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Hi All! I'm scheduled for the sleeve on August 3rd. I'm trying to be proactive and get anything I may need or find useful in the long run. I happened to come across bariatric cook books and honestly I had never thought about this before. Has anyone used these and found them beneficial? If so, any suggestions? Thanks! 🙂

I'm not familiar with that company, but two plastic surgeons whom A LOT of bariatric patients have used are Francisco Saucedo in Monterrey and Laura Carmina Cardenas in Tijuana. here's Dra. Carmina Cardena's site. So far I haven't found one for Dr. Saucedo but will keep looking. It could be he doesn't have one -- or it also could be that he's now retired. I'll check https://www.beauty-enhance.com/ Here it is - Dr. Sauceda's site (I guess?) Hmmm....looks like he's scheduling under this group now. Maybe because of a decline in business during the worst of the pandemic? Not sure. http://www.medicaltourism.com.mx/

Have any of you Done medical tourism For your plastic surgery? If so do you mind sharing where you went, your thoughts, cost anything you feel like sharing. I thought bariatric pal had a relationship for plastic surgeons in Mexico for after you lost all your weight but I’m not finding the link.

Well... Technically gastric bypass is reversible. The sleeve is not. So technically they could put things back the way it was and do a sleeve tho you would have a much smaller pouch. But here is a article regarding that. You may have issues finding a surgeon to do it so i would at least start calling bariatric surgery centers and asking. https://www.bariatric-surgery-source.com/gastric-sleeve-after-failed-gastric-bypass.html

So I can't stand light mayo or light salad dressings and I'm not sure I'll be a fan of Greek yogurt in its place. I get to start week 3 tomorrow and I'm so dang excited becuase I plan to make egg salad (I raise backyard chickens so can't wait to finally get back to eating their butt nuggets! 🤣), chicken salad, and tuna salad and I was planning on using regular mayo. My question as a new post bariatric patient is future plans with this eating lifestyle. My nutritionist said I won't be eating carbs for a while and even when I do start to introduce them, she said a lot of bariatric patients don't tolerate much of them. I was thinking low carb would be best for me as I have done it before but how would that work if I need to do low fat too? I've done keto before and to me, it's sooo much easier than low fat so I'm curious what others are doing successfully. Is there a way to find a happy medium between low carb and low fat?

This was the best thing ever! I am 9 days post op and tbh kind of feel guilty how easy my recovery has been. Dr Fuzz, my Dr, actually teaches bariatric surgeries, did the hiatal repair/vsg robotically. Honestly I read the surgery report cause I am nosey. Plus really strange to get a test result notice and find out your old tummy was checked for any and all possible underlying medical conditions. Good news everything is normal. He made sure I had all but my pain meds 10days prior to surgery so if possible I wouldn't have to go to the pharmacy. As soon as I woke up I got an antinausea patch behind my ear good for 3days. I had no pain, no gas, no nausea. I started walking asap. I went in at noon on the 13th I was discharged by 11:30am on the 14th. As my tummy heals my incisions small and a straight line. I always said I could see life before surgery but I didn't know what it would be like after. It better than I could ever dream.

I am in the same boat - coming up on 7 months, and I've lost about a pound and a half in the last 30 days. My weight goes down, then the next week it goes up (sometimes for two weeks!) then back down to where I was before or maybe a tiny bit lower - its a slog and I'm not sure what to do. Very frustrating! I know to expect a slowdown, and my bariatric nurse warned me a lot of people stall around 200 lbs which is where I am. Its encouraging to hear its common to stall for up to several weeks, just frustrating. I guess hang in there? I'm going to reach out to my team, too, to see if there's anything I need to tweak.

My surgery is scheduled July 14th and I'm getting nervous. My bariatric surgeon instructed me to avoid patches and gummies. I'm going to try the patches anyway better that then nothing at all. I'm going with the patches because most supplements have soy, eggs, yeast, wheat, gluten and plant based properties in them. I'm intolerant (significant bloat throughout body, skin irritations, canker sores, irritability, dumping--mainly due to having my gallbladder removed) of all the above. I'd be curious to hear from others who find the patches effective and the results of bloodwork to back up your claim. Thanks!

I am so happy for this thread. I got Opurity chewables w/45 iron (I was anemic before surgery so yay iron) and no just no. The smell the taste makes me gag. I was gonna try to finish the bottle cause I hate wasting money, but I can't do a full 90days of these things. I think I will try bariatric pal.

I am a full on vegan. I eat whole food plant based diet. I had surgery July 2020. As long as you eat your veggies n some beans even a sweet potato they all have protein. I have amazing blood results I only take vitamin D and B complex every other day. I have lost 106 lb n kept it off even after recovering from a total hip surgery one year almost to the day from my sleeve surgery. You should not fear the crazy high protein. Your body will let you know what it needs. There is always Vegan protein shakes and you can blend some green smoothies n drink through out the day. You will be fine. I love listening to Dr Garth Davis’s lectures on YouTube. He is a vegan Bariatric surgeon. Why don’t you give him a listen. You will probably have less stress feeling after you hear him and feel more confident in the process. Good luck!

Do you have an eating plan from your bariatric group? It should tell you exactly what and how much you should eat. I may be wrong cuz I don’t have my book near me, but 6 oz does seem like a large amount in one meal.

My nutritionist did go over a vitamin regimen with me. They recommended the Bariatric Advantage Ultra Solo w/ Iron. They also recommended that I take a calcium citrate supplement either 1x or 2x daily. She said that it depends on if I supplement with a protein shake, whether or not I need to take 1 or 2 of those.

I had VSG in Tijuana, Mx. at HospitalBC with Dr. Illan, so I can only speak to my own personal experience. I did about 200 hours of research before my surgery and based on that research, finances, and other personal considerations, decided to go the Medical Tourism route and have been very happy with that decision. These hospitals ONLY do bariatric surgeries and are geared towards medical tourists. They run a VERY well oiled machine from intake to discharge. The process was so smooth, I was completely confident going alone. The surgeon I chose is highly accredited, has done thousands of WLS procedures, has relationships and mentorships with some of the most well known US bariatric surgeons for continuing ed, is board certified, etc. He is just as qualified, if not more so, than many of the bariatric surgeons in my area. The reality is, there are amazing surgeons in the US and just as many in Mexico and other places. Conversely, there are terrible surgeons here and everywhere else. There are pros and cons to each, and every person has different needs. Ultimately it boils down to doing your research, finding a surgeon you trust, and a program that fits your needs. Regarding your questions above: 1 - No, it was a combination of finances, timeline, convenience, and other factors. 2 - No, I did not get an option. My surgeon uses a 32 as his standard and will only deviate when appropriate for the patient. 3 - I met with my PCP before I went and she was extremely supportive. She does all my post-op labs, checked my incisions, offered dietary support, etc. She now recommends my surgeon to other patients who are interested in going out of country for the procedure. 4 - The hospital I chose was staffed with additional medical personnel in case of emergencies, but that really wasn't a consideration for me. The instance/risk of major complications DURING surgery is essentially nil. 5 - Complications aren't usually the result of a surgical mistake, so there is generally nothing for the surgeon to "fix" they typically are just the result of a person's own body's healing. For instance, a stricture is one of the most common (though still extremely rare) post-op complications, and they are almost never a direct result of surgical error. They just happen. 6 - My hospital offers lifetime nutritional support, which is great. That being said, I HIGHLY recommend some serious counseling before & after to deal with the emotional/mental work that has to be done. I was really well informed pre-op but still felt like the extra support would be critical, and it was. I would also suggest ongoing community support - either here, or something like BariNation (which I LOVE), or a local support group. I am a card carrying, people hating, highly independent introvert and have still found community support to be vital to my success. 7 - I wish I had known how ridiculously kind and accommodating the staff would be. I went alone and really kept to myself, but the one time I needed the staff they were incredibly responsive and very kind. In hindsight, I wish I had been more engaged. *going out of order* 9 - It takes time. Most people will NOT be able to hit their protein and water goals right away. It took me probably 3 months before I was able to get there consistently. It just takes a crap ton of work. I keep water handy at ALL times, and drink, drink, drink like its my job. I was never advised to drink warm water or to adjust my intake in any way. Just drink, all the time. 8 - I am going to say this as gently and with as much love as I possibly can - This is not your journey and you would serve your wife best by keeping your opinions to yourself. Unless you have lived in her brain and her body, you cannot understand what she is going through, what is driving her behaviors, or what toll it is taking on her mental health. I can guarantee you, she feels plenty of shame already and doesn't need you second guessing her ability to be successful. The best thing you can do is research, report back, support her, and shut up. My husband is thin and has the metabolism of a hummingbird. He has never struggled with his weight and as such has no frame of reference and no ability to understand. He recognized this early on, and has thus deferred to me on every diet, every fast, every medication, and ultimately my decision to have surgery. His unconditional support, free of opinions and judgment, was the kindest gift he ever gave to me. I know you love her, and you clearly want her to succeed. But the baggage you are forcing her to drag around is entirely unhelpful. A much more valuable way to help would be to help her find a therapist so she can do the work that would set her up for success long term.

At Renew Bariatrics they do bypass and gastric and some ball one...🤔 and the band. Most ppl get gastric (they even have mini gastric) or sleeve. Renew is right across the boarder too. Literally a 7 min drive once through the boarder. I was anti Mexico but omg these guys are AMAZING! Can't express that enough. Best decision ever. Anyway. Gotta go weigh myself 🥳🙏

I went to Renew Bariatrics in Tijuana Mexico. AMAZINGGGG! Dr Perez is the best! Double board certified in the US and Mexico. $4,600 total. Includes pick up from San Diego airport, surgery, 2 nights hospital stay, 1 night hotel stay (optional, I opted out to get home:) and transportation back to San Diego airport. Absolute AMAZING experience. I can't express that enough. I'm down 22 lbs in 16 days and started with a low BMI, 31. No pain after surgery whatsoever. Swear I was questioning the doc like, did you even do anything lol Best experience ever. The worst part was the 2nd night at the hospital bc I felt so normal I just wanted to go hommmmme lol Feel free to email me. I'll send pics n all. They have a FB group that can be joined where thousands of ppl share their experiences. Here's my email to reach out directly. Totally forgot I even joined this forum until I got a random notification today lol Cjones61985 @yahoo.com

I just went to Renew Bariatrics in Tijuana Mexico on 6/4. YOU WILL NOT FIND BETTER DOCS! Look em up on Google. They are double board certified in the US and Mexico. They all speak English. It was $4600 and that includes transportation from hotel or San Diego airport to the facility and then back to either one after 2 nights in hospital. One night hotel stay included but I opted out. I wanted to get home to my baby's and felt no pain after surgery whatsoever. Dr Perez was AMAZING!! He only did 2 incisions bc my liver was so small 😍🙌 They have a Facebook group and all where THOUSANDS of ppl have gotten the surgery. Before and after pics. All diff questions answered. It's so awesome! I'm 16 days post op and down almost 22 lbs. Feel free to email me personally, I'll send pics n all. Totally forgot I even joined this group until I got a notification today. Would love to help all men and women go to Renew Bariatrics! Seriously you won't regret it 🙃 cjones61985 @yahoo.com

So I ended up going to Renew Bariatrics in Tijuana Mexico. Dr Perez. 6/4. Omg BEST EXPERIENCE EVERRRRRR!!! No pain waking up. Seriously felt like they didn't even do anything lol $4,600 in total. Doc only did 2 incisions bc he said my liver was so small. I'm down 21.5 lbs in 16 days. Seriously the best decision ever. Email if yall want any info *see below. Look em up on Google. Fabulousssss reviews. Pics n all. They pick you up from airport. Take you across boarder. 2 nights in hospital then to a hotel (which I opted out of) then back to the San Diego airport. Super smooth process!🥳👏👏👏 Cjones61985 @yahoo.com

Hi Dolly - I'd love to share my experience. I did the travel program through Alabama Bariatrics. My surgery was scheduled on a Tuesday. I had to be in Alabama for an in person consult and final labs on Monday, surgery on Tuesday then I stayed overnight at the hospital until Weds. I was discharged to a hotel and had to stay local that night then I was able to drive home on Thursday. All of the pre-surgery labs were done through my primary care physician. My initial contact with Alabama Bariatrics was at the end of November 2021 and my surgery ended up being March 2022. It could have been much sooner but I didn't have a primary care physician so I had to wait almost 2 months for a new patient appointment which delayed things. Also, I could have gotten surgery in mid-February but I chose to wait until March so I could have it done the week my kids were on spring break so my parents (babysitters) didn't have to worry about taking them back and forth to school. Here's their website: https://alabariatrics.com/ feel free to ask me anything! I would highly recommend them, the entire process was super easy.

Hey all, my wife is looking into the gastric sleeve surgery, of course I am the one with all the questions about it. Hoping maybe someone could help with any anecdotal evidence at least. I'm trying to reduce the "I wish we knew x before doing this" ... Anyway, for obvious reasons we are looking at Mexico. The first one she sent me was Elias Ortiz out of Tijuana. So I looked into him more, and read about some very poor (in my opinion) things about him, I think mostly when he was with ALM (or whatever it's called). Of course the first surgeon we look at giving me the eebie geebies is not a great start. He's not officially out of running, but we have looked into the following now. Odd that there didn't seem to be lists of them. Haven't looking into everything equally, our spoken to the coordinator on prices or anything, but these are probably in order of what we like. Endobariatric in Piedras Negras with Guillermo Alvarez LIMARC in Tijuana with Liza María Pompa González Obesity Control Center in Tijuana with Ariel Ortiz Elias Ortiz & Co in Tijuana VIDA Bariatrics in Tijuana with Gabriela Rodriguez Ruiz So I guess the questions are the following. If anyone could answer whatever question you may be able to add to, that would be great. Thanks!! 1) After deciding on Mexico, what was the overriding determinant in picking a surgeon, was it only price? 2 Did you get to pick the bougie size? I read a study (odd that I only found one) about bougie sizes - apparently 32 fr and 40 fr are the 2 commonest sizes? Anyway the study said that there was no materially significant weight loss difference between the two sizes, but there were less complications with the 40 fr size. Also in her situation, she's 5'10", and her general body type is such that her most healthy weight is going to be more than others her height, so I fear something too restrictive could come with problems of their own. 3 I've read about issues where people's Drs don't support post op care for out of country surgeries. This was old info though. Have people found this to still be the case? Is it only for the primary doctors, or only bariatric doctors? Or both, or is that not really a thing anymore? 4 What about complications during surgery. I have to imagine they send you to an ER in the states. I understand at that point our insurance will cover the emergency internationally, but not sure the MX hospital would be adequately staffed, and may have to send us to a place in the US. Any issues with transportation delays having to cross border? 5 Complications after you return home... I assume no, but are there any that, if we are about to make it back out, would fix the problem for like no cost or reduced fee? 6 Post op care. Like weeks/months/years... Is there a type of support you wish you had but was not provided? Nutritionist, or type of PT or psychologist/psychotherapist that focuses on mental issues that may arise after the big life change, to avoid body dysmorphia from moving to a different body part... I know the OCC place mentioned 5 years worth of support. Not sure if that is worth it, or if it's just something out there for fluff because it seems like something that would be useful for patients, but actually patients after the fact realize it's not helpful. 7 anything you know now, but would've been really helpful to know beforehand? Whether generally, or issues that would be specific to MX vs going to a place in US? 8 wondering the success of people with situation like her... In my opinion her problem isn't with overeating/the size of her stomach. She doesn't eat because she's hungry, so I'm not sure the impact this has on ghrelin will be a huge help. She invites an environment where she keeps low metabolism, skips meals, snacks on crap, drinks artificial sweeteners, takes medication that has been shown to lower metabolism. I tell her she needs to eat more protein, fiber, and 'eat like a diabetic' and when she works out (which she doesn't even do anymore), it's more of a benefit to go shorter sessions, but with more intensity, as that is best for your metabolism ... She says "Believe it or not, I actually learned this in college (for her nursing degree) and I know what I need to do" but yet does not do at all what she needs to do - and yet also simultaneously complains that she's tried everything to lose weight, even though that's not the case, particularly in last few years when she's out on anywhere from 20-40 pounds (guess). Looking at all the pre and post op diets, it looks like there's a focus on protein (as one would expect). So she's like, addicted to the dopamine I guess that she gets. She eats because she knows it's there. So while I am sure she will lose a bunch of weight offer the first 6-12 months, I tell her I'm more worried about being back where she is now 5 years after the fact, due to her behaviors that have put us in this situation in the beginning. There have been a handful of things that she's done (each successive thing being more expensive), where she's like "if I get x then it will force me to do y" and that's basically her 'argument' here. 9 related to above, how does one stay hydrated while exercising, esp in heat? Or even being sick? Is it recommended to drink warm water, due to the quicker absorption than cold?

Dolly cakes I am going to WakeMed Bariatrics in Cary NC. They are great. There is also a place in Greenville NC near the hospital there that does the sleeve only that has a self pay program.

My experience has been completely different from the ones I read above. I’m in Wake County NC, and if coming here for surgery is an option, I would suggest exploring that option. I began the process in January with research and my surgery was June 8, 2022. My initial ZOOM consult with the Patient Administrator and the surgeon lasted 2 hours: 30 minutes with PA and 90 minutes with the surgeon. I went through EXTENSIVE pre-procedure testing: physically and psychologically. A massive hiatal hernia was diagnosed, and I was screened by a cardiologist (also extensive) before everything was sent to my insurance company. I also had a sleep study and a CPAP machine was prescribed. I went to a nutrition introduction and the nutritionist has been there since February to answer every question. I had a nutrition meeting 1 week prior to surgery, and the nutritionist conducted another class while I was in the hospital and came to see me 2 mornings in the hospital and I have another class in a week. The hospital and practice I used are CIGNA Bariatric Centers For Excellence. They practice ERAS- Enhanced Recovery After Surgery. I was never given narcotics…only a nerve block and two mild pain meds prior to surgery. I did not need any pain medication either post op or when I came home. The care I received was absolutely top notch from beginning to end. The hospital staff was superb. If this is an option for anyone, I recommend it without hesitation. I am 67 years old and I intend to lose 100 lbs. i underwent a hernia repair for a massive hiatal hernia, my gallbladder was removed and I had gastric bypass. Hope this helps someone.

Why can’t I have caffeine after bariatric bypass? And if I can drink it again, when can I start drinking it?

I thought I saw some where that UCLA is a level 1 center of excellence for bariatric surgery. Could you go there?

The awful smell from the capsules could be because your sense of smell can become more sensitive after surgery. It is only temporary. If they still smell awful to you this far out it could just be something in the Bariatric Advantage thats more specific to you. Like the smell of ramen noodle places & Red Door perfume makes me cringe.

Hello all! I was wondering what insurance in Arkansas covers weight loss surgery? I do have Arkansas Works through Blue Cross Blue Shield, which is funded by Arkansas Medicaid. I’ve been told by different hospitals that it doesn’t cover weight loss surgery. But I also chose this plan because I was told over the phone it paid for the vertical sleeve. I’ve researched a million different types of insurance, and been told a million different things. I fit all the criteria, and have the weight loss attempts documented. I’ve seen a therapist, nutritionist, and have a letter from a surgeon saying I could benefit from the surgery, which is all the conditions of BCBS. I’ve damn near had a surgery date set a handful of times, waiting on insurance approval but every time they say it’s excluded in my plan, and it’s upsetting because I begin the process being told it does cover. Pay out of pocket for other stuff, and get excited thinking it’ll be different this time. For the last 3 years, I’ve chosen insurance based on the coverage for bariatric surgery, then once I’m locked in to a plan and they tell me to go ahead and jump through all these hoops to make sure I fit the criteria while I wait for approval, I’m told differently and I’m disappointed. I’m getting a little upset!