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I don't mean to be judgmental about this because I went through it, myself. I first heard of weight loss surgery when I was in college, and I had already struggled with my weight and countless diets over the years. Gastric bypass sounded like an absolute miracle -- something that would just magically prevent me from overeating! I went to an informational seminar and a consultation with a surgeon, but when I started learning about how much work it would be, I thought, "If I had that much willpower, I wouldn't need the surgery!" I read people's personal experiences with WLS and was very turned off by how much their surgery affected their lives, because I wanted something that wouldn't require me to devote my whole life to weight loss. I backed out and it took me another 15 years before I was ready to put in the effort of the lifestyle changes. I'm very grateful to have the "tool" of weight loss surgery, but it required (and continues to require) a lot of work on my part.

Well, if the term "lifestyle changes" doesn't get rid of them (which is my goal -- I do not wish to discuss my body, my weight, or my diet with anyone other than medical professionals, and I consider it rude for people to ask about these personal topics in public, so I just want them to drop it without having to be rude myself and say, "None of your business"), I sometimes mention specific lifestyle changes, all of which are true. I work out daily, track my food intake, avoid sugar and fried foods, eat more vegetables, find healthy recipes to cook, and use online grocery shopping to avoid temptation. These are actual lifestyle changes that I have made and use along with the tool of my surgery, and I know that if I fall off the wagon of all these lifestyle changes, I can easily regain a lot of the weight. I WISH the surgery worked like magic and I didn't have to make permanent lifestyle changes.

I sure hope the surgery helps with fibro, at least some. In my mind, getting the weight off will give my body one less thing to be angry at me for.

I wonder if this bothers people because it hits a little too close to home. I used to hate when people said, "It's not a diet -- it's a lifestyle change!" (usually when referring to... a diet, e.g., keto). But now, I get it, as much as I hate to admit. I actually use that now to shut people up when they get too nosy about my weight loss (I have kept my surgery private and not told any friends, family, or coworkers). When they demand to know my secret to weight loss, I say I made a lot of lifestyle changes, and that's not what they want to hear. I see a lot of people on this forum who seem to expect the surgery to work like magic -- to make weight loss easy, instant, and permanent. Reminding people that surgery is a tool, not something that works on its own, might be a reality that's hard to face.

being restricted on your food choices is temporary. When I hit the six-month mark, any and all food restrictions were lifted. After that, it came down to what my stomach could tolerate (and I can eat pretty much anything except for really fatty meals). I just have to eat smaller portions than I used to, otherwise my weight will start heading north again. I should add that I was a pretty healthy eater even before surgery (although granted, I ate way too much of it). I did enjoy occasional treats, but I mostly ate pretty healthy. If you're used to eating a lot processed food and sugary or fried things, then you'll be dealing with bigger changes than I had to and might miss some of that - but I don't miss anything since I can eat pretty much anything I want to again (although there are times when I'm eating some fantastic pizza or barbecue and wish I could shovel more and more in like I used to be able to do - but it would be physically painful for me to scarf up half a large pizza or a huge pile of BBQ in one sitting with this tiny stomach). But to answer your question, no, because I eat pretty much what I did before - I just eat a lot less of it.

Hi all newbie here. I had the sleeve surgery back in 2015. I did super well until 2020 when I was placed on a depression/anxiety monthly injection that caused some serious side effects. Unknown to the doctors, therapists and myself one of the non-listed side effects were to lose weight. At this point I was already at goal of 160# but the injection made me loose down to 121# within 2 months. I had become super weak, with almost no mobility. It was so bad that I could no longer take care of my personal needs without assistance. I could no longer walk but shuffle no more than about 6 feet before giving out and having to rest. My family doctor told me I absolutely had to gain weight of a G tube might be in order. My phyc doctor change my meds and unfortunately, I went from 121# to now 225# within about 6 months. Here I sit literally only 42# away from my WLS starting weight Now every time I try to do a reset or just simply get strict with eating and watching all my intake, I do good for about 3 days then I goof up again. For all those years I was able to keep my diabetes at bay, but it showed it weary head last year and has been acting up ever since. My mom died in 2004 from complications of diabetes so I have to get back on track. My dad passed away in August this past year (I am a daddy's girl 100%) and he begged me to have the revision and get my life back on track so this is what I shall do. Any tips or info you wished you would have known prior to the revision from sleeve to bypass? I greatly appreciate any info and prayers. (NOTE: I am in the midst of getting my medical records to locate the name of the injection I was on as I do not recall the name of it)

I hate the blood thinners, but I’m doing great so far. I’m already a lot more mobile and it doesn’t hurt to move anymore, so my daily steps are up from 2k/day to over 6k/day. I’m having a bit of a stall weight wise now at 12 lbs down and 10 days post-op but I try not to stress about it and just carrying on with my new routines.

Hello, I guess I can day I feel great. I'm still hurting in my stomach, but it's getting better. I weighed 338 pounds the first visit to the weight loss management center Oct.19th, 2022. Surgery was January 9th, 2023. As of January 28th, 2023, my weight is 297 pounds. Still have some work to do. The good thing about all of this is that I'm walking, standing, and sleeping more than I've done in more than 15 years. I don't post a lot but I will try to do better. Sent from my SM-S908U using BariatricPal mobile app

My main fear regarding what my body would look like was loose skin. And yes, it's a reality, though it's not as bad as I thought it would be. I have loose skin all over my body, but it was most pronounced on my belly and neck. My stomach seems to look better four years after surgery--or perhaps I've just gotten used to it. I still have a turkey neck and droopy jowls on my face, and they make me look much older. I never thought I would have plastic surgery after weight loose, but I'm now planning a lower face lift and neck lift, since I simply can't hide those areas. I've made peace with the rest of my body. I definitely look better in clothes than without, but it sure beats the embarrassment/shame I felt when I was significantly overweight.

I started a new contract 4 weeks after my surgery. I did struggle a bit because my BP was so low - had times I was very doughy in the head & would lose vision at times. (Always had a tendency to this so…) I had a long history working in this department & they were very understanding. They knew I had a surgery & was recovering so let me negotiate my hours a bit. Funny thing was my boss presumed I’d had a ‘female’ surgery & I didn’t say I didn’t. Some noticed the weight loss ((last worked there five months previously) but they linked it to the surgery too & me trying to be healthier. All very easy actually.

Hey Folks, So I am finishing the pre surgery process here in a couple weeks and it is starting to be real that I’m really going to get the surgery and life as I know it now is going to change. Has anyone dealt with fear of what their new body will look like? I’ve been plus size my entire life. I’m nervous as to what my new body will look like. I worked hard to get to body neutrality and I feel myself starting to fixate on weight I may or may not lose. Has anyone else felt this way?

For me, I've rarely experienced Dumping Syndrome. I had my gastric bypass 9 months ago. I had more issues with the "Foamies" but haven't had that issue in at least 4 months or longer ("Foamies" is when you regurgitate what you've just eaten and you over-produce saliva and start vomitting - for me this was a very slow process and not pleasant - it happened if my pouch couldn't break down what I was eating - i.e. I had a hard time processing chicken breast even if it was so small, etc - this was during the stage of real food, not purees or soft ....anything stringy like kale, spinach, celery, etc. And...if I ate too fast). As far as Sugar & Fat, I never had that issue and I never went Fat Free/Sugar Free either. However, that being said....I don't want to eat fat - especially animal fat, as it made me pretty sick even before my bypass....but I don't necessarily eat Fat Free Yogurt. I tend to look at Nutritional Labels focusing on Protein, Fiber, Carbs. For example, it really depends on the product and it also is a lesson for everyone going through Weight Loss Surgery in Trial & Error. So, you have to see how your body does and if you have any doubt, don't do it. But at the grocery store, I might look at the labels and see what looks like a better fit for me and see how my body does - the Siggis Icelandic Yogurt has less sugar higher protein and my body does great on it. Say for a cheese stick/snack, a regular piece of cheddar is easier for me to digest than fat free. With fresh fruit, I think it's so important to incorporate, along with fresh vegetables. As far as worrying about the sugar content of fruit, I don't think that's an issue at all. I think it's smart to incorporate fruits into your diet - whole fruits whether fresh or frozen, because it's a good, healthy habit that's so good for your body. I've never had ill effects from eating bananas, berries (some of the best fruit for us!), citrus, you name it. Mind you, I'm a former Type 2 Diabetic. One thing that I have had issues with is sugar free products. I think that could be with anyone - I find that monk fruit and stevia are so much better on my body. Most definitely too much sugar free products (ethythritol, xylitol, etc.) can have major negative effects on your system. I have learned to proceed with caution - before and after surgery - with sugar substitutes. Also, your taste buds definitely change after surgery as well. I love using olive oil for cooking. I try to stay mindful and definitely tracking (Baritastic App is my favorite) helps create good habits. Avocados are wonderful, good fats and I try to eat these. I will tell you that my body has "learned" what makes it feel good. For me, the things that make me feel good are oats - just regular, plain oats (not packet) and steel cut are my go-to. Fruit does make me feel good too, I love adding in smoothies with protein drinks and ice and helps me feel great. Greek yogurt does the same. Nut butters without added sugar helps me feel great also. Veggies sautéed in olive oil help me feel good, a light salad and most fish (easy for me to digest and good source of protein). It's all a matter of trial and error but honestly, this is the best thing I've ever done for myself!! I hope sharing my experiences helps you and best of luck to you!!

WLS is like gears on a bicycle. The process of weight loss is climbing a mountain with a regular bike, the Andes, Alps, or Rockies kind of mountain. A regular bike/body could get up there with a lot of walking and conditioning, consistency. WLS is the new fangled gears on the bike that lets you stay on the ride better. The bike still zig zags, traverses and takes switchbacks to reach the top. It still takes a heap of work. WLS is a body like a mountain bike, tackling a mountain, instead of a beach bike trying to climb a mountain. Now how to make that seat comfortable?

I just had a revision from Lapband to RYN on January 10th. My surgeon told me I wouldn’t get restriction from the revision. I have to really focus on weighing and measuring my food intake so I don’t gain weight. He said people who had restrictions from their previous surgery do not feel the restriction. I measure my food and I can only tell when the food hits my intestines and I feel full there in my lower belly.

I know 100% how you're feeling. The waiting is the worst. I kept thinking that if I have cancer, all my hard work was for nothing, and I might as well have just skipped the surgery and stayed fat, since I would lose weight with chemo anyway (my mind went to some dark places). BUT....they say gastric tumors are 95% cancer, and yet mine isn't. So we'll hold on to that for you and just think positive that you'll be ok, too. My fingers are crossed for you, and I'm sending you all the good luck, good vibes, and positive thoughts I have. Just think positively. It's out of your hands now, and while I know it's easier said than done, try not to let yourself go to that bad place where you think about all the negative, bad things. You got this.

Thank you all so so much!!! I'm looking forward to getting all the polyps GONE and then get going with the revision. I'm sad, because I really love my sleeve. But I can't take this pain. So if a revision is what I need, then I'll do it. And I'll go into it with the same attitude I had when getting the sleeve. I just hope my losing weight doesn't slow down because it's a revision. I have like 80 pounds to go and I really don't want that to be messed up with a revision.

I am planning on having my surgery on base. The bariatric center there is very highly rated, so I'm good with the location. I'm in the pre op stages (psych eval, nutrition, ect). At my initial appointment with the surgeon, he said I qualified because of my sleep apnea. I have tried other attempts at weight loss through Weight Watchers and Noom, but it wasn't supervised by my doctor. I also work with a nutritionist, but she hasn't been tracking my weight. Anyway, my question is, if you had your surgery on base, what was the approval process? Sent from my SM-S908U using BariatricPal mobile app

I am waiting on my approval and my primary physician had to fill out a form the last five years of weight history and also medical history

I am with Kaiser of Washington and just had my first provider seminar today 1/27/2023. I scheduled a meeting with surgeon on 1/31/2023 so things are moving quick. I know this will be a 6-8 month program but I am so excited. Question: has anyone out there went through Kaiser of Washington for their weight loss surgery? Please share your experience and how long it took you to get the surgery?

Not for nothing, but surgery or not, why? Why are you living with that? I can assure you there are better people out that would love you heavy or not. And if he is a d**k all the time, it won't make your journey easy. You need support to live a healthy lifestyle, so maybe shed the extra weight and person... JS 😒

Dumping seems less common now than in the past, but I'm from the past. Back when I had surgery about 50% of folks ended up dumping, now I think it's closer to 30%. For the record, even non-ops can dump, though it's not at all common. I am glad I dump. Nothing like being slapped for overdoing sugars and/or fats. It's a great educator. Probably a big factor in why I have stayed at a good weight. Sugar is sugar, and fats are fats. Sugars I'm usually ok on about 1/2 a cup of fresh fruit, though since I don't snack much I don't eat much fruit. I do remember dumping on a banana early on, but they haven't bothered me since. Fruit juices I can't do very much at all. I just generally avoid overly sweet things like desert foods, candy, etc. If my spouse get's a desert I'll have a taste if it looks especially good. I can't ever remember having a problem with avocado, but I never go past 1/2 of one as my pouch is not much bigger than that. Fats in sauces are more problematic as their easy to misjudge. My dumping threshold moves up and down depending on any number of factors such as fatigue, med conflicts, illness, stress and other things that can make a normally acceptable amount of sugar or fat problematic. Symptoms: Early dumping usually happens within 30 minutes and symptoms are nausea, sweating, palpitations, diarrhea, thirst. Late dumping usually happens after 30 minutes and symptoms are about the same except for nausea. Symptoms last about an hour. There is nothing to do about it except get through it. It's not so terrible usually.

Five months in and today officially hit Onederland!!!! I never thought it would happen. I have not seen a 1 in front of my weight in the past 10+ years! I am 5 months out and 70 lbs down now. I’ve had multiple stalls and lots of frustration, but am hoping to continue to get closer to “overweight” on the BMI scale in the next month or two. Reading these posts, I’m so proud of how far all of us have come :)

Hi! I would be happy to be your accountability buddy as well! My sister had this surgery 8 years before me, so it has been nice to have someone to talk to and encourage me. I have lost great weight, but am having issues getting all my protein in, so it is good to get some encouragement from others.

I began working out 8 months after surgery but wish I had started earlier. My weight loss completely stopped until I added exercise in and then it started back up again.