CarmenG

Yeah, right now you still have swelling in your sleeve. Then you have to account for scar tissue forming. I waited 3 months to swallow capsules. Most likely, you won't have to take them so often. For example, the Bariatric Fusion is 4 tablets a day for bypasses, but for sleeves it's only twice a day. Definitely consult your team, or ask for blood work to see what, if any, modifications you have to make to your vitamin routine.

What type of surgery did you have? I got sleeved 14 years ago, and was revised to a bypass 56 days ago. You're best bet immediately after surgery is chewable vitamins. They have everything chewable now (no gummies for me, because they don't get as well absorbed with a bypass). I take Bariatric Fusion multivitamin 3 times a day because the bypass is a malabsorptive surgery. I take a calcium chew once a day, and an Iron once a day. The Iron I take isn't chewable, but I'm 3 months out now so, I'm feel ok when I take it. It really all depends on your surgery and how far out you are from it.

Definitely check with your bariatric team. I was told nothing with coconut because that can get stuck. The literature they gave me says to avoid fruits with seeds, the skins of the fruits, and the membranes of citrus. Right now, I can eat 10 fresh cherries and have no issues.

My initial consultation was in March (don't remember the day), I got the revision surgery June 19th. BCBS will only pay for "one weight loss surgery per lifetime." I was told by some doctor's offices that since it was a revision, my insurance wouldn't cover. I called my insurance and spoke to a fantastic lady who really helped me out. I made the point that in 2009, when I got sleeved, BCBS for my school district wasn't covering WLS yet. It was private pay for me, and I had it done in Mexico (no hoops to jump through). So, technically, BCBS had never covered a WLS surgery me. She agreed. It was approved. Edit: I did have to follow a diet plan to lose weight before the surgery, I had to have an endoscopy, a barium swallow (to check for acid reflux), blood work, see a cardiologist, have a psyche eval (on the phone), and talk to a nut (on the phone). It was a little easier than virgin surgeries because it wasn't my first rodeo.

From what I'm reading about the Ozempic and Mounjaro injections, once you stop taking them, their appetite suppressant effects wear off and the weight comes back. I have a friend who takes one, but she takes it because she's diabetic. She has lost weight, but she'll most likely need it the rest of her life due to the diabetes anyway. She's told me that at times, she won't inject herself if she goes on a trip (for example) so that she can indulge in alcohol and decadent food without feeling nauseated/vomiting/cramps/diarrhea. But again, she doesn't take it for weight loss. If they're being used solely for weight loss, they will help, but I guess it all depends on how long you're willing to take them. It's possible you can use the injections until you reach your goal. After that, however, it would be up to your self-discipline to continue to foster the modifications that the injections provided. I imagine you'd also have to consider insurance coverage, personal expense, and what short-term and long-term side effects they'll have on you, and whether those effects are cohesive with your lifestyle.

It's difficult when people who've never been overweight or obese want to give "advice" to those of us who have been/are. They will NEVER understand how we feel emotionally or physically. They will never have to worry about things that we worry about daily. They just never will. The difficulties we experience don't even cross their minds. For this reason, I don't put any stock in what those particular people think or feel about my decisions. I don't care who knows what I've done. If they ask, I'll tell them the truth. If someone else tells them, I still don't care. It could be my age, it could be my IDGAF personality or a combination of the two! Lol! I DO think, however, that not caring about the opinions of people who are ignorant to our plight gets easier and easier with each passing year. Wishing you peace of mind, success in your journey, and joy in your life!

@Arabesque So glad you mentioned the iron/caffeine discrepancy. This morning, I went back to work and had a protein shake with caffeine, but I also take my Iron in the morning after breakfast. Now I know to switch my Calcium to the morning, and my Iron to the evening. Thank you!

I love salmon, and I'm ok with sardines and nuts. Avocado, not so much.

I'm a teacher so my eating schedule is pretty set. My breakfast is a protein shake with caffeine. My lunch time is usually between 12:30 and 1:15. When I get home I'll either have dinner right away and a healthy snack at around 8 PM, or I'll have a healthy snack and then dinner at about 7 PM. Sometimes, If I have a calorie/protein deficit at the end of the day, I'll add another healthy snack. As for water, I'm drinking that all day, also ensuring I get a min. of 64 oz.

I stick with Benadryl. I've had allergies most of my adult life. They're perennial. I tried Zyrtec and Claritin, but they don't work as fast. Also, because I'm chronically dehydrated due to my sleeve 14 years ago, I try to deal with my allergies until I just can't handle it anymore. Too much allergy medication exacerbates my dehydration. Hope you feel better!

Believe it or not, sometimes too much water will wash out all of your electrolytes that you're not able to replace with food (because it's limited). A couple of weeks ago I was doing 80-96 oz of water a day, and I started cramping in my feet and legs at night. I switched one of my water bottles out for a zero-sugar Propel water bottle, and the cramps stopped that same night. I chose Propel over Gatorade or Powerade because it has less sodium, and I have to watch my BP.

Congratulations on feeling great and exercising! I'm hoping to do more than the treadmill when I can get back some energy. The nausea could be caused by dehydration or electrolyte loss that isn't being replaced.

Great job! Congratulations!

Wow. I've had both a sleeve (2009) and a bypass (47 days ago). I didn't have any kind of bleeding at all for either surgery. That's a bit scary. Hope you feel better soon!

The very first visit I had with my bariatric doctor, they clocked me at 182. It was so scary because I didn't even realize how bad it was. It certainly explained my headaches and dizziness at the time.

That's awesome! Glad you went for that second opinion.

Thank you so much!

This has recently started happening to me as well. Some days I can't consume more than 500 cal. Some days, by the time I know it, I'm up to 750+ cals by the end of the day. It's really weird.

I'm a revision sleeve to bypass. When I had my sleeve 14 years ago, the only thing I COULD NOT eat was eggs. IDK why. I could eat chicken and steak, but for some reason, eggs was a no go for me. I think eggs swell up in our tummies after we consume them.

If it looks/feels infected, you need to get medical attention for it. Did they send you off with antibiotics? Does the incision feel warm to the touch, or look very red? Even your reg fam doctor can take a look at it to see if it shows signs of infection. They can also do a finger prick to check your WBC count.

Have you tried sugar-free popsicles? Just a thought. They're a little "chewier."

Yeah, my incisions were covered in that clear glue-like stuff. They told me not to remove it myself or scrub over it in the shower, just to let it fall off naturally, Took about 3.5 weeks for my incisions to heal on the outside.

Unfortunately, it's actually pretty typical. They brought me mouth sponges to wipe down the inside of my mouth. I wasn't catheterized, though. So, I was able to get up to use the bathroom. As soon as they check for leaks, they should start bringing you water, because they also have to check to see if you can consume and hold down fluids without getting nauseated or vomiting.