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I am pre-op but got these to start getting into the habit of taking them and I absolutely can't stand them. I tried for several weeks and it got so bad I started gagging every time I took one. I just ordered a bag of the Bariatric Fusion soft chews to try, and I requested a free sample pack from ProCare. Hopefully, I'll find one I can stomach, but I don't blame you one dang bit for wanting to pitch the the BF chewable ones, they are awful! Other folks have also had success with the patches, but the research on absorbency is a little sketchy. Its hard to know how well they actually work, but definitely worth a shot!

The first few weeks can be such a challenge and you've received many great ideas from comments here. I found that I worked through the stages of grief during my immediate post-op surgery experience. A loss of my "normal" life and a loss of the food that I thought that I needed. Working with yourself either with a bariatric therapist would be very helpful as someone previously suggested. I didn't have one when I first received my surgery, but my Mom was my rock through those initial processes. Perhaps you also have someone in your support group who can empathize, listen, and assist you during this time. I remember those feelings of longing and the thoughts of "why did I do this??" but it does get better! The cravings have never left me, but I have learned how to enjoy so much more out of my life that while sometimes I may have a bite or more than I initially thought the life that I have after losing the weight is so much better than I could have imagined. You CAN do this! Your body is still healing from surgery so give yourself some grace and kindness as you work through healing, all of your emotions, and dealing with an eating disorder that drove you to your pre-surgery weight. One day at a time and suddenly you will have made it a week, a month, months, and a year. The journey doesn't end...just shifts. Best wishes to you!

Hey all, This is my first time posting. Its just my husband that knows about my surgery but I wanna share it with you all because today I've reached my target weight[emoji1][emoji126] Im 7 months post op. I'm 5ft1 and weighted 15 stone before gastric bypass surgery and now today I've reached the 9 stone mark. Getting surgery was the best decision I could of ever made but the hardest thing I've ever done also. I travelled to nord bariatric clinic from Ireland to Lithuania in Dec 2020 solo. I was scared, ashamed nervous and so so miserable. I missed my kids and my husband so much for the time I was away it was scary being alone doing this but I knew I had to do this for me and for them. The first few months are a learning curve post op but honestly things get easier and you adjust. I still enjoy nice food and drink but know my limit. Having surgery has allowed me to feel like me again I feel the head demons are gone and I just feel free. Here are some before and after photos . Best of luck everyone with your journey. Its so worth it Sent from my SM-G781B using BariatricPal mobile app

Hello everyone, I'm Emma and I have been waiting for bariatric surgery for a long time now. I was discharged in 2019 because I was at another hospital appointment and told I would have to wait 6 months before my dr could re refer me back to Homerton hospital, I would have to start again from the beginning and then covid happened. I eventually received my new appointment for May 19th which was cancelled due to too many people in the clinic. It was rearranged for 28th May. Only to be cancelled on the day, I get refered back to gp because they asked for my weight and BP. I then had to re refer myself back to Homerton hospital, my appointment was for August so I called up for cancellations regularly and finally I had 1 for July. I still had to wait weeks but finally that day is here 12 July my appointment is today and because its a telephone appointment I really do not know what to expect. I realised both the appointment in May and this appointment mentioned different departments. May appointment said Pre-Operative surgery appointment, where this July one just says telephone appointment outpatients 2. I have now also received another appointment letter to attend the hospital in September which I find a bit strange as I have not had the 1st appointment yet. I have been trying to have this surgery for the last five years and everytime I feel like I'm close to having it, it seems to not happen. I am so mentally prepared and focused to what I need to do to make this a success. I need this surgery for a better quality of life, thats all I'm trying to do. Gain a healthy lifestyle and hopefully extend my life and avoid extra health problems. I need this surgery so I can have a operation on my leg, I have mobility issues which makes it hard with weight loss, I have missed out on so much being pretty much home bound and all I want is this tool to help aid me in my journey as I have tried so much over the years. I just wished they wouldn't make me have to start all again, because what about all the hard effort I have already put in? Giving fact I was at a hospital appointment at the time and how badly I need this surgery, I feel it was really unfair to refer me back to my gp since I was at another hospital appointment. I'm just over ready to get this journey started, I feel like how long will the wait be this time? I really told myself not to feel like that, but i guess as the appointment approaches, I just really wish I could show them how dedicated,focused and determined i am for this. In my mind I'm ready to start my liver shrinking diet and head for surgery but in reality I now have to wait for the 1st appointment where you do there (probably Septembers appointment) then its what tests and checks they will want me have from then. Its just a shame its taking me this long to start my journey. Sent from my SM-N770F using BariatricPal mobile app

A bariatric surgeon I watched on YouTube once referred to the first 6 weeks as “the buyer’s remorse stage”where you wonder if it was worth the pain, discomfort, and the gradual shift back to puréed and soft foods. I agree with the suggestions above. See if you can tolerate icy liquids. Soon you’ll be able to have coffee and it’ll be amazing but most importantly right now you want to avoid any strain on those internal sutures. Try to rest as much as possible and walk if you can, even short distances help. Maybe pick up a hobby that you’ve long forgotten or find a new one to help distract you from food for the time being.

The mind is a powerful thing and learning how to manage your head hunger is probably the biggest challenge you will face. Some can do this alone. Some need the help of a therapist. Did you team recommend a therapist who is knowledgeable about bariatric patients? If not ask for a recommendation. I’m concerned you’re still experiencing pain. Were you given pain meds when you left hospital? Can it be managed with over the counter pain meds? Is it gas pain or surgical pain? If the pain is surgical & you’re still experiencing it contact your surgeon. Gas pain can persist longer. Walk. Try some gasX if it’s gas pain. I was allowed herbal or green tea & I found warm/hot drinks much more soothing on my tummy than cold. Try heating your coffee flavoured shake. I used to heat my chocolate shake & pretended it was hot chocolate - lol! It will get better. Undergoing surgery can be stressful & has probably stirred up a lot of anxiety & fear which is also feeding your head hunger. Good luck.

Is anyone having trouble stomaching the bariatric fusion vitamins? They are gross. I feel like post up my taste buds are so sensitive. But I’m a few days out and I can’t bare to chew them. Any advice?

Ps: I told one person. This topic can really divide the community, but personally I needed to do this myself without judgement or questions. I told my boss and colleagues I was having a procedure, fit note from GP just said "post op". Told my family I was having a hiatus hernia repair (as I was at the same time so not total lie!) which helpfully also means you have to stick to a puree/soft diet for a few weeks so I could be open about that. It has come up in discussion with friends that I am doing a lot more walking and my meals are very protein focused, and I don't feel one bit that I have cheated because at the end of the day, bariatric surgery is a tool and I'm putting in a hell of a lot of work. Your body and your health is noone else's business, unless you choose to tell them! There can of course be power in sharing your story and distigmatising WLS, and you might have some very understanding and supportive people around you 🙂

When does the clock start in regards to weigh in and you cannot gain any weight. During my consultation with my bariatric surgeon I weighed in at 218-219. Based on my height and weight and he said that if I dropped down to 212 I would not qualify just on BMI alone. He also advised me that if I didn't believe I had any co-morbidities that I should gain an extra 5-10 pounds for cushion (like I don't have enough LOL) So can anyone advise me on when the clock start. When the weigh in start being documented and I cannot gain anymore weight.

I have been wanting to get the Gastric Sleeve surgery for a while, but my insurance doesn't cover it, and even with trying to save as much as I can. I'll be dead before I'm able to come up with the $25,000 cash to get it done here in the states. I have been too scared to consider getting it done elsewhere, but I have come to the realization that this is going to be my only option. I have been trying to research, but with all the different options out there, and stories of bait and switches, I'm more confused then ever. I have read good reviews for Dr. Ramos Kelly, but most of them are older. I went to his website drramoskelly.com and saw that it is in fact for the International Metabolic Bariatric Center. Is this a reputable place? I really can't find any newer reviews on the doctor, or any reviews for IMBC. I just want to be safe. I have 3 kids, I'm trying to get healthy for. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Doctors' philosophy on this vary from a few weeks to never again depending upon their experiences. The basic issues are: Healing - alcohol is somewhat corrosive to the stomach lining so one needs to give things a chance to heal first, Typically we see a few weeks to a few months sited for this. Alcohol tolerance - rapid stomach emptying means it tends to hit faster, and with less (i.e., a "cheap drunk") so care must be taken there, Transfer addiction - we can no longer satisfy whatever addictive tendencies we have with food, so it is easy to transfer that addiction to something else, like alcohol, drugs, shopping, gambling, etc. What was a casual habit of a glass of wine with dinner occasionally can easily turn into full blown alcoholism. Liver health - starting as morbidly obese, or worse, our livers are not usually in very good shape to begin with (hence the "liver shrinking" pre-op diets that are often prescribed) and the liver is further stressed from its role in metabolizing all that fat that we are rapidly losing. It doesn't need any more stress from ingesting a known liver toxin like alcohol (not a judgemental thing, just our physiology at work). My surgeon is also a biliopancreatic (livers and pancreas) transplant surgeon, so he is in the no alcohol as long as we are losing weight camp (and ideally forever) and indeed we sign a contract to that effect - he doesn't want any of his bariatric patients coming back onto his transplant table! Those are the issues in play, and some aspects bother different surgeons to different degrees, so they have different policies. Check with what your surgeon's policy is, and decide for yourself - we are all adults here.

timmytommy, ColieCallwell, I'm surprised you wouldn't be approved if you lost too much weight durring the process. I thought insurance used your starting weight for approval. This just proves how everyone's path to surgery and requirements are different. timmytommy, what you'll need to accomplish during your six-month pre-op depends on what your insurance requires and what your doctor/ surgeon wants/needs to prove that you're physically and mentally ready for surgery. You may be required to do the following: Begin a medical weight loss program Lose weight Have psychological evaluation See a registered dietician (RD) See an exercise therapist or get on an exercise plan Attend a support group for bariatric patients Reduce soda/ alcohol Stop smoking/ using tobacco products Make dietary changes Increase protein Start a vitamin/ Supplement routine Sleep studies/ Maintain CPAP/BiPAP compliance Labs/ Tests: blood panel for CBC, thyroid function, B12, HgbA1--for prediabetes/diabetes, other vitamins EKG/ cardiac stress test EDG (esophagogastroduodenoscopy) Good luck!

My PreOp was food - high protein low carbs. I wouldn’t worry as the whole process is to shrink and soften your liver. Mention to your doctor or say nothing. A friend who did Bariatric said she didn’t stick to hers and it still happened. I had a chicken burger and french fries with a soft drink a couple of days before my surgery and my liver had shrunk and there were no complications and my dr said they didn’t need the tool to lift they could use a stitch xx hope this helps

@MotoZen, I'd read that the author of Proteinaholic was a bariatric surgeon. Does he have anything written about pre-op and post-op plant-based diets, or would you be willing to share information from your nutritionists there? I've tried asking the dietitians at my program about plant-based options and they are really not helpful. I'm not 100% plant-based, but mostly plant-based, and I don't eat meat or consume dairy. I was really curious for his recommendations...

8 months- checking in today at 192.8 lbs, for total weight lost of 146.2 lbs. I have 27.8 lbs left to go to get to goal. My weight loss is slowing down but it’s still going. I know that as I get closer to a regular body weight the weight loss is going to get slower and more difficult but I do miss the days of regular 3-5 lb drops every week. July 5 represented one year of concerted weight loss effort for me. On that day in 2020 I started a low carb low calorie diet that was supposed to last for two weeks- I needed to drop weight for my first in person weigh in at the Bariatric clinic and I was terrified I was going to be disqualified due to gaining weight during my 6 month program. I squeaked under the line, and when I got home I just decided to keep it up a little longer to help with weight loss prior to surgery. I ended up keeping it up a whole year! So I have two anniversaries in my head, July 5 and November 10, diet date and surgery date. I’ve been doing good on exercise, and I’m trying to focus better on making sure I keep my diet in check. I’ve gotten lackadaisical about tracking food and I need to work on that because I can’t rely on portion control forever. I also need to focus more on getting sleep- I know that impacts weight loss and I’m terrible about staying up late after the kids are asleep to read books. I remember some celebrity had a big awards show and said something like “I want to thank myself, for all the hard work I put in, for the sacrifices I made, etc” and everyone laughing. But you know what, I would like to thank myself. For starting a diet 12 months ago and sticking with it though the hard parts. For getting a surgery that terrified me but still jumping through all the hoops and getting it done. For drinking tomato soup for thanksgiving and giving up the candy and snack food that got me to 339 lbs. 😀 If anyone is reading this and has 150+ lbs to lose, it’s possible. It’s possible with a sleeve, or a bypass, or whatever surgery you get. Surgery doesn’t do the work for you, but it helps so much. Next month I will be in the 180s and getting closer to a normal BMI. I’m committing this month to tracking each day, exercising 3-5 times a week, and going to bed earlier. August here we come!

I have thought about all the milestones (negative) that I hit before finally turning to surgery. These were NOT tipping points for me: -needing seat belt extender on flight -struggling to tie my sneakers -Winded walking to my office or up the stairs -prediabetes diagnosis And so many years of dieting struggles The tipping point was -getting an A1C test of 6.9 and a Diabetes diagnosis. - getting prescribed diabetes, cholesterol, and blood pressure medications. -And Not being able to go on bike rides with my daughter I felt so hopeless until I finally followed my cardiologists suggestion to attend an informational session for bariatric surgery. After another 4 months of considering all the risks (real and perceived) with taking this step, I could not imagine any other way that I would be able to lose the amount of weight that I needed to get healthy again. Just over 3 months later and 54 lbs down, I am only sorry I was so resistant to the idea of surgery to help lose weight. I feel more than hopeful again. I have a long way still to go, but it feels doable now. And I already feel so much success to be able to move more comfortably and no longer need the medication prescribed just 8 months ago! And I am getting my bike tuned so I can go biking with my daughter on the nearby bike path that I have avoided riding for over 5 years!!

I currently have a BMI of 36.5 with comorbidities. I have to follow the 6 month pre-op diet as part of the bariatric program. My question is: what if I lose too much weight during this phase and fall below 35 BMI? Will this exclude me from surgery? I know I can be successful at a 6 month diet, but past experience has proven that I will gain that weight back. Any feedback is welcome!

I was referred to a long standing bariatric doctor. I found out that he does not believe in revision sugery despite the research (2019). I am now in the process of finding a new doctor with approval for the procedure. I am excited and scared as heck. I will never give up! So, here we start again! Sent from my SM-G965U using BariatricPal mobile app

Thank you so much for replying! I was especially interested in your thoughts because you have posted a lot about this subject. It's too bad not all bariatric centers provide this kind of resources. So, if I'm understanding what you're saying, it seems like you think I should try to find another therapist -- one who has experience treating WLS patients or at least disordered eating? I actually really liked the guy who did my pre-surgery psych eval and I've been thinking about going to him. It seems like it might be awkward, but I got the sense that he knew a lot about WLS and the issues relating to it. I had a session with my current therapist today and I wrote up a list of issues that I wanted to address, and I think that helped... But I don't want to keep wasting time and money with someone who is not going to be able to help me with what I need to work on.

Finding triggers is definitely the key. Tools also help as well. For me, I purchased the bowl and plate with all the measurements on them. Words cannot express how much they help keep me on track! I also heard of people doing "pouch resets" to regain their stopping points. I would suggest meeting with your bariatric nutritionist to discuss how to go about this if you feel the issue is no longer feeling full as quickly when you eat. If the issue is fighting temptation with forbidden foods, try looking up bariatric friendly substitutes or recipes. I've found that to be a God send. There's literally a healthy, bariatric-friendly version of every bad food out there! All it takes is a little research and recipe planning. If you're ever interested in swapping recipes or product ideas, let me know. Good luck to you! You've got this!

You've lost so much weight!!! That's something to be super proud of, definitely take a minute to pat yourself on the back and celebrate your accomplishment. I'm sorry you're going through this. 115 is a really low goal. Most bariatric patients don't get to such a low BMI. Maybe work on losing the 30 lbs you need to for skin surgery and set your final goal a little higher so you don't feel so disheartened? As for losing more weight right now, don't do anything drastic; just focus on the basics, like eating good food; veggies and lean protein. Try using an app like MyFitnessPal or Baritastic to track your calories. Don't beat yourself up for gaining weight during the pandemic - it happened to a LOT of people!! Wishing you the best!

Sounds like you have recurring strictures. What did your Bariatric surgeon suggest?

Sue, I wish I knew who to call in Tennessee, but I don't. I'm sorry. My group is affiliated with a research university and they do their homework. They have a few therapists that they have vetted and recommend to follow up with surgery patients. In addition to doing counseling appointments, our therapists also provide leadership for our support group meetings. It's kinda cool to see your therapist in the framework of working with several people you know going through the process. I know mine has heard a hundred bariatric surgery horror stories, success stories, has heard people just like me struggling through the process of making lifelong peace with food. If you're trying to find a therapist on your own, I'd suggest looking for someone with experience treating disordered eating, cross over addiction and food addiction. Find someone who can help you identify eating triggers associated with unmet needs. (they're usually linked). Those needs need to be addressed to ensure the habits don't backslide. Looks like the University of Tennessee has a bariatric center. It might be worth calling them and seeing if they have someone vetted who they work with....who is good....maybe you could do video visits? You are dead right that it's hard to find the RIGHT therapist for this niche. But I can't recommend it enough. Best wishes.

Jayali, I can think of three reasons why you are feeling so depressed and tired: post partum depression, carrying for an infant while holding down a job, and lack of vitamins and minerals. You need to get with the program. Take your supplements religiously and eat according to your food plan. I recommend that seek treatment for your addictions: medication and food. This may mean joining a 12-step program such as Overeaters Anonymous, AA, or NA. Avoid all sugar, artificial sweeteners, and flour. These are the things that trigger most of us. Otherwise, you will defeat your surgery and regain all that you've lost. If you've been prescribed a CPAP machine, find a mask that suits you, and use the CPAP every night. Getting enough sleep can make all the difference in the world. There are non-addictive sleeping pills that are very effective, such as Lunesta. I recommend reading Weight Loss Surgery Does Not Cure Food Addiction by Connie Stapleton and How Weight Loss Surgery Really Works, by Matthew Weiner. Please return to your obstetrician and bariatric surgeon and get help.

This got way longer than I expected, so let me start with the TL;DR: If you have gotten counseling that has helped with your WLS success, can you please give me some tips for how to find a good therapist? And what I should be discussing with that therapist? I'm looking at you, @Creekimp13 and @catwoman7 (since you've both mentioned the importance of therapy in your long-term success), but I would love to hear from anyone who has gotten this kind of counseling... I've seen so many people say that therapy is really important for long-term success with WLS. I'm almost a year out and I've been struggling lately, and I've had a hard time finding a good therapist. I searched my insurance company's website for therapists who treat eating disorders. I reached out to a practice that had a few therapists who had eating disorders listed as one of their specialties, and they sent a very curt reply saying that they don't have anyone on staff who treats eating disorders. I called another practice and explained that I'm a WLS patient looking for counseling on food and eating issues, and they assured me they could help, but the therapist they assigned to me knew nothing about WLS. I had a few sessions with him and it was useless. I had to keep explaining basics about WLS (like food restrictions, dumping syndrome, not eating and drinking at the same time, loose skin -- which he thought would go away on its own if I exercise enough and when I explained that the only way to get rid of it is plastic surgery, he suggested I ask my bariatric surgeon to do it at my next follow-up). He didn't seem to understand my issues at all. In hindsight, I probably should have walked out of the first session. When I started telling him my WLS story and mentioned that my highest weight was 341 pounds, he interrupted me: "Sue?" I stopped and said, "Yes?" He replied, with a big smile on his face, "Sue, you were FAT!" and then busted out laughing, like it was cool to make fun of how fat I used to be just because I'm not that big anymore. When I told him I wanted to get counseling to address my food and eating issues to make sure I don't gain the weight back, he replied, "You won't gain the weight back. If I had a $100 bill right now, I would bet $100 that you won't gain the weight back," and then we never discussed regain again in the next 3 sessions. I think he was under the impression that regain was an irrational fear and he did his job by reassuring me that it's not going to happen. Then I found another practice that has a whole paragraph on its web site about the support they offer for bariatric patients both before and after surgery. I called to make an appointment and said that I had bariatric surgery last year and I was interested in the post-surgery counseling they described on their web site. The receptionist told me she needed my surgeon's office notes from my most recent visit, and was oddly insistent that the notes come directly from the surgeon's office and not from me downloading them from my electronic chart and sending them. I had to sign release paperwork for the surgeon's office, and when the counseling practice got it, they called me and said they were confused because my surgeon's notes said I already had the surgery so there was no need for me to get a pre-surgery evaluation. I guess they thought I was asking for a psych eval for surgery approval and couldn't understand why I would need counseling after I already had the surgery. I cited the paragraph on their web site and they sent me to a seemingly random therapist (probably the first one with an opening) who had no experience with WLS patients. She's better than the last guy, but the sessions have been pretty generic -- basically, she asks me how my week has been, I talk about things that happen (usually relating to WLS issues), and she asks me how I feel about it or how I handled it. Doesn't feel like I'm getting anywhere -- just feels like a WLS patient Q&A. I told her this and she suggested I think about what exactly I want to discuss and tell her next week. I'll give that a try, but to be honest, I don't really know -- she's the therapist, so I was counting on her to provide that kind of guidance!