MarinaGirl

Note that some post-ops do not absorb iron supplements well, even when taken at the right time and/or dosage. For those people, periodic iron infusions may be required long term.

Make sure you’re NOT taking your iron supplements at the same time (or within 2 hours) as the following items as they will interfere with absorption of each other: - Calcium - Multi vitamins containing iron & calcium (instead take a multi that doesn’t contain iron such as One A Day Women’s 50+ Advantage and then take iron by itself and 2-4 hours earlier or later) - Thyroid medication - Heartburn / GERD medication - Caffeine / coffee

Pouch reset is a fad diet; crash diets never work and is not the right approach post-WLS. Instead, work with a therapist to resolve your head issues, then focus on the bariatric “rules;” dense protein first followed by non-starchy vegetables, use a scale to measure portions, don’t drink during meals or 30 mins afterwards, track what you eat with a food journal or an app like MyFitnessPal, drink a minimum of 64 oz of water a day, cut out processed food & junk, no alcohol, etc.

My medical team clearly said to not take Flinstones or children’s vitamins as they don’t contain the right vitamins and dosages for adult bariatric patients.

I never found any chewables I could stomach, especially as most/all contain sugar alcohols, which caused me nausea post-op. Instead, I just took regular vitamins, and the larger ones I cut in half with a pill cutter.

Months before bariatric surgery, I started making diet & lifestyle changes, such as NO sugar, artificial sweeteners, desserts, processed food, carbonated/caffeinated/alcoholic beverages, smaller portion sizes, no drinking during meals, and minimal bread or rice. This allowed me to lose 30 lbs pre-op. I did not tell my family, colleagues, or friends (except for 1) about my gastric bypass surgery. No one noticed anything different after surgery as I had already been losing weight and was eating less in their presence. This allowed me to focus on myself and not have to deal with negative comments, energy, or misinformation. It worked well for me. YMMV

I’m in maintenance mode and below goal weight, and order Arnold Palmers (1/2 unsweetened iced tea & 1/2 lemonade) when I go out to restaurants or bars. I do not consume artificial sweeteners as I don’t think they’re healthy or helpful with weight loss/maintenance so my usual drinks of choice are plain water, decaf coffee, or herbal tea.

Just because you can eat a good amount doesn’t mean you should. Don’t try seeking the full feeling as it won’t be the same post-WLS. During surgery, nerves may have been cut so until they regenerate you may not feel much. The only way to determine the correct amount to eat is with a food scale, not by eye balling portion sizes as we weren’t good at that pre-op, nor by pursuing satiety.

OP: The normal BMI range for a person 5’3” is 105-141 lbs. If you only lose 60 lbs then you’ll still be in the obese category. IMO, I think you should try to lose as much as possible, especially in the honeymoon period (i.e. the first 12-18 months) when losing will be “easier.” The key to weight loss is in the kitchen not the gym. You will need to change poor eating habits for life (therapy can help) as your WLS tool will not make up for overeating, eating simple carbs & processed food, too many liquid calories, including alcohol, and all the rest. This is also true for “normal” skinny people. Good luck, you can do it!

I doubt you will look “ill” if your BMI is high normal. Why that kind of language?

And comparing weight loss between men & women is also extremely futile.

Gastric Bypass. I had horrible knee pain and GERD pre-gastric bypass and both have resolved. I don’t think I would have lost enough with a sleeve to improve my mobility and pain issues to the degree I have. I’ve also heard of too many people that have VSG but later need to revise to RNY to correct newly developed GERD or poor weight loss results. This is hard because many insurance only pay for 1 weight loss surgery per lifetime so if you require additional surgery later it might require self-pay or none at all. With your financial situation it may be too risky to have VSG because of the possibility of needing another procedure down the road.

I chose my initial goal as the high end of normal BMI; then I got down to my weight in college when I was an NCAA athlete; and now I’m at the low end of normal BMI but am not worried about it as my labs are great, I feel wonderful, and my docs aren’t concerned. I’m only 19 months post-gastric bypass so there’s room for bounce back and still be within normal BMI range. My horrible joint issues, especially knee pain, is sooooo much better at a lower weight that I don’t want to regain too much as that could lead to less mobility and early total knee replacement (bilaterally).

I eat a lot of fruit relative to other bariatric patients and am not a big meat eater (pre or post gastric bypass) and I do not dump, not once; even the occasional dessert does not cause me any issues. YMMV

I love eating fruit and nuts and beans - yum, yum! I also like making smoothies or overnight oats for breakfast as I’m often in a hurry in the morning. These things in small portions sizes do not cause me to gain weight, but this may not be the case for everyone. I think what’s important is to figure out what food properly nourishes YOU and doesn’t make you feel like you’re on a diet forever, which will be different for everyone. If there are foods that trigger you to overeat then cut those out, and if you struggle with food addiction or making poor food choices then you should strongly consider therapy and other approaches to get your head right. Bariatric surgery is great for resetting your metabolism and providing an opportunity to maintain long term weight loss, but it won’t prevent you from eating around your new tool.

I was able to take small tablets right after MGB surgery. If yours are too big, you can use a pill cutter to make them smaller. But first check with your surgeon and pharmacist on how to best proceed as your medicines may need to be handled differently than others.

There is a lot of variation in post op diets across all bariatric surgeries. I recommend you follow your surgeon’s plan as s/he knows your health history and what works for her/his patients. When in doubt, call the office and discuss your concerns BEFORE going off plan. You don’t want to end up with a complication because you advanced your diet too soon. Good luck!

I did not develop lactose intolerance post-MGB. But I know some people that did; however, it resolved 6-12 months later. I hope that turns out to be the case for you, Fatgirlfedup.

I don’t drink carbonated beverages post-MGB. Almost 2 years post-op I don’t feel that great when I try to drink them. But it’s fine because I never had a soda habit before surgery so I’m not missing or craving them. They’re not healthy in general so I say good riddance.

I am a big proponent of whole, healthy food post-WLS and my bariatric team supports this way of eating. I do NOT consume artificial sweeteners at all, am not a big meat eater, and I do not worry about eating fruit. I eat whatever amount of fruit I feel like, which is usually 1-3 servings a day, depending on what’s in season or in my kitchen. I don’t demonize any food except for fake food made with chemicals. This approach has worked very well for me; my yearly labs are fantastic, I feel wonderful, and my BMI is in the lower normal range. I also just returned from a beach vacation where I wore cute bikinis and was not self conscious about my body, even with some saggy skin. What I am consuming (veggies, fruit, dairy, beans, some meat) is working well for me. No dumping or RH episodes. YMMV

Native/resident of the West Coast

iPhone and charger with long cable Slippers for walking the halls Toothbrush Ear plugs and eye mask

Slimies/foamies usually occur when you’ve taken too big a bite, not chewed your food up enough, or eaten too fast; user/patient error. As well, some food is hard to eat for many months post-GB. Take it slow & easy, and be patient with yourself and the process.

Weight is lost in the kitchen not the gym. This means it is more important to focus on what and how much goes in your mouth versus how much or little you exercise.

The health risks with PPIs seems to be with long term use. Taking them for 3-6 months after bariatric surgery is pretty low risk and will help with healing. The big issue is that people with GERD/reflux often take them for much longer in lieu of working with a gastroenterologist to determine & treat root cause. I think anyone with pre-existing GERD should have RNY instead of VSG as gastric bypass will often resolve it; whereas VSG often worsens or causes GERD. Therefore, if people have VSG they should be prepared to revise to RNY if they develop GERD post-op, instead of just taking PPIs for life.