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So far I have slowly made changes to 1.)only eating fast food maybe once a week. I would have it 5+ meals a week last year. 2.) reducing most processed foods (nothing is off limits, but if it’s not healthy, be mindful of the portion) 3.) not eating when not hungry 4.) I used to drink a glass of sweet tea a day, dropped that to occasional - drinking water or unsweet tea almost exclusively except for my weekly Margarita:) I am on a diabetic medicine which has helped with the process because it has changed the way my stomach processes food and helped me to make the lifestyle changes now. Thanks to that I have lost 50 already and hoping to loose more by the time for surgery. my next step is to try to do a test run on the pre op diet so I can not have my eating issues complicate matters when time comes (which hopefully will let me loose more) it’s a journey I want to be success at so bad!!

I am going in for a revision in 2 weeks and hoping some of you may be able to tell me about your experience. VSG in Dec 2016, lost 70lbs and then got pregnant. Did not gain any back until COVID. I’m now 30lbs away from where I was at my initial surgery date. Has anyone completed this revision? What has your weight loss experience been? Is it a lot slower? I’ve heard many people have increase bowel movements? Have you found less restriction to make it more difficult to lose? To complicate everything my gastroscopy just revealed a significant hiatal hernia which will also likely be repaired at the same time. I’m glad they found it because I’ve had a lot of unexplained chest and back pain since my last pregnancy. I’m a bit nervous about the recovery though. Any info you can provide would be great! Thanks!

Everything that @catwoman7 said. I’d just add: 1: Haven’t heard of any breathing issues post surgery, but if you are a smoker this may be something to watch. See #3. 2: Vomiting is a possibility post surgery but haven’t heard of any one vomiting blood. When I had the awful diarrhoea attack day 3 it was very dark & I presumed it was old blood. 3. Some require you to stop nicotine before surgery. Nicotine will slow your recovery & increases risks for surgical complications. 4: I had trouble swallowing for about three days because of swelling. I was spitting up a lot of saliva. Though not easy, I was still able to sip & swallow meds. I found warm/hot drinks are more soothing that cool/cold. 5: Missing the odd vitamin is ok. We all forget at some time but don’t make it a habit. You don’t want be become lacking in an essential vitamin, mineral or nutrient. I am someone who was allowed off my multivitamins - at 8 months which was 2 months after I reached goal. I was having blood tests every three months (sometimes more) & my surgeon told me if there were any drops I’d be back on the multi vitamin. Three years out & my bloods are still good. Lethargy & energy drops in the weeks post surgery aren’t uncommon. You’re healing, recovering, & on a reduced diet. Adding an electrolyte drink can help, as does getting in your fluids, protein & vitamins & resting when you need to. 6: Pre existing reflux usually rules you out for a sleeve as sleeves are predisposed to develop reflux/gerd post surgery. Being prescribed a PPI (acid reducer) post surgery for a couple of months is pretty common as your tummy tends to produce excess stomach acid while healing & in response to changes to your digestive system & eating. Personally, I’d had reflux for years before my surgery. It was pretty mild. I controlled it with dietary choices & rarely took medication - a couple of times a year maybe. I still have reflux. It’s still not very bad but it manifests differently. I still watch my food choices & take a PPI every day.

Yea but they ask you if you have been exposed or if you had a test that was positive when you do a test (or at least they have always asked me). Plus I would want to warn the nurse doing the test that I had tested positive before removing my mask so they could try to be extra careful and hopefully not catch it themselves. Also, I would be worried that I may not be physically fit to do surgery. if you have any symptoms at all that cough seems to linger long past the negative follow up test on this variant (my husband just had it). That would make me worry about the safety of doing the procedure. I personally would want the doctor to be aware of everything like that. If totally asymptomatic you may be fine although I think I would still ask the dr just to be safe. I know waiting a number of days sucks when your ready to do this but not if it helps prevent a serious complication. It’s always best to be totally honest with your team.

This is why researching ANY physician is important. I work in the medical field in the US and believe me, we all have doctors that we wouldn’t see due to their surgical outcomes. However, this video is fear-mongering at best. 3 out of tens of thousands; that complication rate isn’t out of the norm for any surgery regardless of location. The two men also had Lap-Band procedures which are no longer performed anywhere that I’m aware of due to the complications. People in the US had the same issues. The woman had a terrible surgeon.

A lot of sleevers have episodes of the foamies. It usually occurs if you eat too fast or too much or something that is too dry/coarse. Dumping is less common with sleeves than bypass. (Dumping occurs if you eat too much sugar or fat.) Both side effects can be managed simply by being careful about how & what you eat. I’m three years out & I had a bout two days ago. I ate too quickly because I wasn’t eating mindfully (I was having a ‘discussion’ with my mother 😉) & cough, spit & up came that last bite. I know you said your reflux developed as a complication with your band & once it was removed the gerd stopped, but I’m wondering if this may make you more likely to develop gerd post sleeve. I don’t know but it may be worth asking your surgeon if bypass might be a better option. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Foamies are just like the slimes with the lapband. I went from lapband (complication: slip) to sleeve (complication: severe gerd) to RNY. I never got them with the sleeve. I did get them in the beginning months after the RNY. Sent from my SM-S908U using BariatricPal mobile app

Hi All - I'm sure this has been asked and answered - but here goes: I was banded in January of 2007 and had pretty good success with it. I lost 140lb - and maintained my weight at around 230-240lbs (I'm 6'2") for many years but after COVID lockdowns my weight started to creep back up to around 260lbs and I developed night coughs/reflux. I went to my surgeon a couple of months ago and he unfilled me which cured the reflux, but I immediately gained 10 lbs. He also did an endoscopy to make sure nothing was wrong. During the endoscopy he discovered I had a hiatal hernia and minor slippage with no erosion but he recommended that I consider removing the band and revision to a gastric sleeve (which I've agreed to do in order to be proactive and avoid any emergency complications if I do develop any erosion or other issues in the future). So my question is - what do I need to know about the differences between the two? I'd managed the band pretty well - occasionally dealing with PB's, sliming, and other fun - inconvenient but nothing I couldn't handle. I've read a couple of comments talking about foaming (or something)? Just want to make sure I'm going into this with my eyes wide open. Thanks in advance for any helpful hints!

This is something that should be covered as a complication from an previously covered procedure, rather than a second WLS; it may takes jumping through some hoops to get there, but you should (eventually) get it. This likely got an automatic denial as claiming a second WLS and needs to be appealed, first through the BCBS internal process, and then, failing that, through your state insurance regulator. The first appeal step will usually involve a peer to peer review, where your surgeon talks to their staff doctor to explain the medical necessity on a doc to doc basis.. Once it is apparent the ramifications of your situation (and their liability for not covering it...) it should go through. Your doc should be able to discuss with them what steps have already been taken to resolver the (medical) problem - what meds have been tried and failed, what tests have been done, what your prognosis is without surgical intervention, etc. Good luck again, it should go through, they just need to be slapped around a bit to realize their obligation. Another possibility is that your surgeon's office coded it as a standard RNY, and there's a different code to use as a GERD treatment (the basic RNY procedure is used for several different maladies beyond its basic WLS function, but it goes by a different name (and code).

I am 9 days post op and I felt just like you. I had done massive amounts of research and as the day drew closer I worked to find reasons why I shouldn't. My support system was great, they just supported me and made me make the decision myself. My biggest fear was the loss of food enjoyment. I sailed through the surgery. I had zero complications, very little pain, no nausea, the hardest part has been not being able to eat like I want to. In all of my research before surgery and since, I have not found one person who regrets it. Not one. I look at YouTube videos, I visit this site and it gives me the encouragement to press on. I have lost 16 pounds and that feels so good. I remind myself that it isn't always going to be like this. It will get better. I am excited for what lies ahead. The preop was hard, but you did it. The recovery is hard, but you got this. Please don't give up too soon.

Hi everyone! Sounds like everyone is doing well YAY! I has my VSG on the 21st as planned without complications. My 1 week post op appointment is on Wednesday. Sometimes I sit here with my newish stomach and just wish I felt like I knew more of what I am supposed to be doing. All they say is sip, but no one says when to stop, and I don't feel full. I just go from drinking, to suddenly uncomfortable and overfull feeling. This is week 3 of only liquids for me. I am sick of all things that taste sweet, especially protein shakes. My brain keeps saying that if my pouch only holds 2 ounces then should I really be drinking as much as I am so quickly? The terror of possibly stretching my pouch already is steady in the back of my mind. Also, head hunger, stomach growling, and anticipation are a constant!

As @catwoman7 said some of those changes you mentioned are just temporary. Like hair loss usually persists for about 3 months & your hormones settle once you’ve lost most of your weight (oestrogen is stored in fat so as you lose all the excess oestrogen is released into blood stream). Large weight regain can occur because of complacency & people slipping back into old eating habits. It can occur because how they were eating wasn’t sustainable &/or was too restrictive. It didn’t allow them to live their life as they wanted & hindered them doing what they enjoyed. Or they didn’t do the head work to understand & learn to manage their old eating behaviours & what drove them to eat. All things the surgery doesn’t do anything about. But it does give you the time to explore these factors. Also remember the average weight loss at about the three year mark is 60% of the weight that had to be lost. This can include the bounce back ‘resettling’ weight gain, complacency & adjusting to a more flexible eating plan. Or it could just be the weight your body is happier at. Sure there is always a chance to develop an issue that has to be monitored but it’s rare. Comparatively, there are very few complications from weight loss surgery. Some of the issues may not have anything to do with the surgery. I have a protein malabsorption issue. Not from my 3 yr old sleeve but from my gall being removed last year. (Malabsorption issues are very rare with sleeve.) I have low BP. I had a genetic predisposition before surgery now it’s all the time because of my lower weight not the surgery. Gerd is probably the highest risk after sleeve - about 15-20% I believe. But it can be managed or treated by a revision to bypass. Some issues may be revealed because you likely are being monitored medically more closely now then before or your weight & associated comorbidities may have been masking what were pre existing conditions. You’ll likely read & hear about people with problems because they they post to seek help & support. They don’t often post about what the cause was or the remedy. In comparison, people tend not to post or talk about their successes. I know many people who’ve had the surgery. No one has experienced long term or developed new issues because of the surgery. A couple regained most of their weight because they went back to their old eating habits. Certainly the benefits far outweigh any temporary side effects or the very rare problem.

I had the sleeve done June 10th and I feel great! No complications... thank God. I'm over the liquid stage but other then that everything's been great!

I didn't have my surgery in Mexico - and didn't have a sleeve - but I want to comment on just one item: do NOT rely strictly on cost. The most important thing is the surgeon's reputation, skill, and experience. Look at reviews. Lots of reviews. There are excellent surgeons in Mexico, and there are also bad ones. Do your homework. It's not worth dying or having severe complications to save a buck.

I had VSG in Tijuana, Mx. at HospitalBC with Dr. Illan, so I can only speak to my own personal experience. I did about 200 hours of research before my surgery and based on that research, finances, and other personal considerations, decided to go the Medical Tourism route and have been very happy with that decision. These hospitals ONLY do bariatric surgeries and are geared towards medical tourists. They run a VERY well oiled machine from intake to discharge. The process was so smooth, I was completely confident going alone. The surgeon I chose is highly accredited, has done thousands of WLS procedures, has relationships and mentorships with some of the most well known US bariatric surgeons for continuing ed, is board certified, etc. He is just as qualified, if not more so, than many of the bariatric surgeons in my area. The reality is, there are amazing surgeons in the US and just as many in Mexico and other places. Conversely, there are terrible surgeons here and everywhere else. There are pros and cons to each, and every person has different needs. Ultimately it boils down to doing your research, finding a surgeon you trust, and a program that fits your needs. Regarding your questions above: 1 - No, it was a combination of finances, timeline, convenience, and other factors. 2 - No, I did not get an option. My surgeon uses a 32 as his standard and will only deviate when appropriate for the patient. 3 - I met with my PCP before I went and she was extremely supportive. She does all my post-op labs, checked my incisions, offered dietary support, etc. She now recommends my surgeon to other patients who are interested in going out of country for the procedure. 4 - The hospital I chose was staffed with additional medical personnel in case of emergencies, but that really wasn't a consideration for me. The instance/risk of major complications DURING surgery is essentially nil. 5 - Complications aren't usually the result of a surgical mistake, so there is generally nothing for the surgeon to "fix" they typically are just the result of a person's own body's healing. For instance, a stricture is one of the most common (though still extremely rare) post-op complications, and they are almost never a direct result of surgical error. They just happen. 6 - My hospital offers lifetime nutritional support, which is great. That being said, I HIGHLY recommend some serious counseling before & after to deal with the emotional/mental work that has to be done. I was really well informed pre-op but still felt like the extra support would be critical, and it was. I would also suggest ongoing community support - either here, or something like BariNation (which I LOVE), or a local support group. I am a card carrying, people hating, highly independent introvert and have still found community support to be vital to my success. 7 - I wish I had known how ridiculously kind and accommodating the staff would be. I went alone and really kept to myself, but the one time I needed the staff they were incredibly responsive and very kind. In hindsight, I wish I had been more engaged. *going out of order* 9 - It takes time. Most people will NOT be able to hit their protein and water goals right away. It took me probably 3 months before I was able to get there consistently. It just takes a crap ton of work. I keep water handy at ALL times, and drink, drink, drink like its my job. I was never advised to drink warm water or to adjust my intake in any way. Just drink, all the time. 8 - I am going to say this as gently and with as much love as I possibly can - This is not your journey and you would serve your wife best by keeping your opinions to yourself. Unless you have lived in her brain and her body, you cannot understand what she is going through, what is driving her behaviors, or what toll it is taking on her mental health. I can guarantee you, she feels plenty of shame already and doesn't need you second guessing her ability to be successful. The best thing you can do is research, report back, support her, and shut up. My husband is thin and has the metabolism of a hummingbird. He has never struggled with his weight and as such has no frame of reference and no ability to understand. He recognized this early on, and has thus deferred to me on every diet, every fast, every medication, and ultimately my decision to have surgery. His unconditional support, free of opinions and judgment, was the kindest gift he ever gave to me. I know you love her, and you clearly want her to succeed. But the baggage you are forcing her to drag around is entirely unhelpful. A much more valuable way to help would be to help her find a therapist so she can do the work that would set her up for success long term.

Hey all, my wife is looking into the gastric sleeve surgery, of course I am the one with all the questions about it. Hoping maybe someone could help with any anecdotal evidence at least. I'm trying to reduce the "I wish we knew x before doing this" ... Anyway, for obvious reasons we are looking at Mexico. The first one she sent me was Elias Ortiz out of Tijuana. So I looked into him more, and read about some very poor (in my opinion) things about him, I think mostly when he was with ALM (or whatever it's called). Of course the first surgeon we look at giving me the eebie geebies is not a great start. He's not officially out of running, but we have looked into the following now. Odd that there didn't seem to be lists of them. Haven't looking into everything equally, our spoken to the coordinator on prices or anything, but these are probably in order of what we like. Endobariatric in Piedras Negras with Guillermo Alvarez LIMARC in Tijuana with Liza María Pompa González Obesity Control Center in Tijuana with Ariel Ortiz Elias Ortiz & Co in Tijuana VIDA Bariatrics in Tijuana with Gabriela Rodriguez Ruiz So I guess the questions are the following. If anyone could answer whatever question you may be able to add to, that would be great. Thanks!! 1) After deciding on Mexico, what was the overriding determinant in picking a surgeon, was it only price? 2 Did you get to pick the bougie size? I read a study (odd that I only found one) about bougie sizes - apparently 32 fr and 40 fr are the 2 commonest sizes? Anyway the study said that there was no materially significant weight loss difference between the two sizes, but there were less complications with the 40 fr size. Also in her situation, she's 5'10", and her general body type is such that her most healthy weight is going to be more than others her height, so I fear something too restrictive could come with problems of their own. 3 I've read about issues where people's Drs don't support post op care for out of country surgeries. This was old info though. Have people found this to still be the case? Is it only for the primary doctors, or only bariatric doctors? Or both, or is that not really a thing anymore? 4 What about complications during surgery. I have to imagine they send you to an ER in the states. I understand at that point our insurance will cover the emergency internationally, but not sure the MX hospital would be adequately staffed, and may have to send us to a place in the US. Any issues with transportation delays having to cross border? 5 Complications after you return home... I assume no, but are there any that, if we are about to make it back out, would fix the problem for like no cost or reduced fee? 6 Post op care. Like weeks/months/years... Is there a type of support you wish you had but was not provided? Nutritionist, or type of PT or psychologist/psychotherapist that focuses on mental issues that may arise after the big life change, to avoid body dysmorphia from moving to a different body part... I know the OCC place mentioned 5 years worth of support. Not sure if that is worth it, or if it's just something out there for fluff because it seems like something that would be useful for patients, but actually patients after the fact realize it's not helpful. 7 anything you know now, but would've been really helpful to know beforehand? Whether generally, or issues that would be specific to MX vs going to a place in US? 8 wondering the success of people with situation like her... In my opinion her problem isn't with overeating/the size of her stomach. She doesn't eat because she's hungry, so I'm not sure the impact this has on ghrelin will be a huge help. She invites an environment where she keeps low metabolism, skips meals, snacks on crap, drinks artificial sweeteners, takes medication that has been shown to lower metabolism. I tell her she needs to eat more protein, fiber, and 'eat like a diabetic' and when she works out (which she doesn't even do anymore), it's more of a benefit to go shorter sessions, but with more intensity, as that is best for your metabolism ... She says "Believe it or not, I actually learned this in college (for her nursing degree) and I know what I need to do" but yet does not do at all what she needs to do - and yet also simultaneously complains that she's tried everything to lose weight, even though that's not the case, particularly in last few years when she's out on anywhere from 20-40 pounds (guess). Looking at all the pre and post op diets, it looks like there's a focus on protein (as one would expect). So she's like, addicted to the dopamine I guess that she gets. She eats because she knows it's there. So while I am sure she will lose a bunch of weight offer the first 6-12 months, I tell her I'm more worried about being back where she is now 5 years after the fact, due to her behaviors that have put us in this situation in the beginning. There have been a handful of things that she's done (each successive thing being more expensive), where she's like "if I get x then it will force me to do y" and that's basically her 'argument' here. 9 related to above, how does one stay hydrated while exercising, esp in heat? Or even being sick? Is it recommended to drink warm water, due to the quicker absorption than cold?

Hi Tela - Tomorrow will be one week for me post ESG. I had very little complications, nausea gone within 48 hours and back working already . Per my doctor, I don’t have any restrictions but I’m pretty tired. He thought it would take 2 or 3 weeks, but more about being tired. The restrictions are much less because there is not cutting. I have zero problems with getting enough water. I do mix in vitamin water zero, and crystal light lemonade. I have no problem with getting protein. The majority through fairlife protein shakes but I’ve started to do some unflavored isopure. Without solid foods, I think it will be hard to get much more calories. But I feel like I could eat solid foods but will follow the guideline Lets keep in touch. Good luck. Oh, i have a consult tomorrow. I’m going to be asking a similar question.

Forgot to add something, which was also very helpful for me during that period. As I wrote, for me the hardest was to complete writing tasks because it was pretty complicated to think about what to write, and I couldn't concentrate. But I found some articles examples on https://envrexperts.com/free-essays/atmosphere, which helped me a lot because writing on such themes as atmosphere and pollution is interesting but time-consuming. And I think that it was the only challenge I faced, but it was solved very quickly.

I think it depends on what type of surgery you had and how you complicated it was for you or your body. In any case, it's important to speak with a doctor you trust and are sure will give you the best advice. I gave up almost three years ago on everything related to smoking and drugs, but before that, I always checked https://darkcatalog.com/asap-market/. They have a lot of pieces of information there about this field, and people often share their situations and results. Anyways, if you can stay far from them, this is the best decision you can make.

For me, it was okay to listen to online lectures. I managed to be focused and was pretty comfortable. But it was a little bit complicated to do homework, especially writing something. Such a process takes time, and to be honest, I had no wish to sit and write something and had no ideas at all. I thought that maybe it would be okay to write a professor and ask to extend the deadline, but after all, I managed everything.

Okay slow down and take a deep breathe. This is not thetime to panic. I pray that God gives you peace and guides the hands of the surgeons and that the surgery is a complete success with no complications. In Jesus mighty name. I felt the same way that you did. I was utterly scared and I even called the doctor's office to cancel but it happened to be closed. I prayed that same prayer and I believe God was with me through it all. So I believe I made the right choice. You're going to be just fine. Remember all the positive reasons why you are doing this and that includes being healthy for your daughter.

Surgery is June 23. Gastric bypass. Highest weight, 270 July 2021. Current weight 188 with 4 more days to go on my liquid diet. Height 5'6" BMI 30 (barely). Age 65. Why am I going through with surgery after losing 82 lbs pre-op? Statistics show that I will have a much better chance at keeping my weight off vs a 2-5% chance without the surgery . I'm tired of fighting obesity! I went on a weight loss mission, pre-op, to reduce my risk of post op complications and to train myself for life with my new anatomy. I'm ready!

Hi everyone! I had my gastric sleeve surgery as well as hiatal hernia repair done on June 8, 2022 and I must say, I have never felt healthier! The pounds are dropping and my energy keeps rising. Since my surgery, my BP readings have constantly been normal and I have even noticed a positive change with my vision. I have not had any complications since surgery. My abdominal gas discomfort is gone. My only discomfort, which is very rare, is at my shoulder as a result of some of the gas that is still lodged under my diaphragm. I have had no vomiting or diarrhea, in fact my bm is actually regular and normal. I can't wait to see my surgeon on Tuesday for my post op visit so he can give me clearance to go to the gym. I have been on liquid diet although I sneak in bits of soft food every now and then - my stomach tolerates it. I also walk for 45 minutes to an hour twice daily. I must say, this is the best decision I have made in my life!

I'm sorry you're facing this. It is true that you likely will not lose as much with each successive surgery. If you don't have a complication from the sleeve (like GERD), your insurance will not likely approve another surgery. Most insurance only covers one bariatric surgery per person, lifetime. Other options you have include meeting with a nutritionist and bariatric therapist to work with the sleeve you already have, or paying out of pocket for the bypass . Good luck!