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Hi guys, I'm new to this community but have been struggling with my weight my entire life. I've been considering WLS for the past year. I would very much like to undergo surgery this year. I have access to a large academic medical center through my employer, and the weight loss clinic there has excellent providers (I say this to say I didn't see a hack). I saw one last year and we discussed my history of disordered eating (restricting then binging/purging, yoyo dieting, hiding extra food from others) and was very candid. I also have a history of alcoholism (sober 10 years). The provider I saw told me I was very different from the patients she usually sees which leads me to ask this community - are there really so few bariatric patients with eating disorders and other mental health conditions??? I'm just looking to hear from others with similar experiences who are traveling or have traveled this road.

I am seriously thinking about getting the surgery. I am a 54 year old woman. I am five foot one inch tall and weigh 227lbs. My doctor says that I need bariatric surgery. I just wanted to know if anyone has had any serious life threatening problems after the surgery? I 'm a little scared, but I know that I need to do this for my health and self-esteem. Thank you in advance, ,

That's interesting that it went bad so fast. The bolthouse lasts so long after the expiration date. I wonder what the difference is? I didn't go to Trader Joe's the whole pandemic because their stores are so crowded, but now that I'm vaccinated I should go again, especially with my bariatric mind in place. I might discover a whole different store! I actually have one about 5 minutes away from me and several others not too far.

Yep, I have GERD and a hiatal hernia. I am still trying to weigh the options on how to deal with it. Knowing what I know now, I wish I had never had bariatric surgery at all - in MY case, I think I would have been happier and healthier without surgery, because my weight wasn't causing me any health issues yet and I just gave myself new problems with the surgery. If I was in fact dealing with health issues from the weight, now I feel like I might have been better off just doing the gastric bypass from the start.

I am currently 23 days post VSG and down almost 27lbs. I was a complete rockstar with my liquid diet protein, and water goals, but I started the pureed portion last Wed, I was shocked that I had absolutely zero pleasure or “this tastes good” after eating. I’ve been highly surprised by this and have looked up quite a few studies how Bariatric surgery alters hormones in the gut and brain that cause this satisfaction from meals. I was never a large overeater, but I did consider myself a Foodie. My tastebuds have also completely changed and things that I used to love such as coffee and certain protein shakes all taste horrible to me. Has anyone else experienced this? I know some of my meals would normally taste good to me, but everything is completely unappealing and I force myself to eat. Has anyone experienced their tastes coming back to once they once were, or feeling satisfied with a meal? On another note, it appears that some of the studies show that patients that had these taste changes were more successful in the long run keeping the weight off and the total amount lost was higher.

This is due to insulin resistance (sign of PCOS as well). Generally the more weight you lose, the less insulin resistant you are. Bariatric surgery also alters/improves several hormones that help improve IR.

You will never be as focussed in your bowel habits as you are after bariatric surgery - lol!! I’ve never talked about or read about bowel movements & constipation as I do now. 😂😂😂 Constipation is common while you’re losing. Small food intake, fewer carbs & fibre all contribute. I added Benefibre to my diet every day (avoid fibre supplements that swell in your tummy though). Ensure you’re meeting your fluid goals. Add a little fruit to your diet when you can. It all helps. If I reached three days without any activity, I’d take a stool softener to get movement happening again. Some need stronger meds. I tried not to go longer than that as it can become quite painful to empty the bowels after that. I still have odd bouts of constipation but no where near as common as while losing. I get on it by day 2 now. Good luck.

Now, I must say, I'm still 250 pounds, so I have at least 60 or 70 pounds to go to get to goal and actually more than that to not be considered overweight for my height, but I was almost 400 pounds, so this a huge difference and I'm feeling amazing. My wedding dress is a size 24. I got married in 2006, and I have not been able to fit into it since 2010. It is now too big! I had to get something notarized the other day and when I got out my driver's license I noticed my weight said 350 and realized I am 100 pounds less than that weight now, which was a lie anyway. Lol That is an amazing feeling. I have never, ever weighed less than what my drivers license said. Even back when I weighed around 150 I never thought I was thin enough and always lied. When I renew it, I will tell the truth, because I accept myself now at any weight. It's been a long journey to get to that point. I got a new dress the other day and thought it needed a belt and the only one I had was from my highest weight and I can wrap it around me twice. It's crazy! This might be dumb, and maybe tmi for some, but my belly was so big before I couldn't use a squatty potty, and now I can. I just bought one and it really helps with my constipation. Lol Sent from my Nokia 7.2 using BariatricPal mobile app

I agree 100% with @Jaelzion Once you are past the specific restrictions faze, you have to learn what works best for your body to stay in a healthy weight. There are weight maintainers here who swear by keto and others who do vegan or Mediterranean. It's the same for people who never had WLS. The truth is that there are ZERO randomized controlled long term studies on nutrition because we can't control what humans eat in the wild, and most humans are not willing to live in a cage for a few years. I can't imagine why. So we don't know what is the "best" healthy diet; we can only guess. In the absence of good science, we have warring factions of "experts" who will sell your their diet books. Talk to a nutritionist who specializes in bariatric patients, but also think about what foods make you and your new stomach happy. Are you a true carnivore? Probably a traditional mediterranean diet won't work for you (also true if grains don't sit well with your new stomach!). Maybe try low carb! Do fatty foods now upset your tummy? Maybe don't do keto! Some nutritionists will tell you that artificial sweeteners are the worst thing in the world but honestly, there is no good evidence of that. Most of the limited studies have serious methodological flaws (I studied research methodology as an undergrad and I can pick apart almost any study). Newer research shows that they're basically weight neutral. Maybe you don't want to use them anyway, Fine, but if you're the type of person who needs a sweet treat, consider them an option.

I understand why, though. I worked on a bariatric surgery floor for 6 years (and still float there sometimes) and I have seen at least one instance of someone coming in on surgery day and having to have it cancelled because of a positive pregnancy test 😩

interesting - my PCP told me it was safe to stay on Miralax long-term. My bariatric surgeon also knows I take it and is fine with it. I've been having a capful every morning for probably five years... (it does say on the bottle to only stay on it for something like seven days (or 14? can't remember) and see a doctor if you're still having the issue, but she said it's because they want to make sure it's not masking something serious. In my case, it's not - like you, it's due to the high protein diet and the supplements we take (iron and calcium are the usual culprits...). I've gotten dry mouth from PPI's as well, so I would not be at all surprised if they contribute to the constipation too. btw - chronic constipation is a very common problem among WLS patients

If you didn't like the side effects from the lexapro, that's okay, there are lots of other medications for depression and anxiety out there you can try. Talk to a psychiatrist or psychopharmacologist rather than just your primary care doctor, if you haven't already. They specialize in this and can assist with finding the right medication - and it can take a bit of trial an error to find the right one. If you don't want to use medication, try talk therapy. There are a lot of services like BetterHelp that do therapy using things like zoom. Exercise and sunlight help many people. Some people find journaling helpful, but I haven't seen much research on it. Also, your body has gone through a trauma, don't minimize the fact that this will have an effect on your mental and emotional health. Your surgery program should have a bariatric psychologist, and if not, try to find someone who has experience in this area for at least one session to talk through your feelings that you're discussing here.

as with any surgery, there's always a risk of complications, but most are minor and "fixable", and many of us don't experience complications at all. there's not much you can do about hair loss. It can happen after any major surgery - or even giving birth - but it seems to be more common with bariatric surgery because in addition to the shock to your body from the surgery, you're also taking in very few calories afterward. Keeping on top of your protein and vitamins may help it from getting any worse than it is, but you still might lose hair. Most of us do (not all - but most), but for the majority, we're the only ones who notice it. I had some hair loss during months 5-8, but it was just light shedding, so no one would have noticed it. Hair coming out in big, noticeable clumps isn't very common. anxiety before surgery is very common - I kind of freak out before any surgery. But I'm sure you'll do fine!!

I'm 9 months out from gastric bypass. I eat fairly simple meals because I can only eat small portions -- mainly meat and vegetables. I usually eat about 2 ounces of protein (chicken/turkey/pork/eggs/fish -- I almost never eat beef because I've heard that a lot of bariatric patients have issues with it) in a meal with a side of vegetables (usually lightly sprayed with olive or avocado oil, tossed with seasonings, and roasted in the air fryer). I eat a lot of salads with chicken and light dressing. I also eat a lot of cauliflower rice, which is funny because I have always hated cauliflower, but cauliflower rice is genius and I find it to be a good substitution for real rice. In case you don't know, most bariatric patients don't eat rice because it expands in the stomach and can be uncomfortable (not to mention empty calories and carbs). I don't miss rice AT ALL because I can eat cauliflower rice any time I want. There are some frozen cauliflower rice products available with different flavors and mix-ins (but you have to be careful to look at the ingredients and nutrition for those). I combine cauliflower rice with different meats, sauces, and veggies for variety. Examples: Taco chicken + black beans + salsa + cauliflower rice Carnitas + pico de gallo + cauliflower rice Lemon garlic chicken + air-fried asparagus + vegetable medley cauliflower rice Asian chicken + "fried rice style" cauliflower rice + green beans I love going on Pinterest to find bariatric-friendly recipes. There are some keto recipes that work, but I'm careful with those because some of them are too rich -- full of heavy cream, cream cheese, cheese, coconut oil, etc. Recipes labeled as "Weight Watchers" are often a good bet; they sometimes have rice or pasta, which aren't bariatric-friendly but easy enough to omit or substitute. I've found some good and healthy soup, chili, and casserole recipes. And I still enjoy ricotta bake (topped with turkey meat sauce -- it's like a noodle-less lasagna). These are all great to freeze in individual portions for quick meals (same goes for cooked meat). Thanks to tiny serving sizes, you can get tons of portions out of one meal. I have a freezer full of bariatric portions of various foods. When I first got to the solid food stage, I struggled to meet my protein goals, so I had to supplement with protein shakes and powders, but now I get most of my protein from meat/eggs/fish/yogurt. I still eat a daily protein bar and/or protein mug cake just because I enjoy it (I'm obsessed with Built Bars because they taste like candy bars so I can have a treat without going off my plan), but most of the food I eat is just basic, good, healthy stuff.

Back story - In Dec 2020 my new PCP referred me to a bariatric surgeon. I called to schedule my appointment right after. I didn’t hear back right away and personally debated should I go through it this time. I had been talked out of it before by friends, family, even doctors. So Jan 2021 I went back to the weight clinic by my house because I knew I had to do something and why not get back on a plan as a wait to hear from the surgeons office. Plus I had just got engaged and the thought of children in the future seemed to hit me like a Mack truck. I needed to do something for me! I weighed in at 362.2, the highest I’ve ever seen on the scale. Fast forward to Feb and still nothing. So I called again. Finally was able to get an appointment for Tuesday March 9th. I was excited and nervous. I went to the appointment and the surgeon and staff were so nice. I weighed in at 348ish I believe (still kicking myself as to way I let the nurse weigh me in the jacket and boots since I was 343 that morning lol). He said I was a good candidate given my age (33) and family history . That since I didn’t have any medical conditions and fi want to have children now is the time. His nurse outlined all the requirements for me - 6 months weight management (my current clinic was fine and given I went back in Jan I just need 4 more months), to not gain any weight, no more to low carbs and sugar, physiological evaluation, nutritional evaluation, join the FB support group (everything is virtual right now), EKG, chest x Ray, and blood work. Currently - I’m 3 1/2 months in the weight management. Will be done basically the second week of July. Physiological evaluation completed. Joined the support group and attend the zoom meetings weekly, nutritional evaluation is this Wednesday, and keeping my weight down (at 337 as of Saturday). Since I basically have 2 months left (this month is basically over) should I go ahead and schedule my medial tests in May or wait till June? I don’t want to take them too early before I’m finished with my weight management for concern of having to take them again if done too soon. I can’t wait to have everything done a submitted to the insurance. Then to schedule surgery! I’m so ready for the rest of my life, plan a wedding, and just this new chapter of putting myself first. Thanks!

My programs approuch to eating phases is: clear liquid = until hospital discharge (1 day for me) full liquids = 4 weeks (greek yogurt counts) Pureed = 3 weeks soft food = 2 weeks I've followed this strictly and have had no issues. It was scary to transition stages, but I took it easy and everything went well. The worst I had was a couple of instances of discomfort from eating something that sat a little heavier in my tummy (like chilli) too quickly. I learned to go slower with these foods and, even when it was the same volume as other foods, to expect that I'd need to eat it in two sittings. I'm in the soft foods stage now, during liquid and pureed stages the options were limited which did get old. Full liquid stage all I ate was protein shakes, greek yogurt, protein cocoa, and strained bariatric protein soups. Here is what I lived on, in addition to supplemental protein shakes, during the pureed stage: Refried beans with a little Valentina sauce and a small amount of melted cheese My version of ricotta bake (made with cottage cheese, I don't like ricotta) Tuna salad (For some reason, the idea of pureeing tuna didn't turn me off, but any other meat did so I never branched out. Tuna sat suprisingly well in my tummy. Also, I made this with pureed cottage cheese instead of mayo, more protein, and my tummy hasn't liked mayo yet) "Tuna melt bake" just ricotta bake with tuna added. (I like tuna melts and this was one of my favorite things to eat.) Pureed homemade chilli (also a favorite, but I had to be careful since it sat heavier in my tummy) Soft baked yam mixed into yogurt with PB2 added (tastes better than it sounds) Poached egg or soft scrambled egg (the poached eggs were especially easy on my tummy) Just plain cottage cheese or cottage cheese with 1-2 slices of pureed peach or a little mashed banana (sat great in my tummy) Egg salad (again, made with pureed cottage cheese - I don't know what I would have done without cottage cheese! 😂) Mashed banana with PB2 (l liked this the least, only ate it a few times)

That is exactly what I was hoping to make sure I knew if any reaction was surgery or shot related. I did get it on Friday! the Pfizer and I had no reaction. I am glad for my bariatric pals for replying.

According to my Bariatric program I was required to do 2 weeks full fluids post op followed by 2 weeks puréed. I have one more week to go at the puréed stage before soft food. The first 2 weeks I had 1/2 cup of cream of wheat thinned out with milk for breakfast with protein drink( Premium Nutrition) . Lunch and dinner were both broths or soups ( 1/2 cup) with either unflavoured protein powder added or I would supplement at least one protein drink. Once I got to the puréed stage I would only incorporate one protein drink to supplement the protein I was already getting from food. Breakfast is still cream of wheat but I add 1 tbsp of unsweetened apple sauce and I also have a soft poached egg. Lunch is usually 2-3 tbsps of tuna or salmon puréed with 2 tsp of light mayo or 2-3tbsps of puréed cottage cheese. Dinner is 2-3 tbsp puréed chicken, 2 tbsp of mashed potato and 2 tbsp of puréed peas or carrots. I’ll have a protein drink as a snack between lunch and dinner. 2-3 tbsps of 1% Yoghurt is also snack option. You can also continue to do broths and soups at this stage or alternate with puréed food. The most important thing to remember is to stay hydrated and get in all your protein (60-80grams). I fill a 2L bottle with water everyday and sip throughout the day, making sure it’s empty by the end of the day. I’m not at the soft food stage yet but looking forward to getting off of puréed. You are allowed decaf coffee or decaf tea or sugar free drinks as long as they are not carbonated. Anyway, hope that helps.

Ok, just a few of my thoughts. Take them for what they are and are not exact facts. First, when or if you speak to your nutritionist make sure to mention that this happened (Just be honest with yourself and your team). Second, and this is where my thoughts come in but while I was on the pre-op liquid diet I didn't have any craving but my sodium level dropped significantly. I have to wonder if that is why you had that craving and that your body may be asking for a bit more salt. If you haven't had many electrolytes or have a "keto headache" then upping your salt quantity may be needed here. Now just take it as my 2 cents, but that is a potential cause of the craving or at least I would think it would be. After I consumed a significant amount of salt my keto headache went away. I did this by taking a broth based progresso soup and strained all of the solids out. This left me with a high sodium broth that tasted just like soup but with only a small number of calories. Good luck on your preop diet and you should be fine, but your bariatric team/nutritionist should be able to verify. I have read a few other stories of people eating much worse than you on the liquid diet here and if you need some validation on this, you can search for others mess ups. If we are honest with ourselves we will be able to achieve great results and be the best that we can be.

I still struggle with hungry vs satiated - my disordered eating led me to being obese, and I'm not sure I've figured it out even now. My dietitian keeps urging me to stop counting calories and try intuitive eating, but I'm not sure I'm there yet. I'm still not entirely in tune with my body. not all programs offer post-op therapy, although mine does have a couple of health psychologists on staff for patients who want that option. If yours doesn't, there are always outside therapists. A lot of bariatric patients have worked with therapists and find it helpful. Hopefully there are some in your area who work with bariatric patients and/or disordered eating (not that a generalist couldn't - but someone who has a specialty in that area is likely to be more aware of the issues we have)

Good idea! The other place is the blog called "The World According to Eggface". She's a long-time bariatric patient who's been very involved in the bariatric community for many years. AND...she loves cooking. She also has a lot of recipes on her site for all stages.

I just asked my bariatric coordinator if I could take gummies because I tried the dissolvable tablets and the after taste was horrible! So I bought the pills from here and I gag every time I take them. I honestly have been very inconsistent and hope I can do gummies again. Btw she said I could take gummies but need to have iron as well

I’m 66 and thinking about getting my upper arms done. I had Bariatric surgery a little over 2 years. A little tummy but I can live with that. Hate feeling conscious about my arms.

It’s impossible to turn muscle into fat or fat into muscle - they are completely different tissues. The problem lies within people who already have a high amount of muscle mass and gain fat as well, which makes them look bigger. Strength training is beneficial for everyone as long as you have clearance from your doctor (normally in the 6-8 week range). Increasing muscle mass increases your metabolism, bone density, and overall healthy look. I see many people who skipped lifting after Bariatric surgery and they tend to have less favorable outcomes when it comes to their “after” build. That said, it is hard to build muscle when you are in extreme calorie deficits post surgery, so there will not be a large change in muscle mass even with good genetics.

I've heard that as well (at least the part about Flintstones), but I don't say anything anymore because I've been blasted by mentioning it on forums. Evidently a lot of surgeons still recommend them. Mine still does as well, but I took Centrum from the beginning since I'd read it's a better choice if you're going with grocery store/drug store vitamins. My dietitian was fine with Centrum and did say it was a better option (although I see Flintstones Complete is still on their recommended list) I've also read on forums that bariatric-specific vitamins are better, although so far I've had luck with Centrum (or the generic equivalent)