swimbikerun

Vast majority gain the weight back. I have multiple other issues and have various forms of malnutrition/vitamin problems but it isn't like death is on my door every 5 minutes.

Great! I think it is just on the part of being lazy by the insurance people. I mean seriously, it is in those documents they sign with groups as to what coverage is there and what isn't.

Ok try this. 1) Ask the surgeon if they have submitted to this insurance before, and ask them to call and see if it fits their needs and the insurances' needs. 2) Ask to move further up in the chain and you need a specific yes/no answer as to whether or not it would be approved if submitted. Be nice, but be firm and keep asking. Dang. I will say BCBS gave us a list of what would and wouldn't fulfill the requirements.

What does the one paying for it say? Usually this sounds like an insurance requirement. I'd ask them. If it is your bariatric group/surgeon, ask them. Get it in writing and keep it. From what I used to know, in most cases online doesn't count. Has to be in person.

I had a year long diet and counseling session. I got to 40.1 and they stopped testing me. I was about a month away and the consensus was, if you do this well, you'll really work hard to make it a success. Unfortunately an egotistic surgeon and my rare diseases kinda socked that but hey life could be worse. I'm smarter, wiser, and stronger. Live and learn.

I put a stop to it. I complain or get rid of the place and tell all about it.

Problem with the Y's here is that they don't remove kids above 4/5 years old in the opposite sex locker rooms. Boys at 5 ft high were in the women's locker rooms.

Had some meat in the beginning, but red meat just never worked, nor anything fried, etc. with so many problems. I ended up basically handling chicken and turkey that wasn't fried, tough, etc. and with Hindu coworkers, etc. it was like oh well. Their food is really good and tasty and all sorts of new spices, etc. so I'm good with it. I have eaten goat some and its ok.

Can I add to this? For weights, normally that involves a gym. Check and see if there are rec centers in your city or even the next city over that may welcome you for cheaper than what a regular gym has. They may have aerobic classes to shift things up a bit. A lot you are doing is leg based. Where I find triathletes have the issues? Swimming. The arms and legs and technique have to be there, not just the legs. I've found weight people have a hard time in the pool because of the aerobic part and runners by having to work the upper body at the same time as the lower body.

On this forum, no one can accuse you of trying to convert someone. You're preaching to the choir! ha ha ha ha. That being said I think its a very good thing to tout a MD bariatric surgeon who promotes healthy food choices.

Newme17 - wish there were way more of you that did this. I've learned to do my homework and not rely on others opinions and websites anymore. So, I listen with open ears but have to make educated decisions these days.

Bingo Newme17.

Swimming and weights.

What I find very interesting is you ask people why they have 60 grams of protein for sleeve patients, and why it is the same in the first couple months after surgery as for the rest of their lives and the same for sleeve as bypass patients. They get mad at you. Logically, (unless you in my subgroup) a sleeve patient shouldn't have a problem with protein unless it is right after surgery. Major surgery I can see needing extra. After 6 weeks, what is the point? I would also question (and make people mad) because the rates of colon cancer are higher now. If you still eat animal protein, a lot of it, that's one of the main causes. Getting protein from beans or a drink, is never considered good. Well all the protein doesn't give you FIBER, which your body also needs, and beans serve as a source of fiber. Dr. Davis is well on point. People's minds and attitudes don't want to and refuse to believe it.

I didn't learn to swim until later in life. Swimming is about technique. I can outdo college kids even though I'm slow because my technique is better than most all of them. Only exception is the Europeans who do breast vs. free. Breast is my worst stroke. I did 200 fly before I did 200 breast. I'm a competitive swimmer now. You should get back into it.

Congrats! Swimming is a lot easier when you are smaller.

I have said No to McD's and the like for more than 5 years. I tried 1 fry in all that time and remembered why I never ate that garbage. There was a running joke in my family because my dog would not eat McD's or any other fast food. He would sniff and walk away. Think about guys. :)

What were you getting in years past? Did you keep a record of what the surgeon tested for you? Have you checked online for blood work lists? Bariatric blood work would give you several results to choose from. The regular doc should be able to find this also.

Who is testing you? Sounds like you need a surgeon's office to do that. The panel you list is not even the panel that you can google for. Have you not been having full lists of bloodwork every year? You can also use the bloodwork list your surgeon did after that surgery.

Once you have a lost a lot of weight, in terms of after the first year, your body compensates. If you got a sleeve, the premise is that of restriction not malabsorption. I have a lot of other problems that contribute to my issues. Is the medication one that is absorbed in the stomach, like a B12 type of thing?

This is not for someone 6 weeks out. 1.5 years out or a year, yes I can see it. The first 6-12 months are rough. Vic

Think about it this way: you are smaller now, hopefully eating and drinking better. Have you checked to see, for a year, every 3 or 4 months, do vitamin panels and see what happens? I bet if you are 1.5 to 2 years out, you'd be fine. Have you noticed that for sleeve they give the SAME recommendations pretty much EVERYWHERE? Well why? Your intestines weren't touched. Kinda makes no sense at all for a restrictive only surgery vs. restrictive AND malapsorptive.

I am on B1/B12 shots every months. If I didn't, I would be low. B1 is NOT the vitamin you want to go low on. My liver giving me a fit, and the fat solubles are an issue now. I have gastroparesis, reflux and IBS. Together all of them give me a whammy. I actually was tested, did a liquid vitamin, and went lower on 2 vitamin/minerals. That's when something else happened and we figured it was the liver. I also have food problems that cut out a lot. Most people do not have my problems. The bigger deal is what are you eating and drinking? I have not touched sodas, caffeine, or McDonalds' or the like since my surgery. If you are eating lean meats, veggies/fruit, you are more than likely doing good. If you are back to pizza/McDonalds/crisps, that's another story.

Ok can you explain how that relates to bariatric surgery and vitamin issues? Is there any studies on that? You said it is your belief, but can you relate that to a specific issue? Sleeve surgeries are not going to have the vitamin issues, and I've seen one study that shows 2 years out, the intestines compensate for the vitamin issues. If you can help with some research, that would be a lot more helpful.

Have some. Carbs are constantly listed as the devil, but you shouldn't cut out whole food groups. Corn and actually potatoes that aren't fried aren't that bad. If you look at vegetarians and vegans, all I know are healthy, they aren't obese or so, and get their protein.