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Your PCP may or may not have much experience with weight loss surgery. What about your endocrinologist? I doubt very much that they would not check your blood sugar before sending you home without your insulin and other meds, as @RickM said. But talk to your surgery center about what your PCP said and your concerns, but don't cancel your surgery. Even if you can't immediately go off your meds, there are lots of other health benefits to surgery and you might in time be able to go off the meds. The goal in life isn't to have the fewest pills; it's to live the best life, with or without pills. I take about 18 pills a day, none of which I will be able to stop after surgery because they are for a condition that is not caused by my weight. (The meds cause weight gain, but that's another issue.) I am still having surgery, because it affects my quality of life to be so heavy, and is going to lead to other health problems down the road.
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Did revision due to weight gain actually work for you?
meressa replied to JulieCab's topic in Revision Weight Loss Surgery Forums (NEW!)
I had the sleeve in 2013 at 274 and my lowest was 170. I regained to 260 in 2017. I mainly wanted a revision for the weight gain but I too have Gerd and I didn’t know at the time it was caused by the sleeve. I thought it was normal to have heart burn. I’ve gotten back down to 233 in the summer last year 2020. I am currently I’m at 255. I’m having my revision to the RNY in about 5 hours but I’ll let you know how it goes with the weight loss. -
From what I have seen, you may or may not be off of insulin and meds immediately - I think your surgeon is just being optimistic and won't actually discharge you without verifying your status. My wife was diabetic, just short of being insulin dependent and under treatment for it for around twenty years, and it took her the better part of a year to be fully off all of diabetic meds. The surgeon explained that generally, the longer one has been under treatment, the longer it takes to get off of the meds, though there are some long term diabetics who leave the hospital free of all meds, even with just a sleeve or RNY rather than the stronger DS. Her diabetes is still in remission 15-16 years later, despite some subsequent regain and losses. A few years ago, we talked to a woman in our support group who had an RNY some twenty years prior, and now her diabetes was coming out of remission with only some moderate regain, so she was in line to get that revised into a DS to knock it out for good. So, it is still very much worth getting the surgery even if you don't immediately go into remission. Note that I am referring to the "traditional" BPD/DS, which is known to have a 98-99% success rate with T2 diabetes, rather than the simplified SIPS/SADI/"Loop DS", which is not as well established.
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I had surgery March 2. My menstrual cycles got out of whack and I went from missing my period to a heavy really long cycle during a two week stall. I've had a few stalls, but currently down from 308 to 260 today (48). The NP in the doctor's office said for me to lose between 12 and 25 more pounds between April and middle of July. I'm currently down 8 of that. It is slow. I lose weight then stall, while I am stalled I lose inches, and then back to weight loss. It is slowly coming off. Sent from my SM-G965U using BariatricPal mobile app
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Discuss: childhood dieting & related trauma
SM16 replied to james2021's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
Wow. I relate to this on so many levels. The starting weight watchers at such a young age... I thought I was the only one. I remember one summer in middle school my grandmother told me I didn’t need to be involved in extracurriculars at school so I could have time to focus on my waistline. Every diet that was available, I did it. I remember my mother making me read diet books like faith and fat loss and south beach diet along with so many others. Not even going all the way into the time she was convinced I was insulin resistant and I didn’t eat bread most of high school because I thought it would make me diabetic lol. Oh and I can’t forget about the year that I drank grapefruit juice or ate a grapefruit before every meal because that was going to ‘kick start’ my slow metabolism. I grew up hating my body because my mom would call herself fat and other derogatory terms and it definitely wore off on me. She still does this to this day. She asks me pretty much every time she sees me what size I wear and how much I weigh. It messes with my mind on a daily basis. It’s such a triggering thing for someone to do and I try daily to change the way she taught me to think about my body. With all that said, I decided on the surgery for me and me alone. I don’t regret it at all and would do it a million times over again. But, with toxicity like this you should start preparing yourself to deal with that trauma. I honestly didn’t think I had issues with it until about a year after my surgery. Lol I never realized I never told my husband about any of it (I would joke about it in passing but never told him the extent of it) and one day my mom triggered me so bad I went on a tangent about it. He ended up in tears because he could never imagine going through that mentally. I suggest finding a counselor or therapist ASAP. The body dysmorphia hits hard and has to be felt with or it will destroy your tool. My issues are mine but I’m sure everyone with that much mental trauma will have some along the way. I started seeing a counselor and it helped a lot to be able to talk about how not normal that was. I have to work extremely hard every day to have a better relationship with food and am still learning how to love my body. This was rambly and probably unhelpful. I really appreciate you sharing your story. It’s really nice to know I wasn’t the only one that went through something similar. I hope that your journey goes well and you find a way to deal with your parents. -
I have DS surgery scheduled for this Friday (4 days) and initially I was super excited. My main reason for doing this (besides weight loss) is to hopefully be off all diabetes meds including 2 types of insulin and 6 shots a day. My surgeon has said that he will discharge me from the hospital off all insulin, which I was ecstatic about. However during my pre-op visit with my PCP I was told that will definitely not be the case and if I follow that advice I will go into DKA and end up back in hospital. She went on to say I may never be off insulin despite the surgery and was generally kind but discouraging. I am now second guessing my decision to have surgery at all. Does anyone have any experience with this? Should I listen to the surgeon or my PCP?
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Depends on how far out you are post op. I think either of these the things in small amounts and as an occasional treat are fine once you’re past your immediate post op stage. However, probably not good to have too much of this stuff while still in weight loss mode.
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I’m at a stall, been 3 weeks, it’s so frustrating, hopefully i get a 7lb loss soon 😜
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Fears of Depression deteriorating post operation
catwoman7 replied to Bariatric852's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
it's possible it could be hormone related. A lot of people report mood swings (and for women, screwed-up menstrual cycles) for the first few weeks or months following weight loss surgery. It's evidently due to estrogen being released from fat cells during rapid weight loss. It eventually stabilizes. -
Fears of Depression deteriorating post operation
Bariatric852 posted a topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Hi everyone, I have been suffering with Depression for 14 years. Some days, the symptoms are less intense and those are my good days. Other days it can be much worse. I’m on psych meds to help me cope. I am post op for about three weeks now after getting a gastric bypass done and I have noticed a few dips in my mood. I am trying to figure out whether these fluctuations are due to the gastric bypass op or my usual ongoing Depression. I know that I have been experiencing a lot of changes at the moment and that could be cause of my mood plummeting. In two days time, I will be graduating from the full liquid diet to puréed food. Just want to get an idea what you are experiencing if you are a weight loss surgery patient who battles Depression. Thanks 😊 -
Follow your plan. This is important because your plan has been designed to aid healing. Remember there’s a lot of stitches & staples holding your tummy together & you don’t want to risk putting strain or pressure on your tummy before it’s fully healed. Listen to your body. It will tell you what you can or can’t do or eat yet. Things are going to be different but you’ll get used to the changes & how your body may react. It’s not a competition. You’ll lose at the rate that’s right for you. You will lose some hair. Can’t stop it because it’s how your body reacts to the surgery & the reduced food intake. It’s just an acceleration of your natural hair loss cycle. The hair loss will stop. Your new hair is still growing in but just at its usual rate which is why your hair may look thin for a while until it catches up. You will have stalls along the way. It’s just your body taking a breath to catch up with the changes. They may last a week or up to three but they do stop & you’ll start losing again. You will experience constipation. Often a lot of constipation. Include some soluble (non swelling) fibre in your diet & have some stool softeners on hand. You may experience a temporary change in your taste buds. Some also find their sense of smell becomes more sensitive for a while. Some foods may suddenly become disgusting because of their taste or smell. Some people find binders useful post surgery as a support while healing. It’s an individual thing. I didn’t use one. Now the bad news - there is little you can do to stop or reduce the chances of having loose skin. It’s why so many have plastic surgery to remove it. The loose skin is a result of your fat stretching out your skin. Think of a hair band that’s been stretched out from lots of use & is loose. Ain’t nothing goes to make that band as tight as it was when it was new. How much loose skin you have depends upon factors like age, gender, how long you’ve been at your highest weight, etc. if you’re young & still have a lot of natural skin elasticity you likely won’t have as much as someone older like me. Don’t mean to scare you just wanted you not to be surprised if these things do happen. While they are common experiences, it seems they are things that many medical teams don’t tell their patients to expect. They can be quite scary when they occur if you don’t know they can. Good luck.
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How has the Sadi/duodenal switch worked for you years later?
Butterflyeffect posted a topic in Duodenal Switch Surgery Forum
Hi everyone, I’m less than 3 months post a Sadi and would love to hear from those that had their procedure a couple of years ago or more to see how you’re finding it, has the weight loss been easy to keep off and is it working as well as you had hoped? Thanks in advance!! 😊 -
I had a longer prep as I needed to lower my BMI for a safer surgery but otherwise I did as you have. I bought vitamins and stocked up on protein shakes ahead of time. I also bought some sugar free Jello and SF popsicles (Popsicle brand is the best), which tasted good after surgery. I craved something salty so I had chicken broth/bullion on hand (though too much salt contributes to edema and I may have overdone it at least one day). Having had laparoscopic gall bladder surgery five years ago I was relatively prepared for the tummy soreness, but honestly the pain isn't horrible after VSG and I got by with just Tylenol after I got home. I think anxiety is just a part of any surgery, but I think you're on the right track by being prepared. Make sure you have people lined up to vacuum and lift anything heavy for you for a while and plan to just take care of yourself for several days. I also listened to the meditations/visualizations provided by Kaiser Permanente for people having surgery and they were soothing https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/health-wellness/podcasts/conditions-diseases/surgery Oh another thing I'd recommend is to do some journaling. There is a forum on this site called "What is your Why?" I loved digging into that and I found focusing on my Big Why would alleviate my fears or at least balance them out. I wrote about being healthy, fit, feeling in control of my eating. I'd write about the things I'll be doing this winter and next summer with my grandkids that I've avoided doing now. And, in the next day or two, measure yourself everywhere from ankles to neck and record those measurements. I did, and I know there will be times in the near future when my weight loss plateaus. I will re-measure then and relish in the inches lost even if the scale doesn't budge. Check in with us and let us know how you're doing. There is a wealth of knowledge in these forums and very soon you will be the one supporting someone who is just getting started. Your experience will serve as inspiration for others. I can't wait to hear all about your successes!!
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btw - I was looking forward to not having to deal with the loose skin setting the scanners off after I had plastic surgery (because oddly, that DOES set it off for some of us), but I STILL beep, even though all the excess skin is gone. I don't know what it is. I know surgical staples don't (they're made of titanium, which MRI machines don't pick up - so maybe that's why airport scanners don't, either), but maybe the clips I have in my abdomen from plastic surgery do - I'm not sure. But for whatever reason, I still beep. Grrrr. P.S. earlier in the weight loss phase I didn't beep - because I didn't have all the loose skin then. But I DID have the staples then - so they aren't what sets it off.
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Plastic surgery in less than a week 😱😱💕💕
WishMeSmaller posted a topic in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
First of all, I want to share some stats/background. I am 47 years old (46 at time of WLS). I was 264 at my highest weight, which is also my weight before starting the pre-op diet. I was a plus size 20-22 in jeans, and a 2X in tops. My surgery date was 7/6/20. I reached my chosen goal weight of 150 on 2/26/21. My current weight is 132. I wear a S/XS in tops and a 0 or 2 in most pants/jeans. I am pretty tall at 5’8”. My bra size went from 40DD to a 34B. I love my new body, being the fittest in my adult life, and being healthy. With that being said, I really miss having boobs. The loose skin on my butt folds uncomfortably under my tailbone when I sit or lay down. My tummy flops around unless I am wearing something tight or with compression. My legs are very saggy. I am scheduled for plastic surgery in Mexico on 5/29. I am going to get a belt lipectomy (360 tummy tuck), with butt lift, a breast lift, and breast augmentation. I am hopeful the belt lipectomy and time will make a thigh lift unnecessary in the future, but we will see. I really do not want the scars. My arms have a bit of loose skin, but not enough to make an arm lift necessary, IMO. I chose Mexico for price and proximity. I know Florida is better priced for plastic surgery than most, if not all, of the rest of the US, but I really do not want to travel that far (Nevada). I will be going alone and I will be there for 6 days. When I get home, I have my family to help take care of me, including my wound care nurse husband. I am super excited for this next step in my weight loss process and honestly can’t wait to have boobs again! 😀 I have added some pics of pre-WLS (yikes😞), and now, pre-plastics. I will post more as I as go, including after photos. 😀😀 -
Hello everyone, My name is Bariatric852. I am a 28 year old female who has just undergone laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery earlier this month. I am coming up to three weeks post op on a full liquid diet. I am craving solid food so much - I miss chewing my food. I am actually looking forward to puréed food stage starting on the 27th of May. The various weight loss surgeries were initially brought up by a specialist in a sleep clinic dealing with my sleep apnea. This was nearly three years ago. During these years leading up to my surgery, I have seen a multitude of doctors and specialists. Psychiatrist, clinical psychologist, surgeons, dietitian, physiotherapist. A lot of professionals to see. I have quite a few health problems such as Clinical Depression, PCOS, Sleep Apnea, high blood pressure and Borderline Diabetes... The doctors gave careful consideration to all of the above and gave me the green light to go ahead with the surgery this year. I was given the choice of gastric sleeve or gastric bypass. I chose the bypass. My weight, at it’s heaviest was 155kg or 341.7lbs. In preparation for the surgery I had to lose 5-10% of my body weight. I managed to do this and my weight pre op was 125.5kg or 275.6lbs. Three weeks later and my current weight is 120.6kg or 265.9lbs. My family say I look a little thinner especial around my face. I know I have a long journey ahead of me. Life-long dietary supplements and antidepressants (21 pills a day). And a lot of hard work to be put in. But I look forward to seeing my weight drop and my body and mind becoming healthier.
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Hello everyone, My name is Bariatric852. I am a 28 year old female who has just undergone laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery earlier this month. I am coming up to three weeks post op on a full liquid diet. I am craving solid food so much - I miss chewing my food. I am actually looking forward to puréed food stage starting on the 27th of May. The various weight loss surgeries were initially brought up by a specialist in a sleep clinic dealing with my sleep apnea. This was nearly three years ago. During these years leading up to my surgery, I have seen a multitude of doctors and specialists. Psychiatrist, clinical psychologist, surgeons, dietitian, physiotherapist. A lot of professionals to see. I have quite a few health problems such as Clinical Depression, PCOS, Sleep Apnea, high blood pressure and Borderline Diabetes... The doctors gave careful consideration to all of the above and gave me the green light to go ahead with the surgery this year. I was given the choice of gastric sleeve or gastric bypass. I chose the bypass. My weight, at it’s heaviest was 155kg or 341.7lbs. In preparation for the surgery I had to lose 5-10% of my body weight. I managed to do this and my weight pre op was 125.5kg or 275.6lbs. Three weeks later and my current weight is 120.6kg or 265.9lbs. My family say I look a little thinner especial around my face. I know I have a long journey ahead of me. Life-long dietary supplements and antidepressants (21 pills a day). And a lot of hard work to be put in. But I look forward to seeing my weight drop and my body and mind becoming healthier.
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How can I update my surgery tab?
Prestonandme replied to Aprice76's topic in Website Assistance & Suggestions
Not sure if any moderators are reading this, but it would be great if there were an easier, more accessible, faster way to update our weight loss, such as a tab to click on at our homepage. Even after being in the forum for more than two years, I still have trouble navigating to the surgery progress page to update my weight. -
What one thing do you wish you'd known before having surgery?
chiquitatummy replied to FutureSylph's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
Other things I wished I known: That I would be flattened with exhaustion in the first 3-6 weeks. That constipation during the full liquid and pureed food stages would be a real issue and not to snooze on doing what needs to be done to keep things moving. That once my tummy healed getting enough water in wouldn't be so hard. Sure, I can't pound a glass of water, but also don't have to take tiny baby sips anymore. I can get water in with normal size sips which add up easily as long as I keep a glass nearby. That starting my vitamins would not make me throw up. I was really freaked out about this and waited longer than I needed to. That following my program's diet wouldn't be as hard as I thought. I have had a few tough moments, but it really hasn't been that hard and is waaaaay easier than all the other diets I've been on before VSG. That I wouldn't be losing 7-9 pounds every week. Intellectually I knew this, but I secretly held out hope that the big losses would continue after the first two weeks. I am losing consistently, but it's much slower than those first couple weeks. typically it's around 1.5 pounds, with 3-4 pounds a week every now and again for a big loss. Also, if have a big loss like that I can count on the next week having no loss, or only seeing a tiny loss of just a few ounces. Again, this is stuff I "knew" but a part of me still had some unrealistic hope that I would have "my 600 pound life" sized losses. How much joy taking walks again would bring me. Before surgery, walking was painful and I'd forgotten how much I liked it. I've lost enough weight now that there is no pain with movement, just the joy of being outdoors and feeling my body do what I'm asking of it without a problem. that I didn't need to worry about going into a depressive slump after surgery. this, along with throwing up, was my biggest fear - that the surgery plus the change in diet would cause me to feel down or even depressed. The opposite has been true, experiencing increased physical comfort, range of motion, and physical ability has been enlivening and I have found my mood to be more stable. -
Periods 1 year old.. more frequent
Arabesque replied to Kristi schumann's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
As you lose weight a lot of oestrogen is released into your blood stream which had been stored in your fat & it can affect your menstrual cycle. What you may be experiencing now is the effects of your normal hormonal cycle not one I luenced by carrying weight. My cycles were always heavier & more erratic when I carried weight compared to when I was slimmer. Have a chat with your doctor & ask for a blood test to check your hormone levels. Remember 28 days is the average. Some cycles are longer. Some shorter. Congrats on your weight loss. -
Facial Hair
smileburst replied to HealthyLifeStyle's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
I've been shaving my chin for over 30 years. I'm now 60. Next week I'll have my three month post op appointment. I hit my protein and water goals daily. I'm taking biotin. I've noticed the hair on my chin has significantly increased. Ugh!!!! So far the hair on my head doesn't seem to be falling out. -
Hey! Revision(ist), I want to hear from you! Tell me your experience: revision in June. Nervous
GreenTealael replied to nikki19rl's topic in Revision Weight Loss Surgery Forums (NEW!)
GERD is completely resolved. I have maintained my weightloss but I can lose unintentionally if I eat “clean”. I never lost hair with any surgery (but I took L-Lysine, do a bit of research if you’re curious) It wasn’t painful. It was done laparoscopically and I had a pain management plan ahead of time. Good Luck ❤️ -
Periods 1 year old.. more frequent
Kristi schumann posted a topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
So I was sleeved 5/18/2020 and I have lost about 100lbs. I was at 180 in November and then Jan 160 and now 150.. so weight loss obviously slowed down lately. However about 5 months out I noticed my periods were 30 days apart and then 28 as of March last month was 27 and now I am at 21 days between. Should I be concerned? Is this related to my weight loss? Has anyone else gone through this? -
Still feeling nauseous
Creekimp13 replied to HealthyLifeStyle's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
Too much sugar makes me feel crappy. If you still have your gallbladder, you might want to have it checked. Gallbladder disease will present with evening nausea for many people, and it's very common after rapid weight loss. -
What was your tipping point?
PhenomenalWoman replied to 3tallwomen's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
My tipping point was this pandemic. I previously saw weight loss surgery as 'cheating'. However, during the pandemic and preparing for life after pandemic, I did all the things: quarentined, socially distanced, only necessary outings/travel, and vaccine. Why was I looking at weight loss like this? I should do all the things - and that doesn't make me weak, that makes me wise! I got over the story I was telling myself in my head in regards to weight loss surgery and became proactive, just like I did with pandemic related mitigations.
