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I'm so excited, I got my surgery date today and we finalized all the details of the surgery!!! I'll be doing the duodenal switch with a longer common channel since I have a history of vitamin D deficiency and anemia. The surgeon talked to my GI specialist and they signed off of on it so everyone is on board thankfully. We picked December 13th, since I'll be in New Zealand for most of November. He said 2 weeks is standard for their liver reduction diet but if I added in a gradual 3rd week it would probably help as a bonus week. Their liver reduction diet is 2 shakes, 2 snacks and a lean, green dinner until one week before surgery, when it switches to all fluids. So basically I'll be starting the diet as soon as we get back from traveling... I already have 7 flavors of premier protein shakes in my closet. LOL (They require the shakes be either those or the bariatric advantage powder as per some study they are following). I'm really happy to be at this stage of everything, I know the 2 months will fly by fast!

I'm also seeing a therapist and im one month out. She's really a big help

Hey everyone, I just wanted to take a moment to share my experience and vent a bit about the difficulties I've been facing after my gastric bypass surgery. It's been tough, and I could really use some support and understanding right now. Firstly, one of the biggest challenges I've encountered is the loss of taste. It's incredibly disheartening to try different food and drink options, only to find that nothing tastes good anymore. I've experimented with various yogurts, protein powders, shakes, and even crystal light flavors, but unfortunately, the enjoyment I used to get from eating has vanished. Even something as simple as finishing a bottle of water has become a struggle for me. To add to this frustrating situation, I've been dealing with a persistent metallic taste in my mouth. This unpleasant sensation affects how everything tastes, making it even more difficult to find pleasure in eating or drinking. Despite my efforts to maintain good oral hygiene by brushing my teeth four times a day, the taste persists, and it's incredibly discouraging. On top of these physical challenges, my energy levels have plummeted, leaving me feeling depleted and drained. It's hard to stay positive and motivated when you're constantly battling fatigue. Unfortunately, this has taken a toll on my mental health as well, and I find myself struggling with depression. It's a heavy emotional burden to carry, and I often find myself crying myself to sleep at night. I apologize if this post sounds like a downer, but I really needed to vent and share my experience with people who might understand. If any of you have gone through a similar situation, I would greatly appreciate any advice or encouragement you can offer. And to those who are willing, please keep me in your prayers. The support means the world to me during this challenging time. Thank you for taking the time to read my post and for being there for me when I needed to let it all out. Together, we can get through the tough times and find strength in each other.

Good to know- I'm in Oregon and I'm on Medicaid. The big thing I have been told that has to be done is six months of a medically supervised diet where I either lose or don't gain (the surgeon requires weight loss).

I think it’s really easy to get discouraged. My dietitian‘s biggest recommendation was to not weigh yourself until your first official postop appointment and I stuck to that. I had so much inflammation, nothing was likely budging in the first 2-3 weeks but I had lost more than I expected by week 4. Hang in there!!

That's what I do, plus I add about 8 oz of water to the shot. I take all my mornings meds and vitamins with the protein as well. It takes me forever to get it all in. If I take my medications too fast it upset my stomach. "She" is very temperamental in the morning.

(Also my status update, btw) It's finally here!! My last day with a "normal" digestive system. Tomorrow morning I go in at 10:15am to check in, go through all the pre-flight checks (IV, vitals, sign consents, talk to anesthesia and my surgeon, etc), then into the OR I go! This process has taken what seems like forever. Way back in April of 2022, I saw a general surgeon to have a Nissen Fundoplication to deal with my (horrible!!) reflux and repair my hiatal hernia. Problem was....my weight made it so there would be a high risk of both failure after a couple years and potential complications. He then suggested I see a bariatric surgeon (which was the first time anyone had ever made that suggestion. So off I went to see bariatrics. From the first appointment, Dr. Beekley was nothing but supportive. He never once belittled me over my weight, or made me feel like I was making excuses for my health. The entire team has been awesome. They keep up with me in myChart, letting me know what Pre-op clearances I needed, or if anything extra was needed from other providers (which, given all my health issues, there was always something extra that was needed lol). But all that hoop jumping was worth it. Now I'm packing my bag and getting ready to have my life completely changed for the better. While I may be increasingly nervous the closer I get to that OR, I'm also excited beyond belief. I've been stuck in this messed up body for entirely too long, and I can't wait to start leaving it behind and meet the woman I know is inside.

Thank you so much for your response. I'm hoping that I start feeling better soon and then things will get easier. This was my first surgery so I wasn't sure what to expect and how recovery would be. I think I'm also just putting anxiety on myself when things don't seem to being going right. I'm going to just take a step back and go from there.

We all have the regrets at some point, its a whole new world. You need to give yourself a pat on the back for getting to a month out. I promise it will get better very soon. I did not appreciate how big a surgery it was TBH. It is a massive learning curve. Use your team when you need to, that's what they are there for. As we all have been given different regimes we do not know what yours entails Lots of us can not make the liquid or protein goals. As soon as you can, you will feel so much better. Try your hardest to get the liquid in. Hot, cold or frozen. It doesn't matter which, just sip all day long. Lots of us still take drinks to bed too. One day you will be able to drink easier. Your internal stitch line will calm down and the swelling will dissipate. Then you can take bigger mouthfuls. Lots of liquid without food will made you nauseous too. Apparently we have the same amount of stomach acid as pre surgery and this rises [GERD] when we sleep lying flat. If this is a problem, try propping yourself on pillows, a bed wedge helped me. I had to drop the iron in my vitamins, it made me super nauseous. Don't be afraid to go back a step if the next step is too far for you at the moment. I never did puree, just looking at it made me heave. You are not alone on this site, We will help you all we can

I want to get back to my original goal weight which is 135. Im 5'4" tall. I stayed between 130 and 135 for almost 7 years. I slowly gained over the past 5 years til I reached 182. On surgery day, I weighed 177. My starting weight from the very beginning was 235 so we are close in stats! I have about 30 pounds to go. I just started on regular food because my doctor put me on clears for 10 days instead of 2 days and 2 weeks for each stage after that. I have a little trouble getting all the water in but its helping me not to retain so much water. My body loves to store the water that I drink, if I dont get enough for it to decide I am not in a desert. lol. Good luck with whatever dicision you make. I am rooting for you to get to goal even if you dont have a revision. I am keeping my carbs low and protein high. They say I dont have a set goal for carbs but I try to keep it under about 40.