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At the seminar, my Bariatric Center said a girl would be calling with my 7 appointments-- I almost freaked!! Yep, 3 hospital tests, psych eval with psychiatrist, two visits to the pulmonologist, one to the cardiologist (plus the stress test back at the hospital!)--then I had to schedule my six monthly visits to the nutritionist my insurance company required. Mix in two visits to my PCP trying to get my letter, and then another complete battery of tests at the hospital before surgery. Your story, as Jack so aptly stated, is OUR story. And yes, the co-pays (PTL for insurance) were wretched--in a year when gasoline is at a premium, the Bariatric Center is 50 miles from home, with the majority of the doctors at least that. And yet none of it will be enough to claim on the income tax... :think My final words to you are: IT IS SO WORTH IT!!!

First, you should call up the insurance to find out if your particular policy covers Bariatric Surgery, if so I recommend you obtain a copy of the Bariatric Policy and educate yourself on the requirments. Once you find out your insurance covers the surgery, immediately call your surgeon. Some require you attend their WLS seminar prior to giving you an appointment. The way I went about mine, was getting the policy reading it. At the same time made the appointment to attend the seminar and the next day, called my surgeon to make the appointment. Since the appointment was 3 weeks out, and I already had read what my insurance company required, I made the appointment with my primary for bloodwork, referral paperwork and EKG. Got the appointment for 3 days afterwards. Also called and made the appointment with the pyschologiest for 5 days after the seminar. Obtained my weight lost history from weight watchers. By the time I saw my surgeon 3 weeks after attending her seminar, all my paperwork/results were in her office. They submitted 1 week later and 8 days later I was approved. Best of luck on your journey!

Ok, I tried a liquid mulit.. made me sick. I bought the Bariatric Advantage chewables, made me sick. What kind are you all taking? I need something that isn't going to make me throw up each time I take it.

Hi all---I have two more appointments in first week of November and I think that I have met all of my presurgical requirements for insurance. Do you think I could get a surgery date during my appointment with the bariatric doc? I am a little nervous in the "not knowing stage" and wondering how long it took to actually get an appointment......I am in my fifth month of dietary waiting period---that is with documentation--I am planning my surgery at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh......anyone else????? also....how do i get one of those weight loss progression things to show my weight loss? I started at 42 bmi, currently at 40---presurgery

Try The Bariatric Center at Providence in Waco, TX:scared:Dr. Sims and his staff are simply great and very helpful too!:whoo:

I assumed I did if I used water but I didn't want to mess my intake up. I am really not a milk drinker but I will definitely try it with the protein shakes. It seems like it would make them taste better. I am ordering samples of different brands to try and see what I like. I plan on having enough for pre and post op so I can see what I like after surgery before buying a large quantity. Thanks and any other suggests that you have for pre or post of are greatly appreciated!! I am going to Mexico and I am worried about not having a strict diet to go by afterwards. I do best if I am told exactly what to have and how much and when. I am thinking about trying to find a bariatric nutritionist for post op to keep me on track. My insurance does not pay for anything relating to weight loss so I don't know if that would be excluded or not. Ugh! I am just worrying about everything. I have so many lists of what I need, and do's and don'ts from posts I have read on here. I am driving myself crazy thinking about it!!

Does anyone else have issues taking vitamins? I have the Celebrate Bariatric Multi-vitamin chewables. Every time I take one I literally get nauseous and start throwing up like 3-4 minutes later. This isn't the first time I've had this problem with multi-vitamins. I've had this problem with various vitamins in the past before I ever thought about surgery. Has anyone else ever had this problem and does anyone have any suggestions on how to stop this from happening?

Check out a product called ageLOC. A friend of mine recommended it to me, though she hasn't had any bariatric surgery, she says she can tell a difference.

Research: Bariatric Surgery Revisions Carry Greater Risks Than Initial Procedure Revisional bariatric surgery appears to be associated with a higher risk of complications than the initial procedure, according to a study published in the February issue of Archives of Surgery. News - Bariatric Surgery Revisions Carry Greater Risks Than Initial Procedure <input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden"><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden"><!--Session data--><input onclick="jsCall();" id="jsProxy" type="hidden">

Amanda, To my knowledge, an esophageal dilation cannot be diagnosed solely on ability to eat certain foods. I think it is much more likely that with weight loss the band has become looser around the stomach, thus enabling you to tolerate denser foods. However, now that your surgeon has brought this up, it will likely bug you till you determine whether or not you really do have something going on. I'm not sure if dilation is diagnosed via an UGI or an Endoscopy. An UGI isn't too bad, just drink or eat some barium and they take some xrays. An endoscopy is a bit more trouble, they usually give you some sedation, but don't put you all the way asleep and then a tube with a camera is put down the throat to look at the esophagus and sometimes even the stomach. If your surgeon isn't willing to send you for an UGI and another bariatric surgeon is difficult to get to.. how's your relationship with your PCP? I think I could talk to my PCP and explain to him that I had some concerns and see if he would agree to order an UGI. An endoscopy I'd have to think about a bit. While a dilation is of some concern, an endoscopy doesn't sound like fun either. Good luck on figuring out what to do. BTW.. a Wise person once told me "When you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras". Meaning consider the most likely explanation before you consider the more unusual. I guess the saying would be in reverse in Africa. ::grin::

With one third of the adult American population being obese, it is no surprise that there are florence, Italy, Austrian researcher Philipp Hohensinner and his collaborators discussed the role of bariatric surgery in improving and possibly reversing the premature aging phenotype of previously morbidly obese patients. http://acsh.org/news/2016/07/28/bariatric-surgery-may-reverse-obesity-associated-premature-aging/

I have Blue Cross, and I had a switch done with a BMI of 35.9. I'm very lucky in that my doctor is the head of the bariatric fellowship department at a big teaching hospital, and he basically set the Blue Cross standards. He even got any kind of pre-op dieting waived. You just have to meet with their dietician twice a month while going through all of you pre-op testing. I was turned down, but I actually went to the Blue Cross office and sat in the lobby until someone from appeals came down to see me and I asked her to schedule a peer to peer confernce with my doctor. It took me staging a sort of sit in, but they scheduled the call and I was approved the next day. Talk to your doctor about qualifying co-morbidities. If he can tell them why he thinks the switch is the best operation for you, you can likely get it approved at any BMI.

I got a Blender Bottle from amazon.com and use it 2-3 times a day. Also, I use the small thermometer that unjury sent me when I ordered their bariatric starter pack (and I now have them sending me Protein cannisters on a monthly basis). Also, I like the Bariatric Support Vitamins (multi, Calcium and B12) that I get from the Vitamin Shoppe. I also bought two thermoses off Amazon - an 18 oz and a 28 oz version - I use both daily for work. I can fit 2 shakes into the 18 oz bottle with ice, and fill the other with my water/apple juice blend (can't do Water by itself right now). Would recommend that you consider baby-sized bowls/dishes and spoons as well. If you don't have a good blender/food processor, that will help you too. Protein preference is incredibly personal, as you will see. I like Unjury because it doesn't get as thick or foamy when blended as other powders - this is especially handy the first 2-3 weeks. My favorites are chocolate Splendor (with almond milk) and strawberry Sorbet (with water). I also like their chicken Soup, and need to try their cheese sauce, which is only available in Autumn/Winter. I also like Chike's Orange Creme flavor. I buy both Chike and Unjury directly from their websites.

You said, "i'm not into weighing so i just eyeball everything." Have you not been given guidelines for eating from a bariatric nutritionist? If so, why are you "testing" your sleeve so early in your recovery period. Has no one given you any guidance on eating plans at all? This early in your stage you are not supposed to be eating until you feel full or stuffed.

Well I want to thank you for your help and info you were very helpful the lady told me were to go on the wen site. I went to search typed in bariatric she told me the links for the guidelines and anthing esle I needed to know but the guidelines link doesnt show im probaly doing something wron thanks

you're right, probably not bariatric patients - but for normal people, 2000 calories a day is pretty standard. So is 225 carbs. Unfortunately, it seems like few of us bariatric types can eat like that and maintain our weight. Not fair, but, it is what it is...

Hello all! This is a wonderful forum. So many questions answered and others popping up for me. I have Cigna insurance and I am not sure if it will be three or six months of prep but I am willing to jump through the hoops as long as I can see a VSG at the end of the tunnel. I am 57 year old female. I have struggled with anorexia and binge eating, both ends of the spectrum. I have been able to lose weight in the past, but have never been able to keep my weight down. The last five years, what worked for me before is no longer working and I get nowhere. Last year I saw a dietician for four months and lost three pounds and I exercised like a fiend. 90 minutes, five days a week. Three pounds in 16 weeks. It becomes very discouraging. And my company did not cover ANY weight loss services. Last year I hit rock bottom. This year I petitioned the CEO at my company and she immediately agreed that Bariatric surgery is something that a healthcare organization should offer as a benefit to its employees. Starting July 1 this benefit will be added to our coverage. So July 1 I am applying to start the process. Wish me luck! I will be here a lot looking for, and offering, encouragement, validation and support.

Hi Marlena- I'm not a medical expert on the sleeve or the band, but I'm a former bandster who is also investigating the sleeve. To help with my research, I subscribe to the medical journal, Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases. As it's a medical journal, the articles are intended for doctors, therefore the language is sometimes hard for me to understand due to all the medical terms. However, it has been very helpful to be able to read about all the studies that are happening regarding WLS. In this month's issue, there is an article about bariatric surgery reducing the cancer risk in morbidly obese patients. I mention it in case you feel guided to buy the article or get an annual subscription. I paid around $148 U.S. for my subscription and it's been worth every penny. It's allowed me to gain a better understanding of the developments in bariatric surgery. I figure if I'm going to have pieces of my anatomy removed, I want to learn all I can about the process. Their web site is www.soard.org Wishing you well on your journey! Laurel

Unless you have complications there is no reason you *need* to follow up with a bariatric surgeon. I don't know anyone who had surgery in Mexico who does. The standard advice I have seen is to see your PCP at 2 months, 6 months, and 12 months post-op. Have your regular blood and urine tests as well as vitamin and mineral levels checked. Weight and blood pressure checked and recorded. The lab work, without insurance, is what may kill you cost-wise. You may need to do some serious shopping around for that, but it's important. As far as food goes, I'm not much help as I tend to focus on eating for nutrition rather than to stave off boredom. I really don't care if I eat the same things over and over again, so I don't ever really think about "new ideas" for food. That said, here's mostly what I ate during weight loss phase: breakfast: chicken or beef roll-ups in romaine lettuce (with pickle relish, hot mustard, etc.) lunch: chopped chicken breast with green veggies and a little light salad dressing dinner: poached egg on refried beans, tuna salad bake, lamb chops, steamed curried scallops, steamed cayenne pepper shrimp, chicken breast baked in yogurt, turkey-spinach-goat cheese burger patty, sardines in mustard. Good luck!

Hello everyone! This is my first post. I'm very excited about getting a lap band. Last week I went to a seminar given by Dr. Chua in Milwaukee and this Friday I have an appt. to see the nutritionist and the psychologist. I called my insurance and they do cover bariatric surgery however someone at Dr. Chua's office said that my insurance (WPS) does not cover the lap band because they consider it experimental. I would rather have the lap band insted to getting the bypass done. I'm wondering if anyone out there has a lap band that has WPS insurance?:phanvan:(

Happy Halloween from BariatricPal!#subject#> body,div,dl,dt,dd,ul,ol,li,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6,pre,form,fieldset,input,textarea,p,blockquote,th,td { margin:0; padding:0; } table { border-collapse:collapse; border-spacing:0; } fieldset,img { border:0; } address,caption,cite,code,dfn,th,var { font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; } caption,th { text-align:left; } h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { font-size:100%; font-weight:normal; } q:before,q:after { content:''; } abbr,acronym { border:0; } address{ display: inline; } html, body { background-color: #d8dde8; color: #5a5a5a; } body { font: normal 13px helvetica, arial, sans-serif; position: relative; } h3, strong { font-weight: bold; } em { font-style: italic; } img, .input_check, .input_radio { vertical-align: middle; } legend { display: none; } table { width: 100%; } td { padding: 3px; } a { color: #225985; text-decoration: none; } a:hover { color: #328586; } div.outer { margin: 0 auto; padding: 14px; } table.wrap { max-width: 800px; margin: 0 auto; } td.logo { background-color: #0f3854; padding: 8px; } td.content { background-color: #fff; font-size: 14px !important; color: black !important; line-height: 150% !important; padding: 8px; } ul { margin-left: 25px; } Hey BariatricPal Members! Happy Halloween! It’s a fun time and the beginning of the holiday season. We’re celebrating a lot here at BariatricPal, and we’re super excited to share it with you! Here’s what’s in this newsletter. The BariatricPal Store: Grand Opening! Your Ready for the Holidays? Thanks for your support and for making it possible for BariatricPal continue to grow. There’s no way we could do it without you. Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal Grand Opening of The BariatricPal Store! We are so excited to announce the grand opening of The BariatricPal Store! We know, The BariatricPal Store doesn’t fit into a Halloween newsletter because it’s anything but spooky, but we just can’t stop talking about it! That’s why we’re offering 10% off all orders with coupon code SPOOKY10 just for you! Your Source for Bariatric Protein, Meals, Snacks, and supplements Weight loss surgery changes everything, especially your diet. You need to get enough protein without too many calories; eat a nutritious diet while keeping portions in check; and get your Vitamins and minerals without fail. It can be overwhelming and time-consuming…unless you have help. The BariatricPal Store can give you the help you need. We have the protein supplements, meals, snacks, and vitamins to help you lose weight and get healthy. Protein bars, shakes, and powders. Low-calorie, high-protein snacks, Entrees and breakfasts. Bariatric vitamins and Fiber supplements. Make Weight Loss Shopping Easy We know you need the top products, and they need to be healthy, nutritionist-approved, and convenient. We have all that! We also have: Tons of BariatricPal brand products. Product packages so you can pick up a bundle at once for a discounted price. meal plans for the pre-op and post-op diets, plus maintenance and back-on-track diets, so you can easily pick up the foods you need to stay on track. Sampler packs of different items so you can try different varieties to see which you like best. Other Reasons to Shop The BariatricPal Store We truly believe we’re number one. Here are just a few more reasons why. Subscribe and Save options on every product so you can get automatic re-delivery, 5% discounts, and free shipping on each order. Lowest prices – guaranteed. Free shipping on orders over $69. Save money with sales and discounts plus our Refer-A-Friend program. For help, you can look at the FAQs, give us a call at 855 WLS-BPAL (855 957-725), or use our live chat with a customer service specialist during business hours. Visit store.bariatricpal.com often to see current specials, and check out our blog for updates on promotions and new products. We can’t wait to take this next step in helping you reach your weight loss and health goals! Your Healthy Halloween Plan Halloween is about costumes, haunted houses, and scares. Unfortunately, some of the “scares” are the ones that show up on the scale if you eat too many Halloween treats, or the “scares” that come from feeling sick from too much sugar. You don’t have to experience the bad scares this Halloween, though. The trick? Plan ahead! Here are a few things to think about as Halloween approaches. Trick-Or-Treating Almost everyone is affected by trick-or-treating. If you have kids, you’ll probably find one or several big bags of Halloween candy showing up at your home when they come back from trick-or-treating. Your best defense here is to have a healthy dinner before taking them out. Then, focus on anything other than candy – you might fix your children’s costumes, be the flashlight holder, or designate yourself as the neighborhood crossing guard to keep kids safe. If you don’t have children, you may be the one handing out candy to the neighborhood children, which probably means buying a bunch of candy to give out. If that’s the case, you’re best off choosing candy that you don’t like that much, so you’re less tempted to eat it. Again, have a healthy dinner, and focus on other things besides candy for the evening. You might work on answering the door in a scary way, or taking photos of the cute costumes you see to share with the kids’ parents tomorrow. The Aftermath No matter what happens on your weight loss surgery journey, there’s always tomorrow. After Halloween, “tomorrow” is November 1. Take inventory. See what’s in your home that shouldn’t be there. Get rid of the extra candy. If you must keep some candy in your house because of your kids, make sure it’s not tempting you. You can always ask them to hide it away in their rooms. You can also make a game out of it: have them label each piece so they and you will both know if you “steal” some. Go for a walk. There’s nothing like a walk to clear your head and get you ready to go back to healthy eating patterns. Halloween’s scary, but it shouldn’t be scary because of the weight gain. It should be scary because of the fun things you get to do. With a little planning, that’s exactly how your Halloween can be. Healthy Halloween Tips Did you know there are tons of fun things you can do to get into the Halloween spirit without touching a piece of candy? Here are a few ideas! Go for a Walk It’s true…walking is really quite a good answer to most questions. How to burn off a few extra calories before Halloween? Go for a walk. How to enjoy the Halloween decorations in your neighborhood? Go for a walk. How to let your kids show off their Halloween costumes to all the neighbors? Go for a walk. Get the point? Get moving! Volunteer That’s right. You may think that volunteering is just asking for trouble, since you may be faced with a lot of candy. In truth, it’s a chance to be surrounded by the Halloween spirit while being so busy you don’t have time to grab a treat. Volunteering at a local school, homeless shelter, or retirement home can be the perfect way to immerse yourself in Halloween. Help decorate for a party, serve treats, clean up afterwards, or help make costumes. You’ll be appreciated, and you’ll get to be a part of the holiday in a way that’s healthy for your body and soul. Make Healthy Treats It’s true…treats make Halloween so much better. But you can do better than chocolate, candy corn, and decorated Cookies and cupcakes. Here are a few ideas. Greek yogurt popsicles: Use a little sweetener and keep them white for ghosts, or add some pumpkin and cinnamon and shape them into pumpkin shapes. Then you can decorate them like jack-o-lanterns! Jack-o-lantern orange protein cups: hollow out oranges to leave the peel mostly intact. You can “carve” a face in the peel shell to make it look like a jack-o-lantern, and fill it with cottage cheese or fruit. Greek yogurt “eyes:” freeze circular spoonfuls of Greek yogurt with blueberries for eyes. A happy, safe, and healthy Halloween however you choose to Celebrate it. Don’t forget to come talk about yours on the boards at BariatricPal! See you there!

I have called my insurance company and was told they do cover the lap band surgery and that I do qualify as far as weight ( BMI 38 ). I have my appointment for the seminar at the bariatric clinic and will be getting my referral from my PCP on the 25th. They did mention somthing about requiring that I have tried a 4 month weight loss program through my physician but would look at my last years history with him and possibly accept teh weight loss I have already had being monitored by my Dr. Ayway, I am excited to get things going and have realy learned a lot from all of you out there. Looking forward to chatting with you all and looking for support. Thanks :wink_smile:

No way of knowing before you do it. Be aware that, as it's the unknown, filling to the max could leave you wishing for death. No bariatric practitioner will do that, certainly not right out of the gate. If you really wish to limit yourself to soft foods and purées for a while, why not just make those your food choices with a reasonable, working level of saline in your band? You'll do as you see fit. I don't know how much good work you've undone, but I'm there, too. In deciding how to get back on the horse, I wouldn't choose a route that might conceivably feel like punishment for having regained weight. That's what a period of soft foods and purées seems to me. The process of eating well and seeing results should be a joy. I don't see a month of mush, for example, as joyful. Best wishes for your renewal regardless of how you do it.

I would try a three pronged approach. Obviously start with your surgeon. Ask for a referral to a bariatric therapist for some back up. I would also meet more regularly with the bariatric dietitian for hands on real tactics to feeling full. I would be tempted to go back to WW as well for group chat and accountability. I had to get a new hobby of crochet to keep my hands busy and give warm clothing to the homeless shelter to “feel full.” You will find your fullness and feel comfortable in your body too.

I think you need to talk to your bariatric surgeon. Many do prescribe appetite suppressant medication.