Search the Community

Yes! My need for a knee replacement is actually what pushed me to have the surgery. The Ortho surgeon wouldn't do it unless I lost 75 pounds. I had the sleeve in March of 2019 and I had the total knee replacement in August of 2020. So I waited about 1.5 years between surgeries. But that's because it took time for me to lose the required weight. Ask the doctor (bariatric, Ortho, or both) but I don't think you will have to wait as long as I did. Best wishes.

Hey! I’m hoping to find someone that’s going on a similar journey. in 2016 I had a sleeve. Lost 100 lbs, got pregnant in 2017 but Kept most of. Then in 2019 we started fertility treatments for number 2 and I gained all 100 back. I’m having bypass revision on Jan 6. I’m panicking. I’m 30, I have two girls, 4 and 1. Live in Illinois. I have an extremely sarcastic personality. Not a good marriage, not much support. I don’t really have friends. Anyone? Lol I sound like a blast

I’ve lost 26lbs considering I weighed in at 189lbs on 11/01 my surgery date. I’m at stage 5 so I’m not sure if my weight will slow down or not. I’m finding out that foods I loved prior to surgery I’m unable to eat right now. I love bananas and I always had one every morning with breakfast before my surgery. I had eaten a banana the other day and it made me really sick. It turns out that the banana has too much natural sugar in it. My system cannot handle it. I can’t even eat turkey but it’s weird I can eat chicken.

I had surgery on 11/10/20, but started my weight loss efforts on 7/5/20. If you’ve been here a while I’m sure you’ve seen me lurking about the forums. Stats: SW 339. CW: 165. I am a 5’10 woman in her 40s. I work full time and have young children. My current BMI is 23, I started off with it closer to 50. I knew it was going to take me a while to hit goal- I had 174 lbs to lose. I did all the calculators pre-op that said I would be lucky to get under 200 lbs, but I decided that just wasn’t going to apply to me (haha). My plan was to focus on fruits, vegetables, and healthy proteins while ramping up exercise. I eliminated cookies, pastries, and candy but that’s about it. I don’t do low carb, because that isn’t how I’m planning on living the rest of my life. I focus on calorie reduction, which sounds like oh if that’s so easy why did you need surgery? Well cutting calories is possible if you aren’t hungry all the time no matter how much you eat, and if you can fill up on the healthy things without it being like flash paper into a volcano. I honestly did need the surgery, and I’m not going to pretend it did the work for me, but it gave me the help for the work I wanted to be able to do. Six days a week I do a split between running and rowing for a half hour. I’m going to run in a 5k this spring, which has been a dream of mine for years. I exercise on my lunch break every day. Yes, I have some loose skin. It’s nowhere as bad as people make it out to be. I am not exactly planning on running around in a bikini so it’s not like it limits my life at all. It’s not visible in my clothes, not even tight fitting ones. I might get it removed some day, but if I don’t I’ll still be happy. This weight loss has been the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for me. Life is difficult when you are morbidly obese. It’s difficult physically, emotionally, and socially. This weight loss hasn’t fixed every problem in my life, but I didn’t expect for it to. It fixed my weight related problems, and I had a lot of them. This surgery can be life changing, but it’s not a magic bullet. You still have to make huge life changes. But if you feel sabotaged you your own constant hunger, cravings, and binges, this can really be the tool you use to dig yourself out of the seemingly insurmountable weight you need to lose. This isn’t a finish line for me. I am still working on hopefully losing another 15 lbs, and I’m never going back to my old eating habits. I know I signed up for a lifelong change, otherwise I’ll be right back where I started. But finally hitting goal was a nice early Christmas present to myself. Sorry for the essay, but I don’t really have anyone in real life to share with who gets it!

there's no way that's a true weight gain. I would guess you're retaining water or your intestines are full. a lot of people don't lose much the first week because of the IV fluids you get in the hospital. In fact, some people "gain" on that (not really a true gain, though - it's just the fluid). I've heard of people "gaining" as much as 10 lbs in the hospital! It can up to a week for all that fluid to work its way out of your system.

It's at my mother-in-law's. It was supposed to be a chill, small Christmas with the 6 of us and it snowballed. Yes, it'll be within 10 days of surgery. I'm nervous about the number of people and I'll be on the liquid diet and don't want the "Why arent you eating?" question. Normally, I'd go to town so it'll be obvious. My immediate family knows, but not everyone who will be there.

Hi all! I had a very easy time with getting approved with my insurance and meeting requirements for my sleeve. I was able to get all the requirements done in a month and I am already scheduled for 02/01/2021! I feel relieved it was so easy but as soon as I made the appointment the anxiety and reality kicked in hard. Did anyone else find themselves worrying about if they would be successful after surgery? I am also worried about pain since I have never had surgery other than my wisdom teeth (which were so painful). After failing diets my entire life I am now 130lbs overweight and I know this is the best shot I have at losing that much. I am just worried it will be like every other diet or change I have failed. My doctor's office has a support group I have been to but I just feel silly talking in them. Any advice or words of encouragement for dealing with pre-surgery anxiety would be super helpful! Thank you all for the constant support with your own posts, makes me feel not alone ❤️

So I could use some help. Had surgery Dec 20, 2019, but really started working out (lifting and running) in Oct. Since I increased my activity level, I have been just hungry. My eating habits are all over—trying to get protein, but hungry (so I’m grabbing handfuls of whatever). I haven’t been tracking food accurately due to being snacky. And unfortunately gaining weight (roughly +7 pounds—from 143 to 150). I can’t tell if it’s muscle or flab. Clothes still fit, but my body dysmorphia is in full bloom and I feel like I look like I’m back at pre-WLS shape. The working out has been amazing though, and I’m enjoying the weightlifting in particular. I know at 2 years it’s common to gain some weight. And for the body to begin to absorb calories more efficiently. I guess I’m at a loss as to how to “right this ship”. I need to get back to below 145 for my mental health, which sounds slightly ridiculous, I know. Tracking calories accurately and not snacking I guess? Thoughts or “been there / done that” experience ?

Another June gal here. I'm down 40 lbs (but that includes the liver shrink). I have 10 lbs to get to my doctor's goal, but 20 to get to where I'd really love to be. I was doing really well until I had a severe sciatica episode Thanksgiving weekend. I've had back issues for 10 years or so, with a few flare-ups, but this was the WORST. The nerve that controls my right leg was pinched and I couldn't use it at all. And unfortunately, I tried to stand on it and ended up falling and messing up my knee. Long story short, I was given a mega-NSAID by urgent care until I got to see the pain doc a few days later. And of course, I took it because I was in too much pain to care. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. I'm able to walk now, but the only exercise I'm doing is PT. So hopefully I won't be tempted to go too far off my eating plan and gain. I've been cheating and eating more carbs than I'm supposed to. It's so hard when you don't feel well. Carbs are my comfort foods. But at least I can only tolerate a small amount of them. Best to all of you!

I'm a little over 1 year post-op. Sleeved 12/4/20 in Tijuana, amazing experience, no complications and good follow up care with a good state side PCP who approved of and supported going to Mexico. I started at 345 lbs and currently weigh 225 lbs at 5'7 so 120 lbs lost in a year. Emotionally, I'm sad, frustrated and need some support. I have zero appetite (absolutely none) and take a med who's off label usage is for binge eating disorder which further surpresses anything hunger related. This med is for executive dysfunction issues (ADHD) so going off is not an option. I have no cravings. I'm very much struggling to eat, but I have serious food intolerances. I cannot tolerate most meat such as chicken, beef or pork. It makes my stomach cramp horribly. If I do force myself to eat it, I can maybe get a few ounces in but I'm miserable for a while after. Shrimp is the only animal protein that I can tolerate consistently with little issues. Even fish can be problematic only due to palate and taste bud changes. I can no longer tolerate eggs by themselves. I vomit within 10 minutes and vomiting triggers food avoidance for days. This has been mitigated by a therapist and not eating eggs. Eggs used as a binder in things like bread, cake or muffins are fine. Rice, pasta, bread and vegetables give me no problems. Dairy is ok as long as it's Fairlife milk and protein shakes or aged cheese. Any other cow based dairy items trigger diarrhea at the worst, stomach cramping/bloating at the least. Non-dairy such as oat milk and nut milks are no issues. Most protein shakes/powders make me vomit like eggs do. I have spent hundreds of dollars on protein shakes and am grateful that my husband can drink anything or it'd all go to waste. Surprisingly, I can tolerate deli meat, but very tiny portions like in a lunchable. Same goes for sandwiches so I've been consistent with those. Snacks are non-existent except for sunflower seeds. Sometimes even Doritos bother me. The only slider food I had for a while was ice cream, but it triggered lactose issues I've never had before so... Drinking is not an issue though I do have issues with certain waters, but juice? Tea? Coffee? No problems! Anything liquid doesn't bother my stomach. Even drippings from the chicken I'll put on rice! I'm also experiencing gastro issues... Specifically the trigger to release your bowels when you eat. It's an involuntarily action your body does, but mine is violent. For months I had nothing my diarrhea after eating. I did a stool test and it was only slight inflammation. It's slowed down some but I just stick near a toilet when I eat. It doesn't matter really what I eat either. I also have GERD (did not have it prior, one of the lucky few that develop it post surgery) and am on prescription meds because OTC does not work. GERD is not every day. I'll have a flare up (connected to nothing!) Maybe 1x per month for a few days and then nothing. The above intolerances and gastro issue trigger food avoidance how vomiting does. I'm literally disgusted 99% of the time I'm in the kitchen when looking to feed myself because of the physical issues I'm having with food. I have no problems cooking for and feeding others (I have a family) and being in the kitchen and cooking is still an absolute joy. I have no negative physical or mental reactions to food that I do not plan to eat. Strangely, I'm VERY excited to still try new foods and will go with friends or family who have as diverse palates as I do and will taste their item. But it's literally a taste. I know I'm not eating enough, weightloss has definitely stalled due to the lower calories. I'm taking my vitamins like clock work and while I'm due for more blood work, my last was great. Feeding myself feels like a huge chore. VSG has done it's job - it's changed me metabolically. No more appetite, no more cravings and has completely rewired my brain to not enjoy food at all. I'm only a year PO so... Could this change? How do I combat this? Should I stop whining? Does it get better? Should I go back to therapy? Would a revision help? I feel like most people want to only look at food as a necessity. I wish I was disinterested in food like I am now, but without the physical side effects that make me sick or keep me on a toilet. I appreciate you reading this far!

Hey, My name is Victoria and I am having the gastric sleeve on 1st of Feb in the Galway clinic (Ireland). My insurance is covering 90% so I am wondering if anyone knows what the 10% is please? Thank you Victoria 😊

Not only are we trading weight loss tips, I'm learning American slang lol. Thanks man, took it off again for privacy reasons, just figured I'd show what 200 lbs looks like on 6 feet on me. But yeah, factor in the rebound 5 lbs or so people seem to gain (or 10 as it were), but kind reminder (to myself, too) that getting down to an indefensible weight is probably a really bad idea as it starts the cycle of overeating again. I'll honestly probably lose 5 lbs more due to my anatomy - it seems MGB'ers lose a lot and keep losing for a while - but it's not my goal. I'm already below goal. Congrats on your success. You'll be rolling in it soon I assume you're Scandi, too, based on name?

I had VSG and lost 37 lbs the first month and 19 the second month, so I'd say 29 in a month is pretty darn good and not to worry.

I don’t think e-cigarettes are “bad” for you maybe I am wrong. I don’t use them but I was a regular cigarette smoker in my teens but quit at 19 and never looked back. I have read some really good health benefits from Nicotine and I will use Glas vape once in awhile it helps with my anxiety a lot and it may be something I use more often to help then turning to food. I haven’t used anything in over 6 months but I personally don’t think vaping is bad. Like I said I may be proved wrong but I think it’s a much healthier alternative to real cigarettes for sure!

I’m scheduled for 1/19 so a month away! I’m excited and of course, nervous. I’m am most dreading the drains. Blech! I had a drain once from a surgery for a day or so and despised it. I was going to do the lift but decided to wait because I wasn’t convinced I really needed it and that it wouldn’t change much. However, the TT should make a big difference in my life!

Thank you all for the thought out replies, I truly appreciate it. I understand that I shouldn't have taken the cheap route, but I didn't have 25k laying around to get the surgery done in the U.S. With that said, I talked to a few friends who used the same surgeon within the last year or so and they all said great things about him and they averaged close to 1 pounds lost per day for the first 60 days. That definitely was what lured me in since I've been trying to lose weight for almost a decade now and I always rebound. For the record, I don't have heartburn. He just prescribed it to me "in case" I get heartburn in the morning or at night. It's just a preventative. My second phase is week 3 and 4, and it involves a "Full fluid" diet; basically a clear liquid diet but I do get to have some other things like sugar substitutes, fat free yoghurt, fat free custard, and fat free creamy soups (no chunks). I also got a visit from him and the nutritionist post-op where they explained what kind of lifestyle changes I have to make now that it's done (chewing a lot, exercice more regularly, portion control, etc.) so it's not like they're completely irresponsible; it's just that they don't see it as a major op and told me that as long as I don't cheat and follow through with all phases, I would be good. It's easy for us Americans to judge their actions, but at the end of the day I did it in a country where the medical field is more advanced than what we have and I truly believe that we make it difficult because insurance companies wanna bill you the most for everything and obesity + overconsumption is seen as benefitial to the economy. Pureed food is for week 5 and 6. This is where I get to have some protein, 45-50grams a day split up between 6 small meals(1 boiled egg, 1 cup of fat free milk, 30grams of soft cheese or low fat cheese, 1 can of tuna in water drained). Weeks 7 and 8 is soft foods and then after 2 months its solid foods but maximum of 8 spoonfuls per meal. I guess I should just go ahead and say that I did it in Israel, so if you have any doubts on the quality of healthcare over there; know that it's in the top 10 whereas the US is in the bottom 48. I hope this works out well, will keep you updated! 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

LOL, this thread and others here in the MGB forum are fun reads 7-10 years later. Tell us MGB/OAGB'ers more about how your lap-bands worked out for you

Several people have mentioned that at this point 800 cal/day is too low, your body is probably in starvation mode. Try to increase to 1000 cal/day, same type of food but slightly larger portions. This will help you feel fuller while hopefully kickstarting your metabolism again. Drink a LOT between meals to fill up your stomach too (but wait at least 30 minutes after eating before drinking anything). I personally hate drinking water so I drink lots and lots of crystal light lemonade. It has almost no calories and is still 99.99% water. Try supplementing your breakfast with a protein shake. That will help you reach your protein goals while also filling you up. I drink one Premier Protein every single morning after breakfast (Chocolate flavor!) It feels like I'm treating myself and I'm adding 30 grams of protein every day. That usually keeps me satisfied until lunch. You said you're logging now - are you also weighing your foods? If not, you are likely grossly underestimating your portion sizes. My wife made a chicken stir-fry for dinner tonight and I decided to have some - I weighed out 4.5 oz into a bowl and it looked like a VERY small portion - she was shocked when I told her how much it was, it was actually a little more than I've been eating lately (3-4 oz per meal). It was actually really filling though, but if I just eyeballed it I almost definitely would have eaten too much and not even realized it. The "surgery is a tool" can mean several things. For some (most?) it provides an automatic restriction so that you physically can't eat as much as you used to without getting sick. For those who had gastric bypass, it also provides an incentive for what you're eating to be healthy in order to avoid dumping syndrome. Bypass patients also get the benefit of malabsorption. For others, it's the knowledge that you underwent major permanent surgery as a last ditch effort to get healthy and that can help change your mindset about eating. I'm in the position to have gone through both major weight loss surgeries. I had the sleeve in December 2016 and lost about 120 pounds in about six months. I was a regular on the forums here, I tracked every single bite (my personal recommendation is My Fitness Pal - I also weighed myself every morning (which is not always recommended) and took a full body photo with the app once a week to see my progress), Then I had some personal/profession issues which screwed up my schedule and my mindset and slowly began to gain weight back. I stopped tracking, stopped eating healthy, and all of a sudden a few years later I realized I had regained almost all of the pre-surgery weight. I was depressed, upset, embarrassed, ashamed, but I decided to do something about it and I went back to my doctor (I had stopped going to appointments too) and he said I was a good candidate for revision surgery to gastric bypass. It's been just over 4 weeks since that surgery and I'm down 36 pounds so far - not losing as quickly as the first surgery, but still losing. I still track religiously, and follow the meal plan exactly the way it was given to me (first month, soft high-protein foods with no fruits and veggies, no sugar, no bread, pasta, etc.), just starting my second month by adding some veggies to every meal. I had a couple of brief stalls but I kept with the program and they went away. I've been slowly increasing my daily calories and that has helped as well (still below 1000 most days but I've gone as high as 1200). In order to feel like I'm not depriving myself of sweets, I have one or sometimes two containers of sugar-free chocolate and vanilla swirl Jello every day. Last time after a few months I added a small portion of Halo Top ice cream as a daily dessert - very low calories, low or no carbs, and delicious. It's important not to feel that you're depriving yourself. Another thing to look at is your sleep - are you getting enough sleep? When I get a good night's sleep I lose about a pound over night. The times when I don't get enough sleep are the days I notice a stall or even a slight increase in weight. Given your starting weight is there a chance you have sleep apnea? I was diagnosed with sleep apnea several years ago and started using a CPAP, my sleeping improved dramatically. Ultimately, the surgery is not a magic bullet, although when things are going well it can seem like magic, but that happens when you put in the work. It's not bullshit, or useless, it has helped many many people who have tried everything else (myself included). You said you lost 30 lbs so far, that's great! That's 30 lbs you probably wouldn't have lost without the surgery. Now you have to figure out how to kickstart the rest of your journey. To summarize, here's what I would do if I were in your place: 1 - Increase your calories - same healthy foods for larger portions 2 - Increase your protein - add a protein shake after breakfast if necessary (wait 30 minutes after eating first) 3 - Increase your liquid intake - drink water if you enjoy it, or mix up some crystal light lemonade or something similar, drink ALL THE TIME 4 - Get a good night's sleep 5 - Keep tracking everything - make sure you WEIGH everything you eat, never eyeball. You can get a basic food scale for 10 bucks 6 - Don't give up! I know it's frustrating but based on your posts you're in a tough headspace right now. If you keep going on about how the surgery is bullshit, useless, etc. it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Good luck!

So I’m starting to feel a little better. I had to get some fluids infused yesterday bc I couldn’t drink bc of how much pain it was causing me. They also noticed my sugar was really low so they made me consume sugar. Been feeling ok since though. Besides when I sneeze or cough or move lol. im definitely going to get some of those protein shots. I’ve also been wondering if I should do liquid vitamins bc they chewable ones from celebrate always make it to where my stomach feels too full. Even with me taking 10-15 minutes to consume one vitamin.

COVID-19 SPECIAL UPDATE So, the 'rona found me. How does that affect our anatomy? Hello, toilet Well, some people experience symptoms in the gastro-intestinal tract, and I sure did as well. Actually my first symptom was likely constipation, which - to say the least - ended abruptly on day 5 after infection, which was my second day with other symptoms. Hello again, toilet I really missed the ability to take ibuprofen / NSAIDs, because it would've helped. I was doing not-so-hot for a few days there. Tried a low-dose aspirin with acetaminophen, and weirdly, it sent me barfing immediately. Didn't give it another shot. Goodbye, appetite Immediately getting my positive test result, I decided to go to what I am sure would be maintenance calories - 2600/day. In reality, it is almost impossible for me to eat more than 1500. I just don't feel like eating. I know getting protein in is super important for my body, especially now. Protein cereal has helped, so has the protein mac n' cheese. Hello, insanity Seriously, what's this weirdo disease? Suddenly my ears are ringing, then I have a full-body rash, then I can barely cough to save my life, then I'm fine for half a day, then running a high fever again. Most of all, I'm tired. So, so tired. I've been more sick with other stuff, but the variety of weird symptoms is something else with this. I lost a pound, which wasn't the plan, and I feel weak for obvious reasons. So not really celebrating that loss. I'd rather be at the gym Oh well, hopefully it gets better soon. Btw: I made the personal decision to get fully vaxxed more than half a year ago. I don't consider other people's health decisions any of my business. I can say, though, a lot of the first days with symptoms felt like the day after the vaxx (J&J), so I think it did indeed help. Worth keeping in mind.

I am so sorry you're going through this. It is so frustrating, and I agree with you about our corrupt healthcare system. From reading comments, some people are blaming unvaccinated for the shut down of elective surgeries. Both vaccinated and unvaccinated are getting covid, so let's (collectively) not get on our high horses about being vaccinated. (I'm vaccinated but don't give 1,000 flips whether a person is vaccinated or not - your body, your choice). I had my surgery in August 2021 right before the idiot governor stalled elective surgeries. I was on a recovery floor half full of covid patients, all of whom were homeless and put there by the state - such a sham. The only thing that got my surgery pushed through was that I was self pay. My insurance covered it, but I didn't want to jump through their stupid hoops and I wanted control over the timing of the surgery. My surgeon's office staff told me that it helped to be self pay, because after all costs were paid by Blue Cross Blue Shield (my insurance provider), the surgeon only made about $1,500 for my surgery. So they pushed to get me through the day before elective surgeries were shut down by the state. I pay about $800 a month for insurance. I had Stage 3 cancer in 2019 and still spent about $25k in out of pocket costs. I paid $1,700 for a PT scan myself because it was going to take the insurance company over a month to approve the scan, and since it was cancer I didn't want to wait that long. The healthcare system is broken, and insurance companies are evil. I 100% agree that politicians should stay TF out of healthcare. They came up with the BS food pyramid and look how great that has worked out for us. (Read Good Calories, Bad Calories, it's shocking how political corruption and food lobbyists in the corn industry and others led to the obesity epidemic in the U.S.). It's the insurance lobbyists and the politicians who suck up to them with their hands out who have screwed us. Sorry to hijack your post! I'm just very passionate about corruption across the board in the US, especially when it comes to how it negatively impacts us as citizens. Good luck and keep us posted about how things go for you. Hang in there, the surgery is worth it. Sent from my SM-N976V using BariatricPal mobile app

I love reading your progress. Keep to it habits can be made and broken. I weigh. The same since 2019 and am about 130 to 135 but my clothes are to small. I need to get some muscle back. Anyway keep doing and posting.

So my scale seems to be finally moving after almost 10 days of stall post the clear fluid phase. Let's see how it does by the end of this month. I try to stay away from the scale but I keep getting drawn to it every morning 😂 I don't get too bogged down with stalls after having heard of them here for months now. So I don't mind weighing myself daily. I'll be happy as long as scale moves after a certain point and I hit appropriate goal every month. Hope everyone is doing well with their diets. I still have 11 more days of full fluid diet phase.

I had surgery on a Tuesday and stopped taking pain medicine on Friday. It only hurt if I put pressure on an incision and even then it hardly hurt. I walked 10 minutes most hours after surgery when I was awake to try to get the gas out.