Search the Community

Hey everyone! I cant believe a year has flown by so fast. I know when I was pre-op I used to seek out these threads to read other's experiences, so I wanted to share mine too. My start weight was 277 the day I scheduled the consult for bariatric surgery, and I was 255 the day of surgery. The first 3 months were a bit of a whirlwind. I dropped 20 pounds in the first month, and I thought it would stay that fast, boy was that some realistic thinking on my part. As real food was reintroduced during my second month I learned what the foamies were...oh my goodness, so not fun. I lost 10 pounds during month two and I remember feeling discouraged and having to reassess my motivation for this surgery. Having to remind myself that this was a change for the rest of my life and that it was okay if the weight didn't just fly off, because if I kept working with my body, then my body would have no choice but to become healthy. The next month I lost 9 pounds and learned that if I didn't chew my food really, really well, that it could get stuck and hurt like hell until it made me vomit. This was not a fun time, but alas I learned, and learned relatively;y quickly. Month 4 came and two things of note happened. I lost 5 pounds and felt confused and a little lost as to what was happening with my body. Also, my hair started falling out like there was no tomorrow! That became my new normal for awhile. 5 pounds a month, hair falling out. Somewhere around 8 months out my hair loss stabilized, but by then I had lost about 2/3rds of the volume I had. Biotin never helped, but I took it from the day I was cleared to begin vitamins post op. Around March I was 6 months post op and I had my first month with no loss, where I actually gained. I was aghast. I had this weird feeling like I wasn't going to get where I needed to be unless I started working harder. So that was the point where I finally changed. I started counting every macro, and working out 3 days a week in April. Initially walking and increasing in length/intensity. That was the beginning of my adventure into exercise. I currently run/walk in intervals a 5k a minimum of 4 times a week. I have never felt stronger or more alive. I was the girl who only ran when chased, I had no idea that underneath all that weight was a body that felt happy when it ran. A brain that felt at peace when it focused on my breathing. I'm still losing at the rate of 5 pounds a month, total weight loss since March of 2016 is 110 pounds. Biggest change has been my brain. I stopped worrying about the scale. It goes down because I'm living the way I am supposed to be. It doesn't have to be big numbers, because this is the way I live my life now. I don't know if that makes sense anywhere except inside my head, but I hope you get it. I only this week made it into the "overweight" bmi category and I have 27 more pounds to go before I am considered to be of a healthy weight. Loose skin? Yep! I'm not even mad about it. To be honest I didn't expect as much on my thighs and thought most of it would be around my midsection, but it's everywhere. I don't think it will ever bother me enough to have it removed, but only the future knows for sure. Dumping. Now to be fair I had my gallbladder removed a few years prior to gastric bypass surgery, so I already had issues with dumping. Bile buildup has a laxative effect on me. If I go more than 12 hours without eating, then just a sip of water can send me running to the bathroom. Fats don't typically bother me and I avoid sugar because I don't like the way it feels when my insulin spikes and then drops. It's scary and not fun. I get fuzzy and light headed, my stomach feels blah and my heart races. I'm human though and I challenge my biology on occasion. Ice cream doesn't love me anymore. It melts in my pouch and foams back up and just feels like it's sitting at the top of my esophagus and making me burp little foamy ice cream burps...I think the only reason I am okay with halo top is because the sugar alcohols scare me enough that I only ever eat a tiny bit because I don't want to live in my bathroom lol. Support systems! These are so important. My spouse is amazing. He's my biggest cheerleader and my companion in all things, including exercise! Make sure the people in your life only want what's best for you. Current diet is low carb (under 20 grams a day) moderate protein (60-80 grams) and moderate fat. This will likely be how I eat the rest of my life and I am okay with that. When I do consume more sugar, my brain starts to crave sweets and I feel like I have to fight with myself. For me personally it's not worth it anymore. That last sentence is a huge nsv for me. It's so weird and amazing/awesome to be nearing 40 and finally feeling like I'm not powerless to food anymore.

Preparing for surgery, I went on many diets. I did >50% raw fruits and vegetables, my doctor said my potassium levels were high and not to eat ANY fruits or vegetables. Then I was told the bloodwork had a mistake and not to worry about my potassium, but no fruit but vegetables were okay. Then it was a zero carb diet. After surgery, it was the high protein, low crab, sugar free diet we are all familiar with. Deciding to get surgery was a hard decision for me, I have phobias about needles and being cut. Surgery was also very painful because I couldn't take any painkillers after surgery. It's a big deal and I don't want to mess things up. I don't want to do the things that got me to this weight. I don't want to eat the wrong foods. Texture stages aside, my new stomach can't tolerate some foods, like artificial sweeteners. So, protein drinks are out. I have a lot of food on my “off limit” list with few foods I feel safe eating. Fruit I can handle great but I see it as "empty calories" because it doesn't help me reach my protien goal and feel guilty when I eat it. Anyway, long story short, I was eating one can of tuna a day and drinking tea with a little raw sugar. I was taking in under 300 calories and 40 grams of protein a day, and at week 5 I regained 4 pounds. I went to my doctor (who is a bariatric surgeon) and she told that I'm literally starving and that's why I'm gaining weight. After talking with her she said my eating disorder from when I was a teenager is reemerging and I have orthorexic behavior. She told me I need to have 100 grams of protein and 1,000 calories a day. She said she doesn't usually advise her patients to eat sugar, but she wants me to eat more sugar... and add bacon, cheese, crackers, and as much fruit as I want in my diet. She also told me to count my protein but to NOT count the calories in my fruit. I have so much anxiety about taking in too many calories and not reaching my goal weight. I worry I'm going to mess everything up.

Hiya,peeps . TIS ME A new freshly constructed bypass. I even pm'd a couple persons my,tummy profile, called it :bariatric porn". it was looking purty and then the evil,Lovenox shots showed up. Now,if is becoming Technicolor.I wonder if my surgeon Dr used an lawn,rollerto smooth out my n belly,flab . Yesterday it . was looking fne oh my,my.I already,have stretch marks now they are backlite. And I have a full,3 weeks of. the little jab and pokers. I guess it averts strokes and stuff.

Just my 2 cents, but I wouldn't buy anything specifically designed for "bariatric patients" You can get normal generic versions of everything for much cheaper and with a greater variety of flavors. Protein powder, multivitamins, calcium, vitamin b etc. All the bariatric stuff is, is the exact same crap with a substantially higher price tag. I used bariatric protein powders vitamin b multivitamin and calcium at start and realized how obsencely overpriced it was and quickly switched to normal stuff from my favorite supplement stores

Thanks UnderTheCaliSun for your answer. So what do you usually have for your breakfasts? No, I never drink with any of my meals. I wait at least 1/2 hour after a drink before I eat. I then wait at least 1/2 hour after eating before I have a coffee or any other drink at all. I am seeing both my Dietician and my Bariatric GP this coming Tuesday. So I'm looking forward to having a talk with both of them to see if maybe I need to have my new tummy revised.

I am 34 and hope to get the sleeve before my 35th birthday. I had been borderline high BP for a long time (lifelong obesity since childhood). My weight went up since 2012 by about 70lbs. I was previously on a clinical trial for an appetite suppressant. I returned to my pre-clinical trial weight after coming off the meds in 2012 and was devastated and ashamed. In September 2017 I had what I now recognize was a panic attack, went to the ER and my blood pressure was sky high. I was put on blood pressure medicine and I was so sad for my future. I was looking at my insurance handbook for updates in coverage for the upcoming year and saw that bariatric surgery was covered! I have been working since December 2017 to get approved. I have a 1 year waiting period and requirements to meet before I can be approved but the time is FLYING!

BCBS of Texas denied my appeal for lap to sleeve revision also! Even with letters and documentation from my doctors, their policy allows for only one bariatric surgery. Even with documentation about my chronic reflux! Heck with it, I am going self pay in December!

I haven't done bars since I have a whey intolerance. But I'm about to receive a metric ton from Bariatric Pal, so we'll see. But I do eat Kay's Crispy Parmesan Protein Chips (super cheap on Amazon), and I find them very filling and satisfying. I've never eaten more than a half a bag at a time. I don't feel my restriction, but I feel full, if that makes sense.

I JUST FOUND OUT THAT MY INSURANCE IS NOT GOING TO PAY FOR BARIATRIC SURGERY FOR AT LEAST 6 TO 12 MONTHS AS THEY RESEARCH THE COMPLICATION RATE. I WOULD LIKE YOUR FEED BACK ON WHICH OPTION I SHOULD DO. 1. kEEP ON THE MEDICAL SUPERVISED WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM THAT I AM ON (I'M CURRENTLY LOSSING A POUND AWEEK) 2. LOOK AT SELF PAY OPTIONS (MAY NOT BE FINICIALLY FEASIBLE AT THIS TIME) 3. WAIT AND SEE IF INSURANCE WILL COVER IT NEXT YEAR (TURN 65 IN 2020 WITH MEDICARE)

Thank you very much. That is kind of you to say. The colo-rectal surgeon came in this morning and said he was astonished that he did not have to do his part open. He removed scar tissue on my small intestines in areas where I have had small bowel obstructions in the past and moved the ostomy up to the new location. He also said the bariatric surgeon did the hernia repair on my abdomen (I had assumed it was the colo-rectal surgeon). He is also very happy with my progress so far.

So, apparently, my surgery went very well. The bariatric surgeon did his part of the procedure first and was able to do it laparoscopically. He told me at the pre-op appointment that I had a hiatal hernia and that he would repair it during the surgery. I forgot to ask him if it was repaired. I’ll ask today when I see him or his team. The colo-rectal surgeon, much to my surprise, was also able to do all of his work laparoscopically. I was expecting it to be an open procedure, which is very painful and takes many months to heal. My pain is virtually nonexistent. The colo-rectal surgeon did have to repair a hernia between my old ostomy site and the new one, and that is where the majority of my pain is. The new ostomy is much higher than I had expected, so I will actually be able to wear shirts with them tucked in. This is huge for me. I think untucked shirts look sloppy and I've had to look sloppy since last August. I’ve been drinking my water 60ml (two plastic pill serving cups) at a time, about every 15 minutes. Last night for dinner, I had extremely salty beef broth and SF lime jello. I had about 3 spoonsful of the broth and half of the jello. I felt full although the sensation of being full was different than what I remember from before the surgery. This morning for breakfast, I had vegetable broth, which I ate two spoonsful of, and lime jello, which I ate all of it. They also brought me a protein shake, which I had the nurse take back because it is not on my phase 1 diet. (-: I walked two times yesterday and already one time this morning. I walked 0.5 miles on the second walk yesterday and the one today. That is if my Apple Watch workout app is accurate.

LoseIt! app weight trend from yesterday before surgery... The weight from June 29, 2018, is the first official weigh-in at my bariatric surgeon's office. 42.4 pounds and counting!

From what i have read on this forum and the bariatric fb pages I am on, many people manage on their own after the surgery. You don't have to stay with your father...your choice I guess, but one thing to consider if you defer will you have go through the whole process of getting approved again plus re-do all the tests? If your insurance paid for these the first time round, would they pay the second time round?

Hello everyone my name is Christian I'm 38 years old and I reside in Manhattan, New York. I've been overweight all my life but on may 16th of 2018 I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes with no complications, hypertension and high cholesterol, so that day I made a decision to change my life and start loving myself... I quit drinking soda and drinking any type os sugary drinks, instead I drink water.. In fact water is all I drink now and I stopped eating Chinese takeout and eating more homemade healthy meals. I've chosen to VSG surgery because out of all the other types of Bariatric surgeries vsg is the best in my opinion. I haven't started the process yet which I was told will take 6 months but I'm already covered by my insurance so that's a good thing.. On September 11th I have a follow up with my pcp on that day i plan on starting the process for vsg surgery, I wish all of you the best in your journey if anyone likes they can follow me on instagram@vsg_redemption [emoji4] Sent from my SM-N950U1 using BariatricPal mobile app

That is definitely a big emotional factor. I cannot eat most processed foods, or tolerate sweeteners other than stevia, which eliminates commercial protein drinks. I'm used to doing my own cooking and baking, which I love. I can have organic dairy, and got organic bouillon, and now organic V8. My program is very conservative: no caffeine or meat of any kind for 3 months. I have braved foods from the next stage by cooking potatoes and carrots in broth, which was heaven. And found a good bariatric broccoli cheddar soup which is wonderful. Fortunately in a few days I can begin Stage 5, which means tuna, canned beans, cheese, toast (yippee!), crackers, pita, tortillas, and then I can make the baked ricotta everyone raves about. I can be much more creative now with soups and such. Still can't have eggs, poultry, beef, seafood, nuts, rice, pasta, dried fruits or fruits with peels. Or coffee!! I was just whining a bit, and this too, shall pass. I was warned this 6-week Stage 4 would be the worst. What bothers me most is the 2-week stall. I've upped the water, and changed the exercise routine so hopefully that will help. Thanks for your suggestions!

I actually just met with my bariatric nutrition today about this. She said that as you start to get above 100 grams of protein per day, that it is actually more about the ratio or percentage of protein in your diet versus the actual number of grams. For example she was telling me that my protein should be no more than 40% of my daily calories after I get above 100 grams per day. Otherwise, your body will have trouble breaking down the protein?

1) Thanks! These will come in handy when I hit that stage! 2) I'm glad someone else uses ramekins as bowls. I splurged on some cute ramekins, and that kind of was? my entire new small bowl budget? So I'm just going to eat everything from cute ramekins for a while. And now I feel extra good about it, because your presentation in these photos is fantastic! 3) My contribution to the thread, since fall is almost here (in the northern hemisphere): this pumpkin protein custard. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm very excited about it. I've done crustless, lower-sugar pumpkin pies for years, so adding protein powder and removing all the sugar is an obvious next step. I'm also really hopeful about this black bean soup. (Bonus: there is a bariatric-friendly plain egg custard linked from that page, too.)

Have you checked out the Skinnytaste website? It's not bariatric-specific, but the foods are healthy and the recipes I've tried have been great! These are all foods the whole family can eat.

There’s this girl on instagram who does all the time. Autumnnoir she uses unico protein powders and makes all kinds of bariatric friendly desserts like frosting, cookies, whoopie pies. Many of the recipes are also on pinterest. They look super yummy, im just more of a chef personally, not a baker which is why i haven’t actually made them myself yet.

Thank you very much, I appreciate it! So, I actually forgot to add something in my lengthy post: every time I've had surgery on my intestines, they do not "wake up" very quickly. When I had the original surgery in 1995, I did not eat for 11 days. The second surgery in 1995, I did not eat for 9 days. The surgery in May of 2017, I did not eat for 7 days. And, the surgery in August 2017, I did not eat for 17 days. The bariatric surgery will not be the surgery that dictates when I can leave the hospital. With the surgery on my intestines, they will not let me leave until I can eat at least a full-liquid diet. (of course, the bariatric diet needs me to be on full liquids before I leave the hospital too, but it may be a week or more before I even start eating anything) Having said that, I am hoping that my intestines wake up quicker this time. I was in the hospital last August for 25 days total, and I did not eat for 17 of them. It was not fun...

Thoughts on the bariatric Pal website. Chocolate, vanilla, and cinnamon swirl. Anyone had them? Thoughts? Vitamin efficient?

If you mean oral systemics and biologics like methotrexate or Otezla, that's worth a conversation with your team(s). I can tell you that my surgical team wants me to be off methotrexate for a month before and then to wait six weeks after surgery before restarting, and that's with a sleeve; my times might change, as they negotiate with rheumatology, who doesn't want me to stop my meds at all. (Honestly, regardless of what they end up deciding together, I'm not planning to restart methotrexate until my stomach is healed enough for solid foods, because it's pretty hard on the GI tract.) It seems like pills are a little harder on bypass patients, so you might end up having to switch to the injectable kind, to make methotrexate (for instance) work with a sleeve. If you mean injectables like Humira or Enbrel, again, it's going to require a conversation, but probably more with rheumatology than bariatrics. I don't know how long they want you to be off before surgery, or to wait afterward. But at least that kind of med won't make your stomach irritated! Now, if you mean NSAIDs (ibuprofen, Celebrex, etc.), the answer I've been given is "never." That's why I went with a sleeve, so I could take ibuprofen now and then, when the pain is too much to bear otherwise.

That is the $128k question! I asked to have a panniculectomy at the same time so my stomach would be flatter and the scar tissue in the middle would be removed. Both the bariatric surgeon and the colo-rectal surgeon highly suggested that we not do that. They agree that I should wait until I get close to my goal weight and then re-evaluate. It is likely that it will have to be moved again. If it is, it will be done in conjunction with a panniculectomy / tummy tuck. It will be coded as a panniculectomy so my insurance will cover it. Tummy tucks are considered cosmetic and are not covered.

Really started out as just being lazy. I ran out and did not have time to get more. Felt like it was a “scam” that I had to pay extra for a Bariatric vitamin. (Something that dissolved faster).

I currently use the Bariatric Choice all in one chewable vitamin. I have 4 of those per day, along with 1 B1 in the morning, and 1 B12 chewable every 5 days. The taste is just ok, but I can get those down much better than the multiple pills I had to swallow before switching to the chewable.