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Had my nutritionist appointment Wednesday. I feel prepared in that I know what I can and can’t eat...am getting my file looked at by a nurse and hopefully submitted to my insurance next week. My case manager seems confident I’ll have a surgery date within July. but I’m starting to mourn the life I live now. I know I want to lose the weight and keep it off... but I’m going to miss a nice glass of champagne or cocktail with carbonation. A warm bowl of pasta. Full fat milk. The sense of freedom to eat when and what I want (which I suppose can also be a prison...) anyway I’m getting emotional, knowing my life will never be the same. There’s good with it, but definitely a sense of loss and mourning is coming across as well. I spoke with the psychiatrist in my bariatric clinic and she cleared me for surgery, but I feel like I may need to go see her again once or twice before surgery for my own peace of mind and a listening ear. I don’t know if I just need advice or a listening ear or insight from experience or what. whatever you offer I’ll gladly take.

I have found that using flavored syrups in protein shakes, oatmeal, yogurt etc helps with cravings. I add unflavored protein and maple bourbon pecan skinny syrup. my daughter likes the peanut butter cup flavor. Idealfit has many flavor offerings for protein powder and I also looked into bariatric foodie's protein shake cookbook, available on amazon as it has recipes for ice cream, shakes and desserts. Good luck!

Hi! Long time lurker, first time poster (I think, LOL!)! October 2021 will make seven years since I've had VSG. At my highest I weighed 314, on my day of surgery I weight 290, and at my lowest I weighed 157. I've had a significant amount of regain to say the least (I won't go into the whole sob story). I ballooned up to 242, and decided back in December to get my ass back into gear. I'm now 223. My short term goal is to get back to onederland, as per my username. I would like to be 175-180 by my surgiversary, and mu ultimate goal weight is to be able to maintain within a range of 150-160. I think one of my biggest mistakes along my journey was not really plugging into the WLS community, and meeting other people going through what I'm going through. So, I really want to create a support group full of other bariatric patients. I'm looking for online buddies and pen pals and hopefully we can connect and encourage and uplift one another, and keep each other accountable. Let me know if you are interested!

There are so many myths and old wive’s tales with Bariatrics, I’ve never seen anything like it. The majority of successful weight loss patients eat artificial sweeteners. Unless you have a sensitivity to one (and there are plenty of other options), enjoy in moderation . Prior to my surgery, I spent years going back and forth between diets recommended to me by medical professionals or people in the fitness industry. I spent 3-6 months at a time not eating any artificial sweeteners because they’re “toxic” and cause “weight gain” according to my chiro, Dr at the time, and a trainer friend. I lost 5lbs on average in those times with high activity levels. Completely not worth it.

I'm 5 days before surgery and have been on the pre-op for 10 days now. I know I'm getting plenty of protein, I drink a ton of water, and I feel tired all the time, with a low-grade headache. It wasn't like this initially; in fact I was kind of buzzed at first. Now I just don't seem to have any energy. I started taking the bariatric iron and multi I bought for after surgery, thinking it may be a lack of micro-nutrients, but sheesh I'd sure love to feel well rested, especially going into a month or more of super low calorie, liquid intake after surgery. Anyone else feeling like this?

Hello I am in my pre-operative stages going for Gastric Sleeve and hope to complete all my requirements by end of this month. I started my quest in March 2021. I just met with the Surgeon Dr. Sirinivasan and she seems to be very knowledgeable and thorough. Just want to know if anyone else had her as their surgeon and what was your experience with her.

Hello I am in my pre-operative stages going for Gastric Sleeve and hope to complete all my requirements by end of this month. I started my quest in March 2021. I just met with the Surgeon Dr. Sirinivasan and she seems to be very knowledgeable and thorough. Just want to know if anyone else had her as their surgeon and what was your experience with her.

@ShoppGirl seriously, thank you for posting this. I've been experiencing the same thing. My psychiatrist referred me to a specific program that works with bariatric patients and disordered eating. I haven't gone yet because I am waiting for school to be done for the year that way I have more time to go to appointments. I am really anxious to get started with this because my head has been telling me to eat when I'm not hungry, kind of like before the surgery. With that being said, I'd like to hear where your journey takes you and maybe we can stay in touch. Best of luck!

Did your surgeon clear your for strength training yet? I haven't had surgery yet, but I've seen online that heavy exercise isn't recommended too soon after surgery until you are eating more calories. Having said that, 10 lbs a month is a LOT. Unless you are the size of the people on My 600 LB life you will not lose a ton of weight each month. Someone in a FB group posted a Bariatric Surgery Averages and for people in your weight category, the average lost in the first six week is 15-25 lbs, so if you've lost 20 lbs since surgery, you're smack dab in the middle of that!

If you are concerned about eating habits and behaviors it might benefit you to be evaluated. An eating disorder diagnosis is best made by a mental health professional. Your Primary can provide you with a referral to a licensed psychologist (PhD / PsyD) who specializes in eating disorders, or a bariatric psychologist. Can a therapist help with what you described? Yes. Be honest about what is going on and find someone you feel like you can connect with. This is so crucial because if you can't be open about what's going on they may be less able to help you. I was in therapy for a long time with a therapist who specialized in eating disorders. The main focus was dealing with the stressors that led me to overeat. Whenever stress increased, so did my eating. I was the peacekeeping type who struggled to say when my feelings were hurt or when I felt bulldozed. I was walking on eggshells in my relationships to keep the peace. The process can be emotionally draining. It forces you to deeply evaluate your behavior and there can be some uncomfortable truths. There were times I would dread going because I knew it would be a lot of work. At the time I thought, "This is hard but I'm trying to get myself better." With hindsight, I can see why my therapist pushed me, asked the tough questions, and made me accountable to my goals. I'm so much better now and I don't regret going. These are some of the things we worked on: Improving mood Self-care Cognitive restructuring/ CBT--changes the way you cope and react to stress Mindful eating- eating at the dinner table, 30-45 minutes, smell food first, one small bite at a time, eat slowly, identify flavors and textures Identified vulnerabilities Identified triggers--that negatively impact mental health Negative self-talk--challenge the truth behind the talk Identified emotions Behavior patterns Full/ not full/ beyond full Beliefs surrounding weightloss Urge control--resist the urge to eat by distracting yourself for 1, 5, 10 mins I kept a food and mood log. For a few weeks, I wrote down everything I ate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I would rate my stress and hunger level from 1-10 and emotions/feelings--happy, stressed, sad, tired at each mealtime. If important, I would document a bit about my day like had a fun time with friends or had a fight with my husband. Like I said, every time I had a rough day, I skipped meals or overate. Not only did therapy give me clarity about what I was doing, but it also gave me tools to deal with it and improve. I'm not cured, but the pull to eat, eat, eat is quieter and the behavior/thoughts are less constant. Another benefit is my therapist had my back even when friends and family didn't. She could point out some of their crazy-making behavior and confirm it wasn't always me which made me feel better. Good luck, I hope you get some peace. ❤️

It takes a lot of real persistent effort over time to stretch your tummy. Fluids pass through your tummy pretty quickly & won’t cause damage only discomfort if you drink too much too quickly for your body to digest it. Stay away from the ibuprofen. Bariatric patients aren’t able to take Nsaids after surgery because they damage the lining of your tiny tummy. Your medical team should have told you this. You shouldn’t really be experiencing pain this far out if surgery. Most of us are basically or mostly pain free by about day 4 or 5. While it could be the bruise causing the pain I would encourage you to contact your medical team. If you experience pain or symptoms that are unusual for you always call your team.

I am 1 week post op today and I can say im down almost 10 pounds. I am drinking the different protein premium drinks, sugar free Gatorade and water. Trust me when I say its a struggle at times getting 64 oz in if I dont start drinking by 6am. But what I hate so far is this nauseous feeling. Also I hate these muxed berry chewable vitamins by bariatric advantage. They are nasty as hell and makes me want to puke. The wild cherry chewable calcium citrate vitamins not too bad. I call myself getting bariatric specific so i want have to take alot of pills. Im thinking now I probably have should went with the flintstone vitamins.

Everyone here is such great support and knowing all of us are going through a version of this this month, I find encouraging. All bariatric surgeries are major surgeries, and remembering that everyone responds differently to it is helpful. My VSG is scheduled for May 12th. I'll pop on here as soon after that I can. I hope to see a post from you sharing your success after your surgery.

I had my gastric sleeve surgery 5 days ago on May 1st & I have to admit, it's been pretty challenging for me. I'm struggling with consuming just an ounce of liquid at a time because instinctively, I want to consume more but I can't without it hurting my stomach. Also, I'm feeling weak & can't exert much energy before I feel completely wiped out! Look, I know I'm in a really weird transition phase right now; basically, I'm trying to learn how to consume liquid & food all over again, after 49 years of doing it a very different way and that causes me to feel overwhelmed (to say the least). I'm sure most post op patients feel like this after having bariatric surgery... and that's why I'm writing this post. I'm hoping, those of us here, can find ways to relate to one another and to encourage each other through all the new transitions we'll be faced with, along the way. So here I am, a few days into my "new norm" and hoping I'll feel better & better, as each new day passes. Sent from my SM-G960U using BariatricPal mobile app

Thanks for your post. I can relate. According to the nutrition plan I received, I get one ounce (mass, not weight) of protein and 1-2 tablespoons of vegetables 3x a day. The surgeon said I can up it to 5x a day. That was fine initially, but 6 weeks out, I’m having more like 1.5-2 ounces of protein (maybe more). A one ounce medicine cup of chicken seems like almost nothing. I also had two turkey sausage links for a meal. Is that more than one ounce? in order to get in my protein and carb goals I have to have a protein shake(s) and I’m supposed to have Gatorade or coconut water for the carbs. I would rather eat than drink my protein/carbs/calories. This week I didn’t get my carb goals. I asked if I could have a few whole grain pretzel goldfish rather than Gatorade or coconut water, but I got a big no, I thought it may be ok since it is very similar in calories and carbs to the drinks. What does everyone else do for carbs? Is anyone else allowed fruit or grains six weeks out? What is your suggested quantity of food? I know my bariatric practice is stricter than most. I considered another plan that was different, but I preferred this surgeon. Meeting with a bariatric dietician from another practice tomorrow to get her advice. I don’t want to stretch my pouch, like you said, but I don’t know that this is sustainable for the long term. Other bariatric plans allow small quantities of fruit/grains after protein and vegetables and the patients are successful, Also, I’m usually ok without liquids when I eat, but when it’s super hot out and I’m walking or at my son’s soccer game, I sometimes find myself counting the minutes until I can rehydrate. Sorry for the long email. Appreciate everyone’s thoughts on this.

Today is day 14 of my pre-op liver shrink diet. Tomorrow is full liquids and Friday is the big day. I’m a ball of nerves. I was allowed 3 protein shakes per day, unlimited no calorie clear liquids, and 4 oz of lean protein and 2 cups of raw or 1 cup of raw veggies per day. I did not cheat. Not one time. I am so proud of myself for making it. It was not easy. Lots of ups and downs emotionally but I survived. I know I can do this now! I’m down 12 pounds since I began the liver shrink diet. That makes my total loss pre surgery at 50 (!) pounds. I am shocked and honestly didn’t think I would lose much during the last 6 months. About 10 years ago I went through the entire bariatric program and backed out at the last minute. The reason was beyond my control but I’m so glad it happened. I am certain I would have not been successful because my heart wasn’t in it back then. My heart is fully engaged in changing my life to a permanent healthy lifestyle. I proved that to myself over these past two weeks. I hope those reading this don’t think I am sharing to brag or to make anyone feel bad about themselves. That is not my intent. I’ve been a lurker for the last 8 months and I found comfort in stories of those who worked really had and had success. While I’m not there yet, I think I’m on the right path. HW 280 ish CW 227 5’8”

I think there are a lot of “old wives tales” when it comes to Bariatric surgery and the recommendations. I’ve taken some sips through an a straw after surgery and it actually felt like I was swallowing less air than sipping through a cup! I also see the majority of successful bari patients I follow elsewhere using straws and they have all lost 100 plus lbs. I don’t use a straw 99% of the time just because my surgeon scared me enough to not warrant using it and I’m used to sipping now. Another thing I see being misinformed is pumping patients full of iron when they don’t need it. Not everyone is anemic and there is a much more complex cycle to iron levels than just taking oral meds with iron formulations. You can actually do more harm than good this. Research is a powerful thing, there are quite a few “firm” stances I’ve seen on programs that I’ve taken the time to look into and they seem to be something from 20 plus years ago that is not up to date medically.

My program doesn't want me to use straws. But I love straws and I think I can manage my sips better with straws! But then some videos by bariatric surgeons on YT and feedbacks by WLS candidates mention "they use straws just fine" - So I am kinda confused why such drastic take on straws?! Has anyone of you guys used straws throughout their journey? Any issue while using straws? I am really looking for some feedback here. I rather continue using straws, it simply makes it a better tool for sipping at least for me!

here are the requirements. Do you meet all of these? If so, did they give you or your PCP a reason for denying you? https://www.molinacenter.com/-/media/Molina/PublicWebsite/PDF/Providers/wa/Medicaid/1023-2009_23924_CM-Provider-Bariatric-Program-Flyer-Update_nob_FNL_508c.pdf

is bariatric surgery covered in your particular policy? Policies can vary among employers, even if they use the same insurance companies. Some employers choose not to include a bariatric surgery rider, even if the insurance company offers one. if your employer's policy DOES cover bariatric surgery, do you meet all the requirements?

Hi everyone!! I’m inspired by you all, good luck thru your journeys, it feels great to be a part of a bariatric familia 😬💪🏼💪🏼

I had to do 3 weeks of Optifast (liquid diet) prior to surgery. What helped me is that my bariatric team said this liquid diet was to shrink my liver. They have to hold the liver up and out of the way when doing surgery. Apparently liquid diets really help to make surgeries more successful. I just kept telling myself that I wanted the best possible outcome for myself and that it was really important and it was only three weeks! Out of a lifetime of being obese three weeks was nothing! I knew this was my last chance to change my life and get healthy. Plus a note on the fridge listing "why* I was doing this was helpful too. Hang in there! It does get better.

My GP happily wrote me a letter of reference that documented my own personal weight loss attempts and struggles with my weight over the years (I’d never been under a medical weight loss program before going to the Bariatric surgeon). Has your weight been a concern that was brought up to your GP before or possibly Gyno? Most are pro Bariatric and can help with this letter of reference.

I am nearly prepared for surgery. Just have to get a few last minute supplies & it’s “t-time!”. Then one-two nights in hospital, depending on how I do. Now that I have lost 15 pounds the first 13 days on the pre-op diet, I KNOW I can follow the post-op diet, AND I know I can change my eating habits for life. I’ve done a LOT of difficult things in my life; this is just another one! The pre-op diet has given me renewed confidence, so my anxiety over failure is waning. OTHERS DiD THiS, I CAN DO THIS & SO CAN YOU!!! Thank you to the many BP members who have helped SO much to make my WL journey easier!!

I just take my vitamins in the evening- bariatric multivitamin capsule with iron, b vitamin comped, vitamin d. I throw back the handful of 3 pills and I’m good. My labs have been awesome so far and my doctor is happy with this. I have the sleeve however, and I get a ton of milk products plus I eat fruit and vegetables daily so your mileage may vary.