Search the Community

Hello fellow shorty! I'm an inch shorter than you and my starting numbers are very similar to yours! I had my surgery in September 2021, I reached my goal weight of 110 in October 2022. Overall, this surgery has been life-changing and I am so glad I was brave enough to go through the process. I had some issues in the beginning, but once I started to recover it went fast. Right now if I'm being completely honest the biggest problem I have is trying to keep what weight I have left ON so I can still shop in the adults' section and not have to buy everything in kids' sizes. You're going to stall here and there, some will be short and sometimes it will feel like you haven't lost an ounce in a month; stay the course, trust the process, and know that a lot of the time stalls are giving your skin and muscles a chance to catch up and adjust.

I have Anthem Bluecross and they require a BMI of 35 with at least 2 comorbidities OR a BMI of 40 with zero comorbidities. They also required proof of previous diet attempts, a psych evaluation and a dietician consultation. My surgeon required a full blood panel with 12 hour fasting prior, a sleep apnea test and commitment to seeing him twice before surgery and a nutritionist 2 times prior to surgery + once per month thereafter for a full year. Once everything was submitted to insurance, I was approved in ONE day. It's crazy, I know... I could hardly believe it myself. I even kept the approval letter so I can frame it later lol

60 pounds is awesome! This hair loss stage is not fun at all and I feel the same way. I burned the top pf my head thanks to hair loss yuck, Hopefully time passes fast and our hair will come back healthier than ever.

Surgery 2/10. First 24 hours was pretty rough with the gas but lots of laps in the hospital helped. During the two week postop diet, I was struggling with fluids and protein because I was just so over it. I’m not stressing about it. I just do what I can. I’m now 16 days postop and it’s easier to get my fluids in but I’m still so sick of protein shakes. I found Oikos Greek yogurt with 15 grams of protein. The vanilla flavor is amazing…. Yum! I’m on puréed diet for the past three days, threw up twice just eating too fast because I was starving. But now I have adjusted to eating more slowly so I don’t throw up. The only issue I have is the bariatric vitamins. I’ve been taking the chewable ones and they are absolutely awful and they make me vomit. I’ve taken them on a full stomach too, and they still make me sick. I’m trying to find a good vitamin to take that doesn’t upset my stomach. I just ordered the Barimelts which I know are not recommended by my doctor, but they are known to be gentler on the stomach, so something is better than nothing. I have the calcium chews and those are fine. Does anyone have a good vitamin that they like it doesn’t make them sick? Also, I’m down 18 pounds and I’m fine with that as I am a lower BMI.

Hello everyone :)! I have my first consultation with my surgeon in a little over a month. I cannot wait to get it all started and I'm excited. This is something I thought about and tried to do on my own for years and I feel as though I'm ready to now use vsg as a tool to help me be healthy and happy now at 35 years old. With that being said, I called my insurance twice to make sure (I have Northwell Direct -ppo ) that they will cover all bariatric surgeries (especially vsg in particular) and to see if they have any pre-approval requirements. According to the two people I've called and spoken to, any bariatric surgery I choose is 100% covered since my bmi is 45, including everything associated with the surgery before and after. Also they both claim that there are no requirements on my plan from my insurance company to get do to be approved...(no weighs-in necessary, no 3 month or 6 month programs, no steps to take.) With that being said I'm assuming that it will be all in my surgeons hands, no? Has anyone been told that their insurance only requires a bmi of over 40 or 35 with comorbidites, and than had a surgeon who had minimal requirements? Has anyone had no requirements (besides bmi) from your insurance, but your surgeon still had you on weight monitoring and/or a 6 month plan? Has anyone had no requirements (besides bmi) from your insurance and been fast tracked with your surgeon? I'm sorry for all the questions, I'm just new here and to all of this and through my months of research it seems to be that the standard for vsg is at least getting bloodwork, getting a pysch evaluation, meeting with a nutritionist and a lot of the times getting a sleep study and/or seeing a cardiologist. I have a ppo therefore I don't need pcp approval to see specialists. I'm hoping to get some feedback for others experience since I can't find one article, post or video on the internet about Anyone who has my health insurance and getting bariatric surgery so looking for tips or insight from others under my exact insurance has been a dud. 😕

While the surgery will help with some things, it’s real success depends upon choices you make. Regardless of which surgery you have you will lose your appetite/hunger for a period of time (there are a few people who don’t & it’s with either surgery). You will also temporarily lose your taste for certain foods. It’s often sugar, as foods can become super sweet but it can be any food that smells &/or tastes awful. Neither surgery will do anything about your desire for sweet & your emotional eating. These are things you have to work through yourself. As we often say the surgery only removes some of your tummy/changes your digestive system. It doesn’t remove the part of your brain that drives your head hunger. It’s why many chose to seek therapy to learn the reasons behind their head hunger & develop strategies to help them better manage their emotional eating, cravings, etc. Both surgeries will reset your body’s set point. This is the weight your body is happiest at & is easiest to maintain. What your set point becomes can’t be predicted. Can you lose more than your set point? Yes, but it is harder to do & maintain. Can you weigh more than your set point? Yes because lifestyle demands or choice, medical conditions & medications, etc. can mean we carry more weight. Remember the average weight loss statistic at the three year mark for both surgeries is about 65% of the weight to be lost to put the person in a healthy weight range. Some will lose more & others less. I have a sleeve. I felt it would suit my life better & was less drastic than bypass. I made a number of choices to benefit my success that I knew I could sustainably follow for the long term & not feel like I was missing out. I took advantage of the too sweet phase & decided not to introduce sweet back into my diet - or avoid as much as I could - & so rarely eat real or artificially sweet foods or drinks. I chose to rarely eat take away or fast foods. I prep & cook most of what I eat from scratch & rarely eat medium or high processed foods or ingredients. I also chose not to include a lot of exercise in my life - I simply don’t enjoy it. But these are my choices. You’ll make choices that best complement you & your lifestyle. I also lost all my weight & more & have maintained. All the best with whichever surgery you chose to have.

sooooooo soooo sorry you're going through this. I'm very happy that you are still here with us. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you need a ear. I hope and pray things get better for you fast! 😊

Hey everyone, surgery was 10/24 and I’m down from 215 to 167. The last 4 weekly weigh ins the scale has bounced between 168-171 so I may be in a stall. I was in one after the first 4 weeks for almost 6 weeks. It’s annoying but I’m happy with my progress as I’m officially the smallest I have been in 20 years with all my yo yo dieting. I also know that I may be getting closer to my new size my body wants to be so the weight loss may stop. I’ve been trying to focus more on working out now. Before my surgery I lifted weights regularly. I know I’ve lost a lot of muscle these last couple months and I feel much weaker. So I’m trying to get back into that. Clothing wise I’m down from a size 18 to a 10. I haven’t really had to buy new clothes yet as I kept clothes from all my previous lose and regain episodes. I also wear uniforms to work every day which are provided so being that it’s winter my non-work clothes is mostly hoodies and sweat pants anyway 😁 Food wise it’s hit or miss. I have started to feel hunger signals again but my portions are still pretty small. My doctor never told me to track my food intake which I’m grateful for because I don’t want to feel like I’m on a diet. But I would rough guess my intake to be about 1000 calories a day. I still try to prioritize protein first which doesn’t leave much room for anything else. But I do try to snack on fruit or veggies throughout the day to get my nutrients in. Sugar free sweets and cookies have helped with any sweet tooth cravings I get. I have ate plenty of things with sugar at this point as I really don’t restrict anything, but I do try to limit it to just occasionally. I also struggle with feeling like I have to clean my plate, even when I start to feel full. So I try to start with a small amount to begin with. Then wait a couple minutes before deciding if I want more, and usually I don’t. I still eat really fast so pausing for a few minutes helps my stomach to catch up. I’ve been out to eat several times. Usually I just split a meal with my wife and it works out great. She’s not going to eat the entire dish and I only need a few bites. The weirdest part with food for me is that my tastes have changed. Foods I used to enjoy don’t sit well or taste as good. I used to drink black coffee every day, now it hurts my stomach so I’ve just quit it. I thought the lack of caffeine would be an issue but it really hasn’t been. I do occasionally drink instant sugar free cappuccino but not daily. Also hot wings used to be a favorite of mine and now they taste off. Same thing with a lot of spicy food actually. So while I wouldn’t say I restrict food, at least for weight loss purposes, I’m trying to learn how different things make me feel and structure my eating like that. Just like with overeating I tell myself while something might sound appealing, is it worth me feeling kinda crappy for the next 30-45 minutes? That helps to think of it like that. I have definitely overdone portions and regretted it. Hence why I try to start smaller to begin with. It’s hard when you have one bite left not to just eat it, but that one bite will cost you and it’s just not worth the discomfort for me. All in all I would say I’m feeling good and I’m happy. I’m starting to see myself as smaller for the first time. I’ll catch my reflection in a window or something and be like damn, is that how skinny I am? It’s a crazy feeling I’ve never felt before. I knew I was getting smaller because my clothes sizes were going down. But I’m just now really seeing it. I have more work to do, more so in the gym now than the scale, but I’m feeling accomplished and motivated.

I hope you're feeling better! Here are a few last-minute tips that may help: Follow your surgeon's pre-op instructions carefully, including any dietary restrictions or fasting requirements. Pack a bag with comfortable clothes, toiletries, and any other essentials you may need during your recovery. Get plenty of rest the night before your surgery. Have a trusted friend or family member accompany you to the hospital and be prepared to stay overnight. After your surgery, be sure to follow your surgeon's instructions for post-op care, including taking any prescribed medications, getting plenty of rest, and avoiding strenuous activity. Stay positive and focus on your goals. Remember, you're making this change for your health and well-being. Good luck with your surgery, and feel free to reach out if you have any other questions or concerns.

I am scheduled for a March 20tj bypass - it’s getting real and the questions are hitting me fast and furious. Appreciate any advice and insight: 1. Dying my hair/roots - any issues. Should I do it now or closer to the surgery date so it lasts longer. Same question for a new cut. Time for people to get use to it? Should I start taking collagen, non-sulphur shampoo - anything to manage the hair loss a little Walking post surgery - should I get walking sticks? I know there is no weight lifting post surgery - what about other non-weight bearing exercised- exercise bike, yoga classes etc. COVID, flu, tetanus, - anything else I should get ahead of Any kitchen things I should get- can you purée with a hand blender?

Hello folks! Just wanted to check in to see how everyone is doing. I’ve been hovering at the same weight for a few weeks now BUT am 1.2 pounds away from the Obese 1 category to Overweight. I know BMI isn’t actually a very useful measure of individual health, but still feels like an important milestone! Also, if anyone else was struggling like me to buy new clothes fast enough to keep up with weight loss, I highly recommend Vinted. You can get lots of nice high street brands for like a fiver, and even some designer stuff for shockingly cheap. I genuinely got a whole new wardrobe for £100. Plus you can sell on the clothes that don’t fit (or just donate to charity shops if you’re lazy like me) and the whole system helps to keep fast fashion out of landfills for longer. Win win!

Starting weight: 262lbs Height 5ft Hi all, I'm just over 1 month post-op (Mini bypass). I lost 14lbs on LRD (2 weeks), and since surgery I've lost 19lbs. I've pretty much had stalls throughout this month and I'm so disheartened that the scales aren't shifting much. Literally everyone else I know that's had surgery lost at a fast rate in their first month and meanwhile I'm chugging behind. I healed extremely fast, tolerate anything I'm cleared to eat and drinking as much fluid as I can. I'm also walking more with my dogs and soon to be cleared to go to the gym. I feel hunger still as well, and to be honest drinking water makes it worse for me. I didn't expect this to be a quick fix but if I have to work out 5 days a week to even go near my target, then surgery was a big waste of money as that just isn't suitable for my lifestyle. The reason I'm saying 19lbs is slow is because before surgery I could easily lose 2st in less than a month, obviously would gain it back but that was the norm for me. Has anyone got a similar story to mine where they started off slow but still hit their target? Thanks

In my thoughts for fast recovery Sent from my SM-N960U using BariatricPal mobile app

Yes, ketosis (fat burning) is likely causing the bad taste. Bad body odour is another side effect. It will pass when you are eating more & a more balanced diet. I wonder if the excess saliva is the foamies??? It usually occurs if you eat too fast, too large a bite, too much or food that is too dry, coarse or fibrous. Your body produces the slimy, mucus like saliva as a protection: to ease the food into your tummy or to help bring it up (regurgitate) if it is stuck or too much. Use lots of sauces, gravies & stock if you’re on soft foods. Chicken breast can be too dry & cause problems for many. I ate a lot of minced beef dishes to begin as they were much easier to swallow & digest. Make sure you’re not drinking too close to before or after you eat (stick to that 30 mins) as that can contribute too. Give your surgeon a call too just the be sure.

P.S. I agree with the others that I wouldn't start the liquid diet now. For one thing, you usually just do that for a week or two before your surgery. For another, it's pretty awful - I wouldn't do that until/unless I had to! And third, not all surgeons even require it - some just have you do a 24-hour fast before your surgery, which is kind of standard with other types of surgeries. Oh - and even the liquid diets, when required, can vary a lot. Some people are allowed to eat SOME food, like a sensible, low calorie dinner (but protein shakes the rest of the day). And some of us (me included) had to have just shakes plus no (or very low) calorie fluids the whole two weeks. So yea - I'd wait until the time comes.

that's a super fast lost! We started out at about the same weight, and it took me almost a year to lose 100 lbs (I lost 200 altogether, but it took me 20 months to lose the whole 200+ lbs)

Hi everyone, im new here… I came across your post and feel so relieved to read how good you feel now. I had surgery about 2 weeks ago. Everything went well. I felt like I had made the best choice…well… as long as I was on pain meds and not eating I should say. Because as soon as I got home it started with the buildup gasses which extremely uncomfortable and sometimes painful. I had a liquid diet and stuck to it religiously even though I could never keep up with the quantities. At best I had half of every tiny meal and only managed 3 out of the 6. I was starting to feel miserable. My stomach would gurgle and make horrible burping sound at the slightest sip of Water. Then came week 2, in which I am right now. This week it is minced food. So I can have cream cheese and blitzed vegetables (as long as it is smooth) mixed with a lot of Protein. I was happy for the change, but I have experienced dumping yesterday which lasted 2 hours and then today again TWICE in a row! To say that I absolutely afraid of food now is an understatement. I barely have 300cal a day. I feel “fine” but exhausted at the same time. I look at food videos and want to cry. I’m not hungry, just scared of what I’ve done. The gassy feeling is slightly better but I though dumping happened when eating fatty foods or sugary foods?? I haven’t done none of that and I experienced horrible pain. I don’t think I’ll be able to take it…. Its good to see that I’m not the only one in this. I’m devastated. Ive lost 13kg since doing the pre-op diet. (Around 26 pounds) I fear it might be too fast… but good to read that it can and will get better ❤️‍🩹

I was able to poop on the 15th,16th and 17th. No luck yesterday and so far today, nothing. I started my Colace that I was prescribed last night so hopefully that will help. I am getting my fluid in as well. I have found if I drink to fast or to much at once, my stomach will start to hurt.

Hi everyone, im new here… had to find a support group somehow even though I really didn’t think I needed one in the first place. I’m pretty strong and have had many medical issues in the past (breast cancer being one of them). I’m 44 now and living in Belgium. But no matter where you live things are pretty similar surgery wise. I had surgery about 2 weeks ago. Everything went well. Prior to it, I had this super strict diet which was not liquid but sugar free, fat free and carb free, to reduce the size of my liver. It was really hard and I lost 6kg (around 12 pounds I think). Surgery as I said went super smoothly and I felt like I had made the best choice…well… as long as I was on pain meds and not eating I should say. Because as soon as I got home it started with the buildup gasses which extremely uncomfortable and sometimes painful. I had a liquid diet and stuck to it religiously even though I could never keep up with the quantities. At best I had half of every tiny meal and only managed 3 out of the 6. I was starting to feel miserable. My stomach would gurgle and make horrible burping sound at the slightest sip of water. Then came week 2, in which I am right now. This week it is minced food. So I can have cream cheese and blitzed vegetables (as long as it is smooth) mixed with a lot of protein. I was happy for the change, but I have experienced dumping yesterday which lasted 2 hours and then today again TWICE in a row! To say that I absolutely afraid of food now is an understatement. I barely have 300cal a day. I feel “fine” but exhausted at the same time. I look at food videos and want to cry. I’m not hungry, just scared of what I’ve done. The gassy feeling is slightly better but I though dumping happened when eating fatty foods or sugary foods?? Ibanez done none of that I experienced horrible pain. I don’t think I’ll be able to take it…. That’s how I ended up here. I hope someone can help me in understanding what is going on and maybe tell me it is really going to get better? Drinking water is the worst. I barely have 1 glass a day. I can’t manage more… I’m devastated. Ive lost 13kg since doing the pre-op diet. (Around 26 pounds) I fear it might be too fast. Please help…

I am March 20th - and super tempted to eat all those things I won’t be able to each after my two week fast begins

Hi Everyone: I back here reporting on my progress. My surgery was 10 AM yesterday (2/17) and it’s currently 5:37 AM and I’m in my hospital room for the over night stay. I can officially say I’m “post op” hahaha. I’m laying in bed typing this here because I got a little bored and then thought about all you wonderful peeps here and said let me go up date them. I feel so so; the gas from the surgery has been the most annoying part for me. Like real bad…. I remember waking up in recovery with all these medical professionals over me and simply whining and holding my stomach begging for some type of relief. They responded with meds for pain and gas relief. Still hurt badly. While waiting for my hospital bed/room; they helped me walked around the recovery unit. I am sure it helped but it did not feel like it at the moment haha. I completely lost track of time once I went in surgery at 10 AM. I was so surprised to finally see a clock once in my hospital room and it was 5:55 PM. I said sheesh that was a daaaaaay. Overnight was not so bad. I’m just laying in silence right now on this comfortable bed which has been amazing. I’ve been walking the unit doing 5 laps about every hr. The gas issues has subsided a lot but still present. Ice chips has been cool; I did sneak a sip or two of the water because I am so thirsty and hungry. Nurse told me I will “eat” for the swallow test later this morning. Surprised bloodwork at 1:30 am while I was fast sleep lol. Results: Nurse coming in hours later to add Magnesium IV bag. So I’m here now chilling waiting for the sun to rise. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Still hurting like noone's business. I feel like I can't even twist enough to wipe properly without shedding a tear. Please tell me the pain gets better fast... Sent from my SM-N960U using BariatricPal mobile app

Hi - everyone everything is going well. I lost 105 lbs and on March 16th I’ll be my one year gastric bypass anniversary. Initially I had a somewhat difficult time eating- went on omeprazole for gastritis issues-it seemed to work. November I went to ER to realize after extensive testing I had a gallbladder attack. In December I had my gallbladder removed. I am doing well now but I am scared because I am hungry at night. Nighttime has always been my downfall. I try to eat well during the day. I work PT 10-2PM M-F and I start the day off with a protein shake - drink water-iced coffee no sugar almond milk-water-snack on either nuts,cheese, yogurt or protein bar. I try to have lunch right when I get home. I have dinner around 6-6:30. I consume about 1200 calories and always exceed my protein levels 70-80. On top of that I get fatigued. I do walk or do elliptical and recently kettlebells. I work ironically in a school cafeteria and it’s a very busy job. I can’t be very mindful as it is very fast paced. Has anyone got the night time hunger?

I was NPO after midnight for my surgery. I would just avoid anything red closer to surgery. And the longer you can do the clear liquid fast the better for liver shrinkage it will be. But of course whatever your doctor says is their procedure. You'll do fine, I was nervous and anxious too but don't regret it one bit.

Best of luck - how is the liquid fast coming along