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Does anyone have vitamin suggestions? I am 5 weeks out from surgery. I used bariatric fusion soft chews and the bar is so high now cause it is honestly like candy. I thought of subscribing to it and getting 4 packs at a time but it isn't the best pricing, although if needed I will do it for sure. I initially got them for the first month so I wasn't dealing with massive tablets right away. This week I implemented tablets again and OMG I regret it immediately. I had the WORST nausea since getting this procedure. I was so close to vomiting, my heart was accelerating, and I was shaking. I took it with yogurt in the morning. I haven't had anything happen to me when it comes to my stomach even the first few days after surgery. I am avoiding tablets and capsules for now. My doctor also told me to not use gummies due to the sugar. I am open to gummies if they are sugar free. I would like to eventually buy in bulk but wanted to explore my options before I commit to the soft chews. Does anyone also have suggestions for calcium citrate? Those tablets are even worse! I used caltrate chewables but was reminded it was the wrong one! Let me know what you think folks!
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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.
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Is there anyone who takes their vitamins any way other than taking the chewables? Like I just can’t stomach the chews and they are awful to me but I’m trying to try different things even if I would need to take multiple pills I do not care I just do not want to take the chewable ones. Anyone have any routine with vitamins that meets the needs we need as bariatric patients?
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You are looking great, well done. Not a man but feeling the same way and have a lot of self doubt about starting to date (my friends are trying to push me to it) because the excess skin is all fine when it is hidden under the clothes but God forbid anyone was to see me naked, it is bad enough when the good looking doctors have to take a peak! I realise that a lot of my fear is in my own head and of my own making but not helped by social media etc.. At the moment I am trying to focus on the mental side of things and practice a bit of self love (no not masturbation 😂) by reading books on finding happiness and learning to dampen my own negativity. I never thought it would be something I would read and try to act on but I am trying my best to put positivity out into the word and hope it comes back. I am learning to have a smiling face instead of resting bit*h face, it is hard work 😂 Not sure if or when I will ever put myself out there but the positivity is good to give and get. Anyway, I just wanted to say you are not alone plus everyone (not just bariatric patients) is weird in their own way and we just have to try and embrace it and find that other person (persons) who get us.
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I am having the SADI and I don’t know if that’s the reason for my issues (because this is kinda new) or if everyone gets this type of runaround. I have some questions about what vitamin I should be taking and the post op diet that neither of the TWO differnt nutritionist I paid for could answer for me and I questioned what one told me about the pre op diet. I figured I could just ask the dr at my post op about the vitamins but realized that I am scheduled to see the PA. Well, I met said PA already and I didn’t like him. He clearly knows ALOT about bariatric surgery, just not the SADI specifically . I had a whole list of questions and everytime I asked one he skirted it and talked about the other surgeries in general. Basically he said a whole lot or words and answered a whole lot of nothing. Well thankfully the Dr did not make me feel rushed at all and he answered every one of them on my next visit so that worked out fine but I do not want my follow up with that PA.. I called and asked his office if I could change it to the dr and they would not go for that but did claim that the NP actually knows a lot more about the Sadi so they changed my follow up appointments to her. Fingers crossed they weren’t just saying that. Then I asked about the pre op diet and what the nutritionist said which was that for the two day liquid diet I was not to have anything red or purple. The receptionist says you shouldn’t be having anything that comes in red or purple anyways. I said um…jello, popsicles, diet drinks such as crystal light and gator aide??? She says well you aren’t supposed to have any of that for the Sadi pre op. I said well then I must have the wrong book or something because I’m reading it from what you gave me And it lists all that as well as fudge sickles and yogurt. She puts me on hold then tells me I should just come in and talk to the NP before my surgery since I have so many questions. I said I feel like because this is new everyone is your office knows that the procedures is different yet all of the information you are giving me is generic for the other two more common surgeries and I am supposed to just magically know somehow what to do differently. She says well it is the correct information you just aren’t supposed to have this and this and this. I bit my tongue. I said you know I’m am really not trying to be difficult. I Just need to get the correct information. I know that this is routine for you but this is my body and it’s major surgery. I’m anxious enough without having to cross my fingers that I’m doing my part correctly and don’t do something that is going to jeopardize my life or my surgery just because someone handed me the wrong paper and told me the wrong things to do. My god It’s just so blooming irritating that I should have to go through all this, waste my time, money and frustration just because they don’t know. If they don’t know an answer just say that. And get back to me after they learn it. It’s that simple. Don’t try to fake your way through it and give me the wrong directions rather than just admit they don’t know. Idk if I’m just getting old when I feel like it’s a generational thing that they feel like if they are just confident enough that it will be okay even if they are wrong. Then again I’ve seen this in all ages. It’s okay to admit when you don’t know!! It’s the medical field And little mistakes can cost lives. So far I have paid two incompetent nutritionist and i am having to go for two extra office visits just because they don’t know the information the first time. But even worse what if I didn’t ask and did the wrong pre op. Okay Rant over. 😂
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February 2024 Surgery Buddies?
NickelChip replied to NickelChip's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Dang it! Back up to 200 today. I could see the digital scale contemplating telling me 199.8, but it decided nope. I've had days with tons of exercise. Days with no exercise. Days with over 1000 calories. Days with barely 500 calories because what I ate made me sick. None of it does anything to move the weight. I get on the scale daily because I like to see the graph as a visual. But I'd like it better if the number went down. On the bright side, my blood work all looks pretty good. A bit low in Vitamin A, zinc, and prealbumin, but so far no one has said I should change anything. @LisaCaryl I love the NSV with the jeans! What a nice surprise, even if you did get stuck wearing them to your group. I have one more week of school runs and after school activities before my kids are out for the summer. At that point, I am going to make a weekly meal plan and try out some new recipes from the bariatric cookbooks that are gathering dust because I've been too busy. I've also found a workout video to try with my pilates bar resistance band set, so that's going to happen this week, at least once. -
Can you eat a cup and a half post sleeve
NickelChip replied to ShoppGirl's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
For comparison, because I know your other option is a revision to bypass, I am 5 months post RNY and I can already easily eat a cup and a half of some foods, such as soups, salads, or yogurt and berries. I can often eat 3-4 oz of meat, or a full can of tuna, plus veggies along with it. My brother, who is about 15 years post-sleeve, can finish a regular plate of food in a sitting (by which I mean a reasonable serving of something like chicken, veg, and starch, not what they give you in a restaurant that has 1800 calories and is enough for 3 people). SADI will probably change your metabolism in a more powerful way than bypass because that is what the research shows it does. But since you've already had a sleeve, it's possible that neither revision will have the full effect on you that it would someone who is getting a surgery for the first time. And whichever option you choose, I do think in the long term, it's less about whether you can eat a certain volume of food and more about what food you choose to eat. Basically all bariatric surgeries typically result in having more capacity the further out you get, so it's what you do with that capacity that makes the difference in success over time. I can tell you that my brother has regained about half the weight he initially lost not because of how much food he can eat but because of how much beer he drinks every day (he admits as much). And if I regain weight in the future, I already know it will not be because I am eating 6 oz of chicken and 2 cups of steamed broccoli in a sitting. It will be because I haven't managed to curb my sweets cravings (and yes, I can still eat plenty of sugar and fat without getting sick) and too often give into the convenience of processed foods and simple carbs. Those are my weaknesses, so that's what I'm trying to work on now while the effects of the surgery are still fresh. But no surgery can fix it for me, unfortunately. Basically, any revision you choose at this stage will give you a new and more powerful tool to work with. No surgery will address the underlying destructive habits that lead to weight regain. -
Thanks to all responding.... I do spread out the calcium and I did initially ask about taking a gentler iron because I was worried about it bothering my stomach...... then I was pointed in the direction of these multivitamins which already had iron included made specifically for bariatric patients.... I spoke to my team and they recommended a cap of Miralax daily (which has also been suggested in the forums here) so that is where I am now.... today was day 1 of doing that.... I was using Benefiber which bulks up while Miralax softens..... fingers crossed..... again thanks for the support.... ❤️
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Oh wow! I'm on full liquid for a week pre-op - I'm on day two today! So far I haven't wanted to claw anyone's eyes out (lol!) Like I said, I messed up on my first shake of the day yesterday and had one that had an insane 20g of sugar and 50g of carbs in an 8 oz serving! Since then I moved back to my 30g protein shakes that have 1g of sugar each; I had three yesterday and have had two today. I'm surprised that taking 100mg of colace morning and night hasn't had me running for the bathroom yet, so there's that! I had about a cup of sugar free jell-o yesterday throughout the day and have had about a half cup of it so far today. So far my plan is to shower with the Hibiclens Sunday morning, then when I get to the hotel that night. I'll wake up early Monday morning - no fluids after midnight at all - to shower again with the Hibiclens and head over to the hospital. Sunday is my normal sheet change day anyway, so that's good. I expect to be in the hospital for 2-3 days, hopefully getting released on Wednesday the 7th to ride home with my driver. I'll have my fella change the sheets for me at home again before I get settled in. Good thinking on packing light - I know I'll want warm comfy socks (I hate hospital 'socks' though they may make me wear them for traction, idk), the meds I am still allowed to take, and a robe that zippers all the way up the front. I don't plan to take a lot - I'll bring a set of earbuds in case I want to watch something on my phone to pass the time but other than doing the sip-sip-sip of liquids and restarting my Bariatric vitamin I imagine I'll rest as much as I can while still getting up as much as they prompt me to for walking around to work the surgery gas out. I figured I'd just toss a few changes of underclothes, socks, the robe, some comfy clothes to wear home, and meds in a backpack. Oh - And of course my phone charger. Can't go anywhere without THAT! You must REALLY be feeling it about now with your surgery tomorrow morning! Wishing you the very best!
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My primary doctor has me MAD!! Think it's time for a new one...
SleeveToBypass2023 replied to SleeveToBypass2023's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Thank you all so much. I was so taken aback by this entire conversation. She even had the gall and AUDACITY to ask me if I wanted to try phentermine!!! PHENTERMINE!!! I told her that not only would I never ever take that, I would be finding a new doctor. For her to KNOW about the cardiac issues I had after my hernia surgery in December and then suggest a medication with known cardiac implications....I can't fathom what was going through her mind. She said to me that if I felt better at maybe 170 instead of 155 or 160, she could maybe see if that would be ok. I said "Ok with WHO?? It's MY body, and I'm ok with it as it is now". She said I've come so far and made so much progress that it seems like such a shame to not get myself to a healthier and more normal weight and bmi. I explained AGAIN that I lost 238 pounds from my highest weight, which is what I weighed when I first came to her. I reminded her that SHE REFERRED ME TO THE BARIATRIC SURGEON. I reminded her that I've lost 205 pounds since my first surgery. I've done enough. I've gotten off all of my meds that I wanted to, started the career I wanted, became active and started doing all the things I wanted to. I have my life and health back. There is NOTHING else I need or want to accomplish, besides plastics in a few years. She didn't use to be like this. She was an amazing doctor. But for some reason, she's jumped on the BMI bandwagon and decided that it's the only way to judge if someone is healthy. I can't get behind that, and I can't tolerate this from her anymore. Definitely looking for a new doctor. -
My brother had VSG 15 years ago. He lost over 100 pounds. The first few years his appetite was very small, like order an appetizer for dinner and only eat half. But as time has gone on, what he can eat now looks like what a "normal" person with a smaller appetite would eat. We sat next to each other at my cousin's wedding and he cleared his dinner plate over the course of 30 minutes, which was more than I could do and I was pre-op at the time. He had maybe a bite or two of the cake. I suggest you try the YouTube videos from Dr. John Pilcher and Dr. Matthew Weiner. They both give it to you straight and clear up myths and misconceptions about bariatric surgery, and neither of them are trying to sell you something or gain a bunch of followers like a lot of vloggers. It's just solid medical knowledge made easy to understand. I watched all the videos from both surgeons as I was preparing for my surgery and it really helped.
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Bypass Revision due to pouch opening being widely dilated?
KarenLR75 replied to KarenLR75's topic in Revision Weight Loss Surgery Forums (NEW!)
WarrenInEC, I saw the bariatric revision surgeon. He doesn't think it is dumping and said that the upper and lower GI done would not have taken an image of the inside of my pouch so there could potentially be an internal hernia. He suggested possible laparoscopic investigatory surgery in a couple of weeks. He said a revision to tighten the opening wouldn't necessarily force me to lose more weight, which is perplexing to me but I'm not looking at it as a solution to lose weight, I just thought that would come with the "package". I'm assuming the reason I still feel restriction when I eat is simply because of the 'pouch' then. I thought I understood all of this 5 years ago when I had the surgery, but I obviously did not comprehend everything. Well, we'll see what the next few weeks brings... I assume you had a revision then as that is a big difference in the opening size..lol. If so, what was it like? -
One week post op and feeling scared about never having favorite foods again
ShoppGirl replied to Cassafrass83's topic in Gastric Bypass Surgery Forums
Well, I will tell you that after my sleeve, there was nothing that I could not tolerate. I’m pretty early out post revision so I haven’t tried many of those foods with the exception of tacos but I haven’t had any issues with anything so far. I make tacos with ground turkey meat, 2% cheese, and just eat the filling or I have it with low-carb tortillas. Surprisingly the turkey meat and the 2% cheese do not taste much different at all by the time you add the seasoning and them little low-carb tortilla aren’t bad either. Sometimes I just do it as a salad too. You may be surprised to find that you don’t crave those same foods, though. The surgery does some metabolic changes and can change the foods that you enjoy. I mean, don’t get me wrong, pizzas still sounds good to me but all of a sudden grilled fish doesn’t sound bad either so it’s a lot easier to make the healthier choice. It really depends on what your purpose is for the surgery. If you’re only goal was to get rid of your Gerd, then you may not care about getting into a super skinny size in which case eating smaller portions of the foods you enjoyed before shouldn’t be an issue at all. But if your goal is also weight loss and you want to be able to maintain a very low BMI, then you’re going to have to make some sacrifices. In which case, my suggestion would be to search the bariatric websites and even the thread on here for recipes and try some things once you get to soft foods and regular foods. You may be surprised at things that you will enjoy. I make turkey meatballs, and I have those with peppers and onions and sauce which are delicious, turkey tacos are good too, chili with lean meat is pretty reasonable macro wise, white chicken chili is a favorite, I made a Mexican skillet that wasn’t bad macro wise you may enjoy if you like Mexican, I sometimes do the zucchini noodles if I want pasta. They are pretty bland and just pick up the flavor of whatever sauce you use and of course you will want to add some protein. I also found a recipe for spring rolls which some people call summer rolls that are so yummy. They’re not the fried ones but still really good. It’s chicken, avocado and veggies with peanut sauce to dip. These are all in the weight loss phase once I get to maintenance I can add things to jazz them up a bit You can also do chicken or cauliflower crust pizza with chicken and veggies so it has more protein Or cauliflower mac & cheese. Lean beef cheeseburger without the bun, a cheeseburger salad or low carb cheeseburger wrap. There are ways to tweak your favorites. Basically anything I am craving. I just type it in Google with the word healthy in front of it and I try some recipes until I find one I like. Some of it is bland but many things are surprisingly good. One that I still want to try is zucchini lasagna. After doing the ricotta bake on purée stage and loving it, my guess it that it’s good I still make the ricotta bake I just add Turkey sausage and veggies. Ooh and quest protein chips are really good once you can do crunchy. Also, they have an “ice cream” maker that you can control the ingredients I have heard some people talking about on here But the short answer is No, unless you have a specific intolerance, allergy or sensitivity you will not have to give up your favorite foods forever. You will just have to make tradeoffs. How often you can have them will be based on what weight you are looking to maintain. If you are willing to exercise, for instance, you will be able to eat more carbs and maintain at a lower weight. -
Good afternoon my fellow Metabolic & Bariatric Friends,I just signed up today and wanted to touch bases with people in the community. I had my surgery on Nov. 22 2023 at the Kiaser Bariatric center in Richmond Ca. My goal is to get down 240 lb by next Nov 22 2024.
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First, there is no one right way to eat to lose or maintain your weight. There’s just the right way for you. I agree to the suggestion to get in contact with your old dietician or find a new one. I’d also teach for a couple of weeks just to check your calorie & nutrient intake. I’d also get in contact with your surgeon as well to see what other options you have - revision surgery or maybe GLP - 1 meds. You’ve likely reset your body’s set point. The surgery lowered it but returning to larger portions, poor food choices & bad old habits have raised your set point again. So you’re actually fighting your body now. You’re trying to lose weight & your body is doing all it can to hold on to it. Have a look at Dr Matthew Weiner’s Pound of Loss metabolic reset diet (not that I’m an advocate for any ‘diets’.) It may give you some ideas you could try to see if works for you. He’s a great source of information around all things weight loss, bariatric surgery, etc. (He has a website & a you tube channel.) If you like being active, I’d add in some weights. Building muscle will help burn more calories & help counteract any muscle loss you experience while losing. Walking will help with general fitness. Remember though, activity only contributes to about 10% of any weight loss. Oh & don’t listen to your family & friends when they offer advice about your eating, nutrition or weight loss. They mean well but unless they’re qualified nutritionalist, dieticians, bariatric surgeons or medical doctors or had bariatric surgery they really don’t know what they’re talking about. And they’re not you. You know yourself best. You know your psychologically, physiologically & emotionally self best & know how you want to live your life. All the best.
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Stalls are very normal. I am a week ahead of you surgery-wise and stalled around the same time and around the same weight (bouncing between 201 and 203 for about 3 weeks). My highest weight was also similar to your, although I had lost quite a bit before surgery, so actually my post-op loss has been much smaller. I've read that somewhere in the 3-6 month range it's common to reach a stall. It generally has nothing to do with your eating or your exercise. It's just an internal metabolic thing. Remember, weight loss from surgery is not immediate. After the first several weeks of rapid loss, you will slow to 1-2 lbs per week, and it will take 1-2 years to stabilize. This calculator can help you figure out how many pounds you might lose at each month mark by inputting your starting weight, height, age, and other factors. https://riskcalculator.facs.org/bariatric/ And this one shows you the likely results for years 1-3: https://michiganbsc.org/DecisionTools/
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How many « new » foods to try per stage ?
NickelChip replied to lily06's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
I did not get a very detailed plan, and my program advances quickly so that in theory you can have no restrictions at 4 weeks. For me, that has been way too fast. I have found the Bariatric Diet Guide and Cookbook by Dr. Matthew Weiner very helpful. Now that my own program says I can have anything, I'm appreciating his stages (which vary from the typical phases you see in most programs). -
Received a call at 8.30am this morning to be told that I was discussed in last Fridays MDT meeting and was accepted for surgery 🥳🥳🥳 I was then told I would be having a ‘One Anastomosis Gastric Bypass’ - huh?? The nurse repeated herself and I was still none the wiser. She said that she would ask a specialist Bariatric nurse to call me to discuss and would send me the info out. I asked for it to be emailed, which she did. I had a read through and did some more research on the internet, just to familiarise myself with what had been suggested. It’s the mini gastric bypass. The specialist nurse rang me just after 9am and explained that it meant that my ‘pouch’ is slightly bigger then that of a Roux-en-Y bypass and there is only one connection or ‘anastomosis’ which is from the pouch to the bowel. Apparently it’s not as complex with the op taking around 1.5hours and recovery just the same as the normal bypass plus the weight loss is expected to be the same. I was recommended it because of Fibromyalgia and the chronic pain I have with RA and osteoarthritis as it would be easier for me. That made sense, thankfully! The specialist nurse said it was a relatively new procedure to the hospital which is why it wasn’t discussed in any detail at the first education session I attended a few months ago. Fair enough, I’m happy to go ahead with it. The wait is around 4-6 months - oh 😒 I was honest and said that I was concerned about losing focus while I’m waiting and gaining weight once again (we all know how easy that is) She went through everything again with me - 3 meals a day, 20/20/20, use a portion plate if I have one (I do) focus more on my protein etc. She also said that if I do begin to struggle, to contact her and they would fit me in with the dietitian to go through things with me. I felt better for her saying that. I did reiterate that I am happy to take a cancellation. She said they do get cancellations but would have to make sure that I had at least 3 weeks notice to complete the LRD. I’ll be honest and say that I’m really, really hoping that the 4-6 months is on the outside and that the surgery is sooner! I know that whatever will be will be, so just to keep on keeping on. Gym is going well, 3 visits last week and I’m hoping for 3 more this week. I’ve upped my levels and weights and I’m burning around 600-650 cals in around an hour or so workout or so my Apple Watch tells me! I can feel muscle, it just happens to be deeply buried and camouflaged with fat 😮 I tried my smaller sized gym stuff on yesterday and, while I can get it on I wouldn’t say it actually fitted, so a few more pounds to go before I would feel comfortable enough to wear it. I bought a new black trench coat from Costco at the weekend. It’s been a very, very long time since I’ve been able to fit into clothing from there so that was a nice boost. It will definitely last me a reduction of a couple of sizes too. My weight is steady at the moment but I do hope to bring it down a little bit more before I have to do the LRD. Bloods to have taken yet again on Wednesday. If my liver is off this time then they will have to think of something else. I’ve not had my weekly jabs for 7 weeks, I’ve missed my other jab for 4 weeks plus no pain relief for 4 weeks either and it’s all wearing really thin with me now. I’m finding that I’m snapping at hubby because of pain and it’s not fair. The gym is really helping my range of movement but the pain remains. We’re out for belated birthday drinks on Friday (postponed because of blood tests ) and that’s about it. I’ve decided to crack on and make a start on wrapping Christmas presents this week. Thankfully my Christmas shopping is almost finished - hurray for sales! Wishing everyone a happy week 🥰 Onwards and Downwards!
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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.
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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.
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February 2024 Surgery Buddies?
Beljer72 replied to NickelChip's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
My surgery was Feb 27th. I began at 217 and now am 177. Your posts describes my roller coaster ride from the beginning. I am working on real food and what causes issues and what doesn’t. I know anything greasy is a no (I now rinse any grease off, if used). I go back to shakes for a day if I have problems to settle things down. As long as I keep the portions very small at a meal, I can eat most things. I bought a Bariatric cookbook. It has some very tasty recipes. I cook them for my husband and even guests. No complaints! -
Water intake issue?
BlondePatriotInCDA replied to jparadigm's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Yes, its fairly common! Try taking smaller sips and space it out a bit more. If it continues I'd contact your bariatric surgeons office and see what they have to say. Also, before WLS did water do this? Water always made me a bit nauseated, so I add flavor which helps. Good luck, I hope you this is your only bump on your journey! -
Tonight I went to the required education session that my NHS Trust has as a non-negotiable requirement of being accepted for surgery. I will be honest and say I was left feeling completely underwhelmed with it. There was about 16 of us, all pre-op but at different stages of the required tests etc plus some family members (hubby went with me) There was also a Bariatric nurse, a dietitian and a former patient who had had the bypass in 2022. She explained her journey but it seemed very…I don’t know, sterile? Wrong word I know but I don’t know how else to explain her approach. She’s obviously happy with how it all turned out for her but it all seemed very whitewashed, which I found odd. She only mentioned one case of dumping syndrome but everything else was a walk in the park, which had me internally questioning things. She said she was currently in a months long stall but again, everything was hunky-dory. Someone asked about a typical days eating and it seemed really carb-heavy - toast for breakfast, sandwich for lunch, cheese and crackers for a snack, sausage and chips or mash for dinner etc etc. I asked about what additional protein she had - didn’t/couldn’t answer, asked about exercise - some walking and that’s about it. She mentioned hair loss being an issue but that it all grew back and was great. I know I’m being picky but I honestly wanted a more rounded discussion about of lots of different challenges that we could face with WLS and living the life post-op. I’d say out of the group that was there, maybe 5 had done any wider reading or research. I did find out that the hospitals approach to caffeine post-op is you can have a couple of cups of tea/coffee a day but they would rather patients filled up on foods/drinks that added protein, especially at the beginning. I also found out about the vitamins they give you and that they put the timings on the boxes to aid patients with timings etc, which was useful. Something that was bothering me was if my BMI dipped below 40, would I still be considered for surgery as I don’t have any co-morbidities like diabetes, heart issues etc. I need to get it below 40 before I will be considered for knee surgery, and I’m hoping that will happen end of Oct/beginning of Nov all being well. I was reassured about that, saying that they go off the booking weight reported by the GP when referred initially 🙂 I will be completely honest and say that, apart from some very specific questions I had of my hospital, I actually find this forum of much more use and beneficial to me personally. I have found out so much information from people who are further along in their own WLS journey, plus I know I’ve felt really supported by lots of very lovely and helpful users. There is such a wealth of experience on here that I know that if I have a question, someone will be along to answer it! Roll on the dietitian appointment next week 🤞
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Does your pre-op diet weight loss "count"?
Splenda replied to NickelChip's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
When you look at calculators for post-surgery weight loss (I used this one -- https://mexicobariatriccenter.com/bariatric-surgery-weight-loss-timeline-calculator/), they are giving you a median view of what you can reasonably expect. Of course there are outliers (I'm one -- I am about 25 pounds lighter than what the calculator says I should be), but it is designed to give you reasonable expectations. I also struggle with what number to use for how much I have lost. From my absolute highest recorded weight: 285 pounds From right before my pre-surgery diet began: 270 pounds From the morning of my surgery: 240 pounds -
14 weeks post op no weight loss
Hiddenroses replied to Cat2336's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
You must be so incredibly frustrated! Which type of surgery did you get, the sleeve or the bypass? I'm at about 7 weeks post op from getting the sleeve + intestinal revision and my calorie consumption ranges from 500-700/day, with my carb intake less than 35/day and a protein goal of 60/day with fluids of at least 48oz/day. I agree with others - it seems like a good idea, regardless of any advice you get from this forum, to revisit your surgeon. That said, I do believe you hit the nail on the head for one with the alcohol, and secondly I'd ask how many of your calories are coming from carbs. It's ok to include carbs in your diet, but really, this early, unless you are very physically active there isn't cause for many of them. At this stage it's typical to eat no more than 1/2cup - 1 cup of total food per meal, three times a day (or spaced out into 4 meals if needed). That's including your protein, which as someone else said should be the first thing you eat. Another thing about alcohol - it tends to cause dehydration - so you'd need to be consuming even MORE water throughout the day to compensate for that, just like caffeine. If you aren't hitting your hydration goal (PLUS, because of alcohol) then your body will struggle to convert your stored fat into energy, which is what causes most of the weight loss. An example of what my diet looks like at this stage is a single serve yogurt for breakfast (I have been getting the Aikos zero sugar or 2Good ones) - Remember no drinking 30 minutes before or after, and your meal should last at least 20-30 minutes. For lunch I might have a 'tuna melt' - which I make out of 1/3 can of tuna in water, a zero net carb small tortilla, and maybe 1/8 cup of shredded cheese or a low fat string cheese (I cook it folded over like a quesadilla) with maybe 1/8 cup of low fat cottage cheese, then for dinner a serving of one of the many bariatric recipes - there's a ricotta bake (lasagna with no noodles, basically), unstuffed cabbage rolls (Kind of like egg roll filling), or maybe chicken or tuna salad made with low fat mayo and a dab of relish with some cucumber slices/2-4 saltine crackers. I use the free Baritastic App to track my food and fluid intake. Using a tracking app increases weight loss significantly from what I've been told because you can see and understand what exactly you're putting in your body. The good news is that as far as I know, it isn't too late to backpedal and reset yourself! I'm NOT a doctor but my understanding is that if you get off track after weight loss surgery, especially this soon, one way to 'reset' is to go back on a liquid diet for a week or two, with zero-sugar jello, zero sugar pudding, and protein shakes (less than 5g of sugar each) to hit your goals. After that, work your way back up to puree foods for a week, then soft foods for a week. I strongly recommend eyeballing the nutrition information on any shake you think of buying, too, because there are some that are loaded with sugar and have as many as 22g of carbs EACH. After weight loss surgery it's also strongly discouraged to have fried food at all for the first 6 months, and after that maybe once per month. The same goes for sweets and baked goods. I hope this helps, and again - I feel like you should really follow up with your surgeon and a nutritionist! Best wishes!