Berry78

Trust me, don't bring protein powder to add to the soup. A single meal without protein isn't gonna kill ya. Potato soup, french onion soup.. something along those lines will work well. Even ordering a sweet potato can work, just take tiny bites and keep it in your mouth until it's nice and smooth/runny. Do try and avoid anything like chicken noodle soup. It's soft, but those noodles... (maybe it's just me, but I can't handle noodles even now, and I'm 3.5 months out). Even the broth has noodle juice in it.. so doesn't work for me. YMMV

How far out will you be? I went out for the first time at a regular restaurant 8 days post op. I ordered a hot tea and a glass of milk. Got some strange looks from the waitress, but I just explained I was on a liquid diet. Was fine after that.

You HAVE to tell someone about your surgery in case of complications. It can be a friend, or whatever.. but if you get sick and need to go to the hospital, who will drive you? Who picks up your slack if you become bed-ridden? Who is taking care of your daughter? Chances are excellent that none of these things happen.. but things can and do go wrong, so you need to prepare yourself and at least one other person for those possibilities. People that live by themselves can afford to keep it all a secret, after all, if they get sick, it only impacts themselves. But people that live in a house with others have to tell at least one person in that house (or someone close by that can come over and help). And if you live alone with your daughter, then you definitely need someone nearby that can help make sure you are well enough to take care of her. Once that is all sorted out, it's easy enough to hide the surgery from others. Always eat (drink!) alone. If you are moving gingerly, explain that you fell down some steps while on vacation, etc. Good luck!!

Not sure how much your tummy can hold, but the trick with keto, and other low-carb diets is to actually limit your meat/protein to 3oz, 3 times a day, and fill up the rest of the time on green veggies (add some nuts or cheese to round out your protein goal}. Test it out to see how much green stuff you can eat after eating 3oz of protein. If only a bite or two, then eat your protein and veggies separately. 3 oz of raw spinach and 3 oz cooked spinach look very different in the bowl.. see which one you can eat more of... I mention spinach, specifically, because I'll eat about 4oz cooked, and stuff is like a laxitive for me. (I do add a teaspoon of oive oil and a splash of vinegar and some spices for flavor). Green veggies need a little fat to help you absorb the fat-soluble vitamins.

Thanks! LOVE blueberries!! And red raspberries taste much better now (postop)!

I second what Navigating said. It counts the "liked" content.

I'll join you in your bean discussion. Preop, I actually made a post here, voicing my concern about beans being highly recommended post-op, but that I couldn't tolerate them, digestively. Magical fruit, my ass! Lol. BUT postop, I eat beans every single day, and don't get gas from them at all (or at least not significantly). I'm soooo happy about that, because now, beans with eggs on top is my favorite meal! (Eggs in a little butter, cooked over-medium, so the yolk mixes with the beans.. add garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper before cooking. Yum!) I don't add salt because even plain canned beans have salt from the canning process. It's amazing how the surgery really does change us, in so many ways. We don't just look different and act different, we ARE different people. It's the strangest thing, but I swear it's true. I've lived in Maryland with my hubby for 18 years. Never thought much about it, but suddenly I'm looking at Alaska as a place I could just up and move to! It's like, craziness! Now, I don't actually think I'll move anytime soon (and not actually Alaska), but I do feel much more motivated to make a ton of changes. Before surgery, it all would have been too daunting...

Sounds like a plan...

My skin LOVED the low fat/low carb preop diet. I had HUGE open pores on my nose, and they shrank to nothing! But, I couldn't stick with low carb/low fat for long term. So I'm eating moderately low carb, moderate fat and my skin is better than before, but not as good as the preop diet. Guess I'll take it

I agree that you should explore other options. The RNY Bypass is thought to be a cure for acid problems (many times it is.. although occasionally someone will still have trouble). I'm not as familiar with the mini bypass, so won't comment on that one. I know how upsetting it must be to have your heart set on one procedure, then be told a different one my be better for you. Take your time, do your research of the bypasses (and research why acid reflux with the sleeve is a problem). Hopefully you can figure out the right path for you. Good luck!

Ok, so they need to see you lose weight. Here is a sample day to try: Breakfast: 1/2 cup cottage cheese and 1/2 cup fruit Lunch: 2 eggs and 1/2 cup beans (pinto, black, kidney, etc.) Dinner: 4oz meat or fish and a large salad snack: 1oz peanut butter on celery and 1 cup milk (optional) If you are still hungry, add nonstarchy veggies to any meal. Good luck!

Whew! Dodged the bullet on that erroneous heart attack thing.. Doc: "Sir, I have good news! You didn't have a heart attack!" You: "What heart attack?" Excellent plan losing as much as you can before surgery.... and keto will get you there!

Oh, and I wanted to add.. you HAVE to separate your eating from hers. It'll start during the preop diet, and continue through the post op food restrictions. Once you've been doing that for over 2 months, it'll seem natural enough to continue it, even though you are released to eat what you want. Yes, it's a bit of a pain to make 2 meals if you are the one cooking. If she cooks.. then it's best for her to cook for her, and you cook for you. Again, it's a pain, but you need to always be in control of your food. Congrats on making the decision to improve your life! Good luck!

This is my dilemma as well. I have a husband that would benefit. At the moment he isn't a candidate for surgery, but I've opened the discussion as in.. down the road when it would be feasible. He's like NOPE, NUH-UH, NEVER, NOT ME. Slams conversation door shut. The reality is there is nothing I can say to convince him, so I won't bring it up again. He has just started eating on a new diet similar to what I am doing (a few days ago), so he's starting to want to change some things. We'll see how long it lasts But at least he's trying. He's in the "craving everything he sees in the store or on commercials" phase. And so far, he's holding out. We ought to take bets how quickly it'll all crumble. (He goes away for work for 3 weeks in August, so I guarantee we'll have to start all over when he gets back). MAJOR soda addiction, that one! How did I convince him to go on the diet? I didn't. After watching me eat restricted portions for 4 months straight, and hit the 60lb down mark.. that was the motivation. (We used to weigh the same, even though he's almost a foot taller than me.. so it's hurting his feelings being left in the dust). Bring up the idea of dieting or surgery ONCE, then drop it. They'll come around, or they won't. But it has to be the right timing for THEM.

I also want to clarify something. The "gamble" everyone talks about isn't about weight loss (not really). The gamble is whether you experience complications from the surgery. From your history, I'll agree that you are in an excellent position to lose 60-70% of your excess weight with moderate effort. With hard work, you'll likely get to a normal BMI. Your doctor is full of "you know what", saying that because you are starting heavy, that you won't lose as much. I do suspect what she MEANT was, that if you had started at a lower weight, that you would be more likely to get to 165lbs, but because you started heavier, that your end point will be...say... 235lbs .. so "more loss" really just means "a lower scale #" to her. (Hope that makes sense). From what I've seen on the boards, because you are male, you will lose very quickly (likely 15-20lbs per month for the first 4-6 months) women lose slower.. usually closer to 10lbs a month. Everyone slows down after the first 6 months, but how slow depends on you. In a year, I expect you'll have lost 150lbs with moderate work. (All these #s are assuming you get the sleeve). But the weight loss with the sleeve can continue for an additional 6 months or so... so you don't have to be too close to goal in a year (like you would after a bypass). The concept of "calories in vs. calories out" is pretty much hogwash during the losing phase. The scale in no way reflects what you are or aren't eating. This is a huge part of the challenge of post op weight loss. Many times we aren't losing weight, because we aren't eating enough. True story! So take the concepts of BMR, exercising for weight loss, etc.. and tuck them away, because it isn't so cut and dried right after surgery. They may apply during maintenance.

You haven't lost even a pound or two? That would be unusual... Maybe describe more about yourself and what you are doing now...

My local surgeon likes to keep diabetic bariatric patients on their metformin postop, when appropriate, because it can help with weight loss. Maybe ask your doc whether it could be beneficial to go back on it. Good luck!

Go, have the surgery. Don't mention it yet. How often do you usually see them? If its only a few times a year, then aim your next visit for at least 3-4 months post op. That way you are well healed and comfortable in your new skin. If they live nearby, still try to avoid visits for the first month. Good luck!

Your hubby sounds like mine... not about my surgery, but about issues that change HIS life. You will be changing, and it might not just be physical. He probably suspects this, and is nervous about the future. Complications are never far from the mind as well. You can't really make promises about how things turn out, but you can promise to try and not impact his life any more than necessary. So if he wants to go out to eat 4 days postop.. you should go too and order herbal tea. It probably doesn't matter to him what you eat or don't eat. It's about the socializing. Make sure that you are doing this for you, and the rest will fall into place. Many of us rely on people other than our spouses for our support. If he actively tries to sabotage you, that is another issue, and doesn't bode well for the longevity of the relationship.

How long have you been on the preop diet? The main thing is to keep in contact with your surgeon's office about it in case they want you to make changes. Good luck!

You are only 7 months out, and you've been stalled for 4 of it? That is not a stall, but a plateau. If you start another thread and describe what you are doing (diet and exercise) then people can help you Aron, AMAZING job!!

Have you spoken to a surgeon? A DS after RNY is a crazy-complicated procedure. If your only real problem is the # on the scale, then it's time to take a long, hard look at your diet/exercise habits. If getting to a lower weight is of great importance to you, then be willing to make dramatic, lifelong changes to your diet. Not knowing what your habits are now, I can't make specific recommendations. You can talk to a surgeon about tweaking your bypass, but for the most part, the work is yours to do.

The responders probably aren't aware you are discussing the gastric plication. Are you talking about the plication done laproscopically or endoscopically? The laproscopic procedure might get you back to a desk job after a few days, but I wouldn't put all my eggs in that basket. A physical job (especially lifting), will take much longer, due to incisions in the abdominal wall. The endoscopic procedure probably would have a faster recovery time, since there are no abdominal incisions (what with going through the mouth/esophagus to access the stomach). But, these are little known procedures and I really don't know how safe/effective they are, long term. If I were interested in plication, the endoscopic procedure does look interesting. But, I am not a fan of the concept of stitches having to hold things together long term. With the sleeve gastrecomy, the wound will heal over time, so it is my own stomach tissue that keeps things together. With the plication, what happens if you pop a stitch? I could see where the stomach would balloon back out in that little area, then food could get trapped. (I don't know if this could/would actually happen, but it would be my fear.)

I'd say you are a likely candidate for another revision to RNY bypass. To have uncontrolled GERD is concerning, because it can lead to increased risk of esophageal cancer. You'd be looking at going to Mexico again, most likely, if you did choose to have a revision. (Many times RNY fixes acid issues.. it isn't guaranteed, however). A concern is your lack of aftercare in where you live. RNY requires more maintenance than the sleeve, and of course, what would you do if you had complications? Man, you are in a tough spot. While you are trying to figure things out, maybe list which medicines you've tried.. maybe there is something else... Food and drinks that commonly trigger heartburn include: Alcohol, particularly red wine. Black pepper, garlic, raw onions and other spicy foods. Chocolate. Citrus fruits and products, such as oranges and orange juice. Coffee and caffeinated drinks including tea and cola. Peppermint. Tomatoes. Also, if you really don't want a bypass, you could see if you just need a hiatial hernia repair. That might help without the long term issues of a bypass.

So glad things are going well! Your neighbors sound like keepers!