Search the Community

Since 2014 I have been gaining weight. I've gained 75 pounds. I was 150 at 5'7 inches tall and at that time I was relatively inactive but ate normally. A decade later I'm 225 and 34 and have not been able to lose. I cut out sugar, I joined a gym and got a dietician three years ago. I have still gained ten pounds per year. I've been tested for PCOS, Cushing's and Thyroid disorders and they have found no evidence. I eat less now than I did ten years ago. I love in Canada and rely on government healthcare. They won't approve me for gastric bypass. They gave me ozempic last year and it was a nightmare and worsened my IBS. I didn't lose weight I gained another 12 pounds on that drug. I'm out of options. This has basically destroyed my life. I haven't dated in ten years. Tried to commit suicide twice three years ago. The weight gain never stops. It's awful. I'm not doing it to myself. I don't over eat. I exercise, I go to the gym, I don't eat sugar and I just butt. It's a cruel joke this life.

So I have one more thing to pass before my surgery and that's being cleared by the nutritionist. My surgery was going to be scheduled for November but it's being postponed for a few weeks because the nutritionist failed me this morning because I haven't been practicing mindful eating and that apparently can completely reverse the effects of my surgery. I've been trying to practice mindful eating now for months but I honestly just don't get it and I've never gotten mindfulness in general. Being schizophrenic myself they've tried to teach me about mindfulness several times and I've never gotten it and it's never worked for me. So is this it and the end of my journey and I'll have to try to lose 150 pounds on my own (I weigh 440) or is it not as hopeless as I think? I've got two weeks to learn mindful eating before my next appointment with her so is there any tips from people who've struggled to learn mindful eating in the past?

As a bypass patient, there is really nothing that's off limits for me. I pretty much eat anything I want to, just in smaller portions. Some people have to be a bit more careful due to dumping syndrome, but I've been pretty lucky in that dumping for me is really rare. It's happened once in 2 years when I significantly overindulged on pretty much pure sugar with no fiber or protein to moderate things, It was not fun and I definitely learned my lesson! One other thing I'll say is that my tastes have changed. For example, I just don't really want much red meat, so I now eat a mostly vegetarian/pescatarian.

I must invest in a slow cooker. My mum had a great recipe for slow cooked beef stew (she had gastric bypass so it was really soft beef) and I've been wanting to make it for a while. I don't quite know the recipe since she never wrote it down and I can't ask her anymore, but she always like to experiment in the kitchen so I think it's better I find out on my own anyway. I'm hoping I can get a cheap one on pay day so I can start actually cooking in the soft food stage.

HI bypassers, Can any of you or most of you share the numbers of what you should be eating 2.5 - 3 months post op? Like how many grams/oz per meal? Or how many calories total. Thanks I'd appreciate it.

Hi all! New to the forum and this site. So, I just had roux en y gastric bypass on Monday, and I'm feeling a bit lost, scared, and anxious. I'm so worried I'll never be able to enjoy some of my favorite foods again. I guess I didn't realize that gastric bypass was so restrictive. My Dr recommend it because I have trouble with heartburn and said this would be a good option. I guess I'm just looking for encouragement - if I know I can have some of my favorite foods at some point down the road, I'd feel a lot better, but everything I look up seems like I can never eat again. Do any of you have experience eating any of the following foods sparingly, or are they gone from my life forever? Tacos, mac and cheese, ice cream, chips and queso or guac, falafel, pad thai? Please know I am aware these are not healthful food choices and my love for these foods got me to where I am today, but can I ever eat them again in any capacity? Thanks for your kindness to this emotionally struggling newbie. I'm scared I made the wrong choice and just reaching out to the void for people who have experienced these panicky feelings. Thanks!

I had the sleeve and was doing well until I was hit with all kinds of complications. I had the revision to bypass and couldn't be happier. It's like night and day. I think you'll do just fine.

Thank you. Congratulations Bypass on your life changing surgery this year. You have come so far, and will be at your goal in no time! Here's some pretty posies to cheer you on toward your goal.

I didn’t have band either, but I had the sleeve and gained it all back. My surgeon explained that obesity is very complex and for many people the sleeve is great and it’s less risk so they go with it when they think it is appropriate but it does not offer the same metabolic changes as the bypass or the SADI (which is what I revised to) that some people need in order to be successful. I believe the Lap band offers even less metabolic changes than the sleeve, if any. Basically with these surgeries mostly everyone will lose weight, it’s the keeping it off part that’s difficult. And that’s when you need a surgery with enough of a metabolic change to help you long term. I am 2.5 months out from my revision and I was so worried about the same thing, losing it only to regain again but I can already tell that there is more or a metabolic change. I mean I am exercising!! Me….everyday!! That never would’ve happened without this surgery. Healthy foods taste better and my mood has improved. I have tons of energy and motivation. I never got that with the sleeve. The bypass has been around for a very long time for good reason. For me the sleeve and SADI difference has been night and day. I think you will find a similar experience with your Bypass.

I never had a lap band, but from the research I did pre-surgery, I can confidently say that you didn't fail your lap band. The lap band almost certainly failed you. It's just not a good procedure for long term success, which is why it is almost never done any more. It causes a lot of issues and really doesn't solve very many when it comes to the root causes of obesity. The gastric bypass, on the other hand, offers an excellent combination of strong metabolic changes plus low risk of side effects. It's a really good choice. I know I couldn't be happier!

7 years out this November (I can’t believe it’s been that long!) 1. The surgery did all of the work. I didn’t wake up hungry, I didn’t feel like I could eat more than recommended. I didn’t have any (initial) complications that slowed the weight loss process. 2. I was really strict and followed every rule pre and post op. I was super serious because I absolutely needed this to work. My motivation remains for medical reasons first and aesthetics second. 3. I limited calories from liquids. 4. I am finally ready to admit that I have a narrow palate. I don’t like most food and definitely not most fast food but in a pinch I will eat it *some* things. I cook the vast majority of my meals and most are very boring by foodie standards. 5. I was converted from VSG to RNY at my goal weight (GERD etc) and I’m sure the durability of RNY has made a difference in maintaining. 6. I was given a higher BMI range by my surgeon and thank goodness because getting any lower would have been a real struggle without added benefits. 7. I invested in plastics. I shouldn’t make sense or a difference but I didn’t want to mess up the work I had done plus removed skin and fat cells are gone forever. 8. I address the smallest regains IMMEDIATELY adjusting behavior and intake. I’m not ashamed of it or ignore it, I weigh often to stay accountable to myself. 9. I found what works for me and focused on that, adjusting as needed. I try very, very hard not to compare myself with anyone else. I never attached self worth or morality to weight (gained or lost). I think it helped immensely that no one ever bothered me about weight. I realize it maybe a different story if this wasn’t the case. 10. I check in yearly with my bariatric team.

Hey all. I'm new here. Had a lap band installed in 2013. I've failed it. Gained it all back. Bypass scheduled in a month. I'm so worried that I'll fail this too. Any failed lap band to bypass success stories out there?

I just had gastric bypass yesterday. Clear liquid is hard. My doc put me on full liquids starting today.

Hello I am new here. I just had the roux en y gastric bypass and hiatal hernia repair last Thursday morning. I was 260 going in and I'm down to 250 . I'm on the clear liquids phase 1 and my dietitian said I can advance to phase 2 on Friday. Is it just me or is this liquid diet thing extremely frustrating at times and I get moody too because I do like to drink sometimes on the weekend. I am trying to take things slow but it's such a lifestyle change for me.

My bypass was September 24th! One month tomorrow! I’m so nauseous right now though :(

Ooof that sounds rough! I shall definitely be careful and take my time then! I think in terms of tasting and trying things, I am super strict on myself anyway just because of the high chance of dumping with the bypass, so I don't even go near any food or drink that may contain more than 7g of sugar per 100g 😂 I shall just have to come prepped with anything that I want to eat or drink that is within those guides! Really good to hear that you are now able to enjoy things freely and happily!

I was supposed to have my surgery Dec 28 last year. I had the option of taking a last-minute cancelation the Monday of Thanksgiving week, but when I told my mom (whose help I needed with my kids), she was totally against it. Said I would ruin everyone's holidays if I had a terrible recovery and kinda made it all about everyone else. So I gave up the date, even though it pained me to do it, because I didn't want to be selfish. A couple weeks later, my hospital discontinued their surgical program and canceled my date. I was devastated. I had to rebook with a different program, which was still affiliated with the parent organization of my hospital, but unfamiliar to me. I didn't end up getting my surgery until February. It was very stressful and I was pretty angry with myself for not choosing what I wanted instead of what other people wanted me to do. Having said that, it did all work out for the best in some ways. Apparently, the November surgery date would have been right after the doctors at my old program were told the center was closing, so maybe that would have meant the surgeon wasn't as focused going into my surgery, which could have been dangerous for me. And I would have had to do all my follow up with a different program, which would've been awkward. And I appreciate that I knocked out my deductible in February so have had full coverage of all my tests and appointments all year. I actually have a biopsy I have to get done next month (not related to bariatric surgery) and that won't have any out of pocket costs, so yay for that. On the other hand, my recovery was pretty much text book, so all my mom's worries over me ruining the holidays with a terrible recovery were baseless. I was pretty self sufficient and back to about 80% functioning by the end of the first week. And 8 months post-surgery, the holidays are rolling around again and guess what? I still can't eat more than a tiny plate of turkey breast, a few green beans, and a bite of pumpkin pie. I still won't be baking a million cookies or drinking a pint of egg nog. So, whether it happens this year or next, your family will have to figure out how to navigate around your new normal. If it were me, I would decide based on what makes financial sense (your deductible, etc.), what works for you with time off work, and would probably avoid the two weeks right before Christmas just because you will need some time to recover in peace without holidays adding to your stress. In retrospect, waiting until February wasn't such a big deal, though, so if you do have to wait, it will be okay. Just make sure you do it for yourself and not for everyone else.

Thanks for responding. All great points. I’m really struggling with this. I don’t have a surgery date yet. But my last requirement will be over November 18. Maybe the problem will take care of itself if I cant get a surgery date until January.

My husband and daughter are pressuring me not to have gastric bypass surgery until after the holidays. I want it done ASAP.what should I do?

As an British-American, I'm going back to the US for Thanksgiving in one month and I pretty much have the same concerns. Food, Food, Food is all it is. Come to find out my stepmother had the sleeve two years ago (she kept it real quiet but judged my mother for having a bypass 15 years ago, but I digress) so having one other bariatric patient at the table could be helpful for portion size recommendations. But Christmas, I'm with Italian friends. Italians (not to generalise, but something I've observed) love to feed people so I'm going to have to practice stern "no thank you".

Ask him about the statistics of long-term success with the sleeve. The sleeve is great for many people don’t get me wrong, but I believe it was 26% of sleeves that need to be revised. If I’m not mistaken, this included because of Gerd as well, but also inadequate weight loss to begin with or weight regain, which was more common with sleeve than with the other surgeries. When I talk to my surgeon about revision, I wanted assurances that I wasn’t just wasting my time going to lose all of my weight. Only to turn around and gain it back and he said the sleeve does not have the same metabolic changes that the SADI or Bypass offer. While the. Sleeve is enough of a change for many people it’s just not enough for some. In my case when I lost my weight, I was basically on a diet with the sleeve which was a little bit easier because I wasn’t hungry, but once the hunger came back, so did the weight for me so this may be different for you because you did keep it off for a while, but I would ask what the statistics are in terms of people who gain it back down the road with sleeve is that more common than with the other surgeries? I guess one kind of pro for doing the sleeve would be that if you did regain the option for a revision would probably be a lot easier. Not trying to say that you want to think of that before you even start but it is a possibility for all of us I guess. It’s a lot of questions and a lot of information when you start weighing more than two options especially but just be thorough and ask all your questions you will know which option is best for you once you feel educated about them all. Best of Luck.

Thank you so much! ❤️ I think I am going to wear it for an event in November (providing it isn't too baggy by then 😂) x

I'm only two weeks post op and it doesn't hurt to eat unless you eat too much. I've learned pretty quickly what "too much" is so it's not painful to eat. Just eat slowly and your restriction will stop you from.being in pain. My mother had bypass in 2008 back whe it was standard to do an open procedure. She was able to eat almost anything and she wasn't in pain when she ate 15 years later. If they are 3+ years post op and still in pain when eating, they are probably either not eating correctly or they should speak to their surgical team.

I had sleeve revision to SADI (just the bypass portion) and I am really happy with my decision. My surgery was August 7th so I am about 2.5 months out and including my preop loss I have lost 55 pounds. I am over halfway to my goal. I have been eating 100% on plan though and exercising a pretty great amount (2.5-3 hours a day). The revision surgery gave me the metabolic Hca Hes tk actually do Al of that though. I never exercised or prepared fresh homemade food with my sleeve. Didn’t have the motivation. It made a pretty huge difference for me. Did your Dr do a endoscopy, barium swallow and gastric emptying study? Mine did those tree before deciding I was a candidate for SADI or Bypass. If the sleeve didn’t work for you long term then I would probably lean away from a ReSleeve. Just thinking why repeat history. Try something different but that’s just me. The research does say that the loss is more durable witb the SADI revision than the Bypass. Not certain about the ReSleeve but my guess is that too since the Virgin Sleeve doesn’t have the best statistics for durability. Also, resleeve is kinda risky. My Dr said he wouldn’t touch the sleeve with the SADI not because of my BMI but just because he doesn’t think it gives that much more benefit to justify the risks so that’s something to look into as well. Ooh and if you do have coverage for the GLP-1 and you can tolerate them, they do work. They don’t have to be long term for everyone either. If you take the time on then ti make real lifestyle changes you may be able to go off of them and maintain. Ibvuously If you just eat a few French fries for your meal you will lose, but will obviously eat more when you don’t have the meds but if you genuinely change your habits then people do maintain the loss. I have a friend that is almost to goal and she has been asking me for advice of what foods to choose to be sure to get her protein in. Kinda odd because she is smaller than me but I have heard a couple success stories with them. My friend has to force herself to eat. It’s a chore. If you do go that route, talk to your doctor about staying on the lowest dose that works for you. That’s the thing that many bariatric doctors usually recommend and it makes sense to try to avoid the side effects. . And some people go onto a maintenance dose after they reach their goal if they need it. Also, see about a three month supply when you do get to the dose that works because for my friend it’s cheaper that way. I strongly considered them but I didn’t have adequate coverage. I even considered postponing to see if things would change but my family Dr advised against waiting since these things can take a long time. There are pros and cons of each option but do your research. This is a good start but make anothet appointment with you surgeon if you have more questions. I did several before I decided. You probably only have this one more shot at this. Not a lot of surgeons will do a second revision ooh and that is one thing to consider if you do go with SADI, it’s newer so ask your surgeon if you had a complication god forbid what you would do. Mine actually brought it up that he would send me to another hospital to someone with more experience with the surgery. I mean obviously he would stabilize me but if I needed a revision because of malnourishment or something he would send me elsewhere. I kinda respected the fact that he would admit what his limits were and appreciated it but maybe you feel differently about that. Or maybe your surgeon is fine with revising if necessary but I would for sure ask.

Did your surgeon explain why he thought a re sleeve would be appropriate/help? Was there any mention of RNY bypass? Are you self paying or going through insurance? Let us know how it goes!