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It's not just you! I have had a similar experience... I've never been a big drinker, and even when I was 300+ pounds, I had a pretty low alcohol tolerance. I typically only drink a few times per year, usually a glass or two of wine on a holiday (I don't normally keep alcohol in my home). After surgery, I went a long time, I think 2+ years, without drinking at all because I've been told that gastric bypass makes alcohol have a stronger effect. Then I had house guests and bought a bottle of red and a bottle of white for two different meals. Tried a small glass and was ok. Then I had leftovers after the guests left and drank the rest over the course of the next week or so. And like you, I noticed that it felt nice going down -- which really concerned me because I didn't want to develop a drinking habit. So I enjoyed finishing off those two bottles, but once they were empty, I did not buy any more. Since then, I've continued to have only a few drinks per year (wine on special occasions) and I've noticed that I have a VERY low tolerance. A single glass of wine leaves me barely able to stand up. I'm not even sure what point I'm making here, but I guess I'm just saying that I don't think it's your imagination that wine can be soothing to the pouch, but the negative effects outweigh the benefits, at least for me. And of course you want to be careful of developing a transfer addiction.

Hi everyone! So I've been scouring the internet (and the forums lol) for information on menstruation complications post WLS. I've seen plenty of 'scientific' and medical journals talk about how menstrual cycles are better regulated after Gastric Bypass & Sleeve surgeries, and even more comments from WLS patients about how their cycles went haywire, flows became excessive, pain levels increased, etc. Myself, (prior to my WLS) I've always had fairly regular cycles, always heavy flow -- other than at certain points of severe weight gain where I would start skipping (once for 6 months!) or just get trickles of a flow. Other than in my early teens, I never experienced spotting -- whether pre-cycle or between cycles. Now, 2 months post-op I've been getting ... spotting. I think. Again, I've barely ever experienced spotting before but for the past 4 days I've had red/brown discharge on liners & when I wipe. Today one of my ovaries feels sore and my lower back is acting up in a suspiciously pre-period way. I sent a message to my care team -- but they never reply on Fridays to begin with and it's a long weekend here so I doubt I'll hear back from them until Tues/Wed. Would love to get more input on people's personal experiences, whether it's recent post-op or years down the line. Commiserate, complain, let me know this is an (unfortunately) normal thing.

Okay now that I’ve told my regain story and done as much research as I can (there is not a ton of info out there about the SADI) I have questions. Some that are white awkward tk Ask the doctor. First and foremost is how many of these procedures he had done. He is a very well knows surgeon, head of the bariatric department at the hospital even but I don’t think he has done a lot of this particular procedure. In fact the poster schematic is not yet on the wall and his office did not have any information packets to share about the procedure yet. If he says I am first I want to ask what makes him comfident he is capable? I’m pretty sure he just does sleeve and bypass primarily. So how differnt is if than a bypass?? I sorta understand the gist of it but I admit I don’t understand normal anatomy nevermind the exact differences between the procedures. also, I read some medical research on the procedure and they were talking about less complications after the learning curve a couple years later. Did that mean the individual surgeons learning curve or did they mean the field has learned from each others mistakes. I have to admit maybe being in the first few adds a little bit more anxiety to all this. Next I need to ask him, if he made my sleeve to big if he will correct that as well I have always felt like my sleeve was a little larger than everyone else’s based on how much I could eat so if he gets in there and that’s the case does he fix that as part of the procedure if so, is that now a differnt procedure and does that matter? I am not expecting anyone to know answers to these questions just help me with the way to word them so that I can feel comfortable asking I don’t want him to think I am questioning his surgical skills because I know he is really good but I still need some reassurances here

I just had bypass as a revision as well about 10 days ago. The last two morning I woke up with feeling something in my throat accompanied with sore throat feeling? But no acid taste. I really hope it’s not reflux!

Hi all, I had my Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB) and a Hiatal Hernia repair February 29, 2024. This is my 3 day home. Today has been really challenging, I feel super nauseous and my sense of smell is really heighten, I smell everything. I feel super emotional and I feel really bloated. I’ve got a call into the doctor about the nausea, hopefully will hear something back soon. I have my first follow up on March 7th. My emotions are all over the place, super sad and happy all at the same time… Good grief, definitely a learning curve!

I'm curious what they told you to expect in terms of weight loss, as I've heard revisions for that purpose don't necessarily produce large weight loss (but do help with issues like GERD). I'm afraid I don't know much about gastric bypass and IBS. That's quite a bit of fruit and veg they have you eating preop. I wish you luck, though, and hope you can get answers to the questions you have!

Just a little 10-15lbs mostly because of the stressor of surgery itself (but I regained it and lost it again) My surgeon was keen on me staying in the 26-28 BMI range so he suggested to not make the bypass length his standard 150 cm but 120-130 cm instead.

I took off 6 weeks but I'm a nurse who has a pretty physical job at moments. I also had my second granddaughter due during my 5th week off so I chose to take 6 weeks so I could enjoy a week of baby cuddles ❤️ Honestly, I had zero complications and very minimal pain with my bypass. Was driving and doing most things without trouble, albeit a bit slower, within the first 3 days. I would suggest take as much time as you can and elect to go back sooner based with how you feel. If you can afford and allow yourself the extra time, just enjoy it and get super familiar with your new you and your new routines. Good luck!!

Hi everyone, I had my bypass surgery 3 months ago and I am just a bit worried about my portion size. I am currently living in UK and struggling to understand whether I am eating too much as I am the majority of the time still hungry and it is very challenging to control. I am just scared that if I continue like this, my appetite will keep increasing and based on what I have heard from other patients from different clinics who had the same operation, they do have smaller portions. One of my friend's relatives had the same surgery and he did say to me that his portion size is not more than 8g/3oz. I have been advised by the dietitian to have 3 main meals up to 150 grams/5oz each, drink plenty of water, healthy snacks and focus on the protein. The surgery was done abroad in a private clinic and this is what they suggested to do already on the 3rd week after the operation. I do use kitchen scales to keep track of the portion size. I would appreciate any advise. Thanks!

Hello, well I am doing a bit better, I was able to get my central feeding tube out in November. I'm stilling struggling with most foods, but i'm slowly getting there.. I can do about 400 or less calories a day, i get about half my protein and water goals daily. Doc said i was doing ok.. I have to take a hand full of stomach meds 3-4 times a day or help my stomach push the food though and ones so i don't throw up. said thing is, my weigh isn't dropping like i thought it would. but hopefully down the road it will change. I happy to hear that you're doing well. Keep up the good work.

Bypass patients are supposed to take B12 supplements (either by injection or sublingual tablets) because our new stomachs lack intrinsic factor which is needed to digest it. You likely won't absorb the B12 that's in your multi or food. So keep taking it unless/until your clinic advises you to stop. As everyone said above, high B12 isn't dangerous. I wasn't told to cut back on my supplement until mine went over 2000.

Hello everyone. I’m new here. I had my gastric bypass surgery on March 13, 2024, along with a large hiatal hernia repair. I am in no pain. I vomited once since I’ve been home. That’s only because I drink something too fast. I would love to know how is everyone doing or have done after the first week of surgery? I am just sick and tired of drinking everything. I need help to see if I can help at least a little something so like a scrambled egg or something. I take a lot of medication and I’m afraid to even take my meds. Please feel free to comment and help me out. thank you so much. The first picture is me 6 months before surgery. The second one is 1 month before surgery.

Throwing my anecdotal experience in the ring here, as well! I had a Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy (VSG) at the end of November 2023. I was a "slower loser" the whole time, and then I hit a major stall about 6 months post-op, just bouncing around the same ~5ish pounds for months. I set up an appointment with my team for July 8th, discussed the issues I was having (mainly just being hungry and therefore eating larger portions), compared the different options, and we settled on trying out Phentermine. I did have to have a mobile heart monitor for 30 days prior to my surgery, as I had these weird heart "flutters" for YEARS and nobody could really figure out what they were (they ended up being PACs, or Premature Atrial Contractions, which apparently almost everyone has at some point and most people can't feel. I'm just unlucky! They are benign if they are not occurring in excess). My team had me do an EKG in-office that day, as well. They asked about any family history of heart issues, sudden death at early ages, etc. With a normal EKG, I was started on half of a 37.5mg tablet for 4 days, to increase to a full tablet after that if there was still residual hunger and I didn't have any major side effects. They said I'd know within those first few days if it was going to cause any issues. I did increase to the full 37.5mg after 4 days, and I've broken the stall (dropped 5lbs since July 8th, and part of that was spent at a music festival with few healthy food options), and I feel generally great! I do also have ADHD and Narcolepsy, so the stimulant properties are helpful for me. I'm feeling satisfied with much smaller portions and not experiencing cravings at all. I did have some mild insomnia the first few days, BUT I am already a night owl with a bit of insomnia due to the Narcolepsy, so it wasn't a big issue. Other comorbid conditions include depression and anxiety, which I am taking medication for, as well. The anxiety has not been exacerbated, which WAS an issue I had with previous stimulant use for Narcolepsy. Cost-wise, it ended up being roughly $7 USD with insurance. For me, trying Phentermine is definitely worth it, and I will follow up with my team later next month to see where I'm at. I had feared I was done losing after only 6 months post-op, and Phentermine has restored my hope that I can keep going to get to a healthier weight. It's important to remember that, while Phentermine will decrease your appetite, it does NOT cause you to burn any more calories than normal unless you also increase your activity. You have to decrease your portions - the Phentermine just makes it easier to do that, if it works as intended. So, your personal experience may vary, but it's worth discussing with your team if you feel stuck! EDITED TO ADD: My team said that I need to take a break from using it daily about once a month (like, not take it for a couple of days), otherwise I'll develop a tolerance and it won't work as well. This is pretty typical for stimulant medications in general.

this is very thought provoking for me! you know, it never even occurred to me that getting wls would/could have re-inforced negative body issue ideas to my daughter at the time i had it. like the other poster above, i just told her point blank (she was 12 or 13 at the time). i think it was along the lines of "i'm having surgery to reduce the size of my stomach to help me lose weight". and i remember her asking me why i wanted to lose weight and me saying that i am fat and i'm getting old and being fat and old will probably stop me from getting older....AND i just wanted to not be fat anymore and surgery will help me alot in achieving this. and that was that. now, my daughter is familiar with the concept of surgeries so maybe that is why she presented as aloof when i told her. when she was 5 or 6 she asked about my breast reduction scar and i told her i had surgery to make my boobs smaller because they were too big before and hurting my back, and now my back doesn't hurt anymore. also when she was younger she asked why she doesn't have younger brothers or sisters and we explained Mr.'s vasectomy. she was 10 when my mom had double bypass surgery and she knew that the doctors took a vein from grandmas leg to put in her chest to help her heart work better. she is also like her father, slim and naturally active and fit, so i dunno if me doing something to my body to "fix" weight would trigger her in any way... BUT i totally see now how WLS in particular may touch on self-image issues and ideas that we may perpetuate or even create about our kids bodies. i'm gonna go ask her about her thoughts later.

Hi I don't know of many people with the protein problem but my daughter is in the same position as your mother her blood level for protein is almost non exciting her bariatric surgeon has told it is because she hS malabsorption but at the same time she is allergic to protein where as I hD the bypass and have fat malabsorption I am also 69yrs lost 70kg my daughter had the sleeve In Australia we have a group on Facebook for the over 50 people maybe she should look at and even join it hope this helps abit

I am three years post sleeve contemplating revision surgery and I am trying not to do food funerals this time. I still don’t have a surgery date though so let’s see how I feel as I count down the days. . I am thinking I am going to have the SADI so I really May have stuff I can never tolerate Again. Now I’m thinking…maybe just one last meal, lol. But if you are like me and carbs make you crave carbs maybe stop these a few days before your scheduled to start the pre op. Otherwise the preop will seen that much harder. Just FYI also, With the sleeve I was able to tolerate anything post surgery and I’ve heard the same from a lot of people who have had bypass (although they can sometimes only have very small amounts of certain things).

Tonight I went to the required education session that my NHS Trust has as a non-negotiable requirement of being accepted for surgery. I will be honest and say I was left feeling completely underwhelmed with it. There was about 16 of us, all pre-op but at different stages of the required tests etc plus some family members (hubby went with me) There was also a Bariatric nurse, a dietitian and a former patient who had had the bypass in 2022. She explained her journey but it seemed very…I don’t know, sterile? Wrong word I know but I don’t know how else to explain her approach. She’s obviously happy with how it all turned out for her but it all seemed very whitewashed, which I found odd. She only mentioned one case of dumping syndrome but everything else was a walk in the park, which had me internally questioning things. She said she was currently in a months long stall but again, everything was hunky-dory. Someone asked about a typical days eating and it seemed really carb-heavy - toast for breakfast, sandwich for lunch, cheese and crackers for a snack, sausage and chips or mash for dinner etc etc. I asked about what additional protein she had - didn’t/couldn’t answer, asked about exercise - some walking and that’s about it. She mentioned hair loss being an issue but that it all grew back and was great. I know I’m being picky but I honestly wanted a more rounded discussion about of lots of different challenges that we could face with WLS and living the life post-op. I’d say out of the group that was there, maybe 5 had done any wider reading or research. I did find out that the hospitals approach to caffeine post-op is you can have a couple of cups of tea/coffee a day but they would rather patients filled up on foods/drinks that added protein, especially at the beginning. I also found out about the vitamins they give you and that they put the timings on the boxes to aid patients with timings etc, which was useful. Something that was bothering me was if my BMI dipped below 40, would I still be considered for surgery as I don’t have any co-morbidities like diabetes, heart issues etc. I need to get it below 40 before I will be considered for knee surgery, and I’m hoping that will happen end of Oct/beginning of Nov all being well. I was reassured about that, saying that they go off the booking weight reported by the GP when referred initially 🙂 I will be completely honest and say that, apart from some very specific questions I had of my hospital, I actually find this forum of much more use and beneficial to me personally. I have found out so much information from people who are further along in their own WLS journey, plus I know I’ve felt really supported by lots of very lovely and helpful users. There is such a wealth of experience on here that I know that if I have a question, someone will be along to answer it! Roll on the dietitian appointment next week 🤞

Interesting question. Some say it’s the weight you need to lose to put you at a healthy BMI. Some say it’s the weight they personally want to lose to put them in their happy weight zone - a weight that worked for them in the past or they think will work for them in the future. Personally, I think of it simply as the weight you want to lose to get to your goal regardless of how you worked it out or chose it. Not as a sort of standardised amount of weight defined by someone else (surgeon, dietician, etc.) or statistical data. This (weight loss) is all about you & your experiences & no one else’s. As you know not every one reaches their goal & statistically average weight loss with sleeve or bypass is about 65% of the weight you are to lose (based on BMI defined excess weight). And then there are those who find they’re happier at a weight that is more or less than the goal they initially chose. They all lost excess weight & are healthier for it.

I never feel like that….that stinks for you. Are you taking the pink liquid medicine? Yeah I know I’m great with medicine names. Lol but that med is supposed to coat the stomach and help with digestion issues. I know from a friend that she said I will know when I’m full… like she can eat and then like start sweating and she knows she’s eating something she’s not supposed to or she needs to stop immediately. This only happened bc we went on a cruise like a year or less after she had bypass and she was still adjusting,

A new week beckons… Laid in bed this morning, just taking stock of how I’m feeling and I actually feel happy. It’s been a long time since I’ve had that happy feeling for no apparent reason. The first part of my WLS journey is completed and now out of my hands for now so I’ve mentally put that to one side. I’ve started back at the gym and I’M LOVING IT!! I know the gym isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but I truly enjoy it. I found something that works for me and can sustain it, which is really important for anyone trying to improve their fitness. I’ve been 3 times this past week and I’m not pushing it as yet, no matter how much the little devil on my shoulder is telling me to 😈 I’m aiming to go every 3rd day at the moment but will re-visit that in a few weeks time. Granddaughters party went as well as could be expected with other little kids there! I didn’t go mad food-wise - a burger, handful of mini sausage rolls, 1 Jammie Dodger, a cupcake and a small piece of cake. I actually threw a piece of quiche away which is a first for me and left the crisps, coleslaw etc alone! I know it may seem a lot but compared to what I would shovel away previously, it’s actually quite restrained! My body shape is changing, even if the scales aren’t particularly moving right now. I went through my gym stuff and tried on a pair of leggings that are size 18/20 and they fit! That was a bit of a surprise, especially as I couldn’t get them up my thighs previously 😮 Various other items are now ether too big or now fitting whereas before they were too tight. The jeans that were fine a few weeks ago? Can now get them off without unfastening them! I actually had to buy some smaller things this week. I’m not a fan of bras, they dig in and I find them uncomfortable. So I prefer the crop-top bralette type things (I’m a C cup at most) I’d noticed that I wasn’t feeling as ‘secure’ as I had before so decided it was time to update. I got a couple of vest tops with built-in support and a 3 pack of bralettes from M&S, all in smaller sizes and all fit - yay! It’s the simple things really that can give such a boost 🙂 Hairdressers tomorrow. I’m having a bit of a crisis with my hair at the moment. When I was accepted on to the Bariatric Pathway, I decided to grow my hair (all part of the ‘New Me’ vibe) Previously I had pixi-type cut and now it’s a short bob, just about at the bottom of my ears. However it’s lacking any body and looks really thin. I know my meds can play havoc, especially as I started a new injection back on November which can cause hair thinning after a few months. My hair hasn’t come out in clumps or anything, I’m just finding lots of stray hairs on things. I know that WLS also causes hair loss, so I’m now floundering a little. I’m going to have a chat with my hairdresser and see what she comes up with but I’m really erring on the side of ‘chop it off’…sigh…it’s not easy being a woman at times is it?? I plan to tackle more of my wardrobe this week and get that thinned out. Has anyone else gone through their clothes and thought to themselves “what were you thinking?” Yeah, I’m having a bit of that. However it’s more of a case of I’ve bought something previously and it has remained unworn. This is what happens when you’re the size of a a house - you buy something because it fits, not because you actually like it. I definitely will be a damn sight more discerning moving forward. Have a fabulously productive week everyone 😉 Onwards and Downwards!

You being able to drink more fluids is not due to your tummy being bigger. You probably are not having as much internal swelling as someone else does. Also, some never lose their ability to gulp a good bit of water, and you don't list your surgery, some bypass patients also have this happen. Fluids exit our stomach really quickly, some faster than others. The restriction with fluids early on is because of the internal swelling and how long it takes to get to the stomach through that swollen area. I had a LOT of swelling. Water went down at a trickle. I could literally hear it displace air in my stomach when it finally got there, like a little drain finally clearing. It was hilarious and so strange feeling. For me it took 3 weeks for this weirdness to stop. I can take a good 3-4 full swallows most days now before I get pressure from my tummy to slow down. I tell you all this because I know for a fact I have a larger sleeved stomach than most, my surgeon made it that way due to reflux. I've seen it empty fluids on imaging, it is fast as lightning! LOL Your tummy will not lead to bad food choices, even if it were bigger. But your mind will! Trust me, once you add solid proteins in, you will probably feel your restriction to some degree. Many never feel restriction with purees and fluids.

I also can't speak to co-morbidities other than some arthritis in my hips and knees. That's definitely better now but it wasn't my main motivation to have my surgery. I wanted not to become diabetic or develop any other weight-related disease. There's a definite risk of developing reflux after a gastric sleeve whereas that risk isn't there with bypass so you need to take that into consideration. We all react to surgery in different ways and it can be impossible to predict accurately in advance so do discuss bypass with your surgeon too. They'll have up to date stats about the likely relative effects on your diabetes for sure. The sleeve has been everything I wanted and more. My only regret, as we often say here, is not having it done 20 years earlier. I hope your surgeon can help you decide whether it's best for you.

Agreed, also had gastric bypass, 2 week liquid diet was awful, I felt hungry and it was difficult but did get better after day 4. Since surgery, I've felt hungry a couple of times, not in the usual way at all. I feel an overall need to refuel, usually when I've been extremely active. I've also felt hungry as in my stomach is empty, maybe two times. It didn't have the same effect, it was just a feeling, I realized I hadn't eaten as usual and should be hungry, set my timer to stop liquid, ate, and it was gone and I was left feeling satisfied. It's all just so much calmer, if that makes sense.

MOST bypass patients will not have heartburn, but not all. Occasionally heartburn can happen. Usually it is temporary while the stomach is healing and readjusting itself. Definitely talk to your surgeon about this. If your heartburn was from acid reflux from the stomach when you had the sleeve, the odds are overwhelmingly in your favor that it will settle down soon. Rarely a person can have bile reflux, but this is very different and normally tests are done to make sure it isn't that before revision surgery is done. Also, ask for nausea medication. If you have it and it isn't working well, ask for a different one. For me, Zofran does nothing, but Promethazine is amazing! So you could just need a med adjustment.

Good for you. If you find a resource that helps to find the doctors with relevant experience, please post it. I would love to find a new dr but wasn’t really certain how to go about searching. I went to my primary when I started this journey again (for my revision) to ask her for info and her opinion about the SADI surgery and she had to ask me how to spell SADI to put it in my chart. I thought okay well this is fairly new so I guess I can’t really blame her BUT when I asked her if she felt like the bypass was a good fit she asked me what the specialist said and that she would defer to him. Plus, the first SADI was done in 2007. For us lay folk that is fairly new but for someone in the medical field who is supposed to be doing continuing education we are coming up on 18 years since it’s been around. Anyways, I asked if I need to find someone else to treat me post op and she said well, for a few months if you have any issue at all you just go to their office first and make sure it’s not possibly related to the surgery or If you should come see me. Well, that strategy may have worked with some of the other surgeries but this surgery has more long term complications associated with it. I foresee myself paying for and wasting time and frustration enduring a number of unnecessary tests and appointments all the while getting worse if an issue is related to my altered anatomy If I stick with her. Is it sad that what I was expecting for her to say something along the lines of Well, now that I have a patient that is undergoing that procedure, I will be doing my research on how best to treat you? It’s so sad that is just not how it works anymore. I feel like they need to replace the word “refer” with “defer” in primary care. As in defer the responsibility to someone…anyone else. That’s what it feels like most doctors seem to want nowadays, more and more money and none of the responsibility. Must be friggin nice. Anyhow, Having a good primary that’s has knowledge of these surgeries would be huge asset and i really hope that you do find it. I fear that in my tiny town, especially with my newer surgery I won’t have very good luck with it. I do plan to ask the surgeons office if they know or anyone though. That may be a good resource for you too if you hadn’t thought about that.