 5 prescriptions for diabetes and hypertension. Within a year I had bariatric surgery and I credit it with saving my life. But getting the surgery isn't a guarantee of success. It is vital, too, that we become skilled in Using Your Gastric Pouch for Weight Loss. Over the years I must have slipped back into old dysfunctional patterns of relating to food because I began to gain weight at 5-years post-op. And I ended up having a revision surgery. Fast forward to 2013 after my plastic surgery, I became set upon living life larger than ever -- doing all the things that I wanted to do. One might say I am making up for lost time. I came to love planks and squats and HIIT and lifting weights and sprints with my dog Blue and BodyCombat class. I ran with my granddaughter in her first 3k, and we hiked for hours in the mountains of northern California. I learned to row, meditate, belly dance, and tai chi. I completed a strenuous all-day ropes course and overcame my fear of heights. I traveled the USA in an RV and lived in Belize and Mexico for 4-months. And so much more, more, more. I feel that the plastic surgery saved my soul. I am so grateful for how my life has changed, now having defeated my obesity and diabetes for nearly 15 years. I lead a life well-lived. But when I was morbidly obese, I led a life half-lived. The biotech company behind the photo shoot shares my story with patients and healthcare professionals and with employees to encourage people that they can defeat diabetes, too. It is an honor to inspire people to better health. Be thankful for who you are now, but keep fighting for what you want to be tomorrow. Strive for Daily Success.

Getting a diagnosis of diabetes nearly two decades ago was a critical turning point in my life. Had I not gotten diabetes, then I likely would not have gotten the surgery in 2003 and turned my health and my life around. A few years back, I was 1 of 6 people featured in a photo shoot of real people who have defeated their diabetes. And what an incredible day it was! I got to choose the location of my shoot -- the beach -- and was driven there by limousine. The photographer took shots of me doing planks, sprints, and meditation on the beach, as well as hanging out on the boardwalk. That experience was the closest I've come to being a model (a teenage dream of mine). Across the decades I have been every size, from a junior size 7 to a women’s size 24. Getting a diagnosis of diabetes was a critical turning point in my life. It was a wake-up call that I answered, the impetus for me to have my gastric bypass surgery. Had I not gotten diabetes, then I likely would not have had the surgery and turned my health and my life around. My diabetes earned me a 3-night staycation in the hospital. I went home with 5 prescriptions for diabetes and hypertension. Within a year I had bariatric surgery and I credit it with saving my life. But getting the surgery isn't a guarantee of success. It is vital, too, that we become skilled in Using Your Gastric Pouch for Weight Loss. Over the years I must have slipped back into old dysfunctional patterns of relating to food because I began to gain weight at 5-years post-op. And I ended up having a revision surgery. Fast forward to 2013 after my plastic surgery, I became set upon living life larger than ever -- doing all the things that I wanted to do. One might say I am making up for lost time. I came to love planks and squats and HIIT and lifting weights and sprints with my dog Blue and BodyCombat class. I ran with my granddaughter in her first 3k, and we hiked for hours in the mountains of northern California. I learned to row, meditate, belly dance, and tai chi. I completed a strenuous all-day ropes course and overcame my fear of heights. I traveled the USA in an RV and lived in Belize and Mexico for 4-months. And so much more, more, more. I feel that the plastic surgery saved my soul. I am so grateful for how my life has changed, now having defeated my obesity and diabetes for nearly 15 years. I lead a life well-lived. But when I was morbidly obese, I led a life half-lived. The biotech company behind the photo shoot shares my story with patients and healthcare professionals and with employees to encourage people that they can defeat diabetes, too. It is an honor to inspire people to better health. Be thankful for who you are now, but keep fighting for what you want to be tomorrow. Strive for Daily Success.

I use the Tespo all liquid vitamin system, They have a formula that's for Women who have had Bariatric surgery. Its a little pricey, about $100 for the dispenser and $45 monthly for the pods that are mailed to you.

The worst part of bariatric surgery was dealing with my health insurance company. I noticed that they covered some of my visits to the doctor during this 6 month phase but not all. Generally it was every other visit. When I asked the insurance company why - they said medical visits for obesity were not covered. And since they had paid for some of the visits -Oh! you don't have to worry about paying us back. I said I am going to these visits primarily because my health insurance company is mandating them as a prerequisite to getting gastric bypass surgery. But that didn't seem to phase them. The whole process is totally illogical.

I stuck to my pre-op like a champ as well, and was fortunate that I did not have any major hunger problems. I forgot that first week I also had the bariatric advantage snacks twice a day. The driving reason for me to be such a stickler was something that my surgeon said. He told me that if I did not reduce my liver enough, they would not be able to get my gall bladder until about 6 months later. He said it very likely could be a painful few months as my gall bladder would shrink and the tiny stones grind, etc. I wanted no part of a second surgery, I wanted to be one and done! That was enough motivation for me to not cheat it at all. I lost 20 lbs in 2 weeks pre-surgery.

Pre-surgery I was only doing bariatric advantage meal replacement shakes and water. 2 week pre-op, I was allowed 1 "green" meal a day. Lean proteins and veggies, no carb and 3 shakes a day. The final week before surgery was 5 shakes a day and water - that is it.

Your diet look pretty bland as you said. You are taking Prilosec, which is a proton-pump inhibitor, so that is good. Could be an ulcer. According to the internet: Nausea and vomiting are the most common complaints after bariatric surgery, and they are typically associated with inappropriate diet and noncompliance with a gastroplasty diet (ie, eat undisturbed, chew meticulously, never drink with meals, and wait 2 hours before drinking after solid food is consumed). If these symptoms are associated with epigastric pain, significant dehydration, or not explained by dietary indiscretions, an alternative diagnosis must be explored. One of the most common complications causing nausea and vomiting in gastric bypass patients is anastomotic ulcers, with and without stomal stenosis. Ulceration or stenosis at the gastrojejunostomy of the gastric bypass has a reported incidence of 3% to 20%. Although no unifying explanation for the etiology of anastomotic ulcers exists, most experts agree that the pathogenesis is likely multifactorial. These ulcers are thought to be due to a combination of preserved acid secretion in the pouch, tension from the Roux limb, ischemia from the operation, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use, and perhaps Helicobacter pylori infection. Evidence suggests that little acid is secreted in the gastric bypass pouch; however, staple line dehiscence may lead to excessive acid bathing of the anastomosis. Treatment for both marginal ulcers and stomal ulcers should include avoidance of NSAIDs, antisecretory therapy with proton-pump inhibitors, and/or sucralfate. In addition, H pylori infection should be identified and treated, if present. So the other two things they recommend is (1) stay off any NSAIDs, such as aspirin and Excedrin (which contains aspirin) and a host of many other NSAIDs and (2) make sure you were tested for Helicobacter pylori infection. This is a common infection that is hidden, so you may be a carrier and not know it. It can also be a hard bug to kill. I would make your surgeon aware of the difficulties you are experiencing.

You can pay a lot for bariatric vitamins for either procedure...or you can be cheap like me, buy store brands (buy one get one free) and your nutritionist will still clear them for use:) I don't get fancy chewable calcium. I get the rock hard june bug sized Calcium citrate monsters....and just hold them in my mouth with a swig of hot coffee until they start to errode. Then, I just munch them up into paste and swallow them. The taste isn't that bad, and the cost is exponentially less. I used to put them through a pill crusher and eat the dust with sugar free Cool Whip. My multi vitamins are Store Brand (equivilant to Flinstone's Complete) kid's chewable vitamins in animal shapes...lol. I take two a day. I don't mind them. I also take extra B Complex, B12 and D (because I'm deficient living in the north). I buy whatever's cheapest or pick up a sale on Amazon. B12 and D...you can chew, they're bland and not offensive. But B Complex? Yikes...you don't ever want to chew that. Bleh!

I can see it being somewhat pricey if you're taking some speciality vitamins. Some of the bariatric ones get salty on the cost. I've been taking regular calcium and multivitamin for the past few months. I just hit the one year mark and have to get updated bloodwork to make sure I'm still good, but haven't had any issues up to this point. During the first two months I was low on my iron and had to add an extra supplement but it eventually evened out.

The few moments I'm not perusing Bariatric Pal I've been known to watch videos "over there" Some of the people have said they've got free samples from Bariatric suppliers, any truth to this? I hate the idea of investing $20-30 on something I'd find loathsome. Besides some of the videos are 5 to 6 years old. Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

I was almost 68 when I had my gastric sleeve August 2017. When I first saw the bariatric surgeon I was 374 and at surgery 336.

The amount of revisions due to stretching on this forum seem to be a rare occurrence. US national library of medicine link https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4485844/ Conclusion Long-term weight loss in patients following bariatric surgery requires regular and supportive management by qualified health professionals. Based on the literature reviewed, our principal recommendations to optimize long-term weight loss include: ensuring that the patient understands how the procedure works; offering pre- and postoperative education sessions; ensuring the patient utilizes self-monitoring strategies; tailoring nutritional supplements; restraining liquid calories, pureed foods, grazing, and eating out of home; engaging in an average of 60 minutes of physical activity per day; and conducting lifelong annual medical, psychological, and dietary assessments. Stomach stretching? there is a paucity of long-term clinical evidence to describe the rates of occurrence.

Jingles 0231 YOU are not too old! I am older than you (72) weigh a skoosh less (325 down from 355) and I'm having a RnY in early-mid March in Columbus(where Mount Carmel my hospital is located). My doctor is Marcus Miller MD, the Director of Bariatrics there. It's a Center of Excellence which is what you want. I don't have CHF but I do have GERD, sleep apnea and have had 2 knee replacements. Shoot I've had arthritis since I was 25 but I've kept going with life, had 3 children (2 still living) but kept gaining and not losing weight. I've tried fad and structuralized diets and just couldn't keep a substantial loss. So I am facing surgery in about 6 weeks, worried? Heck no, I'm more concerned about more of my body breaking down until I die. So darlin' you have a friend and surgery buddy in Ohio if You want Me. Let's face the future together and show theses youngsters how it's done. There is an over50 thread on Bariatric Pal, although we are a smaller group,there is still quite a few of us and we would be happy for you to join us on this journey. Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app