Search the Community

I also do not drink alcohol (I can't stand the taste), but I would be very careful with it from what I've seen on here and on other groups for several reasons: you can get drunk very quickly, especially at first. Alcohol gets absorbed very quickly and your blood alcohol can quickly go over the limit for driving and then for being just drunk to the point where you can't really function. And as you said, you're taking in empty calories and setting yourself up for eating other junky food. Plus there's a risk for cross-addiction. Some people become addicted to alcohol the way they had issues with food before surgery. It's not super common, but it definitely happens. That's not to say you should never drink, but maybe keep it to one small serve occasionally. I personally have told everyone in my life about my surgery. I just can't lie easily and if people see me losing weight, I knew I'd never be able to lie or even omit the surgery part. Plus, I was so excited to finally be doing it. I was not embarrassed. I felt like I was finally taking control of my life. The reaction I got was extremely positive except for one person I barely knew (I posted on Facebook). She has a whole "fat positive" view of life and has also had some sort of weight loss procedure that did not go well. I can't say whether you should or should not have the surgery, but I think maybe you should discuss with a bariatric trained therapist to talk about your concerns. Good luck in your decision!

Hello Bariatric Buddies (corny right? lol) I thought I'd come on here and share my experience so far for those who may be thinking about weight loss surgery OR are scheduled to undergo surgery soon. I started my bariatric surgery journey May 4th 2021 after YEARS of wanting to do it but not having the courage to start. At that point i was 298LBS. At my heaviest i was 305LBS. What prompted me to just go for it and conquer my fears was just wanting to be healthy again. I was tired of making excuses and as sad as it sounds i was tired of looking in the mirror every day staring at myself morphing into this person i no longer wanted to be. Fortunately for me, i didn't have any MAJOR health issues, however i did/do suffer from PCOS (Polycystic ovarian syndrome). For anyone who knows the struggles of PCOS you know trying fad diets and exercising isn't really helpful when trying to lose weight when your hormones are so imbalanced. Any who, going forward - i contacted my local bariatric surgery center and set up my initial consult. Since we're still being affected by covid, majority of my appointments were via video. My first consult they went over my eligibility requirements, health history and goals. After speaking with the nurse navigator they then scheduled my next visit with the Surgeon who would then change my life forever. So, two weeks later, i meet my surgeon VIA zoom (and let me say, i love that she was blunt, super honest and made sure my goals and perception of the surgery was realistic), she told me about herself, she asked me a few questions about my life, health history in depth, and she then went over my surgery options and what she felt would be my best choice (Gastric Bypass RNY). We ended the appointment on a good note. At that point i was feeling good, motivated and just proud of myself, like - GOSH, I'M FINALLY DOING THIS! At this point in the process, i have scheduled an appointment to get an EKG, chest X-RAY, cardiology, pulmonary, and a behavioral specialist. Over the course of 4 months i would complete each appointment and the specialists would send over their impressions over to the surgeon. September 3rd. I had my pre op class (with a dietitian). I signed a bunch of papers stating that i would not consume alcohol or use tobacco. I watched a video and then the dietitian stated that starting September 9th - until September 19th i will need to be on a full liquid pre op diet - at that point in the liquid diet you are not allowed to take any vitamin supplements, and or specific medications (they would go over that with you). September 9th came around and i started my three protein shakes a day, with drinking 64OZ of water until September 19th as advised. Let me tell you, that was the single most hardest thing that i have EVER done, but in the end i was so proud of myself. September 20th at 10:00AM i had to drink 10OZ of Magnesium Citrate to bowel cleanse in preparation for surgery the next morning. I spent all day in the bathroom. Around 1:30PM i received a call from the hospital letting me know what time i needed to be at the hospital for surgery the next day (9/21/21) which ended up being 7AM. I had so much trouble falling asleep that night as i was so excited yet SO nervous! Surgery day rolls around and i am up getting ready. We (my boyfriend and i) then make our way to the hospital, check in, and head to my pre op room to be prepped. They took my temperature, and my weight. When i started, i was 298 - the day of surgery i was 282LBS! At 9:40AM i went in for surgery and was in the OR for about 4HOURS. I spent about an hour and a half in recovery where they gave me 1OZ water every half hour, that would continue as i was transported to my room that i would stay for the next 24HOURS. My hospital stay wasn't bad, and my nurses/doctors were super attentive, supportive and courteous! They came in almost every hour to check my temperature, blood pressure, and incisions. I went home 9/22/21 at 9:40AM. 1st day home was challenging. I was in so much pain and discomfort. That quickly subsided as the days passed. But in those days, i attempted to drink water and protein and move around as much as possible because walking truly helps with the pain. Here i am 9 days post op and i am not at 100% yet but i am improving i still feel slight pain only where i have internal sutures, and i am gassy (like burping and stomach feeling bloated) - for that i use GAS-X - it's amazing! I currently weigh 273LBS which makes a total of 25LBS lost and 9LBS lost since surgery. 6 Day's post op i was back at work (I KNOW I KNOW I AM CRAZY - BUT I WORK IN AN OFFICE AT MY DESK MAJORITY OF THE DAY SO I AM OKAY).. Hopefully this helps! & if anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask :)

Hey guys. New here. On Medicaid only and starting the long road to approval. I’m currently 34, 418 lbs, 6’0. I have high blood pressure, sleep apnea, diabetes (type II), and high cholesterol. I started in January seeing a doctor for my 6 month physician led weight loss attempt and documentation. I was on adipex as well as lipotropic injections through them. My first visit was in January and I was at 413. I hovered 399-413 over the first 5 months, and on my 7th visit in September, weighed in at my highest of 418. I spoke with a physician in Huntsville at the beginning of my journey and they told me to go ahead and complete my 6 month plan, and then come to them for the rest. I called them and was bummed to find they recently stopped taking patients with Medicaid only. I was heartbroken. I had searched for years to find this physician. However, the recommended a doctor to me who ended up being my long term family surgeon. He just recently began accepting Medicaid only patients for bariatric surgery. I got a referral for a cardiology consult and psych consult. Going to psych next week and hopefully cardio as well. Then will get to meet with the surgeon. Praying so hard everything goes well.

Me too! Clear it with your bariatric staff first, or an allergy doc. I use the meltable kids Zyrtec tabs under my tongue, and the kids liquid Benadryl.

khamm, the time between consult, testing, and surgery differs widely amongst surgery centers and insurance plans. It could be weeks or a few months. I’d ask the bariatric surgery center where you’re having it.

Hi, I'm newly sleeved. 9-23-2021. I was very apprehensive the day of surgery. I did not deal with nausea very much right after surgery. I was so groggy because they pumped me full of anti nausea medication and pain meds. you will want to sleep. They had my iv on full blast so I would constantly be getting up to pee. I dry heaved once when I tried to take some tylenol 3 because the pills were too big for me to take at the time. I had my surgery at a bariatric center of excellence. they took very good care of me. Be encouraged, you are starting a new phase of your life. it is well worth it. You've come this far. Stay on these forums and ask a lot of questions. You will do awesome! we are all in this together.

Jazaysha, congrats on taking this big step! You are young and have a wonderful, exciting life ahead of you! Many of us wish we had done this at an earlier age, and your courage is an inspiration to many! I was super afraid of being nauseated. I cannot take many of the common pain meds because they make me throw up. I expressed my concern to the surgeon and anesthesiologist, and they found other methods of pain management. They will give you meds for nausea before you get nauseated. Make sure you stress this ahead of surgery. Follow your bariatric team's post op nutrition plan. Your staples won’t fall out! Good luck, God bless, and let us know how you’re doing post op!

As others have said, these are all questions you should be bringing to your appointments. It might be helpful to keep a notebook with questions so you can jot them down as you think of them, and then bring them to your appointments. Don't feel like you need to know it ALL right now. This is a process and it takes time to get to a place where you are ready to commit. Do your research, find resources, as your questions. All totally normal. I would also STRONGLY suggest some counseling before you decide. It is absolutely imperative that you work through any trauma or baggage that might be contributing to unhealthy habits. Surgery is just a tool, it will only work as well as you are able to wield it. Making sure your mind is healthy is absolutely the best thing you can do to set yourself up for success. That being said, I took a stab just to help give you some guideposts. 1. What am i supposed to weigh before surgery? Is there x# of pounds or bmi im supposed to lose from the time of my consultation til my surgery? - This is program dependent. Some have a goal weight or BMI, others want you to loose xxx pounds before surgery. Ask your program. 2. What should my end weight goal be? - The expected weight loss with VSG and RNY is 60-80% of your excess weight. So, if you have 100lbs to lose to get to a healthy BMI, you can expect to lose 60-80 of those pounds. Some programs set a goal weight, others do not. Again, ask your program. 3. Can i really not have fruit, potatoes, corn, noodles or breads? These are huge things in my list of foods i would go to eat. I am a big sweet tooth n fruit is 1 way i would want to eat healthier. - Most programs do not say you can "never" have specific foods again. But there are a host of factors that determine what your long term eating habits will look like (what can you tolerate without feeling sick or having dumping, etc., are you hitting your water and protein goals, do you have any nutritional deficiencies, etc.). That being said, if you aren't ready to commit to long term changes, you may want to hold off. Sometime WLS requires we give up certain foods in order to be at our best.  4. Has anyone ever experienced any big side effects risks or complications? Ones drs dont usually discuss as risks til... bam u have been diagnosed. - Yes, side effects can occur. Surgical complications include internal bleeding, leaks at the "seams," anesthesia issues, all the normal stuff. Post-op complications can include GERD, hiatal hernias, malnutrition, and other things. Research the possible complications so you are well informed and ask your surgial center what their complication and surgical infection rates are. Overall bariatric surgery is very safe, but all surgical procedures carry risks. 5. Anyone know the death rate, complications or big risks being elevated with certain family backgrounds? Example... maternal family with several cancers? - See above, surgically very safe. All of this is available online, just do some scholarly Googling and, as always, as your program. 6. What if i start smoking again? - Just don't. It will kill you just as fast as obesity. Learn new coping mechanisms, go to therapy, pick up a hobby. From a surgical perspective, smoking greatly increases the risk of complications and can greatly increase recovery time. 7. What if i consume alcohol? - This is a combo of personal and program. Most programs have a strict prohibition for a period of time, others say try not to drink ever. In the end, its empty calories and you will get drunk MUCH faster than you did pre-op. Plan to abstain for a good long time. 8. What if i think my 14 yr old needs this surgery? - Talk to their pediatrician and get them into counseling. Do NOT rush into that. This is a major, life altering surgery and could be massively traumatizing for a child.

Hi. I have had a lap band for 11 and half years. I lost around 100 lbs with it but it turned me into a bulimic because I could eat whatever I wanted and just "regurgitate" it back up. It was a bad cycle to be in, but it kept my weight off. Finally last year I went to my bariatric surgeon and confessed up. He did some tests and realized my esophagus was "floppy" and dilated. He did a complete unfill of my band at the time. I was able to maintain my original weight loss on the keto diet, but after 10 months I fell off the keto wagon and the weight QUICKLY returned. I gained around 50 lbs in 4 months!! I went back to my surgeon a year later and we have decided to remove my lap band and switch to the gastric bypass. He is not a fan of the lap band surgery anymore and is not recommending them to his patients. I have my surgery next week on October 6th. I am nervous because I am 52 now and postmenopausal. Im definitely not as active as I was when I first had my lap band surgery almost 12 years ago. How many people on this forum have had the lap band to bypass? How was their weight loss compared to the first surgery? What differences do you notice with restriction? Anyone having the surgery soon? or recently? Thanks in advance!

The Bariatric Pal store sells a year's worth of one-a-day bariatric vitamins & minerals (with or without iron), including B-12 and D-3 vitamins, for $99. It's the best deal going. You get the whole year's worth in the first shipment. It's an easy to swallow capsule which dissolves quickly in the pouch.

Your surgery center should provide you with a list of vitamins they like. Mine did. Bariatric vitamins are available over the counter, so no need for a prescription. I ordered mine from Amazon, but you can get them here on Bariatric Pal. I was told to take the chewables for the first month, but they made me gag and got stuck in my teeth (I tried two brands) so I switched to the capsules after the first two weeks.

Bravo!Two of the best food plans I've encountered are described in the books, A Pound of Cure, by Michael Weiner, MD, and Bright Lines Eating. by Susan Peirce Thompson, PhD. Both are plant-centric food plans, which allow limited animal and dairy products. The later is the more structured but provides much more support. Weiner, on the other hand, has a a website and a whole series of YouTube videos about WLS and his food plan. Both advocate against eating sugar, flour, wheat, and processed food. The cookbook by Weiner, Bariatric Guide and Cookbook is excellent for all stages following WLS. Pre-surgery I have been following A Pound of Cure and have lost 1/3 of my excess weight, 50 lbs. It's a plan one can live with with or without WLS.

Thank you so much for the answers! I am so new, just trying to understand my body cues. Neither my surgeon nor my bariatric coordinator described to me what doing this or that might feel like with my new stomach.

So do I have to get vitamins that are bariatric or can I just get a they otc Sent from my SM-A215U using BariatricPal mobile app

Each person is completely different. The higher you start, the more you're likely to lose right away—but not always. The first week or so is basically your body in trauma. You were pumped absolutely full of fluids and gas during surgery (if you had weighed yourself immediately after you probably would've gained 5 pounds!) and your body has to get rid of it. But if you're concerned, ask your surgeon or your bariatric center. I noticed that my weight tumbled the first week, then was more consistent the second week (today is two weeks out). I'm sure the three-week stall is right around the corner, but that's okay.

My surgery got cancelled after getting my EGD. They say I have Diabetic Gastroparesis. Now before I can get my Bariatric surgery (which actually is a treatment for Gastroparesis) I have to do a four hour stomach emptying test. I will get that on October 12. Hopefully surgery will be in my future after the surgeon gets those results. Sent from my Pixel 4a (5G) using BariatricPal mobile app

So sorry for your loss. Your definitely getting a crash course in it but one thing that is crucial to this journey is to learn to go through life events without revolving them around food. If you have a hard time with it post surgery, maybe the teams bariatric therapist would be able to get you in. I am an emotional eater and a boredom eater and I know I would need a little extra help getting through something like that. My thoughts are with you and your family.

Hey all!! Today I had my first weigh in appt after the consultation. It sucked…. I did not lose any weight. The doctor thinks it’s because I’m either consuming too much protein or the type of protein. I was drinking 3-4 protein drinks a day due to my wonky job schedule. I’ve been drinking premier protein and protein2O. My doctor said that he’s noticed that the patients that drink the premier protein are either not losing or they are gaining. This was really frustrating being that I have been diligently working hard at losing weight. So I will now only drink 1 protein water and 1 protein shake a day. My questions are… what protein shakes are y’all drinking during the pre-op weight loss phase? Has anyone noticed an increase in weight with the premier protein? They keep pushing bariatric advantage, but I fearful because my stomach is ultra sensitive to some dairy things. im really trying hard to not get discouraged. I would help to hear others difficulties during this phase to know that I am not alone or weird. Thanks a lot. Trying to live a good life

Congratulations on your amazing progress. Are you able to describe some of your challenges that you think you will be able to manage with the help of a therapist? What are some of the issues within your weight loss / bariatric experience that you think will require work and extra assistance. Also, you mentioned the foamies... what is your general daily eating experience, and are you happy with how your current diet seems to serve your overall health (besides weight loss)? Your perspective is greatly appreciated.

I had mine in Tijuana Mexico on the 15th at Renew. Just found this group - looking forward to contributing sb

If you feel like this is an issue for you, it's best to talk with a therapist who specializes in bariatric issues. See if your surgery center can recommend someone. Good luck!

Oh, that’s appalling. Can’t believe you haven’t had a post surgery appointment with your surgeon yet. Get on the phone & starts demanding some information, guidance & support & an appointment. I saw my surgeon two weeks after surgery (to the day), dietician early in week 4, GP in week 5 & the surgeon & dietician in week 6. I was given information pamphlets from my surgeon & dietician and the surgeon gave me a great hard cover reference book about all bariatric surgeries, the pre & post surgical stages & recipes.

we get rebates from our health insurance if we do something like approved three activities a year. One choice was having a handful of telehealth appts with a dietitian (note this was not the dietitian I usually see annually at my bariatric clinic - this was just a regular dietitian who works for the insurance company). She suggested I cut 1000 calories a day from my diet to lose the weight I wanted to. I maintain my current weight on about 1700 calories a day. So cut 1000 calories from that? Is she f***ing kidding? So I cut 200-ish calories, knowing it'll take months to lose some microscopic amount of weight. But that's how it goes when you're at or close to a normal BMI. You're pretty much equilibrium as far as calories in/calories out, so there's not much to cut - and that weight loss is going to be S-L-O-W! (note that 700 kcal/day is fine during the first months post-op -- but not when you're as far out as I am..)

I do an annual follow up with our surgeon, originally in his local office primarily staffed by his RN (the practice moved out of the area before either my wife or I had surgery, but they maintained the office and support group to support their local patients) and then via telecon after the RN retired and they closed the office. I think that it is much more important for the DS and RNY patients as they tend to be subject to more long term issues than sleevers, but I still like to keep up with it, looking at it mostly as keeping him on retainer so that I'm still in the files with current labs. That way, if our PCP has any questions in our care that may be relevant (...is this an issue from the surgery?...) she can call the surgeon and have a chat with him about it. Nominally, most everything relating to labs, etc. can be done by your PCP, your surgeon may have some additional labs that they prefer to do in addition to what your PCP may normally do for an annual, and they may have ranges that they prefer beyond the basic "normal" range that is flagged on the lab report. For instance, our surgeon prefers that the vit D levels be kept in the upper end or the typical normal range, so his experience with bariatric patients trumps the PCP's more limited experience.

There’s nothing wrong with straws despite what most bariatric surgeons will tell you. The info is very outdated and incorrect. For further proof, I’ve been using a straw since roughly 6wks post surgery with zero issues. I’m currently 90lbs down at 5 months out.