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There also should be a thread for people having surgery in January if you haven’t found that yet search January in the search bar and it should pop up. Lots of people with the same nervous feelings that you have. Also, if you really have a lot of anxiety, I made lists and organized everything. I mean down to a tea. I got out my book that the surgeon gave me. I read it covered to cover and I made a schedule for two days before surgery. I mean every little thing I planned out. I have an anxiety disorder, so a lot of therapy has taught me to control what I can when I feel like something is out of control. Yours will be different because every surgeon is different, but here’s a copy of mine. I just found it in my phone. I shaved two days before because they don’t want you to have any fresh cuts because of infection and I’m a model patient because of my anxiety. 😆 I left my crochet bag in the car for my husband to bring up after I had a room and he seen if I was feeling up to it or not. I also had a second bag at home packed with things I would want if I was staying more than one night which was a good thing because I did stay longer. Anyways, some of these things may not even matter to you, but for me just planning it out so that I knew that I wouldn’t forget anything made me feel more in control of my part so once I got to the hospital, I was able to turn it over to them to do what they do every single day because I had done my part already. Also from my list anything that needed to be at an exact time, I set alarms in my phone and labeled them with what I was supposed to do like take that nausea pill or stop drinking liquids or whatever. Review Sunday night Two Days Before (Mon) Switch to the liquid diet. SHAVE, drop off donations and pick up Walmart order, Wash Comforters. 2:00 Therapy on Zoom Pack other bag for 2nd night (move my one rx tonight so I don’t forget and take it in the morning) The Day before: (Tues) Skip that one medication starting this morning, Pack hospital bag and crochet bag switch from full to clear liquid this evening, remove rings, change sheets, take my shower with the special soap, take the nausea pill at bedtime and of course nothing at all after midnight. Surgery Day: (Wed) Wake up at 3:30am and take my allowed meds with 12oz of regular sugar Gatorade- finishing everything before 4:30, (don’t pee) take my second shower with the special soap, toss towels in wash, brush teeth and get dressed (nothing on my body or hair at all except clothes). Then head to the hospital at 5:15. Also remember not to pee after that Gatorade because they need a pregnancy test shortly after I arrive at 5:30. *Bring bag, phone, bariatric book with questions, will, DL and ID. (Remind Hubby to bring a sweater) Surgery scheduled for 7:30am 🤞

Oh I’m so excited for you to have gotten your authorization. I asked my Dr yesterday about the Colace since I was there and he say I could go ahead and start it too. I don’t remember constipation being an issue last time but maybe it’s something in the protein shakes that can cause it when you have so many in the day? If you mean your bariatric vitamin I would definitely call. My book says to START them with the LSD. I’m obviously already on them because I had the sleeve but the book is for the general audience who hasn’t been on them for years. 😆 OMG the pincushion thing happens to me too. I wonder if our veins are harder to see because of our weight and that will get better. I have started to actually get a little anxious when I go because it’s always such an ordeal. They usually do a butterfly needle in my hand and then the girl always complains because it just dripping and sticks me again. This time I was like idk how long it takes veins to recover but I have surgery soon and they are gonna need a vein so please let it drip. It will fill up eventually. A friend of mine said they always have a hard time at drs offices and she has much better luck at stand-alone labs. Kinda makes sense since they do nothing but draw blood all day whereas a nurse only does it when a patient needs it. I assume you are allowed protein shakes. If so take your meds immediately as you finish one of those. I take my bariatric multi that way and it makes me nauseated without enough in my stomach but with a FULL shake I am fine. I tried to get in a hurry one time and took it when I had only finished half so I could get out the door and it came right back up but I have taken it forever with the full one and it’s fine. The protein in the shakes is actually quite satiating physically. It’s the head hunger that will get you and the jello does help with that. So do the sugar free popsicles if you are allowed those. It just feels good to sorta chew after a while. As long as you are conscious of the fact that you may be a little testy because of your diet you should be okay. You could tell your family ahead of time to tell you if they feel like you are not yourself if you think that would help. I am on day two and as long as I keep busy it’s really not THAT bad. Now ask me Again on day 16 and it may be a different story.

Detox is a fad. Our bodies have kidneys and a liver. They do all the detoxing we need. Now that we've had these surgeries, we have to be more mindful about what we do and don't eat. I would stay away from these fads, increase your fluids, stick to your bariatric diet, move your body and exercise (sweat is a good way to flush out your system, too) and leave the detox stuff alone. They don't provide a real benefit and they can actually do harm.

Low fat Cottage cheese -- you can jazz it up with different savoury or sweet seasonings -- a bit of cinnamon and splenda was a favourite of mine, but so was garlic, dill and a touch of salt. (And honestly, just black pepper was great. I missed pepper.) Refried beans or pureed kidney beans / chick peas. (Or hummus on a lazy day). I mixed my refried beans with a bit of enchilada sauce (choose one with no added sugar). It gave deconstructed bean burrito vibes. Pureed sweet potato instead of regular white potatoes. Again, you can make it a sweet dish with cinnamon, or turn it savoury with a bit of salt, garlic and black pepper. You can do the same with butternut squash. Add a little water / broth to make it a smoother consistency, and throw in a scoop or two of bone broth powder or unflavoured protein powder so you're still getting that protein in. Have you tried any strained or pureed soups? Particularly the cream-of-whatever soups, pureed chowders, etc. I also liked some of the protein soups at the bariatric pal store enough that I still used some of them as sauces 4mo out. The BP Bacon Cheese soup is good (but salty) and the Proti-Diet Chicken soup is not quite a cream soup but not a broth either. (It's salty too. Honestly, I feel like most powdered soups are/were too salty for my tastes but watering them down a little further usually works)

Stretching in the sense that you mean it is exceedingly rare and only happens if someone consistently binge eats over a relatively long period of time. What does happen naturally is increased capacity. This is true for sleeve and bypass both. After 6 months or so, your stomach regains some of its elasticity and can accommodate a bit more at one sitting. This is fine and healthy. Everyone is different, and everyone's capacity at a given point post-op is different. I don't know what you were told for goals, but my program says 60-80g protein per day and 64oz minimum of water. They want my protein to be around 40% of my calories, and I generally aim for 800-1000 calories per day, but that was not strictly set and will change over time. 1200 seems to be a common goal for the later stages of weight loss, with the amount going up once you are in maintenance. 5oz per meal is reasonable, but you need to be eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Plus possibly a snack. My program says aim for 20-25g protein per meal, and supplement with a protein snack or shake as needed until you can get the full amount from food comfortably. By 9 months, you should be fine getting it all from food. Your brittle nails and hair loss suggest you are not getting enough protein and may not be getting enough other nutrients. You should continue to aim for around 4 oz of lean meat or fish, (or a serving of Greek yogurt or cottage cheese, for example) per meal. 4oz cooked skinless chicken breast has 25g protein. Your second priority at every meal should be nonstarchy veg. If you still have room, you can have a little bit of carb (rice, potato, sweet potato, bread, etc.). A serving of fruit makes a nice dessert. An easy way to eyeball it is to take a salad plate (not dinner plate), and put a piece of meat the size and thickness of your palm on one side, and fill about 2/3 of the other side with nonstarchy veg and the remaining 1/3 with carb. Go light on the sauces and butter. If in doubt, check Amazon for bariatric cookbooks. There are several by bariatric experts, including surgeons and registered dietitians. Kristin Willard's Bariatric Meal Prep is a personal favorite, with portion sizes for different stages, and a full color photo for every recipe.

I never had reflux or gerd so I was a fantastic candidate for the sleeve. And after the sleeve, the gerd was so bad I was on 80mg of Nexium TWICE per day PLUS pepcid for break through and TUMS if really needed (and I was always doing all of it, sometimes still with no real relief). I developed so many polyps from the incredibly high amounts of PPI over a long period of time that I needed 4 endoscopies to remove them. I also developed gastritis and esophagitis. I was told I had no choice but to have the revision to bypass. So 13 months after my sleeve, I was back in the hospital having the bypass. The recovery was SO much faster and easier, the gerd was cured almost immediately, getting my fluids down was so much easier, my only real regret is that I had the sleeve at all. I just wish I had gone straight to the bypass to begin with. If you already have gerd, I STRONGLY advise at least thinking about the bypass instead of the sleeve. The bariatric surgeon may not even give you the sleeve as an option, so maybe start considering the bypass as a viable choice.

I'd make an appointment with your bariatric team then. I'm a slow weight loser..but 4 lbs in two months seems off.

Yes, @ShoppGirl, I had a similar experience with Miralax. I was at home, so no emergency, but I learned that lesson. My team didn't recommend stool softeners but I think I'm going to start one because this full liquids with protein powder is quite constipating. Monday I start pureed, and I am more than ready. I blendered some lentil soup with protein powder and extra water for dinner, and while it tasted good and satisfied my craving for something kind of hearty, it became this kind of brownish thin sludge and I was like, "This is what I eat now?" I know it's only day 11 and I'm still on liquids. I just want to be sure I don't give up the joy of good food. I'm not a cook at ALL but my husband and I decided we are on a mission to become foodies of healthy, clean, whole foods. Thank God my incisions are done itching. That was terrible. I mean, not a crisis in the grand scheme of things, but it was annoying. They're just about to the stage where I can start taking bubble baths again. I LOVE bubble baths and take a lot of them. That'll be really nice. I really feel everyone on trying to get it all right and balance things to get enough protein and keep the sugar and carbs low, and keep the quantities right. I'm still struggling with having zero feeling of fullness. I definitely do not feel hungry, which is crazy on less than 500 calories a day (I'm supposed to aim for 300 - 600 with no more than 1000). That's a total blessing and I hope I never get hunger back. That would help so much long term. But I do hope that once I advance my diet I will have fullness cues. I measure, so I guess I don't 'need' them, but I would be less afraid of overeating. Every once in a while, I have these sort of "mind echoes" of, "Oh, I want [insert high calorie comfort food here]". It's fleeting and it's not physical, it's totally a mind want, but it's interesting. I kind of shrug and say, "I don't do that anymore." I'm having an interesting thing happen with my one sister who was very against my having surgery but was being as supportive as she could of my decision. She's now sending me things like a mug warmer for my soups and an immersion blender, and links to Pinterest recipes for amazing soups. It's really cool. I am appreciating it a lot. I hope you all have supportive people around you. What is everyone doing regarding weighing? I kind of intend to weigh myself each morning when I get up, which will be more structured when I go back to work on Monday, but then I also don't want to get fixated on the scale and then get discouraged when I plateau, which I know will happen. On the third hand (LOL), it's exciting and reinforcing when I'm making these hard changes to see the scale move. I got a pill organizer and filled it with all my vitamins that I have to take starting Monday for the rest of my life. It's a LOT! I have to take pills 4X a day. Luckily, I haven't hated any of the bariatric chews and melts so far. And like @shoppgirl, I love the Bariatric Advantage calcium chews. They're basically Starburst candy!

If you have a phone or some sort of Alexa device try setting a recurring reminder to remind you daily. Or maybe regular alarm clocks have that option now. Don’t overdo it but just get into the habit of doing something. Start with what your physical therapist recommended. They are very knowledgeable and know where you are currently fitness wise. Also, if the physical therapist is too far. See if the bariatric physical therapy specialist could set up your program and do your evaluations but you can go to someone local just to do the exercises. They usually have someone evaluate and change your exercises ever so often and the other people there just help you do those exercises in between. So in other words, The specialist will decide what exercises you need to do and send those records to someone closer for you to do them more often. Not certain if that’s something that they like to do but it couldn’t hurt to ask. You Can break your exercise up too. My watch actually tells me to stand up every hour and I will walk around the house a bit. Before I got it I would do a little extra walking when I went to the restroom or got up to get a drink. It’s just something you do a few times a day so a little extra adds up. You could do your bands then. Or when you eat your meals you could do them. Just divide up how much they want you to do for the day so your not doing too much. It doesn’t matter when or how you do it or where you are starting from any little bit is progress. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend walking too far by yourself if it’s been a while since you have done it though. When I started I would go alone but I did wait until my husband was home from work and I took a phone with me so if I needed to, I could call him to come get me. Even still I just go around the same block over and over so I’m not far from home if my knees start hurting me. Sounds like your team is taking good care of you. I think you will do just fine.

Agreed. "Detox diets" are pretty pointless since the body has its own mechanisms for detoxing itself. I personally would go back to when you first started full solids after your surgery if you're concerned about weight gain and fell into not eating as healthy. After bariatric surgery you should never give up protein. Just my two cents! Good luck!

Hello! My name is Zach, and I am a 2nd year medical student conducting a research project, "Evaluating GERD symptom alleviation following robotic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery", which essentially seeks to evaluate the efficacy of robotic gastric bypass surgery in relieving GERD symptoms. I was interested in minimally invasive surgery long before starting medical school, and decided to spend my past summer working alongside a bariatric surgeon in my hometown. While working with him, I noticed how many of his patients stated that their GERD had resolved after undergoing robotic gastric bypass. My time there was limited, so I was not able to really share this survey with his patient population. Below is a link to a survey that follows the guidelines outlined in the official GERD health-related quality of life questionnaire. I would greatly appreciate your help with this! My goal for this survey is that your responses will allow me to publish a paper from an educational perspective, illustrating how efficacious robotic gastric bypass is at alleviating not only weight loss, but symptoms of GERD as well. While I hope that all of you have had nothing but success following your surgeries, I understand that this is not always the case. I would love to hear all of your various experiences and perspectives, whether they are positive or negative. This survey below is entirely anonymous. You should not be asked to sign-in to Microsoft in order to complete the survey, and I will not have access to your name or any other patient identifiers aside from your age. When you first open the link, you will see information regarding informed consent. After agreeing to participate, you will then see seven screening questions. After that, you will begin the actual survey, in which you will answer questions regarding various symptoms before and after your surgery. This survey should take about five minutes of your time. Survey link: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=5CBDHRt_fk2_8ubn-Q2YhAxSQabe5PdIrhihxZU9cCZUQ1hSQjE3WkozVEFHTUQ5N0RTNERSMUNPMy4u If this type of post is not allowed, I understand and apologize! I hope to have the opportunity to share your experiences with this survey and shed some light on the relationship between gastric bypass and GERD. Thank you all in advance!

I want to address those who might be struggling with the big decision on if they should go through with bariatric surgery, let me say this; 1. I have lost 33% of my weight so far. Even like you, I struggled with it having tried every diet known to human kind - I'd lose and gain..you know the routine. 2. I have officially been taken off all my meds; pre-diabetes and hypertension meds, this alone should convince you that having the surgery is a healthy choice and will help extend your life and reduce the drag on your wallets having to purchase meds for the rest of your life with the possibility of more being added. 3. You've probably tried everything else, what do you have to lose other than your weight? Its one of the most successful safe surgeries out there. 4. You'll have so much to look forward too in your life, I'm sure you have a mental image of how you'd like to see yourself if you were healthy and thinner. Having the surgery IF recommended by your bariatric surgeon will bring about that change. Let you be the thinner person you know is in there deep..waiting for you to bring the healthier you out! 5. Lastly, you will find the welcoming, understanding and empathy on these forums to help you when and if you reach out. There are years of experience here by people who at one time have been standing in your shoes and can help you, who want to help. I bring all this up because I know the doubts you're facing, but you'll never know the great outcomes available to you, unless you take the leap of faith that this life altering surgery will give you. I had a friend who self doubted and unfortunately she is no longer with us because she listened to those doubts and "taking the easy way out" nay sayers. Please take the leap and live the life you want to live before its to late. - End preach 🤗

Did you lose this weight on the liver shrink diet? If so, that diet is specifically designed to drop a big chunk of weight quickly but unfortunately the weight loss won’t continue to come off that easily long term. Only you know if you have given it your best shot at natural weight loss in the past but if you are like many of us here you have tried a number of times and nothing works to lose a significant amount of weight and keep it off. It’s your body and there is no shame in rescheduling if you feel like you need to give it one more try but also keep in mind that the biggest regret that many people list about bariatric surgery is not having done it sooner. Maybe make a list of the pros and cons and one of all the ways you have tried to lose weight in the past. Also keep in mind that pre surgery jitters are perfectly normal. You wouldn’t be sane if you weren’t at least a little nervous about major surgery. You are not alone.

Great advice from the others. I’ll add track what you are eating now, how much, what & how often. It can help identify where you’re veering off course. It can also help to note your emotions or why you may be eating when you do. (Why do I want this snack? Am I bored, angry, sad, happy, frustrated, etc.) Then start making changes. Make one or two changes every two weeks or so. For example, cut back on portion sizes & up your fluids, then reduce how often you eat (drop a snack) & meet your protein goal, then try switching up your ingredients & cooking styles, etc. It’s easier to adopt & adapt to one or two small changes at a time than making huge changes all at once. Also find a therapist who can support you as you work through your relationship with food. If you didn’t see someone before your surgery, your team should be able to recommend someone who deals with bariatric patients & disordered eating.

I’d be careful and talk to the provider you see for your mental health meds as well. When you have gastric sleeve and or bypass medication absorption is impaired. It’s a huge adjustment and one you should really research thoroughly and with your provider input, not just the bariatric team. It’s a life long commitment and all things should be considered for success. I know I had to be evaluated by a mental health provider and cleared by him for surgery. I hope it goes well for you!

Thank you I just knew that, no matter how many surgeries I had to have, this is a once in a lifetime shot to fix what was broken and undo the damage I did for decades. Ironically, having 10 surgeries in 2 years actually forced me to slow down, think about everything I eat and drink, don't overdo it but still make sure I move my body. I worked with both my nutritionist and a bariatric therapist for a long time (still working on my body dysmorphia, but that takes a lot longer to work through) to finally get here.

I had a really bad week last week nutritionally. I gained back about half the weight I lost in the last two weeks. I just didn't stick to the milk diet I'm supposed to be on. My surgery date is 7th of October and the bariatric doctor gave a diet he thought would be easy to follow so I can quickly lose weight before surgery. So protein shakes and chicken or beef broth and this is what I'm supposed to have for 12 weeks. Last week, I was sick, I was on my period and a little depressed so I went for comfort food. Starting to panic about trying to hit the weight target the doctor set for me, I thought I would try going to the gym. I've not been to a gym in years and I have memories of PE class and school bullies screaming back to me. But I went in. The staff member was great about showing me around, all the bulky gym buff types that I thought would be bullies because of every high school movie I ever saw didn't even look at me. I think I just assumed that being a fat person I would laughed at judged, but I was no different than anyone else. I was just there to work out just like they were. I was pleasantly surprised by the experience. Some of the equipment is intimidating and I have no idea what it does, but starting slowly, I think going in at least twice a week for now is a good starting point.

Well, bariatric surgeon did not find anything wrong with my pouch (inside my pouch, no scar tissue causing problems, no hernia/bleeding inside pouch, etc.). Ironically unlike the 3 incisions that I had during my gastric bypass surgery, I have FIVE incisions. I guess he REALLY looked around. I look like I got attacked by a knife-wielding assailant with very precise aim..lol. I have my follow up with the surgeon tomorrow to talk about the procedure (he only saw my husband after the procedure as he had back to back surgeries lined up) as I have not officially spoken with him. I am trying to remember to ask him about their stance/experience on semiglutide/similar meds for their patients.

It can definitely feel intimidating. As someone who would categorize myself as a "gym girly" now I will tell you that not one person in that gym started where they are now. They all were beginners at one point, they all fumbled to figure out the equipment, they all made mistakes. Heck I still drop weights, forget how to move stuff, etc. Also, most of us are so focused on what we are doing that we aren't paying attention to those around us. I will also say that most gym people love helping people. We love talking about fitness and sharing knowledge and I am sure many people at your gym would be happy to help you out. A lot of gyms also now have the QR codes on the machines that show you how to use them and some gyms like crunch and planet fitness have preset workouts on the app that you can walk through. My next BIG thing though is going to be about safety. Your diet pre-op sounds VERY calories restrictive and chances are you're not going to have a lot of excess energy for activity at that low of a calorie intake. So many sure you feel up to it. If you feel tried, lethargic, dizzy, have a headache, etc. I wouldn't do a workout. Your body is trying to just function at that stage and might not be up to the excess activity just yet. I am really into post bariatric fitness and just got my certificate in nutrition health and wellness. Reach out anytime on IG @ anastacia_bari_life

This is the best time to start good habits for the future. You probably won't feel hungry for a while, but you will need to eat regularly anyway. Without the distraction of hunger, you can make deliberate choices. Right now, you should have a schedule from your surgeon's office or dietician that tells you what you can eat, how much, and when. Try to follow that as you get used to your body's new cues. If you need more detail, you can check out bariatric cookbooks, but choose ones written by doctors and registered dietitians who specialize in bariatrics. It's a good time to slowly try out new recipes and retrain yourself for small portions.

@Greekmom4 - Yay! I'm so happy for you to be close to purees! I don't get to have that step until Monday. Do the shakes not treat you well? I'm pretty burned out on them and they are admittedly a little pricy but getting down two of the 30g Protein Premier/Equate/Ensure has been the easiest way for me to meet my protein goals. Premier has a crazy amount of flavors and I'd put them in the lower-mid-range price point. I really like the Strawberry and as a long time coffee lover I will say the Caramel mixed with decaf coffee was a nice morning 'perk' that made me feel a little more like a normal human. The Banana one was ok, to me. I splurged and got their variety pack first off of Walmart. It's pricier that way per shake but at least lets you decide what flavors you like before committing to a four pack (or more) purchase of a given flavor. Also - 1000% agree on the bending! That's one factor I hadn't considered because I haven't had previous major surgeries - not to have things on the FLOOR that I need, lol. Thankfully my fella has been pretty patient about getting things for me that are out of reach. @ShoppGirl - I'm really glad you decided not to vacuum! I know how frustrating it is and must be for someone who seems so on top of things as you are, but try to be gentle with yourself! Recovering from either a gallbladder surgery OR bariatric surgery is a LOT, and you're doing both! Enjoy having that support person - and remember, I'm sure there are times when he leans on you, so it's totally ok to lean on him during this process. You'll be feeling like a million bucks and able to be Superwoman again before you know it!

I honestly don't take an extra calcium anymore. I take the bariatric multivitamin w/ iron in the morning and that's it. I was told once you hit 6 months out, you don't need it anymore because you'll get what you need from your food. Hmmm...I wonder if I should ask about it again.

I fully agree, I chose the sleeve initially because of what I read from YEARS and YEARS ago, with the complications and all that with the bypass. Had I just listened to everyone who tried to talk to me about the bypass TODAY and the bypass of 15, 20, 25 years ago, I could have saved myself a lot of complications and problems and additional surgeries. The bypass today is nothing like it used to be. In the end, you have to do what you feel is best for you, but please do your own research, have an open mind, and have an open and honest conversation with your primary care doctor and your bariatric surgeon about how you feel and why. Revisions are tough, and I can tell you from experience, the regret of not listening to anyone else because I let my fear take over, my lack of actual research on the bypass because I had made my mind up about the sleeve, and the subsequent complications, work and time lost, additional surgeries, and ending up with a bypass in the end anyway made it all not worth it. Just try to keep an open mind and do research and talk openly and honestly with your team about everything before you make a hard and final decision.

I just had my 1 year blood work done for the bariatric surgeon, and everything came back normal except the fact that I'm anemic (that's nothing new, thanks to my systemic lupus). Here's what I had done: VITAMIN D, 25-HYDROXY VITAMIN B12 VITAMIN A TSH VITAMIN B1 (THIAMINE), WHOLE BLOOD LIPID PANEL PREALBUMIN IRON PROFILE HEMOGLOBIN A1C FOLATE FERRITIN COMPREHENSIVE METABOLIC PANEL CBC WITH DIFFERENTIAL My PCP also got the results and said she was happy with them and set me up with another iron infusion (I have to get them twice per year). My surgeon was happy with the results and said sometimes our bodies just do what they're going to do and we're along for the ride. He said if I get tot he point that I physically can't function because of the weight loss, then he'll look into ordering additional testing, but as of right now, while it's unusual to still be losing at this stage, it's not unheard of so he's not particularly concerned. It's nice that HE'S not, but nobody seems to take into account that I AM. I keep explaining how I feel, how I look, how I don't have energy or strength, how I'm losing muscle, how I'm always so so tired, how I can't shake the circles under my eyes or make my skin look healthy no matter how much collagen or serum or cream I use and nobody seems to care. He literally commented on the fact that he could see and feel my bones, ribs, etc... I said "yes, I know. That's my point. Look at my hands and feet. They are bones and veins. No fat at all." And he said it would even out in time. But all that's been happening is I've been getting smaller and smaller the more time goes by.