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I'm so, so sorry you're struggling. Please know we are rooting for you and want to see you healthy and well. I think first and foremost, you should stick to what you know you tolerate well and do not feel aversions to. Eat as much and as often as you can to help stabilize your caloric intake. Try focusing on what you CAN eat and try to enjoy it as much as possible. Secondly, I would definitely suggest getting in to see a therapist who specializes in disordered eating. Yes, VSG changed your anatomy, your bodily needs, and maybe even your tastes, but this is not normative and getting support will likely be a game changer for you. The sadness, depression, and frustration are all completely valid given what you're going through, but you don't have to stay in this place and there can be improvement. Lastly, I'd say you might want to get in to see a GI or bariatric surgeon to discuss. I also had surgery in Mx and had a wonderful experience and have a very supportive PCP at home, but something this severe might warrant a face to face visit with a specialist. If there are any physical factors they should be addressed along with the mental/emotional pieces. Wish you the very best of luck!

Literally all of this. I've enjoyed liver paté, grapes, popped cheese (yum!), Quest protein chips, multigrain crackers with Philadelphia Light, and some low-sugar/sugarfree treats as well. Normal popsicles, oh man, they've come in handy a few times! I was hungry enough for it, though, so it wasn't really a chore. @Summermoose I wouldn't be too worried about the fat; it's getting hooked on sugar that's the worry here (had to cut myself off from the popsicles at one point), because that really is the way to eat 'around' pretty much any bariatric surgery. You may already know this, but your body probably won't allow you to go overboard on fat. I had foie gras while out, had saved calories for it, all was good. Until, you know, I realized that much fat with our configuration works like an instant laxative. Not my proudest moment.

I had a 150 pound loss with my Lap Band, but never got to goal. And now I'm contemplating revision to RNY. I did have a tummy tuck 2 years ago. My surgeon was wonderful. She submitted to my insurance for a panniculectomy, but she said what I needed was a fleur de lis tummy tuck. So insurance approved the panniculectomy, but my surgeon did the fleur de lis, hernia repair and diastasis recti repair, and she didn't charge me extra. She is amazing. ❤️ One other note that I will add is I have a friend who was never a bariatric patient, but she had 4 kids and needed a tummy tuck, and her ob/gyn did the tummy tuck. She did not have good results at all and now regrets the decision. I would highly recommend having a plastic surgeon do your surgery. I think it's just a matter of finding the right surgeon in these situations.

I might disagree with some of the comments here. You will maintain a relationship with your surgeon for awhile so it’s important to choose someone that will acknowledge you. I suppose with some programs the surgeon does their job then it’s off to the PA or dietitian but in others you should be having regular appointments afterwards and then yearly. My gallbladder was removed recently. The surgeon did his job but his bedside was awful. However gallbladder removal isn’t life-changing and I’ve had no use for him since. Bariatric surgery is different. I’m surprised you haven’t had a meeting yet to at least discuss the best surgery for you.

I had my sleeve on May 17th. In January, I weighed 385. I started preparing and had my first bariatric meeting with the surgeon around mid March. My weight when I started my 2 weeks of shakes was 362 and my surgery weight was 342. I track almost everything I eat and I am setting at 256 right now. Kinda tough to track around the Holiday, but feel like I have a new lease on life. I danced for almost 3 straight hours on Nov 27th at my daughter’s wedding! Your stomach will be tiny which will help you while you get/keep your mind right. Do NOT cheat! Have and keep the faith in the process! If you do that you will be extremely happy and able to get back to an active lifestyle!!! :-)

Oh I love that! Same with me I was raw vegan the past year and loosing a feeling great I even became a cherries vegan nutritionist then my mother had a bunch of health problems and starting in June of this year I was back and forth to Missouri to help her. I got Covid late July - even though I was vaccinated and ended in pneumonia. My goal in January was loose my weight by the end of the year or get the sleeve. Life happened and kicked my butt this year so 3 months ago I called a bariatric surgeon and I got in this Weds for the sleeve. But I get the focusing on the mind I feel being a raw vegan put me vibrationally and spiritually in a different vibration and I have been working with a therapist to work through my eating disorders and issues with my mother. I feel this step is the next step but you are so right it is so important to focus on getting your mind in the right place. Sounds to me like you are really heading in the right direction! Next year is going to be such an amazing year! I can’t wait and am really looking forward to the next phase in my journey!!!

I am not joining WW waist of my $. I am an emotional eater which is never really addressed when having WLS. Overeaters anonymous is helping me change my mindset, it’s free and it’s working. You can attend on zoom and there are meetings 24/7/365. Best thing I ever did. Was sleeved in 2018. And after 4 months my hunger came back. Only list 80 lbs from the 165 my dr thought I would. So his disappointment lead to mine as well. I just joined OA and it’s not a weight loss club it deals with reasons why we eat overeat etc… free and best thing I ever done. They have group meetings for Bariatric people a few days a week but I attend a meeting every day. It’s amazing how better I feel about myself, less shame, less guilt and the scale is starting to move slowly but it is moving. In the right direction. If you feel you have mind work to do , or are an emotional eater try overeaters anonymous. It’s world wide

My sleeve date is Dec 21st! I’ve been reading blogs and watching vlogs of other peoples bariatric sleeve journey. They’ve been quite informative about the struggles of the first couples of weeks and the successes. I’m excited to learn new ways of eating as my mindset about food is already changing.

Congratulations on your sleeve. First I’m going to address the issue of Protein. In the beginning Protein is super important. It helps heal, Hair loss, muscle building, skin elasticity, etc. My full liquid diet consisted of 3 Protein Shakes a day with a list of other fluids in between my shakes. My surgery center let me know it was imperative that I got in at least 3 protein shakes a day. I went home with a 30 day supply of Bariatric Fusion protein power and Vitamins. Along with prescription for nausea and pain. So not having any protein for two week properly isn’t a good thing. They also gave me a list of approved bariatric protein shakes and powders so I can order more once I ran out of what they sent me home with. Now to address the negative, I don’t recommend anyone go abroad or go for a cheaper version. I actually feel sad for you because we went to a place that didn’t give you the correct information to be successful in the long run. This surgery is about so much more than have someone reputable to cut into you. It’s good to have a surgery team to be there for you before and after the surgery and to let you up for success. Everyone’s situation is different. Your starting weight was like mine in the 200s, so I didn’t have to undergo some of the things that others have. I must mention the I had RNY and not sleeve. There are a couple of things that I see that I know my surgery center in the US would have caught. Assuming you had heart burn before your surgery, RNY would have been the way to go instead. Also I started my surgery journey in August and I had my surgery in November in the US. During the months leading up to surgery, I was taught a new way of eating not only food choices, but also how to chew, eat slower, and take smaller bites. Most of all how to get used to not drinking for 30-45 minutes after eating. This was the hardest habit to break. Lol!!!! This made it easier for after surgery. I was also accustomed to ending this new way. I had several tests done just to ensure I was healthy enough handle the anesthesia. During the coarse of these tests it was discovered that I had sleep apnea and an irregular heart beat. Had I gone aboard and settled for a cheaper option, I could have died one the table because the anesthesiologist not know of these issues and we hadn’t worked to correct them as much as possible before hand. I had to work with a psychiatrist to work through my emotional eating. Now I turn to prayer or journaling instead of a bowl of ice cream and potato chips. So I said all that to say, YES you need protein. And to discourage anyone from taking a short cut or cheaper option. As you can see you can easily be given misinformation or left without the necessary info and tools to be successful after the surgery. Best wishes 💛💛💛💛

Congratulations on your sleeve. First I’m going to address the issue of protein. In the beginning Protein is super important. It helps heal, hair loss, muscle building, skin elasticity, etc. My full liquid diet consisted of 3 protein shakes a day with a list of other fluids in between my shakes. My surgery center let me know it was imperative that I got in at least 3 protein shakes a day. I went home with a 30 day supply of bariatric fusion protein power and vitamins. Along with prescription for nausea and pain. So not having any protein for two week properly isn’t a good thing. They also gave me a list of approved bariatric protein shakes and powders so I can order more once I ran out of what they sent me home with. Now to address the negative, I don’t recommend anyone go abroad or go for a cheaper version. I actually feel sad for you because we went to a place that didn’t give you the correct information to be successful in the long run. This surgery is about so much more than have someone reputable to cut into you. It’s good to have a surgery team to be there for you before and after the surgery and to let you up for success. Everyone’s situation is different. Your starting weight was like mine in the 200s, so I didn’t have to undergo some of the things that others have. I must mention the I had RNY and not sleeve. There are a couple of things that I see that I know my surgery center in the US would have caught. Assuming you had heart burn before your surgery, RNY would have been the way to go instead. Also I started my surgery journey in August and I had my surgery in November in the US. During the months leading up to surgery, I was taught a new way of eating not only food choices, but also how to chew, eat slower, and take smaller bites. This made it easier for after surgery. I was also accustomed to ending this new way. I had several tests done just to ensure I was healthy enough handle the anesthesia. During the coarse of these tests it was discovered that I had sleep apnea and an irregular heart beat. Had I gone aboard and settled for a cheaper option, I could have died one the table because the anesthesiologist not know of these issues and we hadn’t worked to correct them as much as possible before hand. I had to work with a psychiatrist to work through my emotional eating. Now I turn to prayer or journaling instead of a bowl of ice cream and potato chips. So I said all that to say, YES you need protein. And to discourage anyone from taking a short cut or cheaper option. As you can see you can easily be given misinformation or left without the necessary info and tools to be successful after the surgery. Best wishes 💛💛💛💛

Water down the protein shakes. Try adding 2 oz (1/4 c) water to an 11 oz protein drink. Continue diluting until you can tolerate them. You will probably only sip 2-4 oz per meal, or snack between meals. You could also try Isopure fruit-flavored powder. It looks like clear lemonade when mixed. There are also protein waters available. In Walmart I found some bottles of "Protein 2O", mixed berry flavor with 15 g protein, 70 cal, to use as a substitute for a protein shake. Several brands sell soup-flavored protein powders: Bariatric Advantage, ProtiDiet. They are not sweet and resemble creamy soups. I have found that I prefer plant-based shakes and powders over the whey-based. Examples, Pure Protein, Orgain. Remember to take a TINY SIP, wait, then take another TINY SIP... At this stage you cannot just "drink" shakes and water.

Okay, I had my sleeve done on Wednesday the 15th and I still feel like crap. I had my pre-op tests done on the 13th (full body scan, blood test, and routing checkup with the surgeon) and went into op around 8am that Wednesday. I know the time frame is weird, but considering the fact that the surgeon does 2 to 3 bariatrics surgeries a day (popular guy), I felt pretty comfortable doing it. I wanna start off by saying, I'm quite amused at the level of "attention" and pre-reqs that is required in the U.S. It is super unnecessary, a sleeve is probably one of the easiest major surgeries that can be performed. I actually felt sad for the people that had to undergo years of testing and check ups and even liver operations just to be able to do it. Don't waste your money and time on that and just find a reputable surgeon abroad who will most likely do it at 1/10th of the cost while being much more experienced with it (I was treated like a client/customer whenever I conuslted a doctor in the U.S. rather than a patient). Now that I got all the negativity towards the American healthcare system, I want to ask a few things about my current diet. For the most part, most post-op diets are similar but I don't understand how some people go hard on protein during the 1st phase when my diet doesn't involve any protein until the 5th week. First 14 days is clear liquids, and the nutritionist/surgeon literally just advised me to drink white grape or apple juice (peeled,strained, added water, no added sugars), broth water (no fat, no seasonings, bleh), and herbal drinks (no caffeine). How the heck is my body supposed to stay alive on what I suppose is basically nutrient weak foods? I'm still alive obviously, but I don't see how I won't be turned into a skeletal frame by the end of the 2nd week on this diet? I asked my doc "am I gonna be alive to even enjoy solid foods in a couple of months if I stick to this diet?", to which he replied "don't worry buddy, trust the process".(okay he didn't actually say that, but it was something among the lines of it'll be okay if you stick to it). I mean I trust the process, but I don't really trust the science behind it. Why do some people have the luxury of being allowed to eat SF Jello, ice pops, protein shakes, puddings, etc. just a few days after surgery when my diet is so harsh? How is not having any protein over 2 weeks a good thing? I had a natural weight loss journey before (300 to 185) and it involved a LOT of protein and little to no carbs/sugar + high fat for muscle building, so this just sounds so alien to me. Not sure if this helps, but I'm a 28 y/o male, current weight 258 ideal 170. I was prescribed anti-heartburn meds, pain meds, and blood thinners as well as a weekly dose of B-12. Sent from my SM-N970U using BariatricPal mobile app

Friday afternoon I got the phone call that my surgery was approved by insurance and was given a March 1st surgery date. The wait is longer than I expected but it makes sense since my surgeon needs more time to complete the bypass (revising from sleeve due to GERD) and a hiatal hernia repair. Financially it works out better for me too. It gives me time to pay some extra on bills since I'll be out for 2+ weeks. Between now and surgery day Inhave lots of appointments for labs, dietitian, pre-op physical with my PCP, and a huge appointment with my bariatric nurse and then a 1 hour appointment with my surgeon and another endoscopy. I get to do my surgeon's 10 day pre-op diet again. This is bringing back a lot of memories from when I had the sleeve 7 years ago. The post op diet has changed during that time. Food texture progression is much slower this time. I think that will be good though. Sent from my Z6201V using BariatricPal mobile app

One thing I learned was that my surgeon's "nutritionist" was someone who'd gotten a minor cert and was literally reading from a booklet. Find an actual nutritionist or better yet a registered dietitian who has long experience with bariatric patients. In case you didn't hear it: 800 calories is WAY. TOO. LITTLE. I eat twice that at three months out and am losing 2 lbs. a week or so. Bump up your calories to 1000 or even 1200 for a week or two and see what happens.

I have some some chewable bariatric vitamins as well but I don’t feel like I’m taking in enough nutrients to take vitamins and I’m afraid they will make me nauseous😔. I have these sneeze attacks often and because I’m still sore, it drives me nuts! 🤦🏾‍♀️🤣 My saying is, the choice was easy but the process is hard. We are food addicts that are experiencing some real life changes within our bodies and all we can do is embrace it and prepare for greatness. ☺️

Do you see a psychiatrist for your antidepressant medication? Finding the right medication is a trial and error process. Since you are still depressed (sad), the one you are on may not be the best one for you, especially if it is interfering with your desired weight loss. Psychiatrists know far more about psychotropic medication than general practitioners. Here is the food plan that I have been on pre-surgery. I'm just three days away from my scheduled revision surgery. When I can eat regular food again I intend to go back on it. It's been very successful for me. Part of the success has been my recognition of trigger foods. I have cut out all sugar, flour, rice, potatoes, and processed foods and have lost 67 lbs to date. If I indulge in these things, I have to go through withdrawal all over again. Then, if I avoid my trigger foods, I do not have cravings. A Pound of Cure by Matthew Weiner, MD, a bariatric surgeon. He's written two other books, has a website and YouTube videos.

Might need to change when i take that iron pill, or stop it🤔 oh awesome! Well it depends which diet your on now, my surgeon has allowed me to go to soft foods but most of what im eating has been puree still, wanting to take it slow. Pureed shepherds pie, mango, yoghurt, baked fish is quite soft and agreed with me. Theres a book by Sally Johnston that has heaps of bariatric surgery meals in it, its been great so far! But taking it slow and trying out different foods to see what agrees with you is what ive been told to do

My bariatric program also doesn't mention any numbers for calories. Numbers for for fluids and protein. So I am guessing they aren't too concerned about calories either. But I'll definitely bring it up during my dietician's appointment so I know what I'll be dealing with.

Now that you are logging your intake, can you post a sample of what you eat in a day? Between all of the folks here, there are decades of experience with post-bariatric weight loss. Maybe someone will be able to spot something that could be derailing your progress.

You'll be in the same boat as 60-90% of bariatric patients. Some realize this and deal with it, others beat themselves over the head and come back again and again. I recommend group therapy. Eating disorders (which what it actually is; but I understand addiction is a valid framing in America) are highly social disorders, and group therapy is a great social setting to solve it in. Best of luck.

I’m so sorry you’re surgery has been canceled once again. In Massachusetts where I live our governors administration is now asking hospitals to reduce procedures for non-life-threatening conditions by 50%. This is including bariatric surgeries, hip replacements. Many of the larger hospitals in Worcester, Boston, Springfield are full ICU patients, staff shortages and overload of patients in the ER departments. Plus the uptick of COVID.

Thanks. I haven't heard from my doctor at all. One thing I do want to mention as an FYI, or in case anyone is interested is that my psych asked me a question. She asked if I'd be happy staying the same weight that I am, or losing 10-20 pounds since my eating patterns have shifted a little. But generally, can I be happy at this weight. Because I think we both know that, barring some miracle, I'm likely to not lose the amount of weight I would if I had the procedure. I'd have to research the meds that were mentioned earlier (that's not really a road I've traveled as of yet). So I'm still thinking about that. Honestly, NO. I'm a big girl. I don't mind being big, to some extent, but I'm uncomfortable in my skin with how I am now. Eight years ago I was able to lose a nice chunk of weight, but I can't say that's possible right now for me. Age, stress, hormones - you name it, are really working against me. But, being also not sure about the surgery, I'm in a limbo of sorts, which is almost more depressing and frustrating. It was advised that I touch base back with the bariatric program in a month or so, or after the holidays to kind of gauge where things are. But honestly I don't even know what they would want me to do at this point (start over in the program, etc.) and it sound exhausting to me to do that.

I'm not going to pee on your leg and tell you it's raining. You have to change your approach to food. It's vital. If you don't change your "old eating style", you will not succeed. It doesn't mean eliminate things, it means WAY smaller portions, sometimes to the point where it's not worth buying, say, separate steaks for you and your partner. At three months post-surgery, I literally could not finish a 28 ounce lobster tail before it went bad. If I'm REALLY lucky and my stomach is 100 percent empty, I can get 4-5 ounces of protein down before my restriction kicks in, and then it's hours before I want to eat again. Yesterday I made a pound of ground turkey breast into burgers, intending to eat half in one meal and half in another. I made it through four ounces of the stuff and was vaguely nauseated all day. You will have to eat your protein first, then your vegetables, then your starches. No exceptions. So if you get surf-n-turf, you might get two ounces of lobster and an ounce or so of wagyu down (I have trouble eating much steak, which is a shame given that steak is what I do), and you MIGHT have room for a few bites of vegetables, and MAYBE a bite or two of baked potato. And I mean little bites. If I get 2 oz. of rice or potato down, it's a lot. And I eat much more than your typical bariatric post-op patient because of how active I am. You also are going to have to give up, at least temporarily, drinking anything with dinner except maybe a sip or two of water to help drier proteins go down. That means no wine with dinner. Once you're used to how to eat, and once you're cleared for alcohol, a sip or two isn't going to kill you, but you simply won't have room for both wine and food even if you drink the wine first. I nursed a glass of Barolo for almost three hours in Vegas. tl;dr you can eat kind of whatever, but because you have so little room, you must prioritize your eating so you don't get sick, weak, or anæmic.

Some people are just slow losers. But everybody and every body is bound by the CICO (calories in calories out) equation. If you are eating in a caloric deficit, which literally every post-op bariatric patient (regardless of surgery) is, you are going to lose weight. It just may not be leaps and bounds. And for those who lost a ton of weight quickly, a lot of that is water weight and many of us stalled after our body recalculated its hydration needs, whereas many slow losers lose steadily. It. Will. Come. Off.

I agree with @ShoppGirl. You may have transferred your addiction back to food. Seeking a therapist who specialises or is experienced with bariatric patients, disordered eating &/or eating addictions. Your surgeon should be able to recommend someone to work with you. Unfortunately many anti depressant meds increase your appetite too so you they could be adding to your battle. Congratulations on being a year sober. All the best. Sorry, just read your response above & I’m glad you’re seeking help from therapists all ready. Definitely see a dietician. Sometimes little things have a, big impact on losing or gaining.