Search the Community

Post op day 4 Feeling worse than yesterday 😩 I came home yesterday and I felt ok for a while. I managed half of a protein water mixed with miralax and a little extra water. I attempted bone broth, and just typing it makes me want to gag. today was to be full liquids. I have managed about 24 oz water and maybe a third of a fairlife shake. I also started vitamins today, and good Lord! Those multi vitamin chewables from bariatric advantage didn’t seem as big prior to surgery! My dietitian wanted me taking two of those beasts, I managed 1 and a half. I feel icky in my tummy all day. I’ve been soooooo sleepy and freezing! I was anemic prior to surgery and got my period early 🙄 so I’m probably even more so now. I have been in bed most of the day with the exception of walking to the bathroom, I guess the half a miralax did something. I’m producing watery bright yellow stools, in minimal quantities…I can’t trust a toot. I think the thiamine supplement I was on (and should still be taking, but haven’t been able to) is causing the bright yellow color. It has been so nice being in my bed. the abdomen pain isn’t bad, just getting up from lying down is a little painful. my 5.5 year old boy has been so sweet, bringing me gifts he’s made me. im going make myself get up now and walk around the house for 5 min. I might see what Panera’s soup look like, if they qualify as full liquid. Oh! Also, I was told to take the omeprazole capsule and open it and mix with apple sauce. Is applesauce allowed at this point? Or is it just for taking medication?

I think maybe you need to talk to your surgical team about a diet sheet and guidance - plus there are posts on here about cook books for bariatric surgery. I suspect a change of food mindset is required - you may have loved Greggs pasties before your surgery, but Greggs pasties maybe have contributed to your problems in the first place - I don’t know. But melted cheese and onion sounds very dense and clogged to me, and not the sort of thing your small stomach will find easy to deal with. I used to love getting a spaghetti bolognese if we were out for a meal and picking the mince and sauce out of the pasta when I was further down the line - a tiny bit pasta, well chewed, may be fine - but the prize was the protein and the tomato sauce… in easily chewable and digestible forms. You started this thread saying you are 9 days post op - you shouldn’t really even be thinking about pasties - please get your surgical team to do their job and give you guidance on what to consume. You are in this for the long hall and you need to take things slowly. All the best.

I agree with Bariatric Evangelist - high levels in the blood do not necessarily indicate high usage - actually the opposite. I was always told by my bariatric team that you should take 5mg Folic acid a day to help you process and absorb the B12. Otherwise it’s not being utilised by the body. The tiredness is more likely to be because you cannot utilise the B12 in your blood, not that you’ve got too much of it. The reason the blood count would be so high would more likely be because of non-absorption to the tissues. Further investigation is needed.

It sounds like you know what you are doing right and what you could improve on. I suggest a protein shake in the morning and maybe a P3 or a lunchable at noon if you haven’t tried that to help give you some energy during the day and chewable vitamins by bariatric advantage if you hate swallowing pills. Other than that my only advice is to stick to your plan.

This is true hunger. My bariatric therapist said about 20% of her patients have no loss of hunger after surgery. It feels exactly like if I had gone all day without eating prior to surgery, but I have it all the time, even right after a meal. I don't have specific cravings for food, although my mom served my favorite cake last night (there were guests besides me there) and I definitely wanted some, but decided the risk of starting back on eating cake wasn't worth what I remembered the cake tasting like. I had a ff greek yogurt instead. It was a little sad, but I'm glad I made that choice. Of course, I've lost 25 lb in the 8 weeks since surgery and I'm down 75 since I started preparing for surgery in February, so I'm trying to focus on the positive. It's just that I too thought everyone looses their hunger and starts craving healthy foods. It's just not true (although MOST people do lose their hunger for about 6 months).

You need to start a bariatric cookbook! Sounds amazing!

I’m nearly 4 weeks on Monday out since the gastric sleeve, I spoke with my Bariatric nurse yesterday she said it’s very common around this time to stall and she explained when you were on a normal diet that you get stalls and don’t lose every week. but it will start coming off again. I haven’t lost anything in over a week but I also have my period and I normally put water weight on while I’m on it and so next week I’m probably going to start losing, fingers crossed, so don’t worry about the stalls, they happen and it’s just your body trying to catch up with the little amounts of food and getting over the stress of the op.

It will really depend on your doctor, I advise following the plan they gave you. Once my team at my surgeon’s office advanced me to soft foods my favorite was tuna with a little mayo, or a ricotta bake. This blog has great Bariatric recipes for each stage of your eating plan: http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/2007/03/recipes.html?m=1

You got this!! 💪 Surgery is going to go better than you expect and you're going to soar! One of my biggest fears prior to surgery was if I would ever enjoy food again 😔 and I was so happy to read on this board and to hear from my medical team (who have had bariatric surgery themselves) that in fact I'll enjoy it even more in a much healthier way! Wishing you the best!

@catwoman7 has it exactly right on the NSAIDs—Aleve is right out, too. My bariatric vitamins literally were gummies. I mentioned it to my surgeon and he said just chew it thoroughly ("enjoy that artificial berry flavor from the New Jersey Turnpike," were his exact words). As long as the amounts of each on the back were what he wanted, he didn't care. No issues with gummies.

Those of us who had a hiatal hernia repair with our WLS need to start a club, we'd have so many members! And Ooof - how it adds to the post-op pain. It took a good couple of weeks to not hurt when I breathed in deep. Even though things haven't been smooth sailing for me, I regret nothing and couldn't be happier that I've had this done. As frustrating as it felt at the time, the year long wait I had to do for my health cover was actually a boon as it prepped me mentally for it. It doesn't erase the pre-surgery nerves though. It's a BIG change, but once out the other side it's not so scary. This is a tool that helps, even down to changes in taste-buds. What I will plead with folk for is to get bariatric psychologist support if you have emotional eating issues, or binge eating disorder. I'm super fortunate that I've never had those issues and got to where I was purely through gluttony and boredom - but from others' stories on this forum, it can really affect folks post-op and it's heartbreaking.

Memar, there is a phenomenon termed the “three week stall”. It is quite well known, often occurring at 3 weeks post op, but can happen at other times post op. Your body is just catching up and if you stay with the plan your bariatric team has outlined, you’ll see movement on the scale again!

I had a BMI of 35 and don’t even have PCOS and I had the surgery. I tried every diet out there and nothing worked until surgery. I say get a second opinion. Edited to add I just realized you can’t get a second opinion but I’m glad he didn’t turn you down. I agree with others. Just ignore what he says and get the surgery. Chances are post surgery you will See a nurse practitioner anyways so hopefully they will have an entirely different attitude. If not, seek out support elsewhere. Whether it’s support groups, a bariatric therapist, or just hanging out on here A lot there is support elsewhere.

14 days post surgery - got my sleeve at 8:30 am on Oct 20th. I've followed the program perfectly - easy, since I have little interest in food - and been able to get in 60 grams of proteins every day and 64 ounces of water every day, although it was not easy the first week. First week was rough - felt bad physically, pain from surgery and from drinking/eating, fearing loss of food enjoyment as a thing in my life. Days 7-10 I started to gradually feel better. By this last Monday, Day 12, I guess, I felt totally normal, back to myself. Although I don't crave it, I find drinking a tasty broth or eating a sugar free jello or pudding pleasant. So much better. I averaged 300-350 calories the first week and 500-600 calories the second week. Down 12 lbs since surgery date, total of 22 lbs since pre op diet, and 40 pounds since I started the bariatric program in July. Sometimes it feels a little unreal, and I'm startled I undertook something that is going to change my life so profoundly, but I'm looking forward to a future with improved mobility and health (I hope) or at least proud I have done all I can to move towards that goal.

https://procarenow.com/once-daily-bariatric-multivitamin-capsule/?sku=Vit-BariCaps45mg-30ct I will say that the other night for the first time I got really nauseous, but it had been hours since I had eaten anything (like 5-6 hours) so I ended up eating half a protein bar and that fixed it right away. It's because I take them with all my other meds before bed time. I should really take them with dinner. I think they also sell them on BariatricPal.com and I know you can get them from Amazon. Amazon is actually more expensive than buying directly from the company, not sure about BariatricPal.

Well said, Arabesque. If we continue eating the foods and snacks we used to eat or look for Keto snacks (which are heavily processed foods), we are very likely to regain all that has been lost. Even though "bariatric/keto snacks" and "protein bars" are sold on some bariatric sites does not mean that they are appropriate or good for us. Instead, look to whole foods, healthy foods, while avoiding those that lure us into eating more--sugar, flour, rice, pasta, processed foods. Read nutrition and ingredients labels like a boss! Lest you think I'm preaching, I can only tell you that I speak from experience. I've done all these wrong things in the past and paid the price--and I'm still tempted by them.

I use pro care health one a day as well. It’s truly a one a day and it’s cheaper than many other bariatric vitamins. I got my first labs back since I switched to it and they were great. I also take calcium citrate. I just googled that brand vitamin and it says it for b12 deficiency. Do you already have a deficiency or is your doctor anticipating one? Because I don’t think everyone with the sleeve becomes deficient. I am not sure what the levels of b-12 are in the pro care health if they would be comparable or not. That may be best to Ask Your team if that’s what they prescribed for You.

I encourage you to learn how to cook using bariatric recipes and eat according to their food plans. Fries and Sandwiches are not on the plan, although someday you may be able to eat them IN MODERATION. Not now. There are many bariatric cookbooks available on Amazon and else where, including air fryer and instant pot recipes. Here are a few of those I have obtained. There are many more available.

Ignore her and do it for your sake. I know that sounds harsh, but the reality is, most of us can't lose the weight on our own and bariatric surgery is the tool that allows us to be successful long term. If she cannot understand that or, at the very least, respect and support your decision, then you don't need to include her in that decision and should more forward without her. It is certainly NOT the easy way out, but living a shortened life in an obese body isn't easy either. We all have to decide which "hard" we are going to live with. I'm so sorry you don't have the support you desire, but you will certainly get it here. Do what's best for you.

It is so hard to give advice when every surgeon has a different plan! 1200 calories a day so soon out from surgery seems high. I think they want you getting your protein to mitigate side effects (hair falling out, no energy, not looking "good"). My surgeon's office had me on pureeds til I was 9 weeks out, and emphasized just doing shakes if meals were too much. Last week, I had my 2 month appointment and was told I should be getting 80g of protein through protein shakes alone, (and the protein HAS to be Bariatric Advantage or Unjury - yuck, no Isopure which I can actually tolerate), and 120g of total protein daily. Well, I frickin hate the protein shakes, and I was doing really good getting in 80g from real food, (and the office was quite pleased with the weight I've lost so far). My nutritionist said 500 to 700 calories a day was good, not to focus on macros, just to focus on getting my protein. Because those shakes are so high in calories and carbs, if I drink protein shakes, my calories are closer to 900 per day and my carbs are close to 100g (which seems very high). So I'm just going back to what I was doing. Sent from my SM-N976V using BariatricPal mobile app

I had my surgery at HopsitalBC in Tijuana, Mx. by Dr. Illan. I did about 200 hours of research before my surgery and based on that research, finances, and other personal considerations, decided to go the medical tourism route and have been very happy with that decision. These hospitals ONLY do bariatric surgeries and are geared towards medical tourists. They run a VERY well oiled machine from intake to discharge. The process was so smooth, I was completely confident going alone. The surgeon I chose is highly accredited, has done thousands of WLS procedures, has relationships and mentorships with some of the most well known US bariatric surgeons for continuing ed, is board certified, etc. He is just as qualified, if not more so, than many of the bariatric surgeons in my area. Regarding complications, I met with my PCP beforehand and she was 100% supportive. I knew that if I had any issues post-op she would be my advocate. Additionally, US hospitals CANNOT legally refuse to treat you if you present to an ER, regardless of what caused the complications. Now, would a US bariatric surgeon agree to take you on for follow up once you've been stabilized? Maybe not. But that's why you should establish post-op care BEFORE you have surgery. Additionally the complication rate with bariatric surgeries is VERY low in general; these are long established surgeries with very good post-op outcomes. My PCP is also doing all of my labs, meds, etc. For travel, my surgeon recommends blood thinners for 7 days post-op. I also wore compression socks and a compression shirt for my flight home. I started walking as soon as I could post-op, which also helps. Blood clots are a risk with this surgery, whether stateside or abroad, and the travel aspect can increase that. So take your blood thinners and walk as much as you can. Money wasn't a huge factor, though it was a factor. I have very good insurance but after all the pre-op appointments, tests, scans, and everything else, we estimated our out of pocket would be in the $7,500 range. Out of pocket including spending money, an extra night in the hotel, and flights, I paid about $5,500 for surgery in Mx. It was also SIGNIFICANTLY faster. With the 6 month diet program and required insurance approvals, it would be about 9 months from first appt to surgery vs. less than 3 months from intake to surgery in Mx. The reality is, there are amazing surgeons in the US and just as many in Mexico and other places. Conversely, there are terrible surgeons here and everywhere else. There are pros and cons to each, and every person has different needs. Ultimately it boils down to doing your research, finding a surgeon you trust, and a program that fits your needs. For me personally, medical tourism was the right choice and I'm extremely happy with my decision. Feel free to send me a message if you have any other questions!

Hi guys, I’m 9 days post op and doing great. I keep down most things. I’m struggling with eggs and getting fluids in. I’m wondering if I will ever be able to eat fries again? I’m a sandwich lover too so what about bread? Is there Bariatric friendly bread? also, I’ve gone from 117kg to 101kg in a month but how do I actually lose weight after the bypass? I’m still struggling to walk long distances without feeling dizzy and exhausted

I suggest you check out "My Level 10 Weight Loss" videos on YouTube by Erin Branscom. She had surgery in Mexico and has a FB group (private, $10 a month, but I think it's worth it!) where many people talk about this. However, this is not really "research". I think you would have to see if there are any clinical studies on patients who had their surgery in Mexico and compare them to patients who had their surgery in the US, but then I'm not sure if you'd find those studies. You could contact ASBMS (American Society for Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery), to see what data they have, but I suspect they are biased in favor of people doing it in the US. I wouldn't have done it Mexico. Sure it's cheaper, and most people come out fine, but what if you have a complication? Some doctors in the US won't treat you if you had your surgery elsewhere - at least based on some posts I've seen. And you may have to take a flight home. It's risky to fly right after any surgery due to the increased risk of blood clots, which are also increased if you are obese.

Hi there! I just had a VSG done on 10/27. I have PCOS also. It’s too early for me to tell how the surgery has affected the syndrome but the nurse practitioner stressed the need to get on some sort of birth control post op because fertility does usually increase after bariatric surgery. I’m interested to see what others say. Hope all goes well with you.

I think what happened is that I burned the lower part of my esophagus via acid reflux, and it seems to be on its way to healing. (My bariatric team had me start taking two acid reducers)...it's the weirdest thing though, I never had acid reflux before the surgery, and I know there were at least a few times things were coming up my throat in my sleep. Over the last week I've been able to eat 2-3 small "meals" each day (my dinner was two rice crackers with thai chili tuna on them, for instance), which isn't where I should be, but it's a damn sight better than being able to only get water, protein shakes, and juice down.