Search the Community

WASaBubble Butt.....yes I know about the policy having to be writtien to include it. Unfortunately they refuse to allow it. Four years ago when I started at the hospital we had BCBS and it was covered. Now we are forced to only have UHC and it is no longer covered. We thought that since they opened a bariatric unit that they would cover it. The hospital I work for is my no way in a position that they can not afford it. They are in the top of profits in this entire area. We have three hospitals and they just acquired another one. Not to include all the urgent cares and the surgery centers and the other satelite buildings they have and are building as we speak.

Welcome...this a a fantastic forum for awesome information and advice. read away and you'll loose yourself for hours at a time absorbing al the great information you get here. Pre-Op diet, I was on Bariatric Advantage Meal Replacement shakes

I haven't but, I would think a good behavioral therapist who works with bariatric patients would be much more valuable and helpful than hypnotherapy.

I did the surgery because I wasn't able to physically do anything and I have a heart condition. I'm only 42 and have a huge life I want to enjoy. I was terrified of surgery and the unknown of after the surgery, I'm a nurse and know what I'm supposed to tell patients, not anything I can actually speak of. I haven't lost a ton of weight yet but I feel like I'm starting to live... Sent from bariatric pal app

I did the surgery because I wasn't able to physically do anything and I have a heart condition. I'm only 42 and have a huge life I want to enjoy. I was terrified of surgery and the unknown of after the surgery, I'm a nurse and know what I'm supposed to tell patients, not anything I can actually speak of. I haven't lost a ton of weight yet but I feel like I'm starting to live... Sent from bariatric pal app I'm scared of being put to sleep I've never Been under, its the only thing that's giving me second thoughts. Any advice? Sent from my LGLS675 using the BariatricPal App I was terrified of that too! I even got on the operating table and told them I needed to pee! They gave me some drugs and I can't remember anything except for post op. I was worried about saying crazy things to everyone and I was so drugged that I didn't know my own name. Sent from bariatric pal app

Hello, My name is Reason to Believe and I am currently in the fact finding stage of weight loss surgery. I am aiming at having surgery next summer when I can take some time off work. I just attended a bariatric surgery seminar last week. I have been overweight most of my life. I lost weight going into college and then started gaining back and more. I am considered super morbidly obese and that scares me. I also have a lot of joint pain, sleep apnea, recently diagnosed diabetes and depression. All of which are good reasons to do have surgery. I am a recovering binge eater and have recently given up diet soda. (six weeks ago!). I am working on small changes to prove to myself that I can make big lifestyle changes because my biggest fear is that I will have surgery and still fail. I love reading and music. I am an obsessed Bruce Springsteen fan and I look forward to the day that I can like no one is watching at a Bruce concert. I have started reading all your stories and am so grateful to you for sharing them.

Hi ShrinkingMeme! Wow your story sounds very similar. I got my band aug 2011. Did very well for the first year. The company I went through, private pay, went bankrupt. Was still doing well the next year. Went from 282 to 210. Meet my husband and put on a couple pounds, lol! Then a year later we we married and then pregnant right away! While pregnant I started to get very bad issues with food being stuck. Just dealt with it for 18 months eating ice cream and whatever I could get done. Back up to 290, my highest weight! Sept last year I had enough and talked to family doctor. He referred me to Ontario bariatric network to have reversion to bypass covered by OHIP. They were able to unfill my band, which can I never had done...no where to go. So finally able to eat again! My surgery is Oct 4 and totally nervous they will only take the band out and then I'll have to wait for bypass. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

In a psych eval, they're looking for issues that can cause the person to fail. Some people get these WLS thinking that this is going to cure his/her eating problems forever where as we all know, it's just a tool to help us achieve a healthier life style. Some people, and a lot of us have done this, is to eat to self soothe. It's the same as self medicating with drugs. food helps us feel numb. The psych evaluation tells you where the person is and if he/she has the ability to process and/or learn new coping skills. Here is what I found on the web: WHY DO I NEED A PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION FOR WEIGHT LOSS SURGERY? There are actually two reasons for the evaluation. The first is that it is a requirement based on guidelines established by the National Institute of Health for all patients before bariatric surgery can be offered. The second reason is that surgeons as well as the insurance companies also require it to ensure your health and safety. Weight Loss Surgery is a life altering procedure. As with any major surgery, weight loss surgery can have complications including death, and in the case of the gastric bypass procedure, it is irreversible. For these reasons, the decision to go forward with surgery should not be taken lightly. An evaluation ensures that you are: 1. able to make such a decision 2. understand the consequences of your decision 3. have no underlying psychological conditions that would prohibit you from adhering to the life changes that are required following surgery.

Globe and Mail - Tues March 13th, 2007 There's a downside to obesity surgery SHERYL UBELACKER Canadian Press TORONTO — When people with obesity have surgery to help them lose weight, they can also lose something else — the ability to properly absorb certain nutrients, in particular Vitamin B1. And that deficiency can potentially lead to permanent brain damage if left untreated, researchers say. In a review of the medical literature, researchers at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine found 32 cases of bariatric surgery patients who developed symptoms of Wernicke encephalopathy, a condition marked by memory loss and confusion, an inability to co-ordinate movements and rapid eye movement. Wernicke's is caused by a deficiency in vitamin B1, also called thiamine, and these classic symptoms are usually seen in alcoholics, said lead author Dr. Sonal Singh, an internal medicine specialist at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C. “But interesting to our study, we found that these people also had other symptoms, like hearing loss, convulsions and tingling and numbness of the arms and legs — symptoms that have not been previously described with Wernicke's,” Dr. Singh said in an interview. That made the researchers wonder if these bariatric surgery patients were suffering from more than just a B1 deficiency and may have been experiencing a deficit of other critical nutrients or had developed immunological problems. Strangely, almost half of the patients with the neurological symptoms showed no brain lesions when given an MRI scan, said Dr. Singh, whose study is published Tuesday in the journal Neurology. Of the 32 patients — who had one of four weight-loss surgeries, including gastric bypass and gastric banding — 13 made a full recovery. Eighteen others were left with various levels of dysfunction and one patient, a 33-year-old woman, died. Most had experienced vomiting prior to onset of the neurological symptoms, said Dr. Singh, noting that patients ranged in age from 23 to 55, and 27 of the 32 were women. (In the United States, 75 per cent of bariatric surgery patients are women, he said.) The vomiting could have been caused by any of several factors, including the anatomical changes created by the surgery; blockages caused by swelling around the surgical area; and ulcerations or other erosions of the stomach developed following the operation. “When people who have had weight-loss surgery start experiencing any of these symptoms, they need to see a doctor right away,” stressed Dr. Singh. “Doctors should consider vitamin B1 deficiency and Wernicke encephalopathy when they see patients with these types of neurological complications after weight-loss surgery. If treated promptly, the outlook is usually good.” The average point at which patients began exhibiting Wernicke's symptoms was four to 12 weeks after surgery, although one patient developed problems two weeks after the operation and another 18 months later. Dr. Singh said his study could not determine how common Wernicke's encephalopathy is among people who have surgery to help them lose weight, and he said studies that follow patients are needed to establish how often it occurs. While some doctors prescribe thiamine supplementation after bariatric surgery as a matter of course, Dr. Singh believes national standards should be set for physicians to follow. “This is an emerging risk which is going to become more important in the future as more people get surgery,” he said.

I still have a bit of comprehension (sp) in another bariatric surgery. I've had the Lap Band since 2005 and I'm considered to have a dinosaur band. What I am wondering are there any folks here who have been sleeved for over say 4 years? If so, how has things gone after the honeymoon period? Any common problems? I know a lot of times people are very active in forums then once they get fixed or lose weight they go along happily in their day to day life and the ones that mainly come here (that I've seen) are 2-3 years out at the most or pre-op like me. Thanks!

First my hubby had a Lap Band for 13 yrs. He had problems with not being able to eat or drink even wagter. So we went to a Bariatric Center of Excellance. He was going to have his Band removed and revise him to a RNY. When they got in the band had eroded into his liver and they couldn't finish the revision. He was deathly sick for 9 months with abcesses and had 5 differant bacterias. He can't remember 3 months. Fast forward to his DR that performed his removal dropped him!! Finally he had a ablation and a wound vac was put in. Last June we went to Mexico and he was supposed to have a RNY but...NOT!! His right side was totally scar tissue so he ended up with the Sleeve. It has taken him a year to finally figure out how and what to do. His mind tells him he can eat more than his body will allow. But he has lost 135#'s!! But he is still sad he didn't get the RNY. Things are ok now he still deals with mind hunger and I think he is figuring it out. May he continue to loose even more weight. Congratulations on your journey. I look forward to your future posts.

Congrats to you!! Wow, what a success! I can't wait to get my renewal for my license. It will be on my bday next year and I'm looking forward to a much slimmer face! Keep up your great work!

Does your doctor have a nurse coordinator or nutritionist who participates in patient education? It must be terribly frustrating to be operating with so little real information about what is expected of you! At first glance, two things leap out at me about your posted meal plan. First, there are an awful lot of carbs if your doctor's told you no carbs. And secondly, you're taking in a larger volume than I would think a good idea for a new pouch. (You really don't want to dilate it by overstretching at this point.) I understand that you are hungry. Hunger is part an parcel of the period after banding when you do not yet have restriction; it may persist for several months as saline is added to your band. That means that, in the meantime, you have to really carefully monitor what you eat---because your band won't be telling you to stop. Journaling at a site like Fitday can help a great deal. It will let you know whether you're getting enough Protein, the right number of calories, too much carb, and so on. Weighing and measuring portions is a good idea. Of course, it helps if you have guidelines from your doctor about what to aim for! (Did he at least tell you how many grams of protein to aim for? Recommend a good bariatric Multivitamin? Specify a volume of food you should not exceed at each meal?) In the absence of more specific information, I would say that a pretty standard maximum volume of food to eat at each meal is 1 cup. I would focus on lean protein and nonstarchy veggies---and I would avoid foods like fries, which offer little nutritional benefit. I know it's frustrating to feel as though you're on a diet, but it is the last time you will be hungry in the name of weight loss. And it's a great time to practice the behaviors that you'll need once you do reach restriction. (I so wish that everyone had a doctor as good as mine, with an eating plan that produces great results. It's hard, during bandster hell---but seeing great results makes it so much easier!)

Everyone on here talks about Premier Protein and I finally gave in and tried it. It is pretty tasty, much nicer than muscle milk, and has I think 30g of Protein in one RTD serving. They sell it at costco and Sam's Club and online. For me though, earlier at least, I stuck to unjury and nectar. You can buy a nectar sample pack at Bariatric Advantage -- online -- for like 13 bucks.

that's incorrect. Visalus is a tri-blend of protein. So 3 different types or protein - yes one of those is soy. However, it's specially processed to remove isoflavones that can impact estrogen - so it's not a problem for those who worry about figroids, etc. You can research more of this to find out the exact process. The shakes seem to be a little lower in protein grams than other shakes, but it's a much better blend. plus, look at the sugar. less than 1 gram of sugar. i was looking at some of the shakes that many people post about drinking and they are drinking 20 grams - 200 grams of sugar! WHAT!?!?!!? plus low fat, low sodium, gluten free and lactose free. i dont know if these shakes are good for bariatric patients. i hope so because i have my surgery on the 21st and love these over about anything else. either way, the comment of them being only soy protein is incorrect, and the little soy that IS used isnt your typical soy.

Does anyone have a promo code for Bariatric Advsntage? My nutritionist gave me one, but I can't find it and I need to order some calcium asap!!! Thanks!

I heard a story yesterday about a woman (family friend) who had a RNY done and went home two days later and died! Tragic, right? When I asked what went wrong, they said the doctors say it is because she drank a diet coke when she got home! Diet Coke?!? Are you serious? Who on earth would do that? We are warned over and over about what NOT to do! There IS a reason they tell us this stuff!! These people give the rest of us (WLS participatants) a bad rep! I have heard all kinds of terrible stories about WLS...and ALL of them are self-inflicted. Unless we change our eating and drinking patterns we are not on track for success! I will never understand why people do these WLS's and then think they can continue on the same road that made them overweight in the first place. I think every pre-op patient needs to see the phsycologist...dietician and be involved in a support group. These things have been so helpful to me. Because of the support and knowledge I have successfully lost 45lbs in 2 months ....and my surgery hasn't even happened yet! If you are pre-op...and struggling...please check your local area for a bariatric support group...do your reseach online...talk to other people who have had the WLS already done. Just don't go into it blind...the results could be costly..in more ways than one! Remember why we are doing the WLS...to be healthy! Eating greasy bacon cheese burgers, french fries, pizza and sodas is what got is unhealthy...what makes any one think you can still eat like that and be successful with the WLS? Sure, you may (and probably will lose some weight) lose some..but in the end...unless you change your old habits...the results are only temporary! I apologize if I have offended anyone...but I had to vent!

Hi everybody! My name is Louise and I am a researcher in bariatric surgery from University College Cork in Ireland. Having personal experience of the bariatric journey, I was amazed by the huge psychological impact the surgery has & how much we still need to learn. Ireland has quite a small bariatric community so I would be so grateful if you would lend your voice/experience and be apart of something meaningful. The questionnaire doesnt require any identifying information, just your experience & will take about 15min to complete. I am more than happy to forward you the results once I have completed it if you would like. Here it is https://docs.google....5Sk2Kw/viewform If you would like anymore information or the final results, my email is listed on the first page. Also, if you decide to do the survey, leave a comment & let me know so I can send positive thoughts and love your way! Thank you so much in advance to anyone who contributes their experience, I hope your own journey is going well

Well I had my 2 month check up yesterday and it went amazingly well . I was so afraid to get on that scale , a scale has been my enemy for the last 30 years . To my amazement I actually in the last 2 months have lost 63 pounds !!!! I almost cried I was so happy !! Just wanted to thank everyone here for the support & all the advice , I didnt have a NUT or go thru a psych evaluation so i was kinda lost and this forum has helped me many times when I had a question. The pic is a pic of me in march when i had my drivers license renewed and a pic of me now

To get my Calcium in and to satisfy my craving for something sweet, I use the Bariatric Advantage calcium chews. The chocolate is so much like eating a tootsie roll and the raspberry is like eating a starburst. A daily dose is 4! During the first month, I would also stick my finger in the Peanut Butter jar. Now, a little over three months out, I keep dark chocolate on hand and eat a square here and there.

My sleeve surgeon was Dr. Brebbia, Medstar Montgomery Hospital in Olney, Maryland. I don't know the exact percentage of stomach removed. My understanding is that, in general, around 85% is removed. I was just sleeved a few weeks ago, so can't answer the long term question. However, my surgeon said I needed clear fluids for the 2 or 3 days after surgery. It's hard to get much down then, so I had stocked up on a few bottles of Isopure clear flavors. A large bottle has 40 grams of Protein. I'm not sure having protein right after will help with the hair loss, but I figure there would be no huge drop off in the amount of protein I'm taking in, so no shock resulting in hair loss. I get all my Vitamins from Bariatric Advantage: 1 Calcium citrate caramel-flavored cube in the morning, 1 Ultra Multi Formula with Iron in the middle of the day, then another calcium citrate in the evening. That way, the calcium and iron won't negate each other... they will always be more than 2 hours apart.

Awww, hang in there. Try to walk more that may help you. I tried just little sips of broth at a time (cold stuff kinda bothered me) and started to feel better towards day 5-6. I told the hubby when I reached goal, we were goin to Puerto Rico to renew our wedding vows and thoughts of the skinny me on the beach in that cute little sundress got me through a lot of the post-op pain :laugh: I hope you're feeling better soon!!!!

I blogged for a while previously on Live Journal under the name AndybearNY, but it has been awhile. I have started to blog again over there and I will be cross blogging between the 2. The title is the same for both blogs Many things cross my mind as I start the process of the new me. I have less than 1 week now till the orientation meeting. I am the type of person that puts the cart before the horse. I know I have a long road ahead of me and I am not even approved. I have started working out and started to diet. But then I wonder should I be doing this? From what I understand the group I go to requires a 10% weight reduction prior to scheduling the surgery. Is that 10% based on when I was weighed at my primary's office the day he referred me to the group, or is it based on the weight that I am when I have my appointment with the bariatric doctor. I always push myself too hard and I am also the hardest on myself. An example of this would be my bike ride. My first 2 days on the bike I did 30 minute ride. I felt OK, not great, but I decided to push myself and did a 45 minute ride. Well I became over heated. I broke out into a cold sweat and started to throw up once I got home. I need to do things in moderation; this is always an issue for me. Whether it is food, drinks or exercise, I tend to binge on everything. This is a habit I need to break.

Here is the email I sent out following my surgery to family and friends. Well I finally was released from the hospital on Sunday, Sept 14. I had some issues swallowing the liquid vicodin (way too sweet and thick). I had to wait to come home until I could swallow pills since the liquid wasn't hitting me very well. First of all I have to say that the staff at Blodgett Hospital (in Grand Rapids) on the Bariatric Floor and Dr.'s Foote and Kemmeter (from MMPC Weight Loss Specialists) were awesome!!! The staff on the 4C were amazing. They were helpful in any way they could. They were encouraging and never once made you feel like you were taking the easy way out. Requests for assistance were promptly responded to. I saw Dr. Foote and Kemmeter in the hospital as well and they were also great for support and answering questions. While Dr. Foote was my surgeon, Dr. Kemmeter ended up in the OR with him as well because of some minor issues that came up. The morning of the surgery was a little tense, but I think I was just anxious about getting shots and the full meaning of this surgery. I broke down a little bit in "pre-op" holding because the woman next to me had her blood thinner shot before I did and completely freaked out over it!! Like screaming in agony freaked out...needless to say when the nurse arrived to give me my shot, I was very nervous and broke out in tears. Needles freak me out and after having two kids, I have gotten use to shots, but after hearing her response, I was not looking forward to that particular shot. The nurse was very reassuring and informed that it was a small sting and the sting continued for a slight time after the shot. I calmed down enough and she gave me the shot. I had to stop myself from laughing too loud, because it was a piece of cake. Thankfully it didn't hurt because I had to have the shot twice a day while I was in the hospital. The anestigiolost came in and asked a few questions and then got me ready to take back to the OR about 10:05. My surgery was scheduled for 10:15. I vaguely remember giving Tim and my mom a kiss and then the trip back to OR starting. I don't know if anything else was said, but my doctor's office gives a med in the IV that causes you to "forget" what happens going into OR. I woke up in the recovery room around 4 pm. I dont remember much about that, except that it sounded like they were trying very hard wake me up. They also kept saying "everything is fine..." and I heard a few murmurings about how "she has been through a lot, but she is doing well." They took me up to my room and I talked briefly with Tim and my mom. Tim stayed for a while, but my mom had to leave to go get my kids some dinner. Tim told me a little bit about the surgery including the fact that I ended up with a "Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy" instead of a Duodenal Switch. I knew this was a possibility and I was okay with that. I took my first walk around the floor around 8:30 and then repeated it every 4 hours. The nursing staff did a great job of trying to time their vital checks so they were right before my walking time. The next morning Dr. Foote came in and explained a little bit more about what happened. It appears that I did need to have my gallbladder out. It was in bad shape and he felt that it would help with my recovery. Then they did the sleeve portion of the surgery, which involved removing a portion of my stomach. They also removed my appendix which is sometimes done in preparation for the Duodenal Switch. After removing the appendix, Dr. Foote noticed that I had something that is sometimes referred to as a "2nd appendix". It really isn't an appendix, but it needed to be removed. After doing this, he measured my intestines to make sure there was enough to perform the "switch". He was a little concerned about the intestines being too tight. While doing the measurements, he found a small mass on the outside of my upper intestine and the bottom of my stomach. At this point, I believe he called Dr. Kemmeter in to the OR for a second opinion. Because of the location of the mass and not knowing the nature, they determined that completing the Switch would not be in my best interest. If I had already had the switch done and then the mass needed to be removed, it may have caused some issues. They decided to just complete the first portion and give me the sleeve only. Because of all of the things they ended up doing, I did end up with a small drain in while I was at the hospital. They did do a biopsy of the mass and sent it to pathology to be tested. On Friday morning, Dr. Foote informed that the mass was benign. He still wants me to see a specialist to monitor it, but he felt confident that it would not need to be removed. I did great with getting around at the hospital. By sunday morning, I really felt like by the time I got home, I would be able to do without the pain meds. However, when they removed the drain tube, I realized that the pain meds would def be a necessity. Unfortunately I have to take 2 to lay down, but when I take 2, I have a harder time sleeping.

The bariatric surgery coordinator called me with blessed news.......I GOT APPROVED!!! On September 7,2011 my new life will begin. Im not getting the support from friends but I have to do what I have to do. At this point I have torn ligaments in my right knee, the pain is horrible. For each pound of excess weight it feels like an additional 10 pounds on my legs. Im the one out of breath and in pain so I made a decision to go through with this surgery. I only wish my friends and family would understand, but hey, this is my life!!! The surgery date is right around the corner and I am so ready to get through this. I appreciate this forum it has been such a positive tool during this journey.