I just went to my nutrition classes and was disappointed to find out that my doctor requires us to use the Bariatric advantage protein drinks for the pre-op diet, I can't use premiere protein. I'm disappointed because I like the premiere protein better and find it easier than mixing a drink. I don't see how he would be able to tell if I just went ahead and used the premiere instead just because I don't want to use what they sell. Any thoughts?

I have to confess I did something similar with no ill effects. I bought what I was required to buy and threw a lot of it away and used products I could actually stomach. I was very careful to count up what I would have ingested: calories, carbs, sugar, and protein -- and made my numbers as close to identical as possible.

The only magic Bariatric Advantage has is to extract money from your wallet and place it in your bariatric team's pocket. I'm usually all about strictly following the orders you get from your team, but I pull way back from that when they have a direct financial interest in a product they are selling you.

Edited September 22, 20169 yr by Bufflehead

There is certainly no way for him to tell which shakes you actually ingest. If they require you to buy the Bariatric Advantage shakes, then I suppose you can't avoid losing the money. But so long as you drink nutritionally comparable shakes, there is no way your surgeon would ever know whether or not you actually drank the Bariatric Advantage shakes.

@@Frenchie1977 I'm required to use Bariatric fusion (don't have to purchase through my program though so I feel like it's not just about money). I would check the ingredients - make sure the Bariatric Advantage doesn't have something that Premier doesn't. Bariatric Fusion appears to be different nutrition-wise than Premier. It has more Fiber and Vitamins. I've only tried the strawberry so far (my pre-op diet doesn't start until 10/4) and it was pretty good (filling and easy to make in my shaker bottle). I thought about just drinking premier too - but decided not to take any chances and just "Suck it Up Buttercup".

I've heard of programs that require you to buy their own in house, or preferred name brand products. That's a shame. If it's a must before surgery in order to complete your requirements I guess you'll have to buy it. If they aren't actually demanding you show proof though, like a receipt from that particular company, I'd shop around and make my own decision on which shake to purchase.

My program pushed Bariatric Advantage Vitamins, by giving us hand outs with what we needed to buy and direct phone numbers, etc., but we weren't required to go through them. I sampled them and thought they were wildly overpriced and tasted awful. I never bought their brand again.

Good luck!

This is only a requirement for pre-op for me. Post-op they gave us a list of preferred and said as long as under 5 gms sugar and 5 gms fat than go for it. I don't know if they worry that people will select high carb Protein shakes for pre-op. It's only a requirement for people with high BMIs - otherwise they don't have a pre-op diet requirement.

I asked if I could use premiere since they gave us a sample of it, and they said no not for pre-op, it has to be BAriatric Advantage but that I can use premiere post op. Weird I think

@@Frenchie1977 They might be on to something! I just had my first Bariatric fusion this morning and wasn't "hungry" again until lunch (even head hunger) - which is very unusual. I typically have a snack in between the shake and lunch.

I just went to my nutrition classes and was disappointed to find out that my doctor requires us to use the Bariatric Advantage Protein drinks for the pre-op diet, I can't use premiere protein. I'm disappointed because I like the premiere protein better and find it easier than mixing a drink. I don't see how he would be able to tell if I just went ahead and used the premiere instead just because I don't want to use what they sell. Any thoughts?

I was forced (yes forced lol) to buy 3 tubs of a certain type of Protein shake. They all contained sucralose, and I have stopped sucralose years ago. I gave them away, and used another. So yeah, I feel ya.