Search the Community

Has anyone else had a rash after surgery. I am about 4 months post-op and no real problems, and suddenly this rash develops ands spreads all over. I looked up online and found something called “keto rash” caused by high protein, low carb diet. I have now seen 3 doctors, including a dermatology consult at university hospital, and they think this is a reaction to taking Prilosec (which my Bariatric doctor prescribed). I won’t know for sure until some skin samples (biopsied) come back. I also have a history of eczema, and think this might just be a bad outbreak (triggered by the “stress” of surgery and lifestyle change). Has anyone else heard of Keto rash or had it?

I’m 25 days post gastric bypass and I’m still having abdominal pain every time I try to eat anything off the approved list. Every morning, like right now, I’m going to have 1/4-1/2 cup of scrambled eggs but like every other day I end up throwing it all up. I’m afraid to eat anything now because I throw up anything I try to ingest. Now that I’m reaching my one month mark I’m not going to try and eat what is suggested. I’m so weak and hungry but I hate that I know it Wil just all come up. Depression has set in along with detachment from things i loved before: taking my family to the lake, walking my dog, etc. i just lost any interest because mainly I’m so angry that I can’t eat even the simplest things. I’m asking if anyone here has gone through this or is this not supposed to happen and I should see my bariatric physician? The one food i can eat without retching is a small tub of ready made sugar free chocolate pudding cups from Jell-O. Looking to some help or answers to my problem. One more thing at times my chest feels so much pain it feels as if it wants to burst open so my doctor put me on hydrocodone for the pain but I rarely take them for fear of addiction and/or accidental overdose. I’m a mess and more than often I regret having this surgery even though I lost 54 lbs in 3 weeks and haven’t needed to take insulin for my diabetes-it’s been in very normal levels between 95-120 daily and my most painful neuropathy in hands and feel don’t hurt that much anymore. Thanks for reading my TedTALK and hopefully there’s a solution out there for me.

I have just arrived home from our 14 day holiday. We had it booked pre- covid and the company allowed us to continue postponing the booking until we could go. It was a All inclusive type holiday where you stay in a big resort and everything is at hand which suits us when travelling, my husband needs a wheelchair. We were a little nervous of the airports and flying as it is such a hassle with a wheelchair. It all went quite smoothly except for the times I was stranded with a hubby, wheelchair, two suitcases and two bags and a large handbag. At times it felt like I was the puzzle where you have a river to cross with a bag of grain, a hen and a fox. I wore the bags like a bandolero, pulled the suitcase and pushed the wheelchair with my stomach. Oh the joys of checking in at airports. I ate what I wanted, which being me, was always the best fish, seafood, cheeses and a vast amount of serrano/ parma ham. They made their own cookies and bread so these never got bypassed but in small amounts. I even had butter and ice cream. I drank strong coffee with liqueurs and some long cocktails. Usually one or two a day. A few times I felt really drunk when the bar tenders had made the cocktails stronger than the last. It was not a good feeling but I found something to eat and then the alcohol was absorbed quickly. I was a little worried to get on the scales this morning. Pre surgery, I could put almost a stone on in the two weeks [14lbs] a lot of it was water weight around my swollen ankles. I weighed in at exactly the same and TMI moment, had 8 days of poop inside me. So may even loose weight when the medicine kicks in [ or is it out ? ] So te he he another win win for my bariatric surgery

Most surgeons will not be much help in regard to what you need to be eating post op. Please check in with a bariatric dietician to sort out your food choices. You can have eggs. You can have baked beans. You can have a fillet of fish with vegies. You can have custard and that will count to your protein. You can add protein powder to your shakes. You can have smoothies with protein powder in. You can even add protein powder to tea and coffee. I am adding a link to a site in Australia that sells Tasteless protein powder. https://costpricesupplements.com.au/tasteless-protein-collagen-500g-by-feel-good-protein/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=tasteless_protein&utm_term=tasteless%20protein%20powder&utm_content=138100867419&gclid=CjwKCAjwr_CnBhA0EiwAci5siq4K5LLhUSBAsPkQkza1QEg4FXhXg6aTlkA9D1xJdMOKSZAsupmjmBoCoVUQAvD_BwE It will end up cheaper for you with the exchange rate. Hope that the bariatric dietician can expand your food choices.

It's a lot harder to find private insurance that will cover bariatric surgery. I would ask your surgeons office what insurances they accept and then call each of them and find out if they offer bariatric coverage, how much a policy with them with that coverage costs, and what their requirements are for approval.

You have lost a massive amount of weight. Congrats. Given that you are 6ft you may need to be eating more to sustain such a weight loss and have good energy levels. Are you currently under the care of a bariatric dietician? If not please check in with one so that your tiredness can be investigated. Have you been having regular blood tests done to see where everything is? Having a bypass may result in malabsorsion of nutrients and lead to deficiencies that can show up in blood tests. Being back in the gym will also require more fuel for energy. You may want to throw yourself back into the thick of it but dont. Slowly increase the rate and weights that you exercise with. Dont pop another hernia by rushing things. Does the gym have an exercise physiologist that can give you guidance? Please seek one out. Walking is a great place to start. Your wife IS right. You just had major surgery and that by itself will take time. Dont try to run before you can walk.

Have you tried Anthem Blue Cross? Also, have you done all the classes (Bariatric Orientation, Nutrition, Psych Eval & joined a support group)? Most insurance companies want you to join a Hospital-based program before giving approval.

I have Kaiser as well, but in NorCal. I went to my regular doctor and told him straight up. I need weight loss surgery, he asked if I have dieted at all. I told him yes, I have dieted since I was 12yrs old and now after 2 children being a little older I cannot lose for nothing. I am also on ADHD meds and cannot lose weight so even the stimulants are not working. He took my weight and my BMI is 43, I am only 34 and I am on track to have diabetes, heart disease ect. He told me I was a good candidate, I don't smoke, I don't often drink and my BMI meets the requirements. I had to get a bunch of bloodwork all came back normal except my HDL. Then he sent my referral in to the bariatric surgery center in South San Francisco. I had to do an orientation and take a test, Takes an hour and 10min total. Then 5days later I got a schedule for nutrition class and then meet my surgeon. those are scheduled for next week so I am anxious on how that goes. My "Why" are my children. I have a 12yr, 6yr and 1yr old. I am currently in school finishing my bachelors. My partner doesn't have weight issues and I absolutely refuse to get to the point where I cannot play with my kids. I want to be able to be their coaches in sports as I was very much into athletics till I was in college. I want to run around with them and live a very long life with them. As well as teaching them to have a healthier life style. I am scared doing this, but I know in the long run this is what I HAVE TO DO!

I count everything. I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure in 2022 and was put on a sodium restriction. Just two months before my projected VSG surgery date my A1C was 9.6% and I was put on diabetic meds(Metformin and Semaglutide), given a blood sugar meter with instructions to check my blood sugar twice daily, and told to cut out all sugars in my diet. Around the same time as my Type-2 Diabetes diagnosis my Bariatric Surgeon had me go on a Keto/Atkins very low carb diet prior to the liver shrinking diet due to my extremely high 71.5 BMI. That was my first time on a 'low carb' diet since I tried South Beach in 2004, and I really liked it for how it made me feel and how much easier it has become to find low-carb substitutions for common foods. So I decided to stick with it post-surgery. I am two weeks out from my surgery and I am at the point where I can eat 800-1000 calories a day, where 50% is from protein, 40% fat, 10% Net Carb, and sodium between 1,500mg and 2,000mg. I track my Daily Food Intake in an Excel Spreadsheet, listing Calories, Total Fat, Protein, Net Carbs, Fiber, and Sodium of each. I also track my fluids, noting if the beverage has any sodium. I avoid sugars like the Plague, except when it comes to fruits. I will on occasion eat fresh strawberries, raspberries, or some honeydew melon. I don't feel the Keto diet is suitable for Post-op due to the high reliance on Fats. I like a more even distribution favoring protein over fat, but still keeping enough healthy fats in my system so entering Ketosis is a possibility. My carbs are always under 25g a day, most of the time between 15g and 20g. I was only in Ketosis once for a brief few days, and it was right after surgery. I check my ketone level regularly with those over the counter 'pee' strips. I like my method of tracking my nutrition manually instead of using an App or Website, although there is a lot more work looking up nutritional labels for everything I eat, or general nutritional information for those items without labels. The plus side of it is I am amassing a database of my frequently eaten food items so logging is becoming easier. I agree with the general consensus that 'Diet' is an ill-fitting word for what we are doing. I like the term 'Lifestyle Change' much better. A diet, to me, is finite in its duration. It has a beginning and an end. A Lifestyle Change goes on indefinitely.

Hi and welcome! I don't know about Disneyland, but I do know you can take FMLA leave. Because you have to stay overnight for a bariatric surgery, it counts as inpatient care. https://jjkellercompliancenetwork.com/news/does-time-off-for-weight-loss-surgery-fall-under-the-fmla,https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/28f-fmla-qualifying-reasons. I also think a very strong argument could be made that bariatric surgery is not elective surgery, especially if you have pre-existing health conditions. I'm at the beginning of my journey too!

What exactly are your program guidelines? Do you meet with a dietician as part of your program? Can you reach out for some additional assistance? I know for my program, I am in the range of at least 70-80g of protein and soon enough 80-100g. There is no specific guide to carbs and fats allotment, only that protein is the priority and to limit carbs and fats. More so complex carbs and healthy fats. Sugar free as much as possible. It can feel weird at first, but it gets better with time. I mostly stick to a protein and a veg. I do happen to eat burgers with no bun. I can only really manage a whole chicken patty, but only half a turkey burger or beef burger. If i feel like I want to have more traditional way of eating it, I'll put the half on a Mission Carb Balance Whole Wheat street taco tortilla. I do use sugar free bbq sauce, maybe some pickle slices and tomatoes with a reduced fat slice of cheese. It's all I can manage and I am satisfied. I also make cottage cheese bowls - taco bowls are my fave. About 3oz of ground turkey or chicken taco meat and a couple tablespoons of cottage cheese. Toppings as you like - i can do a couple cherry tomatoes, some shredded lettuce, a sprinkle of light cheese and a little salsa. Sometimes I can eat it all, sometimes I have some left which I may or may not be able to eat a little later. I would also say, instead of thinking of doing all the work for just 3ozs, meal prep. Make several portions to have on hand. Freeze extras if you tire easily. One pound of ground meat can easily last me a week's worth of meals, but I freeze to not waste if i don't realistically think I can eat any one thing. (I'm only cooking for myself a majority of the time). I also follow on IG your.onderland which provides a lot of helpful reminders, tips and recipes for the bariatric journey. Hope this helps.

@RTL1234 I did not have swelling like this with the sleeve and I am assuming since the hernia repair as well is the reason for more incisions. On the positive side yesterday when I got on the scale I lost 5 of the 7lbs from surgery (fluids, air, swollen, etc). I know it's not actual weight. We will see how things go this week. Last night was the worse with itching! I found some Zyrtec dissolvable tabs in my cabinet which helped a lot! When I read up on it - it said it's a better choice than benadryl since the effects last longer (fingers crossed). Liquids - On for two weeks post op until my follow up appointment next week on the 12th. I will be completing my blood thinning ejections then as well. After I'll be on puree for 2 wks then soft foods for another 2 wks. I'll be glad to move forward just because I can add more variety to the previous weeks. This is definitely helping me re-familiarize myself with getting the right amount of protein and fluids in daily. I was told to wait to start my vitamins 1-2 wks after, I'll start those this week. I purchased the ones from Bariatric Pal (capsules), I can open them and mix the powder in when I make my protein shake. Yes! I did find a way to mix it up for this last week of fluids! Today will be cream of bacon made the same way I did my soup yesterday. Exciting right? LOL

On my 4th day of the liquid diet, it's getting easier not to want to devour everything within reach. Tired of sweets though had to go get some bone broth to break up the monotony. I just got my proteins I ordered from here today so yay for some variety. Must say that the Bariatric Pal Chocolate Coconut is so amazingly good (my lunch today). A little lighter on the protein side at 15 grams but it tastes like an almond joy sans the almonds. That sweet chocolate and coconut flavor. I just realized why it's so sweet. I didn't think to look at carb counts when I bought them I just said oooo that sounds good, got to have it, and clicked the buttons. I've lucked out as the girl who works in my office trying to put on weight will buy any of the proteins I don't like off of me so they're at least not going in the trash. My husband is going to want to shoot me when he sees this box of everything I bought last week from the website. It's a good thing we have separate bank accounts or else he'd have a fit at the amount of stuff I've bought prepping for this surgery. Meet my surgeon for a final pre-op appointment tomorrow as well as doing some labs and another appointment with the pre-op department at Mayo so will be in the car the majority of the day tomorrow. Not looking forward to that as often as I've got to go to the bathroom with all these fluids. May be a miserable trip, bad enough I'm having to make it alone. This is where I feel sorry for myself for being a loner and not having a friend I can drag along with me. So I'm open to making new friends! And hope all of our September's go amazingly! 11 Days!? The last few months have flown by and it's been a pretty amazing ride once I got placed with the right physicians.

mortality rate on bypass (at least when I had it eight years ago) is 0.3% It's even lower on sleeve (I don't remember the exact stat on that since I wasn't interested in sleeve). That means you have at least a 99.7% chance of NOT dying. That's better than a lot of other common surgeries, like hip or knee replacements. stop reading social media. I was doing that as well before my surgery and had to make myself stop. Major complications are rare. You just hear about them more because people post about those, looking for advice and support. The jillions of people who don't have them generally don't post that everything is hunky-dory. I had two strictures after my bypass. Easy fix. The PA in my bariatric clinic said those are the most common complication after bypass - and that about 5% of bypassers experience them. I personally wouldn't call something that happens to 5% of people "common", but that does give you an idea of how common complications are. Most complications, when they do happen, are minor and easily treatable or "fixable". The ones you mentioned about people carrying around bags for vomiting, etc - that's got to be incredibly rare. Spend some time here on BP or similar forums (like Obesity Help) rather than Facebook groups. I've been on here for nine years and have never heard of people carrying around barf bags because they vomit so much. I think you'll find this site will give you a much better picture of post-op life.

What do you mean by bariatric foods? I just ate regular foods from purées not even shakes or protein powders. Sure my protein intake was low to begin but it got higher. What is your protein goal? Are you focussing on eating the protein component of your meal first then any vegetables & finally only if you are able & permitted any carbs. At 7 months I would expecting you’re eating about 3 or 4ozs of meat for a meal now. 3ozs chicken breast has 26g protein, 3ozs tilapia has 22g. Depending on your goal that’s a good 1/3 of your goal in one meal. I supplemented my protein intake with a high protein yoghurt (mine has 20g) or yoghurt drink (blend yoghurt with milk & get 30g) as a meal & then a snack. I still prioritise protein in every meal & snack (except if it’s fruit of course).

Snap! I woke up one morning & said enough too. I made an appointment with my doctor to start the process the same day. Best decision I’ve ever made. Your anger is a stage of the grief you’re experiencing which is quite a common before &/or after surgery. Doesn’t matter how much you read about life post surgery, it’s not until you experience it yourself do you fully understand. So you are also in a place of fear of the unknown. Talking with your therapist is a great idea to work your way through your anger, grief & fear. And keep referring to that list of positives. They’ll become blessings before you know it. It seems a long time at the beginning but in time you’ll look back & realise it wasn’t that long - the progress & benefits of your weight loss sort of blurs the time & makes it worthwhile. Most importantly get off the social media sites about bariatric surgery. They are the worst. They’ll feed your fear & anger. The ones I’ve seen give you tips on how eat around your surgery, how not to follow your plan (saw one sharing how to purée a fast food burger & fries 😱) & offer little support or encouragement. Yes, there are risks but there are with any surgery & bariatric surgery is far lower than many others including appendectomies & knee replacement. Your risks are much higher simply by remaining obese. As to whether you’ll be able to eat your favourite foods again the answer is yes. Though you’ll eat them less often & in smaller portions. You’ll work out how much & how often is best for you over time. You may even find alternatives &/or ingredient substitutes that are better for you & more nutritious. I looked at some of my old favourite foods & decided while I loved them they really didn’t love me & contributed to my obesity. You may find you discover new favourite foods & even that your old ones just don’t appeal as much. I’m a low sugar eater & avoid artificial sweeteners wherever I can (rather have a little real sugar than a sweetener). The shakes can be disgusting & have sweeteners but you don’t have to keep having them. I haven’t had one since I started purées & even in the post surgery liquid stage I only had one a day. Had soup for my other meals. Then I discovered a high protein yoghurt & yoghurt drinks to boost my protein intake. (Make your own drink by blending the yoghurt with milk which gives you bonus protein.) Your dietician should be able to help you find other suitable alternatives as well. All the best.

Surgery Date: 7/31/2023 How are you? I feel amazing. My energy is good although I do feel tired quicker. How's your process going? I am steadily losing weight down 26lbs since the day of my surgery and 61lbs since I started this journey. What are you excited about for the future? I have a closet full of vintage clothing in a variety of sizes. Once I get to my goal weight and have maintained it for a while I am going to have everything fitted to my body which I have never done so things either fit right or they didn't. What are you enjoying now? I am enjoying seeing the number on the scale go down and how my clothes are fitting. How are you talking about the upcoming surgery with family and friends? I did not share my surgery with anyone outside of my immediate family. This journey is very personal to me. What supports have been helpful to you? I still see my bariatric therapist as I feel I still need to talk through some things. I am hoping that this group will be helpful as well.

No acne, but a pimple which is odd at my age (56) and then I broke out in a rash at my thyroid area, asked my nephrologist about it and he said it isn't my thyroid so now I have no idea WTH it is??? I have had my surgeon say and a surgeon I am following on Youtube, Dr. John Pilcher out of San Antonio, Tx, say repeatedly about how the bariatric surgery somehow resets your hormones so I'd say it is probably "normal" to have hormonal changes affecting your body like a teen in puberty. I normally have very clear skin and it is usually in great shape for my age but it has been very dry since surgery (but I had also discontinued my thyroid meds at the time of surgery and have since re-started) and I feel like I look like my skin has aged 5 years since! IF this doesn't improve and the red blotch doesn't go away by next week I'm going to see a regular md and then a dermatologist bc I hate the look of it. Another weird thing to consider: We are all probably eating more fats/meats than before surgery? Broths and cream soups can have high fat contents, eggs, cheeses, etc. especially if it wasn't your "usual" diet. I rarely ate eggs/breakfast foods but have been waking very hungry and it is one of the few soft foods so I've gone through nearly 3 dozen eggs these last 31 days! I don't think I've ever eaten so many eggs. Ditto with Chicken broth and cream of chicken soup. /for the pimple I just wiped it with alcohol, used my metal face pimple clearer thingy to scrape/pop it off and reapplied alcohol and it was dried up and gone the next morn. p

I'm 7 months out after surgery. I can't reach my protein goal eating just regular foods. I have to add my bariatric foods every day. I'm finally eating nuts again which I love.

My surgery was on August 15 and my weight loss has been super slow too. I’m following the plan to the . Isopure protein drinks 1-2 premeir protein drinks and 64oz of water a day. My starting weight was 210 and I’m barely at 197 now. Maybe some of us lose more slowly at different stages. I agree though, that blended meals like the one mentioned in the original posting is way soon to try a meal and sounds too heavy for a bariatric patient… at least this early on.

You shouldn’t be experiencing a slow weight loss at only 2 weeks out, especially if this is the original bariatric surgery. Even with a revision, you shouldn’t be stalled (speaking as someone who has been). Looking at the ingredients in your meatball shake, though, I’m not surprised. The meatballs, ricotta and Parmesan are heavy, even though they’ve been blitzed. It sounds like you’re trying to move through the food stages to get to “regular” food again too quickly. This reminds me of a scene in an episode of “ER,” where a bariatric patient swore he was drinking his shakes. Turns out, the ingredients were pizza, an entire fried chicken dinner, and any kind of fast food you can think of, all blended in a blender. We all understand how it feels to be so desperate to get to solid-(ish) foods. The best thing we can do is follow the plan to the letter (and keep after the constipation, that’ll weigh you down, too). Take care, and keep up the good work.

I do both. I use the Baritastic app, and I set my calorie and carb goals and try not to exceed them. I think some people take issue with carb counting because there's good carbs and really, really bad carbs. For me, carbs are really important to monitor because I really don't like vegetables. I can eat a bit of fresh salad, but that's about it because I have texture issues. I can't stand cooked veggies, to me it's inedible slime. Lol! Obviously, good carbs are necessary for vitamins and minerals and proper digestion, but carbs with no nutritional value (junk food) only "nurture" us emotionally. Ironically, after we eat crap that makes us feel good momentarily, we start to feel like crap, emotionally (guilt, mood swings) and physically (joint/muscle pain). I stand by my carb detoxes. I never realized how mood-altering crap food can be. I was starting to use junk food like I was using alcohol, just for instant gratification and distraction, alcohol and carb hangovers be damned. However, I was extremely frustrated, and easily irritated all.the.time. My joints hurt when I eat crap. My sleep suffers too. Once I went below 50 carbs a day, my whole attitude changed. I felt better physically and emotionally. Very healthy proteins are moderately high in calories (beef, chicken, seafood), but protein is very necessary with our bariatric surgeries. This is why I give myself more leeway with calories than carbs.Bad carbs, on the other hand, offer nothing but momentary satisfaction. Momentary satisfaction is good once in a while, but the problem with loading up on bad carbs again is that, like a drug, the more we ingest it, the more we crave it. The less we have it in our system, the less it calls our attention. People think I'm being dramatic, but I know how I feel when I detox from carbs and when I start eating crap again. It just snowballs, and eating junk becomes more and more "important" as the day progresses. Using the app really helps me keep a realistic awareness of my nutritional goals. Because I'm only 3 months out, my goal settings right now are 750-800 cal, 70-80g protein, and <50 carbs. I have good days when I hit only 600 cals, 30 carbs, but 85+g protein. I also have my bad days when I consume 875 cals, 60 carbs, but only 65g protein. I think they really go hand in hand because the more carbs I eat, the more calories I'm consuming (and the less protein I get). I worry more about my carb intake because when I go over on my carbs, I know it's because I had bites here and there of junk food (not good carbs). At the end of the day, it really all comes down to what kind of carb intake you have. If your carbs are coming from fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, then it's great! But if not, then maybe take stock of them. Either way, I wish you the best always on your continued weight loss journey! P.S. Prior to my surgery, my doc wanted me to lose weight (so he could help me lose weight) so I did a semi-liquid, hyper-low carb diet and lost 32 lbs in 38 days. Didn't count or give a flip about calories. I only drank 3 shakes a day, they wanted me to drink 5. Tan locos! I couldn't drink 5. I did 3 shakes and a hearty all protein dinner.

The BariatricPal Store carries a huge selection of bariatric friendly Hot and Cold Breakfast options at https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/breakfast Here are some popular options: Protein Cereal: https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/breakfast/product-type_cereal Protein Oatmeal: https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/breakfast/product-type_oatmeal Protein Omelet: https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/breakfast/product-type_omelet Protein Pancake Mix: https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/breakfast/product-type_pancake-mix Protein Waffle Mix: https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/breakfast/product-type_waffle-mix