Chel1

Hi All! After I completed all my testings and blood work, at my followup Friday (Aug 11th) they doctor's office went ahead to put me on the surgery calendar for Aug 28th. All paperwork was submitted to the insurance company that day as well. Today the office called to inform me that my sugery was APPROVED! They nor I expected a fast 1 day turn-a-round! Now my nerves kicked in. My pre-op diet starts the next week 20th. It consists of 3 protein shakes and 1 meal per day. I don't think I'll have any issues as the dietician informed me that I can break the one meal up any way I want to for that day. Thankfully, I still have restrictions from my sleeve surgery in 2017. Has anyone had the revision with success stories? Any tips? Any of you have upcoming revisions scheduled? Additional weight loss success? Has anyone had the surgery with little to no help at home? If so how was it for you? I would love to lose an additional 40-50 lbs. Thanks!

Good Luck! Mine was approved in on day.I wasn't expecting that!

@ryan_86 Thanks so much for this. I was not going to do the revision from sleeve to bypass due to all the posts of people mentioning that there was no restriction with the bypass. I am terrified of regaining weight. I had my sleeve done in 2017 and had regained about 30 pounds back during the last 3 years due to a serious back injury in 2020 during COVID. I also have been having some water retention this past year. Even with this I am still down 103lbs from my original weight. My GERD is out of control...I had the Upper GI and the EGD with Bravo recently...my Bravo tested acid at 50 when per doc it should be below 15. When they told me to go back on my meds during the test the numbers dropped and they uped my meds from 20mg to now 40mg per day. I go back in to meet with the surgeon soon. Although I am now back in the gym and eat considerably well/healthy...my portion sizes are still small too I would love relief from GERD and the higher probability of health issues with my esophagus later. However with the scare folks are putting in the forums about no restriction I would rather live with GERD than to not have this tool to help me stay on track. Your post helped to relieve "some" of my concerns. Please let me know how you continue to do on your path. You can send a DM if you like to stay in touch. I woukld love to know your progress and how you're doing with the malabsorption.

I really do like it.

Here Goes; I have been in denial & coming back home to this forum has made me "see" that I have a lot of work to do & accountability. In the Spring of 2020 during the height of COVID my neighbors dog ran out on me and as I stumbled while trying to get away from the dog I fell, hit the concrete, & couldn't move. I had broken a bone in my back. I cried at every day for at least 2 weeks due to the pain. I was immobilized and the work I did outside of my home that had me active, lifting heavy items, & always moving I could no longer due. Here 1 1/2 years later I continue to have back issues. If I walk too long, lift too much or sit too long I am in pain. Although I can't consume a lot of food at one time, I know I am getting calories in with the wrong things. After surgery I was no longer able to drink straight water, it would make me nauseated and it would come back up so I know I am not getting enough fluids in. I am vitamin deficient (lab results) and I have put too much of my time into helping family & friends that honestly, I forgot about me. I was at 163lbs now I am at 190. I was 33lbs from goal now I am at 60lbs from goal. I know to some it may not seem like a lot but most of us know losing 5lbs takes a lot of effort! Bariatric Pal Forums: Coming back home & reading posts after being away so long has made me look at myself in the mirror & remember what I did in the first place that made my weight loss successful. SO HERE I GO: recommitting to myself; committing to the 30/15 rule (wait to eat 15 mins after drinking and wait to drink 30 mins after eating), COUNTING my calories & making sure I get in my grams of protein (which Unjury is a great brand), finding health zero cal/sugar enhancers to get my water in daily; & getting back to strength training that would not put a strain on my back. I don't know about you guys but COVID time gave me an excuse to cancel my Planet Fitness membership 😕 Am I going to do what they call a "pouch reset"? Nawhhhh...I'm doing a recommitment to self reset. I know what to do & I have all the tools (food scale, portion control serving utensils etc.) I am raising the bar once again for my life. Thank you Fitness Pal Family for always being here and giving all of us prodigal children a home to come back to. eating reset back to basics.doc

We can do it. For me personally I have to start one or two changes at a time and be consistent in those things then I add a new change. I was not getting enough fluids. I didn't have anything to measure my intake and I am not good writing things down so I purchase a HidrateSpark Pro cup. It tracks my sips, total amount for the day, and it lights up and buzzes my cell phone to remind me to drink. I also found 4C green tea w/honey water flavor 5cal 0 sugar that I add to my water and it stays down. So my first step was fluids & watching sugar intake With that I added low carbs & increase protein to meet my daily intake (still working on it) I am here in this space until I feel I can move to the next lifestyle change. If I load myself with a dramatic overhaul and have many changes at one time, I would become overwhelmed and something will not get as much attention as the other things. Some people can jump right in and go full steam ahead and be successful that's great, while some may go at a slower steady pace which is great to. What's not great is when we go full stream ahead and fizzle out down the road. I'm saying all of this to make a point which is Know Yourself, Be Honest With Yourself, Accept Your Wonderful Imperfect Self, & take it on day, one meal, one sip at a time. Do what works best for you & your body. Everything we eat and drink should have a purpose. We can do this.

Hi GradyCat! I just found 4C (0 sugar) Lemonade packets at Walmart I was not good at the fluids but giving it a go. These were faster ad less expensive than the Skinny Mixes I was going to try. You are right tracking is the key! I downloaded a free app called Protein Pal. It's very basic no bells or whistles. I enter my daily protein goal and log as I go. It doesn't tell you the nutritional value in food you have to know it and just plug the numbers in. I have the Free Food Diary v10 app on my computer & phone the I use to track meals...again just basic. Did you say you lost 25lbs since October? That is great! If I can get the first 30, well 27lbs to be exact, off to get to my pre injury/COVID weight I will be ecstatic! My surgery was 2/2017 so I am having to refamiliarize myself with those basic things again! Keep me posted on your journey.

PS: It was hard to do but I even reset my ticker!

Hi ALL! I haven't posted in some time due to life has been crazy busy in a good way. It has been 2 years since my surgery! When I finally got to my 200lb mark (after 1 year which was 81 pounds down ) the doctors & staff were ecstatic and they were comfortable with that progress and me maintaining that weight. Well, I wasn't settling for that goal because I had/have my own personal goals. In 2018 I had to have emergency gall bladder removal which caused me to tweak my diet even more. I was determined to get to my "first" goal weight of 150lbs. I am happy to say I only have 18 more pounds to go! What do I do? I continue to follow a healthy lifestyle of diet and exercise. I work out about 5 days a week and I am a black card member at Planet Fitness. I still follow the drink wait 15 mins to eat or eat wait 30 mins to drink rule. I call it the 15/30. Some think weight loss surgery is one's way of a "quick fix", well, I'm here to tell anyone that statement is far from the truth because I have worked hard over the past 2 years to get to this point and I will continue to grind at it until I reach my 1st goal weight of 150lbs and will strive to reach my ultimate weight of 130. I know I can do it and if I fall somewhere in the middle between the two well then, I guess I will just celebrate that too. When I initially met with the surgeon I told him I will do the work and meet my goal. He said, "Everyone says that initially and most don't follow through". I said that day that I will prove him wrong. When I went back later after surgery I brought that conversation back up to him and I told him to not make general statements to me because my mindset and determination is mine and no one else's. He apologizes and told me that I was right. ( I don't entertain negative statements nor allow others to make negative comments concerning my health & wellness. I don't allow negativity nor negative energy in my space. It doesn't matter who it is they have to go) What people say and feel about your journey means nothing. What are you determined to do to reach your goals? I now have to go buy new workout clothes because my Under-Armor "stretch" pants that were tight are beginning to sag! lol In just this past 3 weeks I have lost 7lbs. I was stuck in the 70s for a long time. If you find yourself stuck don't despair, kick up the workouts and tighten up on those extra carbs and your body will eventually respond. Continue to do the work and you will see the results. Never give up on yourself, your health, nor all the possibilities your future holds besides, your life does depend on it. I hope this has encouraged someone and if you are considering surgery, I hope this will give you insight on the possibilities ahead. Many Blessings, Michele

Whoever said this was the easy way out LIED! This is hard work! I had GERD prior to surgery and still have it and I am 1 yr out...I recently had a horrible case of gallbladder inflamed and many stones and had surgery in January to have my gallbladder removed. You have to allow your body to heal and adjust on its own time. I sat up sleeping for a long time and I still can't drink plain water which I use to love. I also had and continue to have Tachycardia which I spent many hours in the ER...it comes about, even more, when I am dehydrated which I had a hard time consuming anything except water down apple juice and no sugar added hot cocoa. I understand but it will get better and it will be the best decision of your life! After a year I am currently only 45lbs from goal and there are aches and pains I no longer suffer from. I was frustrated, tired, and cried often but I promise, it will get better. You may have to try different things to find out what your body will and will not accept. Just take it slow and only try a little bit (spoonful) at that time to make sure your new tummy can handle it. Now let's look at a few things... when your stomach is empty and the digestive juices flow in without anything in it...it can make your reflux worse. I started out using UNJURY protein powder. The plain is virtually tasteless and they have videos on YouTube that will show you how to make jello protein shots. You make it with any flavor sugar-free jello you like and when you are ready you can also use it for sugar-free pudding. I also used their Chicken flavor, I added it to my cream of chicken soup...I could NEVER eat plain broth the smell makes me gag. When you are ready for more you can add the chicken flavor to mashed potatoes (loose, not chunky in the beginning), The Flavorless Powder you can make your own freeze pops since you stated you can hold those down. I lived off freeze pops my first 2 - 3 months. The key, in the beginning, is to stay hydrated. Be patient with your healing. Know that everyone is different. Listen to your body it will tell you what it needs and don't rush the process. You can message me whenever you want if you need to.

Your doctor should have you follow up with the Cardiologist. It is called Tachycardia which does happen when you are dehydrated especially if you already had heart issues or high risk. I have it and I know how you feel. I was in the ER several times because mine would make me feel like I would pass out and my heart rate was well up to 150-170 (resting). While in ER they gave me IV fluids which helped tremendously and the cardiologist put me on Beta blockers. Not sure why they will not allow you to have protein as it is also essential for healing. I used Unjury chicken flavored protein when I first came home and added it to my broths and cream soup. Do you think it could be the Gatorade causing the diarrhea? Maybe try to dilute a different juice you can tolerate. After surgery our tummy changes and what it could tolerate before it may not after. After surgery I could only drink diluted apple juice, sugar free Popsicle, and no sugar added hot coco. (Now Apple juice runs threw me) Listen to your doctor of course but also listen to your body telling you what it likes and doesn't like. Keep yourself as hydrated as possible. If you can I would have them test for dehydration and give you fluids if needed. I know it's hard to be off work but you don't want your heart to start racing and you pass out in front of your students. Hydrate all day. I promise you it will get better. My body took some time to heal and I didn't rush to eat. I stayed on cream of chicken soup with protein for a long time.

I have to say it publically because I am still amazed...I Am Finally, One Year After Surgery, In ONDERLAND! - 198 lbs! I have not been under 200lbs in over 20 yrs. I am excited and looking forward to this next phase of my fitness journey.

I was admitted to the hospital via the ER on Sunday January 21st in excruciating pain. By that Wednesday evening I was in surgery having my gallbladder removed. Since then I have gained 7lbs. Sunday - Wednesday I was restricted and couldn't, nor did I want to, eat anything. I was being pumped with antibiotics and fluids. Since being home I have watched my fat intake and sodium. Other than that, I am not eating things that I feel would cause weight gain. Being almost 1 year out from having my sleeve surgery this is scary to see my weight jump this much so quickly. This coming Wednesday would mark 2 wks post op and I have a follow up with the surgeon. Has anyone experienced this? I am hoping it is due to the trauma my body experienced and as I heal my weight would normalize again and not keep going up. I was also due to have my menstrual cycle the week of the attack but that has not happened either, again, I believe it is due to the experience and surgery. Anyone went through this and can tell me what to look forward to on the other side of healing, your comments would be greatly appreciated. I have been doing extremely well after sleeve surgery and I don't want my body to go backwards.

I had my follow up with the surgeon and discovered I as having an allergic reaction to the glue. I am happy to say @AceBlaque you were right. I am now 6lbs down from my presurgery weight. So all the surgery weight gain is gone plus another 6 lbs. Thanks again for your response. 💕

That is a great question! I actually haven't thought of an end result reward for myself. I think maybe because as the weeks and months go by I've been doing more things for me anyway. I've bought some clothes, not too many. Just new tops and a couple pair of jeans which I went from a 22 to now a 16! My tops/blouses were 3x now I am in an XL to a large. I think just doing small things along the way, celebrating life not necessarily the weight loss has given me so much joy. FYI - Groupon and Living Social are great sites to find deals for massages, fitness classes, events, etc! My next goal is a full body massage and reflexology which will be my birthday gift to myself on the 20th of this month.

Have your doctor's office run a panel on you to check your levels. For me, my Vit D has been in the single digits and I have a history of low B-12. I had my doctors office call me in a B-12 injection prescription which I do once a month...and my V-d script was increased. Make sure you are getting "quality" sleep. My fitbit keeps a record of my sleep. You are working a lot of hours per week so sleep and nutrition is very important. !st call to your nutritionist/doctor's office so they can run whatever test they need to and help you feel better sooner than later. Good Luck! Keep us posted.

I kinda crave but my body craves red meat. A few days before I start I seem to be hungry more and all day. Good thing is I still follow the eating plan. No drinking with food & vice versa. I don't overeat or try to stuff my pouch. Sweets, well I never craved sweets that much. Here are some things that helped me during this time of what seemed constant hunger and any craves: -Peanut Butter cheese crackers in my office I only eat maybe 2 at a time (during a 24 hr period), but I keep them handy -No sugar added fudge pops & sugar free freeze pops - Increase fluid intake - When craving red meat - I cook a burger (like a slider size) even with this size I can only eat half! I make an open face burger. I add whatever veggie I want on it and can tolerate. NOTE: other than this I don't eat red meat just my preference. -Milkshake? I take my Premier banana flavor and put it in my Ninja with some ice to fluff it up and make myself "think" I'm having a banana shake. As I stated a day or so before my cycle starts, I'm hungry all day as if I was an expecting mom so I listen to my body and I have healthy snacks. Like I may have 5 grapes...2-3 hrs later a couple peanut butter cheese crackers...few hour later a piece of protein etc etc... So eat! Smaller, healthy, frequent meals not exceeding your daily calorie intake and drink more fluids as well. Always check with your nutritionist for the best plan for YOU. You also don't want to get into grazing all day. Before surgery I use to gain at least 5lbs during cycle but when it's over I would drop that and maybe another pound or two. This was due to all the bloating etc, but now I didn't gain anything and actually continued to lose weight during my cycle. This is just my experience & not a how to book lol. You are not alone, I'm sure we all experience it. The thing is to continue to make healthy choices.

Hi, Here is the post to calculate percentage. https://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/395156-how-much-weight-loss-should-you-lose-how-to-calculate/#comment-4445712

I think it depends on your support system...some have it and some don't. For me I didn't need any negative vibes around me whether it's the surgery or anything else. There are other things in my life that I don't yell from the roof tops but that's just me because I am a private person. Then there are people who are a part of my support system who know and I am OK with that.

Welcome to the forum As another said, this choice is ultimately yours to make. The uncertainty comes with indecisiveness, but once you make a decision you will have peace. For me it is nice to have people who can give sound "advice" and not opinions. The surgery in no way will solve your problems and it's not the easy way out. I was sleeved February 21st this year and I work my buns off daily. Thankfully I up until my sleeve surgery had never been cut on before so I was nervous too, but to think that my life can be extended due to the surgery out weighed my fears. I was excited for you to read the process you have to go through. Though very long, it is setting you up for success after surgery. You will have the knowledge needed to make the right choices and since you are already adopting a new lifestyle then you are ahead of the game. You are helping your body to be in a more healthier position for surgery, if you should choose to have it. Don't let anyone tell you that you are taking the easy way out, everyone who has had this surgery will tell you it's not. Over the years I started the process to surgery and later decided not to go through with it...I have lost weight and gained it back plus more for over 20 yrs. My weight was knocking on the door of 300lbs when I decided to start again. I am 3 mths out and though it was tough...I wouldn't change a thing. I plan my food as I knew how to do before but now it's easier to stay committed. I exercise and still making sure to get my daily fluids in. I dance with my grandkids, go bowling with my son, and wanting to do things I've never done before like rock climbing. I went from a 3x shirt to now a extra-large. I can buy clothes off the racks and in the misses sizes too. The world becomes your canvas and you can create any picture you choose. Wishing you the best in whatever decision you make. Keep us posted <3

Everyone's rate of weight loss is different. You have to take into account starting weight (day of surgery), & what their goal weight is according to height & bmi chart. My doctors office informed me a goal at 3 mths would be 30%. I did a post on how to calculate your weight loss percentage you should take a look at. I just hit 3 mths and I am slightly above 30% weight loss. Once I saw how the percentage worked, I stopped stressing out and comparing myself to others. I have stalled twice. My surgery was on Feb 21, 2017. My 1st stall sent me into doubt and panic which was the wrong thing to do. My second stall was no big deal because I educated myself and according to the percentages I was ahead of the game. I am boxing now and yes exercise is good but my food (protein) and fluid intake has been pivotal to my success. These past few weeks I was stuck at 241 and it simply would not get into the 230s. Then one day BAM 239 then a couple days later it went to 237, then today 236. FINALLY! I started doing yoga at home for "FREE" and Fitbit weekly challenges. Free yoga web sit is: doyogawithme.com Keep following the plan and don't get so hung up on the stalls because your body will do what it does when it wants to. As long as the numbers don't go up you are ok Premier protein ready made drinks have been my go to especially during stalls. "Let go of the stress and the excess weight will let go of you" ~Michele

Knowledge Is Power When I first started my sleeve journey which was on Feb 21st 2017, I would compare my weight loss with how others were doing. This is a big no no! It will leave you discouraged and stressed which will only hinder your progress. Have you ever wondered why on the show "The Biggest Loser" someone small who only lost a little weight would win over someone who seemed to lose more? It is called Percentage of Weight Loss. The scale will only give you the baseline numbers to include in a calculation that will give you a guide to how you are doing. Per my doctors office they are looking for us to be close to the 60% loss of excess body weight at 6 mths out. How do you calculate your percentage? You take your current weight - subtract your ideal healthy weight according to the BMI chart - which equal the pounds you need to lose Then take the current pounds loss and divide it by the pounds you need to lose to get the percentage of weight loss In other Words: Current weight - Ideal Weight = Amt Of Pounds to lose Pounds loss / (divided by) Excess Pound/amt lbs to lose = % of weight loss Mine (starting weight day of surgery) (not your beginning weight when you started your journey only the weight on surgery day) I am 5'5 These calculations below of mine is what the doctor calculated me at 273 - 162 (ideal BMI weight) = 111 pounds to lose 273- 243 (current weight) = 30 total pounds loss so far 30 / 111 = 0.27 = 27% weight loss (which means I am almost half of the 6 mth goal of 60%) Now lets say someone who is 5'5 weighs 400lbs and lost 60 pounds in 2 mths the same time it took me to lose 30lbs - Their ideal BMI weight is 174 (like mine) BMI Goal 29 400 (weight day of surgery) -174 (Ideal Weight) = 226 pounds to lose 400 - 340 (current weight) = 60 lb weight lose 60 / 226 = 0.27% weight loss Take Me again now with BMI Goal of 29 like the person above 273 - 174 = 99 pounds to lose 273- 243 (current weight) = 30 total pounds loss so far 30 / 99 = 33% weight loss So you see we both are 5'5, same age, with the same BMI for our height of 29. I lost more percentage wise although person #1 loss 30lbs more than me in the first 2 mths. This is why it is important not to get hung up on how much more a person has in weight loss than you. There is a calculation factoring in age, height, weight day of surgery, and current weight to get the percentage. No one is identical and our bodies respond differently. Keep your charts of protein & cal intake and chart your own percentage loss and things you can now do that you weren't able to do before. Much Love & Blessings PS. Calculate by what your doctor says is a healthy BMI for you Helpful Links: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/obesity/in-depth/bmi-calculator/itt-20084938 http://www.obesitycoverage.com/weight-loss-surgeries/gastric-sleeve/gastric-sleeves-how-much-weight-will-i-lose

I was in the same boat. I completely stalled weeks 3 & 4 and was nervous that the surgery was not going to work for me. Then that little voice said "Increase your protein" so I did. I purchased the Premier Protein drinks (pre made). Since I was still having a hard time eating I knew I could drink and my powder protein was only 21g if I could consume to full drink. Premier is only 11 oz. I started off with 2 additional a day but I found when I only drank 1 additional per day my weight dropped 3 lbs in 2 days so I knew this was the right "formula" for me. Sometimes your body will "stall" or rather adjust to the new lifestyle and that's ok. Your body experienced trauma having surgery. Relax. Always remember, while this forum is a great source for support, everyone is different. You have to find what makes your body go. The key is always less carbs, more protein...how much more is up to you to determine what your body responds to. As you progress these amounts will change. I found the Premier at Sam's Club for a 12 pack it cost me $16 (a 4 pk at other stores was anywhere from 7-8 bucks). (I am sipping on a chocolate flavor one now although banana cream is my fav it taste like banana pudding minus the vanilla wafers lol) Let me if this works for you. No stress & No Comparing!

Hey all 4 wk check up yesterday and I've been in a lag since my 2 wk check up. First 2 was 18 lbs gone then only 2 lbs next 2 weeks and nothing this past week. So going to my appointment I was discouraged. Sitting there started talking to another patient who was 6wks out and she tells me "I'm almost at my 100 lb lost" HUH? I said wow have you experienced any stalls she says no and i work out and go swimming all the time with my kids. OK i know we are suppose to support each other and Kumbaya but sometimes if we are honest dontcha just wanna smack em? Lol i immediately just wanted to cry. I'm doing as much as I can and its getting better daily to get closer to the target range for fluids and Protein. I just don't know what else to do. I really wasn't upset with the lady and deep down Happy for her and I know we all are different...I allowed myself to get frustrated and nervous that this would be another costly attempt to be healthy. ALSO I learned some count from the beginning of their journey not just weight loss after surgery. I only count after surgery. I had to think about my accomplishment so far. 1. I lost 20 freaking pounds in 4 was and I am 1.5% above where the doctor expects patients to be at this point. 2. I can cross my right leg without any stiffness in my right knee and actually not only put my shoes on but tie them up too! 3. I had to go out and buy smaller shoes because my old t- shoes are too big! 4. Now getting more nutrition my tachycardia has been hardly any at all. I am going to buy measuring tape to keep measurements once a week and I start my boxing class next week. Celebrate yourself and we can't measure our accomplishments with someone else...and please don't smack the lady at the doctors office (giggles/kidding) What are some things you all have tried to get out of your stalls? I read a link someone posted some time ago about why we stall. It is really good info. Here's the link: https://www.dsfacts.com/weight-loss-stall-or-plateau.php

All I can tell you is that we were talking since surgery but as I was told by the doctors office when some talks about weight loss via surgery some include the weight when they started at the doctors office including our liquid pre op. I completely agree with you about context because like me some get discouraged. The main point in my opinion is whether they start at 600lbs or 300 everyone's journey is different and I have to remind myself as we all do that we can't get hung up on the scale as long as it keeps going down and we are getting off meds and by being healthier, extending our lives . This post was my way of venting my own frustration with my stall but also trying to stay focused on the big forever picture. I didn't have time nor thought of the questions to ask before she went in to her appointment. Grateful I had my patient advocate there who told me size matters and if they are talking after surgery weight or all together loss. Thank you too because being a newbie just 1 mth out I'm learning not to compare someone's story to my own.