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So, I am graduating this May with my bachelor's and applying to law schools for this coming school year (2024-2025). One thing I had considered is going to a law school in another country (and staying there after for work), but I will be having my bypass surgery this April and I am unsure what bariatric care is like in the various countries (in Europe). The majority of information I keep finding is about where to go for the surgery, but I am curious about if I have any post-op complications (since I will be less than a year out when I would go to school) and the choices for bariatric vitamins and meal replacements. What experiences have any of you had while abroad with dietary and medical needs being a bariatric patient? I am also considering applying for the dual degree programs with the American law schools I am applying at and law schools in UK/France/Italy/Spain that I would apply for while in my first year, so either way I would like to know.

Drs Weiner & Pilcher are great. Lots of information of their sites & you tube channels. I’d probably avoid a lot of social media around weight loss. Bad advice, scary stories, etc. just to garner attention. I stumbled upon one that actually showed you how to purée burgers & fries to eat two weeks after surgery & how to eat around your surgery. Just horrifying! This forum is great. Supportive, encouraging & a wealth of experience. Was so helpful in the beginning & I still learn things about post bariatric surgery life. Personally, the sleeve has been wonderful for me. Do I have a few little idiosyncrasies? Yep but my tummy was fussy & a bit sensitive about certain things before so nothing really different. I lost all my weight & more & have basically kept it off for 4.75 yrs. Never ever been able to keep weight off for any length of time even a month. Does it take continued work? Hell yes. This is a forever thing. Can you eat the same as you did before? No. But why would you? I mean that’s how you (& we all) ended up obese in the first place. That’s not saying you can’t enjoy things you used to. You’ll focus on how much of it you eat. How often you eat it & even look for healthier, more nutritious versions of those foods. You’ll work out a way of eating that is sustainable, doesn’t limit or restrict you & allows you to live & enjoy your life as you want. Are there risks? Sure but there are with any surgery. They’re not common because the risks are very low (I read appendectomy is higher) & often are related to pre existing conditions. Sometimes issues are discovered before of after surgery because of the more intensive medical testing we undergo & then monitoring. Sometimes it’s just our own body & how it reacts which you can’t really predict. Most are easily remedied or manageable. I didn’t have any comorbidities before my surgery (though they were very likely in my future) so I can’t share my experiences with that. Do lots of research on reputable sites like those of the above doctors’ & here. List down your questions & take them with you to your surgeon. Ask for their statistics & experiences too. All the best with whatever path you decide to follow.

There's also a calculator Dr. Weiner has developed to predict how much weight you will lose (within a range) with each procedure. It does require you to give an email to get the results (which they send to you within a couple minutes by email), but in my experience they don't abuse this or spam you with anything. https://www.poundofcureweightloss.com/bariatric-surgery-weight-loss-calculator/

I am just over two weeks away from having surgery. I was diagnosed with PCOS in my 20s and have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and am prediabetic. Because I wanted the best shot at having those specific co-morbidities resolve, and because I have a family history of GERD, I decided to go with the RNY gastric bypass. But gastric sleeve is also a good surgery. Overwhelmingly, you will find that people who have these surgeries have no regrets other than wishing they had done them sooner. A small number will have complications, but even among those, most will have no major regrets. My brother had the sleeve 15 years ago and says without a doubt it saved his life. This is a risk calculator that will also help show you the chances of various conditions resolving within 1 year for the various surgeries: https://riskcalculator.facs.org/bariatric/ This is a video from a bariatric surgeon that looks at both surgeries and how to decide: I suggest watching all of Dr. Weiner's YouTube videos. He's very trustworthy and knowledgeable, and a much better source of information than TikTok videos! (Although I watch YouTube channels for several bariatric patients and do really love hearing the stories).

What surgery have you had?? It is much easier to find a support group for, say, a sleeve patient than for a DS patient. I agree with @Kri-star, check with the local hospital that does bariatric surgery. Austin is big enough to have a few support groups around, but a lot of the hospital support groups still meet online thanks to Covid! I'm in a DS support group on FB that I love. So you might want to check around on FB and see if you find one you love. Often you can post in the big ones looking for people in the same area and plan a meet up!

You are 6 days post op?? You should be getting the bulk of your protein from things like protein shakes, protein waters, fairlife milk, and other things like that. Your tummy is way too small and way too raw to be getting your protein from actual food yet. I know every surgeon varies and some do purees early, so I won't comment on that, but even then, you can't possibly get enough in on food alone to hit your protein goals. Some soft things to try on the puree and soft food stages: very softly scrambled or poached egg, cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, greek yogurt, sugar free pudding, sugar free jello (you can even get protein jello), some even include bean purees though I found those VERY hard on my stomach. You can also puree proteins into a soup base. I did a lot of cream soups and strained soups. I was on strict liquids the first two weeks. In soft foods you can also try things like egg salad, chicken salad made with chicken thighs because they are more moist, and tuna salad, but don't add things like onion and pickle to it yet. Too rough. ETA: Generally patients are encouraged to focus on their hydration goals for the first two weeks. This is because dehydration is the number 1 complication of bariatric surgery. Our bodies have protein stores that will last us the first few weeks after surgery. So focus on those 64 oz of water and if that is going well, then you can think about getting some protein in as a bonus!

I'm so sorry you are going through this. I would suggest you formally request an explanation of the denial. They have to give it to you in writing far as I know. I would not rely solely on the clinic to deal with appeals for you. It could be something very simple that they are being stubborn about fixing and you are getting caught in the middle. I've had this happen on numerous occasions. Also, peer-to-peer CAN sometimes clear things up and get an approval through. I've had it happen with several expensive procedures they kept denying for stupid reasons... If bariatric surgery is covered in your plan, they have to tell you why they are denying you. I hope you hear good news soon!

Oh Ashley, I am SO very sorry!! It must be quite rare for that to happen, my heart hurts for you. I'm glad your surgeon was so proactive about ensuring this wasn't being caused by vitamin deficiencies. Hair is one of those things that for many of us is part of our identity and to lose it all so dramatically on top of the stress of bariatric surgery is a huge load. I hope you are being very gentle with yourself. This isn't your fault. I've heard of this happening on occasion with autoimmune patients... Have you thought about seeing a therapist to help support you as you go through this? I've found them incredibly helpful when my body has done rare, weird things that caused a lot of mourning and grief. I'm glad you updated us, this is a safe place for you to come vent and mourn. I wish I had wise words to offer you in solace, but some things are really beyond our language. Just know I am sitting here alongside you with a generous measure of empathy. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to support you. I just want to give you the biggest hug!

VSG Jan 24, 2024. So far so good! My surgery was uncomplicated. Once home I didn't need any pain medication. I've been doing okay on full liquids and I'm looking forward to pureed foods (not something I ever thought I'd hear myself say) after my first follow up with my doctor on Feb 8. I was surprised to find that I experience hunger--genuine, not head hunger. I guess I thought I'd never feel hungry again. I'm dealing with it, though, by sipping something a little thicker when I feel hungry. There are some really good protein shakes in The Gastric Sleeve Bariatric Cookbook by Sarah Kent MD. Yogurt is a little too thick and doesn't sit well but I tried thinning it out with some skim milk and that helps! I'm sleeping well. The only concern I have is that I am still very sore on my left side and it doesn't seem to be getting better. Or maybe it is, but just so slowly that I am barely registering it. Is anyone else experiencing this?

I didn't have issues with the surgery but had the same because of Pneumonia. To make matters worse I was abroad with a language barrier. I had to learn to sit, stand, walk and feed myself again. Even talking was difficult because of all the time the ventilator was in. I was in hospital 5 months. I had a long time to think about things. It was very tough on my family. So with bariatric surgery you get the natural regret for the first weeks of recovery because its a massive new learning curve and then you have all this other stuff that has happened to you, and oh boy its scary. Give yourself time to let your brain process what has happened to you. Yes it was a lot BUT you have survived. You cant go back and change your actions so look to the future and embrace every new day you have been given.

Menopause is the worst. It’s when I gained my weight. Went from 60 to 75kg very quickly during perimenopause. This was my usual fluctuation so I didn’t worry that much. Then entered full menopause & bam another 15kgs. I swear I gained it overnight. Several of my friends were the same - gained 10-15kgs very quickly with menopause. Couldn't really shift a kilo of it. Drop a couple & put them straight back on. I had hoped that being on HRT might balance out my hormones & help me lose some weight but nope. Struggled for a couple of years. Wasn’t happy. That’s when I decided to have my sleeve. Why don’t you try getting in contact with a bariatric surgeon to discuss your revision options like to a DS. Does your surgeon who did your RNY still practice? Have you considered whether the new GLP - 1 medications might be an option? Certainly worth a conversation with a surgeon. PS Congratulations on your long term success with your original surgery. Such an achievement.

I don't say this alot, because it seems its not the "norm" among bariatric patients...but i consider myself one of the "lucky ones", who can seem to eat whatever i feel like and am still able to maintain my weight with little to no effort (my food log is packed with "non-diet" foods...which i need to do because my restriction is still very much in effect). i too was concerned about continually losing weight to the point of death, but it turned out all right in the end (so far). not having to worry about calorie intake (based on my natural eating habits) is something i will forever be grateful for...even if it doesn't last forever. you will find yourself hard pressed to find someone who lost too much weight to the point of medical concern around here. i can think of exactly 1 member on here who self-identified as going below healthy BMI for an extended period of time (dont know what her status is now, as she has since dropped off the forums...and at the time she was at 18 or so BMI...which was at the "top-level" of underweight...) anyway, this is my long winded way of saying enjoy the ride and try not to worry (unless of course your team is worried?)...more often than not, your worry will become a non-issue when things are all said and done. if u continue to be one of the "lucky ones" who put little effort in maintaining weight and health in the long term, yay it really is a blessing and not a curse, years out. good luck! ❤️

Hey fellow Bariatric babes and dudes!!! I am 1 week post op and still need to sleep in the recliner, as one 2 of my incisions are still unbearable when laying flat. Did any of you experience this? I feel like everyone went right to sleeping in a bed. TIA for any answers!

Here’s my story. On 4/25/22 I weighed 281.8. A few months later at a Dr appointment for reflux the topic of having endoscopic gastroplasty was mentioned and eventually the surgery was scheduled for September 2022. I reported for the surgery and was going thru the pre-op process when our son called to let us know that he tested positive for COVID. The doctor advised us to reschedule. The next opening was a couple of months off, so it was rescheduled. I reported for the rescheduled surgery but after at check-in we were greeted with the news that the ventilation system for the operating room was down and we would have to reschedule again. This pushed us into 2023 and required navigating a new health insurance provider. Finally On 1/24/2023 I had my surgery and by 5/1/2023 my weight had dropped to 224 then “stabilizing” at around 235. 2023 had lots of ups and downs: - 4/25/2022 – weight 281.8 – bmi 38.2 - 1/23/2023 my last coke have gone over 1 year without a coke. Was typically drinking 1 – 2 20 oz bottles per day of regular coke. - 1/24/2023 - surgery. - 3/31/23 got laid off from work. - 4/6/2023 – robotic hernia surgery - 4/26/2023 – kidney stones - 5/1/2023 – weight 224 – bmi 30.3 - 7/11/2023 – procedure to evaluate hiatal herniaI - 1/18/2024 - COVID. - 1/25/2024 - big disagreement with boss and resigned. - 1/29/2024 - received ontingent job offer but significant pay cut. Job won't start for a month so I have time to think abiut job or seek other opportunities. - 1/30/2024 - weight 234.4 – bmi 31.7 Things to work on: - Eat better and exercise long term. I’ll do ok eating and exercising for a week or two and then I start stress eating, not feeling like walking. - Eating – there are times when I don’t feel hungry but want something to eat. - Regularity – I’ve always been irregular and at times have IBS with uncontrollable BM and then other times go days ( 3 – 4 days) between BM. - I have a goal of going on a couple of long bike rides 10 -15 miles but need to start getting in shape for them. - Decide to retire or find new job. - I rarely feel full. I think that I’m eating less but feel hungry or feel like eating even if I’m not hungry. Looking for advice on healthy things to eat between meals and limiting appetite here is a list of things that I like to eat . - - I like Kind Dark Chocolate Cherry Cashew bars (170 cal, 22 g carbs and 6 g protein) - addicting - Inspire Square Protein Wafers by Bariatric Eating (200 cal, 13 g Carbs 15 g protein) - addicting - BariatricPal Protein Shake or Pudding – Chocolate (6 gm carbs 15 gm protein) - Lunches - Dole Sunflower Salad Kit - 350 calaries (40 gm carbs and 9 gm protein)

Here’s my story. On 4/25/22 I weighed 281.8. A few months later at a Dr appointment for reflux the topic of having endoscopic gastroplasty was mentioned and eventually the surgery was scheduled for September 2022. I reported for the surgery and was going thru the pre-op process when our son called to let us know that he tested positive for COVID. The doctor advised us to reschedule. The next opening was a couple of months off, so it was rescheduled. I reported for the rescheduled surgery but after at check-in we were greeted with the news that the ventilation system for the operating room was down and we would have to reschedule again. This pushed us into 2023 and required navigating a new health insurance provider. Finally On 1/24/2023 I had my surgery and by 5/1/2023 my weight had dropped to 224 then “stabilizing” at around 235. 2023 had lots of ups and downs: - 4/25/2022 – weight 281.8 – bmi 38.2 - 1/23/2023 my last coke have gone over 1 year without a coke. Was typically drinking 1 – 2 20 oz bottles per day of regular coke. - 1/24/2023 - surgery. - 3/31/23 got laid off from work. - 4/6/2023 – robotic hernia surgery - 4/26/2023 – kidney stones - 5/1/2023 – weight 224 – bmi 30.3 - 7/11/2023 – procedure to evaluate hiatal herniaI - 1/18/2024 - COVID. - 1/25/2024 - big disagreement with boss and resigned. - 1/29/2024 - received ontingent job offer but significant pay cut. Job won't start for a month so I have time to think abiut job or seek other opportunities. - 1/30/2024 - weight 234.4 – bmi 31.7 Things to work on: - Eat better and exercise long term. I’ll do ok eating and exercising for a week or two and then I start stress eating, not feeling like walking. - Eating – there are times when I don’t feel hungry but want something to eat. - Regularity – I’ve always been irregular and at times have IBS with uncontrollable BM and then other times go days ( 3 – 4 days) between BM. - I have a goal of going on a couple of long bike rides 10 -15 miles but need to start getting in shape for them. - Decide to retire or find new job. - I rarely feel full. I think that I’m eating less but feel hungry or feel like eating even if I’m not hungry. Looking for advice on healthy things to eat between meals and limiting appetite here is a list of things that I like to eat . - - I like Kind Dark Chocolate Cherry Cashew bars (170 cal, 22 g carbs and 6 g protein) - addicting - Inspire Square Protein Wafers by Bariatric Eating (200 cal, 13 g Carbs 15 g protein) - addicting - BariatricPal Protein Shake or Pudding – Chocolate (6 gm carbs 15 gm protein) - Lunches - Dole Sunflower Salad Kit - 350 calaries (40 gm carbs and 9 gm protein)

The pull and twist sensation is most likely a stomach spasm. It is one of the rarer side effects of bariatric surgery. I got them too, and mine happened even with water! My surgeon told me they'd go away after a few weeks and sure enough, between weeks 2 and 3 they magically faded out! You have to be veeeeery slow with eating and drinking. The pain on the inside that feels like your stomach weight is causing it is completely normal. You have a lot of internal sutures and there are anchor stitches to keep things in place, those are often the most painful and take the longest to heal! I couldn't lie on my side for a few weeks without propping up my stomach with a pillow under it because the pulling of my stomach sideways caused intense pain thanks to the anchor stitches. I think it took about a month to 6 weeks for that to fade completely. Bariatric surgery is not a sprint, it is a marathon. Healing takes time and a generous amount of patience. The more impatient and annoyed you are with your body, the more agitated and anxious you will get. All the things you have described sound fairly normal for 11-12 days out from surgery. I'm sure your surgeon will tell you that at your follow up appointment! Be sure he knows all your concerns. It takes about 3 months for those internal sutures and cut nerves to heal up completely and start sending clearer signals to your brain. But the pain from the incisions and internal stitches should go away within 4-6 weeks. I'm sorry your team didn't explain to you how gradual recovery is and how slow it can feel... You can do this! When you see the scale moving it'll help ease the frustration. LOL

You can have a safe pregnancy and delivery with any of the surgeries. Your surgical choice should be based on your individual needs like how much weight you want to lose, what your BMI is, what pre-existing conditions you have, etc... There are some great support groups on FB for pregnancy after bariatric surgery! I know of one for SADI/DS patients, but I am sure there are plenty for RNY or Sleeve patients as well! But talking with a surgeon who is trained to do all the surgeries is your best source of information... A surgeon that only does 1 or 2 of the surgeries may give you biased advice on which surgery to choose.

If you haven't had surgery yet, you may want to join the support group "Duodenal Switch SUPPORT Group" on FB for SADI/DS patients. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1799552573392212 There are a number of patients on there who have had the RNY and done revisions to SADI or DS. Honestly, the choice is up to you and how comfortable you are with your surgeon's opinion. There are plenty of lightweights who get SADI surgeries, especially those with pre-existing conditions. But some insurance companies still consider the SADI to be experimental, so be sure yours doesn't if you decide on it. You can get vomiting with any bariatric surgery. You can get diarrhea with any surgery. And while RNY can be good for GERD patients, there are plenty of people with GERD who still end up with a SADI or DS. I'm one of those patients, I have had GERD issues for years, but I wanted a more robust surgery than the RNY and two surgeons both agreed the DS would be the better option for me because I'm diabetic. The surgery normalized my blood sugar within 24 hours, as well as my blood pressure, and my cholesterol and triglycerides are normal now. It packs a huge metabolic punch. but I do have to watch carbs and sugars or I get diarrhea. My starting weight at surgery was 307, my goal is 180/170. But I regularly see lighter starting weights in my FB support group... Surgery type is a really individual decision!

You are not a failure. The fact that you posted here looking for help means you are open to reaching out for help and that will lead to success!! Many people are too scared to even put the words out there. I urge you strongly to reach out to your bariatric team and get their recommendations for a few therapists that specialize in eating disorders. Try a session with a few of them to find one you like. They will help you navigate the emotional components and anxiety and depression. The surgeon operated on your stomach and intestines, not your brain. Surgery can't fix the inner narratives we have that keep us in cycles we don't want to be in. And Catwoman7 is right, some bariatric patients do end up using appetite suppressing medications to help with those voices, often in conjunction with therapy. There is no escaping the head work, it HAS to be done or it will undermine you at every turn. In time you'll learn how to companion with it and live along side it. It may always be there in some form, but that doesn't mean it gets to be in the driver's seat 24/7.

Um, your doctor should have told you that not ALL bariatric patients lose their feelings of hunger after surgery. And even when they do, hunger eventually comes back for almost everyone. Hunger is a normal body sensation! It would be nice to have a break from it, but not all of us get that. I woke up in the recovery room and was STARVING! It wasn't a vague hungry either, I would have eaten seafood in that moment and I generally hate seafood (though post op I now like fish, oddly). I felt really annoyed, especially because before surgery I had not experienced hunger in a long time. I have had some instances of head hunger post op. Like Summerseeker said, if it is a particular craving, it is most likely head hunger. If you'd eat a protein you don't even like, or plain chicken breast, it is probably genuine hunger... Either way, your digestive system isn't ready for any solids yet, so expect to feel hungry for a while. I never found increasing protein helped it. The only thing that helped was the soft food stage, and even then, it took a while to settle. Also, if you aren't on a PPI, the extra acid in our tummies can cause you to be ravenous when you aren't really hungry, it is a gnawing stomach pang sort of feeling caused by the acid irritating your new tummy.

Also, contrary to popular belief, it is VERY hard to stretch out your stomach with the sleeve surgery!! This is because our sleeve is made out of stomach tissue that is less stretchy than the rest of the stomach. It takes months, sometimes years, for it to relax enough that you can eat your normal bariatric portions. And some people always have high restriction... But even when you can eat bigger portions, it is still rare to stretch out your sleeve. Most stories you hear of it are from people whose first sleeve surgery wasn't done properly. Or else they were overeating by a significant amount at every meal over a loooong period of time! My surgeon told me this is actually quite rare, because the less stretchy stomach material means you are much more likely to just vomit if you try to overeat than to actually be successful enough with it you stretch out your sleeve. I found that very reassuring!!

Have they tested you to see if you are having issues with reactive hypoglycemia? This usually kicks in 1-4 hours after a meal, but since you've had a bypass it is possible it could kick in faster for you if your food is transitioning faster. I've seen FB groups for bariatric patients that have this issue. I've noticed it often happens years out from surgery... I used to have issues with this before bariatric surgery, even on a low carb diet. Eating small meals often with fat and protein paired with your carbs is usually what they advise to treat it, along with other dietary adjustments. Personally if I don't eat every 2-3 hours, I aggressively crash energy wise. It is very pronounced. I have to carry snacks with me everywhere to prevent me going past that 3 hour mark or I look like the Energizer Bunny without his battery! LOL

I agree with the others, contact your surgeon and let them know. It isn't unusual to have intolerances to protein shakes early on. I couldn't stomach them for the first several weeks. I could get in my fluids though, with diligence, but they had to either be very cold or very warm, my stomach didn't like anything in between, and even with fluids I would get this intense twisting pain with every swallow, like my stomach was trying to cartwheel inside me! But after the two week mark this started to ease. I was able to water down protein water and get it in. Then I was able to thin out protein shakes with milk and get them in. I was still nauseated daily until the 8 week mark, but meds helped with that. My surgeon said this whole track wasn't unusual, I was one of those rare patients that got the side effect of stomach spasms post surgery and they usually calm down after a few weeks. He was right! By weeks 3-4 I could drink most things without pain, as long as I kept sipping rather than trying to gulp. I'm 3 months out and still can't gulp... But this is definitely a situation where you want your surgeon's office aware of how you are feeling so they can send you in for fluid infusions if you start to show signs of dehydration. Dehydration is the number 1 complication of bariatric surgery in the early weeks, plenty of people end up with hydration infusions until the swelling goes down in their tummies enough they can get their water in.

Zofran can cause wicked constipation, even if you are using it sporadically. So can calcium, which is the main ingredient in Tums. If you are eating more than two a day, you could be causing considerable constipation, and the extra stomach acid can cause intestinal issues too. I'd definitely talk to them about continuing the PPI. Have you tried using a stool softener daily for a while? It isn't unusual for bariatric patients to need them long term, but they can be especially necessary in the early months. For some it isn't enough and they have to add in a dose of Miralax daily. Miralax and stool softeners are safe even if you need to use them for a while, the ones that cause issues with bowel dependency are the stimulant laxatives. I'd talk to the doctor about how your bowel movements are when you get a chance. I know some sleeve patients can end up not going for several days at a time, but usually mucus is seen when something is irritated in your GI tract. They might know of another cause though...