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I have a follow up with my primary today but am fully ready to be sent to ER or go to ER if not directed to. Luckily I've been with this primary for more than a decade...heck...maybe almost 20 years and he knows 1) I am no pain weenie 2) I'm not a hypochondriac 3) I don't seek out pain meds and honestly most don't seem to be worth much HOWEVER when I'm in excruciating pain these days, I'm ready to try anything almost to get even a moment's relief The pain, as many stated, is almost like before removal. I can be in general discomfort, great discomfort or 'curl into a fetal position and try to breath thru it discomfort'. They don't warn you/inform you that having your gallbladder out is not a magic fix and also I wish I had known more about the downsides of not having a gallbladder, not that this would have changed me getting it removed or not but I sure would have been more mentally prepared. I have some of the 'follow up if you get these symptoms' type things going on but NOT the heavy hitter ones like jaundice (yellow eyes/skin) nor high fever. I've had blips of a few low grade temps, whatever they call it these days - 99.4, 99.2, 99.8. My daughters and I are odd as our normal body temps almost never show 98.6, we are all 3 about 95% of the time shown as 97.X. I don't know why and if that is even significant or just normal for many ppl. The discomfort/pain is 'alive' for sure over here (oof, and the bouts of nausea and 'flushing'/redness/clammy-soaked skin). Now I also have a continued burning sensation where..I guess my gallbladder used to be? My stomach gets very bloated/distended. I did a video the other night because I kid you not, I looked like I was 4 or 5 months pregnant. I was a bit taken a back as I'm used to seeing my saggy/deflated stomach and alarmed as I thought...OMG...how much weight have I gained over the holidays...!! (Answer - 8 pounds)...I do know in the past 2 days I've become very constipated so I just know that this is going to end up being a big focus if any scans are done. Yeah, I know...there is a lot of 'stuff' in there. The constipation is due to some unwise food choices and the fact that I'm not eating as much fiber as normal and I tend to have 'cycles' of constipation even when my diet is steady, predictable, relatively low in fat and high in fiber. I've taken stool softeners for past few days and just took a laxative. Anyone know if 2 to 4 years post surgery, can you have SO much constipation that you look VERY pregnant? For the ongoing pain/discomfort/burning I've tried: Not eating for most/90% of the day, drinking broth, doing a day of protein shakes, eating very little, eating a lot (not planned but it happened)..and none of this has impacted/alleviated the discomfort so I'm honestly..puzzled. Dang, I remember the bypass post op months when sometimes things didn't feel right - in hindsight I had some struggles with abdominal spasms and I'd get scanned and they'd be like 'nope, everything is ok'. I guess I should remember it is OK to go in and be seen and get verified that 'everything is ok' I guess that is why i honestly cringe at the thought of going to ER's, etc. Obviously I mentally know at this point that 'not going' is not a solution either. My appt with primary is in roughly 2 hours, I'll be mentally prepared to go wherever he feels is best if he does want me to go be 'seen/scanned', etc. TY to all who have taken time to comment. Hopefully for those who have not had their gallbladder removed you now know to do a bit more research/ask questions. Not saying this should change a recommendation to get a gallbladder removed but there are things you may need to do to make adjustments to your 'diet' post removal that did not get mentioned, nor was I fully aware of the gallbladder's role in our bodies and the fact that nothing else that I'm aware of 'leaps' in to take over that role. I SHOULD have done my homework. I've had 2 years of warning that my gallbladder was NOT Happy. I could have been better prepared. Blah.. Will let y'all know what I find out today and spread what my experience shows me/informs me/clarifies for me in the hope it may help someone else out down the road.

at nine months out, you're probably still not absorbing all your calories. That malabsorption lasts up to two years at best - so watch out! Once that ends, you're likely to gain if you go over your calories (well, not with a one-shot deal - but if you do it for too many days over the holidays, YIKES!) other than that, though, you've done great with this! Congratulations!!

Hello everyone, it has been a while since I posted or updated. Mainly because there isn't much to update. (Just over 9 months post-op) First: I am going to go a head and admit that through the Holidays I sucked! I ate too much (not to be sick, but over my calories) and the wrong things at times. Reset- Holidays are over so I admit it and I am moving on from it and back on the horse and focused! The worst part of this (or at least what I am calling the worst) is that I still lost some weight through it. I am saying this is bad, because other than knowing I shouldn't have done it, there was no "punishment" in my mind. Honestly, I wish I would have just gained a few pounds. But, it didn't seem to stop me from getting re focused and back on track so I will take it. 9 month update: No changes except weight and NSV's! I can eat anything (including what I shouldn't) I don't and have never dumped. I still track everything I eat and drink, still stay within my calorie range (less the previous comment). I had my 9 month follow up with my surgical team. They called me a rock star. I was very proud of myself and how well I am doing. I still don't exercise, they still don't care. LOL Well, kinda, of course it has other health benefits but they are not concerned for the weight loss aspect of it. I am well ahead of schedule, and my Nutritionist has already started talking about my maintenance calories and how to start upping my calories slowly and safely. I told him to slow down, I still want to loose another 43 lbs to hit my goal! He agrees that is achievable, but was merely explaining where my calories would likely fall when the time comes. Which, is about double what I currently eat so he wanted to bring it to my attention so I could mentally prepare for how much more I would to eat to stop loosing weight. He explained that some people struggle physically and mentally to increase so greatly so he wanted me to have time to process and prepare for it. He said I would fall between 2000-2300 calories a day WITHOUT exercising, more depending on the intensity and frequency of exercise. Yeah.. that's a lot. I still drink a shake a day to maintain my calories and proteins, 70g protein or more a day and 80 oz fluids a day or more. Pretty much all water, and usually 1 sugar free drink a day to switch it up. NSV's are ENDLESS! Really, as we lose weight so many things change. Even some bad, like my bony ass knees when I sleep I have to stagger them so the knees are directly on top of each other because they hurt like crazy in the morning! I could go on for days about this subject! Body dysmorphia is real, like really real! When I was my heaviest, I knew I was fat but when I looked in the mirror I didn't see a 422 lbs person but when I saw pictures of my I did.. man I did.. I was sick to my stomach and so disgusted! Now, At almost half that size when I look in the mirror I still see a fat girl but when I see pictures I am like WHOA I am so small. I found out my cousin is 1 size smaller than me, but when I look at her I see someone very small and when I look at myself I cannot believe we are only 1 size different. I look so much bigger! I love to see pictures of myself now! I encourage them rather than hiding in the back of them. I buy shirts from everywhere, and really only because I can. HAH I have never been able to buy a souvenir shirt, they never fit. Not even close to fitting. Now I literally buy them everywhere I can, to an rate of just wasting money because I shrink out of them faster than I can actually get use out of them. To finish up: I hope to hit my goal weight by my 1 year follow up but I know 43 lbs in 3 months will be tough! My original goal was 225, which is much more reasonable to loose in these next 3 months. But 210 is my ultimate goal as that will be half of my starting weight which is pretty freaking cool! 422 down to 250 26/28 down to a 14 4/5XL TALL shirt down to a 1/2x regular shirt Good luck to all!!!! ❤️

I had my gallbladder out 17 years ago, a month after my daughter was born and I still experience pain like that. I call it the phantom gallbladder and one GI doctor said that I wasn't wrong. After I had my weight loss surgery I mentioned the pain to my surgeon and she said it's possible there could be something wrong with the sphincter.

Hello Everyone! I had roux en y gastric bypass back in 2011 and have since had multiple complications that I had to have surgery to fix such as gallbladder removal and repairing a perforated ulcer. Has anyone had any success in getting revision surgery after roux-en-y with Medicaid or Tricare covering the revision? Start weight was 315. Went down to 114 (which was around the time I got very sick) and started steadily regaining in the past 2 years. I never feel full, always hungry, and always nauseous afterward with bad reflux. I was diagnosed with GERD as well. Has anyone here successfully gotten Medicaid or Tricare to cover the procedure? I am in Maryland. Thanks!

Go back to the surgeon who removed your gall or back to emergency sooner rather than later. You shouldn’t still be experiencing pain & the other symptoms three weeks out. I wonder if you may have an infection. I had my sleeve surgery about 2 months before you had your bypass. I had my gall removed in June 2021 so 2 yrs later. Gall stones are pretty common after weight loss. I’m surprised no one picked it up or explored the possibility more deeply sooner & you had to experience gall attacks for so long. They picked up my single gall stone about 8 months after my sleeve during a ultra sound of my liver to check it was okay. I had no symptoms. When I had my first attack (yes, it was horrendous too) I I knew what it likely was. Saw my GP, got a referral back to my bariatric surgeon & he removed my gall about 2 weeks after that first attack. Yes the recovery was a little worse than my sleeve but not much - had gas pain which I didn’t with my sleeve & a little more general discomfort for a week or so. I wonder if your surgery & recovery has been longer & more arduous because your gall wasn’t in the best way (lots of inflammation, the adherences, etc.) But definitely seek medical advice.

Are you still in contact with your dietician? If not give them a call. They should be supporting you along the way & should work with you to develop a way of eating that works for you. How you are eating now should be getting closer to how you will eat in the long term. Do you still track your food? Personally I kept my food choices pretty simple. Protein & vegetables for lunch & dinner. Chose healthier cooking methods. Cooked & prepped 90+% of the food I ate myself. Anything I did purchase I read the nutrition panels very carefully. Kept low fat, low carbs, low sugar. Portion size was very important. And yes as @catwoman7 said the last pounds are the hardest to lose & take the longest to go. Congrats on your weight loss so far.

I'm 2 months post op and starting the gym this week. Starting 2-3 times a week to start. Thinking of joining a weight loss team. Does uiur nutritionist know you are drinking so much Poweraide and Gatorade daily. I was told 1 a day. But with the amount of exercise you are doing it is okay.

I am about 4 months post op. I currently am eating okay but I need to get strict to my diet again. I have about 40 pounds more to lose and my weight loss has stopped. I would like some great ideas for meals that are low cal, low carb, high protein. When I look in the mirror I still feel like I am overweight, I know I have weight to lose on my inner legs and stomach. I would like to lose and get tone as well. The holidays were hard and I was not able to stay on track. Currently I am about 65 pounds down. I have lost a ton of inches. Pants size was 20 and I now wear a size 12. Shirts size was 2x and I now wear a medium. Any tips are helpful. I have been reading a lot of the forums for ideas.

Congratulations on all your accomplishments! Keeping the weight off can be tricky. We still have to deal with our food demons. I’m over 4 years out & I was just dreaming about one of my demons 👿 Thank you for sharing your thoughts. It is great to keep things in perspective & share them with others that will understand.

Really great to hear from someone this far out. You've done amazingly well on your weight loss journey (never mind the travel!!!) so thank you for sharing. Inspiration for those of us coming behind you.

Going on 3, maybe 4 yrs post-op. Wow, never thought there'd come a day when I didn't remember. For past 2 yrs I've endured right sided pain. At first I thought it was ovarian but got that checked (was fine) and was a bit high for ovarian. During scans of ovaries/abdomen, it was consistently noted my gallbladder was 'distended'. Sometimes I'd have attacks of pain that would last for hours. I was always stunned when scans would say no 'sludge, no stones, nada' so I thought great, another medical mystery. Finally when I ended up in ER over Christmas 'sludge' and stones were finally noted so they decided to remove it. I was in so much pain that even getting to ER is a blur (husband drove). I do know surgeon said that while gallbladder removal surgery was technically not a big surgery, the fact that I had gastric bypass did mean surgery may take a bit longer as they had less room to maneuver since abdominal area was 'segmented'. That I remember. I came to, according to my husband, hours later and I wondered wow, why did it take so long? Has anyone had gallbladder removal post weight loss surgery and experience same thing (procedure took longer, etc.) MAIN reason I'm back here after few yrs of absence is there are no other people I can go to that can give me at least comparative experiences (i.e. they've not had weight loss surgery so we are anatomically "different"). Honestly, my gastric bypass was a CAKEWALK compared to getting gallbladder out. Is this normal or have I become a weenie in 3 yrs? It literally still HURTS. I am now roughly 21 days post op and I still have right sided pain almost like my gallbladder was never removed. I mean, I know it has been but WHY does it feel like something is still just 'not right'? I figured I was just having a slow recovery and going to hospital/ER is never fun, especially during holidays. Maybe I should have gone back by now as no urgent care place will see me on this. Primary dr not available until tomorrow but what is he going to do besides refer me? Kind of kicking myself for not going back to ER but am always dreading that 'we don't see anything wrong' type conversations...although about 70% of the times I've gone to an ER, there has literally been a legit issue. My right side hurts...and honestly one area feels like it is burning/on fire. I have no fever. No yellowing of the eyes or skin...so I'm just sitting here in wait mode trying to decide what makes the most sense. Symptoms I am having besides ongoing pain and the burning sensation, is hot flashes/heat waves like NO TOMORROW! (is that from the anesthesia??)...clammy all the time...cold sweats throughout the day, nausea...sometimes brief chills..when I walk I'm having to do the same compression/pain compensation that I had after bypass surgery (although honestly I don't recall constantly feeling like I had to hold my abdomen after bypass surgery. I've done cold packs, heating pads, etc. trying to find some home remedies. I've used up the entire prescription of the muscle relaxer which was the one thing, more than the Tramadol which seemed to give some very very brief relief. Sometimes I feel like my insides are tying themselves in a knot. Only thing I can think of is I'm having abdominal spasming and that..it will abate at some point? I can't keep having this interfere with work which is another whole issue. When you tell your workplace you are having issues after gallbladder surgery...well, you know how you get that feeling especially from others who have had something like gallbladder removed where it truly was no big deal and they are wondering...why are you struggling? Some know I had gastric bypass surgery but I really don't want to have to spell it out for others..ya know? Curious to know if anyone else had similar struggles, did it go away...what did you do? Am I an idiot for not already going back to ER to get checked out instead of just continuing to be in pain or does it indeed just take us longer to recover. Interesting side note, if you ever get online access to your medical records from a hospital/doctor, sign up as I was able to read my freaking surgical notes!! Oooh, another sore point - they noted in my surgical notes my gallbladder or some part of it had grown into/adhered to something else it shouldn't have so they had to 'cut it away'...and they also noted a bile leakage they wanted to fix but could not do the preferred 'solution' as they could not maneuver so they went with a Plan 'B' (my wording). I mean...how about you tell me this stuff after the surgery so I don't have to read about it? My husband said I was gone for literal hours - longer than my bypass surgery by far. Any input even if you sailed through your gallbladder removal is welcome.

I think it is very important to understand where we "are" in life, and where we have come from. Although the "goal weight" for my height and when I started my weight loss journey was to be 145 pounds, I KNEW i would never ever get to that weight. First of all, I have had enough necessary surgeries that plastic surgery and tummy tucks and fat and skin removal was not on the horizon, ever. My surgeon, after looking at my history agreed. But said that MEDICALLY he had to use that number. FINE. WHATEVER. My goal that I used in my own head was 175. I started at 320. I lost 20 pounds before I went to the doctor and asked about WLS, I was so embarrassed.... to weigh that much. I really love my PCP now. She out right told me that IF I had an all around - abdominal - that I would probably lose about 10 to 15 or more pounds. But since I need two knee replacements and I do not do well with anesthesia - she agreed that since I do not have a hanging panus; that it wouldn't qualify for insurance anyway.... I hope to get down to about 162 this go around. But according to my SBMI I am at a 29 - Something I never thought I could accomplish. I LOVE buying regular sized clothing. I LOVE not being the biggest human in the crowd. I will be 67 in a couple months and I am so comfortable in my own skin - no matter how saggy it is !

It's been just over 3 years since I had my RNY (12/31/19). I am so glad I made the decision to do this. It's not easy and there are challenges, but I feel so much better in my own skin. Stats: 5'10; 44 years old Starting Weight: 336 Surgery weight: 292 Lowest weight: 155 Current weight: 172 Wins in 2022: Last year I really wanted to focus on strength and stamina. I set a bucket list goal of climbing Kilimanjaro (I did it in June!) and spent the first half of the year getting in shape for that. That included regular hikes, but also yoga and strength training classes to build muscle and flexibility. I also did a lot of time on the treadmill at incline (I hate the treadmill - but it served it's purpose). In the second half of the year I wanted to keep growing strength, stamina and flexibility but in a way I enjoy so I started HIIT classes. They are a great workout, give me cardio and strength in one which is a huge win. I also still do yoga once a week and try to hike when I can. At the end of the year I am the strongest and healthiest I can ever recall being. I also did a TON of traveling in 2022 which was great for my mental health. I got to see Equador, the Galapagos, Costa Rice, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Alaska, Victoria CA, Little Cayman, and other places in the US West. It's been amazing. Goals for 2023: In addition to continuing to grow on my physical fitness gains from 2022, this year I need to work on my relationship with food. In general I eat much healthier than I did pre-surgery (I was a total carb addict and rarely ate protein or vegetables), however I still struggle with emotional eating and moderation for trigger foods. I am very consciously NOT dieting. There will be times I eat pasta or sweets but I don't want to eat because I'm bored or <insert any emotion here>. I also want to be aware of the scale, I really want to stay between my low weight and where I am now, but not ruled by it. I'm not sure exactly what this will look like, but will figure it it. I also start a new job in a couple of weeks. I'm super excited about the role and the challenge it will present. It will mean a lot less time to travel, but I'm ready to take on something new. My goal (aside from doing well at the job) is to find a way to balance work and life in a more sustainable way that I have in the past. I hope all of you have an amazing 2023 and good luck in your journey's! Lori

Hi Hannah and welcome. So glad to hear how you are basically maintaining your loss. Many do gain a bit of Bounce back weight. Like 10-20 pounds. I have heard it’s usually around year two or three. Maybe your bounce back is just delayed a bit??

really the only ones that can answer that for sure is your own doctor and surgeons team. Most insurance have a requirement of 6 months of weight loss attemps/supervision. your bariatric team should be the ones to let you know as everything progresses.

Hi, I am new to this and I think my Doctor is as well. I saw my DR. and we discussed weight loss surgery. He told me to contact my insurance (Molina) and find out which clinic(s) I can go through. I did that. I then went to a meeting with the clinic closest to where I live. I filled out all of their info only to be told I needed to have my DR. send a certain paper, they attached it to an email and sent it to me. I gave my DR. the paperwork, and I followed up to make sure he sent it in. Essentially that paper was step 1 so I could get approval for step 2. ( Step 2 is connecting with the dietician and doing the weigh-ins for the next 6 months) Step 3 is the actual surgery. I wanted to know, how will I know if I am approved for step 2? will my insurance send me a letter? do I need to talk to my DR. again? Thank You for any help.

I packed light— 1. Cellphone charger/kindle 2. toiletries—Toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, soap, comb/brush 3. Pajama pants 4. Undies 5. Slippers 6. Loose clothes (dress, light weight pants) 7. Got abdominal binder from hospit

Yes, this was the most miserable part for me. I didn't hurt near as bad in any of my other incisions from the surgery, but that one hurt like hell and the pain did not go away for several weeks. It made standing up for any period of time uncomfortable from the tugging at the incision and the general discomfort. It does eventually go away though.. but mine took a lot of time (I think it's even worse if you carry most of your weight in your stomach imo)

I gained weight after surgery & stalled at the 2nd week mark. It's extremely frustrating, especially when youre following all of your doctors orders but you WILL break out of it! I'm 3mos out & I think I've dealt with 3 big stalls already. I promise if u keep going you will see results.

it's probably the infamous "three week stall"; you're just getting it a little early. Most of us experience our first stall within the first 4-6 weeks after surgery - it's usually the third week, hence the name. Mine was weeks 2 and 3. It broke during week 4 and I dropped like 6-8 lbs within a couple of days. Just stick to your program and it'll break - they can last 1-3 weeks, but they WILL break as long as you stick to your plan. And as others have said, this will likely be the first among several - occasional stalls are very normal during weight loss. Stay off the scale for a few days if it's playing with your head too much - and keep in mind that it WILL break, and you'll be on your way again.

Stalls happen. They’re your body’s reaction to the stress of weight loss, reduced food intake, etc. plus as @Hop_Scotch mentioned your surgery. You’ll likely experience more stalls while you’re losing but this perfectly normal. Most last 1-3 weeks. Your weight loss will never be a continuous straight downward line. It will zig & zag, go up & down & not move at all. Stick to your plan & the scale will start to move again. Some people find that while the scale doesn’t move they notice a change in their clothing. Try taking body measurements & comparing changes that way too.

I gained over 10 lbs right after surgery. Fluids from surgery... Etc. Unless you are eating the same amount that you did before surgery, you are losing weight. If you can't understand this concept, then it's better to stay off the scale for now. Try to be patient, it happens to most.

80% of the time I eat what I make at home. I have found that eating out at restaurants - NO MATTER WHAT I eat will cause me to gain weight. I cook with VERY little to no salt. I always have, even when I was so obese. Restaurants salt and pepper salads, steamed vegetables, rice, EVERYTHING. Not too long ago I went out with some work buddies to Panda Express. I got a kid's portion of green beans and chicken over brown rice. I ate the green beans and chicken and maybe three tablespoons of rice. I gained 4 pounds overnight. It took me two days to figure out what had happened, when I realized all I wanted to do was drink water !!!! I was way too heavily salted !!!!! It happens. Also many home cooks follow recipes and most call for a TON of salt. I have friends who come over and the fist thing they do is ask me to haul out the salt shaker ! I happily do. For them.

I was sleeved on 12/21 and my weight has stayed the same since day 4 PO. I am following Dr.s orders. I had a 3 week LRD with no actual food - so I figure this is my 3 week stall. Just keep doing what you are supposed to and the weight will come off.