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I am scheduled for surgery this Wednesday I'm anxious to lose the weight but afraid of the strict diet restrictions anybody that's had this surgery can you give me any advice and how hard is it to comply with the new food restrictions like my pre-op liquid diet for a week and right now I'm starving

As much as the research that I have pulled together I speculate the liquid diet is based on surgeon and part weight some surgeons want you to go on an all liquid diet to mentally prepare yourself for what's coming ahead, as well as shrinking the liver to make it easier to operate and easier for healing time! Also if you have a lot of weight to lose your doctor may put you on a strict liquid diet for a few weeks longer to lose weight to be able to operate, I have a BMI of 40 and my doctor put me on a two-week liquid only diet surgery date January 25, for the first seven days I had extreme headaches all day and all night long due to sugar withdrawal I did call my dietitian and she told me I can add a small piece of fruit two times a day if needed! Hope this helps and good luck HW 270 CW 258 Surgery date 1/25/17 Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

It is hard! You can do it though! Eye on the prize, soon enough you will be losing weight and on track to get healthy.

I meant to add that the weight hinders my job (photographer) to do what I want and to play with my kids the way I see it in my mind. To hike in the mountains because I have to admit my lungs feel like they are going to explode. I did email a staff member I have talked to a few times. He did reply. Sorry for the ranting. Hunger rant? Thank you though Sharpie. Blessings to you as well. You are an inspiration! I was hit by a drunk driver and we almost lost our lives. At that point I wanted to start my life over to what I felt I needed for myself and my kids/husband. It was a life altering moment for me. I had a new outlook. I have been in therapy and taking control of all aspects of my life. This one does mean a lot to me. I have to remind myself it is more important than pizza. Thank you.

Well I'm on my way for an EGD...the test alone is not scary but what my Dr might decide. This is revisional for me band to sleeve. I had the band 2007 lost about 85 pounds but went through some traumatic times in a short period of time. Was married to an abuser I had lost a good amount in a short time got pregnant with twins was punched hard multiple times in the stomach lost one baby to a miscarriage and then the other to etopic pregnancy...father diagnosed with cancer died 6 months later. Fractured my arm near my elbow but husband wouldn't let me go to the hospital till it already started healing....by February 2008 he went to jail and I got to rebuild my life...took a couple times of homelessness and unemployed to be where I am.....in a much better place...the band had me over restricted so much so that I had it removed in 2010. Unfortunately I gained all my weight back... my whole point is that the dr is hesitating if it has been eroded...I just need prayers...I need a do over...I've suffered relentlessly and Ive been researching and I'm ready and wanting to do this for the right reasons....please pray that he will see the possibilities of doing this surgery....thank you for listening....

That's a lot lost already, congrats. A little gain may come after adding food after a liquid diet for a week. I always go up then down when I get my period, that water weight. Sounds like you're doing a great job.

As long as you lost some of the weight you should be ok.

I think your nutritionist is misinterpreting the data. It's not that the bypass is NECESSARILY more effective long term, only that we have more EVIDENCE of it being effective long term. The sleeve as an individual operation is a relatively new procedure, so we just don't have as much long term data either way vs the RNY. But the info we do have is very promising. I've done a lot of reading and from my (layman's) understanding, the bypass will help you lose weight faster (6mo to a year) vs the sleeve where you typically lose slowly over a period of 18 months. The typical difference between loss I think is often 10% of your weight ON AVERAGE, which may or may not be a big deal to you. (It wasn't to me, which is why I went with the sleeve.) Regain typically comes down to compliancy post-op more than what procedure you get. The average losses comes from the people who lose 150 lbs and completely overhaul their life and the people who eat around their surgery and lose less than ten or go on to gain past their original weight, so honestly I really didn't take it much into account when I was picking my procedure. I was much more concerned about the life I'd be living post op with both procedures and about my individual comfort level with the concept of the procedures themselves. Sleeve fit my vision for my future, so that's what I chose even though my surgeon was more in favour of the RNY as the "gold standard". It is true the RNY is more invasive and also produces more restriction both in terms of volume of food AND type of foods you can eat. A lot of the things I can very easily eat post-op with my sleeve could make your average RNY patient very sick. some people see this as a pro to the RNY, others a con. There are good reasons to pick either procedure, and sticking to the plan long term will bring success with EITHER procedure. After that it comes down to other factors: if you have GERD, if you have type 2 diabetes, how much weight you have to lose, how comfortable you are with malabsorption of nutrients, the speed you want the weight loss to be, whether you'd prefer the proven track record of the RNY, whether you want the ability to revise down the line, etc. There's a lot to consider here, so definitely stick around and do some reading, but don't let the nutritionist tell you that you HAVE to get the RNY just because "after 5 years the sleeve stops working" and accept that as gospel or use it as the only deciding factor in your choice. Any surgery can result in weight regain, just as any surgery can result in stunning lifelong success. The specific surgery itself isn't nearly so important as the lifestyle changes you implement alongside your chosen procedure.

"She said with the bypass you can keep it off longer." I have never heard this. Gastric bypass is more invasive & you will lose more weight. However, you'll be on supplements for the rest of your life. You're also more susceptible to "dumping" where if you eat too much, you need to run to the bathroom.

Yay Steve - That’s so wonderful - so glad for you. Yes it is an emotional roller coaster. Food just like any other drug can control our lives and we just have to move on from those things that are hurting us. Just keep doing what your doing - looking at the (non food) positives like the being able to move better, less pain, less medications, etc. Look at us. We are Irish and I have to give up bread and potatoes. OMG.... - but I know it will be so worth it. Gosh I can't wait to fit in the tub again. LOL I too am excited about the idea of being able to move better. Just to do my own toes, work in my own garden without spending the whole next couple day recuperating from it. It will be so worth it, you will see. Find new interests – bowling, hiking, hunting – things that don’t relate to food. Like I love painting, crochet, and gardening. I’m putting a lot of focus into these things and not so much on the culinary stuff. All it has done is make me miserable like I’m sure it has you. I too was a bit ashamed to tell people. Like I failed or something.. taking the easy way out. I’ve gotten so over that. I’ve tried for 20 years to deal with my weight with many programs, diets, exercise routines and stuff. I have to say I really did try. So the heck with what others say. You’re doing this for YOU and your family. Losing the weight to be healthy and prolong life to be with your family What ever the reason. What people say doesn’t matter. I haven’t announced like all out, but most people I know, know. I don’t miss work and it was really hard to explain the taking 2 week off so most my coworker know too. But no one has been negative at all. Actually way opposite. Please do keep us updated on your progress. My surgery date is July 12th so same as you sooo nervous but ready to get on with this new chapter in my life. Praying for you and a more healthier and active future. GrInS

Good question. Doubt they'd agree to do them in the same surgery. For one thing, they would not want you under anesthesia that long. WLS would do the bypass and then a plastic surgeon would need to be ready to do the breast reduction. Another reason is what you already noted - they'll want you to wait until you've reached your new self for awhile. If insurance pays, they may want you to wait till you've been at stable weight for about a year. It'll be worth the wait!

So, I did quite a bit of work today to help make the process go a little faster once I finish my last medical weight loss class: both my psychological clearance and my final appointment with my GP have been scheduled on the same day. So, I clarified with the bariatric coordinator from Northern Colorado Surgical Associates that once she phones me the following Tuesday, I can get my consultation that week or possibly the following week, which will allow me to have surgery 4-6 weeks after that point. So, based on these timelines, the earliest possible date for my surgery is the 16th of August and the latest possible date for my surgery is the 8th of September. So now, I have an idea of when about I'll be getting my surgery.

I actually have been seeing a pediatric bariatric surgeon already. im three months into the process.. throughout my entire life ive been overweight and ive had a lot of troubles in school and health problems in between. i have a genetic condition that affects my muscles and joints and i feel losing some weight would benefit me . I also am on the road to type 2 diabetes and already have fatty liver. i may just get this done for medical health reasons

Your nervousness is completely normal. You'll be fine, I promise! Let your surgical team know about your anxiety, especially your anesthesiologist. They should be able to give you something to help you relax (I called it "happy juice" lol). That's what they're there for, to help make this as comfortable as possible for you! And when you wake up, you won't feel a thing. You'll feel like you've woken up from a nice nap. Think about why you're having the procedure and how much better you'll feel once you have no more heartburn! AND you'll lose more weight! So you'll feel better overall! Remember we're all here for you if you need us! Sent from my SM-G920T using BariatricPal mobile app

Shy1, Thank you for you reply! Glad to know I'm not the only one feeling this way. I keep having people say if you have been able to loose weight before surgery then why have surgery. Uggg!

I 2nd guessed myself too like 3 days before. I had someone tell me well you've lost 20lbs doing a liquid diet. Why can't you just keep doing that. People that haven't battled with weight don't get it. I just dismissed what they said, although it was very hard not to reply back with a smart mouth remark. I was a tad moody on the liquid only diet for 2 weeks. I had surgery Thursday and had a WTH did I do moment the day after and another one yesterday but everyone I know that's had this surgery has said it's rough but you will get through it. It just takes time. I'm doing better today then I was yesterday and yesterday day was better than the 2nd day. Just take it slow. Good luck and speedy recovery.

I have my last class on May 9th that's like a graduation day class and I'm pretty sure I am going to be the biggest loser or pretty close to one of the people that wins some type of prize they're going to give the biggest loser something everybody keeps telling me it's me so far in the class I have lost 44 pounds at orientation if we go by that weight it's almost 48 pounds I started at 291 and today I am at 243. They let me actually make my surgeon appointment where I meet with the surgeon and that is on May 16th. I am going with Dr Naik. I am so excited for my Tuesday class I can't wait and then I'm super excited for my surgeon appointment and I talked with the girl in the office at the surgeons office and she said depending on what type of liquid diet he puts me on hopefully it's only for 3 days since I've lost so much weight but it could be a week or longer than I should be able to have surgery right after that I'm hoping by the end of MayI will definitely let everybody know when I get my surgery date.

HELPP!! I am looking to get weight loss surgery which my neurologist said is the best option for me. I have PCOS(Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) which makes it extremely hard for me to loss weight. I have been diagnosed with Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension, my neurologist is worried about me losing my vision and said and had a significant amount of fluid on my brain causing a lot of strain on my optic nerves causing my vision changes and loss of vision. I have pain, pressure and headaches all day long. I can't really enjoy anything because of the pain and now I am worried about losing my vision. I have insurance through Wells Fargo which is BCBS Anthem of GA. They require you to do a six month diet. My neurologist said that I should not wait that long to have weight loss surgery as this will help the IIH and PCOS. I called my insurance today and they agreed that it was a serious issues and could talk with my neurologist about waiving the 6 month diet plan. I already have my appointment scheduled for pre-op so hopefully they can get it waived and my psych eval is on Sept 6th so after that hopefully I can schedule surgery. I really hope they see the urgency with this issue as I don't want to do any further damage to my eyes and my neurologist agrees. Has anyone else been through the same issue and getting approved for WLS through insurance? Or experience the same issues?

I've been lurking and reading and finally decided to creating an account . I went for my consult on 7/25 ... I have GHI.. hoping to have my surgery in 10/2017. My starting weight is 253 and I'm 5'2...

Congratulations on your approval. I asked this same question. I was told its ok to have gained a few pounds unless its a rule from ur insurance that u have to be at the weight they set for u or less. Just to be on the safe side I would try to be at the weight Sent from my SM-G900T using the BariatricPal App

Isn't it funny how we hide behind our kids when we're over weight? No need for you to do that anymore! You look fantastic!

Edit to add: Lets double check this. Is your health insurance medi-cal (provided by state) or a selfpay/employer provided insurance? I asked because I have medi-cal and they did approve my surgery. Have you already done the 6 months of dr supervised weight loss? Get letters from your pcp talking about how your current medical issues are related to your health, a letter from your ortho about your joints (especially if he can say that you will need joint replacements). Write a letter about yourself. How your weight effects your life, a break down of your past attempts at dieting and the results, family histories of weight related or weight aggrivated diseases. I was denied several times and those letters where what got me approved. HW 385 SW 359 CW 335 (50lbs down!) Sleeved 10/5/16

My surgeon said that my starting BMI is what the ins co goes by. I didn't actually lose any weight during the six months (wasn't a requirement). Didn't have any trouble getting approved. I use United Health Care, but every insurance co is different.

I worry about the bmi dropping and then them saying I can do it in my own and don't need surgery. I can lose weight just can't keep it off then gain it back plus more :-( Definitely ask about what counts the before 6 month diet weight out the after. Hope it goes well for you and welcome to the journey!

My six mouth was October 28 and I gained 6 pound throughout my six month. My surgeon said i have to lose 10 pound before he would operate. So now once i get approved for surgery by my insurance if i don't lose that 10 pound he will not operate. Again, every surgeon is different and might not be the same for you. My paper has been submitted and now I'm playing the waiting game.