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I had a long 8 months to wait for this surgery and thought I was very prepared. I read this forum from back to front. 20 years worth of problems and advice. I didn't know it all though, I didn't know that hormones live in fat cells and when we loose a lot of weight quickly we had all these hormones rushing around our bodies like puberty on steroids. I was having a tough time of it with nausea and vomiting too. I cried for a week and did not know why. I asked for help on here and got it. The answer, too many hormones at a time when I was overwhelmed with trying to do everything right. I think you need anti nausea medication. So, You are not alone. Its normal to feel like you are. As you have realised its big surgery and now you have to get to grips with it, there is no going back. IT WILL GET BETTER. You wont have to chew food like this forever, it just helps your tiny stomach digest your food so that you get the nutrients from it. Your headaches could be from dehydration, its tough to get all the liquids and food in early on, it feels like it will never get better but it does. Just do your very best everyday to get your liquid and protein onboard. That way you will improve every day and doing that will improve your mental health a little Please seek counselling for your eating disorders, hopefully you can find one who understands bariatrics too. OR talk to us on here, you can rage, cry and get these feeling off your chest and it may help a little bit. We don't mind, the ones before us did the same for us. You are not alone

I was sleeved July 2015 but within a few month acid reflux so bad but took till 2020 to get surgeon to run lots of test. Well I had a hernia at the top of my stomach so even swallowing saliva the acid would shoot up into my mouth. Well still thanks to covid had to fight to get surgery done plus fight insurance saying it was 2 nd wls and they refused. Now this was January 2020 but by time insurance would pay half it was covid and hospital wouldn’t allow surgery as was cosmetic. Well my fillings in teeth feel out than I lost 7 teeth and dentist wrote letter to insurance saying it was from stomach acid. So finally got mini bypass on Dec 23,2021. Been a nightmare since because I lost so many more teeth that I have dentures and I had great teeth before surgery pearly white straight from braces years ago to none on top and 4 missing on bottom. Plus 4 more hernias all in intestine and a 1” tear in my intestine landing me in hospital for 6 weeks. I can’t eat much and also afraid what I eat as those 6 weeks in hospital scared the garbage out of me. I was in a medical coma and had 2 surgery’s to fix tear. I’m afraid to do the scope to check since tear happened 3 days after the scope to see if any more hernias.

Good luck next week, looking forward to hearing how you are doing

It does get better. It's normal to have regrets at your current stage. I am one of the very rare bariatric surgery patients to have serious complications. However, after a challenging year, I've lost a total of 115 lbs and my life is totally normal. I eat regular food and have resumed all of my prior activities. A year ago I was in hospital due to peritonitis and sepsis arising out of bariatric revision surgery. I rued my decision to have RNY>RNY revision surgery. I spent 7 weeks in hospital with 3 endoscopy procedures and two open surgeries, followed by 3 weeks in a rehab facility before returning home. I had an open surgical wound for another 3 months, requiring daily dressing changes. I'm lucky to have survived at all, with organs and limbs intact. Because of the endoscopy procedures my pouch and anastomosis were stretched so I now have minimal physical restriction and will have to watch my diet and record my intake for the rest of my life. I accept that and hope to lose more, but will be content if I don't continue to lose. If you read the many stories on this site you will see that regrets pass and the vast majority of us are ultimately happy with our decisions to have surgery. Life does return to normal. You will be able to eat normal food. If you follow an appropriate food plan and learn how to eat differently during this period of restriction you will lose weight and keep it off. Since you have had such meager support, it's up to you to read and learn more about how to make a successful return to normal life minus the excess poundage. There are many excellent books available. You may be able to get some on Amazon.de or have them sent to you by someone in the US (or on Kindle in English). Here are a few of the books I recommend. There are many other excellent books and cookbooks to support you. You may ultimately still need breast reduction surgery, but you will be in better shape before you proceed with it. In the meantime, make the most of the tool you have been provided. Hang in there. Day by day, it will get better.

My BP was SUPER low after bypass for about 2-3 weeks. It hit 85/50 at one point and then lingered around the 95/60 mark for quite a while. It did make me dizzy, but I did not experience the hot flash as far as I remember.

I had serious doubts about getting the gastric sleeve a few days before my surgery. I expressed them to my husband but he thought I was just nervous and wanted to support me, so he urged me to go through with it. I hate it though. I hate my life now and I'm not sure if I will ever not hate it. I have a couple close friends and they did not feel this way 4 weeks post-op like I do. I cry all the time. I'm worried something is wrong and terrified of having to go through any kind of revision surgery. I'm an American living in Germany and it is so difficult to contact my surgeons office and get anyone who speaks enough english to help me. I started my WL journey about 4 years ago when we were stationed in Italy. I was denied a medically necessary breast reduction because my BMI was too high. So I was referred for weight loss guidance.First, I was sent to the base nutritionist (a perfectly in shape airman) who told me I needed to work out more and eat more whole vegetables. I had to work with him for 1+ years before being able to try any WL medications. Unfortunately that was in early 2019, and we all know how the next few years went. We PCS'd to a new base in Germany in 2020 and when I asked about the WL medications I was told that was not an option here. They recommended I carry on with my (now virtual) nutritionist. I wasn't losing any weight and working out would send my back into spasms from my H cups breasts. I was taking a combination of Flexural, Motrin, and Valium for my back spasms, only using the Valium when they were at a level 8 or above pain level (so less than 1 valium a month). Turns out not only could I not get WL meds here, I also could not get a refill on my Valium. I had used too much (less than 1 pill a month for a year). So any weight training was immediately phased out of my working out, which now consisted of only walking. This past summer I went back and told them I really need a breast reduction and if I had to go the WLS route then I was open to that. The provider (who has had WLS themself) was very on board with WLS. I told them that I had already done the nutrition part at my previous base, so he put in the surgical consult referral right away. After I met with the surgeon, who surprise, surprise wanted to operate (surgeons always gonna surgeon), my provider put in the referral for my surgery and stated that all prerequisites had been completed at prior base. Then boom... endoscopy and surgery scheduled. Now all I had said was that I went to nutrition at my previous base and continued it virtually. So I had no idea what other preqs there could be. I had a few meeting with the nutritionist here about the gastric pre/post op diet. That's it. I learned about the full liquid to clear liquid pre-op and clear liquid to full liquid to purees to soft foods diet post op. I was completely unprepared mentally and emotionally for this surgery. Not to mention I had done all my pre-op nutrition with the American on base nutritionist and post-op was with the German hospital nutritionist. They had completely different guidelines (like the Germans wanted me to start soft solids on DAY 5 post op and stop protein shakes immediately). I was in the hospital for 4 days with nurses who spoke very little English, so they would give me shots and pills but never tell me what they were giving me. I know a small amount of German, enough to get by with running errands and what not, so I understood one nurse when after I told her my German was minimal and asked if she could speak English, she got annoyed with me and told me I was never going to be allowed to go home. The patient liaison from base sorted it out and the issue was the hospital nutritionist would not do my consult without an in person translator that I needed to provide and I could not be discharged without that consultation. I felt like I was drowning; I still feel like I'm barely able to tread water now at 4 weeks post-op. My end goal wasn't WL to be skinny. I just wanted a breast reduction. Before surgery I didn't have high blood pressure, diabetes, GERD, sleep apnea, high cholesterol...zero comorbidities. For all intents and purposes I was a healthy fat lady with giant boobs. So post surgery I was/am overwhelmed with regret. There's all these things I feel like I didn't know and wasn't prepared for. Like I knew I was going to be eating smaller portions, but didn't know about the tiny bites and chewing things until its mush in your mouth for the rest of your life. I didn't know that my stomach would be almost too swollen to drink water after surgery and that the german hospital only provided water and broth, no popsicles or jello. So I spent my days in the hospital feeling nauseous all the time because drinking water made me taste blood in my mouth and that made me gag, all while my nurse tisked me and told me I was never going home. No one asked if I had a history of eating disorders (which I do) and how this surgery and diet are going to bring up old thoughts and feelings of self harm and negative self talking. No one weighed out if the possible negative side effects of the surgery were stronger than the positives. Pre surgery I took ZERO daily meds other than a daily vitamin. Now I need an antacid and stool softener to be able to ingest anything other than water and not tear myself in half in the bathroom. I also need daily tylenol because eating anything gives me a massive headache. I don't even want to eat anymore. I spend 30 minutes forcing myself to take tiny bites of some high protein food and then I spend the next hour actively trying not to barf it back up. Without tylenol I am running at 99F, but when I eat it goes up to 100-101. The doctor said its not an emergency unless its 101.5, which is hasn't gotten to yet. And even if it did, what would I do?! The hospital was horrible. My hand still hurts from where the nurse wouldn't flush my IV, so the port go blocked and all he fluid and medicine soaked into the flesh of my hand, making it swell up like Wreck It Ralph. I had an allergic reaction that made me sneeze for days after surgery. No one would offer any help or advice about my sneezing. They told me to eat less, but I wasn't eating anything at all. I just hate this. I hate food. I hate eating. I hate the thought of chewing until something is a mushy paste. I hate life. I just wanted a breast reduction and now I feel like I've had a life reduction.

You will be fine! I haven't had surgery yet, but I did have weight loss surgery before. I had lapband and it had to be removed in 2013 due to an abscess to the surgery I had to put the band back in place. But the after surgery wasn't bad, get up and walk to make sure you don't get blood clots, they usually give a shot in the stomach that helps prevent blood clots as well. When I had surgery before, I was so tired, I slept, got up walked around the hall and used my phone or their TV and fell asleep and repeat. Later that night I had nausea and I had that for 2 and a half months. So if you tend to get nausea, ask for something for that before going into surgery that day and if you have nausea after surgery, they will give you some nausea medicine. Getting up and out of the bed was a little hard for me. I had someone help me out of the bed. Everyone is different. Some can get up easier than others. With lapband, I only had to stay over night. With bypass I'm staying 3 days. Your stomach/abdomen will be sore for about a week or so, depending. Bring a pillow for the ride home! It really helps with any bumps along the way home! Good luck!

Weight stalls after bariatric surgery can be a common concern for some patients. The length of a weight stall can vary depending on several factors, including the type of bariatric procedure, the patient's diet and exercise habits, and individual metabolism. It's not uncommon for patients to experience a weight stall for a few weeks or even a few months after surgery. However, if you have been consistently following your post-operative diet and exercise plan and are still experiencing a weight stall, it may be helpful to speak with your bariatric team for further evaluation and guidance. Your bariatric team can help determine the cause of your weight stall and provide you with personalized recommendations to help get you back on track. This may include adjusting your diet, increasing physical activity, or making other changes to your lifestyle. Remember, weight loss after bariatric surgery is a gradual process, and it's important to be patient and persistent in your efforts to achieve your goals. With the right support and guidance, you can overcome any obstacles and reach your target weight.

Congratulations on your upcoming bariatric surgery! It's completely normal to have mixed emotions about the procedure, but it's important to remember that you are taking a positive step towards improving your health and reaching your goals. It's great that you have done your research and found a supportive community to help you through this process. Remember to take things one day at a time, and don't hesitate to reach out for support from family, friends, and your bariatric team. Be sure to follow your surgeon's pre-operative instructions carefully, and make sure to get plenty of rest and follow a balanced diet in the weeks leading up to your surgery. Taking care of yourself both physically and mentally will help ensure that you have the best outcome possible. Good luck on your journey, and know that you are not alone in this. The support and encouragement from this community, as well as your bariatric team, will be with you every step of the way.

Thank you @bypass24jan2023. I know these weeks will fly by. Trying to wrap my head around it, lol. Hope all is well with you!

I just got ID’d to enter a restaurant that becomes a bar late at night. I told the security guy he must be new since I’m there 3x/week. He said no. He took a look at my ID and still marked my hand as underage. I’m 34 years old!!! Apparently I look younger now haha 😂 🤣😂

I have my first post op appt this week with the surgeon (will be 16 days post surgery). I have a list of things to ask him about but I wondered if there was anything you wished you asked or clarified earlier?

I knew I would struggle to purée food myself so I found a delivery service and have been enjoying the food a lot, they have a Bariatric box delivery. My dietician approved (albeit thought I’d find the servings too big at least for a week, she’s right!) just using for dinner. Anyway link below: https://www.carefoodco.com.au/

Enjoy the next few weeks! Will all be worth it

The cashier at the Subway outlet near our project office commented on my weight loss and asked me how did I manage to lose the weight etc. She knows me well because I was a regular customer when I worked in that office. I used to go there at least 4 times a week if not more. I told her that my new work place doesn't have an outlet that sells subs and that helped with the weight loss. We both laughed and she handed me my first sub in 11 month post-op. I was not able to finish half of it. I get asked a lot by coworkers and people that I have not met for some time and I always tell them that I've cut down my food intake and started riding a bike (which I'm doing). Only my close family and best friends know that I had a WLS and intend to keep it this way.

I was reading those stories in the days before my surgery and had to make myself stop. I knew that those kinds of stories are very rare, but still, they scared the crap out of me. the people above are correct in that people are a lot more likely to post when they have issues or questions or concerns. They're looking for advice and support. People usually don't post to say that everything is great (I know some do - but it's way more likely they'll post when they're having issues). Most of us don't have complications, and of those who do, they're almost always minor things that are treatable to "fixable". I had strictures at weeks 4 and 8. They're the most common complication in bypass patients (they can happen to sleevers, too, but they're pretty rare with sleeve). But about 5% of bypass patients get them. I would hardly call something that only 5% of people get "common", but there you go. (strictures can happen within the first three months post-op - they're very rare after that. And they're a super easy fix. They just do an upper endoscopy and use a tool to stretch it out. You feel 100% better afterward). yes I am so happy I had my surgery and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. If I had to go back every year and do it again, I would. Honestly, it was one of the best decisions I"ve ever made - if not THE best. It's changed my life! another thing to consider - you are at much greater risk staying obese than you are having the surgery. These surgeries at one time were very risky and some people died from them. But that was 30+ years ago and they've come a LONG way since then. They've become very routine surgeries, and they're quite safe these days. There's a 0.3% mortality rate for bypass, and less than that for a sleeve (I can't remember the rate on the sleeve, other than it's lower than bypass). That means you have at least a 99.7% chance of making it through just fine. And you will. That rate is actually even better than the rate for hip replacement surgeries, and they do those all the time.

Totally normal when you stall watch your clothes sizes. A lot of times when the weight stalls the inches still come down. I'm six and a half months out and in my second stall now but lost 4 inches in band size in my bra alone and down 3 more pant sizes...jusr keep at it Sent from my Acer Chromebook 15 (CB3-532) using BariatricPal mobile app

they happen to most of us. The first major one usually hits sometime during the first month post-op. We call it the "three week stall" because it's most often the third week, but not always. mine was weeks 2 & 3. they typically last 1-3 weeks, but I've heard of them lasting longer (although USUALLY 1-3 weeks), Just stick to your program and stay off the scale for a few days - and know that it WILL break.

One of the most difficult challenges is probably going to be decreased levels of energy, especially with the long shifts. I’m a nurse and struggled to get through my 8 hour days on my return - although I only took 2 weeks off. Now I’m 2 months post op and can do my 8 hour days but on my 12 hour days I’m exhausted. Protein shakes will be your best friend! It sounds like you know a lot about the recovery period but you may find it difficult to manage eating every 3 hours while also getting adequate hydration. Sometimes it takes me an hour or more to eat a yogurt due to patient care and then that’s more time taken away that I can drink fluids. One of the hardest things has been no caffeine and sugar for the energy boosts.

So the office told me they ran the verification again and it still is showing 12 months so I called insurance they told me that someone is lying and it’s not them , the doc office tells me that obviously they don’t know what they’re talking about and getting their policies mixed up that maybe they are thinking of commercial instead of Medicaid, they asked me if I wanted to do a three way with the insurance and head of billing and lord and behold they told them the same thing they have been telling me so the head of billing she’s like oh so sorry they must have made a mistake blah blah blah So my thing is HOW and another thing the lady at the office told me when I told her that the insurance was telling me otherwise she’s like no that’s not true No MEDICAID insurance is less then 12 month program ….

Hi everyone! Is anyone experiencing wt. stall? If so,for how long? Sent from my LM-T600 using BariatricPal mobile app

Yes definitely sounds like a stall. I urge you not to over-analyse what came before or after - that way madness lies. If you're sticking to your programme you WILL lose weight but it will NOT be in a linear fashion. It's zigs and zags, big losses one week, none (or a gain) the next. What matters is looking back over the entire period and seeing a downward trend. Some people seem to have taken the path of checking weight at looooong intervals. Most of us weigh much more frequently because we can't bear not to. None of that matters - the fact remains - if you stick to the rules you will lose weight (in all but the rarest circumstances). You have absolutely done the best thing you could ever have done for your health. If you can relax a tiny bit more and accept that then you're gonna have a fun few months and come out of those lighter and healthier. Best of luck. 😍

I've been nosing my way around the forums for a few weeks and have noticed a lot of concerning, scary, and intimidating information. I know that this is not the norm, but still. Going through everything, is it worth it? I'm still going through all my pre-op appointments and will hopefully see the surgeon for final approval at the end of March and bypass in April or May (as long as there are no hiccups). Thanks!

In the first weeks and (hopefully) months after your surgery you honestly won't have the appetite or the space to indulge in big volumes of unhealthy food. I do worry that after that, when you get your appetite back, you might get tempted. I would say use that time to normalise bringing in healthy snacks like fruit and veg so that's what they (and you) expect when there are loads of junk foods swilling around. Sounds tough though. The alternative would be to ask all of your co-workers to stop bringing in (or ordering in) this sort of rubbish. I have no idea what your relationship with them is like but I can only imagine the response I would have received to a similar request in my workplace. 😂 Best of luck.

Is your 52 down from your first appt? from highest weight? from surgery day? There are a lot of different ways to look at this.. My highest weight was 280. My preop weight was 272. My surgery day I was 256. Today at exactly 4 months, I am 200.5. So down 79 lbs from my heighest weight / first bariatric appt last april, lost 8 on my own before preop started labor day weekend. We did a 4 week preop, during which I lost 16 lbs. Since surgery, I am down 56. But also, I did bypass and I am extremely strict on my plan.