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I called my surgeon’s office today because he submitted for a VSG to RYGB and was told it was denied because they want me to do 6months of supervised weight loss. I just had my VSG in December 2019! plus, their reason isn’t even listed under the revision surgery section in the handbook. Since then I’ve developed a new hiatal hernia, GERD to my mid esophagus and esophagitis. Of course I’ll file an appeal but I’m just frustrated. I’m sick of only getting 4-5hrs of sleep a night because the chest pain from the GERD is so bad it wakes me up. Im sick of taking the max allowed PPIs on top of 8-12 tums a day, and Thorazine for the hiccups causes by the GERD. I sent my surgeon a message asking for another prescription because I can’t take it anymore. I'm jus so frustrated. I just don’t want to be in pain anymore.

I had a 40 lb weight gain over 8 years. 10 years post sleeve. Life happens. too many personal losses and changes.... Back in control now. Lost 37 pounds in the past year. Back to basics. Protein, veggies, fruit , sprinkling of carbs, healthy oils and fats and a daily treat. Also back to the scale twice daily. Morning and Evening. Evening also lets me know if I have had enough water. I dehydrate too easily. And not good with my fluids... I will never be "normal" weight or BMI - but am back to my lowest BMI, and almost lowest sustained weight.

I feel it's time to tell me story as best I can and hopefully it will give the new comers some hope and take away their worries or anxiety about surgery. Okay I have a very dysfunctional childhood and I think maybe subconsciously I turned to movies and food as a way to cope until alcohol came along but all those things combined made me gain weight massively in my teen years. As a child I was tiny but after my father passed and my stepfather came in the picture; he was a tyrant; life changed dramatically. Anyway fast forward to the end of high school I had reached over 250lbs and by 21 I was 320lbs and my weight fluctuated over the years between 300-320 until I finally found a way to get bariatric surgery.. I always believed surgery was for the rich people and I was never rich... But I found out randomly that health insurance would cover most of surgery and I'd never had health insurance before because here in Australia we have an amazing Medicare system that covers pretty much everything to do with doctors and hospitals except for elective surgery like bariatrics; unless you're like super morbidly obese and even then it can take 3 years and numerous hurdles.... So I researched and researched for months and months and spoke to multiple surgeons offices until I found the perfect surgeon; I needed to get health insurance first then do the waiting period which I used to save up the gap and that gap covered absolutely everything from first meeting until surgery and hospital was covered. I met the surgeon and his doctor and got information and told them I wanted ROUX EN Y BYPASS; and we all agreed that was the best decision as I had bad type 2 diabetes and it would only get worse. I weighed in at 322 there and then and I just wished and hoped the surgery would help me to get down to at least 200 maybe 190; I just wanted to be healthy and happy and of course to look better and feel better in myself. Anyway from first consultation until the surgery day was about 4 months had a few meetings with surgeon and he does a very direct approach no need for all the tests and stuff just my medical history and some blood tests and a big discussion was about it and he was ready to go. I was advised to do at least 2-3 weeks low carbs/protein shake diet before surgery and to try lose at least 10lbs; but I literally woke up one morning 2 months before surgery and decided there and then to kick start my journey and started on protein shakes and I actually found a brand and flavor that I actually loved. It tasted just like chocolate milkshake even though I only used water to mix it up i tried a few different brands but they were either too bland or no taste at all I like flavor and I like a little sweetness in my shakes... And I've been using the same shakes in bulk powder form for months without any issues at all... So I started on shakes and they literally filled me up and I was determined to show the surgeon I meant business. i was amazed how quickly the weight came off because I was ONLY on shakes Max 600cal preop; I dropped so much water weight it was amazing. By surgery day I had already dropped from 322 to 257lbs and the surgeon was so proud. i went into the hospital early without only water that morning so my sugar was actually low so they made me wait a few hours longer and I went in to surgery I think 3pm and next thing I know I was awake in ICU a few hours later and surgery was done but oh boy was it painful for me; I'm not sure why but I was in pain for like 2 days luckily I was given good drugs through the IV and slept most of the 2 days... By the 3rd day I started drinking a small glass of protein shake and was sipping water each day; here in Australia the surgeon is very cautious so I actually spent 6 days in hospital was fine I had my own private room and bathroom and was really well looked after.... By the 3rd day they finally took the drain out and I had a shower for the first time and a BM which was like sticky black green like a baby; oh the shower felt amazing on my poor sore belly; I think I had 5 incisions sites and a very tight bloated belly. Each day I would walk the halls of the hospital and say hello to the nurses and other times I would rest and watch TV but by like the 5th day I was feeling really good and was ready to go home but because I lived over 2hrs from the surgeon and hospital they made sure I was 110% fit and healthy; they checked my blood sugar and blood pressure multiple times a day and they said everything was fine, by the time I left the hospital they had taken me off multiple medications and it felt Great. The ride home in my mates car was a little rough but it felt Great to be home and in my own bed my big bed not the single bed in hospital... It's hard to remember everything I went through its been over 8 months since I left the hospital but I do know I was still a little sore when bending or carrying shopping bags for the first few weeks I had to be careful.... Showering was amazing my bandages on my incisions came off on their own after like 3 weeks.. I was given a guideline diet but Ive always been a strong independent personality so I just chose to do things my way; of course I was glad for the surgery and the surgeons advice but I felt is my body; my life I need to do it my way so maybe I was lucky but I didn't even think about food for months like literally I lived off shakes and yoghurt for months before I really started actual food and of course the weight kept coming off everyday it was amazing. For the first 3 months I think I was on maybe 500cal a day with next to no carbs or sugars... I didn't feel hungry at all... Shakes kept me going... Every couple of months I had to buy new clothes, I couldn't believe how much I changed one month to the next and people who hasn't seen me in a few months were shocked ever time they saw me.... i never kept it secret from anyone; I was proud of my decision to finally change my life and possibly extend my life, I was enjoying the complements and I was lucky I don't think I stalled for more than a week and I never had any complications at all except for diarrhoea BM for a while and sure I threw up a few times when trying different things or eating too quickly... i started drinking regular coffee by 3 months and my surgeon said it was fine as long as I don't get dehydrated.. I was drinking tea as well and by 6 months I actually decided to treat myself here and there with some sugar free energy drinks and it has not impacted me or my weight loss one bit. Now I'm over 8 months out I can eat most things just small portions; I've even had bread a few times just have to take it very slowly... I've had pasta a few times and even had some chocolate over Easter without any issues at all and still continued to lose weight... i will admit recently I've had some treats here and there but that was once I got in to maintenance mode... I've pretty much been in maintenance now over 2 months and pretty much sit around 165lbs but just this week I've seen 163lbs on the scales... i don't log my food much now but I do keep a mental tally of my calories and such and I do still check my weight regularly to make sure I'm doing well.. i had the RNY bypass and it was 120cm and it was amazing; I've had a blast and I've lost pretty much 50% of my original weight. FROM highest of 322 to the lowest 162.8lbs just the other day.... i felt the need to share my story everything has been positive for me. It has totally changed my life and transformed my life and the way I see myself... I'll be 36 in 3 weeks but I feel better than I have in 20 years... i want everyone to read my story and see it is possible to have the BYPASS without any issues and also my 3 months blood tests were perfect so no issues with vitamins either just have to remember to take them everyday.. The one issue I will say was my hair did get thinner and would grow slower but never fell out.... I'm sure in time it will get better I've gone from being the FAT friend to the SKINNY friend... i look and feel amazing and my BMI has gone from 43 to 22. I've dropped 159lbs or 72KGS in 10 months including my preop... From 146KG to 74KG and below every goal I thought I wanted. I don't mind because most people will bounce back 10-20lbs anyway plus when I do start to build muscle that will add a little weight because right now I'm kinda skin and bones LOL feels weird saying that about myself but its pretty good... I'm really hoping I'll meet someone soon and start a family and live a long long life 😁😁😁 So if anybody is curious about RNY BYPASS don't be afraid... Success is possible!!!! A few pics before and after

Yeah I'm probably 10-20lbs below my ideal weight and I'm not worried because we all know there can be a 10% weight rebound in the years to come plus when I get to start weights and toning up then I should gain some muscle as well and yes it is possible that maybe our metabolism will change in the years to come so it is imperative to keep an eye on your weight long term Do not get complacent

OMG. I came here exactly for THIS. I've lost almost 100lbs and I still have about 37lbs left. I'm kinda worried about losing more because I am SOO bony now it hurts to sleep cause my hips have no cushion and they dig into my MEMORY FOAM mattress. I can't even contemplate laying down on the hard ground. My collar bones stick out and are very prominent, and I have to be careful when sitting on a toilet seat cause my tailbone whacks the back of the seat if I don't sit a bit forward. I'm freezing ALL the time. I was always cold even at 300lbs, but now it's intolerable. (My thyroid has been tested & is fine.) Let me be clear, I am in no way already skinny. I still have heavy rolls (not just skin) on my belly and significant back and thigh fat still. But all my joints are extremely bony. My question is this: is this normal for thinner people or do I just genetically have a big frame bone structure? OR... is that we really do get "big bones" from being obese for so long? I know the concept of big bones is mostly a myth, "I'm not fat, I'm big boned" but I'm wondering if our bone structure adapts to our extreme weight. I've been morbidly obese since I was 12 so I honestly don't know what my bone structure should be like and if this is normal. (My mom & both grandmas are/were also morbidly obese their whole lives.) Highest weight: 2010, 320lbs PSW: 2019, 287lbs Current Wt: 192lbs, Goal Wt: 155lbs

Hey 👋🏾 I just wanna ck in i am 8 months out from surgery I’m feeling great I’m now at 154 I haven’t been this size in over 13 years I can wear 8/10 jeans omg I’m loving the losers bench how is everyone doing and post some updates

I’m in the same boat. Only lost 10 lbs in the first 3 weeks and had a very strict protocol. 2 weeks of clear, 1 week full liquids and then mushies - only 2 ounces at a time and walking 2miles a day. Even my surgeon was surprised. I started walking 3 miles a day and said I wouldn’t weight myself for another 3 weeks because I know what Head games that does to me. I spend 3 days “cheating” with an .5- 1 oz of pirate booty because I felt like 2 ounces of food was nothing. Like what’s the point, it’s over in a few minutes or a few bites, and family dinners were / are hard. So I ate the pirate booty because it felt like a lot of chewing but didn’t have a problem going down. Even tried a few potato chips, which were waaaay to easy to go down. Then I freaked out because I could feel my bad habits coming back and I kept hearing the saying “those who find a way to cheat the bypass are the ones who fail”. So then I threw the both bags away. The head game is real.

This will give you more options. Remember the puree diet includes everything in the liquid diet so you still have the option to continue consuming those things you like in your liquid diet. I did liquids only for 10 days post op.

Again, this is a dream. I'm 32 days post op and stalled at a 17 pound weight loss. Been 200 pounds for 10 days. My surgeon did a "short bypass". Only 100 cm. Because I only had 65 pounds to lose and I didn't want to dump or malabsorb. I hope I will still lose the 65 pounds. I'd love to be saying what you two are in a year. Wishing you continued success!

Hello, I’m new here so a little history first; I am currently 33 years old and had my surgery about 11/12 years ago when I was around 21/22 old (@ 23• stone) years when I had my surgery done. I lost a large amount of weight very quickly due to the surgery and was soon at my ‘starting going to the gym weight of 15 stone in around 2 years! That was without even exercising much apart from normal day to day tasks and no change in diet apart from the starting liquid one.,My weight range over the years has varied between 13.5 stone to 15.0 stone due to going to the gym 3/4 times a week for about a year which led to around a stone of muscle. I did however have some problems, the first being a blockage which required a nights in hospital but no surgery thankfully. I also developers a increase in alcohol consumption due to the increased desire for it over the year, maybe 3/4 pings a night I was drinking most days and more at the weekend. Out the blue about 7 years ago I had the sudden onset of Generalised and Social Anxiety. The anxiety would be way worse If I was hangover or after a heavy night out. This developed into vicious circle to a point about 5 years ago where it spiralled out of control and was drinking 6/8+ pints a daily/all day. Thankfully I’m a sell employee property landlord. During this time I had quite multiple periods of longish abstinence (with medication from my GP for help with my anxiety) with the longest one (just over a year) which ended just over a year ago and was drinking heavily (8+ pints) again during July/August/September 2019 but stopped again. In the past when I went on my every/all day alcohol sessions for long periods of time I never put on any weighteven though I was consuming 2000+ extra empty calories plus loads junk food and takeaways. In fact I would sometimes lose weight?! I don’t until now own scales so always ‘weighed’ myself based on how my clothes fit. In late February I started again heavily but this time I started massive weight gain I couldn’t believe it and that alone caused me to quit (with the help of my GP for some Diazepam from my GP for the 1/2 weeks of horrendous anxiety I get when stopping. I am worried about the random weight gain as it’s never happened before in the past with a massive calorie increase due to alcohol (beer/cider). I thought I might have diabetes as I was really thirsty, quite hungry all the time and putting on weight but went to the GP and see did a diabetes, liver ,kidneys, bloods etc and all came back completely fine. It also been a weird weight gain as it’s mainly in my upper body and I also have dry skin, it goes white/dry when I itch myself on most my body. I bought the Withings Body + scales so I can start logging my weight and also body fat % and was surprised to be 16.5 stone! It’s about 2 stone over my idea weight (no gym) and I’ve last that much in 3 months!! Has anyone personally post op noticed a sudden increase in weight randomly? or tied with something else like alcohol? Also any diets to kickstart the weight loss? I have heard of the pouch reset diet, is it any good? Please help, I hardly have any clothes that fit now! Cheers

I reached my lowest weight (138) at 18-20 months post-surgery. I gained c. 12 lbs in year 3, which is very common (most people seem to have a 10-20 lb "bounce back" during year 2 or 3). I've been pretty stable since then, though.

Hi. I am wondering if anyone is able to get enough protein, per day, by food. I am 10 weeks post op and have been on “normal” food for over a month. I absolutely detest protein powder, protein shakes, protein drink and any form or protein supplement. Not only do I detest, but it doesn’t sit well inside my stomach. I try to eat protein throughout the day (eggs, chicken, turkey, Greek yogurt, tuna, some cheeses) but I feel like I am no where near my protein gram goal. Wondering if anyone is hitting their protein goal with actual and food and what you are eating. Thanks.

I'm scheduled for VSG in August after having two delays already this year due to covid-19. I know from extensive research on the subject that the rate of loss in the first 6 months is determined, by and large, by genetics (and after that it's all on me for the rest of my life in terms of diet and exercise). Yet as I get closer to the date, I find myself thinking about my genes - something I have no control over... and it's not like there aren't already enough post-surgery things to worry about that I do have control over. I'm having WLS to lose a lot of weight that I haven't been able to lose and keep off on my own with diet and exercise. I'm already doing everything I can to prepare for life-long healthy psychological and lifestyle changes after surgery, but man, I would be devastated if surgery didn't give me the result I hope it will. I should add that haven't had DNA tests to confirm whether or not I have genetic variables such as the FTO gene that contribute to obesity, just because of the costs involved with the tests. Just curious if anyone else worried about this, specifically, before surgery. Or am I the only one? Also, if it turned out that you were genetically a slower loser (and by that I mean following instructions to the letter including exercising and keeping fat, carbs, and calories low for 6 months or longer), did you eventually reach your goal weight and if you did, how long did it take? Thanks for your replies.

Where n FL? I'm supposed to have surgery in Boca Raton on 7/21. It was cancelled once, but they moved me to another hospital. My Dr. is on vacation this week (7/12-7/19) so I'm not sure I'll find out until he gets back...yay. Liquid diet is not easy when you aren't sure that the surgery is going to happen. I know I will get it eventually and I understand there are others who need the hospital beds,,,but I still REALLY want it! -

Wow, thanks for putting this together! 😀 It is SO helpful, just what I was looking for! 🤩 I'm in a holding pattern with surgery due to covid-19, but have transitioned to a WFPB diet in preparation for a lifetime of health and weight maintenance after surgery. I've already lost 40 lbs since transitioning, and have more energy and feel better than I have in decades. Can't wait to reap all the benefits of WLS combined with this WFPB life!

I just got the results of my COVID-19 test and it's negative! That was a lot faster than they said it was going to be. I'm glad I can stop worrying about that. I'm working from home next week, so I don't plan to have any contact with anyone until I go to the hospital.

My surgery has been cancelled twice this year due to covid-19, and now I have yet another surgery date scheduled, this time for Aug 16. If it's delayed for a third time, I won't be bothered like I was the first time. I view these delays as an opportunity to give myself a head start on a new lifestyle and way of eating in preparation for making the most out of surgery. I've cut out processed foods, sugar, dairy, and animal products, found some vegan protein powders that I like, am practicing sipping water and chewing my food at least 45 times before swallowing, and have worked my way up to walking 10,000 steps a day. I've lost almost 40 lbs so far, and plan to keep on losing as much weight as I can before surgery, even though it's not a requirement in my program.

The program I'm in had made my routine fairly easy, if not a bit monotonous. I'm supposed to drink 1 ounce of fluid by sipping it over the course of 15 minutes, every 15 minutes. So I'm essentially always drinking fluids every waking hour. I text my doctor every night to update him on how many ounces I consumed and he's adjusted things every day by adding more protein shakes into the mix. For the exercise I've done, I have gone outside and walked for 10 minutes, timing it half way between fluid consumption so that I get back in time to finish the ounce and then start the next one.

I got my COVID-19 test yesterday... I’m terrified that it will come up positive and ruin everything. It’s not just a matter of having to wait longer; I have a lot going on in my life this year and a pretty narrow window to get the surgery. Somehow, everything came together for me to get the surgery during this window, and it feels too good to be true because nothing in my life ever works out the way it’s supposed to.

I hope they don't reschedule mine on the 16th. I've already started my 10 day pre-op diet and I'm on day 5, I'll go crazy!

Surgery was first thing in the morning on 7/7. Discharged from the hospital the following morning. Overnight at the hospital wasn't bad, if only a little tedious. Made good progress on my fluid intake while there. Pain was minimal once home, topping out around a 4. Liquid acetaminophen is all I've needed. Visiting nurse stopped by on 7/9 to check my vitals and see how I was doing. Did three 10 minute walks outside, which was overachieving because there was more discomfort on the last walk and I woke up exhausted the following morning. Drank 51 ounces of fluids, including 8 ounces of Celebrate 4:1 protein shake Removed the binder and took a very welcome shower before the VNA stopped by on Friday morning. She said that the swelling and inflammation around my incisions had subsided a lot from the day before. Also had first post-op bowel movement. That almost sent me running for the ER because I wasn't warned about how it was going to look. Doctor assured me that it was normal after spending a lot of the day in a mild state of panic. Consumed 53 ounces of fluids, including 16 ounces of Celebrate 4:1 shakes. Scaled back my activity to just two 10 minute walks outside. Did not put the binder back on as I didn't feel any added pain or discomfort from not wearing it. Today? Well, pain is pretty much gone. Haven't taken any liquid acetaminophen yet today. Still feeling tired. Doctor has said to not do any exercise today and simply rest. Am supposed to drink 16 ounces of Celebrate 4:1 and 8 ounces of Premiere Protein today, on top of other fluids. The biggest complaint I have at the moment is how itchy my stomach is. A combination of the incisions healing and all of the body hair that was shaved off starting to grow back in. Another VNA visit tomorrow and then 1st post-op followup with my doctor on Monday. So far so good!

Owned by the same family, but their parent companies split (not amicably) decades ago, became Aldi Sud & Aldi Nord. The operations of Trader Joe's & Aldi in the US are completely separate. Any overlap of products is a function of the private label industry vs. coordination. For example store brand hummus is likely to be either Tribe or Sabra. For most grocery categories there are a limited number of manufactures who have the scale to make private label in the quantities and at the price necessary. https://www.producebluebook.com/2019/07/19/aldi-and-trader-joes-are-they-related/# Way more info then I'm sure anyone wanted 😂 Oh, and the Everything But The Bagel is $1.95 at my local Aldi. I have found that similar or identical items are always a bit cheaper at Aldi vs. TJ's

--- Morning Update 7/10/2020 --- I was on my way to getting discharged. However my wife trusted her instincts and requested them to do another x ray. Thankfully she did because it looks like the fluid is back. Tomorrow they are going to be putting in a chest tube to continually drain the area and I will be here a few more days. Trying my best to stay positive, I'll admit a few tears have leaked out though.

I've never been a huge Jello fan and hadn't had it since my surgery five years ago (the pre-op diet...), but someone on another forum eats sugar free Jello all the time - with light Cool Whip - as a snack or dessert. Since I seem to be having trouble controlling my snacking lately, I thought I'd give it a try. It's not bad - and it's sweet - and super low in calories. I picked up this coconut whipped topping that I saw the other day at Trader Joe's (I noticed that they also have it at Aldi's) - it's even lower in calories than light Cool Whip (10 calories per 2 tablespoons), and it has a nice, coconut-y taste to it. Voila! Just had this as my morning snack...