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Yay I got the call yesterday and got my surgery date..June 13th 2022. Tbh I almost gave up. I have complex PTSD and being in control is one of my coping mechanisms. So this whole process of not knowing when I was going to have surgery and having to wait for each step has been beyond frustrating and put me in a bad head space. I lost a work promotion because I didn't know when I would be out. The person I was going to take over for has decided to wait a year before moving up. Because of this my supervisor has decided to open up the position to everyone next year..so at min I have lost the pay increase for a year if not the promotion all together. My apartment lease is coming up for renewal and if they up the rent too much, I will have to move....without being able to hardly lift anything I had done 6 months of a Dr. lead weight loss program as a last attempt to avoid going the surgery route. Luckily the ofc I used also has surgeons so I had records already on file for the 6mnth weight loss attempt. Then I also had to pass a psych eval (150 questionnaire and a visit with their mental health clinician (to rule out eating disorders), nutritional eval, fitness eval, lose 20lbs, a barium swallow (Dr wanted upper endoscopy but had one last yr), They normally want a sleep study but since I use a apap machine that met that. My insurance made me speak to one of their nurses who could either recommend the preauthorization the Dr submits either be approved or declined. While the nurse was great, and hour conversation when all I am thinking is don't mess this up, was stressful. Every time I got one thing done I had to wait about 14 business days to do the next. I literally called and left several messages with my Dr's coordinator begging her to call me with a surgery date. So June 13..the day before my daughter's birthday. Luckily she is supportive and we are going to celebrate before I start my preop diet. I was able to call my apartment management and they are sending me the renewal documents so if I needto move I can do it before the surgery. Unfortunately there was nothing that can be done about the promotion though my job is now conducting cost of living surveys due to inflation to see if they need to raise pay across the the company. My health insurance company stlllhas to approve the surgery. But since all the paperwork is in order and the criterias are meet that will be no problem. Sorry just really needed to vent. Thanks

Not really much to do to solve the issue in the short term, other than what you are already doing! You can move a little more to get blood flowing, which helps with the cold. I too wore ridiculous amounts of layers of clothing compared to those around me. Mr. would be shirtless and wearing shorts and i’d be in woollen socks, sweatpants, long-sleeve top, hoodie (with the hood on!) AND a blankie. My personal hell was the grocery freezer aisle in the summer. Long term though, it will likely get a little better after you are done with rapid weight loss phase. Also, you can start making it even better now by doing some weight training (if thats your bag) as having muscles can increase your core temperature. Good Luck! ❤️

True, you could do a desk job after a week but a more physically demanding job would take several weeks because of the 10 lb weight lifting restriction and the bending over repeatedly.

Hi! Short answer is you ARE doing things right if you are comfy after eating AND are losing weight (however “slow” or “fast” you may think it is). Congrats! Long answer is there is ALOT of variation on what folks can and do consume that first month. As well as rate of weight loss, some lose/gain/stay the same based on a host of factors (air/fluid retention from surgery, genetics, medical conditions, etc). With that said, i was one of those who had a case of semi-serious food aversion that first months so i barely ate. So it prolly wont help u to compare what i ate (or didn’t eat) with your intake. For what its worth, in my opinion, a 10 lbs loss in a month is awesome. Good Luck! ❤️

I haven't had to restrict my coffee intake in fact its recommended that I make it with skimmed milk instead of water . [ I haven't had to do protein shakes] If your team think it causes dehydration see if you can get caffeine free. The first thing they brought me in hospital was a milky coffee. Try it, if it doesn't agree with you, you will know. I am not a big drinker these days but my family and friends are so socially I have a drink or two. I have changed my tipple to something lower alcohol. I like vermouth and soda or a small measure of vodka in a long Bloody Mary. I am now 5 months out and can eat all proteins and a few tiny vegetables. I have no room for carbs yet. I am learning [ and its a hard learning curve for me ] to get bigger protein hits in my yogurts and other foods, then maybe I can fill my requirement sooner in the day and have room for a few noodles or rice. I had massive buyers remorse in my first month, It cost me £12,000. I was very nauseous but with time it all settles down and weight comes off. Now I would have the surgery repeated again tomorrow. I am so happy, I no longer feel so disabled and dependant on others. Hang in there. You will get better

as far as food, once you get a few months out, there are no restrictions. Obviously, you have to eat less than what you were eating before surgery or you'll gain the weight back, but as far as not being able to eat certain types of food, no - no restrictions there. At seven years out, I still have to track my intake and measure/weigh some things, though. Otherwise, my weight starts heading north again pretty quickly. beer - we were allowed to drink alcohol at one year out, but like someone else said, some people's stomachs can't handle anything carbonated (mine can't). caffeine - there seems to be no consistency among surgeons on this. Some say you can never have it again for the rest of your life, some allow patients to have it while they're still in the hospital. I would say the majority are OK with it after a certain time period (for example - a month or three months or six months). Our clinic allowed decaf pretty early on (maybe 3 or 4 weeks out?), and caffeinated coffee at six months out.

My plan permitted caffeine from day 1 and I would have really struggled without it, but they're all so different! It's not caused any issues for me. I had my first alcohol almost 6 weeks post op because it was xmas and I would have felt SO deprived without a glass of fizz - but I cleared that with my dietician first. I'm 5.5 months out now and have some alcohol every weekend but I know it's totally empty calories and must be slowing my weight loss to some extent - that's a hit I am willing to take. With regard to your favourites, they honestly mightn't be your favourites any more! I was a complete chocoholic before I had my sleeve, but honestly (really honestly) I would really rather have a chicken salad these days. How times change, and long may it last. But yes, as everyone else says, within a short time most people can eat most things again, just in smaller quantities. In the meantime, sit back, get your protein in, and enjoy watching that weight fall off. It's absolutely magical.

Wow - What a week I've just had! Due to COVID, we haven't had our yearly work conference with customers since 2019. I've been with my company for 20+ years (and overweight the majority of that time) and haven't seen most of our customers post surgery. This past week was the first one and the reactions I had from co-workers (we work remotely so I haven't seen many of them since 2019 either) and customers was fantastic! I had folks who didn't recognize me at first and others who were just amazed at the transformation. I haven't been shy about how I lost the weight. Hell, I'll tell anyone how and why. I'd like to see the stigma of it gone. I waited so many years because intially I also believed I simply needed will-power to lose weight and keep it off. Like most of us here, I'd lost weight and gained it back plus some for a good part of my life. I tried everything and yup, I was still fat. This week I had several folks who were overweight ask me REAL questions about the surgery and life afterwards. It felt great to be able to explain the pros and cons of it all. I used what I've learned from both my experiences and this site (THANK YOU ALL!) to explain what it's like and how it affects you. Here are some of my thoughts and talking points: If you're an emotional eater, stress eater, or triggered eater, then this may not be the right answer for you. You definitely have to get that under control BEFORE surgery, Of 3 people that had surgery at about the same time, 2 of us have been successful (all sleevers). Another has only lost ~50 lbs. He simply wasn't ready for the changes and has managed to out eat the sleeve with junk food. If you're a social eater (that's ME) who has problems with primarily with portion control, you'll probably be more successful. You have to be prepared mentally for the changes (see bullet point 1). It's a roller coaster. The first few months are overwhelming. Hormones are out of control, you find you can do things you haven't done in ages as the weight loss, people are commenting, and sometimes you feel like your life will never be the same again. Many of us CAN eat anything we want after we heal- Just in smaller portions You will always need to be aware of this and try to make smart choices. I try to be smart about it. If I know I'm going to be tempted by junk food, I try and eat some heavy protein (chicken, beef, fish) FIRST so I really don't have any room left over for the temptation. Other times I just say F-it and eat the chips, crackers, dips, etc. I don't make it a habit, nor do I feel guilty when I do. You CAN out eat the sleeve. Yep, I drink. Sometimes to excess. Most of the time I don't. It's a social thing and I enjoy it. If I were doing to escape, I'd be worried. I get on the scale often. As in daily if I have it with me. This keeps me in check. If I don't, I find myself being far less conscience of what I'm eating or drinking. I know me, and if I don't I'll simply convince myself that the dryer must of shrunk my clothes! I have a 5lb threshold that I adhere to. If I get near that, I go back to tracking immediately so I can't lie to myself. If you're mentally and physically prepared for the restrictions and the lifestyle changes then this really can be the "easy way out" (I am fully aware that for many it is NOT easy so please don't take offense if you're stuggling). I'm one of the lucky ones. This surgery is life-changing in so many ways and I'll stress again, you need to be mentally prepared for those changes. If you're married or in a relationship, be prepared for how this affects your significant other (mine has been very supportive). Be prepared to take a good hard look at yourself and what you want out of this. People treat you differently - even ones you've known forever. I did this 100% for me. Frankly, a lot of it was for vanity and comfort. I was tired of being uncomfortable on a plane and not being able to experience things that had weight limits. I wanted to wear clothes that didn't come from Omar's tent factory. I find myself to be more confident and outgoing. This can be a shock to those around you. People may feel that you've changed (you HAVE). Be aware if you're becoming toxic and critical. Surgery is the right thing for some people, and the wrong thing for others. Don't be judgemental.

Regrets are common with specially in the first few weeks when you’re on the restricted staged eating plan & so limited in what yo can eat & drink & when. In time you will be able to eat & drink a lot of your old favourites but likely not as frequently and not in the same portion sizes. Or you may eat healthier versions of them. You’ll also discover new favourites too. But that will be your choice & how it fits in with you being able to maintain your weight. Caffeine is harsh especially on your healing tummy to begin which is why we’re advised to avoid it. After it just depends on if you can tolerate it or not. I sipped a gin & tonic a couple of months after surgery. I went from drinking a very large glass of wine or two every night to only having a single drink may be once a month. Initially my taste buds changed & I didn’t like the taste. Now, it ‘s my choice but I don’t look for it & don’t miss it. The only thing with beer may be the carbonation - some struggle with bubbles in any drink. Almost three years out & I still consider portion sizes & calories. I don’t measure & weigh every day. I do random checks of things I eat regularly but check every new food or recipe I eat. I’ve worked out cheat checks of portion sizes fir when I’m eating out - compare to my palm, a fist, finger length etc. I check portion size recommendations & read nutrition panels. I make most of my own food so I know exactly what I’m eating. It’s easy to get complacent & over estimate hence my checks. I know if I let this slide I’ll end up making bad food choices, eating more than I need & be back where I started.

Welcome. It’s ok to feel scared & nervous. It’s surgery. Food likely is something you depend upon as an emotional support & that is going to change & you will be changing what & how you eat. Things like how much pain you will experience after surgery is very individual. You may have a lot of gas pain or nine at all (I didn’t after my sleeve) but there are things you can do to help the gas escape your body. You may experience surgical pain for a couple of days or a week but again you’ll have access to pain meds to help. You may have muscular discomfort & struggle to get up & down for a little while or you may have very little at all. Pre surgical diets differ a lot too. Some are two weeks, some are just a couple of days. Some are all shakes. Others 2 meals shakes & 1 meal protein & vegetables. Mine was keto so … (I have done shake diets before & for a couple of months at a time.) The first challenge to the pre surgical diet is the psychological loss of the crunch & chew comfort of solid food. This can increase your head hunger & cause a lot of emotional turmoil. The second is the withdrawal symptoms (headaches, nausea, tiredness, etc.) from cutting out caffeine & sugar. This usually lasts less than a week. These things are small & are only a couple of weeks in duration. Nothing when you consider the big picture of your whole life & your health. The surgery is an opportunity to makes big changes but you have to be psychologically & emotionally ready. Don’t be afraid to seek support from a therapist (one who specialises in bariatric patients & disordered eating are best). A lot of people have found therapy extremely helpful. Yes, you are on a low calorie restricted diet & eating small portions to begin. Initially it is to support your healing. Then to make you look at the nutritional benefits of what you eat but within a few months you’ll be eating more & a greater variety of food. By maintenance you’ll be eating the portion sizes we all should be eating (not those giant plates two & three times more than what we actually need & lead to our obesity). And you’ll be consuming only the calories your body needs to function effectively & maintain your weight. You’ll discover your relationship with food will change. I still enjoy eating & the taste & texture of food but I see it as something my body needs to function & not as something to comfort & soothe me emotionally - because I’m bored, sad, happy, angry, etc. I’m not continuously thinking about what & when I’ll eat next. It’s that maxim of eating to live not living to eat. All the best.

Congratulations. Such wonderful news after your struggles. Pregnancy seems to be quite common after WLS. All the hormones flooding your body make you extra fertile. Likely why some surgeons recommend doubling up on contraception for a while. Have you spoken with your dietician? They’ll be able to advise on the small changes you’ll need to make to your eating plan. You’ll also find that you don’t have to add that many additional calories to your diet so your weight loss won’t be compromised just delayed with your pregnancy. I’ve read you slowly increase to only 200-300 extra calories by the third trimester. That old ‘eating for two’ was just an excuse for people to overeat. It may be different for as you’re on a fairly low calorie diet now. And you’re already eating a much healthier & more balanced diet which will be benefitting your baby. All the best.

Hi PM2022, What kind of surgery did you have? I had a sleeve 10 years ago. Yes, with a sleeve I am able to physically drink coffee. I love my coffee, but it sometimes make my GERD worse. And , yes, I can drink beer too, but the carbonation is irritating to the stomach many times. But here's the deal. I can eat and drink anything I want (smaller portions)... I have also proven to myself that I can regain 30 pounds indulging on calorie-rich food and alcohol. (That doesn't feel good, trust me.) I would encourage you to hang tough Enjoy your new tummy and the restriction (even though it may be temperamental for awhile), follow the diet, log your foods , and enjoy the weight loss. "Nothing tastes as good as feeling thin feels." It will be worth the effort. Hang tough!

The pre op diet is no big deal. And the post op pain was non existent for me. I had some discomfort from the carbon dioxide gas, but it was nothing that ever made me regret having the surgery. Surgery technique has improved over the years so much. Robotic surgery causes less tissue disruption so there's less pain post op. Also my hospital does abdominal nerve blocks that cuts way down on immediate surgical pain post op. It lasts for 24 - 48 hours. In my opinion, it's a small price to pay to regain good health and to be happier when you lose weight. I think having the right mindset going into this journey is critical, and will carry you far. Best wishes!

Hi everyone. I found this forum while trying to research the gastric surgery options. Both my GP and my GYN have suggested a sleeve because of my weight gain and the depression it causes. I will be 50 years old in August and every time I think about how I have struggled with my weight all my life, I start ugly crying. I am 5'2" and 212lbs which is the heaviest I have ever been. I feel old and tired and cant reach my feet. I am terrified of getting this surgery. I have been able to get to a healthy weight only once after having my kids and it was a very strict low carb diet and working out 5 days a week but I was not able to sustain it and it only lasted about a year before I crashed and then Covid happened and I gained more, then my mom died and I gained more. I am reading how stressful the pre-op liquid diet is, and how much pain is suffering from post-op gas and its just worrying me more. My first appt with a gastroenterologist is in 3 weeks.

what surgery did you get? If you can, update your profile with your information on your surgery, weight ect... It helps a ton. You can do that by editing your profile and under the surgery section.

Scales are crazy making tools of the devil. Cast them out. I am so glad (for a quixotic definition of glad) that pre-op and for at least the first year post-op that I was too large for a home scale. I could only weigh at monthly at follow-ups. As a result, I never saw the stalls that I inevitably experienced. I also noted that my Doc never talked about my weight loss unless I brought it up. He was concerned with how I was doing on the plan, how my health was, my mental attitude, or whatever I wanted to talk about. Once I was able to weigh at home I weighed myself 2-4 times a day for a couple weeks, mostly for the novelty of weighing on a home scale. After that, I just went back to weighing only at follow-ups. All these years later I don't weigh at home, but only at my annual physicals. I can tell by how I feel or how my clothes feel if I need to adjust anything, but honestly don't worry about my weight otherwise. All this to say that especially early on you don't need a scale. Follow your plan and it will work for you. Good luck, Tek

i know this sounds weird to say, but unless you have a physical issue like a stricture, enjoy it while you can, because your hunger and appetite will come roaring back sometime within the first year. It's so much easier to lose weight when you're never hungry and don't give a flip about food. I wish that had lasted forever with me, but it all came back when I was about five months out. Then things got a lot harder...

honestly, weight loss is about 90% food and only 10% exercise. I know WLS patients who lost a ton of weight even without exercise. That said, exercise is great for your overall health and people should do it - but an injury that causes a temporary pause in your routine is not going to be the end of your weight loss. also, you could be in a stall - they're very common. Just stick to your program and your weight loss will eventually start up again. Stalls usually last 1-3 weeks. and no, I doubt "this is it" as long as you're adhering to your program. Most of us lose for a year - if not more (20 months for me - but I started out much heavier than you, so I had a lot more to lose)

Its normal to feel this way. We have been eating/drinking a certain way for a certain number of years and now we have to stop. It’s not fun. But keep in mind this diet is important to shrink your liver for an easier surgery and recovery as well as jump starting your weight loss journey. As far as the nausea, not sure what to tell you now but after surgery the will send you home with Zofran or other anti nausea meds to help. I never experienced nausea after surgery but some do and you may. Try and keep your mind on your 5lb weight loss and use that motivation to push you through. You can do it

Ok, so day 3 is a wrap, and I'm still struggling, although i was surprised to see I've lost 5 pounds in 3 days on this liquid diet, so that kind of helped my motivation lol I know this isn't necessarily for weight loss per se, but it's at least a nice perk. I'm really just having issues when I have to take my pills. They require food, and even when I take them with milk and/or milkshakes, my stomach still gets really upset. This worries me when the surgery is over and I can only have clear liquids for 2 weeks. I'm really nervous about how sick my stomach will get.

Lowe! I bet that is really painful. So sorry. I sliced a big chunk off my thumb last year. Couldn’t believe how such a small thing like not being able to use such a tiny part of me limited me in doing just about everything. So frustrating. But don’t give up. Yes, try upper body exercise as others have suggested. Remember all your eating strategies. Eat slowly. Eat only until you’ve enough not full - do you need that next bite or just want it. Stick to your portion sizes recommendations & your eating plan. Etc. Nothing has changed except some of your mobility temporarily. I rarely exercised & I lost all my weight. So being limited in your activity is not going to stop your weight loss. Remember why you’re doing this. Stay the course & stay positive. Hope you heal well.

I'm almost 3 months out and I've been eating carbs since my puree phase (had beans then). I do everything in moderation, eat my protein first and enjoy carbs on the side. I've lost 42 lbs since my surgery. Carbs aren't the enemy, eating too much is. Of course we have limited room as weight loss surgery peeps so I understand the need for protein first but if your dietician okays it and you can stand it, go for it. I do best with Chickpea pasta, wild/brown rice and potatoes. You can chew them up really well so they go down easy. I've had the low carb tortillas but they get "stuck" most of the time so I avoid them. Haven't had bread/toast/flour/corn tortillas yet because I was told to wait 6 months for bread products. Sent from my SM-G975U using BariatricPal mobile app

I'm sorry that happened! It's so frustrating, I know. I had just started exercising and met with a trainer and immediately got biceps tendinitis and only now months later am I able to do upper body work again. But, like others said, you can do other forms of exercise for now, and your toe will heal. The positive thing is that you WANT to work out! On a side note, you will still lose weight even if you don't exercise since you just had surgery. I barely exercised for the first 6 months or so after surgery, and I still lost a ton of weight. Exercise is very important for general health and for maintaining weight loss, but really, losing weight is all about eating better. You can't outrun a bad diet!

Things here are going really well. I can eat whatever I want but only a little. I am tolerating sugars and fats better. Veggies and fruit are still the safest to eat. I have been stalled for a month which is fine. Still not down to the 190s yet. But I feel great and I look good. My friends and coworkers tell me that I am still losing weight just the scale is slow to catch up. I am definitely still losing inches. I am using a ton of lotion trying to keep my skin as hydrated as possible and hoping it will not look to flabby when all is said and done. My scars are still very visible but there is not much that can be done about that. Still no regrets.

This doesn’t have to be an end to your weight loss. I’m sorry that happened. That reminds me of when I was losing weight the natural way during COVID and I kept getting blisters or thigh chafing, etc causing setbacks in my routine. They suck but they are only temporary.