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I take the bariatric advantage chewable multivitamin with iron and their calcium citrate chews both twice a day and use cocoa butter and collagen peptides daily to help minimize excess skin.

I had bypass revision on Jan 11,21 which included a common chanel resection as well as making the original pouch smaller. I have lost 62 lbs and am doing amazingly well post op. No vomiting, nausea, or heartburn, I still have 3 weeks left of taking a daily prilosec but then I will be just on my bariatric vitamin and calcium chew. I was able to stop taking my only prescription medication for high blood pressure. I go to the gym about 4 times a week and my back pain has decreased significantly. My comfortable goal is to loose 40 more pounds but would love to loose 45 just to make sure. Sent from my SM-G965U using BariatricPal mobile app

My surgeon's office also recommended Bariatric Fusion chewables or liquid vitamins for the first couple of months. They did advise against patches, which is unfortunate, as it seems like such a great idea for post-op patients.

My surgeon's office recommends Bariatric Fusion chewables. I started taking one per day while I'm in pre-op phase, but post op it's 4 per day to get the required vitamins. Multiple pills, but at least it's just one vitamin bottle on the shelf.

Good Luck all with your pre-op diet and surgeries! You all will do great! For me, the 1st couple of days home after surgery were a bit rough, but by the third day, the brain fog was gone and once I figured out how much I was able to sip at once, it was much better. My surgeon said that the more I drank, the easier it would get...he was right! I also got some Proti Diet 15g Protein Soup - Chicken. My clinic sells them for $10/box of seven. Had them in the hospital and they actually soothed my new tummy. And are really good. They have been a life saver for me with getting my protein in each day. You can get them various places online, including Bariatric Pal Shop.

I am seven weeks out and those doubts and fears still creep in that I will be one of the non success stories (I’ll lose it but gain it back). I am thinking about seeing a bariatric therapist to help with this and issues with eating when board. A lot of people seem to really get a lot out of having a bariatric therapist.

patches seem to work for some but not for others. I've never tried them because I'm afraid I'd be one of the people they don't work for. you have to take two of most multivitamins to meet requirements. I think there are a few bariatric-specific multivitamins where you only have to take one per day, though - but anything from a grocery store or drug store (like Centrum) you have to take two per day.

My surgery is feeling very real now, having just booked a taxi to get myself to the hospital on Sunday morning (April 25th). The hospital is a 1hr drive away which isn't great (largely because of the added taxi expense) but there was a 12 month wait at my nearest hospital whereas its only been 1 month since my initial phone call to this one (I'm in the UK, paying privately). I've lost 24lbs in a bit over 3 weeks of pre op diet and got a 50lb total loss from my highest weight a year ago today as I did keto for 11 months before the pre op. I've come a long way over the last year, and regularly cook, shop for and have in the house lots of foods that previously I couldn't have resisted (I'm taking about you, pizza, ice cream and biscuits) without finding it a problem. I've also happily gone through the drive through with my (slim) husband and felt perfectly content with my protein water. There was a question earlier about doubts following a successful pre op diet. For me, having lost a lot of weight in the past and losing quickly on my pre op, I'm happy to have surgery. Research shows that for many reasons including hunger hormones, metabolism and fat cell activity weight loss surgery makes it significantly easier not just to lose weight but to maintain that loss. The way I see it from my research and experience is that losing weight through diet leaves you slim but in a body that physiologically is doing everything it can to get you back to being fat. Surgery leaves you slim in a body that has in a sense been reset to being slim and is not trying to get fat again. Do it by diet and you'll be left fighting your body as well as your mind to maintain. Do it by surgery and you don't have to fight your body, just keep control of your mind. That's much more achievable. Preparation wise I've got lots of protein water and shakes ready that I know I like plus chewable bariatric vitamins. I'm feeling very settled on the liquid diet which I'm glad about as I think it'll make the post surgery transition easuer. I've treated myself to a new pair of headphones with alexa built in to make my hospital time and recovery a bit more convenient. I bought a giant cosy dressing gown for a bit of comfort. And I've sorted all my outdoor sports gear /books /maps etc which have ended up in the loft after a blissful period having lost 140lbs about 12 years ago that didn't last very long before it all came back. I've read a whole load about bariatric surgery and nutrition and have lots of self improvement books lined up to read or listen to to help me keep working on me, not just my weight and relationship with food. I'm so excited about my new life and feel very determined and prepared. Loads of waffle there... Can you tell I'm excited?! Sent from my VOG-L09 using Tapatalk

@Jaelzion is correct. The ultimate decision to proceed or not is up to you. And feeling unsure or questioning your decision is not uncommon. Sure, people do struggle in those first couple of weeks. They just had surgery & are recovering & healing. Plus their digestive system has been altered which is a shock to the body. The initial diet, which is to support the healing & recovery, is pretty restrictive. The new digestive system can be pretty delicate to begin & it may be difficult to find foods it will tolerate. This can be very confusing & although people may be aware it occurs the reality can still be a shock. But it does all improve & it becomes easier. Yes, some people have complications. All surgeries have the risk of complications. Bariatric surgery risks are pretty low. Much lower than surgeries you may need if your excess weight impacts your health: cardiac, joint replacement, kidney or liver problems, etc. Same with issues that may arise in the years post surgery. You’ll likely read about them, on forums like this one, because people want to share their experiences &/or are seeking support & advice. In reality they are minority & it is very sad to read about their complications. As with all things, you should be aware of the possibilities. Personally, I haven’t had any problems. Sure, my orthostatic hypotension (drops in blood pressure) occurs more frequently but it was a pre existing condition. As was the mild gerd I had before surgery. I still have it. It manifests differently now but it’s easy to manage. Every day, I’m glad I decided to have the surgery. Good luck making your decision what ever you decide.

I am on pre-op now but my doctor only provided a list of suggested protein shakes and Premier was one of them. What I would do is ask your doctor (bypass the nurse - no pun intended haha ) and tell them that you had already purchased XYZ and your budget is not permitting (or struggling with) the purchase of Bariatric Advantage. And ask the doctor if that is a deal breaker for your surgery. At the very least, perhaps they can discount the cost to something less than $90. The good news is that you'll be drinking these even after surgery so maybe buy their product for pre-op and save the Premier shakes for post-op.

Did your doctor's office suggest/push their brand or a brand that they carry or did you find and do your own? I'm asking because I had my final pre op meeting the other day and the nurse was pushing the Bariatric Advantage that the office carries. I asked if I could just use the Premier Shakes since they have that listed as an acceptable shake and I already have a few cases handy and she said no, those are only for AFTER surgery. Not really explaining why or what the different was between them and why they couldn't be used pre surgery but could after. Anyway, what did you buy/use for your pre op? The paper she gave me to order the Bariatric Advantage lists 6 flavors and it says to pick two and the price is $90. I'm assuming that price is the total amount for BOTH. I guess compared to Premier it's cheaper to get that anyway. But looking at the nutrients they're not too far off from one another. So, what did you all use? I have to have 4 high protein shakes a day and 4 servings of non starchy veggies. NO MEAT! Thanks for your input.

Thanks for taking the time to reply!! "Hiding food from others" just means hiding my eating habits from others, like sneaking food to eat by myself so no one sees my portions and criticizes. I think that's a normal behavior for someone who's ashamed of their eating. I have seen a bariatric psychologist and started CBT to identify the thoughts behind the behaviors. I can see how cross addiction could be a problem, because the coping mechanism of food is taken away after surgery. I think in my mind I just want the answers to be "ok you're a perfect candidate let's go to surgery tomorrow!" and in reality there are some things I need to work on first.

I have bipolar disorder and some history of eating issues but only for brief periods of time (maybe 15 incidences of vomiting and a few months of restrictive eating). I can't think of anyone who hasn't yo-yo dieted: I have once lost 50 lbs and another time lost 100, but gained it back. I'm not sure what you mean by "hiding extra food from others". I have no history of addiction, but I know that can be a concern for WLS because cross addition especially alcoholism is a problem after WLS. For me, the weight center (also a major academic medical center) is requiring that my psychiatrist speak to their psychologist and clear me for surgery. Did you see the bariatric psychologist?

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.