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I'm sorry to hear about the problems that you ran into. I also had similar issues with a different surgeon's office before I switched surgeons. While I don't have any experience with Dr. Barker, I did have a very good experience with Dr. Nick Nicholson who is also rated as a "Best" bariatric surgeon by D-Magazine. I've found his staff to be very responsive and accommodating to my requests. Best of luck with finding a surgeon that works for you and for your surgery!

Completely agree. My Vitamin regime is based on my bloodwork. I had to stop B12 because it made my levels triple. I take extra D because that level tends to go borderline except in the summer. I was taking a multi-vitamin pre-op. At 50+ it's just common sense to continue. I also take Biotin which I was taking pre-op because I am post-menopausal and have bra strap length dredlocs. I noticed some slightly thinning and it was recommended by my dermatologist. Combined with bariatric hair loss, it just makes sense to continue.

I hope to God people are still taking Vitamins a year out! That's a lifelong thing. You'd be crazy to stop! You don't suddenly stop needing vitamins and minerals just because you reach your goal weight.... Here's what I take daily. Many of these things I took for years pre-op as well: 2x Bariatric Multivitamin - I use the brand recommended by my nutritionist, Vitaleph. The recommendation is to take 3 per day at different times, but I cut down to two a day one I was confident I was getting a reasonable amount of nutrients from my food. 1x Probiotic - Also recommended by my nutritionist. I take Insync brand. 1000mg Vitamin C - Been taking this for years, but I was told it can also help with skin elasticity as we lose weight. 200mg coq10 - Been taking this for years, as recommended by my PCP, for my carpel tunnel. 1000mg Omega 3 - Been taking this for years because I don't eat fish. 1000iu Vitamin D - Been taking this for years because I live in Rochester, NY where it's cloudy and cold like 90% of the time. 2x Citrical Maximum - Started this post-op at the direction of my nutritionist. Used to take 2x Tums daily, but my nutritionist recommended calcium citrate (Citrical) over Calcium Carbonate (Tums). She also explained that I should take my calcium separate from my Multivitamin, because Iron and calcium compete for absorption. So I take my Calcium at night and my multivitamin in the morning and afternoon. Edit: Forgot to list my 500mcg liquid B12 spray, which I use daily.

I am also in California on medi-cal. I live in the Bay Area. How about you?I was referred by my PCP to Stanford Bariatric Clinic. They had me fill out a questionnaire and I had to wait for a surgeon to review my information before they would allow me to do anything else. I just got word they cleared me to get the process started. The clinic said they would be calling me tomorrow to go over information and schedule my seminar. Good luck to you!

Sorry for how long this is- I know that I always appreciate reading detailed posts about the process, so I’m hoping other will find it helpful. I’m just starting the process of getting a VSG. I’ve thought about WLS for a long time, but have always been scared off because of the possible complications. I’m not sure what exactly changed, but, about three weeks ago, I was driving to work and the thought of getting the surgery popped into my head and suddenly I knew it was what I needed to do. Looking at the hard road ahead, I wish I had started this journey earlier in life (I’m 37), but I know I wasn’t ready for it until now. I’m in the DC area, and there are lots of hospitals and surgeons to choose from. I finally settled on Inova Fair Oaks, which is a Bariatric Center of Excellence, has great stats, and has an up-to-date website which let me register for the seminar online. (GWU never contacted me after I filled out their form. Other hospitals had outdated calendars on their websites, or no way to register online, or the websites themselves were unfinished, which I felt didn’t bode well for their programs.) I went to a seminar about two weeks ago, which was mostly basic stuff that I already knew. I had my first visit with the surgeon a few days after the seminar. The surgeon, Rajev Nain, was the same surgeon who did the seminar. He seemed a bit stiff at first, but after a while he seemed to get more comfortable and I felt like we had a good connection. He definitely didn’t come across as the a**hole surgeon stereotype you hear so much about. We first talked about my basic health history, medications, that sort of thing. I don’t have many co-morbidities yet- just hypertension and edema in my left leg. We talked about the various surgeries, and he was fine with me getting the VSG, he didn’t push for the RNY. I’m 5’1” and 355lbs. He said that he could get me to around 205 lbs with the sleeve. He was clearly just basing that on the average amount of excess weight lost with the sleeve, not anything specific to me. I would be overjoyed with 205, even though that would still leave me 100 lbs over my ideal weight. However, I also know that each individual is different, and I feel like I have it in me to go lower. I may not make it to 105, but I think I am determined enough to get myself in the mid-100s. I asked him about his experience- he’s done several hundred VSGs, and even more RNYs. He also has lots of experience with other GI surgeries. While I would have liked him to have done thousands instead of hundreds of VSGs, it is still enough that I feel safe with him. I asked about major complications, and he said that <1% of his VSG patients had had major complications. He has had no mortalities with the VSG, and one mortality with the RNY (the patient died of a pulmonary embolism the day after surgery, even though she was on blood thinners and had had her legs compressed during surgery.) Having lurked on this board for a while, the variance in different surgeons’ pre-op and post-op diet instructions has been a bit puzzling to me, and the materials from the presentation I attended were very authoritative. I will happily follow rules if I understand the reasoning behind them, but I tend to do my own research and come up with my own rules for myself if I feel like the rules I am given aren’t well supported. I was nervous to do it (because of that whole surgeon stereotype), but I told this to my surgeon, noted that his post-op diet (2 weeks Clear liquids, 2 weeks full liquids, 2 weeks purees, 2 weeks mushed-up real food, then finally real food 8 weeks after surgery) was one of the more conservative ones that I had seen, and I asked him what research had gone into making it. He laughed at that, and said that the priority for him and the other surgeons in the group was to have consistent instructions that everyone involved in the practice could refer to, so they just flipped a coin when making them. He said that the part he cared about was that he didn’t want patients going to full liquids until after he examined them at the first post-op appointment. Other than that, I could work with the NUT to come up with a post-op diet plan that worked for me. I then asked him about the 2-week pre-op liquid diet. The pre-op diet that he requires is 900 calories of Protein shakes a day. I told him that I totally understood the reason for the diet (to shrink the liver to make surgery safer), but that I didn’t understand why it had to be all liquid. Why not just 900 calories of low-carb food per day? Again, he laughed and said that there was nothing magical about the liquid part of it, it was just easier for people to stick to the diet when they didn’t have a choice about what to eat. He said that he was fine with me subbing low-carb, high-protein food into the pre-op diet, as long as the NUT approved my substitutions. He seemed to get a kick out of me and my questions. He said he could tell that I took this very seriously and had done my research. I thanked him for not treating me like an idiot, and not having a “do what I say because I am the surgeon” attitude. I have to do 6 months of “nutrition classes” to satisfy my insurance requirements, so surgery won’t be until next spring some time. I’m disappointed to have to wait so long, but I am trying to make the best of the time by really making sure I am ready for this change, and by trying to lose as much weight as I can before the surgery. I started myself on a low-carb diet of my own design, and am doing great on it so far. I’ve done low-carb diets before, and it has always been a struggle with craving carbs while on them, but I haven’t had a carb-craving yet on this one. I’ve cut out all grazing and it has helped immensely. I’m eating 1300-1500 calories a day and not feeling hungry. I know it will get harder, but right now, I’m feeling pretty good about myself.

http://www.myidentitydoctor.com/ Be sure to check out the samples of what people have written on theirs. I chose to put my first name on the front. On the back, I put my full name, then Bariatric Gastric Sleeve, then ICE (who to contact in case of emergency with phone number) and my religious affiliation. It is common, of course, to put what you are allergic to, as well. They send you a card to put more information to keep in your wallet.

Do you have a e-reader like Kindle? There are TONS of free or low cost books that will help with your meal planning and the different stages of eating. As far as pain, I think you will be surprised at what a small amount you have. The hospital should stay on top of your pain relief the first day or two so the worst pain you will have will most likely be the gas pains from the surgery. My doc doesn't even send anyone home with pain meds because it's usually minimal! If you feel like you aren't getting guidance from your bariatric team you might have to get sorta pushy about it. Make a list of questions that you have and when you go in for a visit be sure to bring your list and get them all answered. Be proactive about your care and you'll get a far better outcome!

No. You can still have the sleeve. I just had the endoscopy done a few weeks ago and they also discovered I had GERD and an ulcer as well and both the GI doctor and the Bariatric DR told me that if anything, the sleeve surgery might help the GERD go away after I lose weight. I just hear that the reflux can be a little worse right after surgery in some people, but that’s temporary.

If you are on Pinterest, there are lots of great boards and info for Bariatric diets and Protein rich foods. I have saved a lot for future. Right now, I am only a few weeks post op and in my pureed phase but my favorite so far is mini Ricotta bakes. I mix lowfat ricotta, egg, shredded parmesan and Italian seasoning, spoon into muffin pan. Cover with marinara and top with lowfat shredded mozzarella and bake at 425 for 20. I can only eat 1/2 of one "muffin" but it is delicious and the Ricotta is a good source of protein.

I am in the same boat as it relates to band and weight. I am going to use Dr.Carlos Altamirano in Mexico through BariatricPal eventually. I am having to save up. My insurance does not cover Bariatrics either.

This. My surgery is going to be done through a "Bariatric Center of Excellence" and they don't do the DS. They actually refer out to the University of Minnesota or the Mayo Clinic if I remember what the surgeon said correctly.

I had the flu in March and I'm thinking I slipped. I am in Alaska too - Anchorage and unfortunately my surgery was many years ago in CA so I have to wait 6 weeks to see the bariatric doc here - he's gone the entire month of July. I'm going to have a miserable 6 weeks. VERY frustrating. I want my band removed. It's been crooked for 5 year and I've limped along and now this is just the final straw for me. Time for it to go. I too am about 40 lbs from goal and I've been here forever since eating "good" food is really hard and I resort to stuff that isn't necessarily great for weight loss or health.

Hello! I work for a medical market research company called MedQuery. We have an opportunity for individuals who have undergone bariatric surgery within the past year. If you would like to participate, this will be an online community taking place between May 14th and May 18th. You would be asked to participate in online forum discussions with other people who have similar experiences. In appreciation for your timewe are offering $100 to participate. The aim of this research is to understand the needs of patients post-op. In order to sign up please click this link and answer a few qualifying questions or call Pilar Gosha at (312) 6984388 http://www.medqueryi...startsurvey.asp Code: 3110 This is for research purposes only and your name and contact information will never be shared. This will not result in a sales call and you will be paid $100 for your participation. Thanks!

Finally after months of tests, medical appointments, paperwork and hours of explaining to my good friends why I have finally come to this place in my life, my surgery is tomorrow. Check in for 5.30am and surgery at 7.30am. After fighting cancer 14 years ago, complications of the surgery, chemo and radiation caused significant side effects and damage that left me with health effects and took away ability to exercise and my love of trail running. My weight increased significantly. Failed diets made my weight yo-yo upwards. I started to withdraw, didn't want to go out socially. I've struggled to keep up a professional career, fit in plane seats, turned down job opportunities and put up with derogatory comments from business colleagues. I have everything planned, Protein drinks, non caffeine tea (this will he hard), vitamins/calcium supplements and chicken broth..... I have lists of the to-do's and not-to do's from the folks in my Bariatric support group..... Today this has been the first time I have nerves and second thoughts. I so want this to be successful, I am tired of being overweight for so many years, of it ruining my life and my health. I want to throw my BiPAP in the trashcan! My journey starts now - I am scared but oddly excited. Have others felt the same way?

Hello all! Got a question on vitamins pre op... i take 3 of the bariatric advantage multivitamins with iron a day and then I take an extra iron pill too since I am anemic. I also take a biotin barimelt too. Should I even be taking the multi vitamin preop? and do I need to stop them before surgery? I asked the surgeon... sent him an email... waiting for response. Just trying to see what others have done. My surgery is april 2nd so just a little over 2 weeks away.

I agree, I have been contacting them daily. I am a cash patient. I feel that they are just pushing me thru. Just really nervous. My insurance has a bariatric exclusion. I know if I went through insurance every thing would be checked.

Please don't get me wrong..I'm THRILLED with the weight I have lost. It's just slower than I thought it would have been/the drs. expected it to be (patience is NOT my virtue! LOL). I see my Primary care dr this Friday and while he is very supportive, I doubt he will have much input past "you're doing great!" LOL snce he has limited knowledge of bariatric patients. My blood pressure is down and that was his (& my!) main concern. My thyroid has been checked and my Gen Practitioner keeps up with all my Vitamins for me. Everything is good thus far. I haven't seen a dietician other than the one I saw in Mexico before my surgery but I may if things keep going as they are. My issue is that there are NO gastric drs or anything similar in my area. I'll have to research drs 1-2 hours away and even then, Ill be paying out of pocket since it's Gastric related and my insurance won't cover it. UGH. I'm like you..even just 80 would be ok with me but I'm hoping/working towards more!

I just found out that patients have to wait 1-2 years before surgery at the clinic I attend. I've been waiting 10 months now and have all my requirements done. I have no doubt in my mind that I'm ready and all the prep is almost to the point of overkill. I think someone would be less anxious if they have had any other type of major surgery before. There are relaxation techniques that are quite useful during high anxiety moments, such as major surgery. I had a major surgery where there were numerous unexpected complications. I had brought my favorite painting and had it placed in view so that I could concentrate on it and drown out voices, sounds of surgical tools, and pain. I also thought about the young children at St. Jude that had to go through so much more than I was temporarily enduring. Everyone is different, but I think a little mental preparation will keep you from backing out at the last moment. The newer requirements that make bariatric patients wait so long before surgery are put in place so that we are more than ready and less likely to fail.

And celebrate your birthday with thoughts of the wonderful chances at future birthdays with your surgery. For this gift of renewed life, volunteer for others, a soup kitchen, watch kids for a frazzled mom, read to or visit the elderly. Give someone a blessing in their life and you won't miss cake, ice cream and the other no- good- for- you type presents.

@@jessi29 You're feeling this way mainly because of hormones. It's not good to compare yourself to others - but especially a man - they always lose much faster! Hopefully you are comfortable with speaking honestly with your SO about your feelings. I am sure they are unwarranted. This will open doors for you both - and by communicating and being honest with each other - hopefully you'll be going through the doors together. Please talk to your Bariatric Team about this feeling - you may just need some medication to get you through the rough period or at the very least counseling/therapy. There's no need to go through this on your own.

@Dianne Wow, May 24. How long does the procedure take and did you come home the same day? @JaGo I definitely plan to be around through this whoe process. It was only a week and a half ago I made the decision to pursue bariatric surgery. I finally got up the nerve to call on Thursday. I am very excited about the thought of getting my life back. I'm tired of going down steps one at a time when I used run up them two at a time and not having the energy to do the things I used to do. Thank you ladies both for all your kind words and support.

Hi everyone. My name is Verna and I am tired of being fat. I have high blood pressure and pain in my knees. I have an appointment with a bariatric surgeon in July and I cannot wait to begin the process. I joined this forum to get knowledge and to meet new people who are going through what I'm going through.

I use: Drugstore.com (you can get vitamins, GNC, quest, etc. from them) Amazon Bariatric Choice My surgeon's office Walmart/sam's club Costco Direct from Quest Direct from Syntrax BariatricPal store

https://asmbs.org/patients/bariatric-surgery-misconceptions In which risk of death is listed as 0.13 percent, or 1 in 1000 the 30 days post op after surgery.

If anyone is looking for a doctor in NJ I highly recommend Dr. Ajay Goyal, Dr. Angela Jack and Dr. Stephen Forrester at the NJ Bariatric Center. I was sleeved on 1/31/11 and I received top-notch care from day one. Everything including the educational seminars, websites, insurance authorization process, and most of all, the care pre and post op was excellent! Their team made this process easy for me! P.S. I'm doing well! I've lost 55 lbs. and feeling great!!!