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There’s some research coming out now saying artificial sweeteners actually encourage weight gain. The body tastes sweet but there’s no calories & no ‘sugar’ (glucose/fructose/etc.) which it does need in small amounts. Your body reacts by storing additional calories you consume as fat. That’s the basic explanation. So all those so called diet sofas & other no added sugar foods are actually making you gain weight. If I don’t let the bubbles go out or at least reduce a lot from the tonic in my occasional G&T, my restriction kicks in. Plus I get the hiccups. I drink a large glass of sparkling water everyday but I pour the glass in the morning & let it sit for ages till it’s practically flat. I usually don’t finish it until mid to late afternoon. It’s just a change from plain water which I also drink through out the day.

I have 10 years of data on my fitness pal showing me that every time I stop weighing myself routinely then I have a dramatic spike in weight. I’m very head-in-the-sand about weight gain, so I know I have to keep an eye on it. Normally I would be a once-a-day weigher, but since I’m in active weight loss right now I’m trying to limit it to 2-3x a week. That way I can (usually) see the scale drop at least a little each time and I don’t drive myself crazy with fluctuations.

It's not real weight gain. It reflects swelling, IV fluids they gave you in the hospital and water retention. The number on the scale doesn't mean much this early. You're good, this is normal healing!

You bet! At 7 years post op, it’s definitely harder. I’m up 35 pounds from my goal weight I maintained for quite a few years. But life happened, and I went back to old habits. As time goes on after surgery, the easier it is to overeat. I’m happy to say I’m back on track again! And let me tell you, eating less and eating protein and lots of fiber has really brought my sleeve restriction back! I’m down 5 pounds and am already feeling physically better. Guys, don’t ignore weight gain after maintenance. You’ll have some “bounce” weight where your body wants to be, and that’s completely normal. But any gain after that take seriously. I was doing the “It’s only 10 pounds” It’s only 15 pounds” until 35 pounds, and then was like “What the hell happened??” I don’t want to get tiny again like the pic on the left at my lowest. I was comfortable at 160, and that’s realistically what I’m shooting for. I can do this! And YOU can, too! Oh, pic on the right is me currently.

I wanted to preface this post with this optimistic fact. My husband had the surgery with amazing results and no problems whatsoever 15 years ago - it saved his life. He lost over 150 pounds and kept if off. He's gained and lost the same 25 pounds like your typical middle aged person, but it's been nothing but a blessing for him. We had different surgeons. My experience wasn't so awesome, and I feel it's so important to share a few facts so you choose the RIGHT surgeon and ask the RIGHT questions. I hope I can help people avoid the avoidable. I'm a big believer in the surgery - but I want you to not suffer. Let me help:) What's the problem? The sleeve has a common and serious side effect that I suffer with, and that many surgeons downplay. GERD. But this isn't the GERD you think you know - I'll jump into that later. GERD has up to a 30% rate of occurrence after VSG - that's a lot higher then what my doc told me. https://nyaspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nyas.14467. Not only did my doctor gloss over it, and convey that it was "really rare", but he didn't really explain what this type of GERD is. I'm going to explain what this type of GERD is, and then I'm going to arm you with the right questions and research to do before you pick a surgeon. Because once it goes bad, your surgeon will pawn you off on a GERD doctor and that's that. Let me help you get proactive and avoid a bad result! What is VSG GERD? Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or chronic acid reflux is when acid shoots into your esophagus and throat. VSG GERD is different - that's why I'm giving it its own name. I never had GERD before the surgery. Now I get VSG GERD after drinking 4 oz. of water. It's NOT triggered by food. This isn't occasional, it's constant without dangerous meds. I now weigh 115 pounds, so it's not triggered by overindulgence or weight gain brought on by binging. Now you might think you already know GERD. Who hasn't had to pop a tums here and there? Not a bad trade off for a morbid obesity cure, right? THIS IS NOT THAT!!!! VSG GERD is an unrelenting tidal wave of persistent, burning acid that causes chest pain (and emergency room visits) that can only be somewhat managed by daily, longterm use of a class of drugs called PPI's. These PPI's lead to malabsorption and a host of side effects. I sit in my local cancer center to have my bi-annual 4-hour iron infusion with chemo patients to name just one. https://journals.lww.com/ajg/Fulltext/2018/10001/Effect_of_Long_Term_Proton_Pump_Inhibitor_Use_on.1227.aspx PPI's are a class of drugs that are only intended for 2 weeks of use because of their fairly horrific side effects. PPI's are linked to depression, blindness, cancer, and early death, (and this is the short list). There are several law firms dedicated to compensation for PPI victims. PPI's makes me feel like I've just downed a bottle of Mayo. I've been nauseous for years. I alternate between taking a bottle of tums a day so that I can take breaks from the PPI - but I always revert back to them after a short break to alleviate the pain. I am seriously at risk for a ton of really serious diseases, and my liver tests are really bad. PPI's are deadly. I'm in the process of finding a surgeon who can help. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-53622-3 The amount of VSG patients converting to the bypass/Linx system/etc. to rid themself of GERD and get off PPI's is exploding. Common sense would tell you that this isn't a" tums" sort of reflux! Hope for post VSG GERD As someone with no energy, horrible anemia, and low final weight - the bypass conversion sounds like a disaster because of the increased risk of malabsorption, but one surgeon told me it might be my only option. Some surgeons are discovering that a revision surgery to treat a hiatal hernial (HH) is the key to relief. I've had several scopes over the years, and they can never find a HH, but according to my husband's VSG surgeon, that isn't uncommon. He feels there is a possibility that my past the doctors missing it. I'm waiting on my barium swallow results. This gives me hope - that's why I wanted to share it. Hope is everything. I'm also going to talk with the doctor who wrote this article. "Laparoscopic Ligamentum Teres cardiopexy to the rescue; an old procedure with a new use in managing reflux after sleeve gastrectomy". Follow me and I'll keep you updated. https://www.americanjournalofsurgery.com/article/S0002-9610(20)30814-X/fulltext#gr2 Future VSG patients - ASK QUESTIONS! A few surgeons are now doing the sleeve with hiatal hernia repair at the same time, and some understand how important it is to consider GERD while doing the surgery. Different surgeons have different techniques. Some doctors "get it", and are being proactive because they've seen the pain that GERD causes. Some downplay it. I would suggest that ALL sleeve pre op patients have this discussion with their surgeon before moving forward. If he downplays it, RUN. ASK!!!! Ask your surgeon how many patients has he had who've had GERD. How does/or will he address it if you are unlucky? Ask about his follow up - does he even know what's going on with his past patients? How does he keep track? Has he sent any patients to a GERD specialist? If he says, "oh, only a few of my patients had that" - ask him how he handled it. (My surgeon sent me to the GERD doc and then cut off ties. He was not curious about my results - he did not want to know. He probably still tells patients that it is rare. He has no idea I've been suffering for 14 years.) Bariatric surgeons who've done the surgery and are on the forefront of GERD repair are a good bet. These doctors are rare and you need to really hunt for them. If your doctor does the whole "very rare", etc. (my doctor did), he's either: not reading recent studies, not listening to his patients, not following up on them, minimizing this horrific side effect, or all of the above. Don't settle for a doctor who acts like it's "super rare" or "no big deal". THIS IS A BIG DEAL. Find one that is proactive and discusses HOW they avoid it. I'm rooting for all of you! Let's get the surgery, but let's get it from the right people. Don't pick the guy in Mexico just because he's cheap. Don't pick the guy because he takes your insurance. Spend the money for a few consults to discuss the surgery with different surgeons. Come here and reach out to people who've gone to him/her. I went with a blind recommendation and didn't ask enough questions - and the price is really expensive - I'm still paying.

People all calculate differently. My surgeon and nutritionist both use the weight from my first consultation visit when assessing progress, so it includes the weight gained or lost while in the program leading up to date of surgery. In my case, the starting weight of 383.4 is from June of 2019. I was 337 on my surgery date in mid-July of 2020. However, my all-time highest weight is probably from 2016 when I weighed approximately 410. 410... 383.4... 337... it ends up being semantics IMO. The only thing that really matters is that the weight now is well below all three.

That's a lot of weight gain! Hopefully, as everyone's life gets back to normal they can lose it.

I was finally able to get some clarification regarding my coverage. Knowing what to expect puts me at ease. Gastric Bypass Surgery (Bariatric Surgery) is covered only if specific medical criteria are met:  Bariatric surgery may be indicated for patients 18 to 60 years of age. Requests for bariatric surgery for patients less than 18 years of age should include documentation that the primary care physician has addressed the risk of surgery on future growth, the patient's maturity level and the patient’s ability to understand the procedure and comply with postoperative instructions, as well as the adequacy of family support. Patients above 60 years of age may be considered if it is documented in the medical record that the patient’s physiologic age and co-morbid condition(s) result in a positive risk/benefit ratio. • The patient has been clinically evaluated by an MD or DO. The physician has documented failure of non-surgical management including a structured, professionally supervised (physician or non-physician) weight loss program for a minimum of six consecutive months within the last four years prior to the recommendation for bariatric surgery. The six consecutive month weight loss program listed above is waived for super morbidly obese individuals who have a BMI ≥50. Documentation should include periodic weights, dietary therapy and physical exercise, as well as behavioral therapy, counseling and pharmacotherapy, as indicated. • Documentation that the PCP and the patient have a good understanding of the risks involved and reasonable expectations that the patient will be compliant with all postsurgical requirements. • A psychological evaluation must be performed as a pre-surgical assessment by a contracted mental health professional in order to establish the patient’s emotional stability, ability to comprehend the risk of surgery and to give informed consent, and ability to cope with expected post-surgical lifestyle changes and limitations. Such psychological consultations may include one unit total of psychological testing for purposes of personality assessment (e.g., the MMPI-2 or adolescent version, the MMPI-A). • The physician needs to be aware and follow-up with individuals who have had gastric surgery for any long-term complications. • In cases where a revision of the original procedure is planned, documentation of all of the following is required: - Date and type of previous procedure - The factor(s) that precipitated failure - Any complications from the previous procedure that mandate (necessitate) the takedown - If the indication for the revision is a failure of the patient to lose a desired amount of 51 weight then the patient must meet all of the initial preoperative criteria. Note: The following surgical procedures are considered experimental/investigational because their safety and/or effectiveness have not been proven: • Loop gastric bypass gastroplasty - also known as mini-gastric bypass • Stomach stapling Endoscopic procedures to treat weight gain after bariatric surgery to remedy large gastric stoma or large gastric pouches are considered experimental/investigational.

That sucks... I have bipolar disorder and I gained 100 lbs in two years when I first started on meds when I was 14. Most of the bipolar meds cause weight gain. It's going to be hard for your doc to find one that doesn't! And insurance is always looking for a way to deny coverage anyway (seriously - I studied this in graduate school). I would wait until your meds are stable before trying again. Once you've been on a particular medication for a while your weight gain usually stops as long as you focus really hard. Plus, you want your mental health to be really stable before undergoing this process. I was told I had to get my psychiatrist to approve me since I have bipolar. I hope it works for you!

I’ve been able to tolerate pretty much everything at 4 month post op. I eat fruit and vegetables including lettuce frequently, I have spicy food, coffee, etc. I’ve not tried soda, I’ve never liked it and sweet beverages are not only gross but the quickest way to bypass your restriction and start gaining. My doctor said to avoid bread and rice so I’ve not bothered with it. Tbh I don’t have room in a meal for it anyway- if I have a curry I can just eat some vegetables and protein and then have enough left over for a few more meals, forget wasting space on rice! I think a lot of the problem is that there is so much you can have but probably shouldn’t from a weight gain perspective. I’m not drinking while I’m losing but when I get to maintenance I’m looking forward to having a half glass of dry white wine every few weeks, like I used to. Candy is such a huge problem for me I don’t know that I will ever effectively find a way to work it into my diet again. Based on how I react to other stuff I bet I physically could eat it, but it would completely undermine what I’m trying to do here. Some things may be better left in the past.

Haha.... just noticed this forum and the requirements to post here... I hit 18 months March 4th, I guess that makes me a vet lol! Current stats: 5'4.5" and between 126-129 pounds depending on the day. Hit my goal at 7 months and was well under my goal by a year. Overall I have been maintaining for a year now.... did have some challenges recently and weight was beginning to creep up... but I managed to quickly ditch those few extra pounds and am back at my happy maintenance weight. I get thrilled every time my husband or daughter comment at how skinny I am. My daughter says she never realized I was really overweight or "fat" until I lost it all. Now when we look at photos from just 2 years ago it is obvious. Now I am a size 4 and i look healthy. I can't go any lower than 124 though... 124 seems to be right where I am on the verge of looking too skinny. Health is great. Sleep apnea is being treated. Heart condition resolved. High cholesterol and tachycardia resolved. The medical consensus is that severe undiagnosed sleep apnea is what triggered my sudden weight gain... and my heart health was what prevented me from losing weight. Now I feel better than ever and feel that as long as I continue to control diet and exercise regularly I will have no problem maintaining. Of course... controlling diet is key. I was never a big calorie consumer.... but I wasn't always eating good foods and then I did drink calories in the form of Pepsi. Most of the time I don't have an issue controlling diet... but when life is excessively stressful... that is when I can get into trouble. That is when I am most likely to not eat right and consuming the wrong foods. I have taken steps to increase access to healthy food at work, which is also important for me. Exercise.... still trying to get back in a regular routine after a horrible few months at work. Doing much better... but still have a ways to go. So... 2020 I had planned to walk the Camino De Santiago (You walk all the way across northern Spain). It was going to be my reward for losing weight and a way to improve my physical fitness. Had to cancel. Then I had to cancel the trip I rescheduled for this summer. Boo! Instead... I am gearing up to do an 8 week hike on either the Pacific Crest Trail or the Appalachian Trail. I will probably do the Appalachian Trail this summer and wait for the PCT. I am excited and nervous at the same time. I really wanted to do the Camino first, because that is more of a spiritual/cultural walk and you don't have to carry your tent/food/extra water. With either of these I will have to carry all of those items. I know I can do it... but it would have been so much better to do the other walk before either of these hikes. My challenge now? Trying to make sure I eat properly on the trail! Just bought a dehydrator and am assembling/dehydrating meals that I can eat so I don't have to rely on crap food available along the way. I need to be able to eat enough calories to sustain me, but not so many that I develop bad habits. Most people load up on carbs... I need to avoid that and only load up on healthy carbs. Anyhow... that's me! New WLS "VET"

Wow.... offended much? And what exactly makes YOU an expert? LMAO The whole point of my post was to encourage the original poster to seek guidance from her HEALTH team. THEY are the experts And in my reply to you I said your doc SEEMS to be more of the exception than the rule. And exactly what AUTHORITATIVE comments did I make? I didn't tell anyone to do anything... but I did say in my posts (there were 3 of them... that the OP should consult their medical team. LMAO "Yeah, I keep hearing this. From people who were so good at consuming calories they had to have weight loss surgery " I especially love this sentence... I mean... Pot Calling the Kettle Black???? LMAO BTW.... my weight gain was caused by prolonged severe sleep apnea which caused a log of health issues... I took care of the sleep apnea and had weight loss surgery so I could regain my heart health. but go on making assumptions about people you have never met before!

Hey everyone! I'm back on here, looking for motivation and advice. Long story short, I've just had my first surgery following my final cancer treatment and the biopsy came back all clear! Looks like I beat the odds and tackled esophageal cancer in 16 months. I did not go through chemo, therefore the stress of the situation drove me back into bad eating habits and I put on 30 pounds. I'm 4 years and 3 months post-bypass. I've maintained at 200 pounds (down from 369 at my biggest) and was very proud of myself until recently. I have packed this weight on over the last 4 months. Winter. Holidays. Cancer. COVID. It all conspired to make for a rough patch, but I'm on the other side of the mountain now and determined to get back down to 200 which is where I'm happy and looking healthy. Thoughts? Advice? Words of encouragement?

Weight gain is a really common side effect of depakote! Let your prescribing doctor know that you are working towards weight loss surgery, and ask them to prescribe a medication with less likelihood of weight gain-there are definitely other options. I’m a psych nurse, we use depakote sometimes for a mood stabilizer and it also used to treat seizure disorders. Either way, there are other options that your doctor should be willing to prescribe.

Did you speak to the dr that put you in the medication? Is a common side effect of that medication weight gain? that really sucks and it’s very disheartening. I would definitely appeal that decision

Going through Dr. Kia in Flint, Michigan. Did my 6 weigh ins and consistently lost 1-2 lbs every month. In December was put on Depakote and began to gain weight. Was just denied due to the gain and even worse was told none of my weigh ins count and I’m starting over. I’m devastated. Going to appeal. Anyone have advice? Mclaren Health Plan.

My NUT said 50% veggies, 25% protein, 25% starch, and to aim for .6g of protein for every lb of body weight (for me at my current weight that is ~65g). With that said, I'm doing my own thing: Aim for 60g of protein (which I reach maybe 80% of the time) and total calories around 1800-2000 calories during "normal" times*. I no longer concern myself with carb nor fat amounts. Though truth be told, I don't think I was ever really concerned about fat amounts, so long as I was under whatever calorie level I was aiming for at any given time. *Am currently attempting to find am acceptable calorie level as I have been out of commission on the exercise front for about a month due to injury. Am going on about a month of ZERO exercise and in an attempt to avoid any weight gain, reduced calories to about 1200-1400...but this is too low as I lost 6lbs in the last 4 weeks. Still trying to figure it out. P.S. I'm a sleeve, 2.5 years out from surgery, and almost 2 years into maintenance. I've maintained my weight +/- 5 lbs this entire time.

Hi!, yes I can share. Thank god, even with the weight gain I was approved. What insurance do you have? I have blue cross blue shield ppo. I wouldn’t be too worried, if you get all the other clearances. Good luck on your journey! Wish you all the best :)

I think the easiest way to lose weight after child birth is too make sure that you don't gain too much weight during your pregnancy. Do you have a nutritionist at your surgeon's office? If so, I would take advantage of their recommendations, and keep weight gain to 25-35 lbs. Also, if you are planning on breastfeeding, that will help the weight come off too! If I remember correctly, you burn an extra 500 calories per day when breastfeeding. Best of luck to you!!

I'm throwing this here cause it's more of a rant than a question. Just wanna complain to some people who may get it. To get it out of the way, I am not mad at the psychologist, or the clinic or anything like that. I understand why I need more therapy prior to getting surgery and I fully agree that addressing problematic behaviors is important for long term success. The support of bariatric psychologists and support groups is why I decided to go with a hospital close to me that offers that stuff as part of the program instead of going to Mexico where it'd be much much cheaper as a self pay patient. All that being said, I can't help but feel a bit down trodden and frustrated. I go to therapy frequently, and have for years. The past few years I've felt like I was doing really well. I hadn't had any major bouts of depression or anxiety that lasted for notable periods of time. There had been a few hiccups but they were promptly addressed and such. I thought I was gonna pass this thing with flying colors. Alas, nope. My psychologist that was evaluating me asked if any of the doctors or surgeons I had visited over the years had asked about my relationship with food cause she was seeing some concerning things, and honestly they haven't. That isn't to say I haven't talked with my therapist about my weight, it's just that eating patterns and behaviors themselves weren't ever really discussed. It was more just acknowledgement that depression and anxiety had contributed to weight gain. The bariatric psychologist also stated she doesn't think my current medications are working as well as I think, and that based on what I described as "normal" eating for myself, I am self-medicating with food in addition to the medications, and she'd like to make sure that I won't spiral once that food aspect is no longer a possibility. So I am now scheduled to see a therapist who specializes in bariatric surgery and disordered eating (she doesn't think I have Binge Eating Disorder, but she does think that my eating is disordered), and we'll check in 90 days later. The psychologist did repeatedly thank me for being honest though, so there's that 😕 I had a bit of a cry session yesterday when I found out. I am continuing to remind myself that the behavior and mental support part is why I chose to go with the hospital I did over other places. This is essentially what I wanted. I don't want to fail at this. I know it'll pass and a few months (hell even a year or two) is a drop in the bucket compared to the rest of my life. It just doesn't seem that way in the moment and I'm just super bummed out.

So, I had my surgery October 15, 2020 and weighed 249 on surgery day. May of 2020 the doctor said I was 259. Anyway, Today I weighed at 201. I am happy about this but I feel like it’s not enough. In January I had my 3 month appointment and weighed 208. My doctor said that was too much weight loss....I was working out 45 minutes a day to make sure I maintained a calorie deficit. They told me the surgery is the tool and to let it work. Well, to prove them I was doing what I know would work for me I haven’t done any workouts except walking. No weights, no spin classes etc... and since that January appt I have only lost 7 pounds. I am super frustrated!! I’m aware that the surgery is a tool but I wasn’t always fat. An injury and two surgeries in 3 years for it plus ending up with secondary adrenal insufficiency in 2016 and on prednisone for over a year cause my weight gain and nothing I could do would help. Prior to my foot injury I worked out two hours a day 3 days a week and and hour a day on all the other days and off on Sunday. I feel like I should have had the gastric bypass. I was told by my mother in law I would want the bypass but I felt like that was so invasive and the very last step. But now, with all the stalls and especially this last stall and the doctors office telling me the opposite of everything I’ve ever known I feel defeated. I was never what you would call a skinny girl. I have a lot of muscle and a ghetto booty and I’m ok with that but I feel like I will never see 150 or less. And some days I’m so hungry and seems like I never get full even though I clearly am full. Did they cut enough of my stomach out? The doctors office can’t even tell me that. I don’t even want to go back for my 6 month appointment in April.

Has anyone gained weight post op duodenal switch? I hear it's near impossible and you have to try very hard to gain weight after surgery.

What has helped me the most with my menstrual pain is going on norethindrone. It's a progestin only birth control pill. It tends to have less negative side effects like weight gain but isn't as effective at preventing pregnancy than the regular pill. If you can tolerate them there are also hormonal IUDs that use progestin only.

Hello, My name is Shannon but everyone calls me Shani. I am 34 years old and my start weight was 335 as of January 09, 2020. I didn't get to have my surgery until January 11, 2021 due to Covid and other medical issues... I'm sure a lot of people have had frustrations over that... I could've had it in July, but sadly, that didn't happen. Instead, I had my surgery January 11th, 2021 at which time I weighed in at 309. - I'm a 5'8 female, so I'm kinda tall... built more like my father than my mother... I don't have another appointment with my doctor until mid-April, but my family keeps freaking me out saying I'm losing weight too fast. I'm down to 265.4 as of today's date. - I've been watching the scale every day (not as a bad thing, just to check every day... if I lost, I lost, if I didn't, oh well) and I've noticed my weight can range anywhere from .80 of a pound to 2.0 pounds in a day.... so, like I said, I've lost about 44 lbs as of this conversation... Obviously, I'm only 2 months (and a couple days) out from sleeve surgery so I'm still in soft food diet area... and I know my ideal weight is gonna be somewhere around 160-170 most likely... At the rate I'm going, if I didn't plateau somewhere, in six months, I'd be at my goal weight. I am the pickiest eater to begin with, so when the doctor told me I'd have to go on a strict diet, I had no issue with this... I told him, just give me one to three things I'm allowed to eat, and I'll be fine... he said, eggs, canned chicken, soft veggies... so, that's exactly what I do. My meal every day consists of 2 handfuls of frozen peppers/onion mix, 1 egg, and a third to a quarter can of chunk chicken, mixed together like an omelette, with a few dollops of salsa on top for the spicyness of it and two tablespoons of spicy sauce (only 25 calories per 2 tablespoons). I eat that in a bowl twice a day RELIGIOUSLY - nothing else. If I eat a third bowl (like for dinner) I start gaining weight. ( tried eating 3x a day for 4 days, I gained 5 lbs). I can only get down 2 bottles of water (16.9 oz) every day, else wise I get nauseous from the water intake. I gym 2 times a week, basically because I don't have a car, and my mother or sister have to take me but I do simple things at home to try to exercise as well... Gym days I plateau. I don't lose weight. Like at all... and yes, I know muscle weighs more... so it's a non-issue for me... But my family makes me wonder if I'm losing too fast, too soon... My sister had the bypass, ( she only had to lose 70lbs though, where as I have to lose 170 to get to my ideal weight.) When I first spoke to the doctor back in February, he saw no issue with my weight loss amount... Said he sees it more in men than in females but it's not uncommon (ergo why I said I'm built more like my father than mother) and that each person is different... Should I be worried that I'm not eating that third meal? I'm not hungry for it, so I don't feel like I need it... not to mention the weight gain it gives me that I don't like... I've even tried just doing some hummus and carrots as a third meal, and still gained weight... so I dropped it back down to 2 meals, and boom, I'm back to dropping 2 lbs a day for 3 days straight... today I lost .8 lbs... which brings me to 265... Any thoughts?

I joined this forum in 2012, but wasn't really active. One friend who I connected with on here and she vanished, so I just never really came back. I just had a revision from sleeve that was done Nov. 2012, to bypass on Tuesday. I had some GERD, but not severe, but full weight gain. I also was 30 pounds from goal weight at my lowest. I knew the sleeve wouldn't work for me, because it's not about how much I eat, but what I eat when I feel like eating. You guys, this is HARD. Before sleeve, I didn't eat much, even less after. Now, I'm freaking dying to eat. Really, I just want coffee with my creamer and I'll be good. I've always said, I could drink coffee all day and be fine. I can't get comfortable. I handle surgery really well, like shopping the day after hysterectomy, appendectomy, etc, but this?! I'm still on pain meds & anti nausea. I could really use some encouragement, cuz I'm miserable. I need to know there's light even in a week. I'm really struggling. For those who have done this, any words of encouragement?