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You are not alone. Studies are showing that people that have had bariatric sergery are more likely to get late onset alcoholism. I suggest to start cutting back if you noticed that cutting back causes you to have physical effects such as shaking I would mention it to your primary care doctor. You colossal look into AA meetings and your community. Sent from my SM-G950U using BariatricPal mobile app

My surgery date is 12/2 with Dr. Perez and Renew Bariatrics in Tj, Mexico! So nervous and excited!!

https://asmbs.org/patients/bariatric-surgery-misconceptions In which risk of death is listed as 0.13 percent, or 1 in 1000 the 30 days post op after surgery.

Bariatric Advantage - vanilla and strawberry Isopure Syntrax nectar - Fuzzy Navel Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I didn't have months leading up to surgery, I had been working on improving my health and losing weight for about 2-3 years before surgery. Then I moved and had to get a new Dr. This Dr did a complete workup on my and my health was just tanking. My weight wasn't going anywhere, I was developing high blood pressure in addition to the diabetes I already had. My heart was enlarged and acting abnormally (that is genetic but the weight was not helping). All of this before the age of 40. Those are all old people problems. My grandparents didn't have blood pressure issues until their 70s. No one in my family is diabetic. I come from a family of slim athletic people. All my issues boiled down to my life choices. I decided enough was enough. Surgery was my last ditch effort to improve my health. I felt like I was dying slowly anyway, and I felt the worse outcome I could have with surgery would be a faster death. I felt like I had absolutely nothing to lose. The process to get qualified for surgery because of my heart went all the way from EKG to Cardiac Cath. No one my age should have been undergoing a Cardiac Cath. The fact it was happening to me just because I was basically crushing my heart with fat was just too much. Signing those waiver forms was a pretty frightening experience. So no after that I had no fears. I also didn't have months to wait for surgery. I went from first visit to surgery in 8 weeks. I saw my new Dr for the first time in early April. Attended a bariatric seminar at the end of April. Saw the Surgeon the first time mid May, had surgery mid July. Once I decided that was the path I was on I rushed and made it go as fast as possible. If I didn't have insurance I would have self paid at that point to make it happen quickly. Post-op early on I had moments of doubt because I had low carb dieted before, lost weight but plateaued. I had moments of doubt that this would be no different. The difference is there is no quitting your diet post-op. When you stall out and are frustrated there is no ordering a large pizza and downing it with a 2 liter (even though people that post here still manage to do it). You are just kind of stuck eating the same, so you work through plateaus and you keep losing. Even by the time I had my first stall though, my health had improved so much, it was already well worth it.

I'm so, so sorry you're struggling. Please know we are rooting for you and want to see you healthy and well. I think first and foremost, you should stick to what you know you tolerate well and do not feel aversions to. Eat as much and as often as you can to help stabilize your caloric intake. Try focusing on what you CAN eat and try to enjoy it as much as possible. Secondly, I would definitely suggest getting in to see a therapist who specializes in disordered eating. Yes, VSG changed your anatomy, your bodily needs, and maybe even your tastes, but this is not normative and getting support will likely be a game changer for you. The sadness, depression, and frustration are all completely valid given what you're going through, but you don't have to stay in this place and there can be improvement. Lastly, I'd say you might want to get in to see a GI or bariatric surgeon to discuss. I also had surgery in Mx and had a wonderful experience and have a very supportive PCP at home, but something this severe might warrant a face to face visit with a specialist. If there are any physical factors they should be addressed along with the mental/emotional pieces. Wish you the very best of luck!

You are likely dehydrated already, are you peeing darker urine or peeing much at all? Call the bariatric team asap, they can get another physician to call in a scrip for meds. Try lukewarm tea w a little ginger root. Try diluted broths, sip a teaspoon, then wait 5-10 minutes, try another. Stand up to sip.

Hi everyone, I was looking on this site last night for recipes and found you guys. Actually I found Lisa under a food post. How you doing Lisa? I was suppose to talk to you that one afternoon at Dr. Fowler's office, but we lost each other in the shuffle. And how are you Miriam? I spoke with you at the September support group meeting. I think you were in our group when we split into groups. Your the one who wants to be able to sing again, yeah? Well it's good a bunch of us are all in one spot. I've been bouncing from support sites back and forth. I'm usually on ObesityHelp.com or Bandsters group on yahoo. I have found that this site has much more information, especially about FOOD.......lol :biggrin1:. Miriam, I think you and I are at about the same stage in the healing/eating phase as I was banded (final one) a day before you. My journey has been anything BUT normal as I had to be re-banded. I went in for the first banding on Weds., Sept. 26. After surgery and when I was up on the floor I got out of bed and started walking immediately. Dr. Fowler came up and was happy to see me walking so fast, but the news he had for me was a little upsetting. He said that my liver was one of the biggest he's seen yet and it was 5 times the size that it was suppose to be. He said I'm lucky that I decided to have this procedure when I did or 5-10 years down the road I'd be in big trouble. He said my liver didn't like the food choices I was making and then he said that he put on the "medium" band and that it was VERY tight and that I'd be lucky if I could swallow my own spit. Boy was he right!!!!!! I think he meant it as a euphemism and not to be taken seriously. All night I kept spitting into that pink emesis bowl. The next morning I went down with the lady next to me to get the swallow test and came back up to the room with a thumbs DOWN. Jennifer came up to my room and told me basically that I was swollen shut and I had to try to wait it out for the swelling to go down. Talk about totally BUMMED. To make a long story short, we waited day after day until Dr. Fowler realized that the swelling wasn't going to go down and that the band needed to be replaced with a larger size. He tried to get an anesthesiologist to do it on Sunday, but his friend was off island. When he said there wasn't going to be surgery on Sunday, I asked him if I could please try to drink some broth or tea and he said sure. I think it was more of like a "knock yourself out trying but nothing's going to stay down." Finally on Monday we headed back into the operating room. One good thing about being re-banded is that I got the new AP band that I wanted.....yippeee. You have no idea how hard it was being in the hospital from Weds. to Tues. and 5 of those days being hooked up to liquid nutrition (IV). I had such a hard time trying to sleep in there too because every 4 hours was glucose stick time, every 5 hours was vital signs and every 6 hours was the "bruising" heparin shot. It seemed that every time I turned the TV on, I was inundated with fast food commercials. The Taco Bell cheesy melt was a KILLER. I don't know how the rest of you ladies felt about the hospital, but I hope I never, ever have to be admitted to there again. While the nurses/aides were extremely nice, they (most) were not well versed in taking care of bariatric patients at all. I even explained to a few of them what it was that I actually had done. There was also on at least 3 occasions when they brought me food trays and I had to tell them that I was NPO and couldn't have anything to eat. The one aide said, "Oh your so honest." They finally put a sign above my bed on FRIDAY saying NPO so the others would know. Two different times I had to ask if my heparin was discontinued and they came back with my shot and told me, "thanks for reminding me." Geeeez, they sure have a long way to go if they're trying to become a Bariatric Center for Excellence. Well, that's my saga so far. How is everyone doing on foods? I keep reading my materials from Mary and at times am confused on what I'm suppose to be eating. One handout says at week 2 full liquids and another at week 2 says pureed foods. Thank heavens for this support site to find out what I'm suppose to be eating. I made this recipe for black bean Soup I found on here and it's really good. I feel I could eat the whole batch I made. I think the only time I've felt full so far is when I ate some cream of wheat in which I kept diluting it until it made I swear 2 cups. Sorry the post is so long. Hope to hear from you guys.

I am 7 1/2 weeks post-op and last week started working out at the gym with a trainer. I was under the impression that 6 weeks post-op you can resume abdominal excercises. Monday I had an appt with the nurse praciticioner at the bariatric office who said that I can no longer do crunches forever and have to be careful with other ab moves as well. Anyone else told this as well? I am aware that the port if stitched into my abdominal wall and that I have to be careful but how can I accomplish a good work-out of my abs then? Any suggestions?

Went to my support group tonight that is run by one of the nurses from the bariatric office and asked her about the exercises. She explained that the only one they really want me to stay away from is going from a laying down (flat on back) to a full sitting up position. That move is uncomfortable for me anyway so I guess really nothing to worry about :-)

I feel the same as you on these things. Here's my short list I'm looking forward to ------ getting my driver' license renewed and NOT lying about my weight. ----- buying the 'cool' motorcycle jacket, not just 'this one since it fits me' for cooler riding days. ----- walking my daughters (12and 4) down the aisle when they get married (before sleeve, dr said that i might not have been around for that if I didn't get under control) ----- going to amusement parks with my 14 year old son and not just being his company in line, but ride the rides with him ----- joining my son to help him train for cross country. ----- finishing a 5k in less than 50 minutes without passing out or dying (my first ever attempt will be in 2.5 weeks) ------ being able to be an inspiration to people, and not feel like they are all just thinking 'wow, how does a person let themselves get that big?' ----- feeling like my wife isn't lying when she says that she really is still attracted to me. ----- burning all of my 2x 3x 4x 5x and 6x t shirts while dancing the happy dance around this fire pit, because I won't ever need them again.

We bought the second book! The first one was just recommended during my last bariatric surgery support group. I need to get it. I find I'm eating way too many of the same things and need to change it up a bit. Right now I'm probably eating about 600 calories. My nutritionist said as long as long as I'm getting enough Protein and fluids in, I'm okay, but I am worried, at 8 weeks out, I should be having a little more. My book from Mayo Clinic indications around 800 this stage, working my way up to 1000-1200 by the time I hit 3-4 months. I think as I add more solid foods (I got the okay to add very small amounts of starches, if I can get them down, during this stage), that will increase. I tried a Triscuit last night and it went down okay. Woo!

So to make a long story short, I was originally getting the sleeve but the insurance will only cover the lapband. Due to that, I had to go back in to see my bariatric doctor to resign consent forms for the band. That whole office has been pushing the sleeve so I was, of course, disappointed that I couldn't have it. However, today he said that he believes I will be successful with the band. That because I'm "young, don't have much to lose, and have a low BMI" it should work really well for me. First off, I have 100 pounds to lose and am at 43-44 BMI. Last time I checked, that's the weight of a 10 year old. Anyways, that kinda just grated my nerves a bit. He also does both bands-Lap Band and the Realize Band. I didn't know this and had automatically assumed I would be getting the Realize band as I've heard that's a tiny bit better. However, he told me that for young people such as myself (I'm 27 btw) do better with the Lap Band...so I guess that's what I'm getting. Have any of you heard of that before? The good news is that my doctor has had only ONE patient with a complication. Also, she said they have a patient who has lost 100 pounds on the band. That made me feel better. Anyways, just thought I'd share my experience! Surgery is only 4 whole days away. Also, I've lost 8 pounds so far on the pre op diet. The diet sucks.

Hello I am 23yrs old. I am a patient in the bariatric program and have been going through this process for little over a year now. My highest weight was 497, I was scared that I would hit 500. Having that fear I decided to start committing more and put the effort in. It's been a couple months of progress, but I am down to 440. I met the requirements and was finally approved for my surgery. I know I've been wanting this surgery for a long time so I can have a more comfortable life. Knowing that its actually coming up I have had some concerns/fears. First I have never had surgery, so I am scared to go under. I know it's a fast surgery and recovery doesnt seem that long, but still going under for first time is frightening. Then my main fear is loose skin. I know a lot of things contribute to the amount of loose skin and then ways of preventing, but I know at my size I will lose a good amount of weight. I am scared that I will have such excessive loose skin. I know I can do a skin removal surgery, but again I never had surgery. I want to lose the weight, but don't want to see myself with the loose skin. I know my goal weight is 250. I dont know If that makes a difference for it, but yeah. I just now keep looking up ways to prevent all the time. It is really scaring me.

I def understand. I don't know what resources you have available but mental health counseling is sooo helpful. I started my bariatric surgery journey because I finally got help with my mental health. I received a diagnosis and medication which greatly allowed me to utilize counseling to my advantage. I have been seeing a psychologist for about 8 months now and we work on putting distance between my coping mechanisms and food. It allowed me to really prepare myself for this part where we feel naked with our emotions, unable to hide it under eating. I think take it day by day too. That's important but if you ever are able to, having a counselor or psychologist to help walk you through the journey is good. If you don't have access to that, I also like following binge eating therapists on Instagram. They offer sound advice about emotions and eating. Check out the_binge_eating_therapist on insta. There's also an amazing free app called Brighter Bite. You can use it to log your feelings, actions, urges and it gives you really amazing advice and coping exercises in the moment... kind of like a little eating disorder journal with helpful exercises. Sent from my SM-G975U using BariatricPal mobile app

No meal/diet plan here. Just got my Protein in first and then added in veggies, fruit and whole grains as I could tolerate. Always just ate whatever looked and tasted good.....chicken, crab, burger, pork loin, steak, ham, sausage, bacon, elk, eggs, fish, cheese, Greek yogurt, spinach, squash, green Beans, beets, avocados, mushrooms, tofu, beans, Peanut Butter, Brussel sprouts, carrots, cauliflower, apples, pineapple, bananas, melons, tomatoes, lentils, Kashi Go Lean, Bob's 10grain hot Cereal,.... Check out the nutrition subforum on here for ideas. World according to eggface and bariatric foodie are both websites with good recipes.

It's ok to have a freak out moment. Maintaining and eating more calories is a whole new mind set. Your surgery restriction is still good at 6/7 months out. Your restriction may feel less after your first year. Check with your dietician and see if they would approve liquid sources. I drink liquid carbs to increase my intake for distance running. look into body building weight gain/muscle mass protein shakes. The macros are much different than bariatric shakes. (Read the nutrition fact labels)

FYI, if interested: Excuse its length, but here's the email blast I received of today's ASMBS' Connect: News topics of the week re: obesity and WLS. You might find some articles of interest to you. They sent: The following is a summary/brief analysis of the obesity and surgery stories making news this week: Company Seeks FDA Approval for Balloon System for Obesity… Retinopathy Stable After Bariatric Surgery…Sleeve Gastrectomy vs. Medical Management for Diabetes… UK May Seen Huge Increase in Bariatric Surgery… New Clues on How Metabolic Surgery Affects Diabetes…Sharon Osbourne Felt Like a Cheat After Surgery… Obesity Worse Than Smoking… Childhood Obesity Drops in NYC… Stigma Around Obesity Persists… Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery in the News… ReShape Submits Dual Balloon System Application to FDA (Bariatric News) ReShape Medical is seeking FDA approval for the ReShape Integrated Dual Balloon System, "the first and only dual balloon for non-surgical weight loss designed for people with a BMI 30-40." According to the company, the system is the first device to meet its primary effectiveness endpoints in a U.S. randomized, sham-controlled pivotal trial. Dr. Jaime Ponce, Principal Investigator in the so-called REDUCE trial, commented, “Meeting the primary endpoints is an important accomplishment, as it convincingly demonstrates the superiority of the ReShape procedure over diet and exercise alone. The ReShape procedure offers a new alternative to help patients kick-start weight loss and learn new behaviours. We are excited about what this new treatment option may do for millions of people needing to lose excess weight.” The device has been available in the E.U. since December 2011. ReShape Medical anticipates a launch in the U.S. in mid-to-late 2015. No Change in Retinopathy in Diabetes 2 Years After Surgery (Medscape) Results from the STAMPEDE trial presented at the American Diabetes Association 2014 Scientific Sessions show no change in diabetic retinopathy for patients two years after bariatric surgery. Lead author Dr. Rishi P. Singh commented that he was “pleasantly reassured” that there wasn’t a higher incidence or significant progression of the disease after surgery. He said the results demonstrate that regular eye exams are still important for this patient population. "This is the first time that a prospective, randomized clinical trial has shown that intensive medical management vs gastric bypass doesn't appear to increase the retinopathy incidence or progression, nor does it increase the rate of vision loss or changes in intraocular blood pressure (a sign of glaucoma)," he added. Dr. Bruce Wolfe, bariatric surgeon at Oregon Health and Science University, commented on the results saying, "The induction of remission or improvement in diabetes control is positive for the patient, but drawing conclusions about the many-year process of diabetic complications of diabetic neuropathy or diabetic retinopathy is premature." Additionally, he added that patients who are informed that their diabetes has gone into remission after they have had bariatric surgery may think, "I don't need to go to these eye assessments anymore," but that would be too hasty, he stressed. Better Long-term Diabetes Outcomes with Sleeve Gastrectomy vs. Medical Management (Healio) Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy helped adults with type 2 diabetes achieve better blood glucose control than standard care alone, according to research presented at the joint meeting of the International Congress of Endocrinology and the Endocrine Society. To determine long-term outcomes of diabetes in patients with sleeve gastrectomy vs. medical care alone, investigators reviewed medical records of veterans with type 2 diabetes, ages 18 to 80, undergoing the surgery at a VA medical center in a major metropolitan area. Two years of data from the charts of 30 patients treated with surgery were compared to 23 control patients. All patients had received medical treatment and been part of the MOVE national weight management program designed by the VA National Center for Health before being offered surgery. Significant improvements in BMI and HbA1c were seen in patients with surgery at one year, with improvements sustained through the end of two years; BMI decreased from 46 to 34 and HbA1c from 7.25% to 5.98%. These kinds of outcomes were not witnessed in patients without surgery during the study. At study completion, 76% of patients with surgery were able to discontinue or reduce their diabetes medications, compared with 26% of patients receiving medical treatment only. Thousands More to Get Obesity Ops on the NHS: NICE Calls for Huge Increase in Surgery - But Even Obesity Charities Condemn It (Daily Mail) New draft guidance from the U.K.’s National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (Nice) suggests that people with obesity who have type 2 diabetes should be assessed for bariatric surgery under the country’s National Health Service (NHS). At present weight loss surgery is given to patients on the NHS who have morbid obesity with a BMI score of over 40 or to those who have a BMI over 35 and who have another serious health condition - such as type 2 diabetes. But now Nice is suggesting that people with a BMI score of 30 to 35 should be considered for an assessment for surgery under the NHS if they have been diagnosed within the last 10 years. This could mean hundreds of thousands more patients could be considered for treatment. The draft guideline also recommends that people who have undergone bariatric surgery under the NHS should have a "follow up care package" for at least two years after their operation. However, opponents of the guidelines say it is wrong of Nice to recommend that the NHS offer operations costing £5,000 when the agency faces a £30billion deficit. Scientists Discover Clues Why Weight-loss Surgery Cures Diabetes (Medical Xpress) A study published in the journal Endocrinology found the actions of specialized cells in the intestine that secrete a cocktail of powerful hormones when we eat may help bring us a step closer to understanding why gastric bypass surgery "cures diabetes in most patients." The research team showed that gut hormone cells previously thought to contain just one hormone, had up to six hormones including the hunger hormone ghrelin. Study team leader Dr. Craig Smith, a Senior Lecturer in Molecular Cell Physiology at University of Manchester, commented, “Understanding the messages the gut sends out when we eat food and when things go wrong, as is the case in diabetes, is our next challenge and hopefully one that will result in the development of drugs which could be used instead of surgery to cure obesity and prevent diabetes.” Sharon Osbourne Opens Up About Feeling Like a ‘Cheat’ After Gastric Bypass Surgery (NY Daily News) In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Sharon Osbourne commented that she has “secret shame” about having bariatric surgery in 1999. "I felt (like) such a cheat when I had that band on my stomach,” she said. "People are saying, 'You look wonderful! I'd go, 'Thank you, I just have to leave and vomit.'" Osbourne had the gastric band removed in 2006 and says she controls her weight through the low-carb Atkins diet, but admitted she struggles because she is still a food addict. Obesity in the News… Extreme Obesity Cuts Lifespan More than Smoking: Study (Reuters, CBSNews.com, Voice of America) Extensive media coverage of the “largest-ever study of the effect of extreme obesity on mortality,” which showed the “most extreme cases” may shorten a person's lifespan more than smoking. Scientists at the National Cancer Institute found people who suffered from severe obesity died 6.5 to 13.7 years earlier than people of healthy weight. A data review was conducted of 20 large studies from U.S., Sweden and Australian, which included 9,564 adults with extreme obesity and 304,011 of normal weight. Heart disease, cancer, and diabetes were mostly responsible for an increased risk of dying “at any given time” when BMI rose to levels of extreme obesity. The study was published in the journal PLOS Medicine. Severe Childhood Obesity Shows a Decline in New York City (Reuters) The prevalence of severe obesity among school children in New York City was down by almost 10% in the 2010-11 school year compared to the 2006-07. Earlier research had shown a decline in overall obesity among NYC public school children, but the prevalence of severe obesity had not been studied. The new study, published in the journal Preventing Chronic Disease, shows NYC rates “buck national trends.” Height and weight measurements were recorded for 947,765 children attending public schools in kindergarten through eighth grade. Severe obesity fell from 6.3% of the children in the 2006-07 school year to 5.7% in 2010-11. The change represents a 9.5% decrease. The prevalence of severe obesity was highest among boys, minorities and poor children. Additionally, while prevalence declined in every group, the greatest decrease was among white students and wealthy students. Many Obese Women Face Stigma Every Day, Study Finds (HealthDay) A new study found women who were overweight or suffered from obesity were likely to be faced with frequent, daily insults and humiliation from strangers, family and friends. Researchers recruited 50 women who were asked to log their “weight-stigmatizing” events in a diary during the course of a week. A total of 1,077 occurrences were reported including physical barriers (84%), nasty comments from others (74%), being stared at (72%) and others making negative assumptions (72%). Each woman experienced an average of three negative events over a seven-day period. Researchers found BMI was “the most significant factor associated with all forms of stigma except that caused by interpersonal relationships.” Ted Kyle, advocacy advisor for The Obesity Society, felt the study was limited due to the size and lack of data from other groups including males and other ethnic groups as most participates were white. He commented, “Most everybody struggles with some kind of health issue but obesity is something you wear on the outside.” The study was published recently in the Journal of Health Psychology.

The show was on MTV and it is called...True Life...I hate my body...He was from a greek family. Yes his family was not supoortive. He was going to have a body lift. It was a good show and a repeat. The show also had other bariatric patients.

I was just trying to figure this 'new' website out and the banner at the top of the page was advertising Domino's Pan pizza for $7.99...What's up with that??? Are ya'll trying to torture me???

Bariatric Advantage has calcium citrate chews.

So my insurance through my job doesn't cover any bariatric procedures due to my job excluding it from our program. It's really expensive so self pay isn't an option for me. What other route could I take?? I'm so bummed about this

I didn't really have any health issues, but I'm also a "senior" - there are lots of us on here who've had surgery in our 50s, 60s, and even a few in their 70s. not being able to exercise much shouldn't be an issue. Weight loss is 90% diet and 10% exercise (exercise has a greater effect during maintenance, though (once you reach your goal weight) - but then, you can only do what you can do. But for losing weight, no - it doesn't play a major role). I've "known" several people on bariatric forums who rarely if ever exercised, and they still lost a ton of weight.

I had my Sleeve done last November, right in the thick of Covid. I am not sure if Covid made a difference but I imagine it did. My private hospital was picking up a lot of ops from the NHS. It was very busy. In all it took 8 months from start to finish. I was initially told 4 - 6 months. The hospital that I went to had to stop its Bariatric work and have its practices audited. That took an extra, very frustrating 2 months. Every surgeon has their own pre op diet some lucky people have none or just a day on liquids. I got 3 weeks of milk and vegetables. High carb veg was not allowed.

Hi BriarRose, I appreciate your words of encouragement and support. I will contact the county DMH and hope to convince her to a doctor’s visit. It’s a day at a time with her because her moods go up and down. I’ll keep the community updated. This is helpful for me to be able to go somewhere to discuss this matter. I have 3 friends who were and still are successful in their bariatric surgeries. I know that’s why we (husband and I) were so supportive of her decision. I feel now she mentally and emotionally was not mature enough to handle the after effects. I’ll keep my hopes and prayers that a breakthrough will come soon. Thank you.