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First CONGRATULATIONS for taking the first step towards a healthier you! I would follow the surgeons advice. That being having a lot of hernia surgeries equals quite a bit of scar tissue and having the bypass is more involved. You may only need the sleeve. Take a breath and take it one thing at a time. I used to think I can diet and let me tell you I did them all. You name it I spent money on it and then some. This for me was the best thing I have ever done for myself. I am a year post op, I eat like I have always wanted to eat to lose weight. That being said its not a fix all. You can't have the surgery and go back to eating the way you have. Its a journey and one that requires you to be honest and open with YOURSELF. From now till your surgery I suggest keeping a food diary. Just write down what you eat, the time of day, the feelings you were having (anger, anxiety, depression...etc) and don't think too much about what you write in it but be honest and open. Only you will see it. You will see your habits, your patterns and what led you to be 400 lbs. PCOS is one thing but not the sole reason and I think that you know this. Be honest. You won't regret it. You will be happier for it. Be kind to yourself. ❤️

My sleeve surgery is scheduled for April 12, 2023. I am 5’6, 400 pounds., 60 years old. My mother and grandmother were both obese. At 16 I was 116 pounds, with undiagnosed PCOS. I had uterine cancer at 39, and had a hysterectomy. No hormone replacement as they felt it was a hormone based cancer. At 55 had a swollen thyroid removed. Each time, my weight increased. Three years ago, I had a spinal injury, which led to back fusion surgery, which caused nerve damage, and a right dropfoot. I have to use a rolling walker or cane to walk, and my back surgeon says I can’t lift more than ten pounds. I know I need this sleeve surgery, and I want to live and get healthy. But I am still nervous about doing this to my body. My surgeon says sleeve now, perhaps a revision to bypass after I have lost weight if necessary. I have five hernias which I had surgery to repair, which is why I believe he wants the sleeve first. I wonder if the potential of two surgeries is too much at my age, or just a bypass and be done with it. And I am worried about my inability to walk and exercise due to my disability. In my head I think, maybe if I just cut back on food, drink two or three protein drinks a day I will lose weight without surgery. After all, that seems to be what they want us to DO AFTER surgery! Any advice or sharing your journey would be so appreciated! Thank you!

Hi all. I am very pre-op, but I am planning to have hiatal hernia repair done at the same time as the bariatric surgery. It will be months before I have a chance to meet with a surgeon and I'm not finding great information beyond the surgery taking a little bit longer and potentially some additional discomfort post-op. Has anyone had this combo and how do you think recovery and post-op life differed compared to those who just had the weight loss surgery?

Oh y’all. It’s been a little bit since I’m been on this forum. I’m struggling with any weight loss. It’s like I’ve hit a wall for the last 3 months. This is my stats. SD 4/26/22 / SW 216 / CW 175 / GW 130 / age 50 My team has me under 700 cal and less than 20 carbs a day. I use to basically eat yogurt for almost every meal 🤷🏼‍♀️. But my team say I wasn’t getting enough protein and my body was probably bored and that was causing my slow down in weight. So they had me to mix things up. So I started eating more protein (meats, chicken etc) well then I started started gaining 😡. My last weight in back in January was 173. I gained up to 180 when adding back food. Now I’m down to 175 but I can’t get the scale to move. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong 😑. My hair is still falling out and I’m definitely getting my protein and my vitamin levels are good. I just don’t feel like my team believes me when I tell them I’m not going over calories or carbs. I’m just beyond frustrated at this point.

I am am self-pay, but going locally to JourneyLite. I was so close to pulling the trigger on Mexico, but I must admit that even though this is more expensive, I do not have to deal with travel, and am pretty close to the hospital. JourneyLite was definitely cheaper than the local hospitals' costs around here! By about 5k to 10k! Even though I likely do not need it, BlissCARE is available at JourneyLite. Since my insurance doesn't cover ANY weight loss surgeries or drugs, I need the peace of mind that comes with having complications insurance. My pre-op diet consists of 1 week of foods I had to buy from JourneyLite--at first I was outraged I had to buy their foods. But in the end, you know what? It is really nice to just eat their foods and not worry about anything at all. It was 1 week because my BMI was lower, if BMI was higher it would have been 2 weeks. I did start my own low calorie diet before I start the official pre-op diet. Around 1200 calories. Just to get my mind and stomach ready for the < 1000 calorie very low carb pre-op diet. I am also now weening myself off of coffee. I am *super* nervous! Surgery day will be here before I know it, and life will change for the better.

LOTS OF GOOD INFO ABOVE… I’ll just add, I plan to try to create better “habits”. Read up on habits, it’s very interesting how the mind works. Use the time of reduced hunger to form new habits. Like omrhsn says above, explore new foods that are healthy. Make finding new foods and ways to prepare a hobby/habit. Or maybe geek out a bit with journaling, logging, charting your food and food weights, recipes, body measurements, eating times, etc. Make this a habit.

Surgery 22 Feb. I had a liver laceration so had to be opened up. And ended up having 3 surgeries in 24 hours. Really struggling post. Have lost weight and am struggling to get daily water, protein, calories in. Anyone else had complications? I know it’s rare but just trying to connect with someone as it’s been hard. Good luck to everyone 😀

I spent the better part of my 40s as a self-hating shut-in who avoided going out, hated photos taken of me, and wanted to vanish when my skinny partner would introduce anyone to me. I missed out on a decade of life. Yeah, I would comfort eat, but that's the vicious cycle. Overeat - gain weight - feel miserable - eat more - gain weight. Food was never my friend pre-surgery, despite the fact that I ran to it for comfort. Now that I'm on the other side I am happy, I have my life back again, I love going out, will photo-bomb anyone anytime, and my partner has been teased more than once that he's "punching above his weight" when I'm introduced as his partner (they would not have said that a year and a half ago!). Food IS my friend now, because I've changed my relationship with it. I enjoy nourishing food, and will absolutely eat a couple of bites of something traditionally "naughty" as an occasional treat without guilt. A couple of bites is all I want now. It's been a lot of hard work, but absolutely worth it. Best distraction I found as the weight started coming off was moving. Started walking, then riding a bike. Even getting up and cleaning. And as others have suggested, if you have an emotional attachment to food, bariatric therapy is recommended.

I would say my relationship with food has improved a lot but that took some time. I'm one year post op and now I focus more on the quality of food rather than the quantity. I was just devouring my food before the WLS but now I seem to savor and enjoy food better. For instance, if we go out to have burger - I'll ask for a burger with less cheese, sauces etc and swap the fries with salad if possible. I will also eat the patty and leave the bread. I'd share the dessert with my wife, just one spoon and I'm satisfied. I also don't keep any junk food at home. If I get the urge to eat something, I will eat a cucumber with lime and salt and that will satisfy the cravings. My advice to you - Focus on losing weight for now and enjoy the little victories you achieve along the way and you will soon be able to join your family for meals etc but in a healthier way. Good luck

Thanks! It feel awesome. I was really worried that my face will be saggy after loosing weight but luckily no sagging so far. I feel younger too 😃

This is interesting (though I’m sure not for you). Out of curiosity did they say if this is a temporary or permanent issue? Wondering if it is similar to how other hormones & enzymes can go crazy while we are losing but settle again (often at a better level) once our weight stabilises. How are they treating you? Since my gall removal I don’t absorb protein well so I take creons which are a pancreatic enzymes which can firm bowel movements up for some. Wonder if they would help you too? Sorry for the questions.

The time when you are losing is a wonderful opportunity to change your relationship with food. To assess the situations & emotions that drive you to eat. Many of us used food to comfort & soothe us & doing the head work is an important aspect of the long term success of your weight loss. Some found therapy very helpful in discovering how to take away the power of those emotional drives & learning how to better manage them. (Your surgeon or their team will be able to recommend someone you can work with if you.) That old adage of eating to live not living to eat is true but the realisation & acceptance of it doesn’t occur overnight. I still find enjoyment in eating, dining out, etc. but I don’t turn to food to make me feel better. You can’t totally get rid of cravings (desire for specific foods, textures or flavours) but they’ve lost most of their power over me now & occur infrequently. If I do crave something, I recognise the craving for what it is & I choose what to do about it. I may ignore it or if I choose to satisfy it I make better food choice & watch portions. Want something salty have nuts. Want something sweet have fruit. I used to enjoy having something sweet after dinner & I’d often buy a special sweet treat on the weekends (too many patisseries). Now I rarely eat sweet foods & rarely go to the patisserie unless buying for others. Don’t want it or miss it either.

Whenever we lose a lot of weight in a short period of time, a substantial amount of the weight loss is actually water weight not fat. To lose 21 pounds of fat in two weeks, you would have to burn at least 5,500 calories in addition to what you consumed that day. A stall is nothing more than our bodies rehydrating to normal levels. As you are regaining depleted water weight, you are actually losing fat pounds even though the scales are not moving. Don't get discouraged. Once your composition levels normalize, the scales will start registering the fat loss again.

OK, anybody have persistent diarrhea? They are apparently just now connecting the loss of pancreatic function with WLS. Sometimes. Google it. I went for months to the GP, and they threw antibiotics at this gas/poop problem; while I ate yogurt to get it to stop. Horrible gas as well. BAD stinky gas, lol sorry. Nothing worked. I ASKED MY WEIGHT LOSS DOC TOO. "Oh no, no diarrhea reported with this." That was horse hockey as well. I then went to a Gastrointestinal specialist, who did a protease enzyme test. Turns out my pancreas is not working. While it is not life threatening, it is darn inconvenient. I am not posting this to have you not have the surgery -- I still would have done it, even if I had a crystal ball. BUT if you have those symptoms, Google it, ask your doc, and maybe even if your WLS doctor says nope, go to a Gastrointestinal one. It can be managed. FYI.

That’s me too, even tho it’s been 3 yrs I am still losing weight but it’s very very slowly. The biggest chunk is gone, Thank goodness 😀 My doctor is happy with my progress and tells me I look healthy and I feel so much better. I figured surgery is probably it for when it comes to Turkey waddle neck but was hoping someone had a secret trick. Lol I have noticed with time and more activity I’m getting toned and my other areas are looking better and I may not need anything done. My neck and my arms tho, Eeeeek

From what I understand, hormones are stored in fat. When we lose weight, those hormones go into our blood. So, things that may have stopped functioning the way they were supposed to - because of the weight - begin functioning again.

So just wandering if this has happened to anyone else. I was well and truly on the way to menopause before surgery, I hadn't had a period for six months and hadn't had a "regular" cycle for over 12 months. The day after surgery I get a period ok that's fine but as I lost weight my periods start to become semi regular again ??? I am 56 and thinking they should have stopped by now. So just curious if this has happened to anyone else

How is your relationship with food post op ? I’ve always depended on food to fill my emotions when I was depressed or anxious. I absolutely hate it but I am worried about I am going to handle my stress and anxiety after surgery. I want to be healthy and to feel good and not hate whenever people take any pictures of me or hide behind everyone in photos. Go out with my boyfriend and friends and family. :( it’s been so hard because of my weight gain. My sisters had a great dinner with my mom the other day and I didn’t go I missed out on memories because of how nothing fits. So I understand my relationship with food is something I am willing to give up. Especially for my health.

There is a three week stall that everyone talks about. I’ve thought about this and another fact that the body “initially” heals in 3-4 weeks. It makes sense to me that the 3-4 week time is when the body is slowing the heal and trying to shift back to maintaining the rest of the body. Then, coming from a calorie deficit, it tries to add weight back on. I’d also say 500cals is too low, your body may be sensing starvation. Did you team recommend this low of a calorie count?

I'm similar to you (surgery scheduled for 3/13) and around the same weight, though my BMI is higher because I'm 5'3". As a person who has worked in tech and traveled for many years, I do wonder if you're pushing it a little bit. When I had a hysterectomy (after two c-sections), I took 4 days off and went back to work the following week from home. I was so committed to my job that I didn't even consider the fact that I could have taken 6 weeks off through short term disability. I truly thought it would be easy. I mean, after each c-section, I was up taking care of the baby and my kids immediately. This laparoscopic hysterectomy seemed like a drop in the bucket, but I was wrong. My body and mind tired really fast. I felt like I constantly needed to take a nap. The work I produced was subpar and I wasn't able to contribute to meetings or brainstorming sessions properly. With this VSG surgery, I know I'll need to drink only liquids for the first 10 days... that's going to seriously zap my mental energy, all while trying to heal internally. Apart from the physical aspect, there's the emotional one to consider. This is a whole new way of life that I am committed to giving myself time to adjust to. If I just get right back up and go to work, I will be distracting myself from what I need to deal with today vs. tomorrow. These are just my thoughts of course. Only you can know yourself best. Plus, your work situation might be very different from mine. Just hope these thoughts can help give you a different perspective. Good luck with your upcoming surgery!! Wishing you a very fast, easy recovery!

First, I bet what your Dad said really hurt. I'm sorry he said that to you. I'm not sure what people are thinking when they hear the words "weight loss surgery." Sometimes I get the feeling they assume someone snapped their fingers over your body and now the excess weight is just going to melt off of you. If that were true, maybe..MAYBE you could see a difference in 3 weeks. But this isn't a magic bullet and you're not going to melt away. Your body has figured out how to store and hold that fat for many years. It's not going to let go so easily. I know this going into surgery (mine is scheduled for 3/13), but I'm sure someone will need to remind me when I'm a few weeks - and many months - in. I'm so happy you can feel the difference yourself, because you're the only one who matters when it comes to this. Take care and good luck on your journey!

He Hey guys !my insurance said they cover all the bariatic services my PA asked me to ask them. The requirements I believe they said there was no required supervised diet however I do have some history with phertamine. My bmi is right at 40.4. I’m gonna ass a screen shot of the blue home plan for bariatic ! I think it should be an easy process as far as what they’re asking for. I hope to have my surgery by June fingers crossed. Anyone have experience with novant ? In Nc Pasted what the picture has in case visibility is hard.  A thorough preoperative evaluation for bariatric surgery must include all of the following: 1. Evaluation of the patient's understanding of the procedure to be performed, including the procedure's risks and benefits, length of stay in the hospital, behavioral changes required prior to Page 8 of 21 An Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association Bariatric Surgery and after the surgical procedure (including dietary and exercise requirements), follow up requirements with the performing surgeon, and anticipated psychological changes. 2. 3. Evaluation of the patient's family/caregivers support and understanding of the information in #1. Within 12 months prior to surgery, a thorough nutritional evaluation by a physician, registered dietician, or other licensed professional experienced in the issues of bariatric surgery, who has had a meaningful conversation with the individual regarding the dietary and lifestyle changes required to ensure a successful outcome over time. Nutritional assessment must follow American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) guidelines. Pre-operative assessment must document that the patient has a good understanding of the diet and nutritional changes that are associated with bariatric surgery and has the capacity to comply with these changes. Per the ASMBS guidelines, " *..it is essential to determine any preexisting nutritional deficiencies, develop appropriate dietary interventions for correction, and create a plan for postoperative dietary intake that will enhance the likelihood of success. Not only should the practitioner review the standard assessment components (i.e., medical co-morbidities, weight history, laboratory values, and nutritional intake), it is also important to evaluate other issues that could affect nutrient status, including readiness for change, realistic goal setting, general nutrition knowledge, as well as behavioral, cultural, psychosocial, and economic issues." 2019 guidelines for perioperative nutrition, metabolic and nonsurgical support are available at: 4. https://journals.aace.com/doi/pdf/10.4158/GL-2019-0406 Within 12 months prior to surgery, a formal psychosocial-behavioral evaluation performed by a qualified behavioral health professional (i.e., licensed in a recognized behavioral health discipline, such as psychology, social work, psychiatry, psychiatric nursing, etc., with specialized knowledge and training relevant to obesity, eating disorders, and/or bariatric procedures), which assesses environmental, familial, and behavioral factors, as well as risk for suicide. Any patient considered for a bariatric procedure with a known or suspected psychiatric illness, or substance abuse or dependence, should undergo a formal mental health evaluation before the procedure. 2019 guidelines for perioperative nutrition, metabolic and nonsurgical support are available at https://journals.aace.com/doi/pdf/10.4158/GL-2019-0406 5. Appropriate medical work up may include a chest x-ray, upper gastrointestinal series, endoscopy, appropriate pre-op labs and ECG. A complete physical examination by the attending surgeon and an assessment of thyroid levels is required. If the patient has comorbid conditions (e.g. diabetes or 6. cardiovascular disease) the patient must be capable of undergoing the procedure. Anesthesia clearance for surgery. The first five criteria must be met before seeking prior plan approval for adults and adolescents; the sixth must be met prior to surgery. Surgical procedures must be performed at a facility capable of providing gastrointestinal and biliary surgery (preferably JCAHO accredited), AND that has equipment and staff capable of managing a morbidly obese patient (appropriate instruments, beds, lifts, monitoring equipment) AND that can manage short and long term complications of bariatric surgery.

My first two weeks I dropped a lot of weight about 21 lbs but I am on the fourth week and have been stuck at about 203. I was at 201 at the end of the first two weeks then I went up two lbs. I am getting frustrated because I am exercising, hitting my protein goals/liquid goals and I am not getting above 500 calories a day. I just feel like crying (I have been crying) and feel like maybe having PCOS that this weight is still not gonna come off even with this surgery. It sucks to not be able eat most things and go through this to just be stuck like this. Even if I could just get to 199 within a week I would be happy but I see the scale is going up little by little. Everyone keeps saying trust the process but I just can't right now. Sent from my SM-S908U using BariatricPal mobile app

It took 65 pounds for me to really see the difference in my clothes and then it was like overnight, I burned through all the available clothes in my closet. Unfortunately, when you're bigger, it seems to take longer to feel the results. Now that I've lost 140, when I gain 5, I can FEEL it whereas before 5lbs was not even a blip on my radar. Give yourself some grace and stay the course.

If you're like me and carry your weight evenly all over your body, your weight loss is not going to be obvious for a while. I'm 4.5 months post op and my husband can finally start to see it in my face. I've lost nearly 50 pounds since surgery. The only reason why I know that my clothes are fitting differently, is because the skirt that I wear when I go to town, now needs a belt. All my other bottoms have either elastic or drawstring waists, so it's hard to gauge my size. I can see it in the t-shirt I took my picture in, the night before surgery - but there hasn't been much change in most of my clothes.