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Absolutely. As a matter of fact, I always sign on to Bariatric Pal in the evening when I'm most tempted to snack. Usually between 9pm-11pm. It helps to distract and busy my mind.

I had two different cosmetic surgeons. One for breasts and one to remove skin cancer and both said to use Vaseline so I asked bariatric surgeon if that was okay yet at post op appt and he said it’s fine. It may have been okay to use as soon as steri strips fell off but I forgot to ask beforehand so I just waited since I’m not super concerned about scars on belly. Can’t wear bikini anyways cause of skin cancer.

if you want to go to Mexico, Dr Francisco Sauceda in Monterrey and Dr. Laura Carmina Cardenas in Tijuana are very well-known in bariatric circles. They've worked on A LOT of bariatric patients and specialize in massive weight loss patients. Dr. Joseph Capella in New Jersey has also operated on a lot of us (and specializes in massive weight loss patients, too), and his prices seem reasonable compared to a lot of other US surgeons (haven't seen anything recent on him, though) several people here have gone to Miami for plastic surgery because supposedly it's one of the cheapest areas in the country for that - I don't know any names, but a few people on here have gone there and can probably give you some recommendations. The prices they've gotten don't seem much more than the prices in Mexico oh - Dr. Joseph Michaels in Rockville, MD has also been used by a lot of bariatric patients I personally would look for someone who specializes in body contouring for massive weight loss patients or at least has done a BOATLOAD of them, because it supposedly is a complicated sub-specialty.

Chewable bariatric advantage multivitamin and calcium citrate chews so far. I read others lists and worry I may have to add more though.

Every so often I feel torn on these forums about my role and what I should say. On the one hand, I'm a veteran now....and have had success with this whole undertaking that I feel pretty proud of. There are a lot of struggles and things that I can comment about with some hard earned observations and experiences. I can be all.....mentory...and have good mentor-ish things to say to newbies. Sometimes I feel a responsibility to *provide a good example* and only say things that are in harmony with the bariatric sages...and play the proper acolyte to the Bariatric Authority. But here's the part where I feel torn. I also want to tell the truth. I want to be the kind of poster I really enjoyed reading when I was first looking into this crazy ride. I want to be unvanished, raw and HONEST. Because I value that in people. I value that risk. I value those stories....because sometimes people really need those stories. Even if they're terrible advice and provide a terrible example! Sometimes just knowing someone else....occasionally has a horrible day and eats the entire pack of four Yasso bars....helps you to live your life and forgive yourself. I want to say: Yes, I drink diet soda. I know it's probably unwise and I also know there's hype about it that's untrue....AND....I know a lot of you drink it, too. And some of you drink real soda.....and will probably rot in hell for it. LOLOLOL Ya'll won't admit it....but I've seen ya. I've peeked in those windows and I know you do all sorts of awful stuff. You eat peanut M&Ms and drink soda and beer and buy the occasional McDonald's kid's meal and can of Pringles. At Christmas, you cheat. You eat stuff you shouldn't. You ate Halloween candy. Ok, it was just a couple of pieces...but it made you happy. We're not perfect. We screw up. We make questionable choices. Sometimes regularly. We STILL have unhealthy food moments. We're works in progress. Can we talk about it as adults...knowing it's a crap example...but also knowing that it's human? We still do weird assed extreme things in realtion to food. How many calories in two almonds and one dried cherry? I HAVE TO WRITE IT DOWN. How many grams of protien in one pint of donated blood? How many calories do I lose when I menstruate? I had a cold and blew my nose ten times and the internet says snot is made of protien...do I have to up my protien? I once heard a lady on one of these boards say....she had her Flinstone chewable multi vitamin....for dessert after her meal. And it was delicious. 😳 Is it wrong to admit I wanted to slap her? I'll admit it...I ate a S'more about two weeks after I had surgery. I remember it as the most exquisite thing I've ever eaten...and I nibbled that one little square of heaven all night in front of the fireplace with the Christmas lights on. Licked it, actually. Down to a stump. LOL. And Yes, ..a part of me is still screaming at myself.....You had a freaking S'more right after your surgery???? What the actual H*ll???!!! What were you thinking? (I lived...crap, I even lost weight to goal...but I commited this food crime. Guilty.) Sometimes I think we lose our humanity in this environment....because as some folks have noticed, there's a competative thing. Some weird ick factor of needing the best score...the tiniest dinner...the least daily calories. "I'm going to get down to my original weight of 9 pounds 3 ounces if it kills me. Could someone please eat the other half of my lentil? It's too much for me." And then I think....crap, maybe these folks really ARE as together as they seem and I'm just nutty and disordered and still fighting through this mess everyday three years out...isn't normal... But then I look at the number of folks who wash out...and think......nope. MOST of us are struggling and screw up. MOST of us continue to screw up and figure it out. Would be fun to do the research to put an actual number on it.... But I'd bet at least 90% of us...have secrets they would never disclose in a forum like this about one screw up or another. I think we need a Confession thread. Where correction is not allowed. Where worry and concern (and abject horror) are forbidden to be expressed. Where we can just let that other lost soul know....yep, I licked a S'more, too....you're not alone. All sins can be forgiven. Tomorrow is always a new day.

This creamy tortellini, spinach, and chicken soup is a very popular recipe for both the Instant Pot and Crock-Pot. Since I'm not eating pasta, I made it without the tortellini and added extra chicken and spinach to make up for the lack of tortellini. It's good, but not mind-blowing (to be fair, maybe it would be with the tortellini). My 5-ounce serving: This was also a perfect time to try out my new Souper Cubes. I've seen several people in the bariatric community recommend these. They are pricey (a set of two 4-ounce trays is $36.99), but I splurged because people say this brand is much better in quality than the cheaper ones. They do feel very sturdy and heavy-duty, and it's easy to pop the frozen cubes out of the trays. I can fit 5 of these cubes in a quart-sized Ziploc bag. I usually use these glass containers (which I love and highly recommend), but the cubes in a bag are a lot more compact, and I'm not limited by the number of containers I have. I will definitely get a lot of use out of these and probably buy some of the other sizes, too!

Flintstones makes a Bariatric Multi?

Sounds similar to Garth Davis, who my primary care provider mentioned. She’s not convinced that we need as much protein as most bariatric surgeons push. I’ve been trying to find a post op plan that is more whole-food plant-based. Do you have a copy of your post op plan still?

I had a sleeve, 4 months post op, I take daily Bariatric multi with iron B complex Vitamin d I don’t have any prescriptions, and I did great with my blood work checkup last month. I eat a pretty varied diet- I have fruit and vegetables as well as protein. So far so good.

Drugstore calcium and vitamin D; Bariatric Fusion multivitamin with iron (my program says you have to have a bariatric multivitamin but the others can be OTC). I would never do chewables - capsules only.

Bariatric fusion chewable multivitamin.

Hey guys I really need some guidance and help right now. So I'm about 10 weeks post op and will be going to Myrtle Beach for a week with my family. I'm excited but I'm worried about food, anyone know places there that are bariatric friendly or ideas on what I should bring? It's just a simple hotel so all I can think is protein shakes? But with the stage I'm at am I able to eat protein bars? Or the meal replacement ones? Still not sure about snacks even though I'm not a snacker...any help would be appreciated. Sent from my SM-G981U using BariatricPal mobile app

Bariatric Fusion, soft chews.

Our surgeon said that we could just take our normal meds after surgery that were not extended release from day 1. I am currently taking the bariatric pal capsule multi-vitamin.

so sorry, full liquid stage is hard enough without your main food source making you sick. A few ideas for you to consider (if you haven't already) thinning the protein shake or using them to thin greek yogurt. bariatric protein soups and protein hot cocoas (you can get them on Amazon). using plain genepro - it is nearly taste and textureless - in a cup of tea, juice, or milk. FYI - there is some controversy on the genepro claim of how much protein is in a serving. At my dietician's advice I half the protein they claim to have in a serving just to be safe. Adding powdered milk to milk to make a higher protein drink, especially if you use fairlife milk which is already higher in protein. making popsicles out of the protein shakes, maybe having them as a frozen meal will make a difference?

My group was actually involved in a study focused on upping calories sooner. I was encouraged to reach 1200 calories per day as soon as possible, and did so around week 3 after surgery. I have not seen the study, but I was told by my doctor that people who eat more calories sooner will lose weight slower, BUT....statistically have much less regain later....the hypothosis being....this is because the metabolic set point is being re-estabilshed at a more robust livable caloric level. I cannot speak for anyone's experience but my own, and can report observations of a family member who has also had bariatric surgery. My cousin is a few years younger, also had sleeve, and was on an extended restricted calorie plan. She ate 600-800 calories for months after surgery. She lost rapidly. She was appalled by the calories I was being encouraged to eat as soon as week 3. Gave me crap constantly that I would not lose the weight she had. And at first...I was concerned she was right. She lost more weight than I did MUCH MUCH faster. Eating 1200 calories a day, I lost slowly, but consistently. But I eventually reached goal. I'm three years out, she's four years out. I've maintained everything I lost and I eat around 1600 calories a day. If I go up five pounds, I don't have any problem taking it off by dropping my calories down to 1200-1400. She's regained half of what she lost, and says she struggles to lose weight eating 1000-1200 calories a day. She blames the sleeve, and is planning to do revision surgery to RnY bypass. My personal feeling...is that there could be something to this concern about metabolic reset at too low a calorie threshold. Do I know that? Nope. People are extremely individual. This is a new science and there's a LOT we don't know, and even more that will vary by person, diet, and a dozen other variables. But I do know that attitudes among bariatric surgeons regarding diet are changing at the major research universities....to favor higher calories sooner. I'm guessing we'll know a lot more about how this all works out in the data.....in about ten years. LOL

I was watching a nutrition video by a Bariatric surgeon and he stated that if you are going to add in exercise and or weight lifting then you need more calories. Otherwise our bodies think we are starving and start to eat muscle not the stored fat first. If you are concerned I would honestly ask your surgeon for their input and schedule another appointment with the nutritionist. I was told 6 wks of no grains, no red meat, no shellfish or raw fish, no starchy veggies and no raw veggies, no butters or seeds and no fruit with seeds or skins. Basically the only fruit they recommended were canned pears, canned peaches or a banana. We were also advised to drink only water, no juices, no additives. With a minimum of 1 protein shake per day. I am 1 day out from surgery and on the pureed/liquid stage for the next 2 weeks. Let us know how your plan is progressing.

Might I suggest googling "post op bariatric smoothies" and "post op bariatric soups"? My best friend had her sleeve done 3/18 & blends & strains smoothies made with whey protein powder, skim milk, frozen blueberries & bananas, frozen strawberries. She recently added some sugar free Greek yogurt with good success. Soups are Campbell's cream of (chicken, mushroom, celery) with ricotta, milk & seasonings blended and strained for good measure but there's several good squash soups that people seem to love as well. Good luck and great job preparing in advance!

Hey everyone, i just recently got insurance that covers bariatric surgery through the state. Im having a hard time deciding which plan i should choose to run with during the bariatric process. They put me with coordinated care to start with, i have since switched to molina which starts april 1 2021. I scheduled my first dr visit with my new pcp for this coming Monday to hopefully get the ball rolling to get accepted into the program. Ive got so many questions, but i guess ill start with does anyone have advice on which plan is better for the bariatric surgery process? Coordinated care, or molina?? Thanks for reading my book [emoji51][emoji854] Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

For my multi's with iron (I take 1 a day) I take Bariatric Complete orange flavored (NEVER get berry flavored. It tastes like berry flavored dog food. The orange is like a stronger orange flinstone vitamin flavor wise) They are $19.99 on the site I buy them on and I always get an extra bottle for $15.00 and since shipping is $5 on that site the extra bottle essentially makes it seem like free shipping lol. They come in a bottle of 60 vitamins. For my multi's WITHOUT iron (I take two of these a day) I take Celebrate grape flavored and they are $46.15 on Amazon for 180 vitamins. For my Calcium Citrate I take Celebrate (the chewable tablet ones NOT the chewy ones) I have bought both the cherry tarte flavor and the berries and cream flavor and prefer the cherry tarte one because it tastes like a large sweetart (though I do plan on trying the orange burst flavored one as well and plan on ordering that when I order vitamins next). I've actually tried several different vitamin brands and these are just preferred (the Calcium for the price as it's $54.95 for 270 tablets on Amazon verses buying the chewy ones for thirty odd dollars and only getting 90 vitamins. It's the better deal to go for the Celebrate chewable tablets that I buy. And they actually taste good so...). I also buy ezmelts brand Vitamin A (it's strawberry flavored) and you get 60 vitamins for $17.99.

Thank you so much the bariatric stuff is disgusting

I also found some articles by Dr. Craig Chang, who seems to be very aggressive about repairing hiatal hernias in his bariatric patients and apparently has had good results. Perhaps he is worth consulting with as well? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4754198/ https://www.sages.org/meetings/annual-meeting/abstracts-archive/sleeve-gastrectomy-with-reinforced-laparoscopic-hiatal-hernia-repair-outcomes-and-clinical-experience/

I take the caramel Bariatric citrate chews and the mixed berry vitamin chews I believe the brand is bariatric fusion. At first I really enjoyed them now I cannot stand the taste. I was taking barimelts for calcium citrate and vitamins but I started hating those as well. I just to find something that I can tolerate. I asked about the patch but the doc said no ☹️. I guess I’ll keep taking the chewables for now aargh.

I entered your stats into a BMR (basal metabolic rate) calculator and got 2,370 (I don't know your age, so I guessed 40, it will be a little higher if you're younger and a little lower if you're older). That's just the bare minimum needed for your body to keep itself going. So even without exercise, eating 1500 calories per day should leave you with a calorie deficit of 870 calories per day. That should lead to a pound lost about every four days. If you're in the "Exercise 1-3 times/week" category, your calorie needs for one day come to 3,259, and eating 1500 calories per day would mean a daily deficit of 1,759 calories. That should have you losing a pound about every two days! Eating too much does not seem to be your problem. Since you've recently begun lifting, it's possible that you are adding muscle tissue and that's offsetting the fat you are losing, leaving the scale unmoved for now. But the good thing about strength training is that it raises your BMR and causes you to burn more calories all day, not just when you are exercising. Sooner or later, the extra muscle tissue will translate into a higher BMR and visible weight loss. Are you following your bariatric team's eating plan, getting enough protein, and staying hydrated? If so, I'd say just give it some more time. You've already lost a lot, maybe your body is taking one of those "rest periods" where it's adjusting to the new regimen (AKA "a stall"). Just wait it out, it will break eventually.

Dont feel stupid! We are all humans. It happens. What i've found being a part of this community is the amount of information that we get from our respective programs are vastly different in many ways. Some get like NO info and no prep from a NUT or psych, some get TONS of info. Some plans do a calorie vs carb thing. Some dont allow any form of beef for 6 months. Some are a 6 step process to get you back to "normal food." Some say hey 4 weeks out, do what you can handle. What I've done over the last 6 weeks is researched from reputable bariatric centers across the country and kind of make a mishmash of the most helpful information and stuff that kept popping up. That, along with following some of the vets on here and reading through their posts have helped me greatly in the "What not to do" aspect. I honestly didn't get a lot of info for my surgery. Most of what I knew was from being with my ex who had the surgery a few years ago. But the packet I did get was not thorough and quite contradictory throughout. The nutritionist even got mad at me for using 2 T of 35 calorie mayo when it was ON HER RECIPE. So I totally get feeling and being misinformed and ill prepared. This isnt something thats easy and its not necessarily a line of thought that we're used to when we've struggled with weight our whole lives. So just give yourself grace, do your due diligence, and take care of that new and still healing stomach, you worked hard for it. The important thing is that you recognized your mistake, you did the right thing in calling your surgery center, and now you know. Like CatWoman said, most of us have been put on a no pasta, bread, high carb/dough NOPE list until months and months out, for example, mine is a nono til 8-12 months. Dont feel stupid, this community is amazing and super helpful. People can come off like theyre being harsh, but I truly believe that Its because they want everyone else to succeed too. Don't get discouraged. Keep your head up. And reach out to pretty much anyone on here and they're more than willing to help!! Goodluck, hun. I'm rooting for you!