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When my wife and I were first looking into WLS 20+ years ago, there were several newer procedures, including the MGB mini-bypass, DS duodenal switch and the VSG vertical sleeve gastrectomy, that were circling the periphery of bariatrics, which at the time was mostly lap bands and the RNY gastric bypass. These were the only procedures that were endorsed by the ASBS (American Society of Bariatric Surgeons) - the predecessor name for today's ASMBS. Since that time, the DS, VSG and newer SIPS/SADI/"Loop DS" that have gained endorsement from the ASMBS and general insurance coverage in the US. The MGB never made it past that hurdle here in the US, so isn't commonly done or covered by insurance. Bile reflux seems to be the major legacy problem that caused the profession to move away from it at the time. There are claims that some new techniques have been developed to minimize that problem, and maybe they do, but it's a hard sell to make it mainstream in the US. It has become more accepted in other countries. Overall, being in the States, I wouldn't be overly eager to go with the MGB as it is not commonly done here, so there are fewer MDs around who are familiar with its' care over the long term; the RNY, in contrast, has been done for around 140 years for reasons other than weight loss, so is a well known configuration in the medical world, as are the problems one may encounter over the years. If you have an unusual configuration like an MGB or BPD/DS, it can be harder to isolate any health problems one may have years down the road owing to the general unfamiliarity with the procedure -at least the DS has significantly better weight loss and diabetes results than the other procedures to make that a worthwhile consideration. If you live in a country where the MGB is commonly done, then it would be a worthwhile consideration, but the US has too many other mainstream procedures commonly available and accepted that do as well or better than the MGB that it doesn't make much sense here.
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Self sabotage - already??
BabySpoons replied to Claire D's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Me either. Why go through all that's needed to get the surgery then stop doing what's needed to achieve the goal? Determine your goal and get some counseling to change your mindset. Addictive personalities tend to substitute the food for something else. Alcohol, etc. I had to chuckle at how many times @The Greater Fool called the surgery, the MAGIC SURGERY. lol. It was kind of magic for me TBH. It fixed whatever was causing all of my weight loss efforts to fail. I exercised and dieted for years with limited results. So, it was extremely satisfying when it all finally actually worked, and I got healthy. I don't kill myself with dieting anymore or with extreme exercise pre-op. I walk 2 miles a day and try to stay moving and do some weights. I eat normally now (2 years out) but stay within the guidelines of the plan and treat myself on occasion with a drink or a piece of chocolate. I do know some people who believe the shot (GLP-1) are magic too. LOL They eat whatever they want without moving and then wonder why it's not working. People can out eat the drugs one DR told me while discussing my RNY. I have never used them but know it has helped others in addition to their WLS. Bottom line, neither WLS nor the drugs will work all on their own. But it sure helps to get you there. Do what you need to do now to become healthy again. Which in the end is really the most important thing. The honeymoon doesn't last foreva..... GL @Claire D I wish you the best!!! -
FINALLLYY PLASTICSS, Advice? Stories? Successes?
GreenTealael replied to fourmonthspreop's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
No one takes 2 months off maybe 2 weeks. It’s really just the lipo harvesting and fat grafting so no huge incisions to heal. But that being said, you really need to have a viable source of fat to harvest. And it needs to survive so you can’t be in a caloric deficit or actively losing weight. If you’re really lean I believe they still recommend implants instead although I think that’s falling out of fashion too. If you’re really really into fitness, I would suggest transitioning to fitbody/bikini modeling workouts. Those transformations are amazing. -
Hi. I had surgery on Dec 2, 2024, one week before I turned 51. And same, wish I had done it sooner. I've seen that many our age and older have done this. I'm excited for what this year will hold for me! I'd love to hit my goal weight by Dec. 31, 2025!
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1 Year Post-op 🎉🎉
WendyJane replied to Bypass2Freedom's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
Thanks for the information. I'm a Gym Rat, but my surgeon told me I had to wait 6 weeks before I go back to swimming and cycling, and I have a personal trainer working with me on strength training so I lift weights well. I'm getting in over 80 grams of protein with my protein water and doing a lot of walking and only 3 days post op now. It has been a wild ride so far, and the surgeon called me last night to see how I was doing and checking my glucose numbers and pain...that was a shocker, who does that? My surgeon does!! He is a people person, that's way cool! Anyway, thanks again for your support, and everyone's support. I'm starting my new life happy. -
Wisdom from a 10-year VSG Veteran
Dschmitty replied to JamieLogical's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
@JamieLogical are you counting steps daily or going for distance? I need to go back to the basics of eating after surgery. I’m like you and can’t eat a lot of food for a meal and count that as a blessing. I’m recently dealing with a strained groin and doing pt for it. I’m getting frustrated because I’m starting to gain my weight back. There is always an obstacle for me to go through on this journey. Hoping and praying to get motivated soon! -
August Surgery buddies
Justarwaxx replied to Averdra's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Thank you so much for your thoughtful response! I really appreciate it. 💕 I completely agree that what we fuel our bodies with makes a huge difference in how we feel. And I know I’ll always feel better when I’m making balanced choices. I also get that we’re still early out, and I definitely don’t want to get too relaxed either—I still have more to lose! But my main question isn’t really about regain—it’s more about will I 100% lose ALL the weight I need to? Like, I WILL do my part, I AM doing my part, but of course, there are ups and downs. My friend’s point was that bypass guarantees weight loss as long as you follow the process. I just want to know if that’s true—that no matter what, I will definitely lose the weight and reach my goal as long as I stay on track. Because while I understand regain is a separate issue, my panic is more about knowing that I will actually get to where I want to be. Do you think that’s the case? That as long as I keep working at it, it will 100% happen? That’s what I really need reassurance on. 😭 -
Slowing Down 😶🌫️
Lilia_90 replied to Bypass2Freedom's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I don't know if I'm a good example, but I'll share my experience anyway. I reached goal at 3 months, but continued to lose until about 9.5 months, stabilized for nearly 3 months before losing a bit of weight again now (12 months postop exactly). I lost most of my weight in the first 4 months, then a total of 10 kgs in the next 5. If we look strictly at my journey then my weight loss and stabilization happened early on, however, if we look at how much (context) then it makes sense. I lost around 38 kilos starting at a BMI of 33. Will I lose more weight? Maybe, Maybe not. Now, everything about my journey has been fast, the weight loss has been intense and rapid, my restriction was(is) the bane of my existence, and during the first 4 months I barely ate to survive. I learned that that is not the case with everyone, I have seen people who were able to eat much more than I did and lose a ton of weight, some people ate little and lost weight very slowly, I heard stories where people continued losing for 24 months post op. Your diet is the most important factor and exactly how much you eat, your activity and your new metabolism will determine when you stop losing and what weight you stabilize at. As long as you are conscious about what your intake is and maintaining some level of activity (that is sustainable for you in the long run), I don't see why you won't reach your goal, but when depends of the former factors. Another thing is, what gets measured gets managed. While I'm not a fan of obsessive tracking, keeping an eye on your weight and caloric intake can really help you stay accountable and understand what needs to be tweaked, added or omitted. I say, don't sweat it and don't compare yourself or your progress to anyone. Also, life is too short to live in anxiety and fear, if you lost weight then that is already a win, I feel we get so hung up on a certain number or BMI or percentage or size forgetting that living in fear and anxiety is the worst way to exist, no matter what our body fat percentage is. And, Well done on your success so far! -
Serious Plateaus After Bypass Surgery
LunarEclipse02 replied to LunarEclipse02's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Thank you for your insight. Yes my surgeon knows about me working out two hours a day and he is happy with my progress. He is only concerned that I am not consuming more food. I don't feel like eating much. I just focus on protein. I will try not to worry about weight loss. Thank you again -
Maybe some newbies will benefit from this answer, too....
SleeveToBypass2023 posted a topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I've been wondering about something. When I look at my surgery progress under my picture, I have my starting weight (388) as what I weighed the day of my initial surgery. BUT, my highest weight was 421, which is what I weighed when I started the bariatric surgery process. I lost 33 pounds in order to be approved for the surgery, then qualified and had it right away. So should I put my starting weight as my highest weight, or keep it at the weight I was at on surgery day? How do you guys do it? -
Gaining weight - experience of a decade
ms.sss replied to Gess's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
ok...so i've been on here for a few years and have read the statement "i'm gaining weight and i don't know why", and an umpteen different variations of that same statement. the answer to this is to (honestly) track your food intake and weight over a period of time (and tracking your exercise habits, sleep habits, menstrual cycles is an added source of info). you will quickly figure out on the data collected where you can tweak things. and yes, I KNOW this is not for everyone. its not easy and it takes a certain level of crazy to keep this up for forever (*raISES hand* ... yep, im crazy). Now, if you are willing to make changes, then yay! if not, that is ok too! like i said, i've been on here for what seems like an eternity, and another thing that need to be addressed is that not everyone gets to their arbitrary goal weight, let alone stays there. often because this goal weight is not realistic to the efforts they are willing to put forward...wanna be 120lbs with 15% body fat? then be prepared to eat lean and exercise hours every day. forever. for most, this lifestyle is just not sustainable. and that is ok! quality of life is more important than a goal weight. if you lost weight then you won already. if you are off your meds and have energy and can move unhindered, then you won already. if you are angst free and living life, then you won already. BUT, if you WANT to lose more weight, get stronger, look better in that bikini, then go for it. start tracking your intake and be aware of how your inputs and outputs affect you, speak to a medical professional to see if there aren't any other issues that may be at play. adjust your diet and activity accordingly. and again, if that is just not your bag, thats ok...you just need to learn to accept your present and be cool with it. peace, people! p.s. and as GT expressed above, use whatever resources you have available to you (if you so desire), including meds! -
New here. Looking to start a new journey.
LeighaTR replied to SammyGold's topic in GLP-1 & Other Weight Loss Medications (NEW!)
I opted for surgery over the meds for a number of reasons including insurance coverage, med interactions and life long use of the GLP-1 meds. I did manage to lose quite a bit on my own when I woke up to the trash I was eating. A very simple tool helped me here. A phone app. It doesn't matter what you use (there are many to choose from) but actually logging everything you eat and drink even over just a week can be very eye opening. Read label too. Portions in restaurants are WAY too big. When I started keeping track and cutting back to actually serving sizes instead of overeating it helped a lot. If you start with that it will give you an opportunity to continue with researching the weight loss drugs while being aware of what you are actually eating. It is a pain to weigh and measure portions, but it makes a HUGE difference. Best of luck with your health journey! -
revision from VSG to bypass and tricare
meginsf posted a topic in Revision Weight Loss Surgery Forums (NEW!)
I'm hoping to get a revision to a bypass for gerd and sleep apnea if that is a possible. I called tricare and the lady said that they only cover 1 weight loss surgery in the lifetime or the person. Any experience with getting approved with tricare select? -
Zepbound working but at what costs
Arabesque replied to Crisscat's topic in GLP-1 & Other Weight Loss Medications (NEW!)
Unfortunately, hair loss can be upsetting and frustrating but it is a perfectly normal side effect of weight loss as the others have said. It’s also common after many bigger surgeries, pregnancy, etc. It is temporary and most find it slows after about 3 or 4 months which is when you’re probably eating a little more & a more balanced diet as you’re better understanding your nutritional needs even on a GLP-1. The thing to remember is the hair you’re losing is hair you were gong to lose anyway. It’s just your normal hair loss cycle has been accelerated. Your new growth is still occurring but just at its usual rate. In a couple of months you’ll notice the fluffy new growth bits starting to show through & in an other 12 months or so your hair will be much the same (depending on its length) as it was before weight loss. Many of us cut our hair if it was long (I went to just above my shoulders) as shorter hair looks thicker and tends to be bouncier. Plus it takes less time for your new growth to reach the length of the rest of your hair. As for minoxidil, I’d probably leave it for a few months to see whether the hair loss is related to your weight loss or age. Had you lost any prior to your weight loss like with the onset of menopause? Menopause is when I lost some and developed a thin spot above my right temple. I use minoxidil for that spot (and my eyebrows). If you go down that path, it is for life. Stop using it and you’ll lose the hair again. Also look for 5% (2% isn’t enough) and look for the men’s minoxidil. The pink tax is still alive and well with price discrepancies. Congratulations with your weight loss so far. -
Maybe some newbies will benefit from this answer, too....
ms.sss replied to SleeveToBypass2023's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
i use the weight i was on my first day of my 2 week pre-op diet (235 lbs which happened to be my highest weight recorded). p.s. my weight when i had my very first consultation 2 years prior to that was lower...i think it was like 220 or something. there is a statistic where you can input your weight on day of surgery, but it's just not included in the summary under your name in the side bar.... @Alex Brecher...maybe we can include "weight on surgery day" in the side bar info? -
the reasoning behind the advocacy of muscle building is that just the fact of having muscle mass allows you to burn calories by just EXISTING. meaning: someone with 85% muscle mass will burn way more calories just BREATHING ON THE COUCH vs. someone who has only 50% muscle mass. the flip side of this is that someone with higher muscle mass tends to be "hungrier" than someone who does not (and im talking REAL hunger, not head hunger), so it takes a bit more effort to not pork out. in the end, as always, it all boils down to how far and how hard you are willing to go. further, some may have to work even harder than others just to overcome genetics and medical issues they are saddled with. in short: cardio burns more calories IN THE MOMENT; but weight lifting/muscle building is more LONG TERM. both are hard and require consistent effort. choose your hard. good luck! ❤️
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What Are Some Things That Surprised You After Surgery?
NickelChip replied to Beks18's topic in Gastric Bypass Surgery Forums
Yes, I would have the surgery again knowing what I do now. I would recommend it for everyone who has struggled with being significantly overweight despite commonsense lifestyle changes. Even with the most restrictive diets, I could never lose weight and keep it off for very long. This has been the only thing that has ever worked. -
Journaling & tracking food/weight etc
PieceOwt posted a topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
Since I know I am going to have track my food, weight & supplements etc. very closely, I wanted to combine this with my love of journaling so it wont be such a pain (hopefully!) Does anyone use journals for tracking post surgery? looking for ideas on page layout, what's necessary to include, cute stickers etc. I figure the more fun I make this, the more likely I will actually keep at it and do it properly 🤞😉 -
Food Before and After Photos
Mspretty86 replied to GreenTealael's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
In one of my groups I'm in a licensed therapist on the baratric team stated when we see ourselves gaining again, go back to the beginner basics the way we treated our bodies right after weight loss surgery: Go back to those high protein meals/ veggies getting full on that and not snacking and indulging. That stuck with me. -
I tried tagging my surgeon Dr Pablo Fok Russell. He's not in the list. Im currently waiting to be wheeled to surgery. I'm so far extremely impressed. I lost a lot more weight then expected on my pre-op diet. I was allowed salad with a protein choice, 13 almonds and protein shakes. Everyone is very friendly. I had an EKG, bloodwork & xray done as soon as I arrived. The bloodwork was back in an hour! I met everyone. I like everyone. Two women on my flight rode with me here. They are getting some sort of plastic surgery. One already had a facelift already. Looked good too! I liked riding with people who were familiar. The driver was really informative. Now I'm waiting to be wheeled back!
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Break-ups 😓
The Greater Fool replied to Bypass2Freedom's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
"Weight loss surgery makes good relationships better and bad relationships worse." This can apply to the relationship we have with ourselves. This all happened pretty quickly, maybe all you need is a little time to get used to you. Do you have someone you can talk with about this? Perhaps a couple sessions with a therapist might help. Ending a relationship can throw us off balance and cause us to question ourselves. To me it always seems like something get through, though I guess it can be a time of self discovery. I'm too old for self discovery! Good luck, Tek -
Thank you! Yes, it's been a rough month but I'm definitely doing much better than 6 months ago! I still feel better physically than I did before the weight loss. I've always been overweight too. I still feel really happy that I'm a size 16 (UK) when I haven't been since I was 16 years old! Just got to keep looking at my progress overall!
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Maybe some newbies will benefit from this answer, too....
BigSue replied to SleeveToBypass2023's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I use my highest recorded weight (from my initial consultation) as my starting weight. I lost about 70 pounds before my surgery, and I remember my surgeon saying, "Don't worry, you still get credit for the weight you lost before surgery." At the time, I was mildly annoyed because, in my mind, that meant he was taking credit for the weight I lost without the surgery, but now I understand what he was really saying. I lost over 200 pounds from my highest weight until now, and it was all part of the same process. -
What to say to friends who think that surgery is “cheating” or lazy
summerseeker replied to GmaBecks's topic in Gastric Bypass Surgery Forums
Its not easy, even I thought it would be easier than it was. I thought I was in the know too. Maintenance isn't easy. So they are not friends if they dont back you. I told my husband and son and my two besties from our ancient school days. I was backed by them. I told no one else until weight loss began to show. I only told three people who asked how I had done it and they were very obese too. The rest got the ' oh I have been walking a lot lately' or I stopped eating carbs. Judgers will always judge, its human nature. Wise words -
I'm killing it, body fat down below 10 percent, I'm working out at least 4 times a week, am lean and strong. But I've found solace in whiskey. I drink it neat, no mixers. I don't drink during the day, but need to quiet my mind. Good quality whiskey does that, after 35 + years of total sobriety. I'm in Texas, so pot is largely illegal- and the illicit vapes make me paranoid. Crazy thing is I don't wake up with a hang over- I take Pharma sleep meds but am careful about the combo. I did talk to one guy who lost a crazy amount of weight through surgery and told me that heavy alcohol consumption is not uncommon. I was not fixated on food before surgery, but gained a lot during Covid sitting on my ass without serious exercise. I'm now working hard at the gym with a good trainer, and the results have been impressive. But the alcohol is an issue. I don't drive or go out when I drink, I'm home. I'm a high functioning boozer, but still. I hate being dependent on any substance, but I need to turn down the noise in my head. There are some legal CBD outlets in Texas which I can explore. I know the volume of whiskey I'm consuming is not necessary good for long life, but it definitely chills me out. Would love input from others who have had the same experience. Physically I'm in amazing shape, and generally, my mental attitude is quite positive. TIA!
