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I ended up having an abnormal result on my pre-op echo test. I was so worried about having arterial blockage and how it would affect me qualifying for WLS. A heart catherization was scheduled and when I asked my bariatric surgeon about it, he said a large percentage of his patients are heart patients and if blockage was found it would only delay the surgery date. Thankfully my heart was good. Said it was an echo glitch but needed to be checked out further due to my families' heart health history. I've never been so relieved when I was told no blockages. You shouldn't have to redo any of your other pre-op testing if something is found. It can push your WLS into the next year which would cause you to pay out another year of deductible co pays though. 😞 Good luck with your testing!

Okay, worst case scenario they find something. Isn’t it better they do, especially when it’s something to do with your heart, so they can treat you with medication, heart surgery, or what ever is needed to make you healthier & prolong your life? Remember going into your bariatric surgery with an undiagnosed or diagnosed but untreated heart condition would be very, very risky. When you can progress with your bariatric surgery & what approval process you may need to go through would depend upon what or if they find something. Best case they find nothing & you’ll know your heart is strong & healthy. Let us know. All the best.

Who knew 3 years ago that on September 24, 2023, I’d be crossing the finish line after 12 hours, 33 minutes and 38 seconds of hard work in the Chattanooga Ironman! Since February 5, 2021 I have stayed focused, followed the plan, and worked hard to lose a 160lbs. And those decisions are got me here! I share this not to brag or seek attention, but to show others who have questions or doubts of what is possible! If you have or are considering proceeding with bariatric surgery, go into it with the decision and desire to live life differently moving forward! The old way doesn’t work for us wired the way we are! You have to want to do better and be better for this to work! The surgery is a tool for change! It’s going to be difficult, you’re going to face temptation, you’re going to tip toe back in the old life… but discipline, consistency and effort is the way forward! You deserve it! But you also deserve to give your self grace when mistakes are made along the way! But know that one poor choice doesn’t define your path forward, it’s just about trying to make a better decision the next time. Ok, off my soapbox… Good luck everyone and keep fighting the good fight!

Wiser minds than me have mentioned that the dark diarrhea is from old blood that is still getting purged from your system. I think that if you don't feel comfortable having pureed foods, you don't have to eat them. I consumed broth fortified with scoops of collagen for the first two weeks after surgery. And definitely contact your bariatric provider if the color changes or pain gets any worse. I'm sure some of the forum legends will chime in to help support you, too.

I think in my case it was due to my insurance requirements. I have Medicaid, so they have very specific demands. I had to have six meetings with my surgeon's nurse practitioner and the bariatric dietitian. I ended having many many more than that, since it's been nearly 2 years since I started. And I had to get all the medical clearances and psych eval and everything. I have only met my surgeon once, but I will have another meeting with her 6 days before my surgery. I didn't have to lose any weight either, but like you, I couldn't gain any weight. But I did gain weight, plus the dietitian required me to be 3 months binge-free before approving me, so it took a lot of extra time. But looking back, I think I needed that time to really figure myself out (with the help of my counselor)! So I feel more confident going into it now.

I personally would stay away from Bariatric Pal hot cocoa... for some reason they add titanium dioxide to it, A known carcinogen!

Thank you so much - I’d like to be off completely so this sounds like a plan. My bariatric nurse just got back to me and said, yes, rebound is a thing and she didn’t read my message where I said I’d just stopped taking it. She said to go back on it and then we’ll wean off. With all the problems you’ve had, I’m sure it was very painful to go through and have additional surgeries. I hope you are doing better now. Your comment gives me hope that I can get off them eventually. Hugs!

One year ago today, at 2:00pm, I had my initial phone interview from my bariatric program. I had enough and took the step. I was always dead-set against surgery and prayed daily for God to help me. I awoke one day at peace on the surgery and made the call. I weighed 329lbs. ONE. YEAR. TO. THE. DAY I wake to this blessing! 199.8 on the scale. God works in mysterious ways but, in this case, no mystery...just Gods Grace! Oct 1 will be 7 months to the day of my surgery

Planning ahead and seeking local support as you progress through the stages of your weight loss journey is a great approach. While I can't provide specific book recommendations, I can suggest a few general types of books that might be helpful as you transition to stage 4 and beyond: Bariatric Cookbooks: Look for cookbooks specifically designed for individuals who have undergone weight loss surgery. These often provide recipes and meal plans tailored to each stage of post-surgery recovery. Nutrition Guides: Books that focus on post-bariatric surgery nutrition can be very informative. They can help you understand the nutritional requirements for your specific procedure and guide you in making healthy food choices. Healthy Eating and Lifestyle Books: While not specific to bariatric surgery, these books offer valuable information on maintaining a healthy lifestyle, making smart food choices, and managing your weight in the long term.

Oh boy, my dr says I need to take it for the rest of my life! That could be that I had a huge GERD problem before, I had a huge hiatal hernia fixed during the surgery because my esophagus was in the shape of an L or that my surgeon isn’t really a bariatric surgeon, but a thoracic surgeon that I was sent to because of the L shape in my esophagus.

Oh boy, my dr says I need to take it for the rest of my life! That could be that I had a huge GERD problem before, I had a huge hiatal hernia fixed during the surgery because my esophagus was in the shape of an L or that my surgeon isn’t really a bariatric surgeon, but a thoracic surgeon that I was sent to because of the L shape in my esophagus.

Oh boy, my dr says I need to take it for the rest of my life! That could be that I had a huge GERD problem before, I had a huge hiatal hernia fixed during the surgery because my esophagus was in the shape of an L or that my surgeon isn’t really a bariatric surgeon, but a thoracic surgeon that I was sent to because of the L shape in my esophagus.

Oh boy, my dr says I need to take it for the rest of my life! That could be that I had a huge GERD problem before, I had a huge hiatal hernia fixed during the surgery because my esophagus was in the shape of an L or that my surgeon isn’t really a bariatric surgeon, but a thoracic surgeon that I was sent to because of the L shape in my esophagus.

Oh boy, my dr says I need to take it for the rest of my life! That could be that I had a huge GERD problem before, I had a huge hiatal hernia fixed during the surgery because my esophagus was in the shape of an L or that my surgeon isn’t really a bariatric surgeon, but a thoracic surgeon that I was sent to because of the L shape in my esophagus.

You certainly need to get a second, and probably third, opinion to find out what's going on; they should be able to explain to you, in layman's terms, what your situation is and what the options are for treating it. That is usually a straightforward and insurable step here in the States, but I don't know what hoops you may have to jump through in the UK. It does sound like something's not right in what they did (which is why you want a second, impartial and uninvolved opinion,) as strictures are not common with sleeves that are done correctly; they are common and easily treated with an endoscopic dilation in and RNY, and that may work with a sleeve stricture, or may not depending on what caused it (usually a misshaping of the sleeve.) I did quite a bit of research on these topics a few years ago when they found a cancerous polyp in my stomach; fortunately it was very early and all treatable endoscopically, but all of these various options were discussed and researched. There are some Facebook groups specifically for patients with partial or total gastrectomies, which is what they are proposing for you. The most common approach here, and what it sounds like they are proposing for you, is a Billroth 2 gastrectomy, which has been around for about 140 years, and is the basis of the RNY gastric bypass, The main difference between a partial or total gastrectomy is whether they can use some of the remaining stomach to form an RNY like pouch (partial) or remove all of the stomach and attach the esophagus directly to a loop of intestine, or an additional roux limb as in the RNY, and form "stomach" pouch in the intestine where the esophagus is attached. So, going without the stomach is possible and entirely livable (there are several books on Amazon about "eating without a stomach" which go over what is basically a normal bariatric diet progression.) To the surgeons I was dealing with (at a major regional cancer center,) the total gastrectomy was a much bigger deal surgically and recovery wise than the partial, as attaching the esophagus directly into the intestine was a much touchier procedure with a more extended recovery and healing time (on a feeding tube for several months,) than going through even a small pouch of stomach tissue - something else to consider with whatever choice you have in surgeons (try to find one who has done a lot of these.) One of the things that stood out as fairly common amongst the Facebook group was problems with bile reflux, and you can see how that could easily happen by looking at the altered anatomy. The surgeon I was dealing with said that he did not experience those problems if he kept the various limbs within certain minimum lengths (which presumably some other surgeons didn't do in order to minimize malabsorption and weight loss,) so another point to consider in finding a surgeon who has some direct experience with these problems.

Hi I have Kaiser NorCal and I went to my primary and just told them I want weight loss surgery. She sent a referral to the Bariatric department as I had a BMI of 38 and high blood pressure so I met the requirements, which for NorCal are a BMI over 40 or BMI over 35 with a health condition. I was contacted by the Bariatric department and I had to watch a video and take a test it was easy. Then I had to weigh in with their department and meet with a nutritionist. After all that was done, I was able to meet with the surgeon and he gave me a go away of what I had to lose in order to qualify. I had to do a psych evaluation. Once I lost weight I did some bloodwork and now I am scheduled for surgery on October 12 of this year. I started this process in January, I was scheduled for surgery in September, but got pneumonia the week of the surgery so it was postponed and now Kaiser is supposed to strike so I’m hoping that it doesn’t get postponed again you do have to maintain your weight the entire process and can’t even go over half a pound of your goal weight. Hope this helps.

No I haven't I am just on the first step to get scheduled for my surgery so right now I am doing WW trying to lose the 15lbs and then keep it off till surgery. I am doing a good job of trying to mirror the bariatric diet with lots of protein so the hunger isn't there its the crazy cravings. I like to have a cocktail or two every night and I have stopped drinking so I am missing that part.

Has anybody had surgery in Mexico bariatric Center in Tijuana Mexico? Could you share your experience? Thinking abt getting a revision DS there.

https://samabariatrics.com/quit-smoking-before-bariatric-surgery/

at three weeks out, I could barely eat anything! the amount you'll be able to eat will gradually increase and at some point level off. I probably eat about half as much as I did pre-surgery - but at this point, no one would be able to tell I've had bariatric surgery. They probably just assume I'm a "light eater", like many of my never-been-obese women friends are. If I go out to dinner, I usually just eat half of it and bring the rest home. Before surgery, I'd eat the whole thing - and sometimes dessert, too!

I'm a year out from my surgery and at my last dietitian meeting we discussed maintenance calories which I have been looking forward to that discussion for forever but I was really shocked and I can't believe I didn't know this after all of my research before and after surgery. He said my calorie goals for life should be between 1300 and 1500 and I had no idea that was going to be so low. I honestly went into surgery thinking that the average calories a person eats is 2000 so I must be eating 3000 or more to be so over weight and I just needed to get back to normal. I thought that I would be able to use the surgery and lack of hunger to eat super low calories and lose the weight and since month 3 I've been at 1000 a day. My hunger is back and 1000 is a struggle now and I'm using all my years of diet experience to fill up on low calorie food as well as hitting all my protein and water goals. I thought that soon I'll be able to eat more so it's just a temporary situation, but now I'm worried about long term success. If I'm hungry at 1000, I don't think 300 more calories is really going make a huge difference. So now I'm wondering if the reason why so many people gain the weight back after surgery is because to keep it off we have to keep our calories so low forever? Also, why do we have to keep our calories so low? Why is the average calories 2000 but for bariatric patients 1300 to 1500 is the goal? I always thought that anything under 1500 wasn't a safe number but when I asked my dietitian all of these questions he didn't know. He just knew that to maintain the weight loss, that's the normal goal and that if I wanted to eat more I could exercise more. So did everyone else know that the calories after surgery were going to be low for life and I just somehow missed this important fact? Anyone know why our average doesn't match the so called normal average? I was really excited to be close to goal but now I'm scared because I can see now how easily it can all go away.

I actually had diabetes when I started the process. My A1c was around 7.6 or so and my glucose levels were usually around the 160-170 rang when I would test. I was on 3 diabetes meds, a cholesterol med, a blood pressure med, 2 anti-inflammatory meds. Not only did having diabetes not delay things, having comorbidities actually helped speed up the approval process for me. I know you wanted gradual changes to your eating, and to a certain extent you can still have that. But it's important to start getting your mindset and habits changed at least a little before surgery. Once you have it, you have to make drastic changes pretty fast. Better to start now. I would start by eliminating soda and anything carbonated. Get caffeine from coffee (the kind you can make at home) using sugar free sweeteners and low/no calorie creamers (or almond milk) and tea (personally, I prefer tea). Swap out regular chocolate, candy, popsicles, pudding, etc to the sugar free kinds. Start lowering your carb intake and try cutting down on pasta, bread, potatoes, etc... There's keto versions of bread that taste fantastic. Look at the way the bariatric diets require you to eat (protein first, then veggies, then carbs) and try to plan your meals around that (protein helps you feel full longer). Practice getting in at least 64oz of water now so you can be used to drinking it a lot. You can still eat yummy foods, just change the way you do it. It's less jarring if you start the process now.

I went to see my GP this week to get some testing done. I actually looked forward to going, knowing things would to be better than the last time I saw her pre-op. She along with everyone in the office flipped out when they saw me. I'm down over 80 pounds in 5 months. The nurse said I lost a small person. LOL I could fit comfortably in the chair when they drew my blood. You know that little table that folds down in from of you? I had room to spare. She asked if I was having fun buying new clothes. I told her yes. I love thrifting and now able to get around to do it. The head nurse had to come in and take a gander at me. She called me yesterday and told me my bloodwork results were amazing. Everything is in normal range now. I am no longer pre-diabetic. Even my liver and kidney functions are normal. Those things scared me the most and my main reason to get the Gastric Bypass. Don't ever let anyone tell you those things aren't reversable. My GP said she can't believe my numbers. Told me all her sleeve patients don't have these kinds of results in a year, even after prescribing them Ozempic. She sees patients from a local surgeon who only does the sleeve with no follow up support. I'm guessing most of those people aren't following any protocol because I see the good results on here, every day, of sleevers' success stories. I love reading them. I went out of town to get my bypass in April that thankfully has a great Bariatric support team. I go back to see them for my 6-month checkup Oct 11. They did a vitamin panel on me last time and all was well except my B12 was a bit high but nothing to worry about. And I go back in January for my annual physical with GP. Was told they can hopefully start taking me off my meds. I will be closer to goal weight by then. Something else to look forward to.

Hi, I had gastric sleeve on 8/17 and developed an itchy hives rash on my chest, back and butt around 2 weeks after. I still have them, but it has slowly gotten better. My bariatric office had no concrete answers. I think my bariatric multivitamin chew may be the culprit. High in niacin B3…I may be having a reaction. I stopped taking them a few days ago and started to get a little better. I have had the random skin infection in the past, but nothing like this. Unfortunately I have no answers.