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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

Hi everyone , first time posting here. My question is that on my paperwork for my insurance it states that I must have participated in a weight loss program for 6 months (either physician or non physician supervised) within the last 4 years prior to requesting Bariatric surgery. Does anyone have experience with this? Does weight watchers or the challenges I’ve participated in at my gym last year count? I still need to confirm with my surgeon but wanted some insight from fellow patients. Thanks!!

hi Everyone! My name is Kelsey, I'm 10 years out from RNY, and have lost over 256 pounds. I went through pretty intense hairloss myself - probably about 60%. It did eventually grow back, but not the same as it was before. I created a video about it on my YouTube Channel if you'd be interested in checking it out, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7xWWWwTH15JPyw84-5ZV4w - Bariatric Beauty and Finishing School Your hair will come back -- be patient, take your vitamins, get in your protein and have faith xoxoxo K

I drink a pretty big smoothie consisting of a small amount of frozen fruit (about a couple tablespoons of frozen banana that I pop in the freezer when they get too ripe. Then I put in 2 scoops of raw/vegan protein powder (mostly pea protein). A scoop of that protein powder (made by Sunwarrion) is 18 grams of protein. I also put some Bariatric chewable vitamins into the blender. I think the chewable vitamin pills have artificial berry flavor, sucrose, and other ingredients the length of my arm. Then around 10 am (I get up at 6) I have a juice that contains cucumbers, celery, spinach, kale, tomato, and a little salt. We use a slow speed masticating juicer. At around noon I eat a couple tablespoons of raw vegetables (usually zucchini, sun dried tomatoes, raw vegan sauerkraut, basil leaves, and some pine nuts just to make it creamy). Sometimes I make a totally different purée with ingredients like avocado. I eat a couple teaspoons of more purée at around 3:00. Then another smoothie around 5:00 or 6:00 pm. That gives me 56 grams of protein plus maybe another few of protein with my purée. That’s it for a typical day because I’m still on the purée phase. I’m sure the soft food phase will continue with much of the same. I’ll probably do a lot of raw/vegan experimenting when I start the regular diet, keep close track of the fat. I don’t think anyone would gain weight on this kind of food so I’m not particularly concerned about counting calories. At night I crush and take my pills (Psych meds for Bipolar Disorder) and then eat two more of the vitamin tablets. I drink a lot of water and herbal tea all day long. Good luck and I hope you become full of energy and have that raw food glow.

I filled out an online application for my bariatric,program, the Bari attic Coordinator emailed me back, we talked on the phone, then the surgeon's office called and,set up a time to met with the surgeon and we were off to the races. Now my prerequirements are done and I'm waiting to hear a surgery date, find out when I get,my pre surgery blood work etc done. Looks like early-mid March at this point. Still trying to eat cleaner at this point even though snacks and empty calories whistle at me from the grocery shelves. I swear a box of Entemann donuts said "hey sweet stuff" the other day! I went and got a package of Spring Mix salad from the produce department instead. Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

Quite a few people have asked me about my experience at Mexico Bariatric Center in Tijuana and I want to share the entire experience as it was extremely hard for me to get a full review from the last year or so. I also wish I would’ve written this on day 3 and not day 7 as the farther away from your surgery date you get the more romanticized the process is. That being said, here is everything that I know. It is a bit long, but for those of you who want all the facts, here is my experience. I reached out to MBC on the 3rd of January and by the 5th of January I was already e-mailing back and forth with Kristi. I completed the patient questionnaire online and was approved within 12 hours. From then on, I was on a text string with Kristi asking questions about the process, getting my personal loan approved (I went through Discover as I’m paying mine off of in 8 months), and scanning in photos of my passport and flight itinerary. Scheduling was SO EASY and I was scheduled to fly in on Wednesday, January 17th and fly out on Sunday, January 22nd. I was 260, 5'4'' and had a BMI of 45, and my pre-op diet started on January 11th-14th, and my 2 days of liquids were the 15th and 16th. I was not perfect, but I did do pretty well for those 6 days. As for choosing a surgeon everyone has different opinions on their process. They have 4 different surgeons who operate out of Mi Doctor hospital in Tijuana and to me, I wasn’t tied to any specific person. The most experienced surgeon of course will have a higher coast, but when dealing with your life few people care about an extra 500 dollars. I was set with Dr. Rodriguez who is the newest of the group, but I am always of the opinion that the newer the team member the harder they work and the newer their techniques are. In all, with my flight, 2 extra nights at the hotel for my companion, 2 nights in the hospital, surgery, all follow up, all medicine, and ride to and from the airport/through the border my surgery cost me about 5,500. Being that my research in Dallas, Texas was going to be at least 12,500 + unforeseen costs (thank you anesthesia) *I also had a 650 revision charge as I had the lapband in and out in 2014 and 2017. I flew in early on the 17th and landed in San Diego Int’l around 10:30. Victor was already waiting for me and another person, so the 4 of us were driven through the border check point. It was about a 30 minute process and he had lots of great advice for us as we went. We were dropped off at the hospital which looks like a typical hospital. No, it’s not the multi-million dollar facility you see in big cities, but let’s be real—do you pay for good care or do you pay for the look of a building? Don’t let that influence a decision. When I arrived there were about 4 people outside in gowns and about 30 cars that lined the street. The hospital is older but well kept, and they have a small café downstairs for your companion. Once there, we were pulled all over the place. They ran an EKG to make sure your heart is healthy, pulled about 4 vials of blood, and had you sign a few pages making you aware of the risks/possible outcomes. Then you meet briefly with someone to zero your balance and tell you when you are scheduled to come in (typically the following day, typically between 7 and 10 in the morning). Then they shuttle you to the hotel. All in all that took me about an hour in total. The hotel is very nice, clean, and a place I would choose to stay again if in Mexico. I splurged for the 2 nights for my boyfriend so he could work from the hotel room and it was wonderful to have that as homebase. The hotel offers you as many cups of broth and cups of jello as you want—as that’s all you can eat at that point!—and then they take your luggage to your room and you are left to your own devices. The beds are okay—I have a temperpedic so nothing so the same J but the hotel has a full kitchen, all utensils, a TV with English channels (find Cinecinal), and great wi-fi. I woke up the next day and took my suitcase with me. They shuttled me and 2 other people and took us up to our room by about 8:30 with a surgery time of 10-11. I will say one thing MBC gets things done. It’s a business, so don’t forget that—and there are what seems to be dozens of people coming in and out of different stages as the days go on. That being said, you get incredible care and there are always people to help, support, or answer questions. You are taken to your room, which is something I’ve never had in an American hospital (it had always been a bed and a curtain), that has a bed, maybe a 2nd one for your companion, a table, shower, bathroom, sink, and mirror. They take your vitals and have you change into a gown and put on those awful compression socks. Then you wait. I spoke with the internal medicine doctor, my surgeon, and multiple nurses. They put in my IV which sucks but hey, it’s part of the process! By 9:30 they were wheeling me back to the operating room. I didn’t have my glasses on so I could see very little, but it was a small operating room down the hall with about 5-7 people. They have you step up onto the operating table and ask you a few questions. If you don’t speak Spanish expect to be lost—I speak a little so I could kind of follow along but remember, you are in MX not the US. There was no countdown, no reminders, just I was listening and then I was out. Next thing I knew I was waking up next to 3 people in the recovery room. Personally, I HATE waking up from anesthesia. I hate it. I always panic because I don’t have my glasses, and everything is fuzzy. This was even harder because I couldn’t see and couldn’t understand anything. I remember very little during this time, but was back in my room/my bed by noon. From then on it was extremely fuzzy. I was tethered to an IV rod, and while I wasn’t in pain because of the medications, I wasn’t feeling that great. I had to sleep on my back which I hate, the pillows are not comfortable at all, and I felt really alone. Again, this is my extreme hate for anesthesia manifesting, not a reflection on the hospital. The nurses were wonderful and came in every hour, kept a monitor on, brought me ice chips when I needed them, and kept the lights off/door shut so I could rest. I let my boyfriend come over at 4 o’clock and they tell you to use your spirometer to work on breathing – AND USE IT! Every hour for about 5-10 minutes I would be sucking into that thing. It hurts. A lot, but it infinitely helps your recovery process. I used it every hour from 4 o’clock on the 18th until I left on Sunday the 22nd and by then nothing in my body hurt. Worth it. Do it. In addition, they tell you to walk as much as possible because it helps the process AND IT DOES. Walk, often. I set up my IV rod in the middle of my room and walked around the bed, bathroom, wall, etc. every hour or two for about ten minutes. I would sit in the chair and use the spirometer. I’d walk up and down the hall a few times a day. Yes, you should recover and sleep as much as you need, at the same time the more ambulatory you are the better off you will be. The nurses checked on my every hour on day one. I was NOT happy. It hurts to breathe, it hurts to move, and it hurt to sleep on my side which I’m so used to doing. Because I slept away the day I was up every hour or so during the night. I threw up twice because of the pain medication and doing that after having your stomach cut is never fun. I cried, quite a few times, but slept away most of the day. The nurses brought pain medication every 6 hours and nausea meds every 8. Antibiotics were given at different intervals—all of this made my IV and my arm very cold which was uncomfortable, but I left healthy and pain free so I can’t complain too much. They changed my bandages once at the hospital and I changed them one at the hotel. After having the lap-band in and out, I already had a handful of scars on my stomach so I wasn’t much worried about scaring. That being said, the incisions they made were TINY and so perfect. I had 4 small incisions, none larger than ¾ of an inch, and one small vertical incision where the port/drain tube was stitched in. I am 7 nights out and tonight I took off my bandages as all of the incisions have scabbed over and are healing perfectly. I am IMPRESSED and so happy that I chose Dr. Rodriguez. Friday the 20th, the day after my surgery, was better, a million times better, but it was also hard in its own right. They changed the bandages, my IV was ruined so they had to use my other hand and my veins were tiny and easy to miss, and they removed the drain which was a blessing and a curse. After surgery you have a long tube (I think 1-2 feet?) inserted into your body to drain excess fluid. They tape it to your side, stitch it in, and connect it to a plastic draining cup that they dump every few hours. It is a big source of discomfort on day one and two, and is SO WERID when they remove it. It really didn’t hurt to remove it and it happens so fast. Don’t watch it. It’s gross. At the end of the 2nd night they gave me liquid medication to help me sleep and it was GLORIOUS. Between having the drain tube out, being on day two of recovery, and getting a full night’s sleep I felt ready to leave the hospital. On day two they also give you small bottles of Gatorade, water, and apple juice. Try to drink 1 oz every hour as you need to feel what your stomach feels like with such small pieces at a time. I thought I would be hungry after not eating anything for 5 days, but my hunger hormone was pretty much nonexistent. It was amazing. The doctor discharged me that morning after checking on me and answering all of my questions, and I was shuttled to the hospital with about 5 other people. Again, this is a business so expect to have multiple people/companions with you any time you are outside of your hotel or hospital room. By Sunday at 9 a.m. I was back in the hotel and ready to relax. I felt good. I was drinking 6 oz of fluid every hour, I had to pee every hour, and was excited to sleep on my side in my ‘own’ bed for the day. My boyfriend and I walked down to the pharmacy (which is located in the hotel) and picked up cleaning soap and medical tape, and then walked to the Wasabi restaurant. They have amazing miso broth and amazing shitake mushroom broth. I was excited to feel normal after 48 hours of the hospital. He had seafood soup, lol. I wasn’t hungry, but the shrimp looked good! I slept and read for most of Saturday and was in bed with the lights out by 8 o’clock. I felt fine, took a shower that day, and was still using my spirometer while walking around the hotel room/hotel floor. I cannot state enough how kind and helpful the hotel staff was—it is like they are an extension of the hospital as they have lots of the information you need. At 11 o’clock on Sunday we were packed and ready to go. The driver came to pick 7 of us up and drove us through the medical lane across the border. All in all it took about 45 minutes to go from the hotel through the check point. We passed with no issues. From there, it was another 15 minutes to the airport and we were off! My plane left about 3:30 so I sat and watched a football game while drinking water and cranberry juice. I still wasn’t hungry, but I was missing the act of eating/drinking. That part so far is the hardest. I flew back with a little nausea and a slight headache though I hate flying almost as much as I hate anesthesia—so that could be chalked up to me and not the surgery. I took Monday off not because I felt I needed to but because I needed to do all the life things I didn’t do while in Mexico. By Tuesday I was back at work without any issues and my coworkers/family have no idea where I spent my long weekend J I was drinking 65 oz of fluids by day 5, and was drinking creamy fluids by day 6. I have also easily tolerated soft foods (soups w noodles, yogurt, etc.) as well as a few tough foods (granola, protein cookie). My incisions are healed completely without any issues, and I have lost 17 pounds since in 3 weeks. The coolest (and weirdest) thing is that I feel full. I chew/swallow slowly and am full after a small portion. I don’t feel hungry often, and when my stomach does ache it is typically because I haven’t drank my 8 oz of water for that hour. After 20 years of over eating and storing food and buying fast food to eat it quickly I am weirded out by this new process and it has only been a week. I’m excited for what is to come J I hope this (incredibly long) 2500 word essay was helpful and clear. I would absolutely without a doubt recommend MBC and will gladly answer any questions you may have!

I’m so sorry sweetie! That was an awful experience. I almost used them and after reading on their website medical supplies I needed to bring (bandages and etc). They also come to the US for conferences and have great turnout from prior patients. But, I changed to a real hospital. I went through hospital Guadalajara and used Trinity Medical. Dr. Pasten was amazing and he met me before surgery. I choose them because I never had to stay at a hotel and was able to leave on the 3rd day. I was picked up by my coordinator and his wife. We were on the 3rd floor of the hospital in the bariatric wing. The janitor was cleaning everyday. The nurses stayed on top of our meds and they would bring ice chips anytime we hit call button. During the day nurses spoke English and at night it was limited but an interpreter stayed in the lobby all night. At least you are home and have no complications!

Here ya go! Bariatric Pal sells the individual serving sizes for you to buy and try. Here's the link: https://store.bariatricpal.com/products/syntrax-nectar-protein-powder-trial-sizes-17-flavors-to-choose-from?nosto=other-nosto-2 Also, you can go to Syntrax and purchase a sample of 17 different ones. But honestly? Some were HORRIBLE and I found the chocolatey and dessert ones just too sweet. I do like the ones I listed out of the 17 though. I think they coffee or mocha one was good too. I made iced coffee with it and diluted it, but prefer premier protein for my iced coffees now.

Well...if your doc refers you to a bariatric surgeon...you'll probably go to a group meeting or seminar where you hear all about what's involved. Then, if you don't run, you'll likely have a consultation where they take your insurance information and see what's required. After that, you'll know where you stand...what prerequisites your office and insurance need you to meet, etc. And of course, this could be different for everyone. Best wishes!

I should not have too much trouble finding a spot for a shot- my whole belly is fat-thought that was one of the reasons I was,having bariatric surgery. Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

I took it for three months but then weaned myself off of it once I felt like I no longer needed it. I told my bariatric team that I did and they weren't really in favor of my decision. I'm still off the medication because I still feel like I don't need it. I've been off it since September and feel fine. I was on it from June-ish til then. Been off ever since. Hw-273 Sw-226 CW-140 GW-130 Size- 4 or 6, Small in sweats. Small in shirts. depends on how it's cut or made. Bra Size- 38D Surgery Date- April 26th, 2017 RNY "Only those who try will become" FFX

Hi Ouiser, I have been recently looking into having bariatric surgery and I also in fact had pyloric stenosis surgery when I was an infant. I was wondering if you had any issues with your surgery due to having that procedure done when you were an infant. Thank you in advance!

I don't have a lot of info to give you, as I have just started the process. but I am in your same spot- I have a BMI of 38, and I have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleep apnea and a thyroid disorder. over the last 2 years I've seen quite a few relatives, friends and coworkers undergo bariatric surgery. I finally hit my bottom and my general practitioner doc reluctantly sent in a referral for a bariatric consult. I had that Tuesday, and found out I qualify. I have just started my 6 mos. diet tracking for insurance, so if all goes well I would be having a sleeve done in late summer-early fall. I put off making the appt. for a long time, because it was my "last resort", and I was afraid they would say no and I would just be gutted. i'm so thankful that didn't happen, and everyone in the office was very supportive. of course, they're getting paid by me too, lol. have you had a consult yet? or are you just thinking about it?

Hi Lilymunster. Yes ditch the Diet Coke, stop smoking and committ yourself to start living more healthy. It's not gonna be the easiest thing you've ever done, and from reading others posts you may even be tempted to throw in the towel a few times. I am looking forward to a RnY myself in March, I have Gerd, sleep apnea, long standing arthritis(since i,was 25) and have had both knees replaced. Not whining, just a fact of my life. Now at 72 I've committed myself to living the rest of my days healthier and thinner. It's a journey but feel I'm up to it all. I'm a widow of 5 1/2 years so my,main support person is my son. Since my Bariatric name is kakatlady612 I call,him my Tomkitten, very proud of me for stepping forward into this new lifestyle. If you like a buddy let me volunteer, ask anything and I'll try to help. Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

Hi, Natasha! I'm in South Denver. I'm looking to get the sleeve done this June. I'm going through the 6 month of nutrition counseling, psych eval, and extended nutrition class my insurance requires presently. Hoping to get approval in April or May. I do not have any experience working with medicaid or your Dr., but I'm going through Dr. Frank Chae's office at Sky Ridge Medical. My friend had her sleeve done by him and his experience, credentials and recommendations are really great. When are you hoping to get your surgery? I'm new to Bariatric Pal as well. Seems like a very supportive resource from what I can tell. All the best!! Good luck in your journey.

Has anyone on here had their surgery at the bariatric and metabolic institute at the Arkansas heart hospital? Looking to have surgery in Arkansas or Northeast Texas.

Try clear protein supplements if you can’t stand the powder. They gave me pro-stat clear liquid protein concentrate in the hospital and I was amazed. So much easier to get down! The Pro-stat was pretty good, I’ve also had liquacel brand, but my favorite is the Bariatric Choice liquid concentrates (I like Berry and Blue Raspberry flavors). I’m finally on solid foods but I still rely on these to hit my protein goal.

I was in group session at my bariatric surgeons office and one of the fellow rny bypassers stated she can feel her remnant stomach...can even burp it. I've never even thought about my other stomach thats floating around still. It kinda blew my mind. So i was wondering if anyone else feels it.

I started my first appt in August for wls. Did all the visits with dietician, psych, doctors and final the surgeon. Got a surgery date of Feb 2!! Then the surgery request went to my ins co. This is a new provider since Jan 1. (Knowing my ins co was changing, I checked with my new insurance co. Bariatric surg is covered and my doc was in network!) Well turn out my new insurance, CareFirst BCBS, requires 6 months, or two 3 months consecutively, of a diet plan before they’ll approve me. Are they really going to hold me to that since I started this process 6 months ago!? Omg. I’m so upset !!

Congratulations on the approval! You will be having surgery tomorrow if everything goes right! I know that you are happy, I am 5 months out and the only thing that I wish is that I would have done it MUCH sooner! Drives me nuts because I used to work for the hospital that I did my surgery. Started working for a another hospital and went through their program and they ended up getting out of bariatrics altogether! Ended up having to go back to the other hospital ( would have gotten a 25% discount with my current employer) but oh well, thats life and at least I am 90 pounds lighter and feeling much better than I was over 6 months ago!! You will be just fine!

You may be convinced that you need to get enough protein, but what about the other post-op rules? As many as there may be, they are there for a reason. You are almost sure to lose more weight and stay healthier if you follow these WLS rules. 1. Drink fluids. Drink the fluids your surgeon told you to drink. Drink the entire amount your surgeon told you to have. Have that amount – or more – every single day. Anything low-calorie, non-carbonated, and without caffeine counts, including water, water with flavor enhancers, sipping broth, and decaffeinated low-acid coffee or tea. Many WLS patients believe that at least 64 fluid ounces means that you’re doing well if you’re getting almost 64 ounces on some days and a lot less on other days. If you are one of them, you are risking poorer weight loss, and, possibly more common than you might think, a trip to the ER for dehydration. 2. Measure your food. Food scale, measuring cups and spoons, or counting from a package, the only way to know for sure how much you are eating is to measure it. Start guessing instead of weighing, and you will quickly increase your portion sizes without realizing it. It is one of the laws of nature. 3. Get help. There is no doubt that you are a strong person; it takes courage and tenacity to commit to bariatric surgery and beyond. Regardless of how well you can do on your own, you can do better with help. Be self-sufficient and determined, but be wise enough to reach out for help to be your very best. If you cannot even imagine how others might be able to help you, here are some ideas: Your medical team for food rules, post-op recovery help, and emotional stress strategies. Weight loss pals for accountability, and exercise pals to keep you on track. WLS peers for recipe tips, new product sightings reviews, and menu ideas for each stage of the post-op diet. 4. Log your food. You cannot argue with science, and science says that logging your food works better than not logging your food. Logging keeps you honest and keeps you from “forgetting” about the taste here and bite there that add real calories and carbs. Logging takes very little time, especially if you use an app that gets to know your regular foods. If an app is not your cup of tea, a spiral notebook works fine, too. 5. Plan ahead. What do these mistakes have in common? You are starving on your way home and know you’ll be sitting in traffic, so you drive During your snack attack, you grab the first thing you see: a handful of potato chips. You order a veggie burger, thinking it is healthy, and then realize you could have saved 9 grams of sugar and 170 by getting a hamburger instead. You order a chicken salad, then realize later you would have done better with a cheeseburger and fries. Answer: they could have been avoided with better planning. Pack your own meals so you are not stuck going to restaurants. Stash healthy snacks in the car so you can nosh on them instead of whatever the nearest drive-through has. Check the menu nutritionals before ordering or, better yet, before going to the restaurant. Always think ahead so you are not caught off guard.

1. Drink fluids. Drink the fluids your surgeon told you to drink. Drink the entire amount your surgeon told you to have. Have that amount – or more – every single day. Anything low-calorie, non-carbonated, and without caffeine counts, including water, water with flavor enhancers, sipping broth, and decaffeinated low-acid coffee or tea. Many WLS patients believe that at least 64 fluid ounces means that you’re doing well if you’re getting almost 64 ounces on some days and a lot less on other days. If you are one of them, you are risking poorer weight loss, and, possibly more common than you might think, a trip to the ER for dehydration. 2. Measure your food. Food scale, measuring cups and spoons, or counting from a package, the only way to know for sure how much you are eating is to measure it. Start guessing instead of weighing, and you will quickly increase your portion sizes without realizing it. It is one of the laws of nature. 3. Get help. There is no doubt that you are a strong person; it takes courage and tenacity to commit to bariatric surgery and beyond. Regardless of how well you can do on your own, you can do better with help. Be self-sufficient and determined, but be wise enough to reach out for help to be your very best. If you cannot even imagine how others might be able to help you, here are some ideas: Your medical team for food rules, post-op recovery help, and emotional stress strategies. Weight loss pals for accountability, and exercise pals to keep you on track. WLS peers for recipe tips, new product sightings reviews, and menu ideas for each stage of the post-op diet. 4. Log your food. You cannot argue with science, and science says that logging your food works better than not logging your food. Logging keeps you honest and keeps you from “forgetting” about the taste here and bite there that add real calories and carbs. Logging takes very little time, especially if you use an app that gets to know your regular foods. If an app is not your cup of tea, a spiral notebook works fine, too. 5. Plan ahead. What do these mistakes have in common? You are starving on your way home and know you’ll be sitting in traffic, so you drive During your snack attack, you grab the first thing you see: a handful of potato chips. You order a veggie burger, thinking it is healthy, and then realize you could have saved 9 grams of sugar and 170 by getting a hamburger instead. You order a chicken salad, then realize later you would have done better with a cheeseburger and fries. Answer: they could have been avoided with better planning. Pack your own meals so you are not stuck going to restaurants. Stash healthy snacks in the car so you can nosh on them instead of whatever the nearest drive-through has. Check the menu nutritionals before ordering or, better yet, before going to the restaurant. Always think ahead so you are not caught off guard.

I hadn't thought about my drivers license or passport - I guess I'll update them whenever they need to be renewed. My face is certainly thinner but I don't think I really look like a drastically different person and I haven't been questioned yet. My wedding rings didn't fit anymore prior to surgery and now they do fit and are getting a little big. My guess is that I've gone down about 1.5-2 ring sizes? and my shoe size is exactly the same but I generally can buy normal width now instead of wide width.

Always consult with your medical professionals Option (1) Stay on your bariatric plan. How intense is your workout? I worked out five to six days a week on my bariatric plan until goal. Bariatric plan seems to be working well for you. down 47 and another 47 pounds to go...Really think this through if you choose to go off plan. Option (2) Fitting your new macros in. It takes all day eating small meals. If you choose to follow your trainers plan. Monitor and make sure you stay in weightloss mode. If your trainers plan causes weight gain..Go back to your tried and true bariatric plan. __________________________ A few things I can relate to..... My surgeons office had no advice when it came down to my exercise/fitness level. I did consult a sports medicine dietitian. She has no experience with a athletic bariatric patient. I distance run and lift weights. I am at the gym two hours five days a week. I also have long run days. (two to three hours on a route) ______________________________

I quit taking my vitamins and calcium pills because they were so big and hard to swallow for me. My blood test results came back with only a slight deficiency in iron and B12, and that was it. I couldnt believe the results, my Dr. did get on to me and told me to take chewable ones instead. But now i only take one bariatric chewable vitamin a day, thats it.