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I’m about 3 months post op, lots of complications, in and out of the hospital, and I’ve often wished I’d not had the surgery. I’ve been wearing elastic shorts and now that’s the weather is cooling off I’ve been in loose sweats. Today I’ve got an appointment and grabbed pants from the back of my closet. I laughed at the idea that I could pull on and button a pair of 16 sized jeans. Imagine my delight when I buttoned them and have space in the waist band!!! I was wearing size 22-24 last year at this time!!! I’m so happy!

I am in a similar situation. I had my band placed in July 2012 and it slipped at some point and was repaired Nov 2013. By the time of the repair I had lost 100lbs. Since then I have gained 80lbs, developed a hiatal hernia and a host of other physical complications from the weight gain. To say I am frustrated is an understatement. My last two visits my Dr has removed fluid from my band because I am experiencing shortness of breath. Contrast and endoscopy confirmed band placement was fine. I am having mixed feelings about the band since the hernia developed after placement. I have been seriously considering a revision and having the gastric sleeve. I don't know what to expect since the placement is fine but there's the shortness of breath and now he's removed 5ccs from the band, I feel my appetite increasing. Trying not to get completely discouraged and remain positive but I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle.

Thank you for reaching out. My family are in three distinct groups: 1. My husband and kids (ages 16 & 19) are trying to be supportive but since they are all active and not overweight, it's hard now that I am on a liquid diet. 2. There is the "I'm disappointed in you." Crowd. Those that I've told who, despite watching me struggle for over 20 years still think it's because I don't really want to lose the weight. "You don't need to get the surgery. Just eat like you already have." To them it's a willpower issue and if I truly wanted to lose the weight, I would. Then there's group 3. A small group of family who believe in ONLY holistic medicine. This is the group that's been the most difficult to stomach. They've told me I'm going to die from the complications, I'm going to spend the rest of my life depressed and an outcast because I won't be able to be a part of family gatherings (which ALWAYS include a ton of food/sweets) and if I would just commit to a couple flushes and the whole 30 diet, I could get the same results. I had come to terms with the negativity and settled in knowing my husband was behind me. But now that I'm on the liquid diet, all those fears I had laid to rest are weighing on my mind...it's only been 3 days and I'm frustrated and angry. My sons football team has their team dinner Thursday and family dinner Sunday...here I am making taco salad and chili and I can't even have a bite. Sweetest day is coming up this weekend as well as my husband's birthday and for the first time in 19 years, i can't take him out to dinner. I just really hope giving all of this up is worth it in the end. I don't want to stretch my pouch and end up right back where I am now. [emoji53] Sent from my BLN-L24 using BariatricPal mobile app

Actually you are incorrect, all WLS at this point is Endoscopic unless there are issues/complications that require an "open" surgery. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/minimally_invasive_robotic_surgery/types.html Non-robotic minimally invasive surgery is also known as endoscopic surgery. You also may be familiar with terms like laparoscopic surgery, thoracoscopic surgery, or “keyhole” surgery. These are minimally invasive procedures that utilize an endoscope to reach internal organs through very small incisions.

Hi elcee, I had the band placed in 2006. Last year after years of battle and complications with my band, I revised to the Gastric Sleeve. Well since I always go big or go home (in my sarcastic voice) I had a stricture and severe heart band so was converted to the Gastric bypass almost 3 weeks ago. The eating for each is different but there is a definite difference in the lap band and the bypass. with the bypass, you have to take small sips of liquid...im progressing in introducing new foods. I can honestly say that even though I'm still in the early learning phases I wish I had started out with this procedure. It definitely provides structure and discipline in the new way of eating and making good choices.

What a beautiful outlook. We should go into this knowing we can have complications. A lot of us aren't the healthiest going in and we are obese. I'm not losing the weight I should be, but that is my own fault.

Well shall I start? 1. A RnY on September 5th 2018 Ohio State University Hospital Werner Medical Center. Columbus. Ohio 43210 2. Stricture of Pouch Stoma and 5 gastric/ jejunal ulcers. 3 Had EDJ 10/12/2018 to confirm dx, Additional EDJ scheduled for 10/26/2018. Now had Carafate 4 x daily added to medications.After that not certain of options as yet. 3. Not sure- maybe reassurance that although these things can happen your surgeon is not without means to treat it. Strange to say 2 Bari-pals both have this problem. Neither of us did anything to induce it, just an unlucky dice throw. 4 my story is stated on the other surgery complication thread but I will say I DO NOT REGRET MY SURGERY,I do not blame my surgeon, I knew going in I might not be an easy patient, but he granted me a surgery I had been working towards for over 3 years and I am eternally grateful,i believe my problems can and will be solved soon!👸😭😛

Hey, just checking in (I read back through the thread to see how folks are doing. Thank you all for the well-wishes and condolences. ❤️ I just successfully ate my first cottage cheese since surgery (10/3), and I've done fine with Greek yogurt and ricotta (with just a little Italian seasoning and low-fat Trader Joe's pizza sauce, because that's what I have on hand). Balancing my nutritionists' "try to eat three meals per day" with "get more than 60 grams of protein" and "don't drink within half an hour of eating" and "get more than 64 ounces of liquid" is ... a lot, especially with going back to school and dealing with family stuff. I'm not getting all that much protein from my food, because I'm only eating a couple of tablespoons, maybe, per "meal." I know it gets easier, and if I'm only at 55 grams of protein one day (or, like ... three?) it won't kill me or make all of my hair fall out. I'm not freaked out about it, just sharing the struggle, I guess. My vitamins make me a little sick, though as the amount of food I can eat increases, so does my tolerance for them. It'll work itself out. Also, I joked to my spouse, before surgery: "I'm ready for all kinds of complications, so the one I end up with will be one I didn't think of." Yeah. Uh. I was allergic to something they used during the surgery. About a week afterward, I broke out in hives all over my torso and the tops of my thighs. My surgeon isn't very helpful: "try taking Benadryl, and if that doesn't work I'll order a steroid block for you, but I don't want to do that." (Steroids wreak havoc on post-surgical healing.) I've looked for information online, and most people get over them on their own, so I'm making due with hydrocortisone cream (it's a steroid, but only a low amount of it, and on my skin instead of being taken as a pill), Aveeno eczema-strength lotion (has a lot of oats in it, which are good for this kind of thing), and Benadryl at night. So... that's been awful. (They are very itchy hives. It's terrible.) I can drink pretty normally again, now. I don't have to have these itty-bitty sips. I think gulping would hurt, and I make sure not to do that, but normal-size mouthfuls feel good. So... that's what just under two weeks out looks like, for me.

This stuff makes me furious. I've spoken up in the past when people make those sorts of comments to me or in my hearing (usually online, where they don't know my own struggles and body type) but sometimes in person too. In situations where they've decided I'm one of the "good ones" because they know me, they see me trying. Where as they see any one that is larger and, heaven forbid, looks happy, and they assume that person is too happy, too comfortable, and that makes them uncomfortable. Not that they want to see the strangers trying either, half of the the time it seems these comments are about an obese person eating a salad, or at the gym. They want us to change, but out of sight so they dont have to see it. I usually try to explain that they dont understand all the science, that its more complicated then they think, that they cant make assumptions about people like that. Sometimes I even try to explain skinny privilege. It never works. They dont want to change their minds, so they dont. Mean while I've gotten more and more angry and sick of it. I think as it is an issue at work for you, talking to HR might be the best move...if you trust your HR person/people to not be part of the problem... And depending on the situation calling your co-workers out would probably at least make you feel guilt free. Something as simple as "That you'd talk about ____ like this is really disappointing." It might not endear you to them, but with people who are that casually nasty? No big loss.

This thread is for anyone who has had complications after any type of bariatric surgery. I think most hope and experience a good outcome from surgery but, we also know the risks going into this. Any first hand experiences would be appreciated. What type of surgery did you have? What is your medical complication(s) that you are diagnosed with? What are your treatment options and what did you choose. Any medical referrals or resources in your area that you would recommend? your experience/story if you feel comfortable sharing

I had the band for 7 years, and many complications. I lost a lot of weight, but I think some of it was because I threw everything up no matter how well or slow I ate. Converting to gastric bypass has been the best decision I ever made. I can eat salad and protein, yay!

There is a lot of variation in post op diets across all bariatric surgeries. I recommend you follow your surgeon’s plan as s/he knows your health history and what works for her/his patients. When in doubt, call the office and discuss your concerns BEFORE going off plan. You don’t want to end up with a complication because you advanced your diet too soon. Good luck!

I was asked by another poster to start this thread. You see, although I had studied, I prepared, I thought understood as well as any other layperson what surgery and recovery would entail. And I had every intention of having a wonderful surgery, a seamless recovery, and a perfect future. Well it is not necessarily so. Take me , a poster child for a lovely surgery. And it was, 6 tiny incisions criss-crossed with surgical tape, no nausea, no gas built up to expell. And although I was kept room-bound because of my age, I could walk, move around my room with no light-headness, oh Life was Wonderful.And I went home, still thinking everything is going to be fine. And then I had my follow-up appointment, surgeon saw no reason why I could not progress my diet on, but my new pouch did not agree, and she still does not agree . Purees came up and still come up. Six weeks tomorrow and I am on Stage 2A diet. I call it thus because some things on a regular stage 2 she will not tolerate.And Precious Pouch,something that dictates my life so completely needs a name, don't you agree? Well it was confirmed last Friday has a stomal stricture, no able to be dialated in one attempt, so a repeat EGJ,because the duodenum cannot be visualized I'd booked for October 26th, a week from Friday. I am losing weight like GangBusters,25 pounds since surgery, 40 since the end of July. But when do the Good Times roll? So how has your recovery differed from what YOU PLANNED?

I'm sorry to hear about all this. I know you have been on this board for quite a while. Would you be open to starting a thread to support people with complications? I think it's important that there's a place specifically for this topic. People that have no experience with this mean well but don't have a clue. **me included**

I have nothing but compassion for anyone who has experienced complications after surgery. I'm glad you are getting responses from people that have actually experienced the same. I would love to see @Alex Brecher make a forum category for patients who have complications or patients to start a forum thread for surgery complication only support. I wish you the best, Jenn

Boy, I did not realize how much money I was spending on food. Now that I've been on liquids for almost 3 weeks, I haven't spent basically anything. I mean, I was already stocked up on protein and vitamins before the surgery, and I will eventually need to spend money on that.... well, and I will need to start spending money on food this coming Wednesday when I move on to purees.... BUT STILL. I used to eat out every day (and not cheap fast food, but real restaurants), and it's no wonder I was kinda living paycheck to paycheck. But, boy, I did eat some delicious things. At any rate, that isn't the only thing I've noticed. Sitting around at home and at work, HUNGRY, I've been constantly thinking about food. My relationship with food, my future with food. Pre-surgery I was telling myself and others that eventually I'll be able to eat everything I want again, just smaller portions. Now I am realizing that that would be a complete mistake, that eating like that is why I'm so unhealthy in the first place, and I would be undoing the benefit of this "extreme measure" I took to get healthy. I love to bake, but I'm going to need to be careful now. I'm coming to terms with the fact that I will probably never eat sugar the same way again - I will need to be extremely careful and use low-calorie options whenever possible and avoid candy (which I used to binge-eat); I'm kinda okay with this... I've been addicted to sugar, but my true love is UMAMI (savory flavor). So it will be harder for me to avoid fats like butter and olive oil, gravies, fancy cheese, coconut milk (in its role in Indian food). I am a foodie, and I want big, rich, complicated flavors! Thankfully, there are tons of calorie-free spices and low calorie condiments, but I'm not a good cook yet - something I will now work on, since I have no choice. So, I am nearly 50 lbs down from my highest weight when I started this journey in June - 14 lbs down since surgery. The power is off in my town, so I went to the city to a spice shop and treated myself to some delicious, aromatic spices. A fancy taco seasoning for the refried beans I'm going to eat on Wednesday (when I start purees), some Garam Masala for when I want to make something that tastes like Indian food, and a couple little tasters of spice blends to experiment with. One of the first non-food rewards... though, maybe it kinda IS a food reward.... but anyways, it doesn't involve calories going into my mouth. Healing-wise, I'm doing very well. So far, I haven't had anything that disagreed with me, haven't accidentally over-stuffed myself, haven't caused myself much pain. The worst part right now is the itching and scabs at the incision sites, which I have a compulsion to pick at. Thankfully there are still steri-strips there as a physical block to my wandering itch-seeking fingers. I hope to start purees on Wednesday (my 2-week surgiversary), but I might try some very liquidy purees ahead of time. I'm antsy to get started on real food, but I need to make sure I don't injure my healing stomach. Some friends of mine have been very kind to me - they are elderly people (and very very thin), and they said that they don't know what I'm going through having never struggled with weight, but they care about me and understand that it is going to be a difficult process and wanted to offer me actual money for meeting my goals! I was floored. I told them that that wasn't necessary, but thanks for the thought, but I think they might actually do it, saying that it'll be for my upcoming trip to Germany so I can be healthy and active and ready for anything. What kind, kind friends. AND My pastor and his wife, those dear people, gave me an incredible, thoughtful gift - a weighted blanket! I've always wanted one, I find the weight so soothing and comforting both for my body and for my anxious/depressed brain. I have been shown so much kindness lately, it has brought me out of the self-pity and has reminded me to be thankful. And I am. I'm also thankful for quick healing and no complications.

It sucks. It sucks and it's terrible. It sucks, it's terrible, and some of us get these awful complications. I was miserable and ill for months after my sleeve, far worse than most people. Three years out, every single minute of pain was worth it. Time makes it better. The pain of surgery and the initial recovery grow more distant every day, and a healthy future gets closer AND longer. Hang in there. **Edit: I was completely unable to eat or drink at one point. The creative solution was peanut butter crackers, because I loved them, and I had so psyched myself out about vomiting that I threw everything else up except this snack I'd always loved. They used it to get me to tolerate food again. After that, I lived on fat free fairlife milk (they filter out the lactose and sugar, fortify with extra protein and calcium) since NOT ONE protein shake worked for me. I mixed my milk with sugar free strawberry syrup, diet hot cocoa mix, or PB2, that sugar free peanut butter stuff that I blended with fairlife milk and ice cubes to make peanut butter ice cream. For water, I added sugar free hawaiin punch, and I'm still drinking it three years later.

I love this! I just turned 32 and my doctor also said I may not have some of the complications others might have since I'm so "young". Jessie what part of CT are you from? I live in Norwalk now, but used to live in the Hartford area.

I'm so nervous, I should be having surgery on 24th I'm obese severity 2, I'm scared of complications and I am scared of anesthesia, can someone tell me what to expect and hopefully that I will hVe no regrets. Sent from my MHA-L29 using BariatricPal mobile app

It won't make you feel any better but I will tell you this happens ALL THE TIME with many payers - not just CIGNA (although we've had more than our share of battles with them). It is infuriating when you jump through all these hoops (most of which are "baloney" or another "B" word!) only to be told "no" at the end. Sometimes the "no" is more of a clerical issue that can be easily dealt with - other times it is much more involved. CIGNA just updated its medical policy and that change very well may have complicated how your preauthorization request was handled. (I've attached a copy of the updated version for you to look at. In many ways it is more "patient-friendly" but I'll bet your case was reviewed under a more restrictive medical policy.) You do have appeal rights available now so I recommend you give us a call so we can find out more about why they said no and give some guidance about your various options. Hope this helps. CIGNA medical policy effective October 9 2018.pdf

I was 51 when I had my RNY, and although I have had some significant complications (marginal ulcer & marked hypotension,) I still think it is the best of all my 14 surgeries. (Yes, 14-cosmetic, orthopedic, female, etc.) I just wish I had my RNY 25 years ago! All that wasted time being unhappy about my body!

no i was actually pushed to have the sleeve because i have type 1 diabetes and the risk of complications increase with the bypass

2 weeks off school had been more than enough for me. If you dont have any complications, you shouldn't have to miss much at all. Sent from my SM-G960U using BariatricPal mobile app

I wanted to see if anyone else has had this post surgery complication. 18 months post surgery (no complications) I was rushed into the ER and very quickly to the operating table as my small bowel had become twisted around surgery scare tissue effectively causing the bowel to start strangling itself. I was incredibly fortunate to be right by a world class hospital when it struck and thankfully a quick thinking resident made a courageous call and got me on the operating table right away which probably saved my life. They were able to release the twist and by nothing short of a miracle the bowel did come back to life and I am not going to have to deal with some pretty life changing alternatives that might have been the case. Whilst this is a documented risk the numbers are pretty low but I wanted to see if I could connect with anyone else who has experienced the same. Many thanks.

Hi folks, I had my surgery October 3,2018 it went really well and I came home the next day. I did great til day 4,5 when I started having severe pain and I had to be readmitted to the hospital. I had some spleen complications. I am home again since day 7 and I am feeling super antsy, super itchy in my incisions, and super wishing I could “eat” not drink my food. I am definitely struggling last night and today with “food withdrawal”