Search the Community

What part of Jersey North or South? I would find a doctor who take Medicaid instead. In Jersey there should be several. Check the major hospitals for their bariatric programs..

If you were a cancer patient and 2 years into remission - would they tell you that it will likely come back??? NO! The medical profession still has a long way to go in terms of acceptance and understanding of bariatric surgery. Personally - I think it is a personal bias that certain individuals have in addition to a major lack of understanding of the physiological and psychological issues associated with WLS.

I like Pure Protein from Target. 25 gm in 12 oz, goes down easy, tastes good. I buy the frosty chocolate and the vanilla is ok too. Coupons on line are $1.00 off each. For a good size tub of the powder, I pay about 17.99 without the coupon. They last a couple weeks drinking twice a day. I didn't care for the Bariatric Advantage mix at all. I know some people don't like products hawked by the biggest loser, but truly I was drinking them on my diet months before surgery and I never watched the biggest loser, so I wasn't aware. Anyway, they taste good. GG

Do you have a e-reader like Kindle? There are TONS of free or low cost books that will help with your meal planning and the different stages of eating. As far as pain, I think you will be surprised at what a small amount you have. The hospital should stay on top of your pain relief the first day or two so the worst pain you will have will most likely be the gas pains from the surgery. My doc doesn't even send anyone home with pain meds because it's usually minimal! If you feel like you aren't getting guidance from your bariatric team you might have to get sorta pushy about it. Make a list of questions that you have and when you go in for a visit be sure to bring your list and get them all answered. Be proactive about your care and you'll get a far better outcome!

I can relate to how not knowing why a when Dr Ben Meir left St Vincents. I just could not swallow it very well but I felt if I did find out where and when he opened up a new center I would be changing. I do not know how his replacement Dr Hassan would have been and I could not swallow having him instead of Ben Meir. I researched Ben Meir thoroughly and was very happy with choosing him to do my sleeve. Even though I had to settle for the replacing Dr Hassan I found little about him. So when I heard he opened up new office in Willoughby Hills I got on the phone and got it restarted. Changed up to my original choice. Plus the PCP (Dr Jurcevic) Dr Ben Meir chose for my 6 mth Med Super Diet was 80% better than St Vincents Dr Salomon. I could not be happier. Brook is great, Claudia is too> They have a new receptionist Cindy who is sweet as well. I am tickled pink it all worked out great! Personally I feel the Dr's are great a CC but the hospital care stinks. That just my experience. Never been to West Medical Center or to TriPoint Medical Center but it will be one of those Hospitals for the surgery. He has begun renovating a wing for Bariatric Surgery at TriPoint Medical Center but in my case it may not be ready by my surgery date and if not I will be having it done West Medical Center. Both hospital are from Lake Health.

I think you would be great going with either CC or St Vincent's. Dr. Ben-Meir did my VSG on Feb. 5 and he and his staff (and the hospital staff) have been wonderful! This may seem like a silly consideration, but it is so much easier to get in and out of the St. Vincent office. So if you need to take time off from work for pre-op and post-op appt's, it's just easier to park at SV and not have to take a whole half day off of work, etc. Dr. Phil Schauer at CC also is very well-known for laparoscopic bariatric surgery and he does a lot of research in this area that has been published in well-known journals. I'm not sure if CC is doing as many VSGs as Dr. Ben-Meir--I would ask. They are doing a clinical trial for gastric plication, which is stitching the stomach up instead of removing it. I asked Dr. Ben-Meir about it and that's not a surgery of choice for him--if you are curious, ask him. I don't think you can go wrong with either choice. I was happy with my choice to go to Dr. Ben-Meir.

My insurance required that I enter a 6 month medically supervised weight loss and exercise program. In the program I kept a journal of what I ate and met with a nutritionist/doctor once per month and went over my diet and exercise. Monthly weigh-ins. I was also advised to go to monthly Bariatric Surgery group meetings. I received a signed form at each of these that showed I attended. I lost 20 pounds during the process, primarily by giving up my 6 diet coke a day habit. My nutritionist/doctor then wrote a letter stating my progress and this went to the surgeon's office who then wrote a letter recommending my surgery. I did not have a set weight loss requirement to qualify for insurance. Obviously gaining weight during this period would set off some alarm bells. Watching "My 600 pound life" which is a TV series about individuals undergoing bariatric surgery, those that are very heavy seem to have a set weight loss amount pre-surgery by THEIR SURGEON. I think this is because they need to prove to the surgeon that they have the capacity to lose the weight and maintain the weight loss after surgery. It may also have to do with the fact that too much fat may make it difficult to perform the operation (no working room). Some individuals who do not need this 6 month diet and exercise program to qualify for insurance undergo a liver shrink diet for the same reason.

I probably wouldn;t have said much as I avoid confrontation like the plague - but would have felt plenty. Was she a nurse affiliated with your surgeon's office, or does she work in the bariatric ward at the hospital? I'm hoping that maybe she was a general ward nurse and just really doesn't get it. Patients lose weight on the pre-op diet because they have a clear goal in sight, and know that it is very short term. It is rather idiotic to be surprised at someone who has lost weight on an extremely low calorie diet. Duh. But it could not be sustained in any viable or healthy way. I was considered low BMI for this surgery too - I just about squeaked through qualification with my co-morbidities. Yes, I did get people who were surprised at what I was doing and told me that I didn't need it. Oh, but I really did. 20 years of health problems that started as low-key but became harder to ignore with every passing year dictated that I do this now, or do it later when I am even heavier and more at risk. It really isn't up to a nurse to be gossipy and nosy about your health situation and the private battles you have fought. Hugs to you.

Hi! I have met with the surgeon, had a psych eval, did some online courses and have set a date of June 5th for my surgery. People keep asking me if I’m excited about it and honestly I am not. I have never had surgery.I’m not excited because I have had so many failures with weight loss that I feel skeptical. I am anxious for the outcome, that’s for sure. I’m ready to teach my boys how to ride bikes and ski, I’m ready to travel with them on an airplane, I’m ready to jump on trampolines and climb trees. Those are the things I’m excited for, not the surgery. I’d love to read how y’all prepared for surgery. When did you start the bariatric diet? I was thinking after Passover I’d start weighing my food and eating the things that are recommended (almost two months to get in a habit of bariatric eating). how drastic of a change is your taste buds? What do you wish you knew before surgery that you’d like to share with me? I hope to build some relationships and a great support group here. Thanks for taking your time to read!

Protein is important for the rest of your life. Everyone should be eating protein regardless if they are bariatric patients or not. Your body needs it for healing, muscle & bone health, digestion, … https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/functions-of-protein#TOC_TITLE_HDR_9 The daily recommended amount is 0.8g per kilogram for a non bariatric patient. (I’m required to reach 1.2g of protein per kg of weight in maintenance.) My surgeon was ok if I didn’t meet my protein goals each day to begin as long as I was making an effort to be close. It gets easier when you can eat more. If you can’t tolerate the shakes try bone broth, well strained cream soups or consumes, wonton soup broth (no wontons or vegetables of course). I struggled with shakes too so would dilute them & just rode out one a day for the two weeks.

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and we’re already in the throes of preparing for the holiday season ahead. The holidays mean one thing—food, drinks--and more food. As an obesity expert and surgeon who performs weight loss surgery, I can tell you most of us gain weight from here until the end of the year—and more than just a pound or two. Whether you’re maintaining your weight or trying to lose those last few pounds before Thanksgiving, I’d like to share my thoughts on how to manage your weight the same way you would manage a project at work, school or home. In the real world, it’s admittedly difficult to prep healthy food in advance and squeeze in a trip to the gym between commuting to work, dealing with home projects, driving kids to football or dance and trying to get to bed by 11 p.m. every night. Add in the additional responsibilities of holiday activities and—no surprise here--watching your weight plummets on the priority scale. But you can do it nonetheless, it just takes a little planning. My most successful patients, who face losing hundreds of pounds after bariatric surgery, organize their lives to put nutrition, exercise and other healthy endeavors on equal ground with the other aspects of daily life—no matter what. Here are some of my favorite tips and tools to plan a more organized strategy that will support your path to a healthier holiday season: 1. Figure Out What Needs Fixing Everyone has periods of time when eating right and exercising goes off kilter. Take a few minutes to figure out when and why this happens. Are you running out of healthy foods too often? Are you stressed at night dealing with the kids and eating to calm down? Are you so exhausted you can’t be bothered with working out? Once you identify these triggers, you can create a plan to overcome these challenges. 2. Organize Your Surroundings Without a doubt, living or working in a chaotic environment is stressful. If the kitchen is a mess, there is no food in the house and you can never find your favorite sneakers, you’re putting yourself at an unnecessary disadvantage. Get your home and office back under control; start with the most disorganized space and clean it up. (This can usually be accomplished in less time than you think and the results will make you feel five pounds lighter). 3. Schedule Your Workouts the Same Way You Schedule a Meeting Pick a specific time during the weekend to review your calendar for the days ahead and schedule your workouts accordingly. And then actually go—no matter what. 4. Plan Meals, Grocery Shopping and Cooking Once a Week Reviewing your schedule for the week will help figure out where and when you’ll be eating meals, what foods you’ll need, and how much time you need to cook. Look at the weekly grocery store circular and stock up on healthy items that are on sale. Planning saves money. 5. Go to Bed—No Excuses Sleep deprivation interferes with weight loss by confusing hormones that signal hunger and fullness levels. Research shows that people who stay up late consume more calories than those who go to sleep at about the same time each night. When you're tired, your willpower wanes. Even as adults, you still need to aim for eight hours of quality sleep per night. Managing your weight during the holidays is like taking medicine—you train yourself to do it every day, just like brushing your teeth and eating lunch. Which areas of your life could reap the biggest improvement if they were just a little more organized? Start there. In a few short weeks, you are going to realize the positive impact on your life—and your waistline. When January rolls around, you’ll be starting a new year looking and feeling your best. Now that’s the way to welcome 2016.

hey guys, my dm was doing well post op (when my intake was zilch)...but i've been having fasting levels around 140...and my weight loss has stalled...i'm calling my endocrinologist and bariatric dietician.... but wondering if anyone has experience with this phenomenon/// also i've got to ditch my glucophage...even cracked in to 4 pieces and with little restriction it gets painfully stuck....i'm gonna try januvia + glimiperide 2.0mg did today and felt a little shaky hypoglycemic at lunch....will keep you posted amanda

Yes - and I am preparing myself for the worst, but hoping for the best. I do hope that because it's a Bariatric Center vs. a normal hospital, they are willing to help me. I realize that insurance qualifications are what they are, but keeping my fingers crossed! It's always best to have hope and a good coordinator on your side. I agree that a bariatric center is much better in terms of insurance approval because many times if your in a good place the coordinators are specially trained to obtain approvals because they want your money:). Also if your insurance has centers of excellence definitely go to them. It makes a difference! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I used Dr. Gritsus. He is a very good Dr. His staff is very good. He is very quiet, he doesn't talk much. You can ask him questions and he will answer. You can call his office and he will return your calls. He has 2 offices, one in Paramus (where I go) and in Pequannock. He did my lapband surgery in 2010. All lapband patients come to the Paramus office because that is where the fluoroscope machine is. At the time when I was looking to do weight loss surgery. He was the only one my insurance accepted and the hospitals he does the surgery in are bariatric certified. You need to write a list of questions and then sit with each of the doctors and interview them and pick your choice. See who you feel the most comfortable with. I have heard good review from all three of the Drs. you have chosen. Good luck to you.

In my bariatric practice, the Nutritionist is a registered Dietician who specializes in Bariatric patients. Our surgeon defers to her in the areas of what to eat and when. My plan is 4 -5 meals daily at least 3 hours apart. Each meal to have 3 oz protein - eaten first, a multigrain or fruit serving (2 each max per day - not to be eaten at the same meal) and any quantity of green veggies. At 6 weeks I was supposed to be eating at least 800 calories and at 7 months I'm around 1200 or so. Of course it wasn't until 12 weeks that I could fit in anything but the protein and only 1 - 2 oz so I still supplemented with a protein shake daily. At almost 7 months, I eat only real food as I can' stand protein shakes any longer. They make me gag.

Hi! In the beginning of my journey I got in touch with INSURE nutrition to see if I qualified for no cost protein shakes, scar cream and vitamins. They did all the leg work and I ended up receiving all of that ( 5 cartons with 18 in each. Premier protein) for about a year. It then stopped and I was bummed. Because we all know how expensive it can get. Well, they contacted me 2 weeks ago. They check with former customers ins. plans to see if they re-qualify. I did! It is so worth the time spent going back and forth with them. I received the shakes, bariatric vitamins and a new folic acid supplement.

My hospital experience with my VSG was great. I went to Parker Adventist hospital in Parker Colorado and it was honestly the nicest hospital I've been in. The nurses were attentive and caring while still getting the job done. Pretty much everything I needed was available to me there. This hospital didn't permit heating pads since they can cause burns but when I complained of gas pains in my shoulder blades they immediately brought me heated towels to put on my back. The room was private (all the rooms on the bariatric floor were), there was a couch, bed, and a super comfy recliner. They kept on top of my pain meds, always coming on time to give the next dose (which I definitely needed). Since they gave dialudid instead of morphine to me (I can't handle morphine) I didn't get a pain pump but they never let me go past 4 hours without a new dose. I actually felt rather pampered while there. I loved it. Not all hospitals are as nice as this one though. The year prior I had my gallbladder removed unexpectedly at a hospital near where I live and my experience was the complete opposite. I felt ignored, like I was an inconvenience to the nurses. I had a lot of pain and anxiety and if I asked for my next pain med dose I was looked at like I was a drug seeker, even if it was past time for it. They let me go 12 hours without pain meds once. It was a horrible experience. So check out the hospital you're going to ahead of time if you can.

Now I completed the Options program which is a prerequisite for Kaiser Habor City Bariatrics.....also your required to lose 10% of your body wt by time you meet the surgeon...Have I lost 10% not even close maybe 4%....but I'm just curious about what happens...Has anyone had this experience? I'm not worried because it is what it ...but looking for some feedback?

So, I'm 2+ years out and had what I suspect was a gallbladder episode a few nights ago. Woke up projectile vomiting 5 hours after a rich meal. (Rich in good fat, salmon, olive oil, etc) I palpated around and nothing hurt to the touch. Problem was over as quick as it started. Went back to bed felt okay the next day, (minor soreness probably to be expected). Went and got checked the next day at the PCP's office, (my surgeon moved and the bariatric program kind of fell apart so no support there) and the nurse practitioner was like, yeah, could be, but since it was the first episode probably don't need an ultrasound. Try cutting some fat out of your diet. Okay... So I've done that, and do feel better, however, I've lost a little weight already. I don't really NEED to lose at this point, but 10 pounds would be okay. No more though. So I've been maintaining my weight on a certain calorie level (1300-1500) mostly supported by full fat dairy and "good" fats in nuts, avocado, salmon, olive oil, etc. I've gone back to logging so I can keep track of the fat, (I WAS eating a lot, I think), but now, keeping it below 30% (around 40g per day which doesn't seem that low to me), I struggle to get 1000 calories per day, (even when I eat 5-6 small meals per day). I have an exercise habit, stationary bike at home, nothing extreme, that burns 400-500 per day. What am I going to look like in 2 months? Should I be concerned?

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 5, 2011 - DAY 3 OF PRE OP DIET - WELL I SLEPT IN UNTIL 8:30 AM TODAY. A LITTLE RESTLESS LAST NIGHT DUE TO MY 9 AM APPT. WITH DR. MARLEY RE: PRE OP SURGERY. I LOST 5 MORE LBS. FOR A TOTAL OF 10 LBS. LOST SO FAR IN MY JOURNEY. NOT BAD CONSIDERING I THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE GAINED WT. OVER THE HOLIDAYS. YEH ME! I HAD LABS DONE AND AN EKG. I GOT TO TALK WITH THE ANESTHESIOLOGIST RE: MY SURGERY. HE ASSURED ME THAT I SHOULD HAVE NO PROBLEMS IN RECOVERY DUE TO MY SLEEP APNEA. DR. MARLEY HAD ME SWITCH TO THE BARIATRIC ADVANTAGE PROTEIN SHAKES 3 TIMES A DAY ALONG WITH 2 CONTROL BARS. (INSTEAD OF THE CARNATIONS DRINKS AND LEAN CUSINE DINNERS) SO THAT I WILL GET MORE PROTEIN AND LESS CALORIES. I WAS NOT AT ALL HAPPY ABOUT THAT! I THINK THEY TASTE TERRIBLE. YUK! I LOVED THE LEAN CUISINE DINNERS AND SOME OF THEM WERE LESS THAN 200 CALORIES. GO FIGURE??? OH WELL. I HAVE TO COMPLY I GUESS. I AM SCHEDULED FOR AN EGD DUE TO HAVING GERD FOR OVER 5 YRS. AND BEING ON MEDICINE FOR IT. IT IS NEXT TUESDAY. HOPE ALL GOES WELL. CAN'T WAIT TO HAVE EVERYTHING OVER AND DONE WITH AND BACK TO NORMAL AGAIN. ENJOYED MY CAFFEINE FREE HOT TEA THIS AM AND AGAIN TONIGHT. ALSO WENT FOR A WALK WITH MY HUSBAND OUTSIDE THIS AFTERNOON. WE WALKED 2 BLOCKS AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD AGAIN. IT SEEMS TO GET EASIER EACH DAY. I WAS THINKING ABOUT TRYING TO DO THIS TWICE A DAY MAYBE STARTING TOMORROW. WE'LL SEE!

**Lisa,** I'm sorry to hear that all this is happening to you. I wish you strength, love and hope. Please do get the xrays done and have them looked at by a bariatric doctor, don't take no chances. I don't quite understand why some Dr's in the U.S. have issues with helping patients that were banded in Mexico. They are still going to make money off your visits, if it's a money thing. But really.. Lisa... you made a great point. What if you did have a leak? How can a practice turn you down in a situation like that? I know you can go to the emergency room,but it's just the point. Good luck with what ever you plan on doing. Lets pray that you have no erosion and that everything will be okay. Do your best to stay positive. *JUST A BIT OF INFO.* It is not my intention to change the focus of this thread, so please don't take it this way. I just wanted to elaborate on something that was brought up and to add info. that may be helpful. I have a intrathecal pump port in my belly for back pain & So I know what you're talking about when it comes to the radiologists not finding things that they are not familiar with. My Dr. said it's a sad thing, but it's very important that I see what a defect is, just in case he isn't around & something happens to me. I need to be informed about my situation because a lot of Dr.'s have no idea what this pump is or does. My Dr. was in Greece & I had severe leakage from my incision, I went to the ER, the Dr's were setting me up for emergency surgery to have the port & lead to my back taken out. They told me that the drug in my port was leaking into my system & I could die. (This is what radiology reports had shown them) Thank God my Dr. checked in before all this started because come to find out.. the leakage was just saline. The funny thing is, the port only holds 4cc's of Fluid & the amount of saline coming out was so bad that my pants were soaked in ten minutes after a dressing change, thus it could not be the drug. The ER Dr's should have ruled it out. On top of that the Dr. should have known that if the dose of dilaudid that I'm on was coming out that fast in my body, I wouldn't even be able to breathe, I'd be dead in minutes (the port has an alarm you can hear if something is wrong). At this point I was scared to death & I found all that I could pertaining to my pump & researched it. Sorry this is long winded, what I'm trying to get at is that we should know what a defect or erosion looks like so we can recognize what could be wrong, or to educate a Dr. or radiologist who has no idea what to look for as far as erosion in our particuliar situations. Maybe they'd call for another opinion. In my case.. I could have been on the operating table due to a Dr. not having the knowledge about my pump. Next time you're at your band Dr. ask if they have a picure of what erosion, slipped or defected bands look like,on xray, it could help you out somewhere down the line. I meet with the surgeon doing my band on the 2nd of Nov. and I plan on asking him. From what I learned already, he does have pictures.

Hi LuAnn! I'm in NJ also. I had gastric bypass in 2015, but I can give you a little advice. If you're going to be in the hospital more than one night, bring dry shampoo. I had to stay three nights and couldn't shower, so I wish I had mine! Bring Gas-x strips with you. I never had a problem drinking water before surgery but it was harder after, so I drank vitamin zero. Water just didn't appeal to me. And I haven't tried that brand of vitamins. Over the last year and a half I've tried a variety of multis, all chewable, bariatric geared, in the beginning. Now I'm able to take pills. I prefer the chewy kind. RNY 6/8/15 SW 248 LW 175 CW 197 GW 180 "Eat to be the person you want to be."

I have a question for those who have had Bariatric Surgery. How is your health compared to what it was before? I know many people have major health concern before surgery and they are cleared up once the weight is lost. But has anyone’s health declined? Do you catch the “common cold” more often? Are you on different medications? I’m very curious about this, I’ve heard conflicting arguments.

that's a question for your bariatric clinic. Some allow it, some don't.

I don't know any current U.S. pricing, but as of last spring, my bariatric surgeon in Mexico was advertising revision surgery starting at $7200. Hopefully that gives you some kind of idea.