swimbikerun

@@SuperDave that is quite interesting. Thanks for bring up what you did. Enjoy listening to all facets. I think its good that we do try to examine all our options.

Yes to all of the above and more.

Question for you: why are you focusing on this instead of getting and working on the life you want to have? I don't regret my family members with diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems, etc. from obesity related diseases. Whether it is food or something else, jealousy and envy is going to be on their side once you have started losing more weight, getting healthier, and having a better QoL.

@@lisacaron thank you for that. This is quite true: I had a group that was very boilerplate and the surgeon wouldn't answer the indepth questions. Basic ones but if you asked something out of the "cookbook" then you didn't get an answer and would be labelled. This is why I'm particular about telling people to ask beforehand. If it is just the surgeons' experience, well they discount *our* experiences, why should they, as people of science, not rely on studies or at least some sort of rational more than one persons' experience background?

You can always not tell them and do it. I would ask what their medical reasoning basis for this is. That is usually a good indication about the surgeon and the office. different groups do different things, and all may work.

She is very good. Btw, FB does have a few good groups. May be we should start one here?

You took the first step: you recognized an issue and I'm sure you are going to start looking for answers to do something about it.

We can feel for you. Its ok to whine here. We all have times of "oh my this is too much". You can get thru this. No matter what, the tiny bits we have left make it easier to lose weight.

If any one reads information on pregnancy after bariatric surgery, this is a summary article that talks about issues such as Vitamin deficiencies, who should be included on the team caring for bariatric patients. They do give major issues for care in one of the tables as a summary. Its a short read. ISRN Obesity Volume 2013, Article ID 492060, 6 pages http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2013/492060 Review Article Nutrition and Pregnancy after Bariatric Surgery Lukasz Kaska,1 Jarek Kobiela,1 Anna Abacjew-Chmylko,2 Lukasz Chmylko,2 Magdalena Wojanowska-Pindel,1 Paulina Kobiela,3 Anna Walerzak,1 Wojciech Makarewicz,1 Monika Proczko-Markuszewska,1 and Tomasz Stefaniak1

@@Mel13 that is an excellent response.

Maybe. That's the only thing I could think of.

@@CowgirlJane Could it be a more liberal electorate?

@@Big_Mama @@silvertaurus @@phantompouch There are always going to be some issues now and then. Things happen. It is best to approach this that people know what is going on and pick surgeons and groups that are equipped to deal with them. I got blown off and lost care in the area because the surgeon didn't pick up on the gallbladder, the gastroparesis, food intolerances that are in the medical research, etc.). I tell this so people know what some will do, what they are capable of, and hopefully to ask questions before you get involved with a group so that you get the best care possible. There is nothing like having problems not of your choosing, you get dumped and the surgeon who said he would do things to interfere with my relationship with other doctors, did so. No one wants that. Choose wisely and carefully.

Phantompouch, have you been evaluated by someone who knows what malnutrition is by the *medical research*? If you have problems, feel free to message me. I'll help in any way I can. I've had enough retaliation from doctors from some miscues from the bariatric surgeon, I know what the situation feels like.

Silvertaurus who and what kinds of docs have you been evaluated by? I've had a boatload of them and I can help you in terms of that. I'm a sort of nerd who prefers the medical research, that's my big issue.

Same here. My BP was borderline high only. I had GP and that was the deciding factor. Victoria

FishingNurse thank you for bringing this to our attention. I hadn't heard of it.

That's what we're here for. Really, what difference does it make what surgery a person gets? Do your best, go for it. Its like where they get it done. Who cares? If they get healthier, WHY is it a big deal? I just think that is totally incomprehensible that some insurances won't cover it, so that's why I support that. Just so wrong. It is like saying you aren't worth it to me. I can see somethings, but if a person is willing to go this route, for the love of all that's holy, give them a chance. Besides, from what I understand there are more decent surgeons in Mexico than what I had here. My surgeon has a pretty good staff and he's a great cutter but unfortunately dealing with problems & fixing them is part and parcel of being a doctor.

Um nerd alert response ... the problem is that everyone I know who has smoked or is smoking is skinny. Alcoholics, they can be skinny even though they eat (drink really) a lot of sugar. I would suspect the issue has more to do with taxation than anything else. They can earn $$$ in Colorado from pot. You can't earn it (as in show it going directly to state coffers) in terms of WLS. The payment for WLS is like 5 years or more to earn back what you paid for it (used to be 2, this is another study done more recently). Pot is going to get more in the coffers in terms of taxes that you can measure, its quicker, and you can invite people from the surrounding states for it. Remember, this is medicine. Follow the money. Congrats on your surgery. I don't care where people get it as long as they are healthy and follow up on what they need to. If insurances are rotten and cheesy enough not to see that it helps their bottom lines, then I'm all for people being able to get it safely. I support the mess out of it actually. I personally think it would be worth it to send signed return receipt letters to the heads of the groups saying no and asking what their basis for not saving $$$ are since that's all they care about: the bottom line, its obviously not about health.

Hi, Being hurt also and shushed not only by those who had good experiences, I can understand and feel for him. THANK YOU to Alex Brecher for letting us be honest on here because a "prominent" area's people will attack you without mercy for speaking the truth. The surgeon Mark Fontana (and his administration), and another patient of his (who wouldn't even ADMIT it, she said that it was HIPAA protected information, which of course you aren't going to say that when you're blocking my showing the FOIA'ed police reports the surgeon was filing against me while I did nothing wrong), a prominent weight loss person in the WLS world, all have done their best to block my story. Why? Well because I have proof of what goes on. I can show the questions and records that things aren't what they seemed. It is an outrage because people deserve the know the truth. Why, if someone was going to get a bum car, or crappy food, why wouldn't we pass on the experience? This isn't just a car or food this is your LIFE. I believe in putting it all out there and letting people decide: if this person did this to you, would you want them to operate on your loved ones? Is this how you want to be treated? I know some that take the chance. I know some that don't have a choice (in terms of insurance). I have watched Mark Fontana's group give a person surgery and then leave them for over TWO months before they gave a followup appt. Leave a person in pain because the band port went wierd and they suffered over TWO YEARS before having to pay OUT OF POCKET thousands of dollars to get it fixed. I'm sorry, but these things do need to be known so that people can have the option to ask about it and make sure they change their ways to protect us. Not egos, and not their profit margins. I never, ever want to see what happened to me, how I got blasted out by in person appt. and on the phone, etc. done to someone else when they had complications they couldn't control. It is time past that Mark Fontana's group stopped telling people its all in their head and really do some research because patients don't lie to them. Get some education and start networking with peers. If *I* can find the answers in medical research and getting online and talking to others (who have surgeons that KNOW), then there is NO EXCUSE.

Have you tried anything like Vega or the other pea, hemp or like proteins?

Applesuace

Ouch! I am sorry. I wish things get better really quickly. Really sux after all you go thru in the beginning to have this on top of it.

Go for it! I am so glad you are taking charge and very very sorry to hear of all this. I can feel for someone else in this position, its not fun at all. Plus that is expensive having to pay for all this.

I am so very sorry. As another person who has this, I feel for you. {{vent away}}