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I had the surgery when I was incredibly unfit and I had major health issues. I was classed as disabled. I am sure this impeded my recovery. I had to stay in hospital 4 extra days due to vomiting. I struggled with sickness and GERD for about 6 weeks until I got the correct medications. I needed to sleep sat up all this time. They found my internal stitch line was very swollen and eating and drinking was difficult. This resulted in me being very weak until I could reach my goals. I am retired but if I worked, I would not have been able to go back for 3 months. I had zero pain, either gas or from the surgery. I have a high bed so needed a step to help me get in and out of it. I used a bed wedge for the GERD. The main thing that people on this forum teach us is, do not over buy. This surgery seriously affects your taste buds. Its 2 years to the day since my surgery and I still detest my once favourite foods, salmon and lamb.

Both methods have a failure option. You go off meds & return to your old eating habits, the weight comes back. With the surgery, you go back to how you used to eat, you regain the weight. Both require you to do the work to change your relationship with food, make better food choices, become more active, learn to recognize real hunger from head hunger & learn about what drives you to eat & develop strategies to manage those drives like your food obsession voices. Neither routes are true easy permanent solutions without doing this work. The class you attended seems like it got you started on this & on the right path. The win of the surgery for me was time. The period of time when I wasn’t hungry or interested in eating, the change to my taste buds, etc. allowed me to start doing that work. I learnt what my body needed, how to keep my boosted metabolism going & to keep my new weight set point stable. Certainly worth conversations with your doctor & a bariatric surgeon to see what they think is the best way forward for you. Also ask for a referral to a therapist who specialises in disordered eating to support you through doing the head work. Many who’ve had surgery find therapy very helpful & contributed to their success & it would likely be helpful even if you choose not to have surgery. All the best what ever you choose to do. PS - I second the Dr Matt Weiner’s Pound of Cure you tube videos. He’s also on instagram & has some great books. Dr John Pilcher also has some great you tube videos on weight loss & surgery. Another consideration is I understand the newest weight loss med is supposed to less expensive & is expected to help push down the cost of the existing ones.

Welcome to the forums. Let me try to hit everything in no particular order. Much of this is general stuff that may or may not be helpful to you, but may help others that read. Congratulations on your successes to date. Beer: Be very careful of transfer addiction, which is common when one coping mechanism, such as food, is taken away so we find another mechanism to replace it. Additionally, with a bypass alcohol is harder on the liver than with normies. Again, be careful. Muscle loss: Is very common and expected. Rapid weight loss such as we experience causes loss of fat, muscle, and in many cases organs (which is why rapid weight loss for too long is unhealthy). Additionally, it takes extra muscle to move our pre-op bodies around. As we lose weight we require less muscle to move less weight around. 6 meals: At a year out it's ok to make rational adjustments based on your experience and requirements. As an example, I'll share a personal anecdote: My plan is 3 meals a day of 3-4oz protein 1oz veggies. No protein drinks or snacks. This is my surgeon's hard and fast plan, period. At about 2 years post-op I decided to challenge myself to a 'Couch to 5K [C25K]' program that gets one to running 5K in 30 days. It turns out I enjoyed running so started binge running. As my miles per week increased my surgeon increased my meals to 4 per day. Then 5. Then 6. Then added a protein drink. I very much disliked 6 meals per day as I felt like I was always eating. When I stopped running it was back to 3 meals per day. Point of the story is there are times to make rational changes. In your situation, it may make sense to reduce your meals (and slightly increase meal size. Or if you want to stay close to where you are, 3 meals + 3 snacks. Or whatever works for you. I'd wager that the author of your plan would be on board with rational changes. Compliance: In the first several months patients will lose weight no matter what they eat or drink. Being compliant to your plan builds success with the positive reinforcement of losing weight. It's the new, healthy habits that keep you from regaining weight. Trying to start compliance when the weight loss stops too soon puts us into the same diet and fail cycle we lived pre-op, with the same results. Good luck, Tek

I think you need to go back to your team. You need advice on real foods. You should not need protein supplements this far out. I had 6 meals a day at 1 year out too. Breakfast - 100 grams Greek yogurt with fruit - 10 grams protein Snack - 25 grams nuts - 5 grams protein Lunch - 100 grams prawns and small salad salad - 16 grams protein Snack - 25 grams Biltong - 13 grams protein Evening meal - tuna - 50 grams with mayo and on a slice of super seeded bread - 17 grams protein snack - Glass of milk or protein pudding I hope this helps a little, I could get in 60 - 80 grams of protein a day eat similar foods to this

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! The food may not be traditional this year, but it is still time to be thankful with family and friends.

Yeah it was on the runny side. yep. I previously had to chew food till it turned slop in my mouth just for it to go down. the tiny bite do help. It does make your meal go cold.

Hi all, I had been on Wegovy for weight loss, and it almost completely silenced my food obsession. I stll got hungry and enjoyed my food, but I wasn't thinking about it all the time. My insurance no longer covers wegovy, so I've started on the bariatric surgery pathway. My question is, will surgery work in the same way? Will that voice be silenced? TIA!

Also, take really tiny bites, slowly. Smaller than your thumbnail. My nutritionist told me that often when we throw up a food it has more to do with how we ate it than it has to do with the actual food. And weirdly, I've found this to be quite true...

I had my VGS on 10/16- and was losing pretty regularly. I have noticed a stall just recently and I even went up a little. I was just released to regular food though so I know I’ve eaten more carbs lately. I’ve got to get back to my protein shakes but the taste of them makes my tummy upset. the worst part is trying to get my water in- it’s been next to impossible. I’m just not thirsty or tempted to drink. Sugar substitutes trigger dumping now so additives like crystal light are out. I’ve done lemon and orange zest and it works for a day or two and then it’s back to the drawing board. Coconut water (urg empty calories) and Gatorade are now my go to- so frustrated.

Thanks for the response. I've pretty much determined that RNY is off the table. I'm currently at a toss up between traditional DS and Sadi....each one has it's own pros and cons that push me to the other, so I'm really not sure which one I will choose in the end. I plan on talking with the surgeon as best as I can during my consultation and try to get a better sense of what would be the best option for me. I'm currently a sucker for chocolate; and I love carbs like rice (sushi / japanese cuisine is my favorite)....So, looking at this fact is pushing me more towards the traditional DS. I'm a bit nervous of the malnutrition potential; but I'm also more nervous that I won't lose as much with the SADI as I may lose with traditional DS. I am lucky enough to not have any major co-morbidities....so I'm hoping my BMI alone will be enough to allow for the conversion surgery. My mom had Gastric Bypass herself, and has pretty much also regained her weight; I can see her point, but I'm wanting a more drastic reduction, so I am really leaning on the DS surgery and the more youtube videos I watch, the more I'm learning and looking to start the journey again. I have already begun working towards making changes to prepare. I'm working on drinking more water and limiting or eliminating other drinks. I'm also working on changing eating habits, and foods. I'm referring to this as going back to Bariatric 101....and working to re-learn the rules of the tool, etc and implementing those changes. So far, I'm really not seeing much difference in weight. I'm with you on wanting to be able to be active and live a more active lifestyle. I have no energy most days, even though I want to exercise, etc I'm constantly just tired. At this point, if weight is what kills me, I'd rather die too skinny rather than be killed because I'm fat. My lowest weight was somewhere between 185 - 188 lbs at 5'3.....There are things that I noticed at that weight that I miss. The energy to go being one. You mention Bone Broth.....I absolutely love Dr. Kelly Ann's Bone Broth! As for protein drinks / shakes....Premier Protein is pretty much my go to. I've tried others in the past.....and they either have a bad after taste, or they just straight up taste like you're drinking chalk (I'm looking at you, Isopure!). As for vitamins.....I have never been consistent with taking vitamins; but, if it means I can drop 80-90% of my excess weight, I will put in the effort to take them.

@Arabesque I just want you to know remembering your posts about eating speed over the months have really helped me post op! I thought I was taking small sips and small bites but my body taught me that what I thought was small was not small enough, so to half it. That helped immensely. I also take my time chewing like you suggest, and put my fork down, and every bite or two check to see if I'm feeling any signals of fullness yet, which are hard to feel this early out so I really have to listen to them. Yesterday was my first time eating out since my surgery. I got mahi mahi. I was worried I'd be bored while my partner ate this huge salad with salmon, but it turns out that the time it took them to eat that whole salad was the time it took me to eat a few ounces of the fish and a few green beans and asparagus. I wasn't bored waiting for them, if anything I was bored of chewing because the mahi mahi turned out to be drier and denser than my post surgery taste buds like! LOL We were done at the same time! But it really made me wonder about all the posts I see here of not enjoying eating out anymore because three bites and you are done in 5 minutes. They must not be eating the way the dietician in my program has drilled into our heads. I felt completely normal eating out, I just didn't drink with my meal and I had more leftover than most people would. The server didn't bat an eye. It was a lovely experience and made me feel relieved I could still enjoy it post surgery, even in the soft food stage! Anyway, all that to say thank you for the great advice you (and everyone else) give to us newbies. It DOES make a difference! I'm really grateful for it. I feel like I'm ahead of the curve...

Yeah, you are going to want to set reminders on your phone to eat. Whether that is when to drink a shake (every 3-4 hours if you are on a pure liquid diet), or when to eat a meal or snack, if you are on a modified food diet. Forgetting to eat will lead to hunger and irritability. Make sure you hydrate too! Start practicing getting those 64 oz in now and it'll be easier to remember post surgery. You can't delay until evening once you've had the surgery, sipping and eating frequently will be a new way of life. I have issues with it because my ADHD makes me hyper focus and I lose time and forget to eat or drink, but setting timers and goals throughout the day will help break that habit. Good luck!

I agree with ChunkCat. Although I am past the liquid food phase, I know my relationship with Thanksgiving food has changed. I have been putting my energy into decorating the house for Christmas and will focus on spending time with family. My daughter had a birthday two weeks after my surgery and I experienced a little anxiety but quickly saw the opportunity in it. I hope you enjoy the day. Happy Thanksgiving.

@NickelChip I was the same way! Bought small bowls and plates (I love them!) these adorable snack boxes (love them too!) spoons that measure portions, toddler utensils, cookbooks, etc... The most useful item I bought besides those is a box of reusable baby food jars. They hold 4 oz which is perfect since I can only eat about 2-3oz at a time right now. I can prep meal servings in them and tuck them in the fridge and freezer for later. They are SO convenient and weren't that costly. I won't let myself buy clothes either so I had to direct my shopping gene somewhere! LOL One thing I did not buy but believe is invaluable is a FOOD SCALE. It is so, so, SO much easier to use than trying to cram food into a 1/4 cup measuring cup. This applies even more strongly once you get to the soft foods stage and are eating a bite of this and a bite of that. They aren't very expensive, you can get a nice quality one on Amazon, mine has lasted for years, I used to use it for baking! Also I found electrolyte powders invaluable for the cramps sometimes caused by going into ketosis. Make sure they are sugar free. And water flavoring powders, I like the Jolly Rancher ones because they are sweet sour, which helps my nausea, but some people like lemonade or crystal light. I also bought two double wall stainless steel 16 oz cups with lids. This proved to be brilliant because my post surgery stomach only likes really cold food or really hot food, not lukewarm. So I keep one filled with ice and pour drinks from my water bottle into it so I can keep track of how much I'm consuming. And I keep the other one filled with broth or decaf tea or decaf coffee. Having a variety of fluids to alternate is my best trick for actually getting in your allotment each day.

Yaaaaay!! As a fellow diabetic I am cheering you on!! Mine normalized after surgery too, I had the DS. Looking at those normal numbers feels way better than any food tasted. Such a relief. And wow on the weight loss! I don't know how much you have to lose but that's a massive chunk. Try to update your sidebar stats so we can see how far you've come!!

Hi KyahRose! I just had the DS surgery on November 1st. I considered SADI-S, Bypass, and DS when deciding on which surgery to go with. In the end I picked DS even though it is the scariest of the surgeries, because I wanted the benefit of my co-morbidities going into remission which the other two surgeries can do, but the DS does best. Plus I wanted a surgery that has a lot of studies behind it going out years, and while the bypass does have that, the SADI does not. I didn't want to have an experimental surgery, enough of my medical care is experimental. LOL The DS has a proven track record and is safe for the vast majority of people who have it. That being said, it IS a serious surgery. You can make yourself very ill if you don't follow the protein and vitamin recommendations, and even the vitamin recommendations from the docs are often not enough. I highly recommend going over to bariatricfacts.com and joining the forum there to talk to the DS vets. I'm over there as Shrinkingmytiara. These are people who have had the surgery 10+ years. They will tell you the good, bad, and ugly and make sure you understand the ugly and what you are getting yourself into. There is a wealth of info on that site about DS and some about the SADI. On FB there is a Duodenal Switch SUPPORT Group (there are a number of them, but I'm in that one) which also has a lot of vets in it. It has people with DS and with SADI. You'll read a lot of complaint posts from people who are having issues (common for any support group) but it'll give you an idea of what some of the challenges are post surgery. Again, your odds of having complications are quite low (though a little higher than the other surgeries), but it is still worth seeing what others are experiencing. I'm sure you could find the same for Bypass. I have had no major complications with my surgery so far. I had a lot of nausea and ended up in the hospital an extra night while we stabilized that and my pain levels. Once I came home I've only needed my nausea meds a handful of times and I didn't need pain meds. I wasn't able to ingest whey protein drinks for the first two weeks but my surgeon told me the body has stores for 3 weeks, so to focus on water and the rest would come. He was right! I can drink them now and am getting protein in what I eat now that I'm on soft foods. I've met my fluid goals every day, some days are harder than others. I've had some diarrhea on and off but my system tends that way even pre-surgery. I could drink lactose free milk and bone broth the first week so those are what kept me going. I actually feel more energy now most days than I did before surgery which is strange to me! I do tire out a little easy though because I'm still healing. My stomach did these spasms while feeling like it was turning in cartwheels inside me for about 2 weeks. They finally faded like the surgeon said they would. I'm diabetic. My fasting blood sugar now sits at 87 which is stellar. They told me to stop the diabetes meds. I had high blood pressure but they took me off those in the hospital and my blood pressure is normal! 105/76 when checked at my 2 week follow up!! I've lost 21 lbs in 3 weeks post surgery, for a total of 35 lbs from my highest weight. I can't wrap my head around that, it happened so quickly! I had a moment post surgery when I panicked over permanently altering my body in such a drastic way, but then I reminded myself that the way my body was pre-surgery was killing me, this was the only path forward to health that I could see. I don't regret it at all. I'm happy to talk with you more about it if you want, and you can feel free to message me if you want to keep in touch! There aren't very many DSers around here active anymore!

I should start by saying I am going to interpret the word "need" very broadly here. I got my 12/27 date in mid-October and it's possible I've been using shopping as a way to make the time go faster. Also, since I won't buy myself any new clothing right now, I'm definitely justifying it that way as I buy crazy things... I just ordered and received a set of Perfect Portion storage containers from Amazon this week, along with a set of bariatric silverware. I also have 2 melamine plates and 2 melamine bowls (also Perfect Portion brand) coming soon. Do I already own small plates and 1 cup glass storage containers? Yes. Did I want the ones printed with portion reminders and motivational sayings anyway, despite a ridiculous price? Also yes. I like to cook homemade food, so I bought several bariatric cookbooks. My favorites so far have been The Bariatric Diet Guide and Cookbook by Dr. Matthew Weiner and Bariatric Meal Prep Made Easy by Kristen Willard. Since I still have 5 weeks to wait, I'm planning to try 1 or 2 recipes each week and fill some of the meal prep containers ahead of time to freeze. My hope is to find some things the kids will like, too, to make my life easier in the future.

I was curious what causes the 3-week stall, and this is what I found out in doing a little digging. When we experience calorie deprivation, whether a diet or after surgery or just not having the usual amount to eat for a bit, our bodies first turn to our store of glycogen to keep things running. Glycogen is a form of stored sugar, and for each gram of glycogen in the body, it's bound to 3 grams of water. So, if you burn a gram of glycogen for energy, you lose 3 additional grams of water as a bonus. Your body will always burn glycogen before it burns fat because that's how we've evolved to handle brief food shortages. Which means most of the weight you lose right after surgery is not actually fat, but water (and that's fine!). But after a few weeks, your body is low on glycogen and you still haven't hunted down a wooly mammoth to eat, so now it starts burning fat to keep running. At the same time, it does what it can to replenish those glycogen stores with whatever calories you have coming in, because it's a little worried you won't survive the next famine. Glycogen makes me think of the $100 cash my mom always kept stashed in her sock drawer for an emergency. If she used any of it, as soon as she got more cash, she replenished that first before putting anything in her wallet. Remember, each gram of glycogen comes with 3 grams of water. So you might burn 4 grams of fat, but also replenish 1 gram of glycogen (along with the 3 grams of water that tag along for the ride), and the scale shows you the same weight. Now you feel like nothing has happened and start to panic. But you still lost fat, which is the goal. And once your body does what it needs to do to replenish that glycogen, it'll start showing on the scale again. I really wish doctors would explain this process to patients before surgery! Some mention plateaus in general, but they rarely explain what causes them, and the 3 week stall is the type of thing they really should explain in detail so we know what's going on because it's basically a given.

Doing well here! Down almost 60lbs, but like some others I have added a few too many carbs. I am still losing weight consistently and feel good but need to clean things up after Thanksgiving. Oh, I tried some fried chicken and fries a while back. My new stomach DOES NOT like fried food.

major complications are really rare. I think it looks like they're more common than they actually are because people who have them get on this and other sites to ask for support and advice about them. People who have no issues don't generally broadcast that fact. They just go on with their lives. I did have a complication - a stricture. The PA at my clinic said that's the most common complication of bypass (well, other than dumping, which affects about 30% of us and can be prevented by not eating a bunch of sugar or fat at one sitting, which none of us should be doing ANYWAY). Strictures, the most common complication according to him, happen to 5% of bypass patients. I wouldn't call something that happens to 5% of patients "common", but that gives you an idea of how "common" complications are. And strictures, like most other complications, are minor and can be easily fixed. They did an upper endoscopy, stretched it out, and I was good to go. I honestly don't know anyone who regretted having weight loss surgery, and I've volunteered for my clinic, been very active on national internet forums, and attended national conferences. Yes, the first few weeks can be tough and a lot of people have "buyer's remorse" during that time, but once they get beyond that initial phase, when they can eat more, have fewer food restrictions, feel fine, and have kind of figured out this whole deal, you're not going to find many people who regret it. Personally, it's the best decision I've ever made. My life is completely different than it was 200 lbs ago, and I wouldn't go back there for ANYTHING. I would have this surgery every year if I had to! I'm in my mid-60s and had my surgery over eight years ago - I could kick myself for not doing it sooner!

I too lost & gained for years. I think most of us did. Like deaths & taxes I could guarantee if I lost weight I would gain it all over again & it would start within weeks. I have never been able to maintain a low weight for as long as I have since my surgery & certainly not a weight this low. Yes, my new set point, faster metabolism & smaller tummy helps but the time the surgery gave me while I was losing was the greatest benefit. It was during this time that I changed my relationship with food & changed the how, what & why I ate. I had never done this before with all the diets I’d been on.(I was almost 54 when I had my surgery so I’d been on a lot of diets.) Not being interested in eating or hungry meant I wasn’t constantly thinking about eating & what I was missing out on while dieting. I used felt any diet i was on was a punishment for having gained weight again. Now, while there are some foods I don’t eat anymore or rarely do it’s not a punishment or I’m missing out. It’s not a diet just how/what I eat & I’m healthier & happier for it. Yes, you’ll often find stories of people struggling or having issues on forums, social media, etc, As @summerseeker said they often come to such sites looking for support or advice. Complications can occur with any surgery but they are very low with bariatric surgery & much lower than with other very commonly performed surgeries (appendectomies are higher than sleeve). The complications & risks of developing co morbidities are much, much greater & debilitating. Yes there are chances of post surgical issues like dumping, foamies, strictures, etc. but they aren’t really that common & are pretty simple to manage or remedy. Like strictures are rare & can be easily repaired with a simple surgery. Dumping & foamies can be managed with dietary choices. I have some issues with the foamies but I just consider them a quirk of my tummy & I had a pretty quirky tummy before surgery so this isn’t even a minor deal. I’d rather have a quirky tummy than be obese, constantly battling my weight & beating myself up about it. Have a chat with your surgeon & ask them for the stats about the surgery itself, any long or short term issues & what can be done to manage or remedy them & their experiences. Ask as many questions as you need. You won’t be the first to come to them with concerns or trepidations. The ultimate decision can only be yours & I wish you the best of luck what ever you choose to do.

I’m doing great! Lost 48 lbs so far, feel fantastic. I mostly eat protein, but I have been sampling with other things and find that some things don’t agree with me, like bacon for sure, and oatmeal. But otherwise most food is fine and I am so happy about it. I never did this for weight loss but it’s been incredible anyway, and I am really enjoying new clothes. How are you doing?

Have your favorite non-solid things and enjoy TIME with the people you love. It is hard for us to shift our mindset when so many of our holidays and rituals involve food, but we can always create new rituals. How about proposing a game night? Or going for a nice walk together? Or crafting ornaments for the tree? Doing things instead of eating things. I know it sounds like second best, but I promise you, it's not. I'm 3 weeks post op and still not on regular food. But I've been shifting my rituals with people from food based ones to activity and time based ones. It has been nice...

I’m doing great! Lost 48 lbs so far, feel fantastic. I mostly eat protein, but I have been sampling with other things and find that some things don’t agree with me, like bacon for sure, and oatmeal. But otherwise most food is fine and I am so happy about it. I never did this for weight loss but it’s been incredible anyway, and I am really enjoying new clothes. How are you doing?

Congrats on a date! I personally love the Fairlife Nutrition Plan and Core Power shakes in both vanilla and chocolate. Chocolate just tastes like chocolate milk to me and the vanilla tastes like a melted milkshake. I can also tolerate the Quest Vanilla as well. (Premier and I are not friends and wasn't the biggest fan of Pure Protein.) So far not many protein powders I've managed to like. The Quest ones were good in flavor, but did a # on my tummy. For clear stage, the Protein2O protein water in most flavors and nearly any chicken broth. I only had one day prior to surgery for clear liquids and by then I was fine with that and gatorade.