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It's not uncommon to experience some bruising and swelling after gastric bypass surgery, but it's always best to check with your surgeon if you have any concerns. The bruise on your stomach could be due to the placement of the incisions or the handling of the tissues during the procedure. Regarding the dizziness and hot flashes, it's possible that they could be related to low blood pressure, which can occur after surgery. This is because the body needs time to adjust to the changes in fluid and electrolyte levels. It's also possible that you could be feeling fatigued or experiencing some dehydration, which can contribute to these symptoms. It's important to follow your surgeon's instructions for post-operative care and to report any concerns to them as soon as possible. They will be able to evaluate your symptoms and determine the best course of action. In the meantime, make sure to drink plenty of fluids and rest as much as possible to help your body recover from the surgery.

I had serious doubts about getting the gastric sleeve a few days before my surgery. I expressed them to my husband but he thought I was just nervous and wanted to support me, so he urged me to go through with it. I hate it though. I hate my life now and I'm not sure if I will ever not hate it. I have a couple close friends and they did not feel this way 4 weeks post-op like I do. I cry all the time. I'm worried something is wrong and terrified of having to go through any kind of revision surgery. I'm an American living in Germany and it is so difficult to contact my surgeons office and get anyone who speaks enough english to help me. I started my WL journey about 4 years ago when we were stationed in Italy. I was denied a medically necessary breast reduction because my BMI was too high. So I was referred for weight loss guidance.First, I was sent to the base nutritionist (a perfectly in shape airman) who told me I needed to work out more and eat more whole vegetables. I had to work with him for 1+ years before being able to try any WL medications. Unfortunately that was in early 2019, and we all know how the next few years went. We PCS'd to a new base in Germany in 2020 and when I asked about the WL medications I was told that was not an option here. They recommended I carry on with my (now virtual) nutritionist. I wasn't losing any weight and working out would send my back into spasms from my H cups breasts. I was taking a combination of Flexural, Motrin, and Valium for my back spasms, only using the Valium when they were at a level 8 or above pain level (so less than 1 valium a month). Turns out not only could I not get WL meds here, I also could not get a refill on my Valium. I had used too much (less than 1 pill a month for a year). So any weight training was immediately phased out of my working out, which now consisted of only walking. This past summer I went back and told them I really need a breast reduction and if I had to go the WLS route then I was open to that. The provider (who has had WLS themself) was very on board with WLS. I told them that I had already done the nutrition part at my previous base, so he put in the surgical consult referral right away. After I met with the surgeon, who surprise, surprise wanted to operate (surgeons always gonna surgeon), my provider put in the referral for my surgery and stated that all prerequisites had been completed at prior base. Then boom... endoscopy and surgery scheduled. Now all I had said was that I went to nutrition at my previous base and continued it virtually. So I had no idea what other preqs there could be. I had a few meeting with the nutritionist here about the gastric pre/post op diet. That's it. I learned about the full liquid to clear liquid pre-op and clear liquid to full liquid to purees to soft foods diet post op. I was completely unprepared mentally and emotionally for this surgery. Not to mention I had done all my pre-op nutrition with the American on base nutritionist and post-op was with the German hospital nutritionist. They had completely different guidelines (like the Germans wanted me to start soft solids on DAY 5 post op and stop protein shakes immediately). I was in the hospital for 4 days with nurses who spoke very little English, so they would give me shots and pills but never tell me what they were giving me. I know a small amount of German, enough to get by with running errands and what not, so I understood one nurse when after I told her my German was minimal and asked if she could speak English, she got annoyed with me and told me I was never going to be allowed to go home. The patient liaison from base sorted it out and the issue was the hospital nutritionist would not do my consult without an in person translator that I needed to provide and I could not be discharged without that consultation. I felt like I was drowning; I still feel like I'm barely able to tread water now at 4 weeks post-op. My end goal wasn't WL to be skinny. I just wanted a breast reduction. Before surgery I didn't have high blood pressure, diabetes, GERD, sleep apnea, high cholesterol...zero comorbidities. For all intents and purposes I was a healthy fat lady with giant boobs. So post surgery I was/am overwhelmed with regret. There's all these things I feel like I didn't know and wasn't prepared for. Like I knew I was going to be eating smaller portions, but didn't know about the tiny bites and chewing things until its mush in your mouth for the rest of your life. I didn't know that my stomach would be almost too swollen to drink water after surgery and that the german hospital only provided water and broth, no popsicles or jello. So I spent my days in the hospital feeling nauseous all the time because drinking water made me taste blood in my mouth and that made me gag, all while my nurse tisked me and told me I was never going home. No one asked if I had a history of eating disorders (which I do) and how this surgery and diet are going to bring up old thoughts and feelings of self harm and negative self talking. No one weighed out if the possible negative side effects of the surgery were stronger than the positives. Pre surgery I took ZERO daily meds other than a daily vitamin. Now I need an antacid and stool softener to be able to ingest anything other than water and not tear myself in half in the bathroom. I also need daily tylenol because eating anything gives me a massive headache. I don't even want to eat anymore. I spend 30 minutes forcing myself to take tiny bites of some high protein food and then I spend the next hour actively trying not to barf it back up. Without tylenol I am running at 99F, but when I eat it goes up to 100-101. The doctor said its not an emergency unless its 101.5, which is hasn't gotten to yet. And even if it did, what would I do?! The hospital was horrible. My hand still hurts from where the nurse wouldn't flush my IV, so the port go blocked and all he fluid and medicine soaked into the flesh of my hand, making it swell up like Wreck It Ralph. I had an allergic reaction that made me sneeze for days after surgery. No one would offer any help or advice about my sneezing. They told me to eat less, but I wasn't eating anything at all. I just hate this. I hate food. I hate eating. I hate the thought of chewing until something is a mushy paste. I hate life. I just wanted a breast reduction and now I feel like I've had a life reduction.

Hi everyone, I had gastric bypass on 1/31 and I am feeling ok other than having a gigantic bruise on my stomach around my belly button. It’s about 9in in diameter. Also, for the last 2 days whenever I get up and walk around, I get very dizzy and have a hot flash. Is this common? Should I be concerned? Thanks for any advice.

You will be fine! I haven't had surgery yet, but I did have weight loss surgery before. I had lapband and it had to be removed in 2013 due to an abscess to the surgery I had to put the band back in place. But the after surgery wasn't bad, get up and walk to make sure you don't get blood clots, they usually give a shot in the stomach that helps prevent blood clots as well. When I had surgery before, I was so tired, I slept, got up walked around the hall and used my phone or their TV and fell asleep and repeat. Later that night I had nausea and I had that for 2 and a half months. So if you tend to get nausea, ask for something for that before going into surgery that day and if you have nausea after surgery, they will give you some nausea medicine. Getting up and out of the bed was a little hard for me. I had someone help me out of the bed. Everyone is different. Some can get up easier than others. With lapband, I only had to stay over night. With bypass I'm staying 3 days. Your stomach/abdomen will be sore for about a week or so, depending. Bring a pillow for the ride home! It really helps with any bumps along the way home! Good luck!

It's good that you're taking a proactive approach to your health and seeking clarification from both your endoscopy doctor and your bariatric surgeon. Intestinal metaplasia is a condition in which normal cells in the stomach lining are replaced with cells that resemble those found in the small intestine. It can be a risk factor for developing stomach cancer, and it's important to monitor it closely. If your endoscopy doctor has recommended another endoscopy, it's a good idea to follow through with it. The procedure will allow your doctor to get a better look at your stomach lining and determine if there have been any changes since the previous endoscopy. In terms of bariatric surgery, it's important to discuss your specific case with your bariatric surgeon, who can provide you with the best guidance for your individual situation. They can also answer any questions or concerns you may have about the procedure and help you make an informed decision. If you have intestinal metaplasia, your bariatric surgeon may recommend a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RNY) instead of a sleeve gastrectomy. The RNY procedure involves rerouting the small intestine to a small pouch created from the stomach, which can help reduce the risk of developing stomach cancer. It's important to follow your doctor's recommendations and to discuss any concerns you may have with them. With the right care and support, you can achieve your weight loss goals and improve your overall health.

I was reading those stories in the days before my surgery and had to make myself stop. I knew that those kinds of stories are very rare, but still, they scared the crap out of me. the people above are correct in that people are a lot more likely to post when they have issues or questions or concerns. They're looking for advice and support. People usually don't post to say that everything is great (I know some do - but it's way more likely they'll post when they're having issues). Most of us don't have complications, and of those who do, they're almost always minor things that are treatable to "fixable". I had strictures at weeks 4 and 8. They're the most common complication in bypass patients (they can happen to sleevers, too, but they're pretty rare with sleeve). But about 5% of bypass patients get them. I would hardly call something that only 5% of people get "common", but there you go. (strictures can happen within the first three months post-op - they're very rare after that. And they're a super easy fix. They just do an upper endoscopy and use a tool to stretch it out. You feel 100% better afterward). yes I am so happy I had my surgery and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. If I had to go back every year and do it again, I would. Honestly, it was one of the best decisions I"ve ever made - if not THE best. It's changed my life! another thing to consider - you are at much greater risk staying obese than you are having the surgery. These surgeries at one time were very risky and some people died from them. But that was 30+ years ago and they've come a LONG way since then. They've become very routine surgeries, and they're quite safe these days. There's a 0.3% mortality rate for bypass, and less than that for a sleeve (I can't remember the rate on the sleeve, other than it's lower than bypass). That means you have at least a 99.7% chance of making it through just fine. And you will. That rate is actually even better than the rate for hip replacement surgeries, and they do those all the time.

I had to look that up. It's the same thing as Barrett's esophagus. It doesn't always evolve into cancer, but there's a risk. I'm a little surprised she's going to proceed with the sleeve and not do the bypass instead - but she's a doctor, I'm not. And she's seen your stomach - I haven't.

Just got my surgery date today - March 29th! It just got very real! I'm excited and slightly terrified. Lol. Overall, I feel ready after months of research and reading posts on this forum. I'm so grateful for the honesty, support and encouragement everyone here shares. I have mixed emotions and almost can't believe that my life could actually change for good. I had honestly stopped feeling like I could ever hope to reach my goals after decades of failed attempts. I will be getting a gastric bypass due to longstanding GERD and hiatal hernia. So glad to know I have all of you to lean on. ❤️

Just had my surgery on 1/24 - same situation. Hiatal hernia repair and bypass. Good luck!

I've been nosing my way around the forums for a few weeks and have noticed a lot of concerning, scary, and intimidating information. I know that this is not the norm, but still. Going through everything, is it worth it? I'm still going through all my pre-op appointments and will hopefully see the surgeon for final approval at the end of March and bypass in April or May (as long as there are no hiccups). Thanks!

Is your 52 down from your first appt? from highest weight? from surgery day? There are a lot of different ways to look at this.. My highest weight was 280. My preop weight was 272. My surgery day I was 256. Today at exactly 4 months, I am 200.5. So down 79 lbs from my heighest weight / first bariatric appt last april, lost 8 on my own before preop started labor day weekend. We did a 4 week preop, during which I lost 16 lbs. Since surgery, I am down 56. But also, I did bypass and I am extremely strict on my plan.

My insurance also needed a health complication like diabetes, high blood pressure etc to be approved along with 6 months of weight loss. Due to needing the surgery as a revision to correct major complications from the previous surgery a disingenuous hack did to me, my insurance can wave the 6months requirements with medical proof of those complications. My new surgeon's office informed me that the insurance can backtrack my doctors visits for those 6months. My PCP and Gi are willing to send the necessary paperwork to my insurance telling them that the revision surgery is medically necessary due to the continued deterioration of my health. What helped me a lot was a case worker from my insurance. Request one to assist you. They will collect all the necessary medical information that your appeal needs, a long with being an advocate for your well being.

I had an increase in my menopausal symptoms after I had my gall removed in 2921. We increased my dosage but nothing changed (except a small weight gain) until my GP wondered if I wasn't absorbing them well anymore since the issue started after the gall surgery which also caused a protein absorption issue. She put me on a HRT patch as a trial. Well, she was right. The symptoms are gone & I’m only on a low dose HRT again. Malabsorption can be a concern with bypass so maybe ask your doctor if the absorption of your HRT could be being affected. Bonus of the patch is no pills - yay. Just replace the patch every 3.5 days. Oh, & I’ve slowly lost some of the weight I’d gained.

Hello I had the gastric bypass 6/22 and have been dealing with nausea. Well she said I had a gallstones and had my gall bladder removed came to find out it was only one and it was a small one. I'm still dealing with the nausea a month after surgery. Has anyone else experienced this and if so what did you do to treat? I'm tierd of have tests ran and surgeries.

How many struggle with eating after gastric bypass surgery? I've followed all the instructions (ie chewing well, waiting between bites, etc), but can't hardly stand the taste of most foods I eat. I've particularly had problems with protein shakes, protein water and protein powders. Some days I feel like I don't even want to eat. I'm concerned because I never reach the amount of protein and water recommended. Will this ever end? Good news is I've lost 48 lbs since November 23, 2022. Sent from my SM-A205U1 using BariatricPal mobile app

stay off TikTok. I read those kinds of stories before I had my surgery and they scared the crap out of me. I almost cancelled my surgery. However, those kinds of horror stories are extremely rare. Most of us never had complications or just had mild ones that could be "fixed" or treated. The most common complication is a stricture, which happens to about 5% of bypass patients, if that tells you anything (I personally would not consider something that only happens to 5% of people "common", but that's the most common complication...). It's a minor complication that's easily fixed. P.S. I finally made myself quit reading the stories.

I had vsg in 2020 but I’m getting a revision to RNY. I had no troubles my first surgery actuall surgery went great. but TikTok has me panicking and getting scared that something bad will happen to me.

Hi everyone! I am on my way to the hospital this morning February 2, 2023 to have a revision done. My doctor will remove my band and revise it to a sleeve. I am really excited about this journey and cannot wait to move forward in my weight loss journey!

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?

@TBumpus congrats thats AWESOME!! Did you have the Sleeve or Bypass?

Hi there LabRat ☺️. I had gastric bypass surgery about 9 months ago. Had my bloods tested last week and everything was normal in terms of liver function, EXCEPT my ALP, which my physician said was only ‘mildly’ elevated and isn’t anything to be concerned about. I can’t find anything online that speaks about ‘mild’ elevations of ALP. Everything I read says ALP raised in isolation must mean osteoporosis or bone cancer and I’m quite scared. My ALP is 151 (ref range 40-130). Is this something to be concerned about? my Vitamin D is ‘sufficient’ but it’s on the edge of sufficient and insufficient (it’s 20.9. Ref range: >20 is sufficient. 12-20 is insufficient). Is there a relationship maybe between some deficiency in calcium absorption by the lower vitamin D levels (my calcium levels are normal, but I know that the thyroid ensures calcium levels are normal by breaking down some calcium from kidneys, GI and bone). Could the mildly raised ALP be because of some calcium being broken down from the bone? Or am I reading too much into it and accept that 151 ALP is nothing to worry about?

Hi Lindsey, I have lupus and fibromyalgia. I just did a revision from Lapband to gastric bypass a few weeks ago. I actually am doing a lot better with my pain control. I take 50mg of amitriptyline at bedtime for it. I actually get more sleep now since I did the revision and it helps my symptoms.

I chose bypass because of a few reasons. Like many others I had bad GERD, but the other reason why that I’m naturally an impulsive binge eater / junk food addict. I didn’t feel the sleeve was the right tool long term to help me fight my demons. Also, I was influenced by TV a little - Watching older DR Now with bypass v sleeve, just feels like bypass patients are more often successful v sleeve who can revert back so quickly to bad habits.

As others have mentioned, the sleeve is cheaper and also a quicker surgery to do versus the RNY. The Mini Bypass (Omega Loop) that I got is also a quicker surgery to perform since there's one less intestinal join, but with similar benefits to the RNY. I had originally wanted the sleeve, but because of my pre-existing GERD, my surgeon advised me away from the sleeve and recommended the bypass instead. I am very happy with the choice and the results, and only regret not doing this sooner. Recovery for the mini bypass was a few weeks, but I had a hiatal hernia repair done at the same time, so I had a double whammy of pain. First two weeks were pretty rough. But honestly, recovery was pretty smooth all things considered! The main downside of the bypass is the lifelong supplements, but it's a part of my routine and as much as I dislike having to take a handful of pills every evening, it's only a small inconvenience.

I was self-pay so I went with the Sleeve because it was cheaper and came with a lower complication risk. Being self-pay, any issues that arise due to the surgery also aren't covered under insurance so I wanted to make sure to go with the option that carried the lowest complication rate. In my experience it seems that bypass is the more dominant option for those that are severely overweight (think BMI 60+) and want the best chance at being able to lose most/all of their excess weight and maintain the loss.