jo ann c troupe

Who watches it? I know I do or did. I always wonder how all these people get all those tattoos (I am NOT judging, I have them but they are barely mobile) and does anyone notice they always have tiny dogs?

God bless you too

Sent from my LM-X210(G) using BariatricPal mobile app

It definitely is more complicated then that. And hopefully I'm strong enough to to deal with the underlying reason for my addiction but the only way to get thru it is thru it!

Sent from my LM-X210(G) using BariatricPal mobile app

So glad you entered treatment and it sounds more complicated than substance abuse - that is the symptom. Stay in long term therapy. May God bless you

I wanted to warn everybody on fixing your demons before surgery!
I'm not trying to scare or encourage people to not get surgery at all. Actually it was the best thing I have ever done. I just wish I would have took care of my addiction problems 1st.
I had gastric bypass surgery 2/11/14 hw 297 sw 280 lw 106 cw 154. I had a breast lift, Tummy Tuck and my inner thighs done 2016.
I left my husband January 2018. Went on an online dating site and got addicted to the attention I got from men, ended up getting back into drugs and was skin and bones. My life has really been flipped upside down!! I finally got myself into a long term Christian treatment center and trying to repair my life!
Please if you have any past or present or even family history of any kind of addiction please please take care of that 1st!! I never thought I would get back into drugs again, I even started using heroin and I never in my wildest dreams thought I would try the devils mix!!
Sent from my LM-X210(G) using BariatricPal mobile app

3 years ago this is HOW PEOPLE,GOT READY! Maybe there is something,to can use here🏣at admission time.

One more thing I heartily recommend to anyone the day before a planned surgery: Do something nice for yourself. Get a massage, a mani/pedi without polish, go for a walk in the park, put candles on the table and use the good china for dinner - even if dinner is chicken broth. Any of these. Prepping for surgery is stressful, no two ways about it. Taking the time to do things that soothe and relax you pay off big time.

Great list.
I gave my mom my cell so I wouldn't be tempted to use it while loopy. I also gave her a list of folks who wanted to know how I was doing so she could text them (from my phone), when I came out of surgery.
I only used: Chapstick, heating pad, biotene, clean pair of underwear, and pillow for ride home. I wasn't in hospital long enough to need entertainment.
The best thing I had with me in the hospital was my mom for support. My dad and sister (who lived close enough) came by right before surgery and stayed until I was in recovery. My mom stayed the whole time and my sister came back the first evening and we had a nice long visit.
Oh, and my former cleaning ladies gave my place a surprise cleaning while I was in the hospital!

I slept most of the time in hospital and came home after only 1 night, so I didn't need my iPad or magazines either. Just my cell to call my ride to come get me.

Thank you for this it will make things easier as its a good check list.

This is wonderful, thank you so much for the valuable information. I will definitely make a checklist of the items you have listed.

I think the most important of all is to have your surgeons phone # and any important instructions near your phone and bed. Make sure you have all your prescriptions handy. Get them filled and ready before you even have your surgery (speaking from experience). (Banded 8/12/05)

This is great!!

We spend so many eager, anxious moments planning for surgery. We trudge through dozens of obligatory pre-op tests, evaluations, and diets. We research and ask questions until our heads could burst. Surgery day comes closer, but at the infuriatingly slow speed of cold molasses going uphill on a snowy winter day. Then suddenly the big day looms. It’s tomorrow! Are you ready? Do you even have a list of last-minute things to do before you leave for the hospital or surgery center? Have you packed your bag yet?


Your surgery is tomorrow! Are you ready? Do you have a list of last-minute things to do before you leave for the hospital or surgery center? Have you packed your bag yet?
What to Take to the Hospital or Surgery Center


This isn't like packing for a two-week vacation. Most hospitals prefer that you bring a minimum of belongings with you and don't want to be responsible for keeping track of them. You'll need less than you'd think. The hospital will want you to wear their gown instead of your own nightgown or pajamas, and you can wear an extra hospital gown backwards to use as a robe so you won't moon anyone when you're roaming the hallways. If you're allowed to shower while you're there (you may not be), they'll provide soap and Shampoo. If your feet get cold, the nurses will give you very attractive one-size-fits-few socks with non-slip soles.
Here's what I suggest you bring:
Insurance ID card
Photo ID
A copy of your advance health care directive
CPAP machine (if you use one)
A list of your medications (you may be instructed to bring the actual meds with you)
Lip gloss (your mouth & lips will be very dry)
Toothbrush, toothpaste and essential toiletries
Cosmetics (if you must)
IPod or MP3 player
Laptop computer (if you must)
Something to read (magazines, books, Bible)
Loose-fitting clothing (elastic waist)
A change of underwear
Slip-on shoes or sandals
Pillow(s) for the ride home
A water bottle for the ride home

Bring your cell phone if you like, but some hospitals don't allow use of cell phones on the premises because of possible interference with patient monitoring equipment.
Do not bring cash or valuables. The medical staff is there to take care of you, not your engagement ring.
Last Minute Things to Do


1. Have someone take Before photos of you (front, back, and side views).
2. Take your body measurements (neck, bust, waist, abdomen, thighs, calves, ankles, upper arms, wrists).
3. Set aside a pre-op outfit of fat clothes to preserve for posterity.
4. Put clean sheets on your bed.
5. Do laundry.
6. Clean your house.
7. Arrange for transportation to and from the hospital.
8. Arrange for child care.
9. Arrange for pet care.
10. Pay your bills.
11. Fill your prescriptions (your usual meds, plus pain-killers, anti-nausea meds and/or blood thinners for after surgery if your surgeon’s willing to prescribe them in advance).
12. Pack your bag for the hospital.
13. Complete & submit any forms your employer requires for your time off from work.
14. Pick up books to read and videos to watch while you recover.
15. Make sure there's easy-to-prepare food in the house for your family to eat.
16. Do your bowel prep if required (laxatives or enema).
17. Check your supplies:
§ The liquids you'll be allowed to drink in the first week
§ A blender or Magic Bullet®
§ Liquid Tylenol
§ Thermometer
§ Gas-X®
§ A heating pad
§ An ice pack (or a bag of frozen vegetables)
§ Witch hazel or anti-itch gel (to put on the skin around your itchy incisions, but not directly on the incisions)
§ Reading material, puzzles, games
18. Remove nail polish (if you wear it) from fingers and toes.
19. Remove all jewelry (including piercings) and put it in a safe place[1].
20. Bathe with Hibiclens (or other antibacterial cleanser) as instructed by your surgeon.
Almost without exception, bandsters’ response to this is that every item on the list is a good idea except items 1 and 2. Some also whine about items 17 and 18, but I’m not interested in hearing what dreadful thing will happen to you if you must undergo surgery while completely unconscious and denuded of your nose stud and blue fingernail polish. Save it for the pre-op nursing staff. I just want to reinforce items 1, 2 and 3. You may hate the camera and the measuring tape with a passion, but some day you’re going to be glad you have those pre-op photos and measurements. Similarly, you may plan to burn that fat outfit in a celebratory bonfire soon, but one day you’ll be glad you saved it. When your bathroom scale is stuck at on a number you hate, comparing your “now” photos, measurements, and clothing to those awful “befores” will remind you of just how far you’ve come, and give you a little push forward on the bandwagon trail.
[1] This is not negotiable. I once had my wedding ring cut off by a nurse before she would transport me to the operating room.

Hello! What about the mcdonald’s egg burrito wrap?

I'm a purist, I like the traditional egg mcmuffin...which has 300 calories and 18 grams of Protein.
But I can only eat half of that sucker.
So, I bring along a Caramel Premier Protein. Dump about 1/3 in a large black coffee, and eat half my traditional egg mcmuffin.
150 calories and 8g protein for my half sandwich
60 calories and 10g protein for my Protein Shake coffee.
210 calories and 18g protein Breakfast on the go:) (or lunch, if you like breakfast for lunch)
If your dog is your copilot, chances are good she would take care of the remaining sandwich for you:)
Only thing that could make this better...is if I could teach McDonalds to use whole grain muffins.

The morning rush is common, as your hectic schedule may include working out, packing up, getting your children off to school, and getting to work. It is no wonder, then, that nearly 1/3 of breakfasts are consumed away from home. You may find that you have no time to eat at home, and find yourself depending on a drive-through, coffee shop, or café for breakfast.
Fear not: you can get a healthy breakfast that keeps you going through the morning and fits into your weight loss diet. Just plan ahead a little!


What’s Wrong with Away-from-Home?
There is nothing wrong with eating outside the home – unless you are average. That is because the average restaurant meal has more calories, more fat, and more sugar than the average home-cooked meal. You can reverse this, though, with some awareness.
Classic Breakfast Sandwiches
The classic breakfast sandwich or burrito can have eggs, cheese, and meat. From there, the sandwich can vary widely. An egg white McMuffin from McDonald’s, for example, has 260 calories, while a Croissan‘wich with bacon and sausage from Burger King has 620 calories. Skip the butter and any fried potatoes, such as hash browns or shredded potatoes, and choose:
Ham instead of bacon or sausage. An English muffin (or nothing) instead of a bagel, biscuit, croissant, or tortilla. Egg whites instead of whole eggs. Café Choices
Coffee shops and bakery-café’s offer all kinds of fresh, tantalizing, and absolutely off-limits foods. Hint: you do not need a cinnamon roll with 50 grams of sugar to start your day. Stay away from the breakfast pastries and breakfast sandwiches on Bagels. Instead, you may be best off with an “a la carte”-style breakfast. Look for items such as:
Plain oatmeal or oatmeal with nuts as an add-in. fruit cups or whole fruit. Low-fat cream cheese – you can spread it on half of a whole-grain bagel. Smart Suggestions
Starbucks offers some hot breakfast options for under 300 calories – their egg white bites have only 170 calories – and Dunkin Donuts offers some DD Smart Wake Up Wraps for 160 to 240 calories. By the way, a Bismark donut has 490 calories. Subway offers egg whites, ham, and reduced-calorie cheese on 3-inch subs, so you can avoid too much bread.
Lunch for Breakfast
You may not need to depend on the breakfast menu if the restaurant serves lunch early in the morning. If that is the case, you may be able to get grilled chicken, turkey breast, and cheese on a salad.
Bring Your Own
There is a chance that you may not realize how easy and quick it can be to bring your own breakfast from home and avoid restaurants altogether. We understand if you have exactly zero seconds to dedicate to making your breakfast in the morning before you leave home. You can stash it in the car or fridge the night before.
If you have access to hot Water before you have breakfast, these options can work:
Protein Oatmeal with an apple or some walnuts. Protein Muffins in flavors such as Blueberry, Double chocolate, and Maple pumpkin. Protein Hot Chocolate with milk for extra Calcium or Protein. If you are going to eat in the car or have no microwave at work, you’ll need something ready-to-eat. Consider:
Protein Cereal in Honey Nut, Chocolate, or other favorite flavors. Oatmeal Raisin Protein Cookies. Fruit and cottage cheese or yogurt. A Protein Bar. You can have the best of both worlds: a meal as quick and easy as a fast food meal, with nutrition that fits into your meal plan like a home-cooked meal. Way to start the day right!

Lots of great advice! I’m due at the hospital in 90 minutes!!

Great article! Definitely a fulfilling read.

Every day offers a good chance to think about your relationships. You may think of your significant other first, and then consider other relationships such as those with friends and other family members. Unfortunately, that leaves out the most important relationship you can develop: the relationship you have with yourself.


It takes a lot of work for you prepare for and recover from weight loss surgery, and to continue to lose weight and get healthy. With all that focus on yourself, it sounds strange that you could be neglecting yourself, but it often happens. If you do not work on strengthening your self-respect, self-confidence, and self-love, you may not be as successful in your weight loss surgery journey. Here are some easy tips for building a little rapport with the most important person in your life: you.
Recognize Your Greatness
You would do everything you could to recognize the good things about someone else if you were building a relationship with them, and you can do the same for yourself to build your relationship with yourself. It can take some practice to get into the habit of recognizing your good qualities and your good choices, so get started! Don’t forget to appreciate:
Every milestone, whether a weight loss milestone or a non-scale victory. Each good decision you make, such as packing a lunch instead of leaving it to chance. How energized and proud you feel after eating right and exercising. Your new inner strength for recognizing what’s important – your health – and setting aside what’s not – a few moments of short-lived gratification when you visit the drive-through. Your efforts and resolution – because what you are doing is not easy! Reward yourself when you deserve it
Little gifts can make your appreciation seem sincerer, and motivate you to keep up the good work. Give yourself treats regularly to reward yourself for any progress you made, or “just because.” A night curled up with a box of pizza is no longer an option, but there are plenty of far better ways to show yourself “I love me!”
A massage or spa treatment. New workout clothes or other new clothes. A new app or fitness monitor to motivate you and show your progress. A morning sleeping in. Getting your house cleaned. A makeover or parts of one, such as a new haircut or different color nail polish. Be Your Biggest Supporter
Consider what a supporter does, and figure out how you can be your own biggest one. It can take some effort, such as planning ahead to pave the way for healthier choices, such as packing breakfast the night before so you do not go through the drive-through, keeping a pair of walking shoes in the car so you can grab a walk anywhere whenever you have time, and putting each of your surgeon appointments and support group meetings on your calendar so you cannot forget.
A supporter is also your biggest advocate. Speak up for yourself when needed, whether it is to tell the server at the restaurant that you need smaller portions and you would like the sauce on the side, or whether it is to tell your mother that you are doing this surgery for yourself because you need to. Your advocacy may include being firm with the surgeon about your preference for the surgery type you want.
Don’t Deprive Yourself
Telling yourself “no” constantly is no way to build a loving relationship! Grow the love by giving yourself treats. Just make sure they are on your diet. You might end the day with some Protein Cocoa or Chocolate Caramel Crispy Bites, sneak in some BBQ Zippers for an afternoon crunch, or greet the weekend with Protein Pancakes and a Protein Omelet. There are plenty of recipes online for healthy alternatives to favorite comfort foods from pizza and fried chicken to ice cream and brownies.
Balance Tough Love with Forgiveness
Honesty is the foundation for any strong relationship, including this one. Call yourself out when you make a decision you’re not proud of or you find yourself slipping into a slump where the scale starts creeping up or sweets start sneaking their way into your diet.
At the same time, realize that you will not be perfect, and accept that fact. Develop a plan for when you catch yourself off track. Your plan will probably include recognizing your mistakes, forgiving yourself forb them, considering what led you to make them, and resolving to fix them.
Build a stronger relationship with yourself, and you are setting yourself up for better success in the short and long terms. It takes some practice, but the results are well worth it.

Loved the article

This is a great article.

If there were one straightforward aspect of weight loss surgery, it would be weighing yourself. Get on the scale, read the number, get off the scale. Done, right?
Not so fast!


The scale can be one of your most important tools on your weight loss journey, but only if you use it right. Surprisingly enough, using the scale right can take more than a bit of planning, just like many other aspects of your weight loss surgery journey. The number you see can jump around and start to drive you crazy if you do not know the reasons behind the blips.
These are some reasons for some ups and downs on the scale, and how to prevent or at least accept them. Hint: It is probably not yet panic time!
Up: Salt (Sodium)
Did you have a salty meal last night? Did you snack on pickles, top your chicken with salsa, season your turkey burger with soy sauce or another salty condiment, or help yourself to a big salad with fat-free dressing? Those are all great choices for weight loss, but not for today’s weight.
Are you confused? Here is the explanation. Sodium, which we mainly get from salt in foods, has no calories and is one way to add flavor without fat or sugar to food so you can keep calories down for weight loss, But, sodium attracts Water. Eat a high-sodium meal or snack, and your body can retain water. You may feel bloated and notice your ankles or fingers swelling. That water inside of you is heavy, and the scale will tell you so.
Tip: Do not eat a high-sodium or salty meal or snack the day before your weigh-in, or keep in mind that you did.
Up: Stress
Long-term, stress eating can add fat to your hips and pounds to the scale. Short-term stress can bump up your weight, too, without overeating. Stress hormones lead to water retention and (see above) water is heavy.
Tip: Don’t stress out! Easier said than done, but being aware of stress can help. So can exercising, laughing with friends, and meditating.
Up: Big Meal, Day, or Weekend
Remember the part about how sodium attracts water? So do extra sugar and carbohydrates. It takes an extra 3,500 calories to gain a pound of body fat, but y you are likely to see your weight jump if you eat a big meal, or have a cheat day, or get out of control on the weekend. That sodium and those carbs can add up more quickly than you expect.
A single restaurant meal with rolls or breadsticks, a burger and fries, and a small dessert can have over 5,000 mg of sodium and 200 grams of carbohydrates. That amount may “only” include 2,000 calories (barely over ½-lb’s worth of body fat), but it is enough to bump the scale up as much as a few pounds the next day.
Tip: Do not eat too much! If you do have a cheat meal or day, do not weigh in after it. Most people consider Mondays to be a bad day for a weigh-in because weekend diets are often less strict than weekday eating patterns.
Up: Lack of Sleep
Do you ever feel groggy and heavy when you do not get enough sleep? The scale will confirm that it is not your imagination. You can retain water due to hormonal shifts when you do not sleep enough. Over the longer term, sleep deprivation can make you gain “real” weight (body fat) because lack of sleep:
Increases ghrelin, which is a hormone that makes you feel hungry.
Increases cravings for sugar and carbohydrates.
Reduces your ability to resist cravings.
Tip: Get enough sleep. It is not a luxury that is beyond your control. It is an important part of your weight loss lifestyle, so make it a priority.
Down: Dehydration
Weight loss is one motivation to exercise, but losing too much weight with a single workout just means you are dehydrated, not that you burned off pounds of fat in an hour or so. The scale can show you a low number because you sweated a lot. It can be motivating, but it is not healthy. Dehydration can lead to fatigue and to later water retention – and a bump up on the scale!
Tip: drink 8 oz. of water every 20 minutes while you are exercising intensely. Weigh yourself before and after your workout, and drink 16 ounces of water for each pound that you lost during your workout.
Down: Sudden weight loss
Have you ever started a diet and seen the pounds come off quickly at first before the weight loss tapered off? It may have even happened after WLS if you were one of those patients who lost 10 or 20 lb. within the first weeks.
A good portion of that weight was water weight. It happens when your body shifts from gaining weight (or being stable) to losing weight. What happens is that your body loses carbohydrates that were stored in the form of glycogen. Glycogen holds water. When you lose the glycogen suddenly by going low-carb or low-calorie, you lose water, too. So, your scale weight drops fast.
Tip: Celebrate those first pounds lost, but keep working hard. Stick to your diet and stay hydrated so the pounds keep coming off for weeks and months to come.
Now that you know that the scale can be fickle, you can concentrate on finding the balance between trusting the scale and trusting your diet. If you stay on track with your eating and workout program, and take care of the “little things” such as getting enough sleep and managing stress, you can outlast any bumps on the scale and come out stronger and lighter than ever.

There are many options when it comes to affording bariatric surgery and getting FREE or reduced-cost weight loss surgery is possible.


There are many options when it comes to paying for bariatric surgery. Let's explore them. Click on each hyperlink to learn more on the topic.
Having health insurance does not mean that weight-loss surgery is covered in your policy. About one quarter of people seeking weight-loss surgery will be denied three times before they receive weight-loss surgery insurance approval.
If you have insurance coverage for bariatric surgery and are denied, you have the right to contest the decision and write a bariatric surgery insurance appeal letter.
Since many health insurance plans exclude weight loss surgery, this leaves people faced with the decision to self-pay for bariatric surgery or to forgo what could very well be a life-saving procedure given the devastating effects of obesity and obesity-related diseases on health.
An option is to take out a medical loan for weight-loss surgery.
However, bariatric surgery is expensive if health insurance will not cover the surgery. And many people seek bariatric surgery outside the U.S. and engage in the process of weight loss surgery medical tourism.
Thousands of individuals head to Mexico for Bariatric Surgery to realize excellent quality care, fast wait times, and attractive prices.
With the question of safety of weight loss surgery in Mexico being being top of mind, I turned to Alex Brecher founder of BariatricPal Hospital MX for further exploration. Alex Brecher opened the BariatricPal Hospital MX in 2017 after having run a Mexico medical tourism business for 10 years.
As far as free bariatric surgery in the US, while it will no doubt be a challenge, free weight-loss surgery is within the realm of possibility. Free or reduced cost WLS grants and charity care are available.
There also are bariatric surgery clinical trials for surgical weight-loss candidates. Use our Match to Clinical Trials in 60-seconds widget on the bottom right column of MyBariatricLife.org to locate a trial near you.

I Hope things settled down for you in March. If you are still active, it would be nice to have an update!