Bari_KS

When was your letter submitted to insurance? Do you have basic or standard option? My FEP Blue Basic approved me in about 5days. Call them tomorrow, federal BCBS is very efficient. Goid luck.

This is good news.


The real good news is the fact that Basic option pays $200 for a surgeon and $100 per night at the hospital. My VSG was considered outpatient (I stayed 23 hrs) so the total bill for surgery out of pocket was $300 only!

That’s amazing @BigSue. (You need to change your name to tiny Sue). Congratulations!

Thought I’d share a fun pic from my 3-year surgiversary (ok, I’m one day late, but close enough). I don’t really have a good before and after set of pictures because I used to hate being in pictures and I would avoid the camera at all costs. However, I still have a pair of size 28 pants that I wore at my highest weight of 341 pounds, and yes, I can now fit my whole 135-pound body into one leg.

This gives me ideas haha

Let's just say that there are dietitians and dietitians just as there are surgeons and surgeons.

And sue him for malpractice!!

I was rushing to get something from a nearby shop before they close and ended up running for like 150m or so. I managed to get there in time and I was not out of breath or nearly dying. I don't recall running in the past 20 years of my life. Time to get running shoes I guess 😃

Introduction
Bariatric surgery is an effective treatment for obesity and obesity-related health conditions, including diabetes, sleep apnea, and hypertension [1]. With this transformative procedure comes a new way of life that often requires significant adjustments to dietary habits. One essential aspect of post-bariatric surgery care is ensuring patients receive adequate Vitamins and minerals to support their overall health. This article will discuss the importance of using a one-per-day Multivitamin capsule for bariatric surgery patients, address the misconception that these patients have difficulties swallowing capsules, and review relevant medical studies.
The Importance of Multivitamin Capsules for Bariatric Surgery Patients
Essential nutrient absorption: Bariatric surgery can lead to reduced absorption of essential nutrients due to changes in the gastrointestinal tract [2]. A one-per-day multivitamin capsule ensures that patients receive the vitamins and minerals they need in a single, convenient dose. A study published in the journal Obesity Surgery found that multivitamin supplementation significantly improved nutrient deficiencies in post-bariatric surgery patients [3].
Compliance and ease of use: A one-per-day multivitamin capsule is easier for patients to incorporate into their daily routine compared to multiple doses. This can lead to improved compliance and better long-term health outcomes. Research conducted by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) supports the use of single daily doses to promote adherence to supplementation protocols [4].
Reduced risk of deficiencies: Post-bariatric surgery patients are at an increased risk of Vitamin and mineral deficiencies, particularly in Iron, Calcium, Vitamin D, and B vitamins [5]. A one-per-day multivitamin capsule helps to prevent these deficiencies and supports overall well-being. A systematic review published in the journal Clinical Nutrition found that multivitamin supplementation was associated with a reduced risk of micronutrient deficiencies following bariatric surgery [6].
Debunking the Myth: Bariatric Surgery Patients and Capsule Swallowing
There is a misconception that bariatric surgery patients have difficulties swallowing capsules. However, no medical evidence supports this belief. Capsules are designed to dissolve as soon as they get wet, making them an ideal choice for bariatric surgery patients.
Rapid dissolution: Capsules dissolve quickly in the presence of moisture, ensuring that they do not cause any issues with swallowing or digestion for bariatric surgery patients. A study published in the International Journal of Pharmaceutics found that capsules typically disintegrate within a few minutes of coming into contact with moisture [7].
Easier on the stomach: Capsules tend to be gentler on the stomach compared to tablets, as they do not contain binders or fillers that can irritate the stomach lining. This is particularly beneficial for bariatric surgery patients, who may experience increased sensitivity in their gastrointestinal tract.
Enhanced absorption: Some vitamins and minerals are better absorbed in a liquid or capsule form rather than a tablet, ensuring bariatric surgery patients receive the maximum benefit from their supplementation. Research published in the Journal of Dietary supplements has shown that certain nutrients, such as vitamin D, have improved bioavailability in capsule form [8].
Conclusion
For bariatric surgery patients, a one-per-day multivitamin capsule offers numerous benefits, including convenience, compliance, and reduced risk of nutrient deficiencies. Contrary to popular belief, there is no medical evidence to suggest that bariatric surgery patients have difficulties swallowing capsules. In fact, capsules dissolve quickly and are easier on the stomach, making them an ideal choice for post-bariatric surgery care. Encouraging patients to adopt a one-per-day multivitamin capsule regimen can support their long-term health and well-being after undergoing bariatric surgery. Medical studies have demonstrated the benefits of multivitamin supplementation in preventing nutrient deficiencies, promoting adherence to supplementation protocols, and enhancing the absorption of certain vitamins and minerals. Bariatric surgery patients can feel confident in their choice of a one-per-day multivitamin capsule to support their journey toward improved health and quality of life.
Empower Yourself: A Personal Testimony
As a bariatric surgery patient and a knowledgeable expert in the field, I have personally experienced the transformative effects of incorporating a one-per-day multivitamin capsule into my daily routine. Throughout my journey, I have learned that self-care and attentiveness to my nutritional needs are vital for long-term success and well-being. The adoption of a one-per-day multivitamin capsule has provided me with the assurance that I am receiving the essential nutrients required to thrive in my post-bariatric surgery life.
The Power of Community
It's important to remember that we are not alone on this journey. As bariatric surgery patients, we are part of a supportive community united by a common goal: to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle. By sharing our experiences, challenges, and successes, we can inspire and empower each other to make informed choices about our nutritional health.
I encourage you to connect with others who have undergone bariatric surgery, exchange stories, and discuss the benefits of incorporating a one-per-day multivitamin capsule into your daily routine. By learning from each other and sharing our knowledge, we can collectively overcome the challenges of post-surgery life and experience the unparalleled benefits of one per day multivitamin capsules.
Stay Informed, Stay Healthy
The world of bariatric surgery and nutrition is constantly evolving. To ensure that you are equipped with the latest information and best practices, it's crucial to stay informed and up-to-date with recent scientific studies, guidelines, and recommendations.
Continually educate yourself on the benefits and best practices surrounding one-per-day multivitamin capsules and other nutritional supplements. By staying informed, you can make the best decisions for your health and well-being, ensuring that you are providing your body with the essential nutrients it needs to thrive.
References:
[1] Mingrone, G., Panunzi, S., De Gaetano, A., et al. (2012). Bariatric Surgery versus Conventional Medical Therapy for Type 2 Diabetes. New England Journal of Medicine, 366(17), 1577-1585. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMoa1200111
[2] Mechanick, J. I., Youdim, A., Jones, D. B., et al. (2013). Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Perioperative Nutritional, Metabolic, and Nonsurgical Support of the Bariatric Surgery Patient—2013 Update: Cosponsored by American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, the Obesity Society, and American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery. Obesity, 21(S1), S1-S27. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.20461
[3] Aills, L., Blankenship, J., Buffington, C., Furtado, M., & Parrott, J. (2008). ASMBS Allied Health Nutritional Guidelines for the Surgical Weight Loss Patient. Obesity Surgery, 18(10), 1140-1142. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11695-008-9631-1
[4] Mechanick, J. I., Youdim, A., Jones, D. B., et al. (2013). Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Perioperative Nutritional, Metabolic, and Nonsurgical Support of the Bariatric Surgery Patient
—2013 Update: Cosponsored by American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, the Obesity Society, and American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery. Obesity, 21(S1), S1-S27. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.20461
[5] Parrott, J., Frank, L., Rabena, R., Craggs-Dino, L., Isom, K. A., & Greiman, L. (2017). American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Integrated Health Nutritional Guidelines for the Surgical Weight Loss Patient 2016 Update: Micronutrients. Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases, 13(5), 727-741. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soard.2016.12.018
[6] Ernst, B., Thurnheer, M., & Schmid, S. M. (2013). Evidence for the Necessity to Systematically Assess Micronutrient Status Prior to Bariatric Surgery. Clinical Nutrition, 32(1), 66-72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2012.07.012
[7] Podczeck, F., & Jones, B. E. (2004). The In Vitro Disintegration of Hard Gelatin Capsules Exposed to Different Conditions of Temperature and Relative Humidity. International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 280(1-2), 197-206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpharm.2004.04.018
[8] Traub, M. L., Finnell, J. S., Bhandiwad, A., Ochoa, G., Sasson, N., & Kotsopoulos, J. (2014). Impact of Vitamin D3 and Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation on Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentrations in a Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Dietary Supplements, 11(3), 324-334. https://doi.org/10.3109/19390211.2014.921849
By continuing to learn from one another, staying informed about the latest research, and making informed decisions about our health, we can support each other in our shared goal of a healthier, happier life after bariatric surgery. The use of a one-per-day multivitamin capsule plays a critical role in this journey, providing essential nutrients, promoting adherence to supplementation protocols, and minimizing the risk of deficiencies. Embrace the power of community and knowledge as you embark on your new life and make the most of the benefits that a one-per-day multivitamin capsule can offer.

What we call "Kroketten" or "Kartoffelkroketten" here:

I've recently updated my profile photo on social media (Facebook and Instagram) and I got so many comments on how my face looks different in both photos and how much younger I look now. A lot of people have told me the same thing in person as well. I've always considered my face shape to be round but now it is more like an oval. Here is a before and after photo. I certainly lost the cheeks and double-chin 🤣

Would love to see your face before and after photos also.

1. Premier Protein chocolate Almond Cereal (it is actually whey Protein isolate flakes), it contains 20g protein in one cup of it. I like to mix it with Failife Nutrition chocolate shake (30g of protein).
2. Premier Protein pancakes (I bought it in Sam's club) - I like it either with crunchy Peanut Butter or sugar-free raspberry jelly.
3. Oikos Pro yogurt (20g protein).

This stage kinda sucks, there is not much to eat and I have no imagination for anything new any ideas???? I eat no fat yogurt, broth, Jello, pudding, not many Soups cas I'm not doing pureed Soup that is just gross 🤢, I have until the end of the month on this diet and it's getting super blah!!!!

In my opinion, people tend to post difficulties/problems more so than positive issues mainly because they are seeking advice or comfort. Not many people post just to say their Bariatric surgery is going great.
Now to answer was it worth it? For me, YES. I did not find it that difficult of a surgery or diet to follow. Was it all fun? no. But the results are fun!
Keep a positive attitude and enjoy the ride.

It took me a lot of years to figure out that I never knew how to do the " 5 pounds to play with " thing. I can do that now. I live in Southern California and love going to Disneyland ! All sorts of very not weight loss friendly foods - but there are healthier choices that can be made - and not just salads. There are really good Soups in some locations, I am a fan of their corn chowder (vegetarian) and one of the Mexican places makes a yummy grilled half chicken plate that I share with my adult daughter ! I pick my treats and plan on having what I really want, whether it is ice cream or something else..... and if I gain a pound or so... then I know how to take it off over the next week. I weigh myself every morning... so that I can figure out what the heck I did or did not do in the couple days earlier to deserve weight gain, or loss. For me, I don't use much salt. And a meal out .... even a nice salad; can put pounds on me. Took me a long time to figure that out. A diet frozen dinner with less than 300 calories will do it too. Those are full of sodium and it does it every time. I cook with a lot of fresh home grown herbs - getting ready to plant my spring garden - will do lots of lettuces and baby carrots, radishes and Beans and peas.... later in the spring will plant cucumbers and tons of heirloom tomatoes for the hot hot summer.
Find the things that make you happy, that make your body strong and healthy and take good care of yourself !

@ynotiniowa I'm a nurse working crazy hours in hospital too. Donuts, Cookies, cupcakes and candy on every counter, that's a nurse's life at work, that's why I needed bariatric surgery...lol. I went to work after 6 weeks, so I was eating regular food and it was not so obvious to others. You will survive 12-16 hr shift by eating Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, boiled eggs, Protein cereal with Fairlife Protein Shake, tuna pouches and prepackaged small containers with protein rich/nutrition foods (chicken, turkey, chili, veges etc). Wish you good luck and success!

This is good news.


The real good news is the fact that Basic option pays $200 for a surgeon and $100 per night at the hospital. My VSG was considered outpatient (I stayed 23 hrs) so the total bill for surgery out of pocket was $300 only!

Would be Ok with me, I would of just told them I switched to Lite beer. 😁

best. story. ever.

At about 4am when I was doing one of my morning runs, a police car pulled up and stopped about 30 yards away, then turned on his lights and over his megaphone started sharing how proud he was of my losing weight so well, that he'd been watching me these months, and was personally invested in my success...
At 4am. Over the megaphone.
This went on for about a minute when the police academy on the street was starting their morning run, and over the megaphone he told them to congratulate me and shake my hand, so about 25 cadets ran over and did just that.
At 4am. Over the megaphone.
Thanks officers.
Tek

Hey everyone. I am 4 years out and struggling with the covid 20 and some additional weight gain on top of that. I am working with an online coach for exercise training and nutrition following a macro based diet. I have not lost any weight so I reached out to the team where I had my surgery and they commented that my macros are way to high for Protein. They were happy my calories were in the 1500 range (135g protein/160g carb/ 45g fat) but concerned about the protein being so high (optimum is 60-80g). Anyone else follow macro based plans?

Hello all,

Lurked here for a while over the years. Figured I’d pop in and tell my story.

Former professional American football player (Arena league, not NFL), played one year got injured, used my degree and got a desk job. My playing weight was 330 lb, so I was a big guy most of my life… then I got the desk job… kept eating like a professional football player but sitting on my butt all day. That went on for 10 years. Had to do a physical for work and life insurance. Weighed 390… the nurse asked me if I wanted to lay down after taking my BP 210/150.

Oh and I had my first child a few months earlier…

In that ten years, I had tried every diet in the book. Same old story. Would lose a decent amount of weight if only to add it back, plus some. The BP meds I was put on killed my libido. I was in a dead end job. Something had to give…

I had casually looked into WLS a few times throughout the years, but dismissed it. I thought I was weak minded and just needed more will power. There may be some truth to that, I don’t know. I know in the moment I felt like I could die any moment and it wouldn’t surprise me. I decided to do the surgery.

I was lucky to have insurance that covered the surgery and I could move through the process quickly. This is probably not the best approach for everyone, but it worked for me. I feel like I would’ve sabotaged myself if given longer.

Anyways, had VSG surgery in May 2019. I have a high pain tolerance and recovered quickly. I followed the Dr’s orders to a T. Lost weight quickly. Within 6 months, I went from 390 to 230.

I am now about 225. My weight stays in a range of 225-235. I have come to love the gym, got into CrossFit and love that scene. I stayed in the same career but pivoted to a different path and have almost tripled my salary. Had another kid, and I’m not on any meds.

This surgery really was a life saver for me. Everything has gone spectacularly smoothly and I’ve gotten a new outlook on life and a much healthier relationship with food!

I was hoping the OP would return so we could discuss some of the things posted here, but they have not. As such, I wanted to take a bit of time to delve a bit deeper into what was posted in the event anyone reading this was confused.
Sorry, but this will be a long post. The TL;DR version is that most of what was posted was inaccurate. Let's start with this section:
Dumping syndrome (feeling very sick when eating certain foods), is really variable for both Sleeve and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass patients. Some people have this, and some don't. It's generally accurate to say that dumping is more common in gastric bypass but regardless, relying on this as the way to keep you from eating things you shouldn't, is just not a good strategy.
As I mentioned before, neither surgery fixes what's between your ears, so if you go into WLS expecting that this is going to keep you from binge eating, you likely won't be successful.

Stomachs can stretch, but it takes repeatedly overeating for this to happen. I wanted to make that clear since some people are overly worried about this. As long as you stick to plan, this should not be a concern.

Again, not a good strategy expecting dumping syndrome to "fix" you. Fix your eating problem first, then have surgery to help you get to a healthy weight.

The OP seems to have a misunderstanding about how fat cells work. White Adipocytes (fat cells), store lipids (fats) as droplets in the body of the cell. The volume of the droplet stored in each cell can grow or shrink as needed. The point is that the number of fat cells one has does not determine some sort of "baseline" amount of fat you will store.
Yes, obese people often have more fat cells on average, though this is somewhat determined by genetics, overall body mass, as well as how long you have been obese. The OP is correct in that you can grow new fat cells if you exceed the capacity of your existing adipocytes to store lipids. What's not correct is that this somehow makes it more likely that you'll gain weight if you overeat. If you overeat, you'll gain weight regardless.

This is factually wrong. Yes, being cold does require your metabolism to work harder to keep you warm. Studies have shown that on average, if you were to exercise in a very cold environment vs. a warm one, you can burn as much as 30% more calories when subjected to cold. Keep in mind that this effect only occurs when you are exposed to cold however.
Let's take a simple example to illustrate how little of a difference this makes: Let's say your basal metabolic rate is 2000 calories. If you burn 30% additional calories in a 15 minute session of shivering as the OP suggested, that means you'd burn about 21 extra calories. (2000 calories divided by 24 hours is about 83 calories. That times 30% equals about 25. Divide 25 by 4 since it's 15 minutes of shivering and you get about 6. So if you take the OP's advice, you'd burn about 6 extra calories for your 15 minutes of shivering.
Now if you actually workout (rather than just sit), in a cold environment, you can certainly increase the calories burned, but again, it's limited.
I hope you see that this is not a good way to actually lose weight. Plus, we should be exercising for other reasons like to improve our cardiovascular health. Shivering won't do anything for that.
If you want to know the real way to exercise for weight loss, you need to do strength training. Why? Because as you strength train, you also increase your basal metabolism. In other words, you burn more calories even when you're not working out.

This 100%. End of story.
@strawberryga Sorry you had such a tough road. To me it sounds like the real issue was not the surgery, but frankly that you were/are not mentally ready to move away from your poor eating habits and find a healthier path.
I might suggest therapy to address why you felt the need to eat things you know you should not be eating. Expecting WLS to fix the space between your ears will never work.
Sorry for the bluntness, but it feels to me like you need some tough love at this point. I do hope you find the help you need.

Water is good for your mental health too. If you drink a gallon of water per day, you wont have time for other people's drama because you'll be too busy peeing. Stay hydrated my friends. lol 🤣