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Renew Bariatrics - Tijuana, Mexico
Josie_Grossy replied to supermujer's topic in Mexico & Self-Pay Weight Loss Surgery
Hi! Sorry for the slow reply. I hope your surgery went smoothly, I know how scary it is. I am a little over one year out and have lost 96 pounds, and continuing to lose weight. I have so much more energy and confidence, it was the best decision I have ever made. I have had zero complications, I stick to eating smaller meals more often and it works best for me. It is a challenging journey, especially the beginning. Take the time to listen to your body, and never rush. Best of luck to you, I'm excited to see your progress. -
Long story short: I'm in PA. I had a Lap Band placed in November 2010...then had it removed in December 2020 because of complications. I'm now getting RNY on December 20th and started my 2-week liquid diet on December 6th. In one of my pre-op requirements (upper GI), a very small hiatal hernia was observed, so we're going to get rid of him. I call him Squishy. R.I.P, my Squishy. I'm excited! Ugh, though.....I have so many clothes that are going to be enormous on me...but I also have lots of things in smaller sizes that I refused to get rid of over the years, so I guess I'll be okay. Good luck, all!
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Feel like I'm starving, Day 6
LouLouM replied to LouLouM's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I can't say that I understand it all, but thank you so much for the interesting information. I guess it makes matters a little more complicated that I don't have a thyroid (medullary thyroid cancer), which is when the weight problems began. -
One Year With Mini Gastric Bypass: My Journey, Thoughts, and Tips!
Guest replied to a topic in Mini Gastric Bypass Surgery Forum
The surgery: what is it, how does it work, what does science say about weight loss and complications with MGB? What is it? There’s nothing ‘mini’ about the MGB. The name was given by Dr. Rutledge who invented it in 1997 to describe its simpler configuration compared to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Basically, the stomach is divided and a long, narrow pouch is created (a little like the sleeve), but the rest of the stomach is left in place (like with RNY). A loop of the small intestine is then connected to the pouch, and that’s it. There’s one connection point – one anastomosis – and unlike the sleeve, the food travels directly down into the intestine, as the pyloric valve is bypassed. The bypass is anywhere from 150cm – 350cm (3 to 9 feet), though recently most surgeons do 150cm to avoid malnutrition later on. Here’s a diagram: How does it work? As with all bariatric surgery, there are things we know and things we don’t know. We obviously feel full faster due to the smaller stomach, but because it’s ‘open’ in the bottom to the intestine, and this anastomosis is not especially narrow, we can usually eat pretty large amounts fairly soon after surgery. My personal experience is that I’ve only felt I ‘had no more room’ a few times, and always with minced meat, weirdly enough. The big trick is that you feel satisfied very quickly, because the food lands undigested pretty far down the intestine. It’s like the feeling after a huge Christmas dinner. Technically, I could eat more, but I feel stuffed (and satisfied). So I don’t. We have at least 3-4x the malabsorption of RNY, so there’s some calories being flushed right out. Personally, I can see when I eat a higher-fat meal that some of it goes through undigested (sorry for theTMI). How much do you lose? Unlike what people think, there are tons of studies out there documenting that weight loss is generally greater after MGB than after sleeve and RNY. Not a single study out there shows less weight loss with MGB when comparing MGB and RNY. Excess Weight Loss (EWL) ranges from mid-60s % EWL to the 80s after one year (a few studies show even higher WL, but those are generally from cohorts of fairly low-BMI study populations). All-in-all, weight loss is excellent and looks like it’s long-term durable in the studies. Especially when compared to the sleeve. Complications? For some reason, there’s a ‘feeling’ among American bariatric surgeons that MGB carries a higher risk of stomach cancer. This is not true, and it has been studied. A few patients experience bile reflux, but this is a lesser concern with the Spanish ‘anti-reflux stitch’ most MGB surgeons now use. Mine did as well, and while I suffered heavily from GERD prior to surgery, this is no longer a problem. Long-term, malnutrition is an issue, so take your vitamins. Think of vitamins as being generally a good idea for sleevers, mandatory in the beginning for RNY’ers and then see how your labs develop as the years pass, to very important for MGB, also long-term, and life-or-death for our duodenal switch friends. This reflects the malabsorption – none in sleeve, a little in RNY, a moderate-to-significant amount in MGB, and a lot in DS. -
One Year With Mini Gastric Bypass: My Journey, Thoughts, and Tips!
Guest posted a topic in Mini Gastric Bypass Surgery Forum
[MINI GASTRIC BYPASS THREAD – PLEASE CONSIDER YOUR SURGERY AND EXPERIENCES MAY NOT APPLY TO MINI GASTRIC BYPASS PATIENTS] Hi all BP’ers and lurkers out there; especially hi to everyone who had the mini gastric bypass (AKA the one-anastomosis gastric bypass/single-anastomosis gastric bypass/omega loop gastric bypass) It’s my surgiversary! I can’t believe it’s already been a year. But what a year it has been. Man. I wanted to share a lot of thoughts about my journey – there’s not a ton of MGB patients out there yet, and especially not in the US. I’ll admit I’ve been working on this for a while, because I want to share the good word about the MGB and contribute some of the things I simply cannot find out there. Well, now I know, at least how it’s been the first year for myself. So that’s my small contribution. Below, I’ll post the following posts individually so it’s easy to browse for anyone new: The surgery: what is it, how does it work, what does science say about weight loss and complications with MGB? My journey to weight loss surgery My weight journey for a year after the mini gastric bypass My diet and calories – stages + what does a typical day look like after a year? Exercise – what and when and how much? Alcohol and MGB What I wish they had told me prior to surgery Setting a goal Why I think you should consider the MGB What it’s like being a mini gastric bypass patient on BariatricPal – what I found useful, and why I needed a pause from participating on the forum What now? I hope you’ll find some of this enjoyable. -
Clear liquids post-Op for 7 days?
Sleeve_Me_Alone replied to DaisyAndSunshine's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Yep, my plan was 1 week clear liquids then 1 week full liquids, and so on. Each program has their own version, some include protein some do not. I think the goal of such a restrictive plan is to minimize discomfort and potential complications. It is pretty miserable, but thankfully it doesn't last forever! -
No longer feeling confident about having surgery
lizonaplane replied to Angelina1210's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I'm sorry she said this to you. It sounds more like she was concerned about you having the surgery in Mexico than the surgery itself, but I don't know that for sure. My mom was very supportive of my having surgery, but she was terrified that I would go to Mexico. I ended up getting covered by insurance and having it in the US. However, I know many, many people have good experiences in Mexico (try watching some YouTube videos on "my level 10 life" - Erin went to Mexico and then went again for plastic surgery). Yes, there might be slightly more risk if your home doctor will not help you if you have a complication, but you can always go to the ER. Many of the doctors in Mexico did medical school in the US and I'm sure it's a much nicer facility than most in the US, in terms of recovery. Good Luck! -
Lapband revision question
RickM replied to Juniper123's topic in Revision Weight Loss Surgery Forums (NEW!)
In general, if the surgery is to treat a complication, then it is not considered a weight loss procedure, but a procedure to treat that complication, so the basic WLS rules don't apply (including the "one WLS per lifetime" rule that some insurance imposes.) It's mostly a matter of how it is coded in the billing department, but the surgeon and his staff should be able to handle this. If not, find a different surgeon who can. Good luck, -
Getting closer to the finish line, nervous about my assigned surgeon. Should I see if I can switch?
catwoman7 replied to lussa's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
like some others, I wouldn't worry too much about the bedside manner reviews. Surgeons jobs are to cut. After they're done, you'll likely be dealing with other clinic staff for your follow-up appts (dietitian, likely a PA or ANP, etc). It's hard to say whether the complications comments are due to her skill or would have happened anyway. -
GERD is a possible complication of VSG, but like others have said, there could be something else causing it, too - like an ulcer or hiatal hernia. If it's GERD, it can usually be managed medically. In severe cases, converting a bypass will often cure it.
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How Long is Fatigue & Weakness After Surgery?
Arabesque replied to LadyH's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
It’s another one of the everyone is different things. The post surgical fatigue & your body needing rest to heal can take a a month or so - some more some less. I got hit by low blood pressure issues (my tendency to occasional drops became all day every day) & that caused fatigue, brain doughiness, low energy & weakness. Then around months 3 or 4 I experienced a big drop in energy again. Electrolyte drinks like Hydralyte helped a lot. But I’m someone who takes longer to recover & as I said the low blood pressure was pre existing which complicated things. It wasn’t debilitating or stopped me doing things. It was more annoying than anything. I just listened to my body & took it slow & easy as it needed. And enjoy having nana naps. -
I have my final psych appt in 2 weeks. After, I’ll be set to have a first meeting with my surgeon. I did some research on her and she’s relatively new - she’s been practicing for 6 years. Another thing, she has very few ratings. Two of three of them are poor, one was excellent, and they were all from this year. Bad reviews spoke of complications, her bedside manner is awful, the positive spoke highly of her patience and listening. The funny thing? She was a lead researcher in how patient ratings predict outcomes. So I’m nervous now. One of her colleagues has about 50 reviews that are largely positive and she was what originally drew me to that clinic, an hour away. She’s also had bariatric surgery herself. Prior to meeting the surgeon and submitting to insurance would be the best time to make a switch. I originally got this surgeon bc I had a recent endoscopy and that’s all this surgeon required and the other surgeons required more. I feel like I should give her a chance but that review about having complications bc she was careless has me frazzled. I know any surgery can have them but my mom and I are already nervous enough.
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I have good news and bad news. Good: for me, there really WAS a big difference in hunger levels. For most of my first year, I had next to no appetite and when appetite returned, it was much more management than before. Even 2.5 years out, my appetite is about 65% of what it was pre-op. And that's a good thing. Bad: WLS doesn't completely fix emotional eating. You will still need to be mindful of what you eat and why you are eating at any given time. It is possible to "eat around your sleeve" just by eating small amounts of the wrong things, all day long. So if emotional eating has been an issue before surgery, you'll need to keep working at that after surgery. Therapy can help with getting to the root of why you use food as a coping mechanism. Overall, I have no complaints about the surgery. I had no major complications, I lost all my excess weight and I'm still maintaining. So I don't want to discourage you. Just be prepared to continue working on your mindset and emotional health.
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Sudden pain near the left side of navel, underneath the skin. Doctor says it could be scar tissue. Even my skin is so sensitive to touch in that one area. Anyone else experienced this before? Sent from my LM-Q730 using BariatricPal mobile app
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I think we've all seen on this site that there are enormous inequities for access to care, bari teams, quality surgeons, programs, plans, preparation, diets, etc. We can't possibly know which elements are scientific and which aren't. The research is all over the place. The 30 day mortality rate deal has to do with how hospitals report their "success" rates. Yep--if you get taken off the ventilator on day 31, the hospital reports it as a "success" story with regard to mortality/complications, etc. It's an enormous gamble.
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Possibility of non-reversible complications?
catwoman7 replied to Starky's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Someone asked about long-term complications in the elderly who had surgery decades ago. You can't really compare, because weight loss surgeries back in the 60s and 70s were very different than they are today. They were very risky and some people (including a former co-worker of mine) had them reversed - and some people died from them. But again, there's no comparison to the surgeries they do today. Plus the ones they do now are much safer and much less likely to have severe complications. you should be fine as long as you follow your plan, keep on top of your supplements, and have regular blood work done to check for deficiencies. Most deficiencies can be reversed if they're caught early. I do have osteoporosis, but I have no idea if that's due to my weight loss surgery or not, since we didn't do a baseline before my surgery. But I'm also in my 60s and osteoporosis runs rampant on both sides of my family, so it could have been that as well. I'm on a drug now that maintains bone, though - and there are other drugs that actually build bone. Honestly, at my starting weight (almost 400 lbs), I was much more concerned about complications from being severely obese (like premature death, for one) than I was about complications from my RNY. -
I'm struggling
Babin.jessica1993 replied to Babin.jessica1993's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Yeah my surgeon was a d**k. No IV PAIN MEDS AT ALL. Even when I kept puking post op. They wouldn't give me iv pheblnergan for naseau, they almost gave me a med I was allergic too, its a good thing I was curious and the nurses excuse was sorry it was at the bottom of the list. Like Wtf ?. Now I'm just trying to get my fluids in 😭😭🤦♀️🤦♀️ if there is any complications there is 1 other hospital near me where the surgery is done and I'll go there instead. F*** that. And to be fair I don't like this hospital either bc they've also tried to give me meds that I'm allergic to and sent me home with a gallbladder issue that was taken out 2 days after that visit 🙃 so that says alot -
Anyone else terrified?
LurkieKitty replied to sunhineG's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
It definitely is normal to feel that way, I had my first surgery honestly, this year. I was having pain from gallstones so my surgeon decided it's best to remove my gallbladder before I have the gastric sleeve done so it was done a month before my gastric sleeve. I was extremely terrified of being put to sleep because my family has lost someone to complications in the past so that was on my mind, but when I was finally there and being prepared my mind was a blank slate. The last thing I wanted was my pressure to rise because I'm prone to panic attacks too, and that would be the thing that could cause complications. What helped me was to focus on things I want to do in the future, just happy thoughts. Another thing that helped was because my plan requires a bariatric group meeting prior, I voiced my concern about being put to sleep there and there was this one woman that was like "it's the best sleep I ever had". Bearing that in mind, I was like "I'm just going to have an awesome nap" when I was walking into the operating room. They didn't even tell me to count backwards, all I heard was the IV might make me feel cold and the anesthesiologist telling me to think happy thoughts... then the next thing was I was waking up in recovery. You don't even realize you went to sleep it seems. -
Possibility of non-reversible complications?
Starky posted a topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Hey everyone! I am 27F trying to get the Bypass mostly for my GERD but also to lose weight. It's gotten to the point where I have pain every night and some days sleep 4 hours max. The only thing keeping me away from the surgery is the fear of developing some very bad complications (like osteoporosis). If one follows the diet and vitamin intake to a tee, how likely that I will get to old age without getting them? I would really like to live my 30s and 40s relatively healthy and not be "damaged" by the operation. -
I'm definitely terrified. Not so much of the surgery itself, moreso a complication afterwards. I know they are rare, but they do happen. I'm so afraid I'll have lifelong complications. I think it's normal, but It's hard to deal with when you have to wait so long to have surgery.
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Surgery is always scary especially being your first one, but you will have so many medical professionals looking after your every breathe to make sure you are ok! I was more afraid of dying unexpectedly from a medical complication from being obese then I was from the surgery. You will do great and it will be over before you know it. Surgery anesthesia is the best nap ever haha! Good luck!
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Am I really going to live on 1000 calories?
Officially Not Fatty Matty replied to doobie31's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
I’m 6’4” and my highest known weight was 356 (but likely higher as I didn’t weigh often). Like you I was pretty active and my daily calorie count was high. I never counted (still don’t) but an honest assessment of my past puts me around 4-6000 calories a day! I would eat huge meals. Despite that insane guess, I put weight on slowly over the years, averaging 4lbs a year… it’s not a fair estimate because some years I would lose 30 then put 40 on etc. but overall average of 4lbs since I turned 18 (I was 45 when I had surgery). Fast forward 18 months post op and I’m not able to enter maintenance. I’m trying so hard to not lose more weight. I set a goal of 240, blew past that then thought “ok 220 would be good” and blew past that. I’m down to 182 now, my wife and mom (they never stop being moms do they?) are worried - and have been since I broke below 200 in April. Anyway, for the first six months I survived on about 500cal a day. I should say thrived. I had zero problems with that low of a calorie count. I was more active than ever, still am. I feel healthier than I was when I was 16, seriously. The hard part for me was remembering to eat. The day would go by and I would realize I only had my protein shake in the morning. I’m still not hungry, and I know I’m in the minority for going this long without feeling any hunger. I literally eat 1000 calories of peanut m&ms a day. Literally. And I’m still losing. I know it’s probably the least healthy thing I could eat but they are small and pocketable and I like them enough where I don’t get bored of them. I simply don’t have the capacity to eat enough “healthy” meals to make up the difference. I do get regular blood work done and everything is perfectly in the middle of where it should be, vitamin levels are good as well. I’d say I’m close to maintaining, I’ve been between 190 and 182 for about six months but it’s still trending ever so slightly down. I guess what all this rambling is getting at is this: you sound a lot like me. If you are the type of person that can drop weight fast on a diet you’re likely to be wildly successful with the weight loss portion of this endeavor. Everything else is up in the air and seems to be variable for everyone. For me I have had no complications, no foods bother me, nothing tastes different (I hoped it would but it didn’t), I can and do eat whatever I want, but my restriction is so good (and it does feel good) that it still takes me two days to eat a burger, or four days to eat a chipotle burrito (and I don’t even finish it). I don’t have a problem being around food or seeing people eat. My whole relationship with food is completely different. I see it as an inconvenience, but I still enjoy good food and I seek out new and exotic things for fun, I just know I’m taking home 90% of what I order most of the time. My only complaint is my wife and mom think I’m too skinny, which is just an opinion, my doctors are thrilled with my weight and all associated / tested statistics, and as I said I feel absolutely amazing. I feel like I have another 10-15lbs to lose but I’m riding the struggle bus to keep that from happening for the benefit of others. 5000 calories? I’m disgusted with that person. 1500 - 2000 a day give or take is plenty 18 months out and I had nooo problem living on half that for the first year. This was - by far - the best money I’ve ever spent on myself. I’ve easily saved more than my surgery cost ($4400 in Mexico) and I have only great things to say about every aspect of it. I wish it was this easy for everyone. My wife had it done too but she has lost nothing at this point. She eats less than I do, but she never lost when dieting before so we should have known a smaller stomach wouldn’t have helped. I don’t think she needs to lose weight anyway, she’s perfect. But my opinion doesn’t count in her mind :) she has some underlying heath issues we’re working through which we believe contributes to her crazy slow metabolic rate. So I see and live with both sides of how surgery works and doesn’t work for some (if you’re a slow “loser” reading this and you’re on plan and doing everything you should, I BELIEVE YOU, even though everyone assumes you’re not on plan. I know how hard it is for you, and I’m so sorry you’re going through this. Don’t give up, find a doctor that listens to you and believes you too and start looking for why, and stop going to doctors that don’t listen. Don’t let them give you self doubts (end tangent)). Best of luck to you. I wish you the best. -
I think what you’re feeling is pretty normal prior to a big surgery. I went from being super excited to two days before the surgery being weepy and crying thinking what if something happened and I would leave my two kids behind? My youngest hasn’t even turned one and it killed me to think I wouldn’t be able to pick her up for a couple of weeks after the surgery. Well here I am 3 weeks later, no complications, super easy recovery and down 24lbs. Just think about why you’re doing this and how far you’ve come in the process and that should give you the extra push you need.
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Complications are fairly rare. And honestly—this is from someone who resisted the surgery because "I can just do it on my own"—I wish I had kicked my own butt 15 years ago. It's not that it's effortless—I have to put in work to lose weight—but it's that when I put in the work, I actually lose the weight, instead of that incredibly frustrating "why isn't this working" garbage. Basically what you're getting is a tool that doesn't allow you to deviate much from the plan. But you still have to reduce eating and get in exercise. The difference is you can't fall off the wagon. Your new anatomy won't allow it, and by the time you get to the point where you could overeat, you'll be so used to tracking what you eat and being careful that it'll be second nature. I mean, I'm only two months out (from sleeve, not bypass) and I already always automagically reach for my phone when I set food down in front of myself.
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it's pretty normal to have cold feet before a major surgery... I can just tell you my own experience. I spent literally decades trying to lose my excess weight (I'm in my 60s). At my highest, I was well over 300 lbs. I tried over and over and over again to lose it. During my more successful attempts, I'd lose 50 or 60 lbs. And invariably, a couple of months later, the weight would start piling on again until I was back to where I started. During my less successful attempts, I'd lose maybe 20 lbs. Same thing - it was only a matter of time before I'd put it all back on. I had over 200 lbs to lose. I finally accepted the fact that I'd never get that off if I couldn't even keep 50 lbs off. Fewer than 5% of people with a significant weight problem can take off their excess weight and keep it off. Maybe you are one of those lucky few. I was not. Weight loss surgery was the only thing that ever worked for me. as for complications - yes - there's a risk of them, as there is with any surgery. There are even risks associated with having your wisdom teeth removed....or your tonsils. But many of us never have complications - and of those who do, most are minor and "fixable". Major complications are pretty uncommon. You're much more likely to suffer complications from obesity than you are from weight loss surgery.