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We are not medical professionals and can only guess. Write all the symptoms down to give to your bariatric team. When does it happen - how long after eating? What were you eating? Did you eat a bite too much? Was the food acidic? Did you drink too soon after eating? Did you drink anything acidic? Did you eat too close to bedtime and cause food to push up into the esophagus? Does taking pepcid help at all? The citric acid in crystal light began to cause me heartburn, I had to really limit it. Check labels.

SIGH, my husband keeps saying that "he knows lots of ppl who have had bariatric surgery when I started looking into WLS, when I got serious about it, when I actively pursued approval..and again today. I have been, perhaps because of vanity, a bit hesitant to bring up the subject of WLS causing potential hair loss..as I've been a bit worried about..well, how he might feel about how i look...and he heard me listening to some youtube videos done by ppl who have had both gastric sleeve and/or bypass. I'm trying to make sure that I get the one that is the best fit for me, not based on just what the doctor says. He kept interrupting but was asking questions so I thought ok, now he is interested that is cool. He asked about difference between bypass and sleeve. I gave him some basics. Just based on the quicker weight loss he 'agrees with new dr' that I should have that. Then I told him my concerns about dumping/malabsorption (do you lose more hair with bypass than with sleeve due to this?)..and he brought out the "no one i know who as had WLS has ever showed any signs of hair loss"... He is a distant co-worker to 2 ppl he THINKS may have had WLS. He doesn't intimately know them. He has told me this before. When I went through diff things (pros and cons of each) he became more horrified and said "maybe you shouldn't be doing this and just keep trying to lose weight". SIGH...I've been "trying to lose weight" most of my life...although I was never super morbidly obese until my late 30's. Anyone else have mixed signals from their 'closest support'? I've invited him to the 3 hr seminar/clinic I went to and to my dr appts. Don't get me wrong, it's not that he doesn't care at all..he just "doesn't get it..that he doesn't get it" I really...could use him "getting it". I guess I'll have to start a pros and cons thread on sleeve vs. bypass. I've looked at many old threads that have been posted here over the years and I've googled, etc. - but mine would be in regards to the fact of my own co-morbidities or lack thereof, etc.

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Thank you, hmwilcox578. Yes, I AM alive! And Id like to stay that way. So, you think it's doable to lose 150#'s this late? I mean, any lose is very good and putting the right foods in my body will certainly be good for me regardless. I'm actually very excited (and pessimistic at the same time this late in the game) to start over. Having my wonderful husband, bestest friend support me in this (it doesn't hurt that he recently got diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and HAS to eat right) is a massive weight off my shoulders. He was a cook all his life, now retired, and he does all the cooking, VERY imaginative, talented and now educated. We're starting our journey on July 3. Me, a little more strict, but he's now willing to break things down (measurements) for me, in the dinner area. I'm again trying MFP to track myself as well as a food journal. But finding the updated MFP to be hard to understand but I'll get it. If I can survive and flourish with my mental illnesses, I would certainly hope I can do this! I'll be doing EMDR with this issue. My therapist is Awesome, loyal, relentless, educated and we really have a great relationship of 10 years. Lots more work ahead of us. I'm just trying to get peoples' input on using bariatric portions after 4 years of (other peoples') normal to large portions I've been eating. I mean, I don't eat much, but, the wrong things. I'm looking for answers? to whether bariatric portions is advisable so late in the game. If it will work, I'm ALL for doing it. Just don't know because I've never seen on here a situation exactly like mine. I should see my surgeon but I am deeply terrified. Trying to talk myself into it, but as you may well know, the Mind plays tricks. More work in therapy I guess. I'm SO proud of your major accomplishment and continued success! YOU must be very, very proud. It must suck having overhang. That would get on my nerves, but the alternative is that it's full of fat, which it's not. Yay! Be proud and shine like you did here, you deserve the attention and praise. Plus, you give hope to people like me. Keep on with the great success!

I've always done Centrum (or the generic equivalent) and haven't had any issues. Lots of WLS patients take them. As long as a vitamin meets the ASBMS (American Society of Bariatric & Metabolic Surgeons) requirements, it should be fine. for calcium citrate, I have three ways I take it --- Upcal D (a powder which I mix into things like yogurt), generic calcium citrate tablets from Walgreens or CVS, and Bariatric Advantage calcium chews which are great for traveling or for when you're out and about and not near your regular calcium stash (I always keep a few of them in my purse for that reason).

For CIGNA, it is a 1 bariatric surgery in a lifetime thing. They will never pay for a revision, period. My BMI when i met with 1st dr was 56 (down from over 60 when I started doing keto 15+ months ago). 1st Dr actually said he would do a bypass as well due to my very high BMI and the need to get weight off faster (both knees have severe arthritis and I have to get injections to be able to walk and that is even lately...even with 52.3 lbs lost..getting progressively more painful). Knee orthos (got 2nd opinion) have said both knees are so bad they require full replacement and as soon as my BMI is under 40, they will consider doing the operation. 1st dr though, felt uncomfortable with my clotting history so he said he would only do sleeve at this time and to save up my money (which I don't have) to pay for my own revision to bypass with duodenal switch in a yr or 2. I still have mixed feelings about the 2 different surgeries..things I like and don't like about the both. Do you think I should still reconsider? I'm asking this as I'm wanting to make the best decision..not just what either dr's have said...and I'm torn although both said I needed the bypass originally.

I actually had to restart everything again, 6 weeks into my Bariatric surgery they realized I had a build up of scar tissue and had to go back in and remove it starting everything over again. Now I’m at the soft food phase again.

30 days?! They could take up to 30 days??!! If they do that I may have to postpone surgery for 9 months!! OMG, I want to throw up. No, I was planning after surgery and the initial post-op visit to not ever go back again. This is so completely unprofessional. So how do I figure out if the DR is encouraging it or if it is that spiteful employee? IF they take 30 days, I will be sure that everyone/everywhere I can let ppl know...will know about what they have to be willing to put up with if they choose his practice. I wasn't planning on leaving any negative reviews, I just saw this as best choice for me given all of the loads of concerns I have/had...and was tired of a med tech treating me like I was a piece of crud. Heck, forget the title, tired of anyone treating me or anyone else this way. I could go 'hand collect' all of the freaking stuff I had submitted to his office. Lord knows it's not like they handled the letter to Cigna (my primary did that). I had my own psychiatrist and she filled out info and did a letter. My cardiologist will send my cardiac clearance and results of my tests to wherever it is needed. I did use a 'group practice' called Tri-S in downtown Ft. Worth for my nutritionist visit and attended a 3 hr clinic they did in early June. Since they provide this support for several bariatric docs in the area, I can call and ask for the records of my visit (what I don't understand is that CIGNA has ALL of this as these were their requirements - I guess I can't ask CIGNA to send copies to me/pay for copies?). So...in the end, what could he possibly have that I cannot...at some GREAT inconvenience and time infringing on my work life...get myself and have it sent to new dr? Trust me, I've made it EASY for both docs.

Welcome or welcome back! Good job on teaming up with the spouse to tackle the issues you face with food choices. The ONLY way to really know the capacity of your pouch is to do a barium swallow test, an internist can order one or even a GP, tell them you have heartburn, etc. A pouch reset is not that valid, it's more like a head reset than anything else. Yes, the pouch can and will stretch because the fundus part that stretches is still there. Also your esophagus can stretch too. You can get the pouch sleeved. It might be an option. You could also ease into intermittent fasting along with doing South Beach. I am not that familiar with the South Beach diet per se. Why not just dig out your bariatric guidelines and start there with portion control - small plates, measure/weigh food, record what you are eating. Many of is use free apps on our phones to track - Baritastic, My Fitness Pal, or Lose it are all free. See which one you like.

Am glad to hear this for you. I'm walking away from the dr I was going to go with as I became very uncomfortable with several things (there is a post on this). The other dr practice is now not getting any response to the request that was made to get my records days ago. Unfortunately, this is the type of behavior his office staff, one specific person pulls. Even when it was stuff THEY were to submit for me, they'd forget...they (one person) argued with me and CIGNA for TWO months - finally CIGNA and I were BOTH fed up, they called while I was at an appt with original surgeon and I took the policy in and had him look at the KEY PHRASE "has patient WITHIN the last 6 months...done xyz". Nowhere in it did Cigna's bariatric surgery policy say "patient must meet with a nutritionist every month for SIX consecutive months and if they miss one, they must start over". LITERALLY, this is what the med tech/insurance checker told me. She and I went around and around. The initial 3 to 5 times I tried talking to her, I was alway polite and professional. Guess what, she bulldozed over me in every conversation. Finally told me with great exasperation that I needed to quit calling Cigna as I was getting things confused!!! I finally played hard ball and was ready to walk away if the DOCTOR did not force them to push the paperwork through. Like "magic", they put the paperwork through..a few days later of course. It got immediate approval. When I went to my next appt, the med tech was so rude and hateful to me, I couldn't wait to get out of there. I stupidly didn't say anything to surgeon as she has worked for him for yrs and with my luck, she was a relative, niece, daughter in law. I had PLANNED to have a frank discussion with him AFTER surgery on 7/1. Well, since then they dropped the ball on a few more things, I found out the name of the anesthesia partner's name that my dr. uses and looked at their reviews...they were NOT GOOD! Frustr8 will tell you, my gut had been telling me I need to walk away...so with what..7 days left until surgery, I met with another dr. I liked him very much but most importantly, he made more sense, he has more surgeries (by the 1000's under his belt) his anesthesia partner checks out with good reviews, his office staff was NICE! VERY NICE! My original dr's staff has left me in tears over the phone (didn't let her know) at least 2 times. My dr. wrote my coumadin to lovenox bridging instructions on a sticky note and gave it to me. I took it up front and gave to his staff expecting them to type something up..nope, they handed it back. It was my husband who actually pointed out how crazy that was. I have thrown clots (PE's) after surgery just LAST year from inaccurate amounts of Lovenox for the bridging (bridging means getting off a major blood thinner like Coumadin and on to something like Lovenox which presents less chance for huge bleeding risks during surgery. So it is critical for my life and health to have those instructions documented on a dr's office papers...by him. All I had was this sticky. Now though, things are feeling even worse. My original dr's office is not responding at all to the request to transfer my records. I fear, like they have before, that they are going to fight me all the way. I've already looked up that I will have to send a certified letter..and they have FIFTEEN days to comply. OMG, I cannot believe it has come to this. I warned the new dr that I was so afraid about what they would do and he was like "no, we'll get the paperwork". Well, his main surgery coordinator just emailed me asking me to try to intervene!! It's FRIDAY NIGHT! This is so wrong...but after trying for 15-18 months to do everything right....I feel like I should have just let the original dr. operate. I'm so completely freaked out now..

Hello people! I'm 4 years out from RNY, lost 35 pounds total (non compliance) and am very, very eager to start over. My hubby is going to go on the South Beach Diet (prescribed by Surgeon) WITH me, so support, support, support. ❤️ We've started to eat better already, but for financial bs that will be resolved on July 3, we will be starting full on that day. So, I'm refreshing up on what I'm to do as a WLS patient. I haven't seen my surgeon in years due to, 1. Financial inability, 2. Shame, and 3. He had said some awful things about my various severe mental health issues that exacerbated the issues. I'm in very active psychotherapy. But, I will go back when I can come up with the money. I can't make up money that I don't/won't have. But anyway. I have a question, let me set it up. For years, I've been eating, drinking and consuming an average persons amount of food with no problems. On many occasions I filled my stomach with larger amounts of food that an RNY should not have held. I seriously want to eat bariatric portions now. If my stomach accepted volumes of food above the amount they/and you say should not fit, will a bariatric portion be enough? Or have I stretched my stomach. I've heard both sides on stretching pouches, don't know what to believe as to if that actually happens long term. And, I'm not convinced about the so called Pouch Reset. Can or should I revert to bariatric portions given this history? Is it still possible for me, at 308 to shoot for losing over 150 pounds if I do all the right things, or have I ruined that possibility? I am, for many reasons, chair bound most of the time except for my one day a week security officer job. We are joining the YMCA (pool) for "self physical therapy". Several docs working on my physical issues to get me mobile. I MUST lose a lot of weight in adjunct to surgeries, orthopedic devices and medication to get less painfully mobile. Any comments? Please, no hostility.

I was anemic for years also and was afraid that after surgery I would become so again. I have stopped having periods now due to turning 50 so that may be helping me also. My 8 month after RNY labs came back this week and were great on the hematocrit and iron and RBC’s. I am faithful on my vitamins and rotate daily between Flintstones with iron, bariatric fusion, and centrum multivitamin. If one is lacking I will get what I need from the others. I also take B12, biotin, D3, and Cal mag zinc. I don’t eat a lot of meat but do lean towards mostly Fish and chicken if I want meat.

Some of you may know that in the 11th hour, finally listening to my gut about my original surgeon and his anesthesia team, that I made a switch in doctors. After having gone so far down this road to where I was scheduled for surgery this coming Monday (7/1) with a doctor that had good reviews and a recommendation from someone I respect, I no longer trust myself as much as I did. Dr. Chad Carlton has great reviews as well and they go back for a much longer period of time which is 1 thing I like. However, I am so....well, to be honest I feel quite shaken up about the whole thing even though I feel I did the right thing. Does that even make sense?? While I found that I was relieved initially and my whole family is glad that I changed....my emotions are all over the board since last night. Maybe it's the change of 'I was going to have surgery on 7/1 and now the date is back up in the air..but I'm into week 2 of the liver shrink diet and I was to start bridging to Lovenox (blood thinner) today'...and I know Dr. Carlton was a bit taken aback at the amount I was prescribed. Oh, and switching from sleeve to bypass. Original Dr felt I was too high a risk to do bypass due to clotting history & said we'd do a bypass instead 1-2 yrs down the road (however with Cigna, you only get 1 type of operation for entire LIFE)...original dr said to 'save my pennies'. Dr. Carlton said while yes, my clotting history is a risk (I have a permanent filter) but I come with no other co-morbidities like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, etc. that also introduce 'risk'. He said he has done over 6,000 procedures and does mostly revisions to bypass or straight up bypass (he also is 1 of the few in area that has a lot of experience with gastric bypass with duodenal switch?). I have 150-175 lbs to lose and he said that he did have some sleeve patients that were super diligent and were able to lose that kind of weight with just a sleeve...but I know that for many with this much to lose, a bypass is..what...still the "gold std"?? If anyone has any experience with this doctor, could you please let me know. While his reviews are really good, so were the reviews on my other doctor. I don't want to leave ANYTHING to chance. I'm at that point where it's "trust, but verify".

So so true, one of my apps says "Your gut knows things your Brain has not yet comprehended" Your body has a wisdom if you but listen . Look at me , I fought with my Bariatric clinic, they kept telling me I had pist- operat8ve swelling and I was expecting too much too soon. I was right, my body knew, I had a bad stricture in my RNY pouch, ulcers there and I'm my jejunem. I had l8ved in this body for many years, I knew innately something was very wrong. Stay well, stay healthy and have a Wonderful Day!

I didn't buy any special plates. I did get a set of bariatric silverware on Amazon to help curb my "big bite" tendencies. I also bought an extra set of collapsible measuring cups to keep in my desk for when I to go back to work. Good luck today! Sent from my SM-G970U using BariatricPal mobile app

I wasn't nervous. I was ready to get it over with. I'm 30 days post op today and absolutely have no regrets. Your mileage may will vary, but think about the future, the reasons why you're doing this. In the grand scheme of things - the surgery is the easy part. The pre-op diet, the approval process, the decision to see a bariatric surgeon are the hardest part of this journey. As soon as you feel able, get up. Stand. Walk. Walk some more. Then keep walking. You'll feel a lot better. Good luck.

One day post op and home from the hospital walking and sipping liquids pretty well. Intense gas that does not seem to be passing besides a few small burps here and there. Anyone have any tips for the gas? Anyone feel gas on the right side of the upper stomach that runs to the back at times?

It’s funny because in our own heads we are still “us”, but to the outside world (that doesn’t live in a bariatric bubble) we are now so different physically that we’re hard to recognize. I don’t know.... I’ve had a few patients that have had this surgery and even though they’ve gone through transformative changes, I still recognized them. it seriously makes me wonder how many people saw “the real me” vs a body type.

I got surgery to improve my quality of life. I’m 30, no medical issues and fairly active and healthy. I walk my dog daily, no reflux, apnea, don’t have problems moving, no back,joint pain. But that doesn’t mean that they couldn’t develop as I got older. I got surgery as a weight loss tool when nothing else has worked- I have tried everything else too. The frozen meal plan, the pills- good and bad ones, slim fast, the WeightWatchers, personal trainer. I love my body, I’m ok with all the curves that I had when I weighed around 225 in 2016. But the weight kept packing on. And as a teacher I was always on my feet, and eating those frozen meals to help lose weight, and I still packed on 30 more pounds In 2017, then lost some- 20 lbs, but it came right back and more. Come October 2018 I was around 280. I told my partner that if I even hit 300, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself anymore. Then, when 5 pounds a month kept tacking itself on even with walking and making changes to eating healthier nothing helped, since every time you lose weight it makes it harder to keep it off because your fat cells are already ready to grow again, I had to do something drastic. I made the decision to do Bariatric surgery, the DS LOOP, so that I would have a tool for weight loss- the only one that I have never tried before. My BMI at around 45 was the qualifying factor that made me a candidate- so my insurance would cover it. NOW I am 57 POUNDS down and my quality of life is truly so much batter. I realized I had stopped really looking in the mirror except for a quick glance, and now I can stand to ADMIRE. It doesn’t always feel like I’ve lost that much, or that I look that differently than before, so I take out the pre surgery pictures to remind myself that all the sacrifices are worth it. This is THE BEST GIFT I HAVE EVER GIVEN TO MYSELF. And even though it can be difficult, you see results immediately. Every time you choose the right foods 2 days in a row, you lose weight and don’t feel sick. It’s really up to you once the surgery is over. But it’s the easiest “diet” I’ve ever had!

Okay since You Asked; HW 365+ October 2017 Height 5ft8 8inches Calculated BMI 55.49 weight at first real visit at OSU Bariatric Spring 2018 still well into mid 300s- they calculated me still well over 50 BMI- I believe,52 I was 72 years at,this time, knew this would be my last best chance at losing to a normal size- knew the diets I had tried gave no real help, tried for years and years, normal diets, weird diets, any diet that came down the pike! All I ever lost was. RESPECT,FOR MYSELF On my surgery day after their guidance and a months of Liver-shrinking diet 319,pounds September 5th 2018 Surgery --RNY,gastric Bypass Surgeon- Bradley J Needleman MD- department Head- Bariatric Medicine- Metabolic We8ght Loss and also a Full Professor in OSU's College of Medicine. These are the cold hard facts And I also heard the nay-sayers and what they said " Bariatrics =Elective Mutilation You will be put on a Selective Starvation Diet, you will be. a Case of Adult Failure To Thrive" 'You are Too Old ! You are too Broken Down! You will Die on The Table! Not Just JOB in the Bible had False Friends. But still I went forward with My Plans - fought an up- hill battle, Many programs don't accept applicants over 60 let alone 72.. But I wanted a chance to continue living, my quality of Life was pretty abysmal, I couldn't breathe, move well because of Arthritis. Even my PCP, supposedly my true friend, told me I wouldn't live past 75, too many things I was at risk for as well as the ones I already had. But I studied my possibilities, learned as much as I could. Bariatrics seemed to be My Last Best Hope- presented my Body to one plan, went their program not once but twice only to be denied. And I won't say the excuse they gave, it was unfounded, error-laden , and it about put me into an emotional tailspin. Then my Red-head stubbornness kicked in- They didn't want ME- fine- I didn't want THEM! So iI applied to the program I had wanted all along, the other someone recomended. Always go with your gut, it knows more than your BrainComprends! And this one, at Ohio State University was truly what I needed, I was treated well, the challenges they gave were d9able and Still are! But enough Back Story. Today, almost 10 months later I have gone from a Size 28- 30W to a loose size 20, quickly going into a 18n never EVER DREAMED I would escape Plus Sizes! My BMI is now 31.1 & I am now below 200 pounds- 198.9 says my Digetal Scale, and yes it does talk to ME. After years of buying cheap models, getting so angry I pitched them in dumpsters or against the wall, I have a good, fairly expensive but accurate model. Has it been easy? Nope- one of the hardest but most satisfying things I have done. And I did not have a textbook recovery- things happened that are fairly rare, but after years of feeling a total screw - up, that I was so pitiful I could never succeed at anything in life, I have found I am a Strong resilent woman, and a good part was the help and consulting of my Bariatric Plan, when I felt like giving up, I knew they believed in ME and so I can believe in ME too. Oh My story is not completed, I am still a Work in Progress. Although originally I am at the point They Forecast, I plan to still do my utmost to make it down to the 15 Junior and 175 I have dreamed of. Right now I weight the same as I did when I married my Late Husband 51 and a half years ago. Oh the body has scars,dings, as the pounds disappeared I am left with loose floppy skin in some places, truth be known I was obese almost from birth, but I am Alive, when I shouldn't be, less arthritis pain, less shortness of breath, look how long- winded I am now , even on paper or the internet! But Baby IT IS WORTH IT! I have drowned my fears in tears, as Martin Luther King once said " I have been to the mountain!" Well I have been tested , found to be true to my commitments, motivated to CONTINUE until I too have my total VICTORY! And if I can do it with the Basal Metabolism Rate of a Sick Sea 🐌 Snail, I think everybody else can also So join me in the journey, our paths may not be the same, few are, but if they parallel let's walk together! On Bariatric Pal you never need to feel ALONE, we are world🌎wide, we can talk the talk because we too have walked the walk- we offer support, we offer friendship, if you, too, feel you've got what it takes- join in! It has been so worth it for ME!😝🍀And today I feel lucky to relate all this!

Totally agree with Armoma45. Given the large number of people having various bariatric procedures these days, the number of those with any major complications is actually quite low. Granted, there are known cases of inexperienced surgeons doing botched operations but that's why you do your research on your surgical team beforehand. As for having a good support system, it's always better when you do but single folks like myself, with kids all grown and out on their own, we can usually manage on our own. Having kids, especially babies, I would imagine would be quite difficult with no help. It's definitely something you need to consider. You won't want to be picking them up and down for at least a week but more like two. Though it is a laparoscopic procedure, they're still cutting through your abdominal muscles for the 4-5 incisions and those will be hurting and need time to heal. Then there's the gas pain to deal with, although chasing after rugrats that gas should pass fairly quickly. 😄 I don't say all this to scare you into changing your mind, just giving the reality of it. I hope you can find someone to help with the kids for a couple weeks. Also, I saw you ask about stairs....they won't be a problem, if anything they'll probably be good for you. The biggest issue for the first week or two is sitting up in bed or other things that cause you to use your abdominal muscles. Good luck and wishing you all the best.

Hi y'all I'm scheduled to attend the Bariatric seminar next month, and I would like to know a little about the process starting?

Yes to all of this! Honestly I like taking my bariatric vitamins. I use chewables for the multi, the calcium, the iron, and the probiotic. I space them throughout the day after meals as my “dessert” for afterwards. Not only do they satisfy my need for something a bit sweeter, but I feel good knowing I’m giving my body things that it needs to stay as healthy as possible. FYI, the chocolate bariatric advantage iron chews are quite tasty with a glass of milk and I do this combo a lot as a post-dinner treat.

I had lap band surgery in 2014 with moderate success. It got me down from 265 to 220 in six months. My weight stayed stable for about 4 years until I had to have the fluid let out due to being unable to swallow anything. Since then my weight has been slowly creeping cack up again. My insurance does does not cover Bariatric surgery. I paid $10k for the band and will have to self pay to revise. I am trying to find someone who has had good experience with a reasonably priced doctor that performed a band to VSG revision. I am in the Midwest and would prefer to stay in the US but will travel. Thank you.