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I found preop motivation in making some basic dietary changes. Trying new recipes and getting into good habits was a good motivator, and I did that with a friend so we could talk about what was working for us. I also took on some projects to help me prepare, such as cleaning out my pantry, freezer, and fridge. I threw away junk food and stopped buying replacements for that, and tried to cook through the food options on hand that were "okay for now" but not what I would be eating after surgery. I bought some bariatric cookbooks, and I also started implementing the changes recommended in the Pound of Cure book from Dr. Matthew Weiner. And I watched all of his and Dr. John Pilcher's videos on YouTube, plus started watching several gastric bypass vlogs. Plus reading all the posts here to see what other people experienced. It really helped make the time go by, especially as I ended up with a 2-month delay from my original date that was so frustrating.

I started the day trying to figure out if 60mg of iron was actually a little too much post sadI and stumbled upon one article that says fbaf supplemental calcium may not do anything to help with our bones but some research has linked it to kidney stones )which I had heard before) but also heart disease and gastrointestinal issues. There was mention of this on Hopkins.gov and Mayo Clinic plus ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Further investigation lead me down a rabbit hold of all the various nutrient deficiencies people experience post SADI and there are so many, OMG. Now my anxiety is getting the best of me. One article made it sound like people with all of The bariatric surgeries suffer so many issues in the long run. I am not scheduled to see my surgeon again until the morning of surgery and I honestly don’t know what good scheduling To talk to him would do me now. I mean he wouldn’t have scheduled the surgery if he felt it was going to put me in worse shape So he either has better research to prove these studies wrong or he just hasn’t heard of all this which seems impossible since I stumbled upon It my accident and it’s not even my field. I am honestly not sure what I am looking for here other than others take on all this and maybe some reassurance from the only ones who can possibly understand what I am feeling right now. I’m just so overwhelmed by what I have read And my husband couldn't have possibly dismissed it any faster. Am I crazy for letting this stuff freak me out? When I did my sleeve I didn’t do this much research And I wasn’t nearly this freaked out. Maybe I just need to get offline.

Hi I don't know of many people with the protein problem but my daughter is in the same position as your mother her blood level for protein is almost non exciting her bariatric surgeon has told it is because she hS malabsorption but at the same time she is allergic to protein where as I hD the bypass and have fat malabsorption I am also 69yrs lost 70kg my daughter had the sleeve In Australia we have a group on Facebook for the over 50 people maybe she should look at and even join it hope this helps abit

So I have been making sure that I hit 100g or more of protein every day. I typically am low carb (under 60g) low fat (under 20g). I like to be adventurous with my food and I enjoy finding new recipes that fit into my macros. However, this last month I have been trying to find recipes that are yummy and fulfill my sweet tooth without going for the ice cream, or candy. One that I discovered was a Greek Yogurt Cheesecake: 1 container of Greek yogurt (i have used Dannons light and fit , 1Tbls of SF FF Cheesecake pudding mix, 1TBL of reduced fat whip. its 115cal 12g of protein, .5g fat and 15g carbs. (you can use any variation of yogurts and pudding mixes). Carbs are higher that I would usually eat but if you have a hard workout day and have it to spare this is the best treat! Also I did not know that Splenda made a brown sugar?! So diced up apples with some spray butter and 1tbls of that brown sugar and bake to soften. You can add it to a little plain Greek yogurt or eat it as it with a dollop of low fat cool whip. I have been finding that I need to have stuff like this in my diet in order to not go off track. Not everyday, but days where all I want to do is eat chocolate or ice cream. I have been following this mom of 3 that lost 50lbs through exercise and diet, she has a ton of recipes. All her single serving recipes easily make 2-3 servings for us bariatric folk, but its healthy and realistic for those people who don't want to restrict forever. Anyone else have some yummy recipes?! Or does anyone think this might cause a slippery slope?

I spoke with my surgeon today and was glad I'd read a few people's experiences with trying to get the SADI-s/Loop! I felt knowledgeable enough to discuss the difference and did encounter a bit of pushback as though they really wanted me to just go along with the game plan rather than introducing a new obstacle of insurance pre-approval before being able to move forward. Which, from their perspective, I completely understand. The surgeon told me at different points that 'there wasn't much difference' and implied I'd need more Vitamins than with the Roux-Y surgery. I'm glad I read several medical studies and the Centre for Bariatric recommendations that this surgery be approved by insurance, explaining how for some folks it is MORE beneficial. I may have to get to the SADI-s/Loop via a two step method; getting the sleeve and later a modification (if not satisfied) to the SADI-s/Loop. Time (and insurance requirements! will tell!) It's definitely worth it to feel informed and in control of what choice I'm making regarding such a major surgery. I did make sure to let him know that I appreciated working with him and tell him that I certainly didn't consider myself an expert because of things read on the internet, and that I made sure to read reputable medical journals. I feel like he was much less dismissive after I spoke at length enough to make it clear that I actually knew what I was talking about.

Thanks. I did get a reply from someone with DS and she said that she thinks that my dietician is wrong about the fat and the carbs. For her those Carbs are too high and the fat is too low (which makes sense if the absorption is less of everything except for carbs with that surgery. I thought it was pretty crazy for two scrambled eggs to be all the fat I could have for the whole day with any surgery. I have an appointment with the surgeon on Monday and I’m going to ask him if I can maybe set an appt to talk to him about nutrition or if he has another suggestion since that dietician seems to be misinformed when it comes to this surgery as well. . If she doesn’t even know the general guidelines she certainly isn’t going to be able to answer questions about specific foods. I did see some information online about the post op diet from a bariatric center in Mexico that goes over specific foods that are more or less tolerated which I will try to find again ask him to review but that’s the most information I found and it doesn’t mention macros at all.

You are not a failure. The fact that you posted here looking for help means you are open to reaching out for help and that will lead to success!! Many people are too scared to even put the words out there. I urge you strongly to reach out to your bariatric team and get their recommendations for a few therapists that specialize in eating disorders. Try a session with a few of them to find one you like. They will help you navigate the emotional components and anxiety and depression. The surgeon operated on your stomach and intestines, not your brain. Surgery can't fix the inner narratives we have that keep us in cycles we don't want to be in. And Catwoman7 is right, some bariatric patients do end up using appetite suppressing medications to help with those voices, often in conjunction with therapy. There is no escaping the head work, it HAS to be done or it will undermine you at every turn. In time you'll learn how to companion with it and live along side it. It may always be there in some form, but that doesn't mean it gets to be in the driver's seat 24/7.

Be the squeaky wheel..keep calling your dieticians office until you get a call back, show up in person or contact your insurance company and tell them the office isn't fulfilling their medical obligation to you which was part of your requirements for your surgery. Explain you've done your part and you expect them to fulfill theirs! If they can't offer you a dietician at your normal office have them recommended one or ask your insurance company for a replacement. I don't know if you had to, but I had to sign a "contract" with my Bariatric team stating I'd follow the plan, attend all my appointments etc.. They're required to fulfill their end as well. If there's one thing I've learned about healthcare; YOU have to be the annoying squeaky wheel, your own pushy advocate to get the care you deserve.

Have you seen a bariatric dietician? If not, perhaps it may be timely to do so. If I have understood correctly, you are eating 1/2cup of food at a time, many times a day??? You don't say what you are actually consuming...are you eating calorie dense foods? Nuts/seeds, cheese, full fat yoghurts/milk, avocado, salmon and other oily fish, eggs? Have you actually calorie counted your daily intake over a week or so? What exercise are you doing on a daily basis?

Yeah, I would just keep an eye on portion size to avoid overdoing it early on. I have a couple of favorite cookbooks out of all of the ones that I've bought (because I always overdo everything). They are: The Bariatric Diet Guide and Cookbook by Dr. Matthew Weiner (a bariatric surgeon), and Bariatric Meal Prep Made Easy by Kristin Willard (a registered dietician who specializes in bariatric nutrition). I would 100% recommend both of them and you can get them on Amazon. I like Dr. Weiner's book because he gives you what serving size to expect at different stages post-op. For instance, there's a chickpea curry with riced cauliflower. If you're at 1-3 months post op, your suggested serving is 2 tbsp curry and 2 tbsp cauli (which is 1/4 cup total). If you are 3 months to 2 years, it's 1/4 cup of each. If you are 2 years or more, it's 1 cup curry and 1/2 cup cauli. What I like is that it normalizes the reality that you start with really small portions and naturally eat more over time. I see so many people getting so nervous because they are hungrier at 1 year than they were at 1 month, and it's like yes, that's what is supposed to happen! I wish this book had the nutrition facts spelled out for all three portion sizes, not just the largest, because my math sucks with fraction. And I wish it had more photos, although the ones it does have are very nice and the overall quality of the book is high. What I like about Kristin Willard's book is it gives you 6 full-week meal plans and is meant for doing prep ahead, grab-and- go types of meals that you portion out in advance. Also, it is gorgeously illustrated with full-color photos for every single recipe. There is one weekly menu for purees, one for soft foods, and 4 for normal diet. They even include a shopping list for each weekly plan. In my opinion, (comparing to my surgeon's plan and what I see in Dr. Weiner's book) the suggested portion sizes are geared toward a patient who is 1-2 years post-op, so bear that in mind. You would probably get twice as many servings out of each recipe in the first year, and up to 4x the servings in the first few months. And of course both books are likely to have specific foods at a stage that your own program disagrees with, so you have to adjust accordingly. I'm also going to give an honorable mention to The Easy 5-ingredient Bariatric Cookbook by Megan Wolf, a registered dietician and bariatric specialist. The book loses marks for the lack of photos but gains marks for its stage specific portion size suggestions and for all the recipes being really easy to pull-off without buying out your entire supermarket for ingredients. The author is based in Manhattan, and these are definitely recipes you could accomplish with a tiny NYC kitchen and limited cooking skills. Honestly, if I had a friend going through WLS, I would probably give all three of these as a gift, along with a set of small (4 oz and 8-12oz) freezer safe food storage containers. Hope that helps!

I had my gastric sleeve surgery on 5/28/24 and everything went smoothly. I was discharged the next day on a stage 2 diet (protein) and did many walks around the hospital. No pain, no nausea, and no vomiting. However, since I have been home, I have fallen off my bed four times because there is no comfortable sleeping position. I am a side sleeper normally and, on my back, I just cannot breathe I have some sleep apnea. If I do not take the liquid Tylenol I am in such pain. My elderly mom is helping me out, but it's been rough. I am not meeting my protein goals and or water intake goals. I do the best I can. I am sometimes starving and sometimes not hungry at all. My taste buds are all off protein shakes and vitamins and things that I loved that I purchased before surgery are gross. I might be in love with this broth soup today and tomorrow the same broth soup is the worst I ever had in my life. I cannot tolerate or smell my bariatric vitamins and I am concerned. Is this all normal? has this happened to anyone? I spoke to my surgeon's office, and they were not concerned they were just like do your best! As long as you are not vomiting or have a fever you are good. huh? I feel malnourished.

Fun fact: the Bariatric Fusion chicken soup protein mix I thought was so disgusting I almost threw it out when I first tried it tastes surprisingly okay on the third day of a liquid diet. I'm glad I turned out to be too cheap to toss a $45 container of protein into the garbage without giving it another try. Pro tip: I used one of those plug-in coffee mug warmers with a small lidded travel mug to keep it just the right temperature for slow sips.

Does anyone know if Kaiser will cover plastic surgery after Bariatric surgery?

Feeling anxious is very understandable especially when this is something completely new to you. I mean have you ever had bariatric surgery before? You may never have had a surgery before so have nothing to base your expectations upon. Give your surgeon or team a call and let them know how you’re feeling so they can answer any questions or concerns you may have about the experience. There may be something you can take before to calm your nerves a little too. (No harm in asking.) I had very little time between when I saw my GP to discuss the potential of the surgery and getting the referral, seeing the surgeon, seeing the dietician & my surgery day. In some ways I appreciated it. I was ready and it probably didn’t give me a lot of time to develop any real nerves. Though I remember feeling a bit apart from everything going on around me from when I entered the pre surgical area until I walked into the waiting area outside the theatre (yeh, my surgeon makes you walk to the theatre). Everyone was very friendly from the pre surgery team, to the nurse who walked me to the theatre, the anaesthesiologist and my surgeon. There were jokes and lots of reassurance. The recovery room nurses were great too. I’ve had two surgeries since then (about to have another) and my experiences have been much the same. I’m a researcher. I like to read up on what to expect & I’ll talk to anyone I know who’ve been through the same surgery if I know anyone. If you do what to do a little reading before (may be helpful if you decide to contact your team or surgeon) go to reputable medical sites like the Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, etc. no social media (except for this forum of course 😁). Check out the you tube sites of Dr Matthew Weiner and Dr John Pilcher - they have a huge library of videos & are extremely informative not just for pre surgery but post as well. Highly recommend them. All the best.

Hi, @Hiddenroses, @Mandalynne, and @Singingbarista, I had the same question about whether to tell people or not. I decided to tell my boss (that was a no-brainer, because I want her to know what I'm up to so when I need to take it easy, and when I start to lose weight, she'll know why), and I told my work team. I figured when I start losing weight the rumor mill will start (Does Andrea have cancer??!!) and I wanted them to be able to tell people I'm fine. But that's all the people I told at work, because everybody's got an opinion, and coworkers don't need to be weighing in on my personal medical decisions. I also told my sisters and my Mom. My sisters are totally supportive, even the one who thinks I'm making a mistake. She told me her opinion and hasn't hassled me about it since, she's just been supportive. My mom has said not one word. That's what she does when she doesn't approve, LOL. But that's fine, as long as she doesn't give me grief about it. Oh, and I told my hairdresser, who said her cousin had bariatric surgery and is rocking it. Here's a suggestion. This is what I'm going to do. If people ask me about my weight loss, I'll say that I am going to the MultiCare Center for Weight Loss and Wellness. Or I'm doing medically supervised weight loss. Both are true, end of discussion. I'm not planning to deny having surgery or anything, I'm just planning to not get into it, especially with people who want to share negative opinions. Of course we care what others think, there's nothing wrong with that. It's just this is a personal decision about a condition that everyone can see, but is mega-uncomfortable to talk about. We'll support you whatever decision you make. If you have surgery, as you can see this group is quite supportive and willing to share our experiences.

Good morning! I am so happy that I found this group! I have been lurking for a month or so. There is a lot of information to be gained here😁. I had VSG Nov 2014 and lost 80 lbs. I was down to 170 lbs. I am 5’9 so I was quite content there. As we all know life throws curveballs and my weight has steadily climbed. I am now 60 years old and weigh 225. My A1c is high and I have been diagnosed with type 2 dm. I have been nauseated for months and last month I had an upper GI that showed severe acid reflux and a moderate hiatal hernia. Omeprazole has not helped at all. I have an EGD scheduled this coming Friday. Revision to bypass has been brought up by the nurse practitioner at the bariatric surgeon’s office. I also just met with my new PCP who gave me a prescription for Mounjaro. Bariatric surgeon said not to start the Mounjaro until we resolve my reflux issues (due to the possible side effects of nausea). I am unsure if I should go with the revision to bypass with hernia repair or just get the hernia repair and hope that fixes my reflux issue and use the Mounjaro to help with weight loss and lowering my A1c. I am not sure if just repairing the hernia will fix my relax issue. I will discuss all these options with my surgeon after the EGD. What are your thoughts/experiences?

I concur with AmberFL, each surgeon has their own requirements. I was on liquid diet for 2 weeks pre-op and 3 weeks after... Hopefully your bariatric team gave you a diet plan for all phases but of your journey! Mine was no caffeine (no teas or coffees), protein drinks, broths, sugar free Jello and of course all the water I wanted! Oh joy!

Preach sister preach! I've always said the exact same things. I go one step further; insurance will pay for cosmetic surgery changes for people going through transgender reassignment surgeries (removing dermal layers etc.) but not skin removal for bariatric patients! Both are surgeries to help the outside match the inside - to help people see themselves as they internally perceive themselves! What's the difference?

The unstuffed cabbage rolls sound good. Believe it or not I’ve never made any type of cabbage roll. I have however been using deli roast beef for my cheese steak for a while. I just get the really rare meat and then heat it for a few Seconds in a skillet. I’ve never tried mixing cream cheese in it though. That sounds interesting. I like to make Philly cheesesteak stuffed peppers when I trying to be good. I bet the cream cheese would sorta hold the mixture down into the pepper better. I wish I could try it now. I suppose I could make it for my hubby and puree mine. My AC miraculously came back on last nigjt after two hours of flashing an error code and not working. It just started back up- so weird. We don’t dare touch it because we don’t believe it’s fixed but it’s cheaper to have someone come check it during the week. My husband is going to tell them the error code it was giving tomorrow and just see if there is anything they need to do. Maybe it is fine. That would be a nice break since it’s just barely out of warranty now plus I won’t habe to deal with the workers being here. I’m still thinking about them cabbage rolls. After the purée tuna was gross to me I kinda thought purée meat was gonna be a no go. Was it good? I’m sure iit helped that it was in the sauce and all that too. I was looking at another ricotta recipe that had chicken and spinach that was a casserole with cheese as well I was considering for my early soft food stage. I think it had artichoke hearts too. It was on Pinterest. They actually have a-lot of recipes under high protein low fat and high protein bariatric recipes. One thimg I forgot about is adding to the plain Greek yogurt. The ranch or French onion soup mix or PB2 to make dips. I added that and some peeled apples and a seedless cucumber to my shopping list for soft foods with the ranch and the PB dip in mind. I think the dry onions should wait for regular foods but it is really good so I mentioned it.

I didn't have any pain after my bariatric surgery, but I DID after my first plastic surgery (lower body lift). I also felt like my body was on fire when I woke up. They put fentanyl in my IV line, and it knocked me out. I'm guessing that's what they did to you - that, or morphine.

I'm sorry to hear you we're denied. Just keep pushing them. It amazes me that insurance companies refuse to pay for bariatric surgeries and weight loss drugs BUT have no problem paying for a lifetime for the health consequences of being obese. I know I'm going out on a ledge here for potential condemnation but..those same insurance companies will pay for gender reassignment surgeries AND reconstructive "cosmetic" surgeries for gender reassignment (that in the long run is cosmetic to align with how patient perceptions are - no different than skin removal mentally) but they won't pay for some just as necessary bariatric surgeries and skin removal surgeries! Both can be mentally debilitating! I always thought perhaps a class action lawsuit forcing insurance companies to pay for these things is what's needed. No one elects to be obese and insurance companies treats obesity as "its your fault" you're obese so they won't pay. I wish you luck, preserver and eventually you'll get it! Lastly, I'm told bariatric surgery is cheaper in some states if you have to pay yourself, so shop around and research research research making sure you have a good bariatric team! Also, make sure that if you do go out of state that they don't have a long travel restriction like mine did (90 days) first! Good luck!

I was told by my bariatric team nurse that it's normally a two week wait, and they would call me at that point to set up my surgery date. BCBS approved me within a week. So, I was surprised when the hospital nurse called me with check in day instructions and found my surgeon had already scheduled my surgery in 10 days. So what normally would have been a 2 week wait for approval, then a 2 week pre-op diet turned into a Fastrack to surgery. My liver shrinking diet was shortened because of it which was OK with me and obviously OK by my doctor. Good luck!

Had my MSK appointment yesterday to discuss my poorly knees and go through my X-rays. Turns out my knees are, and I quote, ‘riddled with arthritis’ and I will need both replacing. It may sound odd but it’s kind of a relief that the pain I feel is justified if that makes sense? The areas of pain on my knees marry up with the worst areas on my X-rays. She did explain that weight loss wouldn’t get rid of the pain but would obviously help with regards to the replacements and quality of life afterwards. I really did appreciate her honesty because the last thing I would want is to think that getting the weight off would make the pains go, and then be disappointed or blaming myself when that didn’t happen. So, can’t have any replacement op until I can get weight off - that’s a given so I was prepared for that. She did say that I was ahead as I’m on the Bariatric pathway which is a huge help. I’m booked in for steroid injections in both knees in 2 weeks. I’ve had these before which weren’t successful but I’m happy to try again, just in case! A couple of weeks after that I will be contacted by physio to see if the injections worked and to have some physio if so. 3 months after that I will be back to see MSK and discuss next steps. It was a huge help that the MSK person was also recovering from a knee replacement op that she had in January. She also needs both replacing and should hopefully have the second before this year is out. She explained recovery and how long it takes etc. It sounds 😬 but needs must and all that. Hopefully, by the time I’m 60 (4 years to go) my weight will be gone, my knees will by done and I will be able to run around with my 2 grandchildren 😊

Hey Bariatric family!! I’m four weeks post op and the thought of food makes me sick. Protein and water are my best friend. I have had some puréed stuff and a tiny piece of white fish. Once I eat something and put it up for “later” the thought of it disgust me. Will this go away?? Any food ideals?? Besides chili and fish?? The thought of chicken makes me want to pass out. I’m feeling good and everything is going well , just scared that this will not go away. Thanks in advance for all replies . These forums have gotten me through some of the hardest times of my life after vsg surgery.

You are right where you should be. Only worry if your surgeon/bariatric team is concerned. Keep up the good work!