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Please look at Pinterest, Bariatric food recipes, and you will find a cookbook is not necessary!!!! Good luck!

That is not particularly high bp! Mine with meds was higher than that for surgery, then it went down the next week and my pcp had me quit meds altogether. It's gone up and down and seems to be evening out at about 125/80 or so for now. Could you go to a walk-in clinic? Seems kind of nuts your doctor can't help you out! My bariatric surgeon didn't want to deal with the bp either. I can understand that. good luck to you!

So I just joined FitnessPal.com. One of my friends recommended it in order to help me get out of my stall. She told me that maybe I am not getting enough protein and this app will tell me exactly how much protein I am getting. Anyways I notice that a lot of people here have joined FitnessPal so I had a question. Does the app give predictions on how much weight u will loose following your food plan? Or do I have to upgrade to premium for that? I use to do food diary.com a few years ago and what I liked about that website is that it would give me a prediction on how much weight I would loose after a certain amount of time. Also is there anyway that I can change the recommended calorie intake? Obviously I cannot eat the recommended 1500 calories that they say I have to eat. Every time I input my food log it tells gives me a warning that I am not eating enough calories. Or is there another bariatric friendly app I can use?

check this link http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/309765-questions-i-need-answers-too/ they are listing some recipes...there are others on this website if you search for recipes... also a great source is The World According to Eggface...she has some great recipes for bariatric members!

I'm curious Curvyjudy, why you would want to fly across the United States? There are Bariatric Centers of excellence back East. I tell you, I would not want to fly for hours and hours only 3 days after having this procedure. It wipes you out. Granted you feel fine in a week or two, but that first week is hard.

I only take protonix for reflux since surgery. I called my surgeons office today and they gave me conflicting information.. I asked if I had any deficiencies that I was not told about in my blood work 3 weeks ago and everything was good with the exception of vitamin d, she said it wasn’t low to where I needed to supplement, but taking one every other day or so won’t hurt.. she told me to come in to be seen because most Bariatric patients don’t experience hair loss until 6-9 months post-op (which is where I felt conflicted since a lot of people on this forum have experienced hair loss around 3 months post-op). I have been using Ultrax Labs Hair Surge for 2 days now and taking silica supplements for 2 days as well. I didn’t have “as much” hair in the drain and my brush this morning as I did Friday/Saturday. I am hoping this is over quickly. I am going to my stylist Friday to cut 8” off my hair. Going from my butt to my shoulders I was hoping to go back blonde for summer too, but with as much as my hair is falling out, I’m terrified!

I have tried: Bariatric Advantage Protein Powder: Orange Cream, banana, Iced Latte They were ok tasting, overpriced. Premier Protein: Strawberries and Cream, vanilla Best bang for the buck if you can get them at costco or Sams. Taste is good Isopure whey Protein Powder: Alpine Punch I like this one. Its not as thick as other shakes. Wanted something Fruity. WheyTech BodyTech Pro 24: chocolate Mint, Banana Cream Hands down my favorite Protein shake. I was always a Vanilla guy, but this Chocolate Mint shake is amazing. And you don't have to buy a huge tub of it either. The Vitamin Shoppe sells single serve packets of it. Pure Protein Premade Shakes (Pop Can size): Banan Cream I liked these a lot too. Best Banana flavor I have tried. nectar Protein: Sample Pack. You can get 13 individual packs for $15.00. One time only. Its really worth it. They have some good flavors but buying a large canister for 28+ is a gamble. http://www.si03.com/EMAIL/nectar_gng_sampler/nectarsampler.html Isopure Protein Zero Carb DRINK: Alpine Punch, Apple Melon, Orange-Pineapple-Banana I like these drinks. I got sick of the shake thickness after the 3rd week post op. I also did them for 2 weeks pre op so by then I had enough. The drinks are not for everyone. Its like gatorade but with a weird aftertaste. I suggest trying one to see if you like it. It might not be for you. Vitamins: I started with Centrum Complete Chewables but after the first bottle, switched to Kroger Childrens Complete Chewable Multi Vitamins. Better price. I got B Complex Chewable wafers from The Vitamin Shoppe but didn't care for the after taste of the Kiwi strawberry flavor so I went back and got Strawberry flavored Gummies from The Vitamin Shoppe. Calcium Citrate I bought through the Pharmacy at my local hospital but you can get them online. Bariatric Advantage Cal Citrate 500mg Chews, Orange flavor. My Surgeon told me to wait till I was a month Post Op to take these. D3: I just got the cheapest bottle from the local Meijer or Kroger. 2000iu, once a day. If you go to The Vitamin Shoppe, sign up for their rewards program. After the 3rd week after you sign up, they will send you a 20% off coupon in the mail. Try a few things from there at first and once you get that coupon, make a list of things you want to buy large amounts of, that 20% off is for the total of one shopping trip. I saved like 50 by buying a bunch at once. Good luck!

I went big time money and oredered from Bariatric Choice off internet and all the flavors sucked and tasted terrible. Went to my doctor and asked if I could take the following and he said absolutely. Walmart sells One a Day Vitacraves (gummies) and Vitafusion Calcium. I'm not telling you to take one or two each time because that information will come from your doctor or dietitian. Some will have to take additional vitamins/minerals/iron supplements. costco also sells One a Day Vitcraves (big discount and twice the size than Walmart) Good luck

I wasn't brought up with healthy habits, and even kept a lot of my bad habits up due to time constraints, so even though I am on "Normal" foods I wanted my changes to be forever so I have learned to read nutritional values, memorize carb and protein amounts in foods, and even taught myself to use a Wok to stir fry, and grill indoors, a change recipes and alter them to fit my diet and I stay away from fast food, I learn a lot on Google about cooking, and and even found some websites that give bariatric friendly restaurants, and I do give myself 1 cheat day per month

:smile:Hi Banders..... You all have been SOOOOO helpful in the past with my questions, I'm hoping you can do the same again! My doctor wants me to take a Calcium supplement. He gave me a sample of some "Bariatric Advantage" chewable tablets. But------ ewwwww they are gross. Anyone out there take any good tasting calcium supplements? Again, THANKS BANDERS!!!:tongue2:

That is too cool about your migraines getting better. I wonder about hormones with mine, but cant pin it down (everytime i try, it disproves itself). OM-as for the protein powder, the nutritionist/dietician i am seeing (because my insurance co requires it) has helped me with a few brand recomendations because of my food triggers. I am going to try Metagentics BX (bariatric)...something or rather. Its soy free and artificial sweetener free. She wants me to try that for a few weeks and see if i can tolerate it, if not we move onto other things on her list. Since i am doing this prior to my surgery hopefully i will have found one i can tolerate prior to actually needing it. I also crave food during and just after a migraine. Mine is sugar. I normally have a sweet tooth but when its migraine time OMG....i could eat straight sugar. It doesnt pass really until the next day. I dunno if sugar is just a subconcious comfort or because it spikes things in your body that make you feel better (chocolate=endorphines). This will be something i am going to have to deal with now and forever because the lap band cant save me from that. Hope you all have a great weekend. I am getting the startings of a headache now, so i am going to try and cut it off and log off my computer.

Here is the general gist of what my Doc wants - mind you all Dr.s are different. Here are my doc's recommendations on supplements: Multivitamin mineral supplement - bariatric specific or 200% dose of standard multivitamin. Should be 100% of at least 2/3 nutrients. Should contain at least 400 IU of Vitamin D, 400 mcg folic acid, 1.2 mg thiamine B-1, 15 mg zinc, and 18-27 mg. Iron. It should also contain copper and selenium. If you take 200%, it should not exceed 10,000IU Vitamin A, or 1,000 mg (1500IU) of vitamin E. Elemental Iron - ASMBS guidelines call for a minimum of 36 mg per day. For menstruating women or those at risk of anemia total intake should be 50-100 mg per day. B-50 complex daily - the B50's I take are Bariatric Advantage in capsule form and have 50 mg each of thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin and 400 mcg of folate, 250 mcg of B12, 500 mcg Biotin, and 50 mg of pantotheric acid. also contains choline 25 mg, inositol 25 mg. B-12 - 500 micrograms per day or 1,000 microgram injection monthly calcium citrate - 1,500 to 2,000 mg calcium citrate Vitamin D: Dose dependent on labs - since we are in Seattle I am still taking 10,000 IU's a day in liquid form. I am getting ready for my 6 month labs soon - I have dropped the D down to 5k, and am taking Celebrate multi-vitamin capsules instead of chewables 9they can make me want to yak if i take them all at once, so i space them out) and the Citrical petites - which are not really all that petite lol. I still take Omeprazole (prilosec) daily, it will help to keep you from forming ulcers post surgery.

I would do things slightly differently although my friend DanaC84.did not give bad advice. Was your EKG/ECG done through your bariatric clinic or hospital or did a cardiologist do it? If it was not done through a cardiologist, I would consult one. Explain to them you are seeking Bariatric Surgery and this has come up, that you are wondering if this will bar you from your surgery? You may have to go through heart ultrasounds, not bad , I had one myself 2 days ago, maybe even a cardiac catheterzation, not as much fun, but I have had 2 full ones. This is your life and future we are talking about, and , Darlin', you are well-worth it. And then I would also speak to my surgeon, if I were you. If you are curious where I am giving this advice from, I will explain. I had my surgery , an RNY, a little less than 8 months ago. Because I have many 1st and 2nd degree relatives with cardiac issues and also because of my AGE (73) I had to go through more extensive testing before clearance. But I got it from Dr Karve, my cardiologist as well as all the others I had to see. In January it was time for my yearly, she asked if she might send me for a MRI, there was a blip on the radar, you might say. When I got paperwork to fill out from the consulting hospital, she's in a different healthcare system than my bariatrics, there in black and white was the reason she was sending me. She had not spoke of this, nary a clue . To Rule out expansion of Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm, OMG I had no idea! It is even more frightening, my Middle child who was also my oldest son, died suddenly at 31, he also had an Aortic aneurysm, his was in the Ascending Arch, very much closer to the ❤but it exploded and he was dead in the blink of an eye. Took a long time for my late husband , myself and indeed all that knew and loved my Kevin. It was our belief that it was just a freak happening, now with my diagnosis, it is more likely it had a genetic basis. Me, a mother who loved and would given her own life up to save him, may have instead been the instrument of his death. Talk about a never- ceasing Guilt Trip.Well my MRI shows at this time, mine is stable, if you have to have one, mine is the better of the 2 kinds, a fusiform , a uniform widening,if it had been saccular, like berries on the side, they rupture quicker so I would have had open surgery by now since I live 50 miles away from my specialists. Now as to why the latest ❤ultrasound , I have a murmur, it was being watched by my PCP and me, we thought not that uncommon. Well as part of my healing from surgery, I have frequent endoscopies, my pouch developed a stricture, and I have healing ulcers in my jejunem, the part of small intestine my pouch , the Ms Precious Pouch, so named because I fought a 3 year uphill battle to even receive her, attaches to. Well the anesthesiologist assisting had a tantrum fit, well that's what it seemed like, over degree that she was picking up with her stethoscope. Finally allowed the endoscopy to proceed but this time she was there to monitor and faxed my PCP before I could tell him at my next appointment. So that was Wednesday, praying it is either simple aging or a minor functional one, not a valve defect. Along with the other congenital problems, Kevin had an Aortic valve with 2 not 3 leaflets, hopefully I didn't give that to him as well. Funny that of my whole family he always seemed the healthiest, but I guess You Can't Always Tell. So you can understand my cautionary tale, but Bueno702, I am praying yours works out perfect and you do get your surgery. I will never, even with the bumps I've had along the way, regret having mine. At my heaviest I was 365+ unhappy pounds, now I am 224, hoping in a few months to break the barriers and be in Onederland, when I broke 300 I was so happy but it won't compare to writing my weight with a 1 in front!

Where did you find them at?Amazon has them but i got them at the hospital. They have a store the caters to bariatric patients and womens health. I just recently found them at Kroger bt the deli section and cheeses.

Hi everyone , I just had my 18 month post-op labs done and my B1 shot up from 157 to 203 in 6 months. Is hat normal? I read it can be caused by bariatric surgery. But normally people are deficient in both the sleeve and the bypass. Not sure if I need to worry or wait to hear from my surgeon. Any thoughts? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

@@Susan.davis, I suggest you go to a Bariatric Center of Excellence for a second opinion, bringing the results of all the tests with you. I don't think it's a good idea to go back to the same surgeon for a "do-over".

I’m hypersensitive to nausea and the bariatric ones put me over the edge, bad. I take a women’s gummy that has biotin and calcium. My 4 month blood tests came back great so despite them having a small amount of sugar in them, they’re the only ones I can tolerate. Sleeved 8/7/17 HW: 256 SW: 248 CW: 188 on 3/7/18 5'7" GW: 150

Before my surgery, I had to get an exam done by a bariatric counselor. They talked to me about how I felt about giving things up, or how I plan to succeed. I am a mental health professional so I told them what I knew they wanted to hear bc I wanted the surgery (I know.. I know.) But after surgery, I felt like there was some unresolved issues with food, much like yourself, and so I'm doing the process to go back to the counseling center. Honestly, looking for eating disorder counselors might be a good first step for you.. because overeating is a disorder.. I imagine most people think "eating disorder" and imagine anorexia or bulimia. Which isn't 100% the case. Mood disorders is something completely different. When you talk to a therapist, you get to interview them first. You have to make sure that THEY are a good fit for YOU. Even if it's just to go 1x a month, I bet it'll be helpful. If you don't feel comfortable with them, then ask for a change. You can request a specific gender if you'd like. Look at their credentials and see how long they've been in practice. healthgrades.com is also a good place to get some reviews. Making a call will also help you establish how they'll treat you. Trust your gut with it. I know you've had a bad experience in the past, but that doesn't mean that all experiences will be bad. I had a horrible exp in college with a therapist and swore I'd never go back. Now I've been in therapy for 3 years now and it's changed my life. Good luck!

I guess I should update my Journey a bit. I have been kind of moving slow since my consult. I don?t know if it is because I am afraid of being denied. Or it maybe I am hoping that by the time I finish the 6 month diet, they will approve the sleeve and I won?t have to deal with deal with the appeal process. I am 99.9% sure they will deny me on the first try. I just turned in my release of information to my PCP yesterday. They need to send 3 years of records to the surgeon and get my psych evaluation before they will submit to the insurance company. I haven?t scheduled the psych evaluation yet either. When I talked to the receptionist to turn in my release form to my PCP, I told them to just send the records to me. I figured I could make copies, and keep a set for myself. That way if I decide to seek a 2nd consult, I?ll already have them. The receptionist was somewhat concerned about releasing the records to me. She said they might have to charge me for them if they release them to me, but don?t charge anything if it is being sent to a Dr. That makes no sense to me at all. The records lady is supposed to call me and discuss my options. I am also waffling on if I should go to another surgeon. There are not many sleeve surgeons in my area that I know of. The one I consulted (Dr. Lamasters) who has only done a dozen. She has done hundreds of RNY bypasses though. I don?t know if there is anyone in Iowa who has much experience at sleeves since hardly any insurance companies will pay for it. Kind of a catch 22. I don?t know if I should contact Dr. Gary J. Anthone, I know he is a highly regarded DS (duodenal switch) surgeon, so you would think he would be good at doing sleeves as he has 1600 DS surgeries. It also says he has done 250 Open VSG?s, and 25 VSG (I assume these were done Lap). My only concern is he may be great at Open, but are his LAP skills up to snuff? I think I also have concerns that they may try and talk me into getting a DS. I don?t really think I want to deal with the severe malabsorption issues. Ironically, my insurance company would pay for the DS. I have also been looking at appeal strategies. I think I have a good case that the VSG is the only acceptable WLS for me, since I take NSAIDS twice a day for my ruptured disc in my back, and my father died of stomach cancer. Once concern I have is that according to the WLS policy for wellmark BCBS, they state the following. ?Surgery for morbid obesity, also known as bariatric surgery is based on intestinal malabsorption and gastric reduction. Surgery is considered successful if weight loss is maintained at greater than or equal to 50% of excess body weight for more than 10 years.? Are they going to wait for 10 years before they approve the sleeve? Well I guess I should get off my butt, and schedule a psych evaluation and get the ball rolling. I won?t ever get anything done procrastinating. I suppose I can wait to choose a surgeon once I know i've jumped through my insurance hoops. Wish me luck!

Hello! Another Iowan! (I'm a western Illinois transplant...). I had my surgery in Davenport at Genesis (can never remember if it's east or west) by Dr. Matthew Christophersen, also a bariatric center of excellence. Good luck at your meeting!

First let me say what a spectacular job you are doing! You are changing your life for the better and in doing so, probably doing the same for your children. Congratulations on your success! The divorce rate for bariatric patients is high. You are making changes that can affect your entire family's life style; your husband is fighting these changes. For your sake and the sake of your children you need to decide if you are going to allow him to sabotage these changes and potentially your continued success. His other choice is to hop on board and be a part of something wonderful. I don't know a lot about bipolar disorder but it sounds like a really convenient excuse to blame his sh***y behavior and allow a vicious circle of verbal abuse to continue. If it truly is his bipolar he needs to figure out a way to fix it, be it meds, counseling or both. Please don't allow yourself to get sucked in and try to deal with his insecurities. You will never be able to fix it, he has to want to do that! You can support him but you can't do it for him. Good luck!

Texas, I know exactly what you mean. You know I had a thought last night. I wonder how many of those celebrity chicks have already had bariatric surgery. Some of these women...I'm thinking...okay how are you still 111 pounds at age 41? What are they eating? Their own hair? Just a thought.

Hi, I was banded on 6/3 by Dr. Tom Cerabona from Westchester Medical Center. He is he chief of Bariatric Surgery. He was wonderful. His office is right in the medical building near the Medical Center. His office staff treats you like you are VIP. Every 2 weeks there is a support group you can attend at 6pm for $10. There is one this Thursday. Dr. Cerabona also did my 16 1/2 yr old daughter on 7/8. We are both doing this journey together. When you find out how to change your ticker please let me know. I am getting very fustrated. Maybe I will see you at a support group. Lisa

Hi everyone. My name is Verna and I am tired of being fat. I have high blood pressure and pain in my knees. I have an appointment with a bariatric surgeon in July and I cannot wait to begin the process. I joined this forum to get knowledge and to meet new people who are going through what I'm going through.

@Dianne Wow, May 24. How long does the procedure take and did you come home the same day? @JaGo I definitely plan to be around through this whoe process. It was only a week and a half ago I made the decision to pursue bariatric surgery. I finally got up the nerve to call on Thursday. I am very excited about the thought of getting my life back. I'm tired of going down steps one at a time when I used run up them two at a time and not having the energy to do the things I used to do. Thank you ladies both for all your kind words and support.