ChunkCat

So exciting!! Congrats brandycsiz!! I was scheduled for December but we had to change things due to a shoulder surgery. So I'll be having the duodenal switch done on November 1st! I started the pre-surgery diet today since the surgeon wanted me to do 3 weeks if possible...

I'm so excited, I got my surgery date today and we finalized all the details of the surgery!!! I'll be doing the duodenal switch with a longer common channel since I have a history of vitamin D deficiency and anemia. The surgeon talked to my GI specialist and they signed off of on it so everyone is on board thankfully. We picked December 13th, since I'll be in New Zealand for most of November. He said 2 weeks is standard for their liver reduction diet but if I added in a gradual 3rd week it would probably help as a bonus week. Their liver reduction diet is 2 shakes, 2 snacks and a lean, green dinner until one week before surgery, when it switches to all fluids. So basically I'll be starting the diet as soon as we get back from traveling... I already have 7 flavors of premier protein shakes in my closet. LOL (They require the shakes be either those or the bariatric advantage powder as per some study they are following). I'm really happy to be at this stage of everything, I know the 2 months will fly by fast!

Well, it seems I'll be getting the surgery sooner! We had to cancel our trip after I visited the ortho doc and found out my MRI shows a rotator cuff tear, damaged bicep, and bone spurs. I have to have surgery on it as soon as possible. But I'd have to wait 3-4 months after that surgery to do the bariatric surgery and I didn't want to wait. So we decided to do it first! I'm having bariatric surgery November 1st and a few weeks later we'll do surgery on the shoulder, this way we can get both in under this calendar year. I'm tired just thinking about it. LOL I started the pre-surgery diet today since he wanted me to do 3 weeks. I'm hungry already. 🤣

Oh that BMR calculator made me laugh... It estimates around 2,000 calories at my current weight and about 1,600 at my goal weight! Both are actually higher than my norm. I average around 1,200 to 1,400 calories a day (yes, tracking EVERYTHING, even drinks and junk). I've averaged that for the last 10+ years and still managed to gain about 100 lbs. But medications and health conditions helped with that gain... Still, if I actually end up at around 1,600 a day with no exercise and no gains I'll be one happy bunny! I guess it really is a matter of perspective and what we are used to. I've always thought the 2,000 calories a day thing was a load of garbage. Caloric needs vary widely depending on body composition, activity level, health issues, etc... I'd hate to see what weight I'd be at if I was actually eating those 2,000 calories it thinks I need right now.

Yayy!! I hope your surgery has gone well, you got a good nap, and now are waking up on the other side!! Speedy healing to you!

I agree, this may be bile reflux which is different to stomach acid reflux. They might be able to give you a medication that will help absorb the excess bile in addition to the PPI to protect your stomach. I'd definitely call your surgeon, mine today mentioned that sometimes bile reflux can happen as a flare up in certain surgeries, but often calms down with the right meds.

Though you may be an unhealthy weight, you still have to fuel your body with protein and vitamins for that size or you will lose muscle mass. Losing muscle mass is enough of an issue post surgery when you are super restricted so you don't want to induce it before the surgery does. Does that make sense? I have found some dieticians to be very erratic when t comes to what they advise you from meeting to meeting. I have no clue why. I'd ask her for a print out of what macros she advises you to be at and follow the percentages, aiming for over 100 grams of protein. This should keep you at a healthy balance give or take a few grams of protein. The sad truth is that many obese people are nutritionally deficient because we've restricted ourselves down to 1200 calories or lower which shuts down our metabolism. But we do it because we gain with anything more! Our bodies are rather broken metabolically. Don't stress yourself out. If you are losing at a steady rate and feel good with consistent energy and aren't starving between meals you have probably found a decent balance. As for the scale I have the same issue from place to place. It is so irritating. In the end go with the scale you will be weighed on for the insurance company (which is probably the surgeon's scale). Then weigh yourself in one consistent spot at home and calibrate your scale to match. This should get you in the right neighborhood...

What is his reasoning for all these restrictions?? I'd consult a dietician trained in bariatrics, most doctors and surgeons have NO CLUE about nutrition and come up with these odd plans that have no medical basis because they don't think about the patients who will actually try implementing them. If the dietician there supports his weird restrictions, find another one. There is no medical data saying bariatric patients should avoid cheese and protein shakes post surgery. Are they checking your vitamin and mineral levels? You'd become deficient eventually without proper supplementation on a plan like that. Early post op recs are different than maintenance when you are over a year out and your restriction has eased up some. I know some docs favor a no snack plan because they think snacks will lead to mindless eating, but planned snacks can actually PREVENT mindless eating. Anyone can hold out for an hour or two when they know when they will eat next... Again, some people can survive on this sort of plan long term after the first year, but to try forcing it when you are still healing is cruel and misguided. You will end up with a lot of fatigue and weakness because you aren't getting enough nutrients.

I would get the drinks with the sweetener of your choice and just add the unflavored protein to them, or brew tea and add the erythritol to it, then add the protein powder. I hate artificial sweeteners but I have decided part of my journey to surgery is learning to tolerate them as this is a lifelong change and I don't do well with sugar alcohols like erythritol. My surgeon requires the 2 week pre surgery liver reduction diet to be done with the Premier Protein premade shakes and those are sucralose based... I think I have like 10 flavors of them now. LOL I still cringe with the first few sips but having them ice cold helps. With fruit drinks I find a sour component helps cut the artificial taste and sometimes watering them down more than the package states. I like adding cold brew coffee concentrate to the shakes, the bitter component balances out the sweetness. I'll have to get decaf for after surgery! But really, the pumpkin spice flavored one with coffee concentrate makes a pretty decent pumpkin spice latte!

I'm sorry you regained, that is so frustrating! 80 lbs in 3 months is a lot, I'd talk to your doctor about checking your thyroid and your fasting glucose level... Most of us gained weight during Covid due to less physical activity, comfort eating, and more time and accessibility to snacks. Snacking is notorious for gaining weight back after surgery. The hard thing is we don't feel like we've changed anything big in our eating habits but unless you are tracking literally everything you put in your mouth you really won't notice how much extra you are eating. Changing drinks from water to other things is a big culprit too and easier when we are at home next to the fridge. And tasting things/snacking while cooking. There is no shame in regain IMO, life happens in unpredictable ways. Covid was a huge hit for most of us and caused a lot of changes in living habits just to get through! I haven't had surgery yet but I gained about 50 lbs in the years around Covid, I'm immune compromised so was on strict lockdown for forever. Converting to a DS can help with more weight loss and maintaining weight loss better, it has the highest statistics for total excess weight loss and weight maintenance. However since it is a conversion for you (not a virgin surgery) the weight loss will be slower than it was with the initial sleeve surgery. You will still lose weight with it if you are diligent, you can still get the weight off if you got it off before, but in order to do that you need to figure out what is causing you to gain weight so you can correct it and help the surgery work. Revisions can be game changers for some, but they aren't miracle workers, they still require hard work and effectively using your tool.

Ugh, I'm so sorry that you have to have another surgery! I had a hysterectomy 2 years ago (cancer) and the doctor is right, it IS major surgery and man do you have to for real do nothing...and more nothing...and get really good at rolling out of bed and not clenching your abdominal muscles for things! The recliner was my best friend, along with a small pillow to brace against my tummy and an abdominal binder helped a lot! Oh and post partum underwear because you don't want anything tight on your tummy... Feel free to message me if you want some tips for surgery and recovery...or just to vent. I had reproductive issues for years before the cancer. I don't do nothing very well so I had to take up diamond painting and adult coloring books to keep my brain occupied. But, like with bariatric surgery, you only get one chance to heal well so best to go along with it. You have had so many other procedures I can't imagine this will keep you down for long. I was upset I had to have one, but now I am honestly soooo glad. It is fun to pack for travel without period gear! LOL I was one of those women who would bleed for months on end and no longer dealing with that is a huge relief...

I'm on Rexulti for depression along with a few other things. It is an atypical antipsychotic. I haven't had surgery yet so I can't say how it affects weight loss but my psych feels it is pretty weight neutral so shouldn't be a problem. She said most of her patients lose the weight on their meds, it just takes a bit sometimes. I'm guessing some meds can slow the process if you know they are contributing to your weight already, it just depends on the individual, as with most things.

Echoing RickM, bile reflux is different than acid reflux. Make sure you are dealing with a doctor who understands the difference, it matters a lot because best treatment and best course for revision are different between the two. I believe they should have you on something like cholestyramine for the bile reflux, it absorbs the excess bile. And yes, if bile reflux is the main issue, a traditional DS would be a useful revision because it cures it... So I'd research that and talk it over with your surgeon!

Bypass is pretty amazing for GERD sufferers. There are a fair number of those that have had revisions from sleeve to bypass on this site. That said, my surgeon says there is a way to make a sleeve that is less likely to cause GERD if they already know you have issues with it. Something about the top being a bit wider? I'm most likely going with the DS which causes much more malabsorption than the bypass. The way I see it though, I'd rather trade my meds and chronic illnesses for daily vitamins and stable weight maintenance. It is important to remember that each person has a surgery that is right for them. I have gone over the medication malabsorption issue with my psych several times. But she says that in the end it comes down to the individual. Sometimes even sleevers need med adjustments after surgery. And sometimes bypass and DS people do fine with no adjustments. It all depends on the person and their individual system. Things can be adjusted, there are always options. I'm lucky that my ADHD meds are a disintegrating tablet because its most often given to children. And I have always chewed my benzos so they kick in faster (I only take them in emergencies). My biggest worry is my anti-depressant but we'll cross that bridge when we get there. DSers tend to absorb tablet vitamins well so I'm hoping the tablet anti-depressant will do equally well!

I love this!! Studies that talk about WLS adding years to your life really miss talking about how it adds LIFE to your YEARS! I am so happy for you! It really is never too late to follow your dreams! How inspiring!

I missed pumpkin pie and all the pumpkin pie flavored things when I lived in New Zealand. They have pumpkin in everything but it is all savory foods, not sweet. Boggled my mind because their pumpkins are sooooo good and make amazing pies! But no one eats sweet pumpkin stuff. LOL I keep thinking maybe one day it'll catch on with the American food trend (they have actual bbq places there now!). But that's probably wishful thinking. 😂

I remember the first time I had anesthesia, I was a nervous wreck! But as soon as they put those happy meds in my IV line I was as good as gold and the OR nurse even had me yelling "Roll Tide!!!" as they wheeled me back, which was surely the meds talking as I'm not a sports fan. LOL Tell them when you get to the nurses that you are really anxious, they can give you meds to ease the worry a bit. My favorite technique for anxiety is to tell myself "Oh, I'll worry about that tomorrow." Then I put it in a box on a shelf in my brain closet for tomorrow and endeavor to keep it there! Every time it creeps in I tell it that it's not tomorrow yet and back in the closet it goes! Then I remind myself that the only thing I can truly control and affect in life is in the PRESENT MOMENT. So I bring my focus to whatever is in front of me in my day and take the next small step in the process towards whatever I am trying to accomplish. That paired with remembering my "Why" and envisioning the end goal I desire usually is enough mental gymnastics to keep the anxiety at bay. Worrying about these things is normal, just don't let it get so bad it incapacitates you. Talk it out with someone you trust or talk it out on a post here, there are plenty of listening ears who will get what you are saying. You can do this!!

I went to my nutrition thing today and they told us no blending things into our protein drinks for several months because of indigestible fiber bits? I don't know. I was bummed out, I like adding things to shakes! But every program is different so you might ask your dietician about it? They also said it is really important to progress the stages even if you have food aversion. To keep trying because the body needs more nutrition than you are getting in those shakes and the stomach needs to progress gradually towards normal foods. I thought that was really interesting. I hate pureed things so I figured I'd just keep doing liquids but after that I've spent the rest of the day thinking about things I can eat that don't have weird pureed textures. Like yogurt, protein puddings, sugar free puddings, blended soups and stews, instant oatmeal, more yogurt, etc... I think I can handle a week of that! Especially after all those liquids... I've also found a lot of good pureed recipes in bariatric cookbooks too! Things I never thought of like sugar free custard, blended lentil soups, eating hummus by the spoonful, cold soups like cucumber soup (the cooked kind) and the ever famous ricotta bake!

Yeah I've read this, you aren't crazy. I am sure it was something one person's nutritionist said and now it is everywhere on the internet. LOL I think it is the change in moisture content too, I can see how it would be a particular issue with meat early on. Otherwise it is just your tummy being sensitive. Food changes texture when it is microwaved! For instance, I loathe microwaved homemade mashed potatoes, it is just not the same and the texture gets weird. But I am super texture sensitive so that might be why I notice it. I really hope I don't have that issue post surgery!

Oh I agree with you, I'd be concerned something else was going on too. I think an ultrasound and labwork is completely within reason to ask for. The ultrasound can show the position of the IUD as well as the thickness of the lining, that should be useful information whether you leave it in place or remove it! I wish you much luck with this, I know how stressful it is when you are bleeding every damned day!

Oh good choice!! Maybe it really is just a combo of chewing, your tummy getting used to food, and maybe a little too much roughage in the veggies for so early on? It seems like a lot of people have issues getting used to food again, those new tummies have strong opinions! LOL

I'd hate for you to end up with an ablation for an issue that may just be caused by hormone fluctuations due to weight loss that will ease as your weight loss levels out. IUDs can be fussy things. My guess is that after surgery your hormones surged high enough to overpower the IUD's hormones and that's what caused the bleeding. It is also possible the lining hasn't shed properly either due to those hormones, or those hormones combined with the IUD and now you are stuck with daily breakthrough bleeding. Getting the IUD out might help or it may do nothing for the bleeding, it is hard to say. Did they do an ultrasound to see if the lining is built up? I'm really surprised everyone there is acting like they have no clue what caused this... This sucks! I can totally understand why you are miserable!

Yes! I forgot to add that! Everyone gets their own anesthesiologist or nurse anesthesiologist. They are AMAZING people, there for you and only you, from start to finish! They manage your breathing, your anesthesia, and stay with you through the whole procedure. I always love meeting the anesthesiologist before surgery because they check over everything so carefully and while everyone else is focused on the surgery itself they are 100% focused on YOU. Plus they are the ones with the happy drugs! 🤣

You may have to travel to a big city with more skilled surgeons, but I agree, I'd definitely get another few opinions. Skill varies a lot in the bariatric world and what one surgeon might not touch (and you wouldn't want them to!) another may be able to do with ease... It is worth a try at least!

Yay Kay, that's wonderful!! I'm ready to get rid of this HBP pill too! LOL I think changing food habits when there are cultural influences that add to the mix is challenging. My partner is Chinese and I can definitely see the cultural food influences there. As you change your food habits there will be new rituals to include supportive family and friends in, which isn't the same thing, but does help maintain that sense of community. In our house part of this looks like going back to the roots of true Chinese cooking and identifying the things that we can incorporate which support our health goals. Chinese food is often medicinal within their culture, which is not something we think about when consuming our version of Chinese food in the US! It makes me wonder what other food traditions have roots in good foods for the body and soul, but have gotten obscured by other traditions as time has passed, you know?