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That should not disqualify you from your surgery. But be careful as well not to lose to much before your surgery because they will disqualify you. Call your ins and ask to speak with the bariatric case manager. She will have all the rt answers for you. That is ask of your ins co.

I take a Bariatric chewable one. Tastes sorta like flinstone ones. I also have the one [mention=330039]Creekimp13[/mention] has and I think one other, but I haven’t been approved to start taking them yet. My doctor said just the chewable for the first couple of weeks. I’ll start the rest when he gives me the clear. 5’6” 25 yo SW: 256

Personally, I have always taken Bariatric Vitamin. I know some DR's say FLINTSTONE with iron is OK. But...you go thru a surgery (a big one too) and due to needing vitamins for the rest of your life I have always took formulated Bariatric vitamins. I use CELEBRATE. They come in a capsule formula. My Dr told me that they can be broken apart and sprinkled on some food. Luckily I started out taking CENTRUM chewable I didn't last long because they were way too sweet for me. Then I went the other way, easy taking them too. I do think we need Bariatric vitamins why take a chance of not getting the vitamins we need. Good Luck with your upcoming surgery!! Have a great Sunday and KEEP ON KEEPING ON!!

OK, I've gotta be a part of this cool club! Some of you are literally making me laugh out loud at your posts! I'm Tess, and I'm on the path to a sleeve. I just turned 59, and the weight is really affecting my quality of life. I hurt. My knees, ankles, feet, back...I just hurt all over. Chronically. My blood pressure is horrible. My cholesterol is high and my triglycerides are high. I'm hypothyroid, I've got metabolic syndrome and I'm insulin resistant, and just a few creme puffs away from full-blown diabetes. Physically, I'm just so damn uncomfortable in this fat suit I've been wearing most of my life. I'm also one medium binge away from 300 lbs. Oh man, I cringe just typing that. How / Why did I get here??? I have issues with food...serious issues. My mother put my sister and I on diets pre-puberty (neither one of us were overweight) and all of my memories of food as a child are of being shamed for eating. Mostly by my mother, who had issues of her own, but by my grandmother and extended family members to some extent as well. Later as a pre-adolescent and into my teens, my mother basically just checked out as a parent and I fended for myself mostly. The most exciting thing for me about going to a friend's home or to my grandparents: THEY HAD FOOD IN THE HOUSE! The most memorable part of my pre-teen and teen years living at home with my mother was that there was very rarely food in the house. My sister and I would raid the trunk of her car when she was sleeping, because she would usually have a cooler with delicious food in it...grapes, deli meats and cheeses, crackers, etc. that she would buy to share with one of her boyfriends. But she wouldn't buy groceries for my sister and I. Anyway, I got married (at barely 16) to escape the wretched home life. Talk about jumping from the frying pan into the fire...but that's a whole 'nother story. The first time I went grocery shopping as a married girl I bought 2 big boxes of Captain Crunch cereal and ate it until the roof of my mouth was shredded. I wasn't the best cook at that age, but I made a mean hamburger helper. There are so many more stories I could tell, all which led me to where I am today. I really should write a book. I have and will continue to work through my myriad issues with a therapist, because I KNOW that bariatric surgery isn't the magical answer to my problems...but I also know that it's a VERY powerful tool that can help me finally reach my goals of being a normal weight and being able to wear EVERYTHING in my closet. I've spent 5 decades of my life fighting this dragon. My physiology and metabolism is so messed up now that no matter what I do, my body fights to hold on to every ounce. I can lose some weight but I very quickly hit a standstill and no matter what I do, no more pounds will come off. I'm tired of living like this. So so tired. It's not living - it's just existing. I feel like I'm trapped inside this morbidly obese body and I want to be FREE of it and enjoy LIVING, before my life is over. So I'm pulling out the big guns...a tool that I've considered using before, but then told myself I could succeed without it. Obviously, I was wrong. I don't want to waste any more of my time fighting this on my own. I'm going to have the sleeve. I haven't come to this decision lightly. Again, I know that it's NOT a magic, effortless solution to morbid obesity and that I will be eating mindfully and carefully for the rest of my life...but I will finally have the tool I need to be successful and wake up from this nightmare of being morbidly obese and not being able to fix it. The procedure has come a very long ways, and there are actual physiological changes the the surgery causes that will cause my body to quit fighting me and allow me to lose the excess weight and finally know what it is to be 'normal'. I've gone to the initial seminar, had my one-on-one consultation with the surgeon (actually, it was a "two-fer", as my best friend is doing this with me!), I've done my psych-eval, found a new therapist who specializes in eating disorders and will be meeting with her the first time on the 27th, meeting with the nutritionist on the 27th....I'm hoping if all goes well, that I'll be getting the surgery in May or June. Sorry for the long-winded epistle...I had to edit myself! LOL

There is a phase that patients go through after bariatric surgery. Luckily it is fairly short. It is so common that people have coined a phrase for it - "Never trust a fart".

My bariatric surgeon recommended no coffee for 3 months post-WLS to minimize risk of an ulcer after gastric bypass and then to limit it to decaf for up to 6 months. I followed this approach and did well.

Great article on why bariatric surgery is the most effective tool: https://www.vox.com/platform/amp/science-and-health/2017/12/7/16587316/bariatric-surgery-weight-loss-lap-band

Isn’t Doctors job to look out for your health? I don’t see why your Doctor is against weight loss surgery. If you have been struggling with overweight and you can’t loss weight due food addiction or other reasons.. WLS should be the option.. Go to the bariatric group and they will get this thru.. I hope you get a Dr who knows about this type of surgery and can tell you pro/cons.. mostly is pros the cons are temporary..

I searched for Bariatric Centers near where I live in Fort Worth TX and a place called BETTER WEIGH CENTER came up with a lot of positive google reviews, but their website either isn't very compatible with Chrome web browsers as it acted funny when I tried to sign up for a consultation and when I tried to look at info on the doctors, the page didn't budge. I'd prefer not to go to see Dr. Kim's place....my own reasons. Anyone else know a great surgery team/bariatric center? I'm just wanting to at least dip my toes into the Water and get to an info night...

The BariatricPal Store carries over 3000 products from over 130 brands designed specifically for weight loss surgery patients at http://Store.Bariatricpal.com! Our goal is for it to be your source for all your bariatric needs: protein supplements high-protein meals snacks, bariatric vitamins health supplements

I belong to few forums (non bariatric) and each of them has its problems with Trolls. Even if the forum requires one to provide bonifide ID to join. Seems some people consider trolling on websites a form of entertainment. Eventually they get banned.

I think in comparison to a lot of message boards I have been a part of, not always bariatric, this site is actually pretty good and the majority of members are supportive. There are a few that come off as abrasive in their replies, but that is everywhere, even IRL, lol, not just this site. It's helpful to some degree to get others perspectives and opinions, but that's exactly what they are, others opinions, which may or may not be in agreement with my own. That's ok, sometimes it's good to hear differing viewpoints. I think it's a problem if someone is trying to use a message board as a substitute for medical advice or for true surgical support, because some of the advice I've read out there on the web makes me cringe, but as @jenn1 said take what you want from it and leave the rest.

I have the isopure zero carb! I don’t love it but it’s tolerable. And in regards to vitamins, my program was very specific on when to start. I take Journey bariatric vitamins 2x/day and that started week 2. I start calcium citrate week 4. Also 2x/day.

Seems to be common to come across patients that have little to no instructions. If they google different reputable bariatric programs. Some will send the pre and post op information and nutrition instructions.

i know of someone, an older lady, who had gastric bypass surgery at a hospital in Georgia. the next day, the daughter brings a box of Cinnabons to her in the hospital room. they proceed to start eating them. she tears open her new stomach and has to go into emergency surgery to save her life, cleaning cinnabons out of her abdomen. moral of the story? there seems to be no limit to the stupidity of most people in this country. it is infinite and almost beyond the imagination. while some bariatric offices are better than others at preparation and patient education, none of that really matters when dealing with the average American. look at our president.

Not sure if most of you are aware but BariatricPal.com actually started off in 2003 as LapBandTalk.com! I've had Lap-Band surgery since 2003 and started this community the night I came home from my own Lap-Band surgery. As mentioned in my recent article "Types of Bariatric Surgery: By the Numbers and What It Means" Lap-Band surgery has dropped 86.93% since 2011. There were still 7,310 new bands in 2016. There isn't any perfect WLS. The band has been an awesome tool for me over the last 15 years. I've had minor complications along the way but nothing like the complications I'd have had walking around with an extra 100Lbs.

This sites reputation is unfortunate. Not looking for responses on this post. Sad, but I already know the dramatic post will follow..... Many members here are supportive and do their best to give perspective and advice. Advice that may be bad, good, mean, sugar coated, judgmental, inappropriate, You are adults, You decide what to read and respond to. Take what is useful and leave the rest. Same BS different day - Who said anyone had to like, approve or agree with anything posted in any forum? The different perspectives, advice and personality types seem to shock some of you. How you interpret and respond to posts is your own issue. Some people thrive on negative attention and conflict. Learn to recognise that they are baiting you into an argument or drama. Learn to ignore them and move on. Or set your ignore button. Be aware some people register for this site that are not bariatric patients. They love it when they get you to respond and argue. You are their cheap thrill of entertainment if they can make you angry.

Also, the following link takes you to a YouTube vlog made by Dr. Matthew Weiner, a bariatric surgeon in Michigan, who mentions the '1 golden shot' nature of revisional surgery. http://drmatthewweiner.com/bariatric-surgery-revisions-will-they-help-or-not/

Here's a quote from the Texas Bariatric Specialists. I don't pull random, unfounded information out of my ass. Generally, I back up my information with reputable sources.

Ah, hang in there, Maggie. Have you tried protein water? I've only recently heard about it but it sounds like a good way to push protein and water. I know you can get it online at jet.com plus land-based Target, Walmart, and the bariatric pal store, plus other stores. Just Google it. Maybe that will help. Hang in there, you can do this, you really can!

Hi, Candy! Yes, I started my pre-op liver shrinking diet today. This is so hard, especially when people around you eat regular food. The other thing that is particularly hard for me is that my pre-op plan normally allows you to have certain non-starchy veggies, but because I MAY have gastroparesis (I have not been formally diagnosed with this condition), my NUT told me that I should NOT include the allowed veggies. So frustrating because I really think I would do well on this plan until surgery if only I could have the veggies!!! As it is now, it’s liquids only (protein shakes, sugar free drinks like Crystal Light, low sodium broth, one sugar free popsicle a day and one sugar free Jello per day). My protein requirement is 90 grams per day and I have an 80 ounce per day beverage requirement (which would include water, the protein shakes, sugar free beverages and broth). I am at the end of day 1 and I am cranky, cranky, cranky!!!!) I have actually gained weight over the past 4 months because I was taken off the Belviq/phentermine combo I was on because my family doctor felt that because I was eventually going to have the VSG, that I should no longer take the weight loss meds. When my bariatric doctor saw me today, he didn’t seem too concerned, but the NUT went, well, nuts!!!! All I can say is that I will stick to the strict liquid diet until surgery, but they better not cancel my surgery if I don’t lose enough. The NUT basically told me that because I gained over the past 4 months, they may not do the surgery on 1/2. I think just stressing over this has me cranky.

I was in your shoes about this time last year - our insurance doesn't cover any bariatric procedures - and I ended up looking in Mexico mainly based on price. I had a friend who had used a dr near El Paso, TX - and really liked him - but he was pretty expensive - at least in my opinion. I did a little research on the Bariatric Pal forums and could find nothing even remotely troubling about Dr. Illan - and his price was one of the lowest I found. Long story short, I had my procedure this past January and was 100% satisfied - I've lost around 80 pounds - so happy that my wife is coming back in a couple of months to have the same thing done with Dr Illan - he's great, the facility is great, his whole team is fantastic, and the whole group that makes up BariatricPal MX is top-notch. If you pick them, you can put your mind at ease -and start shopping for smaller clothes!

I hope newbies don't take what I'm posting as a reason not to have surgery. It's all worth it and no regret for me. 3 years out and regain and just got the scale back down. I've been working this program way too hard. I admit my mind is messed up anytime I gain. I'm getting exhausted at the discipline it takes for me to lose weight and maintain. The bariatric basics and successful behaviors to lose and maintain weight. (1)Logging food (2) weighing your food, (3) making healthy choices, (4) weighing yourself to lose or maintain weight. (5) Exercise I have to stop being so regimented with my food. I need to relax. Things for me to change in 2018! I'm walking a thin line between bariatric lifestyle and eating disorder. I'm a food snob. I see foods as good or bad. I feel the need to know how many calories and macros I get in each and every day for the past three years. A few exceptions on vacations etc I automatically can say what calories and macros are in certain foods...Just because I've logged them so often. exercise is my replacement for stress/emotional eating. I have to monitor myself and recognise when working out gets obsessive.

Well, I went to my Family doctor and she is dead set against weight loss surgery, for anyone. She doesn’t seem to be too educated about it because she said that the only surgery doctors do anymore is gastric bypass, and in her words, it causes terrible side effects that are hard to live with. I told her I was considering the sleeve and she said most doctors won’t do the sleeve. I know this is not true, and my bariatric patient coordinator confirmed that I was correct and my doc was not. Now though, my insurance requires a detailed letter from my primary care doc stating that she recommends the surgery, and I can’t get that from her. Do you think they will take a letter from a new doc? I feel like if I am serious about this, I need to find a new doctor that will support me anyhow.

Revisional surgery patients often lose a bit more slowly than 'virgin' bariatric surgery patients. This is because the revisional surgery patient's body has already experienced the metabolic shock of a previous bariatric surgical procedure in the past. There's a saying: "It's never as good as the first time." However, some peoples' mileage may vary...a few people have more success with weight loss and maintenance after the revisional procedure. Good luck to you.