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I went out food shopping too about 8 days after surgery and let me tell you… I felt dizzy and everything was spinning around me. I went and sit in the car too. When I told my doctor, she screamed at me for going out. I had a revision RNY which is a major surgery. I didn’t expect it to have that effect with me. I finally feel better after full 3 weeks. I am glad I took 3 weeks off from work. From time to time I still feel dizzy. I think I need more liquid intake. How are you feeling now?

If you're already staying away from sugar and carbs, you're ahead of the game. I think the bypass will definitely improve things drastically for you. The sleeve was never a viable option for you because of the GERD. I'm wishing you all kinds of luck, but I know you'll come through it ok. Don't be afraid of the revision. It's the easiest part of everything you've been through.

Awesome! How are you feeling? I had the SASI Bypass on January 9.

So I am replying to this very ate. I had rny gastric bypass on 4/2004. I lost too much weight within the first year causing low blood sugar and was advised to gain some which I did. I stayed around the 200 lbs I had lost literally struggling to keep weight on! Around 2017 I entered perimenopause and menopause as of 2018. I also broke my ankle around the same time. I gained weight rather quickly regardless of what I did. I am now post menopausal and have gained 90 pounds. I am trying to stop the weight growth.

I have a surgery date!! 30th January!! I will be having Gastric bypass due to being pre diabetic , anyone having surgery around this time ? I'm from the UK and having my surgery here , I've started my liver reducing diet today, excited!!

Hi, everyone! New to this. Just had my gastric bypass on the 17th. Struggling with the water & shake intake. And the Fusion vitamins are the worst!! I gag every time I take them. I don't know how I'm going to eat from here on out

Hello. I had a conversion from the gastric sleeve (2017) to the bypass on 1/8/24. I should start regular foods this week, however, I am at the pureed thin phase as once I incorporate foods with any weight or texture, such as oatmeal, scrambled eggs, finely blended chicken (not pureed), the food feels stuck in my esophagus and I am vomiting froth and mucous (not the food). Has anyone else experienced this? I have contacted my surgeon, seeing her Wednesday as she was on vacation last week, I have spoken with my dietitian and the center for weight loss and they believe that my esophagus is having spasms. Has anyone else experienced this? I have simply gone back to full liquids as I had no problems with that.

If you are asking me: I’m still doing pretty well. No issues. I saw the nutritionist a few days ago just to check in and make sure I’m on track. She was pleased with my progress (food and liquids quality and quantity). One thing I was eager to discuss was probiotics/probiotic foods and my reintroduction of carbonated drink (seltzer and kefir water,kombucha) I avoided them for a long time but she said I’m perfectly fine to have them. So generally no changes for the last few years. Honestly real no changes from the first year post revision.

I had VSG (2015) to RNY revision on January 18th due to GERD. I also had regained almost 70 pounds from my VSG post-op low weight. I've so far lost about 20 pounds since the pre-op diet & surgery. I need to lose another 20 pounds (for normal BMI) to 50 pounds (for calculated ideal body weight). I'm now on unrestricted food textures, and per my program's dietician, I'm supposed to be on my "maintenance" diet now. However, they refuse to discuss any calorie goals or macros other than protein. I'm someone who needs very clear goals and guidelines (thanks, long-undiagnosed ADHD), and I'm feeling very lost about what my diet should look like moving forward. The lifelong guidelines for my program, as I understand them: 60-80g protein per day Up to 4 oz. (1/2 cup) per meal, consisting of: Up to 3 oz. protein per meal Up to 1 oz. (total) veg, fruit, or starch per meal 3 meals per day 1 snack per day (the program guide I was given says 1-2, but per my surgeon I'm only allowed to have 1 snack per day and it has to be between lunch and dinner) - I have no guidelines for the amount I'm allowed for the snack. I assume it's not supposed to be as much food as the meals, but I don't know. Protein shakes/powders are frowned upon The only sample menu provided in my program guide is as follows: Breakfast: Egg omelet with sautéed peppers & onions Snack: Protein shake OR Greek yogurt with berries [removed per my surgeon's instructions] Lunch: Lettuce wrap with turkey and avocado/cheese [it is not clear to me if the / means avocado OR cheese, or avocado AND cheese, but I assume the former] Snack: Apple slices with 2 tablespoons nut butter OR carrots with hummus Dinner: Pesto chicken with spaghetti squash, sautéed spinach, and cherry tomatoes I plugged this menu into the Baritastic app to try and get a sense of what the calories and macros are supposed to look like. The sample menu gave no amounts other than the nut butter, so I used the 3 oz. protein + 1 oz. veg/fruit/starch rule. With the carrots & hummus snack option, here are the macros for the day: 593 calories 62g protein 32g fat 17g carbs (13g net carbs) 4g sugar 4g fiber And here are the apple & nut butter (I used natural peanut butter) macros for the day: 739 calories 67g protein 43g fat 21g carbs (16g net carbs) 8g sugar 5g fiber So from that, I'm extrapolating that I should be aiming for the following daily: 600-750 calories 60-80g protein 30-40g fat less than 25g carbs less than 10g sugar I have a few concerns... I have already been going well over those amounts at just over a month post-op. I've typically getting around 800-900 calories per day. It seems like a real struggle to get to the upper range of protein daily while sticking to the allowed amounts and without using any shakes or protein supplements. Even then, 80g seems low for a protein goal. I have never been a big meat eater (I was vegetarian through most of my teens and 20s), and I absolutely cannot stand any fish or seafood. I do eat a lot of dairy, eggs, and beans, but it seems like that's not going to do it. The standard daily fiber goal I've always heard is 25g per day. I've been getting about 12-15g per day right now, but knowing that I'm overeating and already having too many carbs means even that's not sustainable. I've struggled with post-op constipation... I have gotten to a much better place recently, but if I need to cut back to 4-5g of fiber per day to be within my other limits, I'm afraid of going backwards. That I'm limited to 1/2 cup of food per meal for the rest of my life came as a shock to me, as a revision patient. I knew that my pouch would be smaller than my sleeve, and like with my original surgery, the amount I'd be able to eat at one time would be very small initially. But with my sleeve (which was done by a different surgeon in a different program), there was definitely not the expectation that the amount I could/should eat at 1 month post-op would be the same as what I could/should be eating at 6 months or 1 year out. My bypass surgeon also told me that she left my pouch a little larger than normal so that I wouldn't lose too much additional weight, so my pouch is already larger than a regular bypass patient's. Do these amounts seem in line with other people's experiences? Or am I way off-base?

Hello I'm 2 weeks post sleeve to bypass conversion due to GERD and vertical hernia. I'm still on the liquid diet phase. I'm able to get my liquids and vitamin in. I definitely miss the restriction with the gastric sleeve. Recovery is slower and more painful this time. I'm still hurting from intubation throat pain and hernia repair. I still have pain from surgical gas trapped in my upper belly and left neck/ shoulder and . I walking 30 mins 4 x / week to move gas and wearing compression to reduce swelling. It seems the sleeve recovery was much easier.

Hi Everyone! I am suppose to be taking a pre opt multi vitamin with minerals 2 weeks before surgery. Then it says on same sheet at bottom stop taking vitamin E. Well everything has freaking vitamin E in it. I’m going crazy and my surgery is suppose to be on 21st. I may have to postpone because of this. I’m still taking my multi vitamin that has E in it. Just doesn’t make sense. Can anyone share what pre opt brand of multi vitamin they took before gastric bypass? Thanks so much!

I know I have been active on here for a while now, and probably made far too many posts for someone who hasn't even had surgery yet, but today I put down my deposit payment for my gastric bypass surgery with Spire Gatwick in the UK, for the 14/05/24. It officially feels real! Until now, I had so many anxieties as to whether or not it would happen in case I couldn't find the money, or get approved for a loan etc, so it just feels like so much relief now that it is all finalised and I know it is gonna happen. I have my 1st dietetic consultation & my pre-op assessment on 05/04/24, and then my 2nd lot of pre-op bloods on 13/05/24. I am trying to log it all in my bariatric surgery journal which I am finding really useful! I guess I just wanted to post to just express how happy I feel right now, to people who I know will understand ❤️

My RNY gastric bypass surgery was at the blink of dawn on March 19th, 1 night in hospital afterwards. Two days of clear liquids at home before they approved the full liquid diet. I feel like I'm doing mostly good? Definitely chillier all the time -- I went from being someone who'd wear tank tops around the house in (Canadian) winter to being never without a sweater or throw blanket. The full liquids, I don't hate it. My team gave me instructions to have a minimum of 1 protein shake a day, slowly moving up to 2. Beyond that, as long as I'm getting 60-80 g of protein per day, they don't care if its whey protein added to soup, or greek yogurt, etc. I also caved and bought a couple protein soup mixes / oatmeal from BP. Bacon and cheese instant soup was a life-saver those first few days. I had my first tomato juice today, which I never used to be a fan of but it hits different after being on shakes for so long. (I was on these disgusting Medi Meal shakes for 2 weeks pre-op and haaaated every minute of them) My last bandages came off today. Mildly grossed out but trying not to think about it. 😆

Hello and welcome! Also -- congratulations!! How exciting it must be to be at that stage of seeing the weight peel off, and past the point of initial recovery, and past the point of choosing which surgery to get. I noticed that you chose to go with the sleeve as opposed to the Roux-y surgery. I think that's where I'm likely to begin, myself. I have bounced around, investigating what they call a SADI-s / Loop / SIPS surgery which has an extra component with the intestine beneath the sleeve, often done as a revision of the sleeve for those who regain weight or aren't satisfied with their results. It SEEMS to have fewer side effects than the Roux-y (full gastric) but I just don't know. I've also been given a fair amount of advice suggesting I try to find an expert to do the duodenal switch (DS) due to my BMI being in the high 50s/low 60s. I'm certainly willing to try to go that route but as someone else said -- there is usually a LOT of back and forth before committing to surgery and I'm almost 7 months into the program I'm at with my current surgeon. How long would it take me, realistically, to get this far again? WLS is such a difficult and scary commitment, and then getting on here BEFORE having a surgery has filled my brain with so many more complicated options. Its kind of hard for me to commit to big decisions and sometimes I wonder if learning more and more is making matters harder for me. I love to feel in control of what's happening with my body and try to inspect EVERY detail such as to avoid any regrets -- but sometimes staring at the water for too long makes one less likely to jump in, doesn't it? But you've DONE it! I think the sleeve is a great option and respect your choice, and am so happy that it has gone smoothly thus far. It could just be my perception, but most of the men I've seen post about their surgeries seem to indeed have a bit more gentle recovery, with fewer complications. I've seen a lot of folks caution me (this forum and others) about whether I'd be satisfied with the degree of weight loss if I were to go with a base sleeve, Roux-y, or SADI-s. This makes me really appreciate where you talked about that dark spiral and maxing out at 407. I say this as someone who feels like I understand pretty dang well what you're talking about because my max weight was 435! Being 'down' to 366 feels a heck of a lot better by comparison, and I got this far by myself, so maybe I don't need to be as concerned about satisfaction with the numbers as I do making sure I'm comfortable with the process of surgery to help me continue my weight loss journey. Please keep us in the loop as you continue on to your goal! Also - congratulations to the rest of you posting here who are inches from your goal weight or have already made it there!! No matter what surgery (or surgeries) helped you get there, you DID IT! Definitely an inspirational group of people here!

I’m 21 days post op and have lost 16-18 lbs (depends on the day) but I’ve been kinda hanging at that weight for about 5 days. My doc said they was normal but I’m wondering as this is a revision if I’ll keep losing or is that it? I’m down 36-38 lbs from before I started the 2 week pre-op Optifast diet. Never intended this for more weight loss just to stop the GERD but now that I’ve had some I want more. I’m at about 750 calories a day now on the purée phase. Just short walks around the neighborhood. I get pretty tired during the day and nap at least once a day. Water and protein are on target. Thanks for any insight?

Hi everyone! Just got my surgery date of August 12th. Suddenly it's all so real. So it looks like we'll all be surgery buddies!! I am really excited, scared, hopeful, and anxious. But at this point, I just want it done. I started my liver shrink diet yesterday. It's going great except that protein shakes really don't agree with me. I found one that is not so bad, but when you're drinking 3 a day (that was my doctor's minimum) it's a lot. My husband is super supportive although he doesn't like the idea of me having this surgery because he doesn't understand why I can't just lose weight and keep it off. (I bet you all do, though!) The good news is that he is a great guy and he's been with me every step, which is good because he's the cook at our house. I had my pre-anesthesia call today and I have my last appointment before surgery with the Physician's Assistant on Friday. Two weeks to go from today. I have done a lot of things to get ready. Since I work from home, I got a treadmill and an adjustable desk, so I can get up and walk on my treadmill during meetings. My goal is to walk 30 minutes 3 times a day (I'm up to 2 mph so that's 3 treadmill miles, although I know it's easier to walk on a treadmill than on the street). I don't always get 3 in, but it's SO much more exercise than I have gotten in years. I want to be in the best shape I can for surgery and recovery. I also got a bullet blender, tiny silverware, an electronic food scale, new measuring cups and spoons, and tiny storage containers to put pre-measured portions in so I can grab n' go. (Amazon makes it TOO easy to spend money!) I have read The Big Book on Gastric Bypass and I got several bariatric cookbooks so I can plan meals that meet the post-op requirements. I think the biggest part of all this for me is the idea of eating differently for the rest of my life. I have failed SO many diets (or they've failed me...) that it's really difficult to think I will really be able to lose my excess weight for good. I know that it is all up to me, and I am really hoping that having a tiny stomach and the new, shorter path for food digestion will be the key I've been looking for. I think it will be, because if I have a reason why I must eat small portions of nutritious foods and cannot eat sugar, that will make it much easier. Before, I could always say, "Oh, screw it, I'll just try again tomorrow" and give in to "mind hunger". That is why, like many of you have said, I will definitely need your support, and the support of my surgeon's clinic, to be successful in the long run. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and may we all be celebrating our successes together soon!

Did your surgeon discuss Gastric Bypass or the SADI or Duodenal Switch with you? With your starting weight, you might want something that gives you more than the restriction of the sleeve. Especially if you only lost 100 lbs with the band... All three of those surgeries have varying degrees of malabsorption which help you lose weight for longer and the SADI and DS are usually used in patients with a high BMI. But, not every surgeon is trained to do these surgeries. If your surgeon didn't offer them to you, I'd highly recommend finding a surgeon that will. The convo is worth it. Unfortunately I can't comment on how the sleeve feels vs the band, since I never had the band. I have a sleeved stomach (as well as rerouted small intestines) and for the most part it feels normal. Do NOT believe anyone who tells you that you won't be hungry post op. Some are lucky enough to lose their hunger for the first year, a few lose it permanently, but some of us never lose it at all. I woke up in recovery hungry and boy was I mad! LOL But my surgeon had warned me that not everyone loses hunger. The portion of the stomach that is cut out contributes to a number of hormones that can affect hunger and satiety... The rerouting of the intestines that the Gastric Bypass, SADI, and Duodenal Switch do controls a whole host of hormones too, some different than the ones in the stomach, this is why these surgeries are more effective at helping with comorbidities like diabetes and high blood pressure, and why they are a bit more effective for higher BMI patients.

So I'm considering getting the gastric sleeve surgery. I'm almost 40 years old and weight almost 440 pounds and have a BMI of 67 and ive tried literally everything to lose weight and nothing has worked. I've never lost more than 20-30 pounds at a time.Bariatric surgery is really the last option for me. So I'm in a bariatric program right now and we've decided that the gastric sleeve would be the safest operation for me. The problem my team including my surgeon is trying to address? I'm schizophrenic and Bipolar and take Antipsychotics. I've maybe gained 100 lbs over the course of trying meds since 2011 to find the right medicine combination. Right now I'm taking Latuda and Seroquel for antipsychotics. My GP has stated over and over again that Latuda might not be the greatest medicine for me to be on because it requires me to consume 350 calories in order for it to work properly. But reallym the medication does wonders with me. When/if I get bariatric surgery that's going to be a challenge for my bariatric team finding a meal or snack that I can fit those calories in. Not to mention my surgeon has mentioned that it will be an extra challenge for him to try to work around my anti psychotics. He didn't say it was impossible but he did call it a great challenge. I guess why I'm posting here is to ask is, is the gastric sleeve an option for me? Or should I consider the switch instead? My bariatric team pretty much flat out said that the bypass would be too risky of a surgery to do with me and they don't do the lap band anymore and my bmi is too risky for the lap band anyway. But before I go and permanently change my stomach I'd like to know what my options are. My team hasn't really been forthcoming and just seem to want to do the surgery as soon as possible. But, I'd like it to be a success as well. Especially when the sleeve is a permanent change to my body.

I don't have a reply for your question because I haven't had surgery yet, but I'm curious if your doctor said why they recommended the bypass for those conditions? I also have PCOS and underactive thyroid, and have chosen the bypass, but didn't know there was a connection.

Hi there!! Thanks for sharing your experience! I will let you know that mounjaro does make my reflux worse!! because it slows down my digestion. It also causes constipation in some people. But if you don’t have these issues it’s good! I have not had it yet but I’m going to get vsg. However I do wish I could get the SADI but my insurance won’t cover that one. I have heard people do so well with the weight loss and reversing diabetes. It’s just expensive without insurance. But would if I had the financial freedom! Bypass is also very successful too! Check out some podcasts like “the skinny truth” or check out Dr. Roller’s instagram. I listen to “Core Bariatrics” and “The Bariatric Grind”! They’re good listens in the car and super informative. Of course following your trusted surgeon’s recs are #1!

Stretching in the sense that you mean it is exceedingly rare and only happens if someone consistently binge eats over a relatively long period of time. What does happen naturally is increased capacity. This is true for sleeve and bypass both. After 6 months or so, your stomach regains some of its elasticity and can accommodate a bit more at one sitting. This is fine and healthy. Everyone is different, and everyone's capacity at a given point post-op is different. I don't know what you were told for goals, but my program says 60-80g protein per day and 64oz minimum of water. They want my protein to be around 40% of my calories, and I generally aim for 800-1000 calories per day, but that was not strictly set and will change over time. 1200 seems to be a common goal for the later stages of weight loss, with the amount going up once you are in maintenance. 5oz per meal is reasonable, but you need to be eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Plus possibly a snack. My program says aim for 20-25g protein per meal, and supplement with a protein snack or shake as needed until you can get the full amount from food comfortably. By 9 months, you should be fine getting it all from food. Your brittle nails and hair loss suggest you are not getting enough protein and may not be getting enough other nutrients. You should continue to aim for around 4 oz of lean meat or fish, (or a serving of Greek yogurt or cottage cheese, for example) per meal. 4oz cooked skinless chicken breast has 25g protein. Your second priority at every meal should be nonstarchy veg. If you still have room, you can have a little bit of carb (rice, potato, sweet potato, bread, etc.). A serving of fruit makes a nice dessert. An easy way to eyeball it is to take a salad plate (not dinner plate), and put a piece of meat the size and thickness of your palm on one side, and fill about 2/3 of the other side with nonstarchy veg and the remaining 1/3 with carb. Go light on the sauces and butter. If in doubt, check Amazon for bariatric cookbooks. There are several by bariatric experts, including surgeons and registered dietitians. Kristin Willard's Bariatric Meal Prep is a personal favorite, with portion sizes for different stages, and a full color photo for every recipe.

I had gastric bypass 8 days ago and I haven't felt hungry at all since waking up in my hospital room. If I didn't have times set for when I need to eat and how much, I would just not eat because if anything I feel an uncomfortable fullness like I've just stuffed myself with a massive holiday dinner just by drinking a couple sips of water. But I agree with @catwoman7 about the 2 week pre-op diet being the hardest part. Although after about 4 days, you become resigned to it and stop feeling so hungry. My advice is remove all temptation from your home and office areas before you start. You can't eat what you don't have.

January 9th! For the SASI bypass

I don't post too much on here anymore because I'm 2 years and 3 months post of from bypass. Life has pretty much normalized and I've reached my goal weight. I would like to get down to maybe 195 lbs but I'm not sweating it too much because I feel the best I've ever been since starting this whole process. I am six feet tall and sit around 198/199 at the moment. I started this journey at around 340 lbs. I lost 30 lbs before my surgery. I have lots of loose skin on my belly, my thighs, and my arms. Unfortunately, I can't afford skin removal but I'm saving to do my arms next summer. After a while, sometimes you have days where you no longer connect to your old obese self. I have days where I feel huge and ugly still. It's easy to forget where you came from or how far you've come. What helps me is now and then I check my old photos and make comparisons so I can see my progress. The body dysmorphia is so real and something I know most of you if not all can and will relate to. Losing the weight did not fix my body image but it's different for everyone. Some things IT DID improve however: -Improve my joint health (daily knee pain gone). -Took up running. Avid runner now. Have done races and run regularly outside. -Lowered my blood pressure. -Lowered my heart rate. -No longer profusely sweat or turn red from basic activities. -No longer use alcohol and food to cope with anxiety. -So much energy to move and do chores/tasks. -Healed my obsession with food. I love seeing everyone's progress and reading your stories. Getting the surgery is not a fix-all. We have to do the work to eat the right foods in the right portions and get exercise regularly. It's easier the first year but I can tell you it gets harder and harder. Every day is a battle when you're trying to escape obesity. That's not a bad thing. It's rewarding and you learn so much and become a more resilient and deep person. So keep remembering why you did this, where you came from, and how much better life is getting for you!

First, there is no one right way to eat to lose or maintain your weight. There’s just the right way for you. I agree to the suggestion to get in contact with your old dietician or find a new one. I’d also teach for a couple of weeks just to check your calorie & nutrient intake. I’d also get in contact with your surgeon as well to see what other options you have - revision surgery or maybe GLP - 1 meds. You’ve likely reset your body’s set point. The surgery lowered it but returning to larger portions, poor food choices & bad old habits have raised your set point again. So you’re actually fighting your body now. You’re trying to lose weight & your body is doing all it can to hold on to it. Have a look at Dr Matthew Weiner’s Pound of Loss metabolic reset diet (not that I’m an advocate for any ‘diets’.) It may give you some ideas you could try to see if works for you. He’s a great source of information around all things weight loss, bariatric surgery, etc. (He has a website & a you tube channel.) If you like being active, I’d add in some weights. Building muscle will help burn more calories & help counteract any muscle loss you experience while losing. Walking will help with general fitness. Remember though, activity only contributes to about 10% of any weight loss. Oh & don’t listen to your family & friends when they offer advice about your eating, nutrition or weight loss. They mean well but unless they’re qualified nutritionalist, dieticians, bariatric surgeons or medical doctors or had bariatric surgery they really don’t know what they’re talking about. And they’re not you. You know yourself best. You know your psychologically, physiologically & emotionally self best & know how you want to live your life. All the best.