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My bypass was the best choice I ever made...128 lbs in 14 months. I’m happy and healthy.

Thx so much ladies. Well my story is not that far off from most. I gained most of my weight after I had my son in 2008. I am an asthmatic and have been put on steroids constantly which adds to my weight gain. I had lapband surgery done Feb 2010 and lost around 55lbs but gained most of it back. I have done tons of research on the sleeve and sleeve plication and now I am looking into having a revision.

Hello MsMook, welcome to VST!! I'm a revision patient as well. There's a lot to know, so it would be more helpful if you might give us a little background on your situation. Don't be shy - when it comes to the band there is bound to be someone here who has lived what you're going through, in all kinds of complications scenarios. Ask lots of questions... we are always willing to either lend an ear or help out.

I am having revision surgery with Dr. Barkan at Winthrop University. Currently waiting on insurance approval.

FYI, if interested: Excuse its length, but here's the email blast I received of today's ASMBS' Connect: News topics of the week re: obesity and WLS. You might find some articles of interest to you. They sent: The following is a summary/brief analysis of the obesity and surgery stories making news this week: Company Seeks FDA Approval for Balloon System for Obesity… Retinopathy Stable After Bariatric Surgery…Sleeve Gastrectomy vs. Medical Management for Diabetes… UK May Seen Huge Increase in Bariatric Surgery… New Clues on How Metabolic Surgery Affects Diabetes…Sharon Osbourne Felt Like a Cheat After Surgery… Obesity Worse Than Smoking… Childhood Obesity Drops in NYC… Stigma Around Obesity Persists… Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery in the News… ReShape Submits Dual Balloon System Application to FDA (Bariatric News) ReShape Medical is seeking FDA approval for the ReShape Integrated Dual Balloon System, "the first and only dual balloon for non-surgical weight loss designed for people with a BMI 30-40." According to the company, the system is the first device to meet its primary effectiveness endpoints in a U.S. randomized, sham-controlled pivotal trial. Dr. Jaime Ponce, Principal Investigator in the so-called REDUCE trial, commented, “Meeting the primary endpoints is an important accomplishment, as it convincingly demonstrates the superiority of the ReShape procedure over diet and exercise alone. The ReShape procedure offers a new alternative to help patients kick-start weight loss and learn new behaviours. We are excited about what this new treatment option may do for millions of people needing to lose excess weight.” The device has been available in the E.U. since December 2011. ReShape Medical anticipates a launch in the U.S. in mid-to-late 2015. No Change in Retinopathy in Diabetes 2 Years After Surgery (Medscape) Results from the STAMPEDE trial presented at the American Diabetes Association 2014 Scientific Sessions show no change in diabetic retinopathy for patients two years after bariatric surgery. Lead author Dr. Rishi P. Singh commented that he was “pleasantly reassured” that there wasn’t a higher incidence or significant progression of the disease after surgery. He said the results demonstrate that regular eye exams are still important for this patient population. "This is the first time that a prospective, randomized clinical trial has shown that intensive medical management vs gastric bypass doesn't appear to increase the retinopathy incidence or progression, nor does it increase the rate of vision loss or changes in intraocular blood pressure (a sign of glaucoma)," he added. Dr. Bruce Wolfe, bariatric surgeon at Oregon Health and Science University, commented on the results saying, "The induction of remission or improvement in diabetes control is positive for the patient, but drawing conclusions about the many-year process of diabetic complications of diabetic neuropathy or diabetic retinopathy is premature." Additionally, he added that patients who are informed that their diabetes has gone into remission after they have had bariatric surgery may think, "I don't need to go to these eye assessments anymore," but that would be too hasty, he stressed. Better Long-term Diabetes Outcomes with Sleeve Gastrectomy vs. Medical Management (Healio) Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy helped adults with type 2 diabetes achieve better blood glucose control than standard care alone, according to research presented at the joint meeting of the International Congress of Endocrinology and the Endocrine Society. To determine long-term outcomes of diabetes in patients with sleeve gastrectomy vs. medical care alone, investigators reviewed medical records of veterans with type 2 diabetes, ages 18 to 80, undergoing the surgery at a VA medical center in a major metropolitan area. Two years of data from the charts of 30 patients treated with surgery were compared to 23 control patients. All patients had received medical treatment and been part of the MOVE national weight management program designed by the VA National Center for Health before being offered surgery. Significant improvements in BMI and HbA1c were seen in patients with surgery at one year, with improvements sustained through the end of two years; BMI decreased from 46 to 34 and HbA1c from 7.25% to 5.98%. These kinds of outcomes were not witnessed in patients without surgery during the study. At study completion, 76% of patients with surgery were able to discontinue or reduce their diabetes medications, compared with 26% of patients receiving medical treatment only. Thousands More to Get Obesity Ops on the NHS: NICE Calls for Huge Increase in Surgery - But Even Obesity Charities Condemn It (Daily Mail) New draft guidance from the U.K.’s National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (Nice) suggests that people with obesity who have type 2 diabetes should be assessed for bariatric surgery under the country’s National Health Service (NHS). At present weight loss surgery is given to patients on the NHS who have morbid obesity with a BMI score of over 40 or to those who have a BMI over 35 and who have another serious health condition - such as type 2 diabetes. But now Nice is suggesting that people with a BMI score of 30 to 35 should be considered for an assessment for surgery under the NHS if they have been diagnosed within the last 10 years. This could mean hundreds of thousands more patients could be considered for treatment. The draft guideline also recommends that people who have undergone bariatric surgery under the NHS should have a "follow up care package" for at least two years after their operation. However, opponents of the guidelines say it is wrong of Nice to recommend that the NHS offer operations costing £5,000 when the agency faces a £30billion deficit. Scientists Discover Clues Why Weight-loss Surgery Cures Diabetes (Medical Xpress) A study published in the journal Endocrinology found the actions of specialized cells in the intestine that secrete a cocktail of powerful hormones when we eat may help bring us a step closer to understanding why gastric bypass surgery "cures diabetes in most patients." The research team showed that gut hormone cells previously thought to contain just one hormone, had up to six hormones including the hunger hormone ghrelin. Study team leader Dr. Craig Smith, a Senior Lecturer in Molecular Cell Physiology at University of Manchester, commented, “Understanding the messages the gut sends out when we eat food and when things go wrong, as is the case in diabetes, is our next challenge and hopefully one that will result in the development of drugs which could be used instead of surgery to cure obesity and prevent diabetes.” Sharon Osbourne Opens Up About Feeling Like a ‘Cheat’ After Gastric Bypass Surgery (NY Daily News) In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Sharon Osbourne commented that she has “secret shame” about having bariatric surgery in 1999. "I felt (like) such a cheat when I had that band on my stomach,” she said. "People are saying, 'You look wonderful! I'd go, 'Thank you, I just have to leave and vomit.'" Osbourne had the gastric band removed in 2006 and says she controls her weight through the low-carb Atkins diet, but admitted she struggles because she is still a food addict. Obesity in the News… Extreme Obesity Cuts Lifespan More than Smoking: Study (Reuters, CBSNews.com, Voice of America) Extensive media coverage of the “largest-ever study of the effect of extreme obesity on mortality,” which showed the “most extreme cases” may shorten a person's lifespan more than smoking. Scientists at the National Cancer Institute found people who suffered from severe obesity died 6.5 to 13.7 years earlier than people of healthy weight. A data review was conducted of 20 large studies from U.S., Sweden and Australian, which included 9,564 adults with extreme obesity and 304,011 of normal weight. Heart disease, cancer, and diabetes were mostly responsible for an increased risk of dying “at any given time” when BMI rose to levels of extreme obesity. The study was published in the journal PLOS Medicine. Severe Childhood Obesity Shows a Decline in New York City (Reuters) The prevalence of severe obesity among school children in New York City was down by almost 10% in the 2010-11 school year compared to the 2006-07. Earlier research had shown a decline in overall obesity among NYC public school children, but the prevalence of severe obesity had not been studied. The new study, published in the journal Preventing Chronic Disease, shows NYC rates “buck national trends.” Height and weight measurements were recorded for 947,765 children attending public schools in kindergarten through eighth grade. Severe obesity fell from 6.3% of the children in the 2006-07 school year to 5.7% in 2010-11. The change represents a 9.5% decrease. The prevalence of severe obesity was highest among boys, minorities and poor children. Additionally, while prevalence declined in every group, the greatest decrease was among white students and wealthy students. Many Obese Women Face Stigma Every Day, Study Finds (HealthDay) A new study found women who were overweight or suffered from obesity were likely to be faced with frequent, daily insults and humiliation from strangers, family and friends. Researchers recruited 50 women who were asked to log their “weight-stigmatizing” events in a diary during the course of a week. A total of 1,077 occurrences were reported including physical barriers (84%), nasty comments from others (74%), being stared at (72%) and others making negative assumptions (72%). Each woman experienced an average of three negative events over a seven-day period. Researchers found BMI was “the most significant factor associated with all forms of stigma except that caused by interpersonal relationships.” Ted Kyle, advocacy advisor for The Obesity Society, felt the study was limited due to the size and lack of data from other groups including males and other ethnic groups as most participates were white. He commented, “Most everybody struggles with some kind of health issue but obesity is something you wear on the outside.” The study was published recently in the Journal of Health Psychology.

Hello Daniel, Patti in Saint Louis, Mo., area had my surgery Nov 8 and doing good. Down 10 lbs. I have been trying to get someone to tell me what I am experiencing since a lap-band was placed Feb 15, 2009. Waking up all night long with heavy thick mucous in my mouth, gargling with Water and spitting out mucous. Primary doc refers me to gastroenterologist and she tells me it is a sinus issue and referred me to an ENT. ENT explained that since I was using a lot of strawberries for my Protein shakes, I was allergic to strawberries. Talked to my lap band doctor and he was just straight up baffled or just didn't believe me. So I am still experiencing this issue long after lap band was removed and an RNY gastric bypass was performed. New surgeon says yes it is something that happens with all the adjusting of the stomach, it's called "Frothing". I am still far from believing anybody. Can you tell me if you have any knowledge of this ? Thanks from the Lou, Patti Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I was banded 3-24-08 - mine too was an easy surgery and recovery - I have been doing pretty good - one fill - but I will say hunger has been coming on here lately like crazy in the last week. I go back to the doctor for another fill on 6-4-08. My hubby had gastric bypass last August and has done very well - 110 lbs lost and looks great. We are very supportive to each other and the best - when we go out to eat, we both always order from the child's menu - very cheap!! BTW, my hubby's doctor was Dr. Kuhn (sp?) with Baylor Medical. My surgery was in Waco. Mine is coming off slow - but I am ok with that!

I had RNY gastric bypass surgery and the weight fell off fairly rapidly. I transitioned from the Weight Loss phase into the Maintenance phase at around 7 months. Sleeve patients lose weight at a slower pace but they lose weight over a longer period of time, sometimes 2 years, and can achieve almost the same weight loss as RNY patients. Even though I lost weight rapidly, it was not a shock. Some people no longer recognized me. It is good to take a good before photograph so that you have something to compare it with after surgery. Many people do not see how obese they really are. I never appeared in photographs because I was the photographer in the family. When I looked in a mirror, it was alway straight on. The problem is that many people do not see how obese they really are and after surgery do not see how much weight they really lost. So in my case I took a before photo and a 6 month after photo. I tried to strike the same pose so it was a good one to one comparison. Here is the photo.

I've had a roller coaster ride with this fill. After my port revision surgery this past July, my doctor is only able to fill my port in the office without fluoro about every other time. This past time, he overfilled me in the office so I could barely get liquids down, then got unfilled under xray because he couldn't find the port, only to be left with no restriction! I realize that the scar tissue is preventing him from finding the port, but I would like to find a doctor in Maryland that does fills under xray in their office. I am self-pay and I am paying about $400 to get fills in the hospital since my doctor, Dr. Averbach, does't have one in his office. I don't blame the doctor for these problems, but I do want my band to work and I am hopeful that I can find a doctor who can help me to find my sweet spot!

Hello, I have Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois PPO. They don't require supervised weight loss before approving surgery. I really want to go to the University of Chicago for a gastric bypass, but I've heard their nutritionist always requires some supervised weight loss before they'll sign off on the surgery. I'd like to avoid this because if that happens I may not qualify for surgery and I don't want to lose all that weight just to gain it back. Does anyone have any experience with U Chicago? Anyone ever get the surgery without supervised dieting beforehand?

I see the banding as a process. I don't want to lose weight faster than 1-2 lbs per week, or I would definitely not be losing fat. My mom had the gastric bypass, and lost quickly. Ended up losing a lot of muscle and bone density. Slower losing, with consistency is real weight coming off. When I get my first fill, I am told I might not feel any restriction, until the 2nd or 3rd. The stomach has to adjust to the band, and the inflamation has to go away, for the actual result to be discernable. :rain:I am working hard in this waiting period getting accustomed to chewing each bite until it is virtually liquid. Since once I get the restriction I will have to eat that way. Also, I understand it is kind to the band in place, doesn't put unnecessary stress on it. It is hard to be patient, but worth it in the long run.

I have quite a bit of medication I take daily. At what point after surgery could you take medication? Did they need to be crushed or chewed? I don't get to talk to the pharmacist until final approval. Cross-posted. I meant to write this in the bypass forum. Oops.

Oh my goodness the sitting and just waiting on an approval or denial from Insurance company is killer. I have researched and read, and joined support groups and continue to read others journey stories, I don't think my head can hold anymore knowledge about Gastric Bypass. Therefore that leaves me with too much free time on my hands and my mind start rambling, oh for pete sake, can I get a answer already. I am ready to finish what little bit of the journey I have left as for my psych eval, and meeting with the surgeon I wish I could have had those appointments while I waited, would have been nice to get those cleared out the way then I could just been scheduled once approved. Well I got that off my chest I guess I'll find something productive to do. Good Luck to all others in the same situation waiting like me, I hope we all get that letter of Approval.......

Hi, I am now planning to have surgery in Mexico as a self-pay after being denied twice by insurance. I am wondering what type of medical follow ups are usually needed after gastric bypass? I have a nutritionist at home that specializes in bariatrics so feel that I'm ok there, but what about hands-on medically? Are there any stitches that have to come out etc after returning home? For anyone who chose to go to Mexico, can you please share your post-surgery experiences for follow up care? I will be able to contact my surgeon as needed with any concerns etc, indefinitely and will stay in Mexico for 6 days after the surgery, but I am wondering about any medical things I would need to have done when I return home where I have to be physically present. My US surgeon (before insurance denied me) is not supportive of my decision to go to Mexico, but I feel comfortable with the surgeon and hospital I've chosen - but I think it would be awkward to have to go back to the US surgeon after surgery in Mexico. Thanks so much!

How different my life would have been if I had had the opportunity to be banded at 16. I would not have had a lifetime of self doubt and loathing. I would have been happier with myself. I'm not sure what different roads I would have taken, but I can imagine that a whole new world would have been opened up to me. The teeanage years are trying and troubling enough, let alone if you're trying to go through them MO. Gastric ByPass for teenagers? No way. But the Lap Band? Heck yeah! If it was that easy to eat right and exercise, none of us would be on this board. Why expect our children to do something we couldn't? We certainly don't want them eating twinkies in the bathroom!

My hair thinned about 3-4 months after I had the lapband. It finally grew back and I just revised to bypass. I'm dreading the day when I start losing more hair in the shower

Hello Everyone! Quick overview.... Started with my highest weight at 328, and was banded at 280 on March 30th 2010 in Mexico. I got all my fills and aftercare from Kaiser North Bay. Lowest weight was 190 in 2014 right after having my first baby. Now after my second baby I am up to 235. I am having problems with my band and finding a "sweet spot" for getting back on track. I am sure my pregnancies did a number on moving things around. I just went to a bariatric doctor yesterday in South San Francisco (my normal one is on vacation, so I saw his colleague) He was unable to fill be due to not finding the port and saying I was too heavy. I was very frustrated since I have NEVER had a problem having a fill even at 260+. My original doctor has told me before when I have asked for a revision that they do not take lapbands out unless it is an emergency situation. The doctor I saw yesterday told me he would take my lapband out anytime without question, but the revision was a different story. He said to even consider it I would have to get down to at least 210, and then we could go from there. I guess I am just wondering if anyone has gotten a revision from Kaiser South San Francisco or Richmond, voluntarily. My doctor keeps saying scar tissue will hinder him from doing anything.... Thanks everyone

How about dumping? Does anyone experience it and what's type of foods cause it for you ? I am going in on the 10th for my revision and and wondering.

Hello I am from the uk too and are looking for friends too.I have been told my date is going to be March 2017 but date is to be confirmed.I would love to join the group on pros and cons on before and after op I will be having a gastric sleeve but I was advised to have bypass but I refused that so gastric sleeve it is Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

My surgery has been a personal journey. No family, friends, work are aware. Only my husband outside of medical staff. Therefore, I cannot share pics but wish I could. I started out in a size 16, BMI 35. Now I am able to get into some 10s, 12 very comfortably. As you must be aware, this choice is not exactly main stream accepted...yet! It comes with criticism about being lazy and just not trying hard enough, or taking the easy way out. This far from the easy way out. In one of the pre surgical meetings another patient said I didn't need the surgery. Granted her bmi was much greater than mine. An attitude I dealt with from many others during the pre surgical process. According to every weight chart I did qualify and I was the one willing to take the necessary steps to admit, and correct the fact that I was unable to lose and maintain weight loss on my own. Humbling. Having had enough, I looked her in the eye and told her it really wasn't a very fair judgement since I did not judge why it took her so long to make the decision for surgery. Borderline BMI or under 40 BMI patients face criticism from society and are not as supported for their decision both socially and by some medical staff. We tend to have to keep our choice for surgery hidden. Not fair, but true until care givers become more supportive and less judgmental. This surgery is becoming a very healthy cash cow so I anticipate a major attitude change in the next 5 years or so. Hopfully you are getting all the support you need and the criticism is minimal and easily ignored. Some criticize because they do not have the courage or the ambition it takes to do this. If you face any of those people, consider them jealous and stay on track. We have to stay diligent for the rest of our lives for lifelong success. I did this for a better health. If it is a choice for me between improving my health or someone else's opinion...they lose!! My almost 30 lb loss includes the lbs lost pre surgery. Post surgery it has been 20 & climbing. Stay off the scale daily. I was just stressing myself out. Once a week now. I have stalled in the past week but I know plateaues are to be expected. Eating all foods now. You will find what works best for You. Immediately following surgery egg drop Soup worked best. Goes down easy & high in Protein. I had trouble this week with chicken and pork tenderloin. Both came back up. Cooked the pork in the crock, shredded and chewed a lot but just too dense. Chicken was dry and just got stuck. I accept responsibility that I have to eat much more slowly. Lesson learned. Don't be scared to try things when it is time. Everyone is different. Even if it comes back up I is not like when your are illness sick. It comes back up, you feel better, done. Those 2 times are the only 2 times. Are you thirsty? I am and so was every other VSG patient in our post op group meeting. I believe this is different than the other bypass surgeries. Keep up the good work! I am thrilled I had it done. Hope your results are similar.

Here is my bariatric study: My brother died of a heart attack at age 47, when he weighed 420 pounds. My mother died at age 67 (just three years older than I am now) of an abdominal aortic aneurysm when she weigh 320 pounds at 5'2" tall. Her mother, who was not overweight died at the age of 98, and she would have lived longer if she had not broken her hip and gotten pneumonia. Other grandparents, aunts, and uncles who were not overweight lived well into their mid-eighties and early nineties. Many of my 60 first cousins have already died of overweight-related health issues in their late forties to early sixties. My older sister weighed about 300 pounds when she graduated high school in 1968 and gained another 100 pounds after that. She got a gastric bypass 15 years ago and is still doing well at age 67 (the age Mother died). I had the sleeve at age 62 because I just do not want to be done yet. I have grandchildren that I want to see grow up. One of my younger sisters who weighed close to 400 pounds got a band three years ago. She lost enough weight to get to a size 12, got a tummy tuck, breast lift and all that - and looks awesome! She is healthier and happier than she has ever been. So, my family is my example for life-span. I know I have greatly increased my odds for a longer life with good quality of life.

I am Type 2 Diabetic and went in asking for sleeve but decided on bypass - main reason was acid reflux potentially worsened with Sleeve (which I already battle acid reflux and could not take it being worse) and because it would improve my diabetes more quickly and lastly it was a longer proven procedure. As a Type 1 Diabetic though, I don't know what affect WLS surgery has on your blood sugars.

I lost 160 with sleeve - I have gained a few back but am within 5# of my goal. Surgeon I initially consulted with poo-poo'd the sleeve due to my high BMI and history of failure with lapband. I went to another surgeon who warned me that revisions didn't always do as well, but he felt sleeve was still a good choice for me. No regrets, but I do think you should have an open mind about other procedures if you have ALOT of weight to lose. You are pretty tall - what is your goal weight?

style="margin:0;padding:0;background-color:#d8dde8;color:#5a5a5a;font:normal 13px helvetica, arial, sans-serif;position:relative;"> Hey BariatricPal Members! Happy New Year! BariatricPal wishes each of our members a happy and healthy year. We hope 2016 is a year you meet all your goals, whether they include getting weight loss surgery, hitting goal weight, or maintaining your loss. Here’s what we have in this newsletter to get you motivated and ready to go. A New Year’s Message from BariatricPal Time to Buckle Down: Here’s How Make Those Resolutions Last All Year! So take a look through the newsletter, then spend a few minutes to set your resolutions. It may help to come to the forums to talk about your goals and whatever else is on your mind! Then you may want to head out the door for a quick walk for a great start to the New Year. Happy New Year! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal A New Year’s Message from BariatricPal We want to wish all our members a happy and healthy New Year! We hope 2016 will be a year that sees you come closer to achieving your dreams. We hope BariatricPal will be an important part of your weight loss surgery support system as you work towards your goals, whether they are to look into weight loss surgery, lose weight, or maintain goal weight. A Quick Look Back at 2015 2015 was a busy year for BariatricPal! The forums have been blossoming. We have a weekly VIP Member Challenge going on. As a community, we hit a total weight loss of 3 million pounds! We also opened The BariatricPal Store! This had been in the works for a while, and it is a thrill to be able to support the weight loss surgery community through supplying healthy foods and supplements. Check the store often to see what’s on sale, and see our blog for the latest store news, recipes, and discounts. More to Come in 2016! We always have more projects up our sleeve. We expect 2016 to be filled with growth and exciting new developments for BariatricPal, so stay tuned! We know none of this is possible without your support, so a huge Thank You to all our members! Insure Nutrition We are always thrilled to welcome a new newsletter sponsor into the BariatricPal family, and this month, Insure Nutrition is giving us the pleasure of doing just that. Our latest sponsor, Insure Nutrition, is an online company that specializes in getting health insurance coverage for nutritional supplements. Its Post-Bariatric Surgery Nutrition products includes Premier Protein shakes in chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry flavors and OptiSource High Protein drinks in caramel and strawberry flavors. Checking if you are eligible is easy. Insure Nutrition encourages you to use its online form to find out if you qualify. Our sponsors help make BariatricPal newsletters and other services possible. We encourage you show your thanks by considering them first for your bariatric needs. Unjury and Opurity BariatricPal is proud and excited to announce two new sponsors for our newsletters. The new sponsors are Unjury, a supplier of wonderful tasting, highest quality protein supplements, and Opurity (from the makers of UNJURY), highest purity vitamin supplements for bariatric surgery patients. Their support lets us keep BariatricPal newsletters coming to you each month. Unjury was founded by a master’s degree dietitian who has been helping patients since 1974. It is committed your health. You know the importance of getting enough protein after weight loss surgery, but you also know that meeting your protein goals can be challenging. Unjury makes your task not just easier but actually enjoyable. Product flavors include Chocolate Splendor, Chocolate Classic, Vanilla, Strawberry Sorbet, Chicken Soup Flavor, and Unflavored. These ready-to-use protein powders come in single-serve and multi-serve containers, and contain high-quality whey protein to keep you full and nourished. Launched in 2007, Opurity is dedicated to using the purest ingredients in its supplements. Opurity Bariatric Multivitamins have two unique big advantages: First, each multivitamin requires only one tablet per day*. Second, Opurity is so dedicated to quality that it is unique in using no ingredients from China. Choose from chewable orange-berry multivitamins for gastric bypass and gastric sleeve patients or for lap-band patients.Opurity also sells chewable calcium, vitamin D and folic acid/vitamin B-12 chewables. All supplements come with a 100% satisfaction guaranteed. They return policy is: “Yes you can return it.” Support from Unjury and Opurity helps us continue to bring you the services you enjoy on BariatricPal, so please support these two brands! When looking for your bariatric surgery supplements, first visit Unjury.com and Opurity.com. Purchasing from these companies helps support BariatricPal. Thanks to Unjury and Opurity for your generous sponsorship, and thanks to BariatricPal members who support our partnership! *You still need calcium and sublingual B-12. Time to Buckle Down: Here’s How It’s the New Year! That means the parties stop, the holiday treats disappear, and the stores advertise healthy foods for weight loss. Breathe a sigh of relief as the holiday food goes away! Easier to Focus There’s a good chance you slipped up a little during the holidays and need to get back on track. Even if you were perfectly disciplined, you may appreciate going back to your regular life. It’s easier stick to your everyday routine when there aren’t as many distractions. Go with a Sensible Plan For most WLS patients, a detox or fad diet isn’t the way to go. The most effective is to go back to the basics, cliché as that sounds. Focus on lean proteins and fill up on vegetables. Drink a lot of water. Eat slowly. Plan ahead. Measure your portions and log every bite. Make a Few Resolutions Remember to make them controllable, feasible, and clear. Here are some examples of better and less good resolutions. Controllable: “I will log every bite of food and stick to my 1,200 calories a day.” Not controllable: “I will lose 2 pounds every week.” You can’t control what the scale says, but you can control what and how much you eat. Feasible: “I will work out 5 days a week, leaving myself 2 days to recharge.” Not feasible: “I will work out every day.” What happens if you get sick, need a little extra sleep, or need to take a friend to the doctor? Did you fail at your resolution? Clear: “I will have fish three times a week.” Not clear: “I will eat more fish.” How do you know if you’re following your resolution if your goal is to eat “more” fish? How much is “more?” Set the Stage for Success Regardless of your specific resolutions, you’ll make more progress in your weight loss surgery journey if you set up your environment to help you succeed. Clear out your kitchen – pumpkin pie, egg nog, and Christmas cookies should be nowhere to be found. Restock it with nutritious foods you need. It should be packed with lean proteins, such as chicken, fat-free dairy products, tuna, eggs, and beans. There should be fresh vegetables and fruit, plus frozen and canned ones to do in a pinch. Round it out with some whole grains such as oatmeal, and healthy fats such as nuts and olive oil. Get your kitchen scale and measuring cups out of storage and put them in a prominent place. Check the gym schedule, get out your workout clothes, and lace up your walking shoes so you’re ready to get out the door for some exercise. There are some extra steps you can take to make progress easier this year. For example, if you’re still gathering information on weight loss surgery and trying to choose a surgeon, make a list of surgeons’ phone numbers and questions so you’re ready at a moment’s notice to make the necessary calls. Make Those Resolutions Last All Year! This year, make it easier to keep your New Year’s Resolutions with a subscription to your weight loss products from The BariatricPal Store. Choose your favorite protein bars, shakes, and smoothies, bariatric vitamins, instant meals, and great-tasting snacks. You’ll be reminded to focus on your goals every time you receive a delicious delivery from The BariatricPal Store! Just select “Subscribe and Save” on eligible products. Receive your products every 1, 2, or 3 months (your choice). Choose the quantity you want to receive. Get an automatic 10% discount on your subscription items. When your healthy meals are delivered year-round, there’s no need to go off your meal plan. You save time and can be confident of being nourished while you lose weight. That’s what we have for this newsletter. We wish you the best in your weight loss surgery journey in 2016, and hope you’ll keep sharing your goals and progress with us on the forums. Again, Happy New Year!

You also have the option of getting the sleeve, and then switching to the bypass to lose more... I have 100-125 pounds to lose so I chose the sleeve because my surgeon explained it like this... with the sleeve everything will still work normally. The bypass will make you lose more... but you might just trade your current problems for new ones! So I decided with the sleeve... and like I said... you could get the sleeve and maybe it will be perfect for you and you'll lose all the weight you want, but if it doesn't you always have the option of switching to bypass later. The opposite can not happen though.