Dan1131

I’m 21 days post op and have lost 16-18 lbs (depends on the day) but I’ve been kinda hanging at that weight for about 5 days. My doc said they was normal but I’m wondering as this is a revision if I’ll keep losing or is that it? I’m down 36-38 lbs from before I started the 2 week pre-op Optifast diet. Never intended this for more weight loss just to stop the GERD but now that I’ve had some I want more. I’m at about 750 calories a day now on the purée phase. Just short walks around the neighborhood. I get pretty tired during the day and nap at least once a day. Water and protein are on target. Thanks for any insight?

I’m 6 months post revision on a 10 year old sleeve. I’m having terrible stomach problems. Dumping, cramping, nausea. I’m talking with my doctor and nutritionist about. They think it’s either diet or I’ve developed a post surgical IBS. They just put me on a two week course of Rifaximin. I don’t know what is safe to eat any more. Everything seems to make me sick. I’ve lost 75 lbs post op 30% of my body weight in 6 months and MOST IMPORTANTLY the reflux which prompted the revision is gone. I’m sure some of it is my own doing. One piece of candy or something with sugar (even ketchup) and I’m on the toilet. I have discovered that I need 45 min (not 30 as recommended) between eating and drinking. Anything but pure protein seems to be a problem. Salmon or chicken are ok but if I have fruit, rice, grains of any kind, and even some veggies like broccoli or zucchini I’m on the toilet in an hour. I’m learning my portions, which are so sensitive, one bite or two too many and I’m feeling green and laying down. I guess I’m looking for advice on how to systematically find my safe foods and portions? Has anyone else developed an IBS like condition post op such that you needed medication? I can’t tell if this is that or diet or both and I’m not happy either way.

I’m 7 weeks post op on a revision and on soft foods. Having a hard time figuring out what to eat, especially as I return to the office and work. What are your go to foods/meals in this phase?

I’m 7 weeks post op on a revision and on soft foods. Having a hard time figuring out what to eat, especially as I return to the office and work. What are your go to foods/meals in this phase?

Really?!!! The whole point of this forum is to get advice and opinions from people have been down this road before. I don’t call my doc for every little thing they have far more important things to worry about than if I’ve lost a pound or two this week. Why be so snarky?

Thx everyone. I’ll just keep doing what I am doing and hope the weight loss will kick in again in a week or two

Just had an interesting and instructive experience. I’m starting my fourth week post op and am allowed cream of wheat (which I loved as a child, and apparently still do). I’ve been told to keep my meals to 1/2-3/4 a cup but was enjoying this so much and the recipe/serving on the box was for 1 cup so I made one cup. After having my 3/4 cup (thinned) a bit faster than my usual 10 min between 2-4 tablespoon fulls as a time I decided to have the last 1/4 (the rest). Mistake, 10 min later I start sweating, little pain in my chest and generally not feeling great. It all passed in about 30 min but I am grateful for the gentle yet firm lesson from my body that 3/4 is my limit for now. Being 10 years post sleeve the bypass has very different cues (at least at this point) and I’m paying attention.

My dietician said I could sip as frequently as I wanted as long as I didn’t feel any discomfort. Hydration she said is most critical during the first 2 weeks. I took small but regular sips every minute or so at 5 days out (well then I had a bowel obstruction and was back in the hospital but that was unrelated).

I’m 3 weeks post op on the same VSG ago RYN Bypass and I’m wondering the same thing. I too have had no feelings of restriction but I’ve also been super careful and kept my intake to 1/2-3/4 cup of full liquids. Just this week they added cottage cheese, ricotta, runny oatmeal and apple sauce. Next week is purée. I have been doing 3/4 cup cottage at 3 table spoons in 10min intervals and had no issues. I’ll admit I’ve tasted an olive size piece of cheese or veg here and there this week and had no issues. I tend to think unless I stuffed myself I wouldn’t feel restriction but I’m so freaked out about rupturing my pouch that I’m being super careful. Bottom line: 3 weeks out and I don’t feel any different than I did 10 years after my VSG, except no more GERD!!!

Thank you everyone for taking the time to respond. That’s really helpful to hear. My doc is very conservative I guess as the no solid food till 12 weeks post op is standard for their patients independent of the bowel obstruction complication. Plus pretty rigid on the 15 minutes between 1-2oz bites or sips (haven’t bitten anything is 4+ weeks!). It’s just a lot to accept but I know at this point I have no choice. Just hopeful things will normalize in a few months. One day at a time as they say.

I’m 2 weeks post op on a sleeve to bypass revision. Sleeve was 10 years ago. Never wanted this bypass but reflux was persistent and my doc said, “we’re going to have to do this eventually might as well do it now while your young (52) and healthy.” I had a complication 5 days after surgery with a bowel obstruction at the Juijnem site because of post op swelling was in hospital on only IV fluids for 3 days. It cleared up and now at least my bowels are doing what bowels do on a daily basis. That’s all good, I’ve even lost 16 lbs post op (pound a day). BUT I’m really mourning food in general, solid food in particular and just variety. I’m on full fluids and next week I get to add thinned cottage cheese, ricotta and and oatmeal (all thinned). But I just did the math and it won’t be till April that I can eat solid food. Yes I’m talking to a therapist but I’m just really regretting all of this. I was basically happy with my weight preop (could have worked harder to lose 15 lbs. but I didn’t really care). Now I’m down 35 from before the two week preop Optifast and I just want my life back. I feel like I’ll never be able to enjoy food again, have sushi roll, eat popcorn, a hot dog at a ballgame. One by one I don’t care about any of those menu items but taken together and it’s a normal lifestyle that is now gone and never coming back. This really gets me down.

This is happening to me right now! Had my revision surgery (sleeve to bypass) on 1/9 and ended up in the ER last night 1/13. Now I’m admitted to hospital. NPO (no fluids or food by mouth). They think it’s swelling at the new junction with the jejunum and had me drink contrast to track it’s flow through my GI track over the next 24 hours. So far not suggesting anything more invasive. But this sucks. Pain has mostly subsided but I’m pretty sure that because I threw up everything above the blockage. I haven’t pooped since the day before surgery but I am farting a bit which they say is a good sign. This sucks. I never wanted this revision, but was convinced that with my reflux if I didn’t do it I was far more likely to develop Barrett’s esophagus and then all the bad things that could come from that. So 10 years after my sleeve which admittedly I didn’t lose all the weight I could/should have on I now going through all of this. This sucks!

I’m 3 full days post op on a sleeve to bypass surgery. I’m finding it a little painful to breath. Not like I can’t breath but deep breath hurt a bit in my lungs. Kinda feels like when I have a chest cold or bronchitis. Is this normal? Just after effects of the anesthesia?

Surgery went well. Some pain in the larger 4mm incision where he put in the stapler but Tylenol and some IV pain meds and I’m ok. Heading home now (1 overnight) have a timer set for every 15min for my Fluid. A bit scared I’ll burst my pouch (I can be a worrier) but so far so good. Gonna miss taking big slugs of Water but not going to miss the GERD.

I’m having my 2013 sleeve converted to bypass on 1/9/2023 because of GERD. I’m not too happy that I have to go through with this as I never wanted a full bypass and have enjoyed being able to still eat a some what normal diet (albeit with less volume than pre sleeve). I’m down between 60-70 lbs from my top weight pre sleeve. Not as much as I really need to feel good in my body but certainly healthier. a few questions: Anyone done this and can share their experience? Will I ever be able to eat again? I know I will but the sleeve was pretty forgiving, everything I read about bypass with the emphasis on protein, chewing 20x, not drinking 15 min before or after eating, makes me think the little enjoyment I got from a good meal after VSG is over, even that is gone. What was you weight loss when you went from sleeve to bypass? I’ve heard I can expect maybe 10-15%. beyond where I am now Any tips or things to watch out for? I’ll be glad to get rid of the GERD and hopefully avoid all the bad things that can come from that but I’m super worried I won’t be able to follow the bypass regime and have other health problems from not following things as directed.

Surgery went well. Some pain in the larger 4mm incision where he put in the stapler but Tylenol and some IV pain meds and I’m ok. Heading home now (1 overnight) have a timer set for every 15min for my fluid. A bit scared I’ll burst my pouch (I can be a worrier) but so far so good. Gonna miss taking big slugs of water but not going to miss the GERD.

Thanks Lorie. Im laying here in my post Op hospital room about 24 hours after the surgery. So far so good. Having done this before, even though I don’t remember much for that first time 10 years ago has helped. I too look at it as a chance to not make the same mistakes twice. I lost 20 lbs (8% EBW) just in the 2 week Optifast preop diet and I’m taking that as a win. Defiantly a bit skittish about stressing this little pouch so I’ll sipping slowly. Only clear fluids in hospital and certainly no hunger yet. Incision sites are painful, walking around the ward seems to help with the gas. No GERD or coughing so that’s the real blessing! Anything else is just extra

I am currently one week into my two week preop diet on Optifast and fluids. I am having a conversion from my 10 year old sleeve to a full bypass January 9. I know I cannot eat 12 hours before the surgery and the diet is pretty clear that the only sustenance I can have during these two weeks is the Optifast. As I understand it, this is to reduce the size of my liver to make the surgery less complicated. I’m 270 pounds 60 pounds below my pre-surgery wait 10 years ago. So here’s my question;: I’m just wondering if I could have one more real food meal before the surgery on maybe the morning of the eighth or the evening of the seventh? My thinking is by then my liver will be whatever size it’s going to be for the surgery and I’d really like to have, one more bite of real food before 4 to 6 weeks more of liquids and purées. Anybody have an opinion?

Thanks everyone. That’s what I expected and honestly I have accepted. Just needed to hear it from someplace outside of my own head.

Ryan I am SO GLAD you posted this, I am in exactly the same place, my revision from VSG to Bypass surgery is January 9. Im on day 2 of the 14 day pre-op liquid diet. My VSG was 10 years ago and about 9 months ago I started to develop reflux and GERD. Tried the meds, didn't really help. Like you I have been about 50% happy with my weight post op and in truth because of my carefree approach it never got down to my goal and has been creeping up. I was 331 pre-op and got as low as 261. Im now 276 10 years later and on a lot more HBP and Cholesterol meds than I would like to be. So there is reason to do this beyond the GERD but I'm super scared I will lose the little bit of joy I have with food. That I'll screw up the new way I have to eat and make myself sick. The big difference for me this time is that I have a doctor who will stay with me post op. 10 years ago I moved from the US to Canada 6 months after the surgery and had none of the follow up support or checkups that would have allowed me to take full advantage of this tool. Your post really helped and the responses here have helped even more. Im just trying to take comfort in the fact that I did this once before and 10 years later I'm probably alive when I might have been dead. This bypass hopefully will extend my life to something approaching normal and I'll get rid of the GERD and avoid esophageal cancer. What I read here is that its not that different 4-5 months post op, my Doctor tells me the same. If I get a bit more weight loss that will be my reward and I plan to buy a whole new wardrobe, so I at least have that to look forward to. So glad you posted thank you!

I’m having my 2013 sleeve converted to bypass on 1/9/2023 because of GERD. I’m not too happy that I have to go through with this as I never wanted a full bypass and have enjoyed being able to still eat a some what normal diet (albeit with less volume than pre sleeve). I’m down between 60-70 lbs from my top weight pre sleeve. Not as much as I really need to feel good in my body but certainly healthier. a few questions: 1. anyone done this and can share their experience? 2. What was you weight loss when you went from sleeve to bypass? I’ve heard I can expect maybe 10-15%. 3. what is DS? I saw it on this forum but don’t know what it is. 4. any tips or things to watch out for? I’ll be glad to get rid of the GERD and hopefully avoid all the bad things that can come from that but I’m super worried I won’t be able to follow the bypass regime and have other health problems from not following things as directed.