LoveMyBypass

One other thing. I Stopped drinking coffee about two weeks before surgery because I didn't want to have to deal with a caffeine headache while I was recovering. It turns out you will have a slight headache anyway because the liquid diet is very low sodium and that will give you a bit of a headache nothing big but just something to be aware of

Hi everyone
I will have surgery sometime this month. I am very excited but it's still unreal. The reason I wanted to start this topic is because I was wondering if there is anything you learned after surgery. Advice of any kind; things that made recovery easier, food or Snacks used after surgery that were good, routine advice? Anything you can share that you learned on your own experience. I would love to hear your stories. Hacks that made life easier after surgery. Anything!! Warnings of what's to come for me.
It's one thing when you have paper work telling you what will happen. But what about the things that they don't tell you. Things like that are things I would love to hear.
Thank you so much for your replies in advance

I can pretty much echo what everyone else is telling you, but I will add this ....
BUY NEW UNDERWEAR!!!!! Now. Don't wait.
By the time I left the hospital after 3 days my panties were saggy and my butt was uncomfortable. I wasn't up for driving yet, so I put it off til the end of week 1. By then my granny panties were flapping in the wind and if I didn't have my pants on there was no guarantee they would have stayed up at all.

Below is the gist of what I posted on my first year surgiversary. I'm now 20.5 months post-op, have lost 100 pounds and am now maintaining happily and easily at 135 pounds.
Very best to you!
Ann
A year ago yesterday I was sleeved at age 68. I knew I had the energy for one last shot at getting healthy. Like so many of us, controlling my weight was the one thing in my life I’d been unable to manage. Failing at that was a tremendous embarrassment and disappointment to me, not to mention the cause of mounting medical comorbidities that had almost sidelined me from life.

A year ago I’d already been on WLS forums for 9 months. I could not WAIT to get my WLS show on the road. I’d already lost almost 20 pounds on a 2-month 1,400 calorie diet of my own and, later, my surgeon’s 14-day pre-op diet. I’d been practicing for months the behaviors I’d learned here—eating slower, chewing more, no more soda, a lot less coffee, no NSAIDs (ouch!), walking more (yea, Fitbit!), and my favorite tool of all—planning meals and tracking my food and drink on www.myfitnesspal.com.

Fast-forward to yesterday morning, my first surgiversary. I weighed in at 143 pounds. I feel great, physically and mentally. I look so much younger (I’ll be 70 years old in December). And I truly feel like I’ve been reborn.

How I Lost the Weight

I was lucky—had no complications, had a great surgeon and team, healed well and recovered fast, and have had more non-scale victories (NSVs) than you could shake a stick at. I’m full of gratitude and amazement at all of WLS’s benefits for me.

Below is a list of things I did (mostly pretty well) that led to my success. As always, your mileage may vary. This was my experience. Yours will be yours.

• Ate the minimum amount of protein—at least 60 grams to start with (hit that target on Day Five post-op)
• Ate Protein first at every meal
• Drank 8 glasses of Water daily (or at the very least 8 glasses of liquids daily)
Protip #1: Dehydration slows weight loss and makes you feel like crap.
Protip #2: Our kidneys work overtime when we’re losing weight rapidly and need lots of Water to function well.
Protip #3: You can actually die from dehydration. • As healing happened and restriction eased, added healthy (colored) veggies, then non-starchy fruits, then whole grains
• Took my vitamins/minerals and Rxs daily and on schedule
• Ate 3 meals a day
• Chewed my food well and ate more slowly
• Didn’t drink 15 minutes before or 30 minutes after a meal
• When I got hungry (not bored), I added one or two Snacks of healthy food
• Didn’t graze between meals (note that “a snack” and “grazing” are different things)
• Avoided / minimized highly processed, high-carb foods and slider foods like potatoes, white rice, white breads, crackers, Cookies, chips, ice cream
Protip: These foods slow weight loss and, for some people, trigger binge eating. • Moved more than I used to move and gradually kept moving even more
• Followed the Number One Exercise Rule for Old People: Don’t injure yourself!
• Got some sunshine daily, which kept me full of happy thoughts and Vitamin D
• Tried to sleep 8 hours a night
• Minimized stress—for me, this meant I stopped sweating the small stuff and learned that most stuff really is small stuff
• Am seeing a shrink to understand better why I couldn’t or didn’t care for my health better prior to WLS and to learn how to do better in the future (as the saying goes, they operate on your stomach, not your head).

Unsolicited Advice:

I’ve been at or below goal for 4 months now. Here are some things I learned while losing weight and during maintenance (at which I’m still a newbie). Some of these things have surprised me. And as always, your mileage may vary.

• Don’t feel pressured into telling the world you’re having WLS. Do what is best for you. Just know that “telling a few people” may not be the best way to keep your WLS private. There are a lot of mouthy people out there. I'm on the down-low about WLS; other than my medical team, only my hubby and two good friends (who don't live anywhere near me) know about my WLS.

• Don’t overeat, but don’t starve yourself either. As your healing continues, eat more healthy food and raise your calories gradually. Otherwise, you may wind up reaching your weight goal but only able to maintain it eating 1,000 calories/day. Ugh! At 143 pounds, my daily maintenance calorie budget is 1,700 calories/day. I am over the moon about that. I think it’s because I didn’t starve myself while I was losing weight. I ate 800 calories during Months 1-4, 1,000 calories during Months 5-6, and 1,200 calories during Months 7-8. As my calories went up, so did my Protein grams. I still aim for 100 grams of protein daily.

• Post-op, don’t just eat to lose weight—also eat to become healthier. Learn more about nutrition—macronutrients, trace elements, Vitamin and mineral supplements. Read articles and good research. As smart as I thought I was, turns out I didn’t know nearly as much as I needed to know to care well for myself.

• If you’re craving sugar, you’re probably already eating sugar. The only way I know to kill those cravings is to cold-turkey the sugar.

• Don’t let anyone pressure you into having WLS. This is a life-changing deal. A year down the road you’ll probably be able to eat pretty much anything you want, although not in massive quantities at one time. And you’ll need to always be vigilant about your nutrition, meal-planning, eating behaviors, etc.

• WLS won’t prevent binge-eating or emotional eating. It will discourage it, but it won’t prevent it. There are plenty of WLS patients who’ve learned to eat and drink around their tools. I personally know folks who’ve wasted their sleeve, bypass or band with (sigh) sweet tea, Mountain Dew, beer, Wheat Thins, ice cream, chips and dips. What those drinks and foods all have in common, other than being high-calorie and lacking in nutrition, is that the sleeve cannot challenge them. They move rapidly through the sleeve and into the small intestine. You can eat that crap all day long and never start to feel full. Remember, it’s a shame to waste a sleeve.

Very, very best wishes to everyone out there considering a VSG or other form of WLS. You can change your life with WLS if you use your tool well. But you must understand it’s only one tool in a bigger healthcare arsenal that you must acquire and use daily.

My best piece of advice immediately post op: stool softener.
Just trust me on this one. [emoji50]
Helpful note: For months, I religiously read everything on here everyday. In doing so, after awhile I could discern the wackados and idiots (lots of those folks on here) from reality. Common patterns and themes emerged that helped me form realistic expectations regarding the journey. I learned that surgery was really just the end of the beginning and that good WLS outcomes require lifelong mindfulness.
Hack: add cottage cheese to your Protein Shakes to up your Protein count.
Tip: You are only limited by the goals you set.
Best wishes on your journey

Hi everyone
I will have surgery sometime this month. I am very excited but it's still unreal. The reason I wanted to start this topic is because I was wondering if there is anything you learned after surgery. Advice of any kind; things that made recovery easier, food or Snacks used after surgery that were good, routine advice? Anything you can share that you learned on your own experience. I would love to hear your stories. Hacks that made life easier after surgery. Anything!! Warnings of what's to come for me.
It's one thing when you have paper work telling you what will happen. But what about the things that they don't tell you. Things like that are things I would love to hear.
Thank you so much for your replies in advance

I second @@Sophie74656 - don't buy a ton of stuff pre-op because your taste buds may change. I didn't believe it....didn't think it would happen to me. Had a Protein shake I ABSOLUTELY LOVED and when I drank it post-op??!!! BLECH!!!!
The other thing I did to keep my sanity - I only weighed at the doctors office for the first two months. Your body is going to want to "stall" about 3-4 weeks out and if you weigh yourself daily or even weekly and don't see a loss a lot of people freak out and think the surgery was a failure. It's not! You can search "3 week stall" and you will see it's normal.
Best of luck!

Be prepared to discover that a Protein shake you liked pre op will be undrinkable post op
You might cry...a lot....for no reason
You will NOT be able to get in all your Water and Protein at first
Don't compare your loss to others and don't get discouraged if you don't loose as much as someone else did.
Get some small plates. I use tiny bowls from the asian supermarket that are actually for dipping soy sauce
You will be very tired. Going to the bathroom and back will make you want to take a nap

I've been following this thread for a few weeks now. I hope your surgery went well yesterday, almond_jay. I'm half way through my Options classes and hope to sleeved in August. Thank you for sharing your experiences.

Definitely wean yourself from any caffeine slowly before surgery I went cold turkey and the headache hurt worse then the incision. I am just shy of six years so I don't remember too many things about the early days. Get some of the chicken broth flavored Protein powder the heat was soothing. Get those two ounce medicine cups its far easier on those first couple of days to deal with them then a full glass. Don't cheat. The first six months its almost impossible not to lose weight but after that your stomach is healed and it gets a little tougher. So you want to get as big of a bang for your bucks during those first six. I to this day start every morning with a Protein shake and I exercise regularly. Remember its a tool not a magic bullet you will still need to do your part. But with the sleeve doing your part is so much easier. I still feel the restriction and it still keeps me on track.

Thank you so much for that stall post. I hope I can learn to embrace the stall quickly.
Sent from my SM-G930T using the BariatricPal App

I have learned a great deal. You can learn a lot from reading this forum.
Some of the things that I have identified as critical success factors for me. I:
Weaned myself off of caffeine and carbonation gradually before surgery.
Made up my mind to do everything my medical team asked me to do, even if I thought I couldn't do it.
Committed to being rigorously honest with myself and my medical team.
Learned as much as I could about the surgery process.
Decided to make it my policy not to tell people how much weight I have lost when they ask. Now, if someone asks how much I have lost I tell them that I am not sharing that information with anyone.
Followed my pre- and post-op program.
Track my food using MyFitnessPal.
Wear a fitness tracker.
Focus on getting in my 100 grams of Protein and at least 64 oz of fluids, every day.
Avoid added sugars, starches, and fried foods.
Take my Vitamins and supplements as directed.
Practice eating mindfully, slowly, chewing thoroughly and taking small bites.
Exercise regularly.
Weigh infrequently (early out I only weighed at doctors appointments).
Participate in the forums on this site.
Try to practice creativity more frequently (I try to do something creative every day).
And, most importantly, learning to Embrace the Stall!
Embrace the Stall
http://BariatricPal.com/index.php?/topic/351046-Embrace-the-Stall

When I first came across this app during my research I was so excited about the wealth of knowledge and experiences that people shared.
Lately it seems as if these boards have been hijacked by the same gang of people who act like they're the forum police. What happened to giving advice or keep scrolling? I've seen people's post picked apart, taken out of context, or straight out shot down. Somehow the original posts gets hijacked and all off topic.
I appreciate the wisdom and support that has been given on this site. From what I have gathered, being exactly two weeks post-op, all of our experiences are different, backgrounds are different, we're just different. If you don't agree with something, that's fine, if you do that's fine too. Maybe a PM can be sent so that when we read a topic that we would like to know more about, two posts into it and there's childish bickering going on, completely off topic and it's annoying!

As far as the surgeon is concerned...all I need to do is be on a liquid diet 2 days prior to surgery and then the night before no liquid or food.
For my prep I'm ordering/buying everything I need. Vitamins, baby utensils, gas x strips, dry mouth stuff, non slip socks, Protein powder, sugar free Jello, sugar free pudding, Soups, Isopure (for the first few days after surgery), low sodium chicken broth, greek yogurt, sugar free Popsicle, firming cream, and bite tip Water bottle.
I'm probably over doing it, but I want to be prepared and have everything go as smoothly as possible. I've been researching everything so I'm super prepared.

Yes this helps so much! I just went to the 'class' at my surgeons office and it was maybe info overload because I think I left with more questions than I had to begin with. The Vitamins were the most overwhelming part for me. Especially after coming home and surfing the net for them... There are soooo many and my head is spinning! I did do my blood work that day as well so hopefully they will give me more specifics on my personal needs. Thanks again!
Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Doc appointment went well and I have my surgery date, May 3rd. So only 2 weeks until my surgery. I'm super nervous now.

Hi Roni,
First, congratulation on making the choice to improve your health! This is NOT an easy journey, but it is one that is SO worth taking. I had RNY on 6/25/2013. I was 48 years old, 5’2” tall and weighed 331 pounds when I first met with the doctors at my Bariatric Clinic. I am now 51 year old and this morning I weighed in at 127 pounds! Now I am working to maintain a loss of over 200 Pounds! This can be done!
When I met with my Bariatric team back in January of 2013, I was told that I needed to weigh under 300 pounds in order for my surgeon to perform a laparoscopic procedure – and I REALLY didn’t want to have an open procedure. It was a MAJOR incentive for change. I mapped out changes that I knew I needed to make – and decided that I would make one change every week. This way I wouldn’t feel like I had to change EVERYTHING at once. I think my first change was replacing orange juice at Breakfast with a Protein shake. I am a member of the YMCA and I found a recumbent elliptical machine that I could use for exercise – for 20 minutes 3 times a week! I had SO MUCH knee pain that it was hard for me to walk. Eventually, I gave up my Diet Coke, began using MyFitnessPal.com to document what I eat and drink, stopped drinking with my meals, and increased my Water intake. All of these things (and more) were done slowly, over several months.
Did it work? YOU BET!! By time I had surgery I was down 45 pounds. I had a VERY success laparoscopic procedure with no complications. Because I was exercising daily by the time I had surgery, my recovery was quicker and easier than many. I set myself up for success before I ever entered the operating room. YOU CAN TOO! Take it one small step at a time. Those steps really add up. This journey is a marathon, not a sprint! Remember that. As long as you keep moving forward, you are moving! That will get you to your goal.
Feel free to write to me if you would like a friend/mentor.
Best wishes!
Carol

HELLOOO!!!
I just wanted to update as of today 3/28/2016, they are still selling the sampler for 16.99 (shipping included). I just called the number and didn't think it would work, but it did. YEY.
They said it was only a one time buy for the variety pack. After that we have to buy a jar. But it is worth to try all the flavors and check which one you like the best.
The number is still 1.866.333..7403 EX 803
They asked where I heard of it and I said BariatricPal and they knew about the site. lol

HELLOOO!!!
I just wanted to update as of today 3/28/2016, they are still selling the sampler for 16.99 (shipping included). I just called the number and didn't think it would work, but it did. YEY.
They said it was only a one time buy for the variety pack. After that we have to buy a jar. But it is worth to try all the flavors and check which one you like the best.
The number is still 1.866.333..7403 EX 803
They asked where I heard of it and I said BariatricPal and they knew about the site. lol

Called today for appointment at west LA Kaiser and they are booking for mid May... I hope you get in sooner on a cancellation!

No no no, what she said was, they move around your nerves so you don't feel hungry. She said it differently, but that's what she meant. I don't know how true that is, BTW. I'm just clarifying the misunderstanding.

No no no, what she said was, they move around your nerves so you don't feel hungry. She said it differently, but that's what she meant. I don't know how true that is, BTW. I'm just clarifying the misunderstanding.

I just had my Surgery yesterday and I feel great they're sending me home tonight!
Sent from my Z970 using the BariatricPal App

I did Weight Watchers of and on for about 10 years. I thought, and still think, that the points crap where you had to have a little card to figure out your points or a computer/cellphone/something electronic was too much BS for me. I tried that plan 3 different times. No success worth mentioning. I also worked at a grocery store as a dairy manager. Every January (New Years resolutions) I would find those cards left all over my department. They were throughout the store. I would watch the people pull the card out and figure out if the food was good or not for weeks. Some would lose enough weight to notice. I would guess that 3 out of 4 put it back on and then some. I got to know them and they would ask about certain products (Hood dairy beverage, soy milk, etc.), so the weight loss was usually part of the conversation too.
I love my sleeve.
I KNOW what I should and shouldn't eat.
I don't need an app/card for every time I eat something.

I originally planned to have sleeve surgery and ended up going the route of bypass for two reasons. I had severe reflux and learned that bypass would cure it and it did. Secondly I wanted to have 1 surgery and be done with it. Given bypass is the gold standard and has years of data behind it I decided to go for it.
I am very thankful that I did as it cured so many comorbitities in the process. I don't have any side effects. I take Vitamins every day (4 of them) instead of taking numerous prescriptions for all my comorbitities. By the way, sleeves take the same Vitamins.< /p>
The malabsorption factor actually helps you to lose the weight, it is not a side effect. It is very effective and my prescription strengths went down not up as a previous posted called out.
Both surgeries are equally as invasive. The sleeve removes 90% of your stomach which means it is not reversible where the bypass is.
hair loss can happen with both surgeries, some people have this issue and some do not regardless of the surgery you choose. I lost a lot of hair but it came back, all of it. Loose skin happens with massive weight loss regardless of how you lose your weight. This is not caused by the type of surgery you choose.
I am now 17 months post op. Down 143+lbs, 1 lb from goal. I fit into a size 8 jeans from a size 24/26.
I have never dumped and it only happens to a small percentage of people.
Yes my hunger came back but it is not the same and when I do get hungry a few bites and I am full. I am a good cook and if I taste my food too much while cooking I will get full before I even get to dinner.
Bypass is the best thing that ever happened to me. I thank god every day for the doctors and nurses and dietitians that work in this field. Without them this wouldn't be possible.
Oh by the way, I have not been able to exercise for nearly a year now do to issues with my spine. The best I can do is small walks. I control my weight with mostly my diet. Because I have had bypass this is totally possible.