Alex Brecher

Here's a pic of me at ObesityWeek in LA last week. I uploaded a few more recent pics to my BariatricPal Album.

I haven't started the study as of yet. I plan on posting here to recruit members who would like to be part of the study once we're ready.

Thanks for reporting this issue. I'm going to see if we can get to the bottom of this issue once and for all.

See email I just sent you please.

TaylorBolander, Weight loss surgery is a HUGE deal and a LONG process. You say you want to hear others’ stories: mine, briefly, is that I was overweight and struggling with food for much of my life. My overweight friend got the lap-band and it worked for him, and I decided to get it. That was 12 years ago, and I couldn’t be happier with my life. My weight has stayed off and I have so much energy and ability to enjoy life. As for getting started, there are a lot of things to think about, like which surgery type (bypass, sleeve, band, or something else) you might want. Also, whether you want surgery at all! What do you hope surgery will do for you, and are you ready and able to follow the necessary diet for life to get healthy and lose weight and keep it off? Your insurance will have a large role to play in choosing a surgeon and maybe even a surgery type. If your insurance covers it, you may be limited to only a few surgeons. As you work on changing your health insurance, you can do a ton of research on your own, by doing internet searches and (like you’re doing!) hanging out on weight loss surgery forums to read and ask questions. You can also talk to your primary care doctor or another doctor. Good luck with your decision and journey!

I verified and this is definitely an issue using Internet Explorer (IE). I didn't have issues using Safari or Chrome. I'm going to see what we can do to resolve this issue.

Please provide me with a URL example or two.

Choosing a good surgeon is one of the most important parts of the early part of your weight loss surgery journey, and there are a lot of ways to find one! For example: -recommendation from your PCP or other doctor. -requirement to go to a certain surgeon or choose from a select few in your HMO or health insurance network. -word of mouth: recommendation from a friend, family member, or colleague. -internet search (e.g., Google or Yahoo! or Bing) -online directory (e.g., Yelp or BariatricPal surgeon directory) -online discussion forum or special interest group If you’re post-op, how did you find your surgeon? Are you happy with the way you went about your search? Or would you have tried something different, such as using the internet instead of word-of-mouth recommendations? If you’re pre-op, how are you looking for a surgeon? Which resources do you wish you had so you could improve your search? Or do you feel you’re already finding every possible option?

We all have foods that we love and just aren’t allowed to eat much of anymore. It could be that half a pizza, or a huge burrito, or a bag of chips, or a pan of brownies. How do you handle it when you’re faced with one of your old trigger foods, or you have a craving for it? Are you one of the people who can have just a bite and be satisfied? Or does “a bite” throw you off and turn into “a binge?” And, what are your tips for preventing binges due to cravings?

gowalking, As far as I can tell, your MIL’s health and eating are things you have no control over. So, possibly easier said than done, but maybe you can just try to take the positives from this. For example, be grateful YOU know how to eat properly to lose weight, whether it’s something you had to research yourself or you were lucky enough to have nutritional guidance. Be grateful YOU have the discipline and sense to eat properly – even if maybe you would enjoy those bagels and mixed drinks, too. Your weight is fine now. Hers is still a health hazard. I understand your reaction, and I get angry too when I see people not taking advantage of their surgery. But I try to remind myself that I can only take care of myself and not them, and I am grateful I have the support and everything else I need to help me in this lifestyle.

oldmike, Good questions. It’s always good to ask about everything that’s worrying you before you go in for surgery! I’ve always loved a good barbecue, including the food and the occasion, although I’m not (and never was) as crazy about it as some people. With the band, I can have pretty much everything I want, but I make sure to keep it in moderation, especially if I drink a little because that makes me less able to monitor portions. As you know, the sleeve’s a different animal. It messes with your alcohol metabolism so your blood alcohol shoots up faster with less alcohol than it used to. The lap-band doesn’t affect absorption, so you haven’t yet experienced that change in absorption and increased sensitivity. You should still be able to have meat and fish and all the other likely things you’d barbecue, it’ll just take a while to get there since you’ll have to get through your liquid and pureed and semi-soft diets before you can have meat off the grill. That said, as some of the members have said, you’ll probably eventually be able to enjoy your meat and red wine again, just less of it. Good luck, and let us know how it goes!

Colleen, First, congratulations on your 37 years of marriage. That takes a ton of work and dedication, and you deserve the happiness you two have found. Thank you so much for these insights! How right you are that it would be so easy to give ourselves the little joys that we deserve. I also like your observation that we need learn to identify those little things. After a little practice, it’s easier to see what makes us happy, and to appreciate everything in life a little more. Thanks for the reminder to do something nice for ourselves today. Maybe I will start wearing my “nice” hoody that I got last year…and then stuck in the closet because I didn’t want to wear it out.

Jenn1, Happy tears indeed! You look amazing – congrats on your weight loss and new life! Thanks for sharing.

Louise, Thanks so much for this article! When I was reading it, I realized how true it is that we are conditioned to get rid of bad feelings – whenever we feel something negative, we learn to distract ourselves or use some sort of other method to ignore the problem. You are so right about becoming empowered by facing our feelings. Once we learn to FEEL and accept the feelings, we can go through life without fear. We also get the chance to deal with whatever it is that triggered the feelings – and hopefully in a better way than eating, drinking, self-medicating, or smoking! Thanks for the article.

Dub, You are doing great so far! It sounds like your work schedule is brutal…but you handled it great! If you have trouble remembering to drink enough and eat on a schedule, there’s always the idea of setting your phone to ring to remind you to eat and drink. About that mattress...sorry to hear it. How frustrating! Is there some sort of Tempurpedic satisfaction guarantee that comes with a refund that you still might be eligible for? I’m sorry. Good luck at the sleep Number store this weekend. Hope the rest of your journey continues as well or better! Keep letting us know how things are going.

dusky goddess, Great idea! A massage is such a treat! Ask your surgeon, of course, but I don’t see any reason why you can’t get one 2.5 months after surgery. You can ask the masseuse to focus on your arms and legs and stay away from your torso if you’re nervous about surgery wounds. Congrats on doing so well so far! Let us know how your massage went, and keep us updated on the rest of your journey!

buzzly36, Hang in there! 500-700 calories is a really low amount of calories. It may be about ¼ of what you would need if you were trying to maintain your weight! Since calories are “energy,” it’s no wonder you feel terrible! Like the others said, just be patient. You don’t want to do anything to jeopardize your surgery. What you can do during this time is support yourself by getting plenty of fluids so you stay hydrated. Also, try to get plenty of sleep so you’re going into surgery as strong as possible. Best of luck with surgery on Monday, and let us know how it went!

Lisa, I fixed your account.

Due to some scheduling issues it doesn't look like BariatricPal will be able to attend.

We recently started selling PatchMD vitamin patches in the new BariatricPal Store. I'd LOVE to get some feedback from our members who are already using this product. Have they worked for you? Do you find them to be effective and no longer need to take pills?

Are you in the Los Angeles area and looking for plans this weekend? To provide you with the RIGHT information about weight and health, the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) will be in Los Angeles on Saturday, November 7 to host YWMLocal – Los Angeles 2015, a FREE half-day educational event taking place from 8 am to noon at the Los Angeles Convention Center. BariatricPal and yours truly will be attending and I'd LOVE to meet any of our members in-preson! This FREE half-day event is intended for anyone who has ever wanted to learn more about their weight and health. So no matter where you are in your personal journey - if you are just beginning to explore your options for weight management, if you have sought treatment and are now on the maintenance stage, if you work with individuals with obesity, or if you just need some motivation to stay on track - THIS EVENT IS FOR YOU! Our experts will address a variety of topics, such as: “The Whole Scoop – A Realistic Look at Balancing Nutrition Advice in Today’s World;” “Exercise Essentials – Learning What’s Safe and Effective;” “Taking back Your Life by Talking back to Obesity: How Changing the Conversation Really Can Change Your Motivation;” and more! “YWMLocal – Los Angeles is an excellent opportunity for the OAC to give back to the city of Los Angeles during ObesityWeek,” said Joe Nadglowski, OAC President and CEO. “The presentations are given by leaders in the healthcare field who are passionate about helping individuals who experience difficulty managing excess weight and obesity, and who truly understand what information the attendees are looking for.” We encourage you to let your family and friends know about this free event and invite them to join-in the education. The great thing about YWMLocal - Los Angeles is that the topics can apply to any individual who has ever struggled with their weight and health! Are you in or near the greater Los Angeles area? Join the OAC on Saturday, November 7, from 8:00 a.m. to noon at the Los Angeles Convention Center and hear from a variety of experts in the fields of weight, health and nutrition at YWMLocal – Los Angeles 2015. CLICK HERE to register online for this FREE one-day event. BariatricPal will be attending this event. Looking forward to meet any members that are in the LA area!!

Are you in the Los Angeles area and looking for plans this weekend? To provide you with the RIGHT information about weight and health, the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) will be in Los Angeles on Saturday, November 7 to host YWMLocal – Los Angeles 2015, a FREE half-day educational event taking place from 8 am to noon at the Los Angeles Convention Center. BariatricPal and yours truly will be attending and I'd LOVE to meet any of our members in-preson! This FREE half-day event is intended for anyone who has ever wanted to learn more about their weight and health. So no matter where you are in your personal journey - if you are just beginning to explore your options for weight management, if you have sought treatment and are now on the maintenance stage, if you work with individuals with obesity, or if you just need some motivation to stay on track - THIS EVENT IS FOR YOU! Our experts will address a variety of topics, such as: “The Whole Scoop – A Realistic Look at Balancing Nutrition Advice in Today’s World;” “Exercise Essentials – Learning What’s Safe and Effective;” “Taking back Your Life by Talking back to Obesity: How Changing the Conversation Really Can Change Your Motivation;” and more! “YWMLocal – Los Angeles is an excellent opportunity for the OAC to give back to the city of Los Angeles during ObesityWeek,” said Joe Nadglowski, OAC President and CEO. “The presentations are given by leaders in the healthcare field who are passionate about helping individuals who experience difficulty managing excess weight and obesity, and who truly understand what information the attendees are looking for.” We encourage you to let your family and friends know about this free event and invite them to join-in the education. The great thing about YWMLocal - Los Angeles is that the topics can apply to any individual who has ever struggled with their weight and health! Are you in or near the greater Los Angeles area? Join the OAC on Saturday, November 7, from 8:00 a.m. to noon at the Los Angeles Convention Center and hear from a variety of experts in the fields of weight, health and nutrition at YWMLocal – Los Angeles 2015. CLICK HERE to register online for this FREE one-day event. BariatricPal will be attending this event. Looking forward to meet any members that are in the LA area!!

The registration link has been fixed. Sorry about that! You can also access it at http://www.obesityaction.org/educational-resources/ywm-local-events . There will be free samples provided by some vendors, including BariatricPal!

Anybody here from LA? I'd love to meet our BP members in person!!

Are you in the Los Angeles area and looking for plans this weekend? To provide you with the RIGHT information about weight and health, the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) will be in Los Angeles on Saturday, November 7 to host YWMLocal – Los Angeles 2015, a FREE half-day educational event taking place from 8 am to noon at the Los Angeles Convention Center. This FREE half-day event is intended for anyone who has ever wanted to learn more about their weight and health. So no matter where you are in your personal journey - if you are just beginning to explore your options for weight management, if you have sought treatment and are now on the maintenance stage, if you work with individuals with obesity, or if you just need some motivation to stay on track - THIS EVENT IS FOR YOU! Our experts will address a variety of topics, such as: “The Whole Scoop – A Realistic Look at Balancing Nutrition Advice in Today’s World;” “Exercise Essentials – Learning What’s Safe and Effective;” “Taking back Your Life by Talking back to Obesity: How Changing the Conversation Really Can Change Your Motivation;” and more! “YWMLocal – Los Angeles is an excellent opportunity for the OAC to give back to the city of Los Angeles during ObesityWeek,” said Joe Nadglowski, OAC President and CEO. “The presentations are given by leaders in the healthcare field who are passionate about helping individuals who experience difficulty managing excess weight and obesity, and who truly understand what information the attendees are looking for.” We encourage you to let your family and friends know about this free event and invite them to join-in the education. The great thing about YWMLocal - Los Angeles is that the topics can apply to any individual who has ever struggled with their weight and health! Are you in or near the greater Los Angeles area? Join the OAC on Saturday, November 7, from 8:00 a.m. to noon at the Los Angeles Convention Center and hear from a variety of experts in the fields of weight, health and nutrition at YWMLocal – Los Angeles 2015. CLICK HERE to register online for this FREE one-day event. BariatricPal will be attending this event. Looking forward to meet any members that are in the LA area!!