Alex Brecher

I deleted about 30 posts from this topic. If you have nothing positive to add to a topic, please stay out of it. There's never a need for name calling. This is a support site, not a hate group. If I deleted a post, please consider yourself warned. I will not tolerate bullying in any shape or form. It's ok to offer some "tough love" but don't be rude and disrespectful to other members. I've really had enough of this behavior.

It’s hard to believe it, but July 18 marks my 12-year Surgiversary! 12 years ago, I weighed 255 lbs (at a height of 5’7”). That was at age 25, after years of being overweight and yo-yo dieting. I got the lap-band on July 18, 2003, under the skillful hand of Dr. Christine Ren-Fielding in New York, and the rest, as they say, is history. I have my life back and it’s better than ever. I feel like the luckiest man in the world. I have a wonderful family with the best children ever, and I have the health and energy to be able to keep up with them and be a real part of their lives. I am also thrilled every day to be able to advocate for weight loss surgery patients through BariatricPal, working with major obesity, WLS, and medical organizations, and I am so grateful for the lap-band and getting my life back. I also want to thank BariatricPal members and supporters. When I founded the boards right after my surgery in 2003, there wasn’t much other online support out there. The discussion forums helped me through some tough times, and I am so glad it is able to help others as they approach surgery, recover from it, lose weight, and maintain their loss.

They were running out of an older wing at Oasis of Hope. They never operated out of the new Bariatric wing. BariatricPal TeamMX moved out of florence since the entire hospital has become pretty scary to operate out of.

Wow, you made my day Being part of this community has definitely kept me motivated and accountable. If I can do it, anyone can!

We are looking into this issue. Thanks for letting me know!

This is where I wear them as well.

Choosing the right surgeon can give you a better chance of WLS success. Getting surgery with a good surgeon lowers your risk of complications. A surgeon who answers your questions and gives you confidence can also lead to better health and weight loss because you will know how to take care of yourself pre-op and post-op. There are a lot of factors that go into finding a good surgeon. You may not have much of a choice if your insurance is running the show. Otherwise, you might consider online reviews, recommendations from your current healthcare team, your gut feeling after meeting potential surgeons, and whether you like the support staff. Past patient testimonials and results can be persuasive, too! Then there are practical matters, like location and cost. If you’ve already had surgery or chosen a surgeon, how did you choose your doctor? If you’re in the process or you’re about to start looking, which factors are most important to you? Share your thoughts and strategies, and maybe you’ll help out some other members who are looking around!

They offer free Vitamins, scar cream and Protein shakes and bill your insurance for them.

It’s always best to get your surgery done with a surgeon you trust completely. The journey is easier when you can go with whatever your surgeon tells you without worrying about checking the information online or asking around for a second opinion. Still, there are many reasons why you might not be able to trust your surgeon 100%. You may be the type of patient who believes that taking charge of your health care means double checking everything you are told, so you believe your surgeon mostly but still need to check the instructions yourself. Or, you might find that your surgeon doesn’t explain enough or answer your questions, so you feel the need to investigate more thoroughly. Or, maybe you’ve caught your surgeon saying something you don’t agree with, so now you feel the need to check into everything. So, how much do you trust your surgeon? Do you follow his or her instructions blindly, or are you careful to double check?

I am working with a well-respected researcher and the National Science Foundation (NSF) to help them better understand patient perspectives on Obesity. I have four simple questions for you and would greatly appreciate your responses! We do not need member names and all information will be kept confidential. What are/were your biggest challenges during the weight loss process? (insurance, medication, surgery, maintenance etc) What would you like to have different to solve the problems that you need to face? And why? (new weight loss medication, new surgery approaches, more support groups, new insurance plan etc.) How much money do you spend for weight loss every year? (food, exercise, support groups, medications etc) How did you learn about the surgery/medications that you had/used/are using?

InsureNutrition is 100% legit! They've assisted hundreds of BariatricPal members over the years.

Have you gone back to your surgeon to address your concerns? I would only use a surgeon for follow up that's listed on http://www.lapband.com/LWFindASpecialist . Many Bariatric surgeons are just interested in "cutting" and don't do a good job as Lap-Band surgeons and will suggest an unnecessary weight loss surgery revision.

I am working with a well-respected researcher and the National Science Foundation (NSF) to help them better understand patient perspectives on Obesity. I have four simple questions for you and would greatly appreciate your responses! We do not need member names and all information will be kept confidential.

I suggest deleting your browsers cache. There might be some other underlying issue. I just tested the site with two different iPads.

Dear BariatricPal Members, I have exciting news! The BariatricPal Store is open for business at http://Store.Bariatricpal.com! My goal is for it to be your source for all your bariatric needs: Protein supplements, high-protein meals and Snacks, bariatric Vitamins, and health supplements. The BariatricPal Store: a Trustworthy Source for Your Bariatric Needs BariatricPal wants to support you in every way possible during your pre-op and post-op weight loss surgery journey. You already know we provide the forums to help with social support and information. With The BariatricPal Store, you now have a trusted source for bariatric meals, snacks, and supplements. One-Stop Shopping for Weight Loss and Health The BariatricPal Store stocks the products that can make it easier for you to stick to your weight loss surgery diet while you stay nourished and healthy. We have high quality, great tasting, and easy meals and snacks. High-protein, low-carb hot and cold breakfasts, and lunch and dinner Entrees. Protein snacks, including Cookies, chips, pretzels, and puddings. Protein Bars, shakes, and powders. Bariatric vitamins and health supplements for all weight loss surgery types. More Reasons to Visit The BariatricPal Store I’m determined to make The BariatricPal Store your first choice for all your weight loss surgery needs. Here are a few more reasons to come by the store! A free sample with every order. Free expedited shipping on orders over $59 The option to sign up for Subscribe and Save with 5-10% discounts, and the comfort in knowing you won’t run out. Guaranteed highest quality and lowest prices on the web. Frequent discounts and specials. I want to make sure The BariatricPal Store has what you need for your pre-op and post-op diets, maintenance, general health, and back-on-track weight loss diets. I invite you to go shopping at store.bariatricpal.com and share your comments! Use the following coupon code for %10 off the entire site: IHEARTBPSTORE Thanks, Alex Brecher CEO & Founder of BariatricPal

That's a little odd. We've received a large amount of orders over the last two days. At what point of the checkout process is it freezing up? Which browser are you using?

Whether you are pro-Trump, you are pro-Clinton, or you are abstaining from voting as an act of conscientious objection to this year’s election, I think we can all agree that November 9, the first day post-election, will be welcome. Then we can focus on other things, such as Thanksgiving! It’s coming up quickly, on November 24. You may have quite a few worries if this is your first Thanksgiving on the weight loss surgery journey, since your experience this year will be like any in the past. Even if you are a WLS veteran and have some experience with Thanksgiving, these kinds of dinners always present challenges with too much food, the wrong kinds of foods, and a lot of pressure to eat things you know you shouldn’t. One thing you can always do to make sure there is something healthy for you to eat is to serve or bring it yourself. If you are hosting Thanksgiving dinner, you can make all kinds of healthy alternatives such as roasted veggies and casseroles made with low-fat ingredients. If you are going to be a guest, you can bring a green salad (dressing on the side) or a fruit plate. Stick to your veggies or fruit and some turkey, and you can do pretty well on this day. What is your plan to make sure there will be everything you need for a healthy meal at Thanksgiving? Will you supply your own veggies, fruit, or Protein, or will you depend on the turkey and sides that will be at the dinner? Share your strategies here – we all need help to get through this day!

@@Missbeauty16, Great idea to brainstorm for questions to ask! You might ask: -How do I contact you for an urgent question during office hours? How do I contact you for an urgent question during off hours? -What are your rules about caffeine/alcohol/certain foods (anything that you have concerns about in your post-op life)? -What are some of the most common mistakes you see your patients make? -Which support group will I be attending? -How will you help prepare me for maintenance as I approach goal weight? -What does the support system look like in terms of a nutritionist and psychologist or counselor?

@@Travelher, There can be a lot of pressure, but a lot of it is in your head. The server is just doing his or her job by asking you how you are doing and how the food is; the server is not intentionally pressuring you to eat more against your will. In this case, I would think the only person who matters much (besides yourself, of course) is your husband. Given that you did the same thing 10 years ago while dating him and now you are married, I am guessing he can handle your eating habits at restaurants. It is not important to worry about the server. You can tell the server whatever you want: that you are full, that you don’t feel well, that you’re taking a break and will finish the rest later, etc. Good for you for sticking to your guns and eating only that small amount of soup!

@@show1980, Congratulations on your surgery, and congratulations on feeling exactly how most gastric sleeve patients feel at this time post-op! It is hard, but these feelings will pass as your body heals and you have less pain and you lose weight. What you can do now to help yourself recover faster and feel better, and even set yourself up for better weight loss later, is to take care of yourself. Work hard to get in the fluids you need, even though drinking is very difficult now. Sip fluids all day as much as you can. As soon as your surgeon allows you, get in your Protein, too. I know you are hurting and uncomfortable, but that’s normal, so try not to worry.

@@Daniel2015, Oh, my goodness. Congratulations – you look amazing! You deserve to look amazing for all that hard work!

@@RJrocks, Replacement addictions are definitely a concern after weight loss surgery. The explanation is that if you are addicted to food and you use bariatric surgery to take food away, you become addicted to something else: whether negative such as alcohol, or positive such as exercise. When you said your surgeon said 1 in 10 patients becomes an alcoholic post-op, I thought that was crazy high! But then I found this: it may be the study he was referring to about alcohol use disorders (AUD). It says, “10.7 percent of patients reported symptoms of AUD” by 2 years post-op, and 1 in 8 had at least 3 drinks per day on a typical drinking day. The information is from the national Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery (LABS) study. Wow. I had known that alcohol abuse could become a problem, but not that it was so common! If I were you, I would ask the surgeon which patients are more likely to develop alcohol abuse, and whether you have those characteristics. I am guessing that the patients who develop alcoholism after WLS are the ones who are addicted to food rather than just have poor eating habits, or who use food as an emotional crutch. If you use food for comfort or to hide your feelings, you might want to think hard about what you can use instead post-op (besides alcohol), and how you can address your feelings in healthier ways. Good luck!

@@ShelterDog64, Thanks for your thoughts on this. It is always upsetting when weight loss surgery patients are clearly not ready to take the plunge or should not have taken the plunge because they are clearly not ready: for example, they are asking when is the soonest they can go back to their old eating habits and foods, or, as you pointed out, do not take responsibility for their own situations. I hope that anyone who is considering WLS or who has it does take responsibility for their actions and for their circumstances. A lot of us who struggle with obesity definitely do have harder paths than some others: there may be some genetic problems, and we often have family habits that are not healthy, and we also have emotional issues and use food for comfort. Still, we need to accept those as part of our lives, and work to overcome them. On the positive side…I doubt if the time you spent on here was a waste. You can use it as an opportunity to look inside yourself and make sure you are taking all the steps you know need to be taken to keep yourself on the losing track like you’re on now – congratulations on your accomplishments so far!

@@amiskinnyyet, Congratulations on your recent surgery! Good question. I am glad you are healing well and feeling good (although tired). It is also good that you are focused on listening to your body, which is a skill that takes a long time to develop but will serve you well! I would caution you that most weight loss surgery patients are still not yet fully in tune with their bodies at this point post-op. It takes a lot of practice, so I would suggest partly listening to your body, and mostly listening to your meal plan. I would suggest following the meal plan and instructions that your surgeon gave you for your post-op diet. Eating eggs and turkey sausage at this point sounds a little premature for most pre-op diets, but your surgeon or nutritionist is really the one to ask. If your body is feeling fatigued from lack of nutrients and eggs and turkey sausage are not yet allowed, you might consider upping your intake of Protein shakes to get the calories and protein you would otherwise get from adding in eggs and sausage. When you do get to real pureed foods after having only liquids, your surgeon or nutritionist might suggest starting with something like yogurt, which is easier than eggs and sausage. Good luck!

@sze1109, You have gotten some good advice about going for savory Protein sources instead of sweet ones. You can add unflavored protein powder to broth or buy protein Soups while you are on your liquid diet. For fluids to stay hydrated, you can have Water plain or with lemon or lime juice or sprigs of mint, and decaf tea. Once you get to pureed foods, the sky is the limit! You can add unflavored protein powder to pureed canned green Beans and carrots, pureed watery mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes, and pureed cream of wheat or possibly oatmeal (ask your surgeon). You can also get protein from yogurt, pureed egg whites, pureed lean ground turkey or soy crumbles, and pureed tuna while still on the pureed foods diet. Another thought about sugar-free sweet options is to check the label to see which kinds of sweeteners are in the food or beverage. There are so many different kinds now, and it is possible that some, but not all, give you stomach troubles. If you want, you could try to sort out whether you might be able to handle sugar alcohols (not likely), aspartame, sucralose, monk fruit, stevia, or acesulfame potassium. Good luck! You can definitely succeed pre-op and post-op without artificial sweeteners or calorie-free sugar substitutes.