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Well there is a lot to be said abt the lack of a nutritionist. I grew up with a major sweet tooth! And since no one was there to tell me It was what sent me running for the bathroom I was quite old (21-22) before I found that out! Lol. My coffee is always black. Once I figured out that sugar caused me so many problems I eliminated all forms of dairy milk. It's pretty high in sugar. And I gave up soda completely abt 4-5 years ago when I became more aware of how artificial sweeteners caused me bs issues. I think the dehydration from caffeine causes the problem with my bs...but it's just a guess. I am almost 36 and 5' 9" and at my heaviest weight ever at 160. For me this is attributed to less physical activity than I am used to. I have always been extremely active. Because of that, I have never realy gained any excess weight. But with my treadmill in the basement now, I will probably have that off before scuba season. My doctor said I was under weight when I had the accident, and my mom says I was a picky eater before the accident and a lot worse after. That may have had some benefit.

I haven't had my surgery yet (hopefully early feb) and I was told by my endocrinologist that my PCOS should be completely eliminated once I get to a healthy weight. She said she does have a few patients who are lean and have PCOS but she feels that because my weight is due to this that once that isn't an issue everything else will resolve. I also don't have extra hair, high testosterone, or cysts on my ovaries. I just have the lack of period without BC, thinning hair, insulin resistant, and extra weight/hard to lose. Fingers crossed it resolves for us!

I just found Teras Whey (teraswhey.com), GRASS FED Organic Whey Protein unsweetened unflavored. Doesn't say anything about mixing in hot foods like Soup though. The Isopure says it does, has anyone actually tried this?

Yes people keep telling me I don't need to lose anymore infact some if my co workers tell me I'm too skinny and to me that's crazy bc I still feel like a big beach ball but slightly deflated the extra skin kills me I'm in a lot of pain from it so the reason I wanna get down as low as I can so the procedure is worth doing but my boyfriend who is always been thin said I'm two skinny again this mind boggles me bc from being 270 with no health problems to now having all this back pain to the point of tears everynight I feel like what weight will ever make me feel good? Sorry for the rant

@@catdaddy my bs is always something I have to keep a close eye on. It can drop in a heartbeat if I try to skip a meal or have too much caffeine. It can be very frustrating to be in a store and know if you don't eat right now it's gonna suck! For that reason I usually keep a bottle of water and a protein bar handy. I still 30 years later find the best thing to do is eat every 2 hrs or so.

I guess what I can add to this is that it does happen. My surgery was abt 30 years ago and I have spent a lifetime of trial and error working out what to eat when to keep my blood sugar level. Caffeine intake affects my bs a lot too. It still works best for me to eat every 2 hrs and keep the balance of protien, fiber, and hydration balanced. I should also add that artificial sweeteners affect me a lot too.

You might want to discuss it with your surgeon. I'm on continuous bc (no breaks/periods -artificial menopause) due to endometriosis. If I come off the pill, I'm in excruciating pain, and become bedridden. Even being off with the time i take the pill by over an hour can lead to intense pain. I discussed it with my surgeon. We evaluated the risk/benefit together and he said that he doesn't see a need for me to stop, but precautions will be taken for clots. Run it by your doc- in your case he may say have it removed, but it can't hurt to open the discussion.

UHC is the insurance I had last year, did everything, submitted and was denied. The doctors office appealed it and was approved. But bc of timing and new insurance, here I am a year layer - jumping through hoops. I will say that I have learned much from this site during that time.

Just be careful bc my doc said one drink can make you legally drunk and you wouldn't pass a breathalyzer

I would definitely get in touch with your gyno. I was told to stop birth control bc of blood clots that could possibly happen

I would definitely be checking on that. I had ankle surgery 2 years ago, and the surgeon didn't have me stop bc, I developed a blood clot. I had a Nuvaring. I can never use regular bc again. In fact, I ended up pregnant 4 months later. I now have a 19 yr old, 12 yr old, and a 13 month old. (Born Christmas Eve) Bottom line, blood clots suck, big time.

Good evening all, im new here and not sure i posted in the right place but figured id give it a go, I really need some 'spousal support' here....im the fiance to be exact, however. I apOlogize in advance, as this will be long...My fiance had sleeve in November 2014, though I am extremely proud of him, as he is doing amazing and recovery went smoothly and all, despite him being down 92 pounds already, im having a lot of struggles and the pre and post-op stuff and its really effecting our relationship when it arises. When were good, were solid, when were bad, im more depressed than ever. To sum up the timeline; he struggled with the decision for surgery for about 2.5 yrs or so, basically since I had met him. Obviously his weight was no issue for me, ive struggled with my weight all of my life, as well. In fact, ive always been attracted to husky guys but he was the largest man i ever dated and i fell completely in love! I fell in love with him as a big man and love him regardless, its the changes and obsessions im concerned about (i'll get to that). Prior to his decision, we talked a lot about it and though i always told him if he chose to do so, id spport him, i was against it solely because in the time ive been with him, hes never seen anything through when it came to his weight, even though hed see great results! Prior to me meeting him, he did a medical weight loss program consisting mainly of shakes and lost about 110lbs, but gained it all back once he came off the shakes, coupled with some depression from a breakup and such. Post us meeting, i was about 25lbs smaller than i am now, which obviously bothers me, but again a struggle all my life...i was still however going to the gym, eating right, following tools from weight watchers etc. After some time of us being together, he would speak of wanting to lose weight, we talked about how having a buddy is helpful, etc, so id invite him to the gym with me, invite him to weight watcher meetings, etc. he would never come, so after a few weeks i figured he really wasnt into it and i stopped inviting. After some time, our relationship got more serious, i stopped getting to the gym as much bc wed want to spend more time togeher but that also equalled us going out to dinner more, staying in, being less active, etc. hence the start of my 25lb weight gain and him gaining more as well. With all of that being said.....he met with a surgeon in August/September and HE made a decision to have the surgery. He never spoke to me about it, as he had in the past, and when hed mention it wed fight bc id remind him that ill support it but i was worried he was having surgery and wished he would have at least talked to me before making the devision, and/or TRIED something first and seen it through;, tried the medical program again, a support type program like WW etc as he had previously done them and saw results but never saw them thru. I had reminded him i had gained weight since we met and i had begun working on that, maybe it was something we can try to do together before he decided on surgery. Initally he said no, then suddenly came home (he moved in with me in August, as well) one day and informed me he had joined weight watchers and was going to go to a group that week....i told him that was great and immediately took out all the materials i had previously gotten from family members that we could use (with the hope hed eventually want to try this route with me), picked up my food scale from my parents home, support guides, calculators, etc. and let him know i was all in for us to do it together. In addition, since we were now living together, i again began inviting him to the gym with me...nothing came of the gym or ww. After some time, little fights here and there about food, him effecting my eating habits, preventing me from going to the gym (id say i want to go after work, hed plan an activity or wanna go out to dinner, etc) and basically him binging all the time since he had made his decision, and my concerns for his health. Shortly thereafter again he returned home this time having went through with a new surgeon and now awaiting a surgery date. I was beyond devestated and angry! I felt he completely disregarded my concerns he knew of for him having this and even though i disagreed, its like he refused to even let me be part of his decision meanwhile i felt here i am trying to encourage you, in a different capacity, but encourage none the less BEFORE jumping to surgery. Not to mention, we now share bills but I was covering them all for about 4 months, as he is in debt and im not and i told him being i own my apartment and its my mortgage id carry that until were married and give him 3 mos before hed start paying his portion of monthly bills for the home,so he can try to pay off more debt first...he couldnt save money to pay help pay OUR bills but here he was setting up to have another bill for surgery, while were still paying off his eye surgery, student loan, car, etc in the midst of me carrying all of the household bills, saving for a wedding, etc and he makes significantly more money than me. Maybe financially this wasnt the time but we never even talked about it in definitive means, at all. Dont get me wrong, ive told him time and time agan, his weight was never an issue for me, but his health absolutely was! He is 30 yrs old with diabetes in his family and already on meds for high blood pressure. I digress....he chose the gastric sleeve and though i still disagreed with surgery, did feel it was his best option, which helped me a little...pre-op he was on a liquid diet for 2 weeks and lost 27lbs. I prepared everything for him, spent hours after work at night reading all of the materials from the doctors, etc. we'd fight, but moreover now bc i felt he didnt ask the doctor pertinent information, he rushed into a decision, hes gullable to begin with and i felt like he never told me anything unless i asked....i never even knew when his appointments were for all the pre testing! So, i joined an online forum and read endless at work, at home, when i couldnt sleep, etc. though i spoke to him about all of my concerns, he only seems to focus on my concern of him eventually no longer being attracted to me once hes skinny and feeling different about himself, since im not skinny and currently larger than when we met (minus 10lbs ive recently lost...im 5'0 170lbs, not huge but thick))...he doesnt seem to hear that one concern is more deep rooted and doesnt directly correlate to his surgery, but moreover some changes in him ive seen since he moved in with me and since he made a decision to have the surgery. Regardless, he believes what he will despite how i try to argue what my actual feeling/thought is. November came, i broke down the night before his surgery about not wanting him to go in, afraid he hasnt thought his through, wont wake up, wanted a quick fix, etc. His surgery thankfully went great, as did his recovery and he is now down 92lbs since November....i am extremely proud of him and think he looks great! Here are my concerns, one he has become obsessed with weighing himself daily. His attitude towards me has seemed to change completely as if i have no opinion on anything esp his new journey but it pours into household decisions, wedding plans, etc. he asks me my thoughts/feelings but then argues when im honest or he walks away. he cannot go a single day without mentioning how skinny he looks, his surgery, etc. im running out of responses wuthout being robotic or sarcastic. We walk in a store, he sees a mirror and stops or disengages bc hes looking at himself. we have countless convos about his food choices and when i try to make him realize portion control and helathier decisions is focus, not restriction he argues with me and we get in a huge fight, but when he eats something he considers bad or off diet (a food hes restricted or whatnot), he justifies it. He eats much of the same stuff and ive told him im concerned hell get bored and binge, hell argue me, then last week is complainiing hes bored of his food. He already obviously eats small portions and was up to about 6oz per sitting however went to the doctor today and because hes ahead of the game in his recovery, the doctor wants him to restrict more food and eat smaller portions yet intially told him kt was okay to increase if he felt hungry, but not if he felt satisfied. He is a big boned guy, built like a football player and very broad. I have grave conerns the his surgeon has convinced him to get to this magic number of 230lbs and not only do i think it is unhealthy but i also think hell be way too small. Not to mention, my fiances magic number went from 250 to now 220! I try to let him know theres no magic number, so long as he is happy, healthy and maintains his improvements in choices and such, its about him being comfortable, healthy and hapoy with himself, not a number on a chart! he argues me. Its like i cannot have an opinion on anything when it comes to this....every step of the way i feel he shuns me out, disregards my concerns etc. theres days i think he thinks i dont want him to be successful but its moreover i dont want him to be excessive and put weight back on, as he has time and time again, he has a trainer now, for 2 months after being cleared there was an issue with his training sessions, i told him lets still go to the gym together. He wouldnt, he relied on waiting on the trainer. He claimed hed go to the gym 6 days a week, i encourgaed him to start with 2-3 days and work to more or slowly Increase to keep himself with a goal thats attainable and maintable over time, fights break out. But yet he only goes to tge gym 2 maybe 3 times a week. Now, when we have days off together, we go to the gym together, he works with the trainer i dont, as we couldnt afford the trainer to begin with for one of us, let alone 2, so i told him he can do it. But i ask him to teach me things hes learning from the trainer or ask about stuff i can do (they know he comes to sessions with his fiance) and its like he purposely never wants to share with me. Many times, he makes comments like 'have that cookie for me', 'have some pizza for me'....its like he wants me to gain as he loses, sabotage me butne remains successful meanwhile he knows i struggle with weight loss to begin with, too. I tried to talk to him tonight, after he told me his doc wants him eating less and another fight broke out....he tells me 'its my freakin body' after i explained to him i was upset bc i feel like he asks why im upset but doesnt want to hear it and im upset bc im worried hes not necessarily being healthy if hes eating even less, considering he doesnt eat much because of the surgery. I tried telling bim that i understand its coming from a doctor but it also seems the doctor has an ideal weight for you that may not be individualized for you. He yelled at me and walked away. In the past ive tried explaining to him, at my smallest i was 19lbs above the american standard, but i looked sick and my family was ready to admit me for an eating disorder. Ive tried telling him that in my opinion, the standards do not take into consideration someones body type and how they carry their weight, its just a mathematical number. Ive told him that i really wish hed not focus on this magic number and focus on making healthy decisions and being active and how great i think he looks now, down almost 100lbs. He always starts a fight about it. Im beyond spent! I go to his support groups, when i can get there on time since its a 2-hour commute for me, from work....im one of the only people there as a support and they offer the support/spouses no support....so i go for him but i feel i have nowhere to take out my frustrations or talk about them. I truly believe in talking about things, or even fighting so long as theres resolution, being able to get things out rather than let things build up but he walks away from me.....when it comes to family and friends, i dont talk to them because i feel its 1- unfair to divulge his/our personal business and 2- unfair to let them know these struggles and how its effecting US because were engaged and i dont want anyone discouraging his weight loss or swaying us to rethink our marriage because of it. I absluetly feel we can work it out but im lost for what to do. I feel like i have nowhere to go, he wont talk to me or hear my concerns, he wont ask his doctors about my concerns just acts like their word is gold....so when he asks me why im upset and i try to tell him and it causes a fight, i later let him know you ask me but dont want to hear anything from me, you only seem truly concerned about what your doctor says and a degree doesnt make him anymore important than me. I tried telling him today, im not angry but what hurts and bothers me is he doesnt seem to care when he asks me, he asks to say he asked. Next to all of this, prior to him deciding on his surgery and having it, i began eating better and getting back to the gym. I suffer from a thyroid disease and ceased metabolism, and therfor struggle like crazy to lose weight and tone up. But of course, i easily gain. Regardless, i didnt have surgery so my weight loss will be muuuuuuch slower than his. He has never seemed to support me with losing weight and toning, but is quick to critisize my gym routine (i usually go 2-4 times a week...before he didnt care, now he contantly tells me i should go more), , i eat too little sometimes or no at all, etc. He knows ive been trying, making better decisions, encouraging him to stay on track etc, he will want to go get forzen yogurt, ill say no, hell convince me, then tell me im such a horrible support for him. He'll 'cheat' at home but in front of friends and family, eats like a bird, as if hes showing off but so far, will always eat later on when we get home! I have a feeling he told his doctor his eating has been worse than it actually has been bc some days hes very hard on himself and some days hes very reasonable and sees this is a process and journey and not every day will be great but it doesnt mean hes failing. I dont think his surgery entails him not eating. It entails him learning moderation and such, at least everything i read and have hard has said so. I shared with him one day MY excitement of how a coworker made a comment about me losing weight and looking 'brighter' and he got mad, telling me he tells me all the time....he has never once told me hes noticed ive lost weight, and ive now lost about 13lbs in total. In fact, its been quite some time since hes seemed to even notice me, period! I can walk past him naked and it doesnt phase him. I can tell him i lost another pound or 2, he barely responds to me. Ive explained these things to him, as well, as more examples of how things between US have changed since he moved in/made this decision and how the decision was going to effect us both but he never thought to include me in it. Our sex life is lacking completely, which again for me has been an issue that both coincide with, along with some 'personal' things i feel hed rather do than be intimate with me. He denies it all, tells me im crazy. Ive flat out asked him if hes cheated or is no longer interested in me or attracted to me, he denies it all and says its just natural changes bc were living together now. I dont disagree with that being partly the reason and i do not think hes cheating or trying to. I just am beyond broken lately and feel i have nowhere to go! I need help.....i dont know how to support something when 1- i disagreed with it being a first option, 2- i feel completly shut out and disregarded, 3- i feel it gets thrown in my face and only adds to criticism towards me, 4- seems to be consuming him and effecting our otherwise strong relationship, etc etc etc. I know this is a novel....i just dont know what to do anymore! Im a therapist and although ive got a lot of tools in my arsenol, i dont have the slightest clue what to do anymore when it comes to this....i feel ive tried everything! Ive been supportive, bitchy, ignored, etc. nothing seems to improve anything and im growing more and more angry, sad, etc Can anyone help, or recommend something? Ohhh and lastly, i dont feel comfortable inquiring about a spousal support group with the surgical team/office he used, since it turns out the PA who performed his surgery with the doctor, is his friends ex-girlfriend....i dont fear shed be unprofessional, as it seems she has been since day one, but i just dont feel 100% comfortable, not to mention its a 2-hour commute for me. Again, i apologize for the length....i hope someone can help or guide me! Thank you all for your time!

I'm 4 months post op and I'm 46 lbs down and at a stand still. I'm Si depressed that it's not coming off quicker!! I know I eat some of the wrong things but I try and try to stay on track! It's so hard! I'm have issues with my shoulder, I had to be put to sleep for a manipulation on it past week and its keeping me from working out. I can't lift weights I can't get in the floor and do any exercising bc of the arm. I just want the pain to go away so I can start building some Muscle!! Just need a kick in the pants!!!

I almost reached that weight and I realize how fortunate I was to have a second chance. BMi is based on height and weight and at 5'6 488lbs my BMI was 78.8 the day I walked in and met my Surgeon. He told me if I could lose 5% of my weight and put the work in and if insurance approves it he would give me a tool to use to help turn my life around. It is unfortunate help is not easily as accessible for others as it was for me. I think all insurance companies should cover bariatrics but I agree with educational side of it. Blindly approving people for it without proper education would be a huge mistake. Fear of death is a huge motivator it is just unfortunate it came to that but it also taught me a life long lesson that there is no "fix" for obesity and it will forever be work in progress until the final day of my life. Edit: Not a complaint but rather an observation....I have lost 325+ pounds and I am still in the overweight category. I am sure if I had all the loose skin removed I would be in the norm but let's face it those BMI charts are a joke. My Surgeon even told me they're BS.

I got mine a week (1/2)before surgery (1/13) and it usually only lasts abt a 9 days. I still have it and it is now the 19th. Idk if this is bc of the surgery or what but its freakin me out as well

Thanks. I guess I'm just angry? I don't know what other adjective to use... I'm the kind of person that anticipates the needs of others. The truly sad thing is I come from a huge family and not one person has volunteered to take me to the hospital yet. In fact my dad put me on a guilt trip for even having the surgery bc he thinks he will have to take care of me too. I do appreciate this site. I have been creeping for several months but wanted to wait until I was approved before really getting involved. My mom doesn't qualify quite yet to go to a nursing home and I doubt my insurance would cover a nurse for me. My son is 11 and I have asked for his support... But he's Autistic so I have to be very specific with my needs... I do work out of the home and I'm sure I'll get the occasional text to check on me... I'm just trying to think of who I can call if I'm in a jam or need help.... Sad, huh? I'm try to be positive and hope I have a smooth and easy recovery and I won't have to worry about all that other stuff.

You need to check with your individual plan. My insurance is through Horizon BC/BS but the Bariatric case management is through Optum which is UnitedHealthCare. Your individual employer may choose more or less strict pre-approval requirements. So Emblem may have different requirements for different plans. Each doctor will also have different pre-surgery requirements.

I am waiting to start my new position, Currently I have the band since 2008. My bariatric dr recomm I got to sleeve, due to a leak in my band. I wiill be using bc/bs hmo. I called them and they will pay the revision.

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Hi I am a 38 y/o single mom with Stage IV Pulmonary Sarcoidosis. I was diagnosed Feb 2005 & in 2008 I suffered a major setback and spent 4 1/2 months in 3 different hospitals on life support, I have spent the last 7 years of my life literally holding my breath waiting to see what was going to happen next. During that time because of medication, because of my lung function, and a host of health issues my weight has ballooned to a number is that I never thought possible for me. Because of my complications prescription medication to help alleviate weight problems was not an option. In 2012 my ob/gyn suggested surgery. I've spent the last two years researching it and really trying decide am I willing to voluntarily elect to have surgery after everything that I have been through? I've realized my life has been on hold since I was released from the hospital in 08 & that I have lived for everyone and everything but me I want to feel beautiful again, I want to be able to fit clothes that make me feel like a woman again, I want to walk with confidence because I know that I look good bc I feel good so I decided to start my journey. My first appointment was in November with Dr. Dennis C Smith, I have received clearances from every possible specialist including and most importantly my pulmonologist and I have one more support group class to go to for my pre op package to be complete and sent off to the insurance company. So now the wait begins, by this time two weeks from now I should be planning for my surgery it seems so surreal that I am a few short weeks away from knowing when, God willing; I will be able to begin anew. I was nervous, scared, I prayed a lot and I cried a lot and I just feel like this is going to happen, this is going to me, I feel so lucky and so thankful and so blessed. I'm keeping my spirits up, my twin daughters are keeping my spirits up, my mother, my grandmother and my very best friends (friends that are more like my sisters) are keeping my spirits and I believe with everything in me that the surgery will happen and that I will get the jump start that I need start fresh.

I can't imagine why a person's form of contraception would change because of abdominal surgery. I could be wrong but wouldn't the decision of contraception type be based on your goals, your body/health, your Dr., and how well you handle certain side effects depending the bc method you choose?

I am 4 months out and was going thru the same thing. I talked to my diatician and increased my calories to 1000-1100 because I wasnt eatting enough. I was constantly hungry and found myself snacking a lot. I started working out 5 days a week and my body was in starvation mode. Now I use my fitness pal and track every single thing that goes into my mouth and all of my activities. I have only one protien shake a day by primer protien bc its 30g of protien a day and only 1g of sugar. I love all their flavors. Usually I have it for breakfast with a greek yogurt. I also plan every single meal and snack for the day and put it in my fitness pal the day before. If its not in my lunch box or recorded in my fitness pal it doesn't touch my lips. Someone told me this and it has really been my montra and what keeps me so on track and dedicated to the daily planning: If you fail to plan you plan to fail. And since I have been living by this the last few weeks the scale has been finally moving.

I had low blood sugar at 14 months post op. My doctor had me eating a small meal of some protein and some carbs-- apple and cheese, whole wheat toast with peanut butter, soup. It seems to have worked and my bs is much better.

I'm mostly have gas pain but have been using gasx strips to help...my hardest task has been getting all my liquids in especially with all my vitamins... I'm trying to stay on top of things bc I really dont want to loose my hair..I have already dropped 8lbs since Thursday but dont want to send my body into starvation

The day I had surgery I weighed 230 and I am close to 5"8. You know the crazy thing is that a year before my surgery my highest weight was 215 and I had taken diet pills and had gotten down to 167. Look at how much weight I gained back over a years time plus even more. When I decided to have this surgery I began to eat all the time because I kept telling myself that I would never be able to eat like that again . I stopped weighing myself so I had no idea I weighed 230. I had never weighed that much in my whole life . I decided to have surgery bc I was sick of losing and gaining and losing and gaining. My surgery was in February 15, 2014 and I have lost 92 pounds. I weigh 138 which was exactly my goal weight. It has taken me 10 months . I thank god everyday for this surgery and wouldn't change a thing. By the way I can eat whatever I want just much smaller amounts so I never feel deprived. I didn't do this to be miserable and feel like I was on some crazy diet . I went to Mexico and I used Dr. Quinones and he was wonderful . Good luck to you!!!