MinaT

With the sleeve, your entire sleeve is swollen and you may end up thinking you are having hunger pains when in actuality it is just your stomach healing. Give it some time. Best of luck.

Do you now have any issues with Gastric Reflux? Have you had to take any sort of protonics? Do you sometimes eat and choke on your food? Do you have acid reflux when you lay down at night? If you answered yes to these questions then I would bypass Sleeve and go to Bypass. I think they are both good surgeries, but with the Gastric Sleeve, there is a greater tendency towards acid reflux. If you have reflux prior to sleeve, it could only get worse. I've always had a reflux issue had the sleeve and the problems got severe enough that with a bmi of 34 I had to go back in and convert to bypass. There are people that believe if you are a chronic sweet tooth eater that you should chose bypass over sleeve, however there are a lot of posts by people with comments like "I ate Cookies and ice cream and I didn't dump and now I'm really upset". Let that sink in a bit. If you have gastric bypass and you are eating cookies and ice cream and you are "mad"...after undergoing a serious surgery that you are not even trying to change your habits on your own and you expect a surgery to do everything for you....well, all you can do is shake your head. Speak with your doctor and continue your research. I myself would have done bypass had I known the issues I would have the acid and the choking on meats due to spasms, which are more common than I thought they were. Pre sleeve I never read anything about 'esophageal spasms' or serious acid reflux. Note: Not everyone that gets sleeved has this problem, I just always had a problem my entire life with acid reflux and was on two omeprazoles a day. I had acid issues drinking Water.

After a meal, maybe take a little walk or do dishes and stay upright with a little bit of movement to make sure everything is going down, plus it will help your metabolism to move instead of laying down after eating.

I'm freezing and I can't get warm. You lose blood during surgery and that is also part of it. I seriously cannot warm up and feel like I'm literally freezing to death.

If you blend the 8 ounces with a bunch of crushed ice it makes a lot more then 8 ounces. Drink slowly - if you can supplement in between these shakes a sugar-free popsicle or Jello do so. Remember after a few days...never trust a fart because the liquid needs to come out eventually.

When a gastrectomy is performed (sleeve) they remove part of the stomach that produces the Ghrelin, which is the hormone that controls hunger. They basically take out one side of the stomach and make it like a shape of a banana. You still have part of the stomach there, but the side the hormone that makes the Ghrelin is on is removed. When you have a bypass, they leave only a tiny pouch so that would mean there should be no hormone making Ghrelin because that part of the stomach is disconnected isn't it? I can't imagine that if you had an actual bypass they would leave the area that makes the Ghrelin. I'm so sorry you are going through this. I also have the hiatal hernia again, which sucks too. I feel so bad for you and hope that surgery on the 28th helps you out. I want it over with and I want to be on the road to recovery and I am sure you do too.

Catina, are you saying you are having another gastric bypass to redo the pouch? Since your pouch does not have the ability to produce acid the problem you are having is an ulcer in the pouch. What you have sounds so painful. The issues we are having are both painful but different. Ulcers could be caused by many factors including stress, cigarettes, coffee and alcohol or other reasons, but the GERD I am having is partly because the esophageal spasms make food get stuck in my esophagus so since I was sleeved, I still have acid produced in my stomach which then forces it's way up trying to digest the food that is stuck in my throat because of the spasms. The spasms are due to the acid. Of course, I could always end up with an ulcer in the pouch, but my pouch will not produce acid which will stop the GERD which hopefully will stop the esophageal spasms. Even with the sleeves we aren't suppose to drink coffee and I sometimes do drink coffee and have wine occasionally. Thanks for input. I am prone to stress so I hope that I can do whatever I can to avoid an ulcer, but I know sometimes they aren't avoidable.

I was sleeved in 2012. At my highest weight I was 330. When I started the sleeve journey I was 299. I went down to 168 pounds. Prior to surgery I had severe reflux and took two omeprazoles a day. I was able to quit them. Eventually I needed to go back on them. The reflux came back pretty severely. I went to the hospital in January 2015 thinking I was having a heart attack. All my tests came back negative. I saw a pulmonologist, I then had an endoscope done, I had many other tests done too, including barium swallows and other tests that tested my swallowing function etc. The acid reflux came when I drank Water, I was constantly choking on my food. I ended up with severe esophageal spasms. I stopped eating most meat and eat mashed potatoes, oatmeal, I eat a lot of Soups. I went from 168-205 pounds due to not being able to follow the high Protein diet. I am having revision to bypass on March 21st. This is not something that happens to everyone, but I do highly suggest that if you suffer from severe GERD prior to surgery that you explore the other option. Having surgery twice is not easy. It's also a horrible feeling having the spasms, and it's extremely depressing to feel like you have failed, when you felt like you were on top of the world at one time. Had I known that the acid reflux would start wearing away my esophagus and I would constantly feel like crap I would have gone straight to the bypass the first time. I spent a year researching everything I could on revision surgery and there is a huge amount of people that are being revised from sleeve to bypass due to this issue, moreso than people needing to have a second surgery to lose more weight. I have a feeling that Insurance Companies are going to eventually request more testing on GERD prior to sleeve surgeries in the future due to not wanting to pay out for an eventual revision surgery. Everyone needs to make their own personal choice, but as someone that went through this, if you have serious issues with GERD, talk to your doctor about your choices of sleeve vs. bypass. I wish I did. Best of luck.

Hi. In june 2012 I had Gastric Sleeve. I went from 330 to 167. I had gerd prior to surgery. I then developed a worse case of gerd and something called esophageal spasms. The spasms were so severe that I went to the hospital thinking I was having a heart attack in January 2015. I had test after test, endoscope, barium swallow, I got treated for ulcers, I had a monometry done. I stopped eating meat, the only thing I could get down was slider food. I choked a lot on my food. I have to say that I also have Lupus so my problems are probably twofold. I went from 167-205. I am switching from gastric-sleeve to gastric bypass. I worked hard prior to my sleeve surgery and lost 70 pounds. I am now on my 4th day of pre-op shake and surgery is scheduled for March 21st. I do not regret getting the sleeve, however I wish I would have done the gastric bypass. I walk around constantly with acid in my throat and I feel horrible. The pain in my chest due to spasms is more than an annoyance too. What is worse is I never hit my goal weight the first go round and then gaining weight back. No matter what surgery you have though, you can and will gain weight if you switch to slider food. I eat very little but only liquids and soft food go down for me without choking. Best of luck.

PS You should not drink Water or anything with your meals, you should wait at least 1/2 hour after eating to drink anything. Drink a hot beverage, like hot decaff tea before dinner (that curbs the appetite) of course do not drink with your meals. Also, chew each bite at least 20 times. Set your fork down in between. I lost 10 pounds a month each month pre-surgery. Basically I lost 70 pounds before I had surgery.

Umm, presurgery? What you should be doing is charting your food on something like myfitnesspal.com You should be charting your Water intake (are you getting 64 ounces of water a day). Are you charting your carbs, fat, Protein? You should be walking, if you can't exercise, put on a tv show or a movie and walk in place. You should be eating protein first, vegetables second and lowering your carbs. You should be lowering your caffeine, weaning from carbonated beverages. You should be doing what you are doing, and that is researching what you should be doing. Best of luck.

Not sure why I would want to beat this, but best of luck to you. Have you had surgery or are you pre-op?

I was diabetic, on steroids, was hospitalized etc. and did not gain weight during the 6 months pre-certification period, but remember this...no two people are alike. I lost 10 pounds a month during the 6 months period before my approval. Now, if you are not drinking your 64 ounces of Water a day, if you are not charting your calories, food, Protein & carbs. If you are not lowering your carbs, I would suggest doing so, whether or not you are diabetic, whether or not you are on steroids. Steroids makes you want to eat more, it doesn't make you eat more. Neither does diabetes. If you are charting your food and getting in 80 grams of protein a day, and keeping your carbs low (30-50) and staying at 800-1000 calories, you should not be gaining weight. That's the only advice I have for you. You need to commit to this. If you are giving it your all, eventually the weight will fall, if you are not giving it your all, then you won't. I hope you are approved. If you are not committed...then you need to work on the issues you are having getting committed before surgery. It takes hard work and dedication and as much as I wish it were simply having surgery and your life changes forever, it takes will power and dedication. I wish you nothing but the best!

Only thing I have had issues with is roast cooked in gravy. I can eat steak, I can eat all meat, all vegetables, but the two times I had roast cooked in gravy I got sick. I think it varies with all people.

Very very normal. Take very small bites, chew it really well and watch out how much you eat. Normally when it feels like the foot is to my throat, I quit eating, even if I only had a few bites. There have been times I ate very little and needed to walk around for a while. Usually if I eat too fast or don't chew enough it's worse. Certain foods, like roast that had gravy on it made it much worse. Though the chest pain is there, resist drinking Water for at least 1/2 hour afterwards, because to me it just makes it worse.

Liquids won't be any or much restriction, it depends on the food. If it's a slider food like carb, there won't be restriction, when you get to meat products, there will be a restriction and if you eat too much, then it sits in your esophagus forever and then you get all mucusy. Enjoy the no restriction on liquids and learn to stop before you get restrictions when you hit solids. Sometimes now I worry about not having restrictions then I take that one more bite that I shouldn't have...there will be restrictions. Good luck

If your doctor didn't give you one ounce medical cups, pull out a shot glass. You can pick up Jello Shot glasses for really cheap. For the first two weeks the most important thing is to get your liquids down, like Water. You aren't going to go Protein deficient that fast. The water is important so you don't get dehydrated. Try things like Decaff Peppermint Tea with your favorite artificial sweetener. I would make a glass of it and then keep pouring it into one shot glass and I would take a bottle of water and pour it into another one. Sips, not drinks. Keep them at your bed even. It always took me three sips per one ounce cup. I did this for quite a few weeks at first. Water, especially cold water was harder to get down. I think we are always used to being able to guzzle stuff. I can take huge drinks now, but for a few months gulps were out of the question. Give yourself time to heal, this is very normal what you are going through right now.

I had this for a while. I found that sipping Water out of the med cup or a one ounce cup or even a shot glass worked better than attempting to sip out of a big glass and i was in extreme pain if I attempted to drink out of a water bottle. This is temporary and it doesn't happen to everyone, but it is extremely common. I drank out of the medical one ounce cup (took me three sips) to drink it all for a few weeks. I had a serious problem with sickening taste of Protein shakes, even those I used to love at first. I tried a few different brands. Even making up my own concoctions. Syn Trax products are less sickly sweet tasting and you can get them at the Vitamin Shoppe. I wasn't fond of Isopure clears but the Green Tea wasn't too bad. It gets better every day and eventually your taste buds will change. This is all new to you, give your stomach and esophagus a few weeks to heal up and it will get easier.

Luckily for me, we pay a small fee $200.00 prior to surgery that gives us unlimited visits with the Nurse practitioner and nutritionist, monthly classes, free meeting with an exercise specialist for life. I go once a month for check ups, weigh ins and they even send me for blood work. It's worth having some sort of communication and check ins to keep you going in the right direction. Speak to the doctor in advance and ask them if they have any sort of program like that to help keep you going in the right direction and tell him that money is an issue. I really believe that as long as you are continuing to work towards your goal your doctor will want your continued check-ins and would like to keep tabs on you and will work with you. It is good to have a success story walking into his office to help build up the moral of those just starting the process.

I used to be on shots. After surgery I did the sublingual b12 and I was told my b12 was too high and to take every other day too.

I am pretty sure that it could be the PPI not strong enough or not the right one. Usually that hunger is acid. Drink more water and see if you can go on another PPI. They had me on something that wasn't strong enough and I went back on Omeprazole and it was much better.

Hopefully it was just a fluke. During my two week liquid shake I got a case of the diarrhea after 3 days. You are very close. Keep a positive outlook and good luck and smile, you are almost there!

Everyone's surgery is different. Will you be having a drain? I had a drain for 9 days after surgery. Once the drain is out, there is a big relief. Bring Protein shakes with you, the ice cream may be too much for you, as the sugar could cause you to have diarrhea. I was on full liquids for 4 weeks so stick with Protein Shakes, broth. If you can bring a sugar-free Jello to keep in your room. Make sure you have your Vitamins and take rests. I did a lot of walking after surgery but I also took naps every day for the first two weeks too. We all heal at different rates. Remember to sip your Water still and stay away from alcohol, rest when you can.

Congrats to you!!! I bought my clothes at Woman Within/Roamans, even Lane Bryant was too small for me. I can now shop at Kohls, which even when I was a size 24 there 24 was too small. I went from a size 32 to a size 14 so far and it's wonderful! Keep up the great work!

Eat your meat first, vegetables second, carbs third. Chew everything up really super well. Do not drink any liquids with your food and wait 1/2 hour after you eat. These are things you suppose to be doing after surgery. Make sure you start getting used to drinking 64 ounces of Water a day. Stay positive. Go through your clothes, find smaller clothes now, clean out the closets. Prepare for smaller clothes (don't buy them). Keep your mind busy, do not carb overload the week before surgery. Stop drinking caffeine prior to surgery because you can't have it after for a bit and having withdrawals can still happen, after surgery.