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There's a chicken flavored protein that I mixed with hot bone broth. That wasn't terrible, lol. I was able to get to 3 weeks then I started small amounts of well chewed chicken or salmon. As for protein shakes I got to the point where I couldn't stand Premier or Orgain. But pre-made Orgain Clean still tastes good. The chicken protein powder is Bariatric Fusion Chicken Soup Meal Replacement 27g Protein Powder They also have a Strawberry Banana that is pretty good. Sent from my SM-S908U using BariatricPal mobile app

My surgery is in two days so I'm thinking WAY down the road but I'm curious - does anybody use a healthy meal delivery service like Hello Fresh, Hungryroot, etc? I'm a single mom of two with a demanding job and I wonder if it might make sense to use a service like this (eventually) to take the pressure off meal prep once or twice a week. In your opinion, are any of these services bariatric-friendly, specifically the keto plans?

Hi All , thanks so much that valuable info .I dread trying to get an appointment with my G/P - as anyone in the UK will tell you - it's a miracle if you don't just get the nurse or pharmacist . The dietitian told me that gentle Iron , Feraglobin , and Bariatric Vits won't do it for me and I need to get a treatment plan off my G/P .Yeah like that's easy . She is sending me to be re-tested in a month .I have found it nigh on impossible to stomach ANY food that isn't soft ie I live on cottage cheese , shakes , Oatabix ( when it's soft ) and yogurt plus Protein water .I have really tried to digest proper food but it kills me going down .I can manage chocolate and am tempted to have some very dark chocolate every day to get my iron up .It doesn't give me the runs . Memoryissues - you are so right .The dietitian will only do so much .I wish I could have an infusion but I'm likely just to be put on Ferrous Fumerate which hasn't worked so far . Thanks for all the tips everyone re caffeine , spacing out my iron pills, the Vit C etc .I can't have V8 juice unfortunately as I have a stoma ( have a colostomy ) and veg juice would play merry hell with it .My stoma must be male 'cos it's very loud , embarasses me in front of people ,and never shuts up 😒😆

You have very good reasons for having the surgery & questions & doubts about progressing are common. It’s surgery. It changes your digestive system. There is a period of healing & recovery. To be successful for the long term, you will have to make changes to how, what & why you eat & your relationship with food. The months post surgery give you time to work through all of this & certainly therapy, as @SleeverSk suggested, can be very helpful. The surgery also gives you time to develop better eating habits & routines like being more mindful. Will you forget & take a too big sip or bite or eat too quickly? Yes it will happen but your body soon tells you & you’re usually extra careful after the experience. Often all you’ll experience is just discomfort but occasionally foamies or vomiting. Complications after surgery aren’t common and many are related to pre existing conditions or predispositions. The risks are lower for bariatric surgeries than many other common surgeries. I used to control almost all my reflux with dietary choices before surgery (no spicy, fatty or rich food, little carbonation & reduced caffeine) which is why I had sleeve. I still have reflux but it is different & I need meds every day which I didn’t before. I hate taking tablets & often forget. Multi vitamins always make me nauseous but my bloods are good & I don’t need to take them anymore though some sleevers still do. Just depends on your diet & absorption for us. But it is a necessity after bypass as malabsorption of calories (& therefore nutrients) is how it contributes to your weight loss. Dumping can occur with bypass (about 40% chance I think) but if you discover you have it it is simply a matter of avoiding fats or sugars as they are the usual culprits. Some even find they can eat small amounts as time passes. You can also have it with a sleeve but it is less common (30%??). The average weight loss with sleeve & bypass is about the same 65% +/- of the weight you have to lose to put you in a healthier weight range. Some lose more some lose less. Make a list of your questions to discuss with your surgeon. They’re best placed to answer them in relation to your specific needs, health status/issues & weight loss/gain history. All the best whichever surgery you have.

Ask your Doctor to check your vitamin levels to make sure you’re not deficient in anything especially iron (ferritin), vitamin d and zinc. I agree that a regular Bariatric multivitamin should be enough however I think that supplementing with amino acid L Lysine is beneficial. Ask your Doctor of course! Good luck ❤️

My bariatric surgeon is in Washington DC but I'm now living in Australia, so I'm working my primary care doctor. He does understand why I need to do regular blood tests and has been quite good about it. I have done the fecal smear and am awaiting results. My doctor wants to rule out colon cancer, but he has not mentioned the possibility of bleeding at the stoma. I'll raise this with him when I go in to discuss the results of this test. I just started iron supplements in response to these most recent low iron levels. I'm also going to raise the possibility of an iron infusion at my next appointment. Thanks so much for your thoughtful comments!

I don't understand why surgeons ask their patients to use chewable vitamins. Flavorless capsules dissolve quickly once they're taken orally, and they don't get stuck. Solid tablets definitely can cause issues. I use BariatricPal Multivitamin ONE “1 per Day!” flavorless capsules from https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/bariatricpal-multivitamin-one! BariatricPal has a special offer where it’ll cost you only $99 for an entire year's supply! Check it out at https://store.bariatricpal.com/99 With just ONE convenient & affordable BariatricPal Multivitamin ONE daily, you can get the bariatric vitamins and minerals you need to stay healthy! BariatricPal Multivitamin ONE was designed and developed by the world’s leading Bariatric medical professionals. Please take a calcium supplement separately to prevent interference with iron absorption. You can view a large selection of bariatric-friendly Calcium supplements at https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/calcium. You can also find MANY other brands of bariatric multivitamins at https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/multivitamins.

If you take a real bariatric multivitamin and consume enough protein, you should be covered. There's no need to buy a separate hair vitamin. I use BariatricPal Multivitamin ONE “1 per Day!” flavorless capsules from https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/bariatricpal-multivitamin-one! BariatricPal has a special offer where it’ll cost you only $99 for an entire year's supply! Check it out at https://store.bariatricpal.com/99 With just ONE convenient & affordable BariatricPal Multivitamin ONE daily, you can get the bariatric vitamins and minerals you need to stay healthy! BariatricPal Multivitamin ONE was designed and developed by the world’s leading Bariatric medical professionals. Please take a calcium supplement separately to prevent interference with iron absorption. You can view a large selection of bariatric-friendly Calcium supplements at https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/calcium. You can also find MANY other brands of bariatric multivitamins at https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/multivitamins.

I can't speak to whether the vitamins that say they help will. I did ask my surgeon about a month ago what I needed to look for in a vitamin if I wanted to switch to a different one. She said that as long as it has bariatric in the name, it should provide the nutrients I need (I double checked labels anyway). I can tell you that I lost what looked like a lot of hair every day around 3-4 months. I did not go bald, but I could tell that my hair was thinner. I have noticed it growing back this month (months 9-10). It does get better.

I have a quick question. If I order some bariatric vitamins that are for helping to stop hair loss will this effect my bariatric multivitamin? Like will I get too much of certain vitamins? Also has anyone tried these and did they help or not? I am losing tons of hair after 3 and a half months out from surgery, it’s scaring me I need some advice!

I was sleeved 2/23/23 at West Medical in Tarzana CA. Cost - $10,000. Time from first consult to surgery was 3 weeks. I had a psych eval phone call, and one zoom nutrition class on post op diet. Pre -op tests were done through my insurance, including EKG, labs, chest xray and sleep apnea test. Days on the PreOp liquid diet is based on BMI. The surgery is outpatient, but if there are complications, it is possible to spend the night. My surgery was scheduled for noon, and I was back in my hotel room by 6:00PM. I did pee before I left, but pretty much the requirements were being awake enough to put your clothes on. The facility was clean, and they welcomed my husband and tried to make him as comfortable as possible, but they said most family don't wait there. It was raining, and we were 3 hours from home, so he didn't really have anywhere else to go. We spent the night before in a hotel so we would not have to worry about the long drive in LA traffic in the morning, and the night after in case of any complications we would be close by. I would give every staff member I encountered 5 stars. From administrative staff to the nursing staff, they were all wonderful and very responsive. When I arrived, there were 2 patients Post-op, and the nurses were very supportive and caring. My consult was done with a bariatric Dr., but not the actual surgeon. He had been sleeved as well, and has a great repore with patients. I met him day of the surgery as he assists. He was also the one that did my follow up call 5 days later. I met my surgeon right before the surgery, but nothing since. He didn't even talk to my husband after, even though it is a small facility and he was right there. There will be another follow up call 4 weeks post op. I have phone numbers to call if there are any complications, I haven't had any, but I have no doubt they would be handled promptly and taken seriously, although remotely. They want to be notified by any ER or urgent care facility if necessary. PostOp full liquid diet is 4 weeks, then 1-2 weeks pureed, and 1-2 weeks soft. All in all I had a good experience and no regrets, but I do lack the relationship with the surgeon and follow up support. I've joined a local support group through my insurance, and am finding my way with groups like this.

Are you working with your bariatric surgeon on this or your primary care family doctor? While this may well be unrelated to your WLS, a bariatric doctor will, of course, be more sensitive to issues specific to their specialty than a generalist. My thoughts, not as an MD but just from having been around the WLS world for a couple decades, is that if it is WLS related, then given the fairly rapid onset of this, I would be looking for some bloodloss somewhere. With an RNY, the likely place would be the stoma, as that is a delicate structure that is easily irritated - if the semi-common marginal ulcers occur, that is where they usually happen. It may not be particularly symptomatic, but some minor blood loss can occur unnoticed until something like this shows up - one of those simple fecal smear tests can show whether there is any blood in your stool. If there is, then an endoscopy can show where it's coming from, and if there isn't any, then you have eliminated one possibility. Iron supplements may or may not do much for an RNY person, as most of our mineral absorption occurs in the duodenum (part of the small intestine immediately downstream of the stomach) which gets bypassed along with the stomach; this is why iron infusions are not uncommon for malabsorbing WLS patients with iron problems. Were you on iron supplements to begin with and then increased the dosage, or just started when this problem showed up? I had an internal bleed a few years ago (non-WLS related, though certainly symptomatic) that sapped my iron levels, but not quite to the point of needing an infusion, and they came back after a few months of doubling my normal iron supplement (but I have a VSG, so not the same absorption problems as an RNY or DS will have,) and now I don't take any at all. For now. Good luck in getting this worked out....

I started vitamins one week post-op. The instructed me to take the chewables. I have the bariatric pal chewable multi with 45 g of iron. I think the flavor is mixed berry. It tastes okay. They also advised me not to take capsules. So I have to open up the Prilosec gel cap and pour the medicine on applesauce. All my other medications are pills and I cut them in half. I've had no problems with nausea. Sent from my SM-G981U1 using Tapatalk

My team instructed me to start vitamins at 3 weeks post op. The chewable vitamins with iron didn't really upset my tummy, they just don't taste that great. I recently (at about 4 months post op) switched to the one-a-day capsule that Bariatric Pal sells. I've had no issue with them at all.

Hi, all. I had bypass surgery almost exactly four years ago. I've taken bariatric vitamins religiously and my bloodwork has always been perfect. Now, all of a sudden, I have iron deficiency anemia. My most recent bloodwork showed an iron level of 24. Then, after five weeks of iron supplements, it had dropped to 14. What?? (I'm not exactly sure what those numbers mean, but my doctor says they are concerning.) I know that bypass causes absorption issues. However, nothing has changed in terms of my diet or vitamin intake. You would think this would have shown up long before now. Even my doctor is perplexed and is running tests to see what the cause might be. Has anyone else experienced this issue years after surgery? I'd be especially interested in hearing from other men, as we are less prone to iron deficiency than women.

it may be hard to find a surgeon who'll be willing to place a lapband. That surgery has largely been replaced by the sleeve as the non-RNY option, because so many people had complications with the lapband. A lot of people had to have their lapbands removed. P.S. you might want to try posting on the Lap band forum here on this site. They're the only members of Bariatric Pal who probably have a lap band these days. I almost never see posts from lap banders on the major forums anymore. Here's the link to the lap band forum: https://www.bariatricpal.com/forum/4-lap-band-surgery-forums/

What is the best probiotic for after Bariatric surgery?

I think the fact that the one passenger was going for a tummy tuck was entirely coincidental in this situation. It was reported that they were not targeted for that, but because they were believed to be involved in the drug trade. I vacation in Mexico often, and if I stopped going because of every news story about cartel activity I would be missing out big time. I understand the concern, but I think the recent kidnappings/murder incident is not related to travel to Mexico for bariatric care, etc. so you should still feel safe to follow your planned trip/surgery. I have been to Hospital los Angeles in Tijuana and felt entirely safe during the entire trip, including at the hospital, aftercare hotel and walking around the vicinity of the hospital/hotel. I hope we have helped you feel comfortable with your decision and you don't worry while on your journey.

yes I've been thinking about people who go down there for bariatric surgery, too, and yes - some of those border towns can be dangerous, but they believe the cartel mistook them for Haitian drug smugglers. If you're in a car with a driver from the bariatric center - and esp if he or she is from the area, you're probably safer. Plus I don't really hear about tourists getting murdered there - it seems to be mostly tourists getting robbed (that is, when it happens at all). I think a lot of the more violent crimes are between competing drug smugglers and cartels. Although yes - after hearing that story, I was a little freaked out, too. P.S. I know you're not a tourist, but you're an American - so people will probably assume you're a tourist. P.P.S. the state they went to is also listed on the US State Dept's Web site with a DO NOT TRAVEL warning. Tijuana is in a different state. It definitely has a dicey feel to it, and there are only certain areas of Tijuana that are safe for tourists, but also, you'll be with someone from the bariatric center, so they'll know what areas to avoid. I do understand your concern, though. I think i'd be feeling the exact same way after hearing that story.

I don't watch the news, so haven't heard about the kidnapping. Was it from a bariatric surgery center?

I had surgery in Mexico on 3/3/23. I did not go to Tijuana, having heard too many negative reviews of the Bariatric groups in that region. I went to Dr. Alvarez at Endobariatrics. Dr. Alvarez's EndoHospital is across the border from Eagle Pass, TX. I was self-pay so money was an issue but not at the expense of my health and peace of mind. Dr. Alvarez's fee is substantially less than in the USA but more than the average cost of most of the Mexico bariatric centers. The old saying "you get what you pay for" could not be more apropos. Dr. Alvarez's credentials are most impressive and his memberships in American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES), and the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO) highlighted his expertise in the field of bariatric surgery. Dr. Alvarez's facilities incorporate the EndoHospital and the EndoHotel in a beautiful state-of-the-art building. Dr. Alvarez is very accessible to his patients and the staff is professional, personable and attentive to the patient's every need. All personnel are fluently bi-lingual. Off-site, the EndoSpa provides additional pampering. I am only 5 days out and feel great. I have had no nausea and only slight abdominal discomfort similar to muscle soreness experienced from exercising. The day after surgery, I joined the guided sight-seeing tour, had a HydraFacial and a massage (yes, I was able to lie on my stomach) at the EndoSpa, and finished my outing with a visit to a restaurant for a delicious smoothie. I have heard many complaints from others as to hidden fees from some of the Mexico bariatric groups....basically holding the patient hostage until they are paid. Dr. Alvarez's fees are all inclusive with exception to any optional spa treatments the patient choses to enjoy. My words of praise seem inadequate to my experience with Dr. Alvarez! I wish you the best in your quest. As self-pay, cost is a factor; but be cautious of placing pricing over health and safety.

Hi all. I am very pre-op, but I am planning to have hiatal hernia repair done at the same time as the bariatric surgery. It will be months before I have a chance to meet with a surgeon and I'm not finding great information beyond the surgery taking a little bit longer and potentially some additional discomfort post-op. Has anyone had this combo and how do you think recovery and post-op life differed compared to those who just had the weight loss surgery?

I spent the better part of my 40s as a self-hating shut-in who avoided going out, hated photos taken of me, and wanted to vanish when my skinny partner would introduce anyone to me. I missed out on a decade of life. Yeah, I would comfort eat, but that's the vicious cycle. Overeat - gain weight - feel miserable - eat more - gain weight. Food was never my friend pre-surgery, despite the fact that I ran to it for comfort. Now that I'm on the other side I am happy, I have my life back again, I love going out, will photo-bomb anyone anytime, and my partner has been teased more than once that he's "punching above his weight" when I'm introduced as his partner (they would not have said that a year and a half ago!). Food IS my friend now, because I've changed my relationship with it. I enjoy nourishing food, and will absolutely eat a couple of bites of something traditionally "naughty" as an occasional treat without guilt. A couple of bites is all I want now. It's been a lot of hard work, but absolutely worth it. Best distraction I found as the weight started coming off was moving. Started walking, then riding a bike. Even getting up and cleaning. And as others have suggested, if you have an emotional attachment to food, bariatric therapy is recommended.

He Hey guys !my insurance said they cover all the bariatic services my PA asked me to ask them. The requirements I believe they said there was no required supervised diet however I do have some history with phertamine. My bmi is right at 40.4. I’m gonna ass a screen shot of the blue home plan for bariatic ! I think it should be an easy process as far as what they’re asking for. I hope to have my surgery by June fingers crossed. Anyone have experience with novant ? In Nc Pasted what the picture has in case visibility is hard.  A thorough preoperative evaluation for bariatric surgery must include all of the following: 1. Evaluation of the patient's understanding of the procedure to be performed, including the procedure's risks and benefits, length of stay in the hospital, behavioral changes required prior to Page 8 of 21 An Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association Bariatric Surgery and after the surgical procedure (including dietary and exercise requirements), follow up requirements with the performing surgeon, and anticipated psychological changes. 2. 3. Evaluation of the patient's family/caregivers support and understanding of the information in #1. Within 12 months prior to surgery, a thorough nutritional evaluation by a physician, registered dietician, or other licensed professional experienced in the issues of bariatric surgery, who has had a meaningful conversation with the individual regarding the dietary and lifestyle changes required to ensure a successful outcome over time. Nutritional assessment must follow American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) guidelines. Pre-operative assessment must document that the patient has a good understanding of the diet and nutritional changes that are associated with bariatric surgery and has the capacity to comply with these changes. Per the ASMBS guidelines, " *..it is essential to determine any preexisting nutritional deficiencies, develop appropriate dietary interventions for correction, and create a plan for postoperative dietary intake that will enhance the likelihood of success. Not only should the practitioner review the standard assessment components (i.e., medical co-morbidities, weight history, laboratory values, and nutritional intake), it is also important to evaluate other issues that could affect nutrient status, including readiness for change, realistic goal setting, general nutrition knowledge, as well as behavioral, cultural, psychosocial, and economic issues." 2019 guidelines for perioperative nutrition, metabolic and nonsurgical support are available at: 4. https://journals.aace.com/doi/pdf/10.4158/GL-2019-0406 Within 12 months prior to surgery, a formal psychosocial-behavioral evaluation performed by a qualified behavioral health professional (i.e., licensed in a recognized behavioral health discipline, such as psychology, social work, psychiatry, psychiatric nursing, etc., with specialized knowledge and training relevant to obesity, eating disorders, and/or bariatric procedures), which assesses environmental, familial, and behavioral factors, as well as risk for suicide. Any patient considered for a bariatric procedure with a known or suspected psychiatric illness, or substance abuse or dependence, should undergo a formal mental health evaluation before the procedure. 2019 guidelines for perioperative nutrition, metabolic and nonsurgical support are available at https://journals.aace.com/doi/pdf/10.4158/GL-2019-0406 5. Appropriate medical work up may include a chest x-ray, upper gastrointestinal series, endoscopy, appropriate pre-op labs and ECG. A complete physical examination by the attending surgeon and an assessment of thyroid levels is required. If the patient has comorbid conditions (e.g. diabetes or 6. cardiovascular disease) the patient must be capable of undergoing the procedure. Anesthesia clearance for surgery. The first five criteria must be met before seeking prior plan approval for adults and adolescents; the sixth must be met prior to surgery. Surgical procedures must be performed at a facility capable of providing gastrointestinal and biliary surgery (preferably JCAHO accredited), AND that has equipment and staff capable of managing a morbidly obese patient (appropriate instruments, beds, lifts, monitoring equipment) AND that can manage short and long term complications of bariatric surgery.

I know that with bariatric patients, abdominal pain shouldn't be ignored - no matter how far out we are. I'd really be inclined to ask about a scan, or ultrasound, or something.