Search the Community

I will post as soon as I can after the surgery. Thank you everyone for your support, it meant a lot and made my journey easier. I hope that this surgery will help me reverse diabetes, reverse atrial fibrillation (if the Aussies are right, weight loss can actually reverse this heart arrhythmia in the first year after diagnosis, this is a new discovery from Australia), heal the Barrett’s Esophagus (that is what the doc said, the pre cancerous cells will heal with time after the bypass), decrease the future chances of pulmonary embolism, and last but not least allow the sleep without a CPAP. All of these with one single surgery! Even if only one of these gets resolved, life is longer . Wishing everyone a wonderful peaceful night!

Hi Carla, I was on the same diet as you and I barely lost 4 pounds, so please do not worry. I think they recommend the number of protein shakes based on height and weight, some are on three, some on four. My surgery is in 6 hours and I will ask if the fact that I lost only 4 pounds is an issue, but I do not think so.

I have a sleeve and have never experienced dumping. It is as others have said not common with a sleeve and it is easy to manage - avoid a lot of sugar or fat. Some who have dumped with a sleeve say over time they can eat small amounts without an issue. Vomiting is different after surgery. I describe it as regurgitating whatever caused the problem/gets stuck. It’s generally described as the foamies - lots of thick saliva you spit up before you may bring up your last bite or so. Again this can be managed by not eating too large a bite, not eating too fast, not eating food that is too dry or coarse. Certainly at first we’re advised to wait 30 minutes before & after eating to drink but you can reduce this wait time as you get closer to your final weight. At first when you’re eating so little it’s to ensure you don’t get too full to be able to eat your vital nutrients or to flush the food you’ve eaten out to quickly for the nutrients to be absorbed. Nausea usually passes once you’re more fully healed though some vitamins can cause nausea. Most are given something to take for the nausea. If you weren’t ask for something if you experience it. Many/all of your concerns are things you will learn how to manage if you do experience them or they’re temporary. We all have our own digestive idiosyncrasies post surgery but you likely have some now before your surgery. I know I did. Personally I seem to be more susceptible to the foamies - stress or just my tummy deciding nope this is irritating me today. I also can’t gulp lots of water anymore. Two large mouthfuls & no more. Others can guzzle down gallons. But these are nothing. I deal with them if they happen. Rather be my weight now than what I was before. Rather have a low risk of diabetes, blood pressure, heart issues, etc. being than the high risk as they were before. My feet don’t ache - can wear my heels again. I have more energy. I’m more active. I feel generally healthier. I’m more confident. I have become more vain & have lots of beauty treatments. I loved clothing, shoes & bags (the designs, textures, fabrications, etc.) before & always dressed well but now my style has changed & I have so much more choice … & an even larger wardrobe. So much fun! Don’t get caught up with the number on the scale or the rate at which you are losing your weight. We all do this in our time & what is best for us & our bodies. You’ll see averages & stats but they just give you an idea of what you might experience not what you will. Sometimes it takes time for our head to catch up with our changing body. It takes time for other people to come to terms with our changes too. Give them & yourself time to see yourself in your smaller body. Enjoy all the opportunities ahead of you. All the best.

thanks! I'd like to lose about 10 lbs, though. I did need to gain some weight, but these last 10 lbs I could do without. My doctor says to quit worrying about it because I look fine, but it's a mental thing with me, I think. I liked seeing those low numbers!!

first of all, only about 30% of bypassers dump (I never have - and I know lots of others who never have, either). It's caused by eating too much sugar at one sitting, so you can prevent it by....not eating a lot of sugar at one sitting. the issue with restaurants is temporary - just the first few weeks. Once you're a couple months out, you'll be able to find things on practically any menu that you can eat - and once you're about six months out, you'll be cleared to eat any food item (you may still have some intolerances, but nothing will be off the table). My new normal (well, not so new anymore since I'm eight years out) is either ordering an appetizer or two, or ordering an entree and having them box up half of it to take home. Honestly, most of my never-been-obese women friends do exactly the same. At this point, no one would be able to tell I've had weight loss surgery - they'd just assume I'm a "light eater". and what are you throwing your cookbooks out for? I never threw out a single one - and I've since added a few more to my collection! I enjoy cooking and I cook a lot. I just eat smaller portions now, and I only occasionally indulge in something like chips or dessert. honestly, the eating that people often associate with weight loss patients doesn't last forever. It's tough the first month or two (well, esp the first month), so I tried to avoid going out to eat. But after that you can eat more variety and should be able to find things you can eat at any restaurant. And then, as I said, after about six months, there won't be any food restrictions. It takes about 1600 calories/day to maintain my weight (although that varies a lot among people - I know women who can only eat around 1200 and others who can eat 2000), and I eat very nutritiously most of the time. Yes there are days when I overeat or splurge on some junky thing, but it's not very often - and I'm back on track the next day. There are times when I wish I could eat whatever I want and however much I want every day, but very few people can do that - and it sure didn't work for me since it got me up to almost 400 lbs. I think I'm eating much more like a "normie" now.

it all depends on backlog for surgeon and OR. It could take 2-6 months depending on if you have to attend classes etc. It won't be a slam bam done deal. My surgeon and insurance required a mental health evaluation to review my expectations All your labs tests have to be completed and EKG [within 30 days of surgery]. He may put you on a diet restriction for 30 days to see if you can lose weight on your own. This will be a test to your discipline, and also prep you for the surgery.

My hubby has started the Atkins diet and seems frustrated he isn’t losing weight faster

there's probably some things that aren't well understood about weight loss surgeries in general, so he/you may be right. It is different from what I've heard elsewhere, though. Eight years out, and I'm definitely not malnourished! (although there are times I do miss the months when I was at my lowest weight - which was admittedly too low for me....but it was a kick being told I needed to gain a few lbs (for the first time in my life..))

Hi Maggie - its so very nice to have you join us here. Of course you are feeling a sense of loss; we have had a long standing relationship with food and food was reliable and available if we wanted it, despite it ultimately making us so very miserable. You are grieving the loss of a deep and complicated relationship. Let it go - its a bad relationship and your surgery will support a much healthier union between you and food. I had my surgery on 1st June, having completed a two week liquid diet. Its hard - there is no getting away from it. You are going to have to dig really deep honey; its only 2 weeks and you will soon be there. You can do it - believe you got this. Dear Carla - try not to spend too much time worrying about the weight you are not losing at this stage. Maybe follow the advice your medical team has given you without your own modifications and see what happens honey. Relax beautiful girl - don't stress at this early stage xx For all of you who have surgery tomorrow, I am so with you in spirit and prayers. Can't wait to see you on the other side - 🤗

Exactly Carla this is an extremely difficult diet to follow as long as your following your drs requirements don’t worry about it everyone’s body is different everyone’s body carries weight different, idk how your working out I feel fatigued just living right now haha

Girl then don’t worry and remember the scale doesn’t always tell the full story! Take this time to be kind to your body and get ready for surgery … we are also holding in so much liquid so I’m sure we are loosing but have a lot of water weight

Maggie, I wasn't told that I needed to lose weight, I thought with just the liquid thingy that I would, plus everyone was saying they were losing while on the liquid that's all and it had me worried.

Carla ogwin do you need to loose weight before surgery or are you just are worried that your not? Also we’re surgery date buddies ❤️

I first considered bariatric surgery about 15 years before I actually went through with it. I considered it off and on at various times in my life, but kept deciding against it, until 3 years ago when I couldn't keep living the way I was and realized that I had to do something drastic. Like you, I spent a lot of time worrying about the worst case scenario and I specifically sought out stories of people who have regretted having bariatric surgery. These are hard to find! Bariatric surgery is very common and safe nowadays and serious complications are rare. Of course, that's not much comfort when you are one of the unlucky few, but even when I found people who had horrible complications, most of them still said they would do it all over again. I think the main reason you don't find a lot of bariatric surgery veterans on this forum or other WLS communities is that the first year or so is really rough and requires a lot of lifestyle changes and attention, but eventually, you get used to the changes and find a new normal (plus, most people can gradually return to a relatively "normal" diet) and get to a point where your life no longer revolves around your surgery. One of the biggest factors that made me hesitant about getting the surgery was that I didn't want my life to be ruled by my pouch. But I got to a point where my life was severely limited by my weight, so I took the plunge and had the surgery. I've lost 200 pounds and the world has really opened up to me. I'm 3 years out and have completely changed my diet and lifestyle, but I can eat a "normal" portion (not as much as when I was 300+ pounds, of course, but I'm not limited to half a cup of food anymore). I can drink water as much and as quickly as I ever could before surgery. I haven't told anyone, even my family, that I got surgery. Like a lot of people I wish that I had lost weight earlier because my weight was holding me back in so many ways, but it was probably a good thing that I wanted until I was really ready to change my lifestyle before I had the surgery. There are people who gain back all the weight, and I suspect that this is because they rely on the surgery alone for weight loss, and once the effects wear off, they are able to go back to their old eating habits and regain the weight. I do not experience dumping and I have only had one day of vomiting since my surgery. I kind of wish I would get dumping syndrome because it would be a good deterrent to eating things I shouldn't. If I eat something with too much fat and/or sugar (e.g., a slice of cake), I get super sleepy and feel like garbage for the rest of the day. I actually have had a serious complication, not directly from the surgery, but from the rapid weight loss, and that is bradycardia which required me to get a pacemaker. That's a bummer, but I'm sure my overall health is better off now than it would have been without the surgery.

I have cut back on everything everything that I put in my body is sugar free it's liquid is jello it's popsicles it's broth homemade broth and I even join the Y again so I can work out and I lost a pound no I'm not sure if that's enough and my surgery is on the 13th that is what I've been following and I just feel like why aren't I losing more weight than that I walk everyday

How is the weight loss going? Did the sleeve help you? I’m debating it but wondering if it will even help much.

Nougato, this is encouraging! which thyroid medication do you take? How much weight do you hope to lose? What is your age? Male or female? Thanks!

I watched it again to see if I missed something. He does mention a 6 -18 month period of greater weight loss with bypass but attributes it to the stomach healing, less food. Not to malabsorption. He also claims this myth originated as a marketing ploy to promote the Gastric band. Hmmmm. And now... the sleeve? If science proves what he is saying and doctors are using misinformation to steer us towards an easier procedure or one that might need a second surgery, then so be it I guess. For me it's good news because the last thing I need is to come out the other side of my RNY frail and malnourished

Hi guys! My name is Maggie I just found this site today and I am so excited! I am having my surgery the 13th and I am on my all liquid diet I am allowed 3 protein drinks a day, 1 egg, 1 yogurt, and unlimited sugar free non carbonated drinks and I am STRUGGLING, it’s so much harder then I expected, also I just went through this one page Carla I have not dropped that much weight either which I’m very surprised about… I am interested in what others say… also how are you guys surviving this no eating thing? I look forward to talking with you all ❤️

Hello Mari! I guess I took what I needed from this site and moved on to other sources. Thank you for asking: I am doing well indeed. Funny how I have read how so many are terrified of surgery because I was not at all in that place when I had mine. I guess I am a bit obsessive about researching and reading everything, scientific and anecdotal about a subject before I pull the trigger on anything. WLS was no different. I was at rock bottom and it seemed the best course of action at the time. And you know what? It still is, in my not so humble opinion. I am still plugging along. I have been at a weight that seems to be effortless and a long-time set point for me, albeit 20 pounds over where I would like to be. That being said, I am still over 100 pounds lower (give or take: 107 pounds down from highest recorded, and most likely 127+ pounds down from an unrecorded weight due to not visiting doctor and not stepping on a scale at my most miserable and judging from my pictures.) Right now I am working on taming my stress because it leads to disordered crap eating and high cortisol...and no way will that 20 pounds come off when my body and mind are just searching for solace (usually found in inappropriate foods and the hell to pay on the digestive system.) Even if I stay right where I am, I am ok with that. I am able to buy clothing at any regular store and feel good. That for me remains priceless. So why even bother? Ah. Well. Since I retired after 30 years in public education, I have taken a pt library page position. I am on my feet, stretching and bending and basically sweating all in the course of doing my 19 hour a week job. Combined with daily dog walks, I am active. It has been hell on my feet. From all I have been researching, the only thing I have yet to do, but what will probably help the most with my foot pain, is releasing the extra 20 pounds that came on due to sloppy habits. The best thing is that I am convinced that it will happen. Best of luck to you on your journey. <3

@K- they will absolutely fix the hernia as I understand it, as it is a contributor to the GERD. Interesting (well, maybe not for you) that it exacerbates the asthma. I never had any stomach problems- zero, nada, zilch- until a couple years ago, doing a long drive back from the far west, slamming coffee, eating PayDay candy bars (couldn't imagine eating one of those now) and had a burning sensation in my stomach (no mystery). I started eating Advils like crazy (also not good for stomach lining). That's what started this journey--and my GP said let's do a endoscopy/colonoscopy which resulted in the finding of Barrett's and got me on the PPIs- those in turn led to complications. I was looking for a way out of this vicious circle- since the PPIs in turn led to SIBO, which was horrible. Of course, the weight loss isn't to be discounted as a factor. Truth be told, during Covid, I quit going to the gym, was sitting on my ass and eating lots of delivery food which, all told, probably added 50 lbs. It's strange, the different paths that take us to the same point. Funny thing is, my wife was going stir crazy and I was happy as a pig in _____. I do expect that achieving and maintaining weight loss will allow me better overall health. I'm also looking forward to increased mobility without shortness of breath (I do have mild COPD but I had that for a long time and it only manifest itself if I worked out too hard and got lightheaded). I also had the hernia for a long time but it wasn't an issue until I gained all the weight.

I haven't lost anything close to 10 lbs any month this year. The last month I lost a significant amount of weight was December 2022. This year it's 1-2 pounds per month, even less. I've been tracking my eating more religiously these last few weeks, and a typical day is 1100-1200 kcal. Shouldn't I be losing or is that enough for maintenance? Will I have to go even lower? I'm getting 50-60 grams of protein most days.

Mari3997, Pre-op diet will definitely help you and helps get "your head" into the right place for your new fabulous healthy life. Support system? I have no one. My husband tried to talk me out of it, NOPE! My body, my life, I make my own decisions...autonomy. Find support groups here, Facebook, IG, etc, research youtube videos on bariatric surgeries. Some FEAR is normal but still wasted energy and can become crippling. Find a way to reduce fear to a reasonable concern. I responded to another post with this...it might help you, I hope so, just do it. Definitely do it! At 71, 100lbs overweight, in pain constantly, both knees destroyed by arthritis, peripheral neuropathy in both feet with hot burning pins and needles when standing and walking, back pain. My journey started in orthopedics with knees, steroid injections, worked well most of the time, but didn't stop the occasional fall [3 to 4 times a year]. I knew sooner or later something would break. I would have had knee replacement sooner except for covid & elective surgeries were cancelled for two years [socialized medicine ***] weight gain, but developed hypertension. Researched weight loss thru ***, and because I had obstructive sleep apnea, I would qualify, and found this bariatric surgery should be first before the knees. I researched, attended classes, youtube videos, surgeons, after care, supplements etc. I wanted the Roux-N-Y but at my age surgeon said no, VSG. The surgeon recommended to me, is EXTREMELY strict and no BS kind of guy, he canceled my first surgery date because he didn't like something I did, so I really buckled down to his protocol. I knew I would have nausea and vomiting from anesthesia so I told EVERYONE, to give me whatever so this didn't happen. Well...it happened, no medication, and postop recovery the uncontrollable violent projectile dry heaves started, nurse good, gave IV Zofran, the IV Reglan and within a few minutes it stopped, but it was bad. I went home the next day. I had all my foods for week two, supplements etc. I am keeping up with supplements and fluids but not hungry. Dr said eat 1/4 cup every 2-3 hours otherwise your body will try to hold on to everything and the metabolism shifts. I'm going to add the vitamin patches from Bariatric Pal to my daily regimen of chews and capsules, [ I am very fatigued] for a while and see how this works. I use Mira Lax/:axa Clear equivalent in my morning water bottle and use a stool softener at night. Find whatever works for you, the stool softeners alone did not work for me. Trying to find my new normal, I knew it would be a process. I have NO regrets, and would tell anyone considering surgery to 'go for it' and FOLLOW directions strictly. Once I pass the phase of full liquids and get into pureed foods it will be another advancement. During surgery found a hiatal hernia and did the repair. Who Knew?! I didn't, glad it's done. My significant weight loss will help me in recovery for total knee replacement. I'm looking forward to repairing the rest of my body in my older age. Best wishes to you. Surgery May 15. 

Definitely do it! At 71, 100lbs overweight, in pain constantly, both knees destroyed by arthritis, peripheral neuropathy in both feet with hot burning pins and needles when standing and walking, back pain. My journey started in orthopedics with knees, steroid injections, worked well most of the time, but didn't stop the occasional fall [3 to 4 times a year]. I knew sooner or later something would break. I would have had knee replacement sooner except for covid & elective surgeries were cancelled for two years [socialized medicine ***]. No weight gain, but developed hypertension. Researched weight loss thru ***, and because I had obstructive sleep apnea, I would qualify, and found this bariatric surgery should be first before the knees. I researched, attended classes, youtube videos, surgeons, after care, supplements etc. I wanted the Roux-N-Y but at my age surgeon said no, VSG. The surgeon recommended to me, is EXTREMELY strict and no BS kind of guy, he canceled my first surgery date because he didn't like something I did, so I really buckled down to his protocol. I knew I would have nausea and vomiting from anesthesia so I told EVERYONE, to give me whatever so this didn't happen. Well...it happened, no medication, and postop recovery the uncontrollable violent projectile dry heaves started, nurse good, gave IV Zofran, the IV Reglan and within a few minutes it stopped, but it was bad. I went home the next day. I had all my foods for week two, supplements etc. I am keeping up with supplements and fluids but not hungry. Dr said eat 1/4 cup every 2-3 hours otherwise your body will try to hold on to everything and the metabolism shifts. I'm going to add the vitamin patches from Bariatric Pal to my daily regimen of chews and capsules, [ I am very fatigued] for a while and see how this works. I use Mira Lax/:axa Clear equivalent in my morning water bottle and use a stool softener at night. Find whatever works for you, the stool softeners alone did not work for me. Trying to find my new normal, I knew it would be a process. I have NO regrets, and would tell anyone considering surgery to 'go for it' and FOLLOW directions strictly. Once I pass the phase of full liquids and get into pureed foods it will be another advancement. During surgery found a hiatal hernia and did the repair. Who Knew?! I didn't, glad it's done. My significant weight loss will help me in recovery for total knee replacement. I'm looking forward to repairing the rest of my body in my older age. Best wishes to you. Surgery May 15.