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Everybody above has nailed it but i am going at you straight on Two Choices you pick 1. Stay the way you are unhealthy and you will get a disease related to you being fat and Be miserable and you need to log on to amazon and order a urn! You will be dead fast and miss out on family friends and life! 2. Get the tool that will save you life! Use this tool to kick you addiction to food and get healthy and rebound from the years of damage you have done! Enjoy more years and time and not be miserable! So Pick ONE OR TWO

Hello! I'm new here, but not new to gastric bypass. I had roux-en-y surgery in 2003. Prior to surgery, I needed insurance approval (mine was 100% covered by my insurance), to attend classes organized by the doctor's office, get bloodwork and other tests and have multiple doctors appointments. I was approved for surgery in February and had surgery on April 16, 2003 so I had a relatively short wait. I would absolutely do it all again. The surgery was done laparoscopically, and with no complications. I had a horrible reaction to the antibiotic given to me, so that would be my first suggestion to you - look into what antibiotics you'll be given. They knew I was allergic to penicillin, but the surgery taught me I'm allergic to anything in the penicillin family. I had a terrific support group before and after surgery. It was really the first time I had any friends. So, my second suggestion is to find in person support as well as online support. Knowing people who went through or were going through the same things I was was helpful and comforting. Dumping and throwing up still happens all these years later. Not as intense as it was in the beginning though. So, my third suggestion is to strategically place plastic bags around your house, car, purse, ect because sometimes you'll end up throwing up quick and won't be able to make it to the bathroom. By the way, throwing up after gastric bypass isn't as horrible as prior to surgery, but it might feel weird at first. I was so afraid the first time I threw up after surgery. I thought I had damaged my insides. Now, as far as the other end - when you start eating solid foods again your body may not like it and you'll just need to run to the bathroom fast. Seriously fast. I would suggest going very slowly when introducing foods back and make sure a bathroom is nearby. Prior to having surgery I tried out a bunch of different protein shakes so by the time supplementing my diet with protein shakes became a requirement I had favorites already lined up. I take vitamins supplements every day and have since my surgery. Also, I go bloodwork every six months just to make sure my body is getting what it needs. I have issues with iron, however, this was true before I had surgery. Good luck!

Man, I used to be somewhat addicted to that show. Very sad, and should be an eye opener for all , struggling with WL or not! As for do I think it is real. Yes I do think that it is real. I almost scheduled my surgery with Dr. Now but decided against it, then did more research and 2 years later had the surgery done free of charge through my insurance near my own hometown thank God! He is a bit harsh and I hope that his harshness is only for tv purposes. I also wonder, does he not require each client to do nutrition classes or have a psych eval? I mean, I only hear him require this after he has been very harsh, has made accusations, and has turned someone away due to their 'dishonesty" and/or unready/unwillingness. So the 15 pounds a month- that really depends on how much weight that a person still has left to loose for the height they are, age, etc. It also depends on which surgery they got. So a person might be 4 months away from the date of their surgery but if they are still more than 100 pounds overweight, depending on their height 5, 10, or even 15 lbs per month (again depends on the WLS that they chose), is probably not too much to ask. I will say that this was something that bothered me about Dr. Now, I feel like he had the same expectations for which client which is garbage. Some Dr.'s give goals before they will perform the WLS on anyone, others don't. I was very hesitant because of this and I don't think I would have been able to get the surgery so quickly if there was a special WL goal beforehand. I did inquire about this and the way my Dr.'s looked at it was they could give a goal but many people have a food issue and having to meet some goal is only prolonging a persons journey to health. So, yeah, "My 600-lb life" is probably fact and no I did not have a WL goal before surgery, although I had one after surgery (I was told that I was loosing too fast, in my research I am loosing at a normal rate for the WL, duodenal switch loop, that I had and I personally think as long as I am healthy and losing weight (not under or over), it is all good. Side note- I can't stand to watch that show anymore. It seems different than when it first started and I don't like that the journey isn't fully followed or explored the way that it seemed like it was back in the day. I think that there are also different versions with different names as well, which can be why it seems so different. I have always had many motivations for WL, and that show was a big part of it!

Hello everyone! Hope you all are staying healthy and safe! I weigh on Fridays, so this is my 3 month mark. I am down 30 pounds in the 3 months since surgery, 40 including the 3 week pre-op weight loss. Not very fast, and this week was barely a pound, but I am happy with it. I have really been increasing movement and I am walking between 4 and 5 miles per day, spread out over the day. I am experimenting with food, and am eating 700 to 850 calories per day. My protein intake is good, and I fight to get the water in! Downside....my hair is soooo thin, and I am noticing lots of saggy upper arm skin. Hope everyone is hanging in!

It doesn't matter how far you're out of surgery. You have to create a calorie deficit to lose weight. How you're doing this is a preference of yours and possible at any stage. "Honeymoon phase" is scaremongering. The mantra "eat as little as possible to lose weight as fast as possible during the first 6 months because after that it's so much harder or next to impossible to lose more weight" is more harmful than it's doing good for so many patients. Sure, weight loss is fastest during the first few months but please don't think that there is "a window of time when weight loss is possible and after it's closed I'm doomed"!! Granted, there is not a mechanical problem you should still have restriction so you continue to have that advantage. If you feel that you can eat portions that are "too big", concentrate on lower calorie foods. Vegetables, legumes and fruits first, all of these meats and cheeses etc. are way more calorie dense. Depending on your personal circumstances and preferences IF can be helpful or not. If you prefer less bigger meals to more smaller meals then IF might be your way to go. If you hate "skipping meals" you're going to hate IF. Last note: if you're struggling, do something different.

It's not tough for me. Since working out I have only being eating OMAD and a protein shake. Granted I have stopped doing that over the last week and have been making myself eat and drink throughout the day. I keep busy especially now working from home it's easy for me to get caught up. In addition to the OMAD and protein I was ding intermittent fasting hoping that would make the scale move as well. I have been on google but its hard when you're so far out of your surgery to get advice which is why I came here. I appreciate your input though.

That's great! I totally wish I had done it sooner, too. Good luck and keep at it! I'm still in disbelief at how fast the year went...

So far I have only had gas from burps and hiccups. It hasn’t come from anywhere else yet. I also got lucky because I popped the morning of surgery so I think that helped. I hadn’t been able to poop the 6 days prior. I burp and hiccup all the time. I might be drinking too fast. After I drink I feel like I have to throw up, but it’s just gas. Once I left out a belch, I feel great. I got to shower today, which was awesome. When I was in pre-op, the morning of surgery, I was crying because I was scared. The medical staff was great. Once they rolled me in and I went under, I literally blinked and woke up in recovery. My procedure was 3 hours because I had some tissue damage that they repaired. But it was a good process. When I got out of surgery at 3pm, I slept a few hours and then I got up to walk. I went to urinate and had buckets of pee lol. The key is to walk a lot. The more you walk, the faster you go home. They give you lots of pain meds via an IV. I stayed one night and was discharged at 1pm the next day. The first night at home was rough. I couldn’t sleep. I’m a stomach sleeper but it was too uncomfortable so I slept on my back, which I hate. Today, I am not napping at all so that I can sleep better at night. We will see how it goes. I had the procedure at UCLA medical in Los angels and they were great.

Im a cheese-lover too. I did stay away from it during weight loss phase, though. In terms of cravings, I always want salty things, even during weight loss phase (which is weird because I did drink a crap ton of water during that time...). I know I probably add way to much salt to food (then AND now). I also go through periods of wanting dessert. It usually comes after having some. I've read, and experienced, that once you eat something sweet, you will crave even more sweet stuff. So when I think I'm going too far on the dessert front, I'll cut it out for a few days and the cravings will go away. Rinse and repeat, lol. I did gain 6 lbs from around the the end of Feb to around the beginning of April (which sort of coincided with a hiatus I took from the BP forums, and corona-quarantine...coincidence?) And according to MyFitnessPal, I was averaging around 2500 cals a day and practically ZERO EXERCISE. So yeah, weight gain. And this wasn't a fluctuation. I held onto those 6lbs for a couple weeks... I have a personal upper weight limit I set for myself, and those 6lbs took me ONE POUND over that. I long ago made a deal with myself that if I go over my upper limit, I have to bring myself down to my lower limit. I realize this may sound extreme, but a deal is a deal. Sooooo...I consciously reduced my calorie intake and went back to running daily and doing some strength training and am happy to report that as of last week I got back down to my lower limit. I figure this is my life now. Will eventually have a period of gain, and if that gain takes me over what I am comfortable with, it will be followed by a period of effort to reduce that gain. I mean, I do love cheese, lol. (I realize that my comfortable weight range may change in the future, but this works, and is maintainable, for me, for now) @Meadow76: have you considered doing some sort of alternate day fasting? Lots of folks on here have seen success with it. Simply put, you fast (or limit your cals to 500 or so) a couple days a week and loosen the reigns the rest of the week. They could be like cheese days, and no-cheese days, lol. This way, it may be easier to lay off the snacks today because you know you can have some tomorrow... P.S. Sorry this was so long!

Your feelings and thoughts about food are completely normal at this stage!! We all got here because we have an unhealthy relationship with food. I lived on fast food for many years. It was my reward when I had a good day, it was my treat when I had a bad day, etc. I always found a reason why I deserved to binge on junk. I'm only 4 months out from surgery, but am now finding new ways to reward myself. Lately it's been skin care products! LOL!! Sounds silly, but I'm having fun trying new products, and taking the time to do my morning and evening skin care routine. Once COVID19 is over, I plan on treating myself to a new hairstyle and teeth whitening too! Hang in there! We have all been there, and we are all in this together!

looking for pre-op products and post-product suggestions as the date is fast approaching.

Hi all - I just found this forum and am trying to make a decision and thought it would be good to get insight from those who have actually gone through this. I have been researching surgery for quite some time and am ready to do it. I have it narrowed down to two options. My insurance excludes anything weight related so i am strictly self pay and thus limited financially. Here are my two options: Angeles Hospital Tijuana - Approved and preliminarily scheduled for July 10. Hospital reviews are primarily great from what i have seen. Slight language barrier. Surgeon Juan Corvala seems to have a lot of clout in the industry and rave reviews. Downsides are lack of follow-up but that would be the case for Blossom as well since I live in Indiana. Time spent is roughly the same. This one has 2 nights in the hospital followed by one night at a hotel before traveling home. Blossom Fast Track - Have been preapproved and received the financial piece and it is to the penny the same as Angeles. I started researching Angeles because I came across some very negative reviews on Blossom but reading this forum, these reviews are all great. So now i'm wondering what time frames all of the reviews i have seen are from. Seems to be a "safer" option to remain in the US and less paperwork (passport, etc). Anyone actually been to one of these two facilities within the last 6 months or so that can tell me your experience so i can weigh the options and make an informed decision? Thanks!

Also the 600 calories has only been since I’ve been working out. So over the last 2 months. Before I wouldn’t eat often but i would eat the wrong things. Mainly fast food because my job is so demanding.

Also the 600 calories has only been since I’ve been working out. So over the last 2 months. Before I wouldn’t eat often but i would eat the wrong things. Mainly fast food because my job is so demanding.

true dumping syndrome is pretty rare in sleevers - it happens when too much sugar hits your small intestine at one time. It's more rare in sleevers because you guys still have an intact pyloric valve. Only about 30% of RNY'ers dump - I don't know about the percentage of sleevers, but it's very low. Dumping can be controlled by limiting or avoiding sugar. I'm not a dumper, but I know people who do have it experience severe diarrhea, sweating, flushing, and rapid heartbeat. I know it can go on for a long time. if you're just vomiting, there may be something else going on. Are you eating too fast? Does everything make you vomit, or are there certain food triggers? I'm guessing that's why the nurse is having you track everything that makes you vomit, so they can see if there's some sort of pattern there. If not, I wonder if there's something like a stricture (those are a lot more common in RNY'ers, though). Otherwise, boy - I don't know. I hope they'll be able to figure it out - you must be miserable!

I’m doing the Fast Track program with Blossom. So, I didn’t need to do the 6 months before stuff

I experienced food aversion for the first 3 months after surgery. Physical hunger was completely absent until the 5 1/2 to 6 month mark. At nearly 7 months out, the beginnings of a physical hunger-like sensation are occasionally present but so far it's unlike the sensation experienced prior to WLS (less tenacious, not persistent, dull or muted as opposed to pressing). I don’t really experience much emotional hunger because I spent thousands of hours working on addressing and managing that well in advance of being sleeved. Feeling physical hungry is healthy and desirable, and it will return—and so it should. The good news is that there's no correlation between physical hunger and habit development: you can create new neural pathways and develop new habits whether or not you’re feeling hungry. There's not enough information in your post to know exactly why you’re asking this question, but if you're asking because you're an emotional eater, the best thing you could ever do for your future post-surgery self is to begin examining that and altering your behaviours as far in advance of surgery as possible. And I'm not talking about during the 7 or 14 day pre-op diet. Start embracing making completely different foods choices by cutting out processed foods and fast food, instead focusing on high quality vegetables, fruits, beans, pulses and legumes, healthy fats such as nuts and seeds, tofu, tempeh, and sustainably caught wild seafood/clean antibiotic and hormone-free meats and eggs in moderation. During the first 6-7 months after surgery, you are not driving the loss and will lose the same amount of weight no matter what you do. There are many who don’t appear to comprehend this and resume eating the way they used to once they're able to tolerate more food at roughly the 6 month mark. All you need to do is look around this or any other WLS forum to see that this never ends well. It's extremely common for post-ops to not reach their goal weight, or regain some or all of the weight back. Even those who work at maintenance can gain weight back, just like anyone who's never needed WLS gains weight if they don’t follow a healthful eating plan and don’t exercise. It's not hunger that drives this, it's a failure to make the correct nutritional choices every day for the rest of their lives. So if you already know you're typically hungry for love, calmness, stability, reassurance, attention, or some sense that no matter what, everything will be alright, address it prior to surgery. Invest in a therapist if you need one and start working with them now. To be successful with WLS long-term, you will need to learn how to give these things to yourself without food.

We have almost similar starting stats...almost: I started at 5'2", 235 lbs (BMI 43), 46 yrs old. I'm 1.5 years out now, and I am 5'1 and a bit (yep, I got shorter!) and 115 lbs, and a year older. I did get to goal weight comparatively fast (I got to 127 lbs in about 7 months), and yep, I ended up with loose skin. I had plastic surgery (Tummy Tuck, Arm Lift & Breast Lift) at 14 months to get rid of it. I think the majority of people end up with some level of loose skin. Some worse/better than others. A lucky few get none at all. Below is a side by side pic of what my bod looked like the day before wls surgery, then 4 months after starting maintenance, then 6 weeks after plastics. I will say that even if I didn't get plastics, my loose skin was easily hidden with clothes, and like some of the posters have said above, I'd take loose skin over my pre-wls fat any day.

Exactly this ☝☝☝☝ In the modern food environment, simply not getting fat requires some degree of knowledge, effort, and awareness on the part of most people. Studies indicate that a relatively small percentage of the population* who are getting adequate nutrition are genetically inclined toward being underweight (defined as having a BMI below 18.5). And even when the genetic dice are loaded in their favour, many of them have to work to combat the social and environmental factors that contribute to overweight and obesity, such as the prevalence of highly processed but calorie-dense and nutritionally void foodstuffs, fast food, socioeconomic status, etc. * Roughly 4.8% of men and 6.7% of women worldwide, based on a study conducted from 1975 to 2014 with data from 186 countries, representing over 99 percent of the world's population.

Hi there - give them a call and speak to a coordinator. They will check your insurance to see what benefits they can use and if you qualify for the fast track program, your cost will be put in writing. Mine cost $6499- they were running some sort of $500 discount. I've not been asked for a dime more. The cost also includes your hotel room and ground transportation. Good luck!

My first drink was at 1-2 months. It didn’t take much to affect me. It was only a couple sips of red wine and i got tipsy pretty fast. But I also sobered up just as fast. Told my doc, he said to be responsible. (I find him to be more lenient and chill than others I’ve read about on here). It was a rare occasion for me to drink during weight loss phase (i dont even think I ever even was able to drink an entire serving when i did). In maintenance, it was a different story, though. 1.5 years out and i still get affected and unaffected at a faster rate than pre-wls. Use your honest judgement and the advice of your doc to make your decisions. Good Luck! ❤️

After losing 110+ pounds, I found myself to be pretty cold all the time. This past winter was just awful. Before WLS, I was always hot. I turned on the AC for the car as soon as I got in, and kept the house at 68 or lower. Now that summer is fast approaching, I am loving it! We are in southern Arizona and we've already had 100+ degree days - and have not needed the AC yet! I am comfortable at 80-85 degrees with the ceiling fan. I can even sleep at that temp, which was unthinkable in the past! Our electric bill is going to be so low this year.

No reason to say the same thing as above, However look at it as positive look at the weight loss you have acquired - So it may take you a little longer Just stay focused and on track. In years ahead willl it really matter that it took 16 months to get healthy and at your goal weight Vs the frustration you are feeling being anxious to get it off quickly. It wont matter down the road, Stay healthy and you got this! FYI mix up your calories a little and do some intermittent fasting to break the stalls. Worked for me

Hey there! I had gastric sleeve surgery on 1/31/2020 and here's my story. I attended the free 12 week orientation classes June 2019 thru Sept 2019 at Kaiser. My insurance paid for everything and I had no issues getting approved. My only out of pocket expense was a $100 co-pay for the hospital stay. Wonderful insurance, I know. Luckily, I had no medical issues making me very low risk for the surgery. My surgeon recommended that I get the Bypass and I changed my mind on procedure the day of surgery and switched to the Sleeve. My reasoning is simple...I didn't want to reroute my intestines and I didn't want to chance vitamin deficiencies or dumping syndrome. I fasted on clear liquids the day prior to surgery and it was hell. I had an interview on fasting day and wanted so badly to stuff my face, being an emotional eater (i did get the job!). I went to bed super early the night before surgery because I had a massive headache and mood swings from fasting. My surgery was at 1pm and because of the fasting... I wish I scheduled a morning surgery. The nurse that prepped me for surgery was an idiot. Why on earth would I be able to pee for a pregnancy test after having no fluids since the day before?! I could barely pee and what I did pee didn't make it in the cup lol I got 2 tiny drops of pee in the cup and guess what? It was enough for the pregnancy test. The nurse stuck me 7 times looking for a vein. 7 times. Not just a poke either, like she was really digging. She tried my forearm, the top of my arm, and both hands before calling for help. I woke up in recovery in extreme pain, nausea and was thirsty. I said "I'm thirsty and my stomach hurts really bad" and the nurse said yeah you just had stomach surgery. I wanted to sock her in the face. They made me wait 6 hours for pain medication and water. The night nurses sucked and the day nurses were great. I used the call button every 1-2 hours for more pain meds which they could only give me every two hours. I called after 45 mins and said "did you give me a full or half dose?" lmao but I was serious. The built up gas hurt and my throat was sore. I tried really hard to push the gas out and ended up sharting in my bed. I walked often because I badly wanted to go home. Coming home was nice and I wasn't hungry but still thought about food a lot. I followed the rules and sipped my water and protein shakes and jello. I only took a week off from work because I wanted my routine back. The doctor told me it was too soon because of brain function is usually low this early on. He said "do you want to go back because you're bored or because it's a money thing" and I said "I'm bored as hell" and he said "then no, you can't go back yet." I didn't listen and have no regrets. I started taking the pill form of multivitamin early on because the the ones you eat made me gag. I slowly introduce foods as instructed and my staples are yogurt, protein shakes, salmon, cottage cheese, and veggies. I keep my meals simple. I had my 3 month check up today and I'm on track. I've lost 50 lbs total since surgery. I'm aware that weight loss with the sleeve is slower but I'm okay with it. Each week I can physically feel and see my body changing for the better. I exercise daily by walking 1-2 miles, I feel great, and I have more energy. This is the one and only time that I've had surgery. It was rough at times but overall a good experience. I am happy that I did it and have a long road ahead

Hi! I was sleeved at Blossom on December 23. It was a really great experience for me. I too had insurance issues - it would only cover half after the deductible, tons of hoops to jump through, etc. If you qualify for the fast track safe sleeve, yes the price they quote you is all you have to pay. But you do have to have insurance as they will use out of network benefits for some of the things they do. They will go over all of it before you sign up. I too was a little worried because there are a few reviews that mention billing issues. I had no problem. They really take care of you from the time you arrive to the time you leave. I couldn't recommend them more. Sent from my SM-G975U using BariatricPal mobile app