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Well you are making good progress! You could try a small amount of grains that support your protein intake. Just a little white rice in a protein /soft veggie mixture, or part of a low carb flour tortilla with chicken/beef and some toppings. A lame soft taco but very filling and a full meal for me. I use rotisserie chicken or a carne asada mix from Sprouts. I cook the carne asada until it’s falling apart. For Iiquids, I drink coffee in the morning and eat a couple of meals spaced out through the day. Water here and there. Then in late afternoon, I focus on drinking water steadily until bedtime. I end up drinking 3-4 refills of my 24oz Stanley bottle and feel great. I don’t drink a lot of water until I’m out of my eating window. And it helps me feel fuller in the evening.

Hi all. Surgery dates are backed up so I was expecting next year at some point and got offered 11/13 for a sleeve a few weeks ago. I had to do 6-months of meetings with PAs and nutritionists for my insurance so it has been some time in coming. I started a month-long pre-op diet on Monday and have been OK but a little shaky. I'm on Ozempic which has occasionally made me vomit in the morning when moving to a new dose but now I've done it every morning since starting this diet. Hoping that gets under control soon.

I had my first meeting with the nutritionist last Thursday (first of three). It lasted about 40 mins and she just asked questions about my diet history and eating habits, and then she emailed me a packet with guidelines about the 2-week pre op diet and the post op diet. Then she quickly ended the meeting as soon as I said I had no more questions. It felt very abrupt and not what I thought it would be. Has anyone else's experience been like that with the nutritionist? Is this how it is?

Congrats on your upcoming surgery! DS makes up less than 5% of all bariatric surgeries so we're definitely a rare breed lol. But I have found a handful of people between Reddit and Discord who had DS and were willing to chat. It's definitely not like finding RNY or VSG buddies though. I'm only eight weeks out at this point but I'm happy to help if you ever have any questions.

I quit slowly, just using things up at home and not buying more. Then once that was done, a few weeks later I started introducing a few artificially sweetened things. Unlike a lot of people, Im not anti-fake sugar. But I need a break from sweets for the fake stuff to taste good. I still use moderation even with fake sugars, but I like flavor packets in my water sometimes, a flavored syrup in my coffee as a treat, or a flavored yogurt or pudding. I don't crave fake sweeteners though so I just use them selectively. I don't find they create a craving for real sugar, in fact, they help me walk by sugary things because I know I have my own safe version at home. But keep in mind I never binged sugary foods so it could be different for someone who did have that issue. Sweet things are not a trigger food for me.

I wasn't told how to sleep, either. I've always slept on my side but it wasn't that comfortable to do that immediately after my surgery, so I slept on my back for a couple of weeks. I've slept on my side ever since.

Thanks! These are great suggestions! I’m scheduled the week after Thanksgiving. I do have questions if y’all have answers/suggestions. I’m looking to get new water bottles - partly because all my bottles have wide mouth openings (allowing me to chug), partly because I have a mild compulsion to collect all the water bottles. 😁 Do y’all have a slow-release water bottle you suggest? Belly bands - I’ve heard that the hospital won’t give me one before I go home, so I need to get my own. I’ve never owned/used one before. What should I be looking for? What are you putting in your hospital bag? Since we’ll be driving to AL and then home again, I don’t want to have a bunch of junk I won’t really need. My dietitian (who also had this surgery), said I need to bring a notebook to log my water, but that’s about all I’ve been told to bring with me. I plan on bringing my iPad, phone, earbuds… and that’s as far as I’ve gotten. Thank you for your help! M

Preaching to the choir Momo! I'm 8 days postop and I miss real food so badly! My protein goal is 90g and honestly I have not met it yet -- I've gotten as high as 81 so far. In order to get to 90 almost every liquid I consume has to be high protein and that is rough. Plus my doc has me on Stage 1 all liquids for THREE WEEKS! AGH! I might die! But I'm like you, it's just temporary. It will be worth it. GREAT TIP re: trying on clothes that don't fit! I love that suggestion! Gonna go do it now!

I'm 6 days post op and for the last 3 days I have been making 300ml of flavored water-based protein drink then add ice so it comes to 400ml and I sip on it for an hour and a half while I am in classes at university. That drink gives me 2 servings of protein (25gr) and it tastes great. I use ISO Whey Zero Clear.

I buy Hydrolyzed whey protein isolate at Bulksupplements.com because: 1. Made from high-quality whey protein, its hydrolyzed to make it easier for your body to absorb. Plus, it's packed with branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) to help promote muscle growth and recovery. Plus, this particular protein powder is also a rich source of leucine. 2. It has no flavor, I've mixed it with eggs, yogurt, shakes, chilli and protein balls, but I've even tried it plain just to see if it had flavor - none! 3. Bulk supplements also third party laboratory tests all products for purity, effectiveness and clean products. 4. 26 grams protein at 110 calories with a great amino acid profile! 5. Use their app and get 10% off too! 6. You can order different quantities depending on your needs. They offer subscribe and save which helps! Hope this helps.

I suffer from baaaad anxiety, panic attacks, and depression. I had my sleeve Oct. 2. I’m not sure if it’s a coincidence or related, but my anxiety has been a lot better. I also do feel happier. I hope it is related and you will experience this as well. Good luck! Side note, about 2 to 3 days after my surgery, I had a few bad mental health days, kind of a “regret and why did I do this? “ Went away and then some. 🤞🏼

8 weeks post op and all I eat is 1 scrambled egg with vegan cheese, 2% Lactaid CHOCOLATE milk, or some homemade chicken broth made by my mother. When I get really desperate, I'll have a sugar-free popsicle. I am suffering.

Everyone is different. Pro Lost the weight and still loosing confidence was up. move around freely. Blood pressure down. Cons eating out with friends. Not able to enjoy food . constantly sick .If your thinking about doing this. Eat one cup of food 3 times a for a month. You will get first hand look at head hunger. Best of luck to you.

Hello everyone, this is my first post. I’m in the uk and have my consultation for the ESG next week. I wondered if there was anyone else in the UK who has had this? I’m deciding between dr Kelly at spire and dr bansi at the Cromwell. Just want to say hello

Hi, kinda new here. I'm 11 weeks post op gastric bypass & I'm about 55-57 lbs down to be exact. In the last few weeks I've been feeling what is kinda like experiencing a numbingness feeling or "falling asleep" "tingling" feeling in my legs from the front part of my stomach down to the top part of my things to my knees. It comes & goes, doesn't always stay! Is this normal? Am I the only one experiencing this? Please tell me this goes away?! [emoji28]🫣[emoji848] Sent from my SM-S908U using BariatricPal mobile app

Mine was 100% private pay. My insurance would not cover it all. totally an exclusion. Blossom is available after surgery but only if you need them and reach out. I never really reached out or had any complications. I follow them on social media and read lots of people having questions, etc. I have to say, I think he follow-up could be better. My GP was very hesitant to just "take over" when I got back. Doctors don't want to be responsible for someone else's surgery. Makes sense. I also knew it would be discouraged from going out of state so I never disclosed or told GP office what I was doing. My point is when she would ask me questions about aftercare I would be like "uh I don't know" she would ask what about follow-up? I was like hmm, I guess there really isn't any. No binder, no regular calls or direct contact. Luckily, I didn't need it though. My GP said my case made her more interested in it and learn about the follow up and tests needed, etc. Also makes sense, if insurance covered it, I would likely have a bariatric team and all my tests and follow up would be with them. The actual recovery was really good and seamless for me. I followed all the directions in Vegas. I was prepared for the worse. I walked and woke up every few hours with my daughter's help. I never had to horrible gas pain people talk about. Plane ride was super awkward with the fancy leg pumps. 😜🤣 Once home, FLUIDS! Alex explained, you can live 10 days without food but not water/fluids. I was tired the first week. I just listened to my body. I moved around as much as possible, but didn't push myself either. I will be blunt about MY ONLY complication. CONSTIPATION is real! And it's awful! Never had this in my life. Quite the opposite. So my advice, always keep track so it does not get away from you. Use the stool softeners and fiber. After two years, I still have moments but I have a good routine to treat it. On the other hand, I have read people have the opposite, so listen to your body! I'm so excited for you and can't wait to hear how you do. What is your date again?

I went on day 2 and it hurt like the dickens!! Then last week turns out I had a small bowel obstruction and that caused some constipation that I didn’t know was happening because I thought the way I felt was supposed to be normal. Now I’m having to take Miralax 3x/day until my post op follow up appointment. Hopefully all is still good and I won’t have to keep taking stool softeners.

Fascinating article. Despite having taken several of them myself over the past few years, (including Saxenda and Wegovy), I'm very hesitant to embrace a world where weight loss drugs are the first line of defense against obesity. I say this knowing that at least some of my issue comes down to poor nutrition choices, made far too easy by an environment swimming in garbage foods and a culture that values quick convenience over everything else. When I commit to good nutrition, my weight decreases. I don't get skinny, or even "not obese" but I do lose weight. When the snacks and junk food make their way back in the house and I have stressful weeks with work where I'm at my desk for 12 or more hours and fast food feels like my only option because I'm too tired to cook, I gain weight. In about the past 60 years, we've gone from 13% obesity to 40%, with a 10x rise in severe obesity. This isn't just a weird thing that happened in a vacuum. There are pretty obvious reasons for this, some that could possibly be solved with significant changes to our food policies and investment in real nutrition instead of lining the pockets of pharmaceutical companies and massive food corporations. Much of our so-called food today has been designed to be addictive, by the same folks who brought us cigarettes, no less. That should give people pause the next time they're in the grocery store looking at all those shiny boxes and bags. On the other hand, in the days when only 1% of the US population was morbidly obese...that was my family. And some of my family lived really long lives, into their 90s. Except the ones who didn't and died young. And you don't know which you'll be until it's too late. Up until my 40s, I was one of those people who had healthy bloodwork despite being 90+ lbs over my "ideal weight." I didn't worry about my weight because I was healthy. But that changed rapidly with middle age as my weight went even higher. Now I take blood pressure meds and am prediabetic. My feet and joints ache and I worry what that means as I age. I wish I had done more to keep my weight lower when I was younger and developed better habits early on. I can't believe how ignorant I was of nutrition facts when I was in my teens and 20s. One thing I know is I can't afford $12k or more a year for the rest of my life to take these "miracle drugs." I'm not sure who really can or should. I'm grateful for surgery being an option, but it's not for everyone, and neither are the drugs. As a society, I would like to see more acceptance of humans in all sizes, and more focus on real health and nutrition instead of fads and gimmicks that make a few people really rich.

I’ve been struggling with maintenance lately (last couple of months) not able to reset the “mindless” eating trend I see slowing creeping back. I feel like I have to eat something every 2-3 hours. Whether it’s carrots or some string cheese. I’ve had an increase in stress lately as well. I keep track on the scale too much now too. Ugh ….

I’ve been struggling with maintenance lately (last couple of months) not able to reset the “mindless” eating trend I see slowing creeping back. I feel like I have to eat something every 2-3 hours. Whether it’s carrots or some string cheese. I’ve had an increase in stress lately as well. I keep track on the scale too much now too. Ugh ….

I'm so excited, I got my surgery date today and we finalized all the details of the surgery!!! I'll be doing the duodenal switch with a longer common channel since I have a history of vitamin D deficiency and anemia. The surgeon talked to my GI specialist and they signed off of on it so everyone is on board thankfully. We picked December 13th, since I'll be in New Zealand for most of November. He said 2 weeks is standard for their liver reduction diet but if I added in a gradual 3rd week it would probably help as a bonus week. Their liver reduction diet is 2 shakes, 2 snacks and a lean, green dinner until one week before surgery, when it switches to all fluids. So basically I'll be starting the diet as soon as we get back from traveling... I already have 7 flavors of premier protein shakes in my closet. LOL (They require the shakes be either those or the bariatric advantage powder as per some study they are following). I'm really happy to be at this stage of everything, I know the 2 months will fly by fast!

I was sleeved 14 years ago and then got a revision 4 months ago. With my sleeve, I would get the foamies (hyper-salivation), my forehead would sweat, or my nose would start running (or all 3). Now, with with my bypass, if I forget I had a surgery and try to eat like a regular person, I get nauseous, my stomach makes SUPER LOUD noises, I'll feel pain, and sometimes have to run to the bathroom (dumping syndrome). A lot of people think this happens when you eat the "wrong" foods (super sugary, super greasy), and they're right. BUT, it ALSO happens if you eat too much, or even just too fast. You could be eating a super healthy, super small amount of food, but if you eat it too fast and don't chew it down to mush (like people at work who have really short lunch breaks), you'll still experience these things. As time goes by, we start to forget to take our time to eat, to really chew our foods to a paste before swallowing, or to wait a while after eating to drink something. The longer it's been, the more we forget. Sometimes, we need to reset our eating habits back to taking a full 30 minutes to eat, to eat healthy foods again, to over-chew our food, and to wait at least 30 minutes to start back on fluids.

I am lucky I have Kaiser, so its already approved when I got the referral so yay!! Was the cardiologist a requirement for your insurance? He didn't mention that to me, but my appt was literally okay you did the orientation, the nutrition class, now lost 15lbs get that official weigh in then call us and we will get the next step going....I am very anxious and I am self sabotaging myself! I was 5lbs away 2 weeks ago then gained 5lbs because I let myself just not care now back to 5 more lbs. This is so hard!

I'm 6 days post-op. I got my surgery in Iceland. We were originally told to be on a clear liquid diet for 4 days then 2 weeks of full liquid diet and then 2 weeks of purred diet. After that, we can start solid soft food and experiment with different types of food to see how our stomach responds. My doctor told me to start my full-liquid diet the day after my surgery. I had apple juice and a broth the evening of the surgery. Every doctor is different.