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Procedure done at hospital or specialist?
RickM replied to AmandaD.'s topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
It sounds like a surgery center, which are usually set up on an office building or industrial park, and are good for minor outpatient procedures that don't normally need full hospital services, including overnight stays. It's not too unusual to see VSGs done outpatient and go home the same day; I'm not sure I would want to plan on anything more complicated than that in that setting. My concern is that, while in the nominal setting the procedure and recovery may go well enough to go home the same day, but if it doesn't, then they need to transport and check you into the hospital. If there is a "minor" concern, will they go through the hassle to do that rather than take their chances and send you home? if you're already in a hospital, then the decision to stay the night is an easy one. Usually, outpatient in a hospital is anything under 24 hours, so an overnight is an easy decision if necessary. I've had a couple of orthopedic procedures done as hospital outpatient, and the first one I did stay overnight, as I was still running a bit of a fever and felt it would be better to stay there until that settled - if I went home and it got worse, then I would have to go back and check in again as a new patient. It didn't and I went home in the morning. The second one I went home that afternoon as all felt fine. I would rather have the option. When I had my VSG, I was definitely not ready to go home that same night; the pain of straightening out to roll our of bed, even with assistance, and IV pain meds, was too high. The next day it was fine (but I was kept another day after that because the hospital was slow in doing some of the routine post op tests that the surgeon had ordered - he was not amused.) In short, unless your doc's clinic or surgical center has provisions for overnight stays, I would much prefer a hospital environment for a bariatric procedure, particularly with the slightly more complex ones where they are slicing and dicing the intestines as well as the stomach. As an added note, I did have my plastics done at a surgery center, which is a much bigger deal than the original bariatric procedure usually is, but that included transportation and stay at a private nursing facility as a planned part of the package, so that can be an offsetting factor if that is part of the deal. -
I guess I am a lucky one then.....I had no incision pain and no problems or complications at all. That being said I "think" I am lactose intolerant now tho because if I drink milk or eat dairy I get really really sick. I had no issue with that before surgery but do now after surgery. But surgery itself no problems.
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New Here! I was approved for the sleeve from Kaiser (Southern Ca)but took the classes over a year and a half ago.
Orinskye replied to MyDogsLoveMe's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Hi there, I am in so cal and went through Kaiser. I went to the South Bay facility. they definitely make you jump through hoops with all their pre qualifications (like classes, psych eval, etc). But it was so worth it. It was done as an outpatient procedure because it was in the midst of Covid, I had the gastric sleeve done because I was worried about vitamin deficiency issues. i am now about a year and a half out from surgery. My friend/mom was really my support because my family/husband thought it was unnecessary (drs told me it would save my life). My friends husband went through it so he was a good sounding board, but This forum is awesome for any questions you might have and I honestly went here first. i am pretty tall at over 6 feet but my highest weight was 330 lbs and now I am at 155-160 pounds. I am currently looking into trying to get skin removal surgery. In case you are interested in that down the road: apparently they make you take classes for that as well. complications I had: I had a slight issue with my blood pressure being too low post surgery and was taken off my meds which fixed the problem. Kaiser was very responsive to the concern and the surgical team was great about conferring with my other specialists (I have many) because they are all part of the same Kaiser system. if you have any questions feel free to reach out! good luck! -
One Week Until Surgery
TheWeightisOvr replied to heartofmercury's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
Congratulations! I’m coming up on 6 months post op and I remember my preop waiting room anticipation like it was yesterday. I waited for 3 hours because the surgery before mine got complicated. So excited for you! -
10lbs of regain is COMPLETELY within the normal/expected bounds of maintenance weight fluctuations. Most all folks will regain a handful of pounds after hitting their lowest weight and going into maintenance. I am shocked that any doctor would prescribe weight loss meds, particularly Plenity, for a 10lb regain at 18 moths post op. You are exactly right in that it expands in the stomach to limit your intake, which is exactly what WLS did (limit intake). I would be concerned about malnutrition, blockages, and all other sort of potential complication. Was the prescribing doctor your bariatric surgeon? Have you discussed this with your bariatric team? Have you tried working with a registered dietitian who specializes in bariatrics? Additionally, the resurgence of hunger after WLS is very normal and often coincides with maintenance. All that to say, it sounds like you are actually exactly where you should be given your status post-op and weight loss meds are probably not the best solution.
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Doubting Whether I Should Proceed
Tami10 replied to djhobbes's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
First I'll say I was lurking in the shadows for a while before posting anything also. I would like to start with you started this journey for a reason and if that reason is still there I would stay with it. It will get tough especially the first couple of months but so worth it. My mom was worried about it because she knew a couple of people who the surgery and went the other getting to skinny and looking sucked in. But I'm doing good right now and glad I did it. Though I was upset in the beginning because of sever complications. But with all that I would do it again. Do what you feel is right for you. Congratulations on taking the first steps of this journey and hope you find what is best for you Sent from my SM-A716U using BariatricPal mobile app -
Band to Bypass Surgery coming up...SCARED
CDMC1972 replied to MaryRN66's topic in Revision Weight Loss Surgery Forums (NEW!)
Hello! I am in the process of converting from a band to another type of WLS. I got the band in June 2009, and had it removed in June 2021, due to complications with acid reflux. I met with my surgeon in May of this year to discuss a revision. Due to the issues with the band, he doesn't recommend the sleeve, but the bypass. I am nervous about the re-routing and the fact that I am almost 50. My current weight is 250 lbs. Would you be able to share some of your experiences/challenges before, during and after the revision surgery? I have completed most of my clearances and will meet with the surgeon on September 1st--I think during that visit we will discuss my surgery date and the type of surgery. I appreciate any insight you can provide. Thank you! -
Purpose behind the Post-Op Diet Stages
Nepenthe44 replied to KevinS62's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
The only absolute in biology is that there are no absolutes, there's always an exception or a complication. (That's why I love it!) -
20 y/o college student sleeve buddy!
GabriellaRose replied to Melting_Away's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
Well, I didn't face any serious problems. But for me, it was a little bit complicated to do homework because I wanted just to have a rest and not to study, and I couldn't concentrate. But my professors were understandable, and I could send something a little later, after the deadline. And everyone helped me, especially my groupmates. When I was writing one paper about birth control ( it was a philosophy course, so you can understand that it was complicated), they even offered to write it for me. But as a result, a friend of mine sent me this source https://studydriver.com/birth-control-essay/ where I just read provided there birth control essay examples and managed to write my own one. And I think that was the most difficult day for me, and the rest were pretty fine. Aslo, maybe it was morally hard to go out with friends because of obvious reasons, but after two or three times, I got used to the new life. -
Hello All, I have the opportunity to get either a BPD/DS or a SADI revision to my original/broken 2002 Lap-Band. I've done a lot of research and I like the statistics of the BPD/DS and that it's the most powerful and successful WLS available today. I did some research into SADI and the early numbers are pretty promising, plus it seems like a slightly safer procedure with potentially less complications - but I dislike that the statistics are just not quite there after roughly 6 years. I'm torn. I'm leaning BPD/DS, but I want to really consider both procedures. FYI my stats are 5"4", 325lb, Age 44 F. I live in the UK. I have reached out to the UK surgeons listed on this page for my DS Revision: https://bariatricfacts.org/threads/current-list-of-known-rny-to-ds-surgeons.1403/ So knowing what you know, what would you do in my position - BPD/DS or SADI? I want to hear your opinions, please!! I genuinely see benefits to both surgeries, I have a bias towards the available stats for the BPD/DS though.
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I second the safety issue which is the main reason there is a post-op diet. Your stomach doesn't fully heal till 6 to 8 weeks later. It is dangerous to go off post-op plan especially early on. I know someone who slipped early on, in the 3rd or 4th week and she ended up with serious complications.
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Hello! New here - just starting journey
Esi replied to AmandaD.'s topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
My insurance didn’t cover it, and neither did my husband’s. Had to do self-pay, which at least meant no red tape to do once I was cleared by the surgeon. Insurance did cover the pre- and post-op visits, including an outpatient visit due to a complication. Still worth every penny! I sometimes think about how much money I am saving my insurance company by being healthier now…seems like they should be encouraging people to do WLS since it’s more than worth it to them in the end… -
I started off with the plan to not tell anyone but I had so many complications, follow up procedures and another surgery that people were REALLY worried. It was too much to ask my husband and mother to lie or evade so I just let them tell family but that I wasn’t interested in discussing my health. Work just has to keep wondering, I already face discrimination at work and knew from experience that sharing isn’t a good idea.
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Trying to get out of my head....
Splenda replied to SleeveToBypass2023's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Here is my considered reaction to the people who say, "You can't do keto once you have the surgery" "Says who?" I am a firm believer that in the days and weeks after the surgery, you need to listen to your surgeon and be conservative with what foods you try -- you don't want to cause any complications. But the further you get from surgery, the more you have to find a healthy routine that works for you. Now, post-surgery keto probably wouldn't look exactly like pre-surgery keto. The fats you can tolerate will be different. Your protein goals would be more important than your macros. It would be a process of trial and error. It may turn into a dirty/lazy keto diet (that's what my wife does. She eats whatever she wants as long as her net carbs stay below 20 per day). Your current way of eating like a bird and working out like an athlete isn't doing you any good. You are stuck in stalls because your metabolism is trying to account for not getting enough calories while you are burning like crazy. -
I also had trouble sleeping. I'm a very anxious person, and for me, that whole period was complicated. But when I started walking for an hour or two every evening, drink more herbal tee, the situation improved
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Severe Depression during pre-op diet- NORMAL?
catwoman7 replied to jessk0560's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
re: the fear of dying = banish that thought. You're not going to die. Weight loss surgeries years ago were dangerous, but they just aren't anymore. Techniques have vastly improved, and these have become very common, routine surgeries. They're really no more risky than any other abdominal surgery. The mortality rate on gastric bypass is 0.3 %. It's even lower for sleeve. So you have at least a 99.7% chance of not dying. Those are excellent odds. Better odds than hip replacement surgeries, and they do those all the time. Honestly, you're more like to experience complications and death by remaining obese than you will be having the surgery. the pre-op diet is tough - and the first few weeks post-op can be tough, too (although in many cases, the pre-op part is worse). But you'll be through this before you know it. I would have this surgery again in a heart beat. No regrets whatsoever. -
3 Weeks Post Op Need some help/advice/encouragement...
jojolynn73 posted a topic in Gastric Bypass Surgery Forums
My surgery was June 29th. While I am obese (217 pounds day of surgery), my main and desperate reason for surgery was that I have SEVERE GERD, Barrett's Esophagus, esophageal ulcer, nodules/tumors in esophagus , hiatal hernia-- all from the never ending GERD. My health insurance would NOT pay for my surgery. It's totally excluded no matter the reason. I was headed to esophageal cancer land and was desperate. So, I paid out of pocket and flew to the Netherlands to a really good surgeon and clinic. I am still here and fly home in a few days. For the most part, my pain has been super super easy. But I've had a few issues... and now I am so scared that I made the biggest mistake of my life! What if this surgery causes worse complications than what I had before? I am having severe anxiety reading about all the things that can go wrong...sometimes decades after surgery! This is what's been happening for me. I don't know if some of this could be from the hernia repair as well? If anyone has had that too , please can you share your story? This awful sensation that something is stuck in my throat all the time. It's like if you swallow a pill and it doesn't quite go down.. that. I have that and it is never ending. Esophageal spasms when I tried to eat more solid/less liquid food. Felt like food was stuck for two days. Had to have an emergency endoscopy. The endoscopy showed no food stuck but did show that my esophageal ulcer had not only not healed but was actively bleeding. It also showed that my opening between the new stomach and the intestines was a little narrow. They said it could be due to swelling and just needs time but that I should "keep and eye on it." She said she was able to get her scope down past it, but that was about as bit as it was and no bigger... I am worried about this? Black stools... which, now could mean that my ulcer was bleeding this whole time maybe? They took me off the daily blood thinner shots I was taking. I think it may be slowly getting better...I hope. Now they tell me back on only liquids for a couple more weeks. I am also now taking Nexium twice a day. 80 mg total! This makes me feel like crap. I thought this surgery was supposed to fix the acid? Does this mean it didn't work for me? Why do I have to take the acid meds for 6 months? I have so many questions. I am scared because my surgeon is here in another country. Meanwhile, I have to go home and try to find someone to help follow me in my healing, etc. I just feel really stupid now. My surgeons in the states (4 of them) all said that this surgery was the treatment of choice for me and could totally take away my really bad GERD issues and maybe even heal the stuff in my esophagus. Thank you so much for anyone who can offer some support or a similar story/reason for surgery. -
Had mine done 15Jul22, home today after complications, all good now and already on pureed food. (1st 3days liquids only, then stage 1 pureed food for 4 weeks). Anyone had problems with post surgery bleeds and oedema?
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Aaand here was go again round 2- 20 years later
Sunnyway replied to Ethel6's topic in Revision Weight Loss Surgery Forums (NEW!)
I had RNY in 1990 and regained all I lost. I always blamed myself but now know that the surgery failed due to a fistula between pouch and stomach. I didn't know that revision was even possible until 2020, just before the pandemic struck. I started the bariatric program in early 2021. I discovered that I am a food addict with trigger foods: sugar, wheat flour, rice, white potatoes, and processed food. I cut out those foods and the result was fantastic! I lost 70 lbs prior to surgery. Despite this success, I went ahead with laparoscopic revision surgery on 12/21/21 at age 73. I weighed 247 at the time of surgery, down from 317. Unfortunately, I fell in that very tiny group of bariatric surgical patients that develop serious complications. Ten days after my revision surgery, I was airlifted back to the hospital with peritonitis and sepsis, caused by a rupture of the jejunum below the anastomosis. I was hospitalized for 7 weeks and underwent three endoscopic procedures and two open surgeries before they finally found and corrected a residual abscess. I left the hospital with a 15-cm long open surgical wound, which took 8 more weeks to fully close. I am now fully recovered and am back to exercising daily. The endoscopic procedures stretched the new anastomosis so I have no more restriction than I had pre-surgery, so I still have to be very careful about what I consume. I typically go through month-long stalls and then drop a few pounds. I do lose inches during the stalls. I've dropped from size 32/4X to size 20/XL and now weigh 214 lbs., just past the 100 lb loss mark. After being on a restricted diet for over 16 months I struggle with near-irresistible cravings in the afternoon and evenings. The clinic wants me to limit intake to 800 calories. 😱 It is daunting because I know I will never be able to go on a "maintenance" diet and must continue to avoid my trigger foods forever. Even when I choose protein snacks in response to cravings, each snack adds 100 or more calories to the daily total so my daily calorie count is between 900-1200 calories. (I will gain weight at 1500 calories.) I've done a trial of weight loss drug CONTRAVE but had to discontinue due to side effects. This is a horror story, but don't let it dissuade you from your revision. Complications are extremely rare. -
WLS and wisdom teeth surgery
Clotibrut replied to J'sJourney's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
Removing wisdom teeth is a standard but complicated procedure—a blood clot forms in the hole after removing a wisdom tooth, promoting rapid wound healing. Sometimes a clot does not form, most often in smokers. After a few days, acute pain may appear, with which it is necessary to consult a doctor. I put dental implants in Allen, and my dentist recommended I restore the immune system after all dental treatment procedures and avoid surgical operations for six months. -
How important is to chew the food properly? I am told to chew the food 20-30 times but it’s just too much for me. It’s like no taste after chewing it multiple times. Anyone here that doesn’t follow this rule post op? What are the post complications with not chewing enough? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Howdy! My prop goal weight was 230 and that was set by me. I wanted to maximize the weight loss of the surgery as much as possible since I wanted to lose over 100 lbs. My doctor only requires 2 weeks liquid diet prior to my surgery date on Aug 18 the. I wanted to get a headstart, play with recipes, and establish new habits so there wouldn't be a ton of changes at once. This way I can monitor how we'll the fiber is working too. I suffer from constipation and I want to ensure I can do everything to avoid any complications. The Organic Plum Stage 1 baby food is a total WIN because they have yummy prunes plus protein and fiber!!
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May Surgery Buddies
The Traveler replied to The Traveler's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
So, I made this post and had my surgery on May 3rd. It went horribly wrong, so didn't want to scare everyone else. After the gastric bypass, I started vomiting blood, then it was old blood- but large amounts. On May 10th, they determined either the vomiting caused a hernia or vice versa. It would be a 30 minute surgery to correct it. During the anesthesia part of the surgery, I vomitted blood into my lungs (anesthesia aspiration). They immediately put me in a medically induced coma for 5 days to clear my lungs of the double pneumonia that developed. In total, I spent 19 days in the hospital. I have been recovering ever since. I have lost about 35 pounds (so more than half that I needed to) but physical recovery has been so much more of the challenge. I often wonder if I will recommend this surgery to others due to my complications, but I know they are like 1 in 5000 chances. -
Worried about getting surgery
Arabesque replied to Darkangel505's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
All surgeries have some sort of side effect or risk. Often they’re related to a pre-existing condition or a pre existing predilection. Sleeve surgery has relatively few side effects. Yes, gerd is a possibility. I agree with @ShoppGirl’s advice to ask your surgeon for their stats. I had mild reflux before my surgery which I managed with diet & only rarely needed to take a ppi (couple of times a year). I still have reflux. It manifests differently but I still manage it a lot with my food choices & take a ppi every day. None of the others I know who had sleeve surgery have developed gerd so … You usually hear about complications on forums, etc. because those people are seeking advice & support. People usually don’t post to say everything’s going great (though many of us here do 😉). I also think people are quick to share a so called ‘horror’ story because they are’t supportive of your choice to have the surgery. Everyone’s got a horror story to share about just about anything. You know those a friend of a friend of a friend stories. Actually talk to people who’ve had the surgery or read through the responses on this forum & you’ll find out about other’s true journeys. (Avoid Facebook groups as the ones I’ve stumbled upon tend to be negative & promote ways to cheat the surgery.) All the best. -
Im in severe pain all the time can someone give advice