Search the Community

Sorry I don't have any helpful advice on losing the weight, but I just wanted to say your bariatric team is there to help you. It is really common for pregnancy to cause weight gain, so you shouldn't be embarrassed about that! Especially since you've worked so hard to get back to your goal weight (but even if that wasn't the case, you have a new baby! cut yourself a break). I'm sure they've seen other people with similar issues, so I hope they are helpful.

Has anyone every accidentally taken two of there one a day vitamin pills within the day? This happened to me tonight I’m 3 weeks post my bypass and hope this doesn’t cause any issues!

I've never been a big drinker because two of my uncles were/are alcoholics (one died from it), and I'm afraid I might have "the gene". So I never really drank more than once a month or so before surgery, and usually just 1-2 glasses of wine at a pop. I knew transfer addiction is a risk with bariatric surgery, and some patients eventually have issues with alcoholism, so I avoided it for the first three years. Now I drink again, but maybe three or four times a year - and as before, 1-2 glasses of wine. Although it's not a huge deal because I'm in my 60s now, so I'm not really into the bar scene anymore. you'll feel it right away when you drink - it hits RNY patients faster, but it also hits sleeve patients quicker after surgery, too

I have an appointment with a bariatric surgeon/general surgeon June 17. I had sleeve surgery 6/2010. Maintained at or below goal for six years. Slowly I regained 38 lbs, but worse than that, the GERD. I had a endoscopy done Nov 2019, I have a hiatal hernia that he says will come back so he will not do surgery. He put me on a prescription med and that's it. Worked for two months perfectly, I'd been eating 8 - 12 Tums per day and went to zero. I started needing an occasional Tum so he upped the med to twice a day. For the past couple of months I am needing a Tums more and more, weekly, although maybe two or three in one day, once or twice a week. He failed to mention there was an ulcer and stricture. I am a bit worried. I know how dangerous an ulcer can be. I am preparing myself for RNY, is that the ONLY way to fix all of this? Would the GERD stop and could I/would I lose 25-40 lbs that I've regained? I messed up when we left Dallas, I had been going to a couple of support group meetings twice a month, I was logging my food, we moved and I stopped. What is your opinion? Do I ask about it, for it or just prepare myself for the possibility? Thank you!

My heart goes out to everyone who has to travel for surgery. I just got lucky and have a bariatric hospital less than 10 minutes from my house. You should feel proud of going through all that travel entails when you’re recovering. I’m very impressed. I hope your dog is okay as well.

Just chiming in to say that it's pretty common to have a hiatal hernia fixed at the same time as bariatric surgery. I had both and a lot of posters on here have as well. I definitely wouldn't let that be the deal-breaker, your surgeon has likely done this double-surgery many times.

My dietician went through a pretty thorough list of options with me. Here's a summary of my food progression. She also has a variety of recipes she's adapted for bariatric patients that I'm sure will come in handy. Week 1- Liquids, to include 1 Liter of water, 1 pedialyte, 1-2 protein shakes. Optional: broth, sugar-free popsicles (no pulp or fruit), tea, juice and sugar-free jello Week 2- Puree textures: Two protein shakes per day, 1 Liter of water, Warm pureed soups and vegetables (Not Hot) can have avocado, applesauce.... start taking bariatric vitamins Week 3- Soft textures, gradually introducing soft foods one at a time in very small amounts. (Non starchy vegetables, proteins, fruits and healthy fats) Week 4- Normal textures, small meals, chew chew chew. Lots of water in between meals.

Same here. I started at the end of January and it has literally been one thing after another, but they finally said my chart was complete, now I am waiting again for the bariatric team to "read over" my record to make sure it is ready to be sent to insurance. That was two weeks ago. So, still waiting. I have State of Florida BCBS. Good luck to you. It is definitely a process!

SADI-S (single anastomosis duodeno-ileal sleeve), is a safe new bariatric procedure with a restrictive and a malabsorptive component.

hair loss is a potential side effect after major surgeries (and other things, too, like childbirth) because of the stress to the body, but I think we see it more often after bariatric surgery because in addition to the trauma, we're also taking in very few calories those first few months. At any rate, hair loss is a common occurrence after weight loss surgery. there's really not much you can do about it other than let it run its course. It'll eventually stop and the hair will grow back. It usually lasts three or four months. I lost hair from months 5-9. Fortunately, I didn't lose much - I barely noticed it let alone others. Some people lose a lot, some people don't lose any at all, most of us are somewhere in the middle - WE notice it, but others don't. about all you can do is keep on top of your vitamins and protein so it doesn't get any worse than it would otherwise - and know that it'll stop and grow back.

Is anyone in Souther Cali Going through Kaiser Permanente and waiting for a surgery date? I finished my classes in March 2021 and finished my pre-op labs in early May. I wrote to Kaiser earlier this month and they said my file was sent over to the Bariatric doctor for a surgery referral. I am just curious if anyone is in the same boat as me and what their timeline is?

I am BRAND NEW so please bear with me! I am 61 years old and 65 lbs overweight -- I have a BMI of 37 (not diabetic but have GERD, high BP and cholesterol, both controlled by meds). I have been overweight ALL of my adult life minus 3 years when I successfully lost 55 lbs on WW -- I kept most of it off for about 2 years. Since then I have gained that plus 10 lbs. I like WW -- I like recording what I eat and enjoy the meetings, but have not been successful since that one time in spite of re-joining eleventy-million times.... (I never got to "lifetime" when I lost the 55 lbs -- I just stopped going after the majority of the weight was gone. So in fairness to WW, I never followed through on their entire program.) I have a hiatal hernia that now must be fixed by surgery -- I had an internal bleed that made me severely anemic and in the hospital for 5 days. While there I met with a Thoracic surgeon who confirmed I would need surgery -- and she asked me if I would consider Bariatric Surgery at the same time. What? YES! Of course! Let's DO it! And then... I found out about dumping. I have a SEVERE fear of vomiting -- I literally have thrown up less than 10 times in my 61 years (many times I should have but I fight it -- which just makes me more miserable). I would almost rather die than barf. I have read everything I can about "dumping" and I find myself asking: why would I do ANYTHING that might increase the risk that I will vomit? Granted, WW is slow and tedious, but I can do so without fear of dumping. Also, the thing that keeps coming through when I read about bariatric surgery is that it is not the SURGERY that makes you lose weight, it is the nutritional program and long term lifestyle changes that make you lose weight. Anyway, I'm just super scared about dumping and also question having two pretty intense stomach surgeries at the same time. (Heck, I will lose weight from the hernia surgery alone -- maybe use that as a jumping board to really get back into WW?) Any advice would be greatly appreciated -- and sorry to go on so about WW -- I know this is not a forum about other weight loss programs. Cheers and thanks, Peanut120

I had been considering surgery for years.. At 5'3" and 393 pounds I was super morbidly obese and knew it. Overall, I was still pretty healthy though, and our insurance doesn't cover wls, so I didn't seriously consider it. Then, my liver enzymes started to elevate, and got higher each year I had them done. So I was scheduled to see a liver specialist in February 2020. In January 2020 I had my gallbladder removed and mentioned that I'd be seeing a liver specialist to the surgeon. He said while he was in there he'd biopsy my liver. When I went for follow up he said my liver looked really bad and he didn't see me living past 60 if I didn't lose weight. I'm 49 and was 48 then. He recommended surgery. He was very concerned and compassionate and just the way he said it really impacted me. So I made an appointment to see a bariatric surgeon that day. I had to pay out of pocket for the surgery, but it was worth every penny. My liver enzymes were close to normal last time I had them done. Sent from my Nokia 7.2 using BariatricPal mobile app

Hey everyone! I’m coming to ask out of desperation. I’m almost 3 years post op gastric sleeve (in July). I had my second child (the only post op child I have— my first was preop) in November 2020. Previous to pregnancy I had been maintaining a comfortable weight for myself and was so happy with where I was. I did great throughout the pregnancy and had only gained 25 pounds and then on week 37 my weight shot up SO fast.. to 44 pounds gained! Turns out I had to deliver immediately due to blood pressure (which I had never had an issue with in my entire life). fast forward to two weeks postpartum I had lost 22 pounds. Great.. so 22 pounds to get back to my comfort weight. Easy peasy! NOT. I’m now 6 months postpartum and STILL have 22 pounds to lose. I have been tracking my intake meticulously. I even bought a new food scale thinking maybe my old one was wrong. I measure in grams mostly. I am eating 1200-1400 calories a day (I’m not breast feeding). I’m making sure to get at least 10k steps a day. And I am losing the same 5 pounds over and over again! I’ve tried basically eliminating carbs and intermittent fasting. I’ve tried adding more calories. I’ve tried eating less than 1200. And this dang weight is NOT budging. I don’t even know what else to do. It’s laughable at this point. If being meticulous and tracking every gram of food isn’t working— wtf is wrong with me?! I do have a 3 year follow up with my bariatric team in July.. but I’d like to be closer to my maintenance weight by then so they don’t freak out on me 🙄. has anyone experienced anything like this? I should note: I DO have an autoimmune thyroid disease— but according to bloodwork, it’s in my normal range. HALP!

Hi all, new here! Wish I found this before I had surgery. I had my RNY done at a military hospital, an they are crazy full, so my first surgery date of April 6th was canceled due to lack of beds, it was quite frustrating, but I just told myself if the hospital is full of Covid patients, I would rather not be there. But, I had my surgery May 6th along with ventral hernia repair. I was not the typical patient it seems. The anesthesia kept me quite out for a very long time, I don't even recall when I woke, but my surgery was about 8 AM and the first time I have clear memories of being awake was 3 AM the following morning. On top of that I developed a large blood clot in my new little pouch. It kept me nauseated for a day and nothing helped. As my stomach was already full, every time I tried to sip at something I just threw it back up. It lasted about 24 hours until I violently expelled it all. It was gross, like something out of a horror movie. The nurse in charge of my care that day told me he'd not seen anything like it, then told me how the surgeon and he thought it interesting enough to poke at the clot before disposing of it... ewe! So I guess it's a rare thing as the Army hospital I had mine done at does a lot of bariatric surgery. Once my stomach was clear however recovery was on track. I had already been up and walking, and peeing eve when I had the clot. I was able to progress from clear liquid to full liquid that day. Though I was kept for observation and repeat labs the next day to ensure there was no more clotting. Everything looked good and I was sent home on the 9th in the evening. Happy Mother's day. >_< I am currently still on full liquid diet, have zero appetite, though when my son cooks up something yummy I do wish I could join in in eating, but it does not make me hungry. I have two adult sons who love to cook. The weight is falling off daily, since I have been home from the hospital I went from 231 on the 9th to 216 today. Pain is still constant but not too intense, energy is low as I do not really take in more than 500 calories a day and unfortunately I was unlucky enough to have the entire lower part of my stomach turn into one large bruise, which is finally lightening. Over all it was not too bad, though the moment I woke I had instant regrets, but that is because those first few hours were just miserable. I am absolutely pleased now and am amped for healing and recovery to be over and just getting on with life!

I meant to post back in March but been busy with life. I hope all of you are doing well and staying safe. For those who got sick with the virus or lost loved ones, I offer my deepest thoughts and sympathies. I was part of the group who got the by-pass done just before everything went on lockdown last year. It's been quite the journey. I've been fortunate to have been able to work from home all of this time, although I do expect to return to the office sometime later this year. To date, I have lost 92 lbs. since the start of my bariatric journey and 104 lbs. from my highest weight. I had the surgery at 62 years of age and I was pre-diabetic, with high blood pressure and a BMI of over 44 and Stage 2 kidney disease. My highest dress size was 24 and I had severe acid reflux, back, knee and feet problems. At present, I can likely get into a size 18 and my bust size has gone from DDD to DD. I absolutely have no regrets getting the surgery -- it likely saved my life in many ways. Pre surgery I did a lot of reading on here as I wanted to know as much as I could about what to expect and I appreciated those who were 6-12 months out from surgery coming back to talk about their experiences, so I wanted to pay it forward. I will begin by breaking this into 4 sections: How I feel, What I think about myself, What I appreciate about myself now, and My work in progress. How I Feel: Physically I feel great and I consider that a blessing. I still have problems with my feet but that is mainly due my falling arches more than anything (although I did strain my ankle a few weeks ago attempting to do HIIT exercises -- don't ask). I've been most frustrated not being able to go to the gym to workout so my main exercise is walking long distances and doing online sculpturing classes. I do plan to return to the gym soon to step up the weight training. Walking up a flight of stairs without gasping for air is just simply divine! Having blood pressure that avg. 117/75? Lovely! I do still have to sleep somewhat elevated as I do have occasional bouts of reflux but nothing like before the surgery and I can't sleep on my right side for too long. But I can now sleep on my back without having severe back pain (the draw back is that my mouth is always open when I do). My blood work for the most part shows most areas in the normal ranges and my kidneys are functioning well. What I think about myself: When I was still in my 20s, I managed to lose 80 pounds and I gained it all back and then some. What is different about me now vs. then is that I still saw myself as fat, even though at that time, I was 16 pounds away from my goal weight. When I look at the pictures of me then, I couldn't see what I see of myself now. Even if I never lose another pound, I am so very cool with me being at this size right now. We are all different, especially us women, but yet we compare our bodies to an image that is not necessarily natural or realistic for most of us. Now I look in the mirror and I 'see' skinny and that's only because I'm tall and can carry more weight without 'looking' fat. That's also why the bottom line for me will always be the numbers on the scale, the volume of food I eat and the calories I ingest because the numbers don't lie. But poor body imagery can screw your mind up every time. What I appreciate about myself now: I think that it's so important to note the things that most folk who are thinner often take for granted. I try to keep a mental list of the things I can do now vs. before: Crossing my legs! I so love doing this! I can cross my legs without needing to hold my leg in place with my hand. I can keep my legs crossed for long periods of time without leg cramps; I can get a 4.5 mile walk in within 1 hr, 15 min vs. the 1 hr. 45 mins. in the past. I was able to work up to 10 miles in one session last year; Love having a resting heart rate in the 50s-60s; I can actually go to Costcos and buy some clothes! I haven't yet done so, but I will be able to start shopping for clothes in the non plus size section (that will still feel weird though); I like the fact that it can take me 2-3 days to finish a meal that I would normally eat in one meal. Volume control is a major game changer for me. I can't believe that I don't miss ice cream! My Work in Progress: The weight loss is slooooooooooooooooooooow now. I'm so close to that major milestone of onederland that I can taste it! Drinking enough water is still a struggle; Yes, sometimes I do overeat (and yeah, I pay for that!) Some foods that I like I can't really eat that much of anymore. I have to remind myself to make sure I get in enough protein. The protein drinks really helps even now. I still feel somewhat guilty when I have to throw food away because I'm full. I still snack a lot and I will on occasion, have that one sweet item that I want. I don't crave sweets and I'm so very grateful about that. Interesting that I want more savory things now. Being consistent is what I have to constantly work on. So ask me anything and I will check in from time to time to answer your questions. I would love to hear from others who had the surgery just prior to the great shutdown of 2020. Whatever you do, stay true and focus on your journey. It doesn't matter when you get there, only that you do in your time.

Lying or choosing just not to tell others? My life, my body, my choice. I am not a poster child for bariatric surgery. The reactions - It's like telling someone you're vegetarian. They think they have to go out of their way to accommodate you. No, just cook what you normally cook and I'll choose what I want to eat and how much I want to eat. Then there's the doubters. "Do you really think that's necessary, can't you just diet? Such a drastic thing to do! You're putting yourself at risk going under anesthesia!" Blah, blah, blah! At a business dinner one time a coworker told the waiter, "I've had bariatric surgery so I can't eat much. The table dinner conversation following was all about her and the surgery. She kept the conversation going even though the rest of the table was well done talking about it which was real quick. This is a business dinner not an all about me and my bariatric surgery dinner. Well, she gained all the weight back she had lost plus a few more. Maybe she should have kept that information about her bariatric surgery to herself? Now, if I want to tell and talk about it with a friend or acquaintance who seems could benefit and it comes up in conversation I will tell them and talk about it and ask for their confidentiality. Long term weight loss is not guaranteed so let's not sugar coat it. Some people fail. A lot, well most of us have eating disorders. Or relationship with food is the problem. It's like a drug it calms and sooths us until after we're done eating too much. We don't listen to our bodies. You can't necessarily fix a mental problem with a physical solution. So, you be you and let others be them.

Has anyone else having trouble with constipation from eating the calcium chews? I get the bariatric pal vanilla ones.

I too feel great hunger pangs since days after my surgery...when I feel the pangs I check the time and see what and when was last time I ate. If it has been longer than 2 hours I will grab a snack that I have planned out for the day. I always have my meals and snacks planned so that I do not eat something I shouldn’t. I also use a bariatric app on my phone to track all my foods and fluids. This is the only way I can stay on track. Do not beat yourself up, this is just a small hiccup. Look at your success rather than your failure, you have dropped and broke up with 12 pounds! You got this and you have support here.

Different insurances have different rules mine required working with a bariatric doctor for weight loss. Mini me in TN required her to work with her primary care doctor( she’s on YouTube).

Look for online exercise programs for people with mobility issues you can do at home. You don’t have to walk to exercise nor do you need a gym membership. Buy some resistance bands to help build your strength. I’m not an exerciser at all. Never been in a gym in my life. I walked on my treadmill only for a couple of months after surgery & I was able to lose weight & to maintain so far. (I do try to be more active in my general everyday life.) I keep my calories low to compensate for my lower activity rate. Are you tracking what you’re eating,: portion size & calories? Also, check the nutrition panels to see how much fat, sugar, carbs, salt the food you’re eating has - you may be surprised. Same with comparing the recommended portion size with the portion size you are actually eating. If you’re struggling to lose, your calorie intake must be about equal to the calories your body is burning. To lose weight your calorie intake must be less than your body is using. Contact your dietician/nutritionalist to help you. If you haven’t got one, ask your surgical team to recommend one with experience with bariatric patients.

So I'm browsing the bariatric cookbooks and find that many specify in their title whether the recipes are for Sleeve or Bypass patients. Just what is the difference in diet after Sleeve vs. Bypass? Does it actually matter which type of cookbook I buy? Thanks!

Yes, I am taking acid reducers, I will try to get more water in. I use the bariatric app and I’m getting more than 64 oz of water a day. But I am am struggling to get my 60-90 grams of protein, shakes make me sick...anything thick anymore make me nauseous these days.

Hey there! I'm right there with you. I'm scheduled for surgery on June 3rd, so I don't have post-surgical experience yet, but my husband and I are foodies who love to pair meals with the perfect wine. This is something we definitely enjoy as a couple, so I'm very interested in the responses to this thread! To be honest, the first time I brought up bariatric surgery, he was pretty negative about how it would affect our lifestyle. After about 2 years of continuing to watch me struggle to lose weight only to gain more - and continue to develop co-morbidities, he finally came around to the idea and is now supportive. Although, I think he's still worried about how it will affect us. This board has really helped me explain to him that with the sleeve, eventually I should be able to eat regular food and have the occasional glass of wine, just in much smaller amounts.

I actually put off surgery at first because I was so afraid of complications. I ended up going ahead this time because I was insured for bariatric coverage and I knew at least that protected me financially. I remember looking at myself in the mirror after I had my surgery date scheduled and being like “what the heck are you doing”. But I went forward and I’m glad every day I did. For me it was reminding myself that risks aren’t only present with action, but also inaction. Sometimes we assume that we are safe if we stick with the status quo but there are medical risks with staying overweight as well. They may not be as obvious as surgical risks but they exist nonetheless.