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Peanut butter! Yeah, yeah, I know - there's the stuff you grind yourself, there's PB2, there's Peanut Butter flavored Protein - I've tried those and even use them sometimes. But they're just not Jif. That's what my mother fed me, and I will always, always love it!

I think it depends on the dr and the bc. I am allowed to take my pills right up until the day before surgery and I'm encouraged to start taking it again about a week after surgery. I would call and ask your surgery team before changing your current bc, investing in a bunch of stuff, or stopping using your bc.

I use the unflavored isopure. Early out I put it in oatmeal and soups. Now I mix it with a vegan protein shake I like bc it isn't as high on protein as I like.

Ok, I know a rant is not how I should introduce my self but Im just frustrated! To start I was banded in march of 2008, My highest weight was 465 lbs and I lost down to 382 by the day of surgery. Things were sorta bad from the start, My doctor didn't want to give me fills because she said I wasn't losing fast enough and would only jump on to me when I went in so I tried to avoid it as much as possible. Finally at some where between 7 and 7.5 cc in a 14cc band I started losing weight, I was puking with every single meal (pretty much every bite) but I lost weight none the less. Then the GERD kicked in and it was BAD, it sent me to the ER several times thinking I was having a heart attack and I could not have any Fluid removed because my DOC went to a different state and no other surgeons would take me on. Finally after 2 years of acid reflux from hell she came back to practice in the same hospital where I had my band put in, I made an appointment right way and at 318 lbs she removed all my fluid to let me heal from the gerd. A couple months went by and my weight shot up to about 350 lbs and she added 1cc in my band and made me an app to come back in 2 weeks, well when I went back they informed me that she had moved back to her home country of romania and I would need to find another doc. I tried for months before I finally found a doc 2 hours away to see me, by the time I got an appointment I was weighing in at nearly 400 lbs. after seeing him a few times he had be back to 7cc and chronic diarrhea set in right away! But I lost down to 349 lbs in about 7 months until the gerd again got so bad I couldn't take it any longer and went for complete unfill witch immediately resolved the diarrhea but my weight shot back up to 380 lbs from 349 in about a month. I went back for another fill and was given 4cc and told to come back in 2 weeks and he would give me 2 more cc's but the very next day after the 4cc fill the diarrhea was back and had continued every since. When I went back for the 2 cc fill I told him about it and he told me that the only thing he can thing of is maybe the band is putting pressure on a nerve and causing it. He told me to see a gastro dr and rule out any thing else, and if it looks like its the band then he wants to remove it and do a sleeve 6 months later. I am afraid of going through another surgery (this time a permanent one) and having issues preventing me from losing the weight once again! Im fed up and wish I had never had the band done! Sorry for the rant, it had build up in me and I felt like I was going to explode! Thomas

My surgery was jan. 29th... Postponed from the 27th bc of the snow.. Slow and steady now.. Hard to sip anything bc of pain but I hope that gets easier with time!

I know we have all discussed the stats but I'm curious what your results are. I'm wondering if I should go with the bypass for the sole reason that I want to be little at the end of this. I'm 5'4", 235lbs. Is a 100 lb weight loss even plausible for me? My goal weight is 130lbs. I can go smaller, but in my experience, I have a lot of muscle and that is a weight where I'm very happy. Guys, help me decide. I'm worried that the sleeve Lacks long term data. I don't want it to end up with results like the band. I'm tempted to go with the bypass bc I know it works. But obviously if I get get here, and stay there with the sleeve, it's much safer and with less complications. I'm 25. I need this surgery to last a lifetime, which mostly relies on me. But I don't want to reach a plateau, have my sleeve slowly slowly stretch back out and put the weight back on. I'm so lost and so unhappy in this decision. Help!

I know we have all discussed the stats but I'm curious what your results are. I'm wondering if I should go with the bypass for the sole reason that I want to be little at the end of this. I'm 5'4", 235lbs. Is a 100 lb weight loss even plausible for me? My goal weight is 130lbs. I can go smaller, but in my experience, I have a lot of muscle and that is a weight where I'm very happy. Guys, help me decide. I'm worried that the sleeve Lacks long term data. I don't want it to end up with results like the band. I'm tempted to go with the bypass bc I know it works. But obviously if I get get here, and stay there with the sleeve, it's much safer and with less complications. I'm 25. I need this surgery to last a lifetime, which mostly relies on me. But I don't want to reach a plateau, have my sleeve slowly slowly stretch back out and put the weight back on. I'm so lost and so unhappy in this decision. Help!

I know we have all discussed the stats but I'm curious what your results are. I'm wondering if I should go with the bypass for the sole reason that I want to be little at the end of this. I'm 5'4", 235lbs. Is a 100 lb weight loss even plausible for me? My goal weight is 130lbs. I can go smaller, but in my experience, I have a lot of muscle and that is a weight where I'm very happy. Guys, help me decide. I'm worried that the sleeve Lacks long term data. I don't want it to end up with results like the band. I'm tempted to go with the bypass bc I know it works. But obviously if I get get here, and stay there with the sleeve, it's much safer and with less complications. I'm 25. I need this surgery to last a lifetime, which mostly relies on me. But I don't want to reach a plateau, have my sleeve slowly slowly stretch back out and put the weight back on. I'm so lost and so unhappy in this decision. Help!

I have some sports bras, but they are all pretty tight. The most comfortable bra I have is actually a nursing bra, which is funny because I never nursed, I got it at my baby shower 5 years ago (we formula fed). I'll go pick up a sports bra or two. I think I may have figured the problem out though. When they were doing the surgery, they probably had to spread my ribs a bit to get to my upper stomach, which is tucked next to my lungs, underneath the ribcage. I bet my ribs just aren't all settled back to normal. It takes longer for that to happen in women because our ligaments are a little looser (assuming we've carried a pregnancy into the third trimester) due to some of the pregnancy hormones. I did eat lunch yesterday with a bra on and no problems, so maybe things are returning to normal (I preemptively skipped the bra last night because I was at a chic restaurant with my book club, and I couldn't just take my bra off mid meal!)

My doctors paperwork says 3 weeks and to be extremely diligent about BC

I'm pretty high strung to begin with and I work in a very anxiety provoking field as a crisis counselor. I'm constantly worried about clients. I find my anxiety gets out of control at night when I have particular cases that I "take home" with me, though not in a literal sense. A few years ago I started seeing a psychiatrist who prescribed a mood stabilizer, Lamictal. It helps so I don't get too racy at any given point. He also prescribed a low dose anti anxiety med. I find the Lamictal does a pretty good job keeping me even keel and I take it nightly. For those moments when I feel like I am just too "keyed up" I will take the benzo. Probably like..3 times a month on average. It definitely helps me. I also see a therapist tho, and I think learning my patterns and my triggers has helped more than anything. I'm still pre-op, but I'm hoping I can maintain my general level of functioning after surgery with the help of these medicines. Good luck to you. I say..try it out. What's the worst? You've already had the strength to start and stop one bc you didn't like it, so you can always do that again.

I was in the hospital for 2 days. I don't take pain well therefore it hurt for about 2 weeks. Physical and emotional pain bc I began to get scared I was going to fail again. It wasn't easy for me but it seems I'm the exception. Good luck, I'm sure you'll be fine.

I have Anthem BC/BS hmo blue New England. It only took about a week. What s money saver this is

11 months out Can eat apples if I remember to go slow and chew chew chew! PB2 can also appear at Smoothie King shops I was taking 6 injections of 2 different insulin shots plus 2 tablets a day. Now I take no insulin and the pills are down to 1 am and 1/2 in evening, morning BS# run around 100 so look forward to a much better life without the complications of diabetes. I do stay away form Carbs and sugar but it's worth it I'm down 112#!

@@butterfly125 Its a requirement to attend the seminar.. trust me, the only reason I'm not going tomorrow is bc I don't have a support person to come with me... Those of you out there who are patients in the BGH program can better speak to that. Not sure why they would make it a requirement just for the info session. I don't think Synergy and the other group require the same.

Hello Everyone, My name is Melissa and I have been on this forum almost everyday for a few months. I started researching WLS seriously last year because I'm FED UP! When I finally decided on the VSG I only told 3 people and won't tell anyone else. I know the comments I would get and I don't need any discouragement. My BMI is 37 so everyone always says I'm not that big or I'm jsut thick. WHATEVER! I am obese and I have been since I was a kid. It only got worst when I got a car at 20. I am 29 now and I want to make a permament change to improve my quality of life. I wanted to share what I found in my research of finding a surgeon and financing. I called and emailed about 7 companies in Mexico for the VSG. I did my research with pricing and level of care. I then narrowed down my search to vibe/feeling I got when speaking with the coordinators. I kept the one's that were quick to respond, sent attachements of the whole process, history of the surgeon, and last price. I had my gall bladder removed last year by single incision through my belly button. In my research I discovered only a few surgeons offered the single incision procedure. Since my BMI is under 40 I was told I am an ideal canidate for this procedure. Nothing wrong with 3-5 incisions but if I can have just one that is invisble why not? I might be able to wear that bikini more confidently without scars. Hey it's my body and I call the shots. The SILS(single incision) was $500 more with BLW(BeLiteWeight) and $1000 more with R4AC(Ready 4A Change). The coordinators are very informative, friendly and got back to you quickly. BWL offered the VSG for $6800 plus $500 and R4AC was $250 plus $1000. I loved that fact that BWL offered IN HOUSE financing which usually means less fees and less interest rate. I looked and looked and looked and I couldn't any other WSL in Mexico that provided the same service. R4AC works with a few loan companies but in my research I discovered bariatric loans usually have high interest rates. Well Citerra offered me 23% interest rate plus $2000 LOAN FEE. No money down and would send me money to also buy my plane ticket. My monthly payment would be $267. So in total I would almost be paying back DOUBLE my loan amount after 3.5 years. I was disappointed and almost said EFF IT because quite frequently I want this done in March and just get it over with. I thought about for a few days and filled a loan application with BWL to see what happened. With BWL my down payment is $2500 plus $500 for the SILS and $200 a month for 2 years. The loan fee is only $300! If your credit is better than mines the down payment can also be less. Yes the price is more but they have stellar reviews and Jamie understood that most companies rip people off. She said she wanted to help people as much as possible without feeling like the person owed the mob. She was spot on. I debated on my whole tax return used as my downpayment but I don't want to wait much longer to save up the money. My goal is to be at least 20 pounds lighter by summer time. I can have my surgery without so much debt. I had to step back and realize that desperation and impatience sometimes puts me in a situation I regret later. I am super nervous and excited to be finally free of this fat bodysuit. I just want to be comfortable in my own skin. :-) I hope this helped someone with some questions like several posts that I had before in my research.

I think perhaps YOU are the one that needs to keep going to therapy and work out your issues that obviously are affecting your judgement in regards to your choices, And this is why I am in therapy. It's funny I did have a session today and was told. Did you do anything inappropriate? Anything to feel guilty about? The answer was no. She told me how she went on a bad blind date and fantasies about shoving a fork in the dates eye. The point is she didn't. Thoughts and actions are two totally different things. ???? yes I have a lot on my plate. But I manage to be honest and forthright. I don't have to say hey I'm going out with a friend who thinks I'm attractive and treats me nice since your an askhole. The point of the post is with the hormonal changes and my lack of wanting to deal with BS how common are the feeling I'm having? I was told today quite common leave off my personal struggles. Just decent relationships and weightloss surgery have a high rate of affairs.

Been saying it for years. Exercise has many benefits and I'll keep doing it as long as I am allowed and able, but the calorie burn, at least to me, isn't what it's about. When I hear things like...."I burned 650 calories in 30 minutes".......my BS detector goes off. Not that the person stating that is lying or knows it's not true, it's just the equipment tells them that, and of course we want to believe it. Heck, I used to believe it. http://www.salon.com/2015/01/27/your_exercise_equipment_is_lying_to_you_partner/

So my paperwork was submitted by my surgeons office on 01/06/2015 .. Insurance has confirmed that they have it ... still no response .. sooo frustrated! . Has anyone had to wait this long? .. My surgeon always told me how great of an insurance this was and now ... silence for three weeks!

I have weird stomach rumbles when I drink certain Protein drinks but not others. For instance: carnation instant Breakfast (sugar free chocolate) makes my stomach so noisy. It doesn't hurt or anything, mild discomfort but no physical pain. Mostly, my issue with them is that my stomach really gurgles really loud out of nowhere sometimes lol..so I've tried others and some I've found don't do that at all. I think it might be partly bc of soluble Fiber and maybe partly because of the sugar free sweetener. Sometimes I used to get diahreah (tmi sorry) when I would eat my grammas Sugar Free Chocolates. Maybe something similar?

I spoke to Bariatric Surgery Insurance Specialist today and she told me she was very familiar with Fed BC/BS. Her info to me was 35 BMI-40 with health related obesity issue such as diabetics II, sleep apnea. If 40+ considered morbidly obese so different criteria. She said I could come in they could see if I qualify (5 hr drive when roads are not snow covered). There is a 3 month surgery prep including 3month nutritionist/psych visit. I think I am borderline to being 35BMI/with possible diabetic II (runs in my family) with sleep apnea….but of course have to be tested. Another statement the office made to me is if I go to MX to have this procedure, that my BC/BS might cover me if I occur complications, esp if I was never approved. It started me to thinking…..what if????

Me too. I was scared my EKG and blood pressure would be totally out of whack BC of nerves! Thankfully both were in the normalish range!

Oh, and I forgot to ask.. where is your surgeon bc I don't recognize the name?

I will be having surgery here bc insurance will cover most of it. I will be going to MX for skin removal as it won't be covered. MX can be great option! My surgeon spoke about doing revisions bc the previous surgeon didn't remove enough so I would definately ask that question to whoever you go to. Good luck with your journey!

I am 5 weeks out and find I am still having a hard time getting all my liquid and protein in. I sip water all day. I can't stomach the protein drinks anymore. I am on soft food but anytime I try any kind of meat (crock pot meats) even very soft with gravy it makes me deathly ill. I'm afraid I'm gonna start losing hair bc of lack of protein. Anyone else have this problem?