MarinaGirl

I'm so sorry that happened. When I feel faint or dizzy I eat a little salt and then drink some water. It helps. I keep little packets of salt in my purse/backpack so I'm ready when the need arises. I haven't had any alcohol in months and I'm 6 weeks post-op. For me I think the triggers are dehydration and low BP or BS.

I've eaten some store-bought edibles (chocolate or gummy bears) and they didn't cause dumping, most likely due to how small the portion sizes were. I ate them to relieve nausea and joint pain; did not get the munchies.

Brandnewred - are you taking any pain killers?

Yes, I've had some edibles post WLS as I don't smoke at all. No issues or dumping. Ate a small amount and got a nice mild buzz. I was in the soft food stage when I tried them.

I had a BMI of 33 when I started researching WLS in Nov 2016. I went on a diet, gave up everything bad, ate super healthy, and on the day of surgery my BMI was 29. My weight has gone up and down over the years, vacillating between Obese and Overweight but never Normal BMI. I have a variety of health issues and wanted to get control of my weight once and for all. I had surgery in Tijuana and am 6 weeks post-op. My surgeon, Dr Kelly, was awesome. Since surgery, my asthma has improved, no more migraines, and my arthritis is much better. Next, I can't wait for my sleep and cholesterol to come around. I'm so excited to get to my goal weight and maintain it for the first time ever. I only told my BFF that I was getting the surgery in Mexico, and I also had some fear & reservations ahead of time. But surgery went very well, minimal pain & gas, no regrets, and so far my weight loss has been slow and steady. Life is good!

I liked these drinks before surgery but couldn't stand them afterwards. What sucked is I had bought a case of them which I'm trying to give away. I hope you fare better.

Wow, you look great! You should be so proud of yourself!

I'm sorry you have to go through this but focus on the positive; once you finish it, you'll be on your way to WLS! Something else I find, often the thing we're most worried about going through ends up being not a big deal. So try to calm your mind and not panic. You will be fine - let that be your mantra. Or if you prefer a kick in your pants/tough love - time to put your big girl panties on and suck it up! Good luck!

I only told my best friend and definitely no one at work. I started losing weight months before surgery in preparation for WLS lifestyle changes so my post-op weight loss hasn't been associated with the surgery I had in April 2017.

Reputable bariatric surgeons will not do VSG on patients with pre-existing GERD/acid reflux as it often makes it worse. WLS that often resolve GERD are RNY, MGB and DS. Taking PPIs continually for the rest of your life is not recommended as that's not the dosage the drug was defined for. There are also risks of osteoporosis and dementia with long-term use of PPIs.

My doctor didn't allow me to take vitamins until 2 weeks post-op.

You need to sip from a glass/cup, not take a drink. At this point in your recovery it's tiny tiny sips.

Carbonation promotes gastric pressure, which can lead to heartburn/acid reflux. As well, carbonated beverages can increase stomach acid production. My physicians recommend no carbonated beverages for life so that's now part of my new lifestyle, along with no alcohol or coffee.

Note that some people have problems with chewable vitamins post-WLS, including myself. The reason is because many of them contain Sugar Alcohols, which are chemicals/artificial sweeteners that have "-itol" in their name, such as Xylitol, Sorbitol, Mannitol, etc. Now when I eat products that contain SAs, I get sick to my stomach (i.e. nausea & pain).

My surgeon does not recommend Flinstones as they don't have the right vitamins & minerals or amounts for bariatric patients. They're not an adequate source of nutrition for us but unfortunately many docs still recommend them. For example, they don't have the right kind of vitamin A, calcium or iron and are missing selenium. There are much better complete multi-vitamins for adults than Flinstones children's vitamins. Flinstones are also not the cheapest or best tasting vitamins out there.

Are you adding unflavored protein powder to your applesauce? If not, I would try that as eating it plain doesn't do much for you nutritionally (just carbs). Instead, your focus right now should be PROTEIN and FLUIDS.

Sounds like you're dehydrated. When you feel dizzy or lightheaded, try eating a little salt or take a sip of regular Gatorade, not sugar-free. This is what I do (per my doc's recommendation) and it definitely helps.

The pudding doesn't really do much nutritionally so you may want to remove it from your menu unless you're adding protein powder to it. Are you tracking your food each day with an app that can tell you your total macros (e.g. Calories,?Protein, Carbs)?

Duke University's research paper on treatment for severe GERD after Sleeve Gastrectomy.

Congrats on your upcoming surgery and wedding! FYI - Starvation Mode is a myth. As long as you create a caloric deficit, then you will lose weight. Even if your metabolic rate slows down over prolonged time (adaptive thermogenesis), it will not be significant enough to actually STOP weight loss, nor is it significant enough to cause weight gain. It's mostly just enough to slow down progress a little bit over time. A much bigger factor slowing down weight loss progress over time is the fact that you've already lost a bunch of weight, so your body just isn't burning as many calories as it was initially. Again, it has nothing at all to do with "I'm eating too little and my weight loss stopped." Many studies have been done that supports this.

Do not increase your calories because you're exercising. That would only be necessary if you're doing Olympic level of training. The problem, most scientists agree, is that exercise makes us want to eat. Many studies have shown that if people start a new exercise program, their bodies begin to pump out much higher levels of various hormones that increase appetite. This reaction seems to be most pronounced if someone starts a new, moderate, aerobic exercise routine. Simultaneously, many of us move less on days that we exercise, studies show. Scientists refer to this as "compensatory inactivity," which leads to burning fewer total calories.

Pouch reset is a fad diet and does not shrink your pouch or sleeve. Not recommended; instead, eat protein first, then vegetables. And make sure you're getting enough protein and water a day.

The ASMBS put out a position statement in 2011 that there are no Level 1 studies or evidence based reports that documented any benefit or need for a 3-18 month insurance mandated preoperative dietary weight loss program before bariatric surgery. Insurance mandated preoperative weight loss was found to be unsupported by any medical evidence and therefore inappropriate, counterproductive and potentially harmful as it resulted in unnecessary delay and interference with potentially life-saving treatment.

I've read scientific research that indicates 10% of Sleeve patients that don't have GERD prior to surgery develop the disorder afterward, whereas that is not the case for Gastric Bypass. One of the reasons is because VSG lowers LES pressure and shortens abdominal length of esophagus.

Be aware that taking PPIs (e.g. Protonix, Prilosec) long-term may have risks, such as osteoporosis or dementia. That's the reason I did not have a gastric sleeve because it has a high complication rate of acid reflux.