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Yikes, I haven't had the surgery yet but this sounds like a complication I would enjoy. Not eating for two days sounds nice but are you feeling hunger or just head hunger?

Hello everyone. I have Arkansas Medicaid and am wondering who is a good doctor to use for sleeve surgery. The one I was referred to is known for the patients suffering severe complications after. Any where in the state. The one closest to me has a 5 year waiting list of Medicaid patients. I’m just beginning and would really like to know some Arkansas Medicaid doctors who perform the sleeve surgery. Thank you in advance!

it's really just the first few months when you have to deal with all those food restrictions. I have no food limitations anymore, and haven't since the first year (or maybe even the first six months or so). Of course, you'll need to eat healthy most of the time (for life, that is..), and you may develop some intolerances (some people become lactose intolerant after surgery. Some people "dump" and therefore can't handle much sugar. I, for one, can't eat really fatty meals any more), but your clinic will lift all restrictions once you're a few months out. complications aren't common and most are minor (and "fixable"). A lot of us never had any complications. They have to tell you all the possible complications, but that doesn't mean they happen very often. You can have complications (or even die) from a tonsillectomy - or even a wisdom tooth extraction - but how often does that happen? These surgeries have come a long way from where they were 20 or 30 years ago. Deficiencies aren't common as long as you keep on top of your supplements. Follow your program to a "T", and you won't fail. It's when people start pushing the envelope that they screw up. So follow your plan - and keep in mind it's mostly the first few months that are really restrictive. I eat about the same now as I did before surgery (although I was always a healthy eater - I just ate way too much). I"m higher on protein and lower on simple carbs/starches than I was before - and of course my intake in general is about half of what it used to be, but I certainly don't feel deprived. I think your concerns are pretty common, though. It can seem overwhelming at first, but once you get the hang of it, it's really not. I'm so happy I had this surgery and I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

Hey, Just reaching out to the community for some support. I've recently been approved for gastric bypass after going through 4 months of supervised diet and mental health counseling. I can basically get my surgery as soon as possible after completing my EKG and endoscopy (Dr's words). When they went over the gastric bypass procedure with me and all the complications, deficiencies and how strict the diet is (no fresh vegetables for a while which is what I've heavily been relying on to lose weight and enjoy it too) I was almost knocked down to my old feelings of hopelessness. The truth is, hearing all of that terrified me. It scares me and makes me think that there are so many opportunities to mess up. I just want some advice on how to quell this fear and really fear of failure. It honestly didn't feel real to me until the Dr said I was good to go. I felt so ready and confident until this moment and I can't understand why. I feel like I should be celebrating and happy but I'm not. I'm frustrated and scared. Any help or advice on this? I'm also working on it with my psychologist but want to hear about your experiences too. Much love! Sent from my SM-G975U using BariatricPal mobile app

Remember being a teenager when feelings were on a roller coaster? It’s a little like that and most important to remind ourselves that “this too shall pass.” I’m 6 years out. I had early complications. In and out of hospital multiple times. Would do it all again in a heartbeat for the years of good health and freedom from fat and shame. Hang in there! It’s worth it.

For me I regret everything about the surgery I feel like I have destroyed an important part of my body to achive something normal dieting and addressing my emotional eating would have achived, a high percentage of surgery patients re gain weight just like with normal diets its not the "fix" we go into it thinking it is and it changes the way you eat and drink forever. Its like being on a very strict diet 24/7 with no break. I would love to be able to cheat just a little. The surgeon says that after 18 months keeping the weight off is up to you as the sleeve no longer works not sure how that happens but if thats the case why do the surgery at all. There are also so many other complications they dont really tell you about i know a young woman who has been sleeved for less than a year and currently having a 4th surgery to sort out complications she is having . Personally my reflux now takes double the strength of meds to control but if i dont eat every 3 hours i feel sick from the reflux so is my life better with a sleeve no it is not. Have i lost weight yes 20kg, but i am miserable and to me thats not worth it.

Thanks. I didn't know that a revision was even remotely possible until I met a man just before the pandemic started who had had an RNY revision prior to total knee replacement surgery. COVID blew it out of my mind until this past April. I then decided to follow up, learned I was a candidate, and am progressing through the program. I have just had a CAT scan, and will have a cardiology evaluation next week. If approved by the cardiologist, the papers will go to Medicare. My surgeon says I should be able to have the revision before the end of the year. Despite losing 50 lbs pre-surgery, I am still over well 100 lbs overweight. Revision surgery doesn't work as well, but he thinks I can lose another 60 lbs, which would take me to 215. I would really like to pass 200. We shall see. My dream goal is 175. For what it is worth, my surgeon says I am NOT too old for the revision. While the surgical part is complicated, the laproscopic incisions will be so much easier for recovery than the open surgeries I had previously. Why don't you encourage your friend to follow this thread? I will update my progress post surgery.

Unless you have any unforeseen complications you should be just fine that far out. I agree with asking your doctor about compression stockings for the flight and getting up and walking during the flight.

I didn't think to search for that! Hopefully it's not a big complication, my surgeon didn't even comment on it when I listed it in my medical history. I'll look around and see.

Thank you for your responses! My doctors info says it is reserved for patients with BMI 50 or greater, I’m in the low 40s. I also have reflux so I guess that part would make me not so suited for the switch??? I am interested though because just like you all have said, it gives you better weight gain resistance for the long haul. It also, I’m sure, does come with more risk/complications maybe.

it's a more powerful surgery than the VSG or RNY. You're likely to take more weight off, and it's likely going to be easier to maintain your loss long term (although you'll certainly find people who've had VSG or RNY who've taken off all their excess weight and managed to maintain it). But your odds are better with the DS. My insurance doesn't cover DS, just RNY and VSG, otherwise I would have considered it given my starting weight. Although I ended up losing all my weight with my RNY anyway, so I'm good. DS does come with more potential complications than either the VSG or the RNY, so there's a trade off. But as with the other two, you'll find a lot of people who've never had complications at all with it. If you have a history of GERD, I'd still go with the RNY, since DS has a sleeved stomach (in fact, the VSG used to be phase 1 of the traditional DS surgery, back when it was often done in two phases. A lot of people ended up losing a substantial part of weight with just the sleeved stomach and really didn't need phase 2 - the intestinal part. So eventually VSG ended up being offered as a standalone surgery). So you still have the potential of worsened GERD (or new-to-you GERD) if you go with a DS, but then 70% of VSG/DS people don't develop GERD issues at all, so there's that... tough decisions. I'm still very happy with my RNY - but I would have at least considered DS if my insurance covered it.

So I am scheduled for bypass in December. Recently I’ve read several things about the switch. Wondering why one opts for that or what makes you more suited for that vs the bypass. It comes down to the end of the line before final decision from my surgeon and I, but looks like my office isn’t a big pusher of the switch due to more risks and complications. Would just like to hear from real people here who have had it.

Revision is not that uncommon according to my surgeon. My surgeon's office pushes for patients to choose a surgery that will help them lose the most weight they can because they have people coming back for revisions due to choosing a less aggressive surgery the first time or weight regain because they feel that people don't factor that in. They have no problems with doing revisions, but warn that sometimes you won't lose as much as your first surgery or if you do then you'll lose it a lot slower. And, revision also relies very much upon insurance approval if you can't afford it out of pocket so they always advise people to check what their insurance allows before deciding on a final surgery. Originally, I was looking into Gastric Bypass, but my surgeon pushed for me to have the DS or SADI-S because of me being super morbidly obese with a BMI of over 50. My insurance wouldn't have approved of a revision if I didn't like where my weight settled so I ended up going with my doctor's advice. So when it comes to revision I understand that it very much depends upon the insurance. Some will only approve a revision if you develop complications such as GERD, while others will allow it if you've had significant weight regain and can't lose. So it's really just dependent upon what your insurance allows. If it does allow a revision then it comes down to what you want. A revision to Gastric Bypass or the Duodenal Switch (for reference the first part of the DS is the gastric sleeve. Also, there is the SADI-S version which has a longer intestinal length then the original DS, but you'd have to find a surgeon who even does the DS or SADI-S as not every surgeon does). I hope that your insurance will cover your revision and if it doesn't then I hope you find a place that is affordable for out of pocket costs. Sorry that your surgeon was so unhelpful and I hope you have better luck with the next one!

Surgeon approval is generally easy, but insurance approval (at least for me) came with complications such as Gerd/Esophagitis. I would seek a second opinion. There are surgeons that only do sleeve and there are those that are comfortable with revisions, RNY, DS... Etc. Good luck.

@Wickerbuni I am still in the pre-surgery stage but my husband has been almost like yours. He says “you can just keep doing what you’re doing exercising and watching your diet and do it without the surgery”. I am like HELLO been trying for years unsuccessfully! I do think as time passes they may change their minds. Maybe it is more fear that we might have complications or something and it seems like people act like it’s a cosmetic surgery not a true health need surgery. Hoping he comes alongside you as does mine.

It can be an obsession if you want it to be. There are many here that obsess about every calorie. It can also be a simple task that you handle like several other tasks you do every day. It's really up to you at least as much as you can control any of your obsessions. You manage to feed yourself now and your new diet plan need not be significantly more complicated, again, unless you want it to. For me, my plan didn't require counting calories or much else than "this much protein, this much veggies", done and done. To this day this continues to be my plan. Relax. Take the time to learn about your surgery and your plan. You will have plenty of time to learn what appeals to you. Good luck, Tek

I was sleeved on October 8th.. has some complications (passed out when I tried to stand up) so I had to stay in the hospital half a day longer but now that I’m home, I’m doing better. Got lots more protein down today and about 45oz liquid. Doctor told me not to count, just pay attention to urine color and whether mouth is wet or dry. I think my biggest complaint is a headache that I get when I’m really tired or when I was up from sleeping. I have my post op appt on Wednesday, so I’ll ask, but has anyone had to deal with a headache after surgery??

Hello all, I had my surgery October 1st, so this is day 10. I spend the first three nights in the hospital, and went home feeling pretty good. By afternoon the following day I was nauseous and I began to vomit. Because I could not keep water down I was re-admitted to the hospital. I struggled with potassium and magnesium, and my blood sugar straddled the line of low (68). We got the nausea under control and I have been home for two days without problems (yay), but I am still on clear liquid until I see my doc on Thursday. Before the complications I was advised to wait a week before starting supplements (I think partially to avoid sickness). However, my current diet is 60mg protein (320 cal), soup broth, sf jello and decaf hot tea with powdered nonfat milk. Naturally I feel no hunger, but how long can one sustain with such a low intake? Any suggestions for boosting those calories while avoiding dumping would be helpful. Thanks! Rachel P.S. For context my surgery was a revision from sleeve to bypass due to GERD. The first surgery was six years ago and I lost 120lbs. After a concussion in 2019 and 2020 Is gained about thirty back. I say this because I wonder how it might impact things….

Hi All, Just a quick question - I'm 7 years post gastric sleeve. I've lost 70kg & kept it off. Recently, I've had some pain under my left rib sort of area & Dr Google tells me this is where my stomach is located [emoji854] Just wondering if anyone has had any complications so long after surgery? Chances are I'm just over reacting, but thought it wouldn't hurt to ask! Sent from my SM-G975F using BariatricPal mobile app

The first week is always difficult on the all shake diet (my surgeon called it hell week) because you are breaking a lot of your addictions & dependencies (sugar, carbs, caffeine, etc.). Any weakness, headaches, etc. you may feel in hell week are the withdrawal symptoms. The second week is always easier. The shakes will start the ketosis process, burning your excess stored fat for the additional energy your body needs to function & start the weight loss. Slowly introducing the shakes a week earlier sounds like a way that may ease the transition. You pee out the fluid they pump you with in a couple of days. Doubt they would prescribe a diuretic unless the fluid was causing other health complications. But of course we’re all different & our surgeons have different post surgical plans. Those first 24hrs I would have been glad not to have to pee any more than I did. Plus they kept me on IV fluids for 24hrs so to get up & pee, I had to buzz a nurse to get them to disconnect the IV then steer the stand to the bathroom. Good luck.

I had RNY and was in and out of the hospital with one overnight. I took two weeks off of work. Going back was HARD, mostly because there is a lot of walking/standing. I think it depends on the procedure, your job, and any other medical complications you may face. From others I’ve talked with in my follow up group support, two weeks was average to go back to work.

I had a complication during surgery and my Dr. had to abandon laparoscopic surgery and cut me open. This meant three nights in the hospital. I only took 10 days off of work and do wish I'd taken a few more.

I also spent one night in the hospital (sleeve) and took two weeks off from work. I work from home, but that was the right amount of time. I did check email every day the second week off and it was tiring and hard to concentrate, but by the end of the second week I was feeling pretty antsy. When I went back to work I was tired and had to lie down once a day during the first few days, but work was also slow that week so it wasn't an issue (and part of that might have been a bit of boredom). If you have any complications, you might need more, but if money is an issue, and your job isn't too stressful, you could probably do less. Good luck!

RNY April of 2012, so that makes 9+ years out. My surgeon no longer practices bariatric surgery and most likely isn't even in my state any longer. I have had to make due with visits to hematologists, psychologists, primary care docs and more recently, went to a different WLS center for a consult and also to an endocrinologist to address the weight creep up that has taken years to put on--really can't blame the Covid, but rather letting a combo of sloppy habits and less intense exercise run the course to the expected outcome: the dreaded regain. To complicate matters, I have been so exhausted that I have been trying to get to the bottom of that as well. Ruled out anemia (I have had to get iron infusions three times), ruled out thyroid (although I do take NP thyroid and the endo upped the dosage a little bit), and while menopause is a factor, I got on bioidentical hormones to try and feel better. Somewhere in the middle of this, I had the brilliant idea that perhaps I should wean myself off antidepressants because they might have contributed to the weight gain as well. Uh. This is not the year to get off antidepressants, being all stressed out at work with all the students back to in-person learning and no clear direction about how to distance kids who seem determined to sit on top of one another, etc. After the new bariatric consult, where I was basically told that because I had open gastric bypass and then had incisional hernia repair and fleur de lis abdominoplasty, my insides are too messy to do any kind of revision, with the adhesions and all. But what I NEEDED to hear was what I have been doing: back to basics. Push that protein--90 grams. Watch the carbs and fat. Exercise. And eat less calories. 1200-1400. Since that visit I have tracked my intake on MFP and gave myself one day a week to have a higher calorie day and some kind of splurge. The rest of the week I do two very high protein meal replacement shakes, a Greek yogurt, a couple of hard boiled eggs and something small but proteiny and veg for dinner. I have to say, keeping it boring has kept the appetite at bay. And so far, so good. Nearly back to Onderland again, and I plan on keeping going until I get back to my lowest weight, which hilariously still has me in the overweight category according to the BMI. In addition, since not crawling into bed as soon as I get home is one of my major goals, I went back on the antidepressant, at a little higher dosage after explaining my symptoms of exhaustion. All this to say that the work is never done and I wouldn't have it any other way! This is my first post and I figured I would just throw it all out there and include the juice, since that is what it is all about for me and I have been very much enjoying reading all the posts here. Didn't want to be a freeloader with nothing to contribute

no - this is the surgeon's requirement. There are surgeons who won't operate on patients who have BMI's over 60 because that's considered "high risk". The insurance company isn't going to consider that particular piece when deciding whether or not to approve your surgery. In fact, they'd probably prefer you get under a 60 BMI as well so your risk of complications is lower. I was initially worried that if I was too successful in my six-month supervised diet that was required by my insurance company that they wouldn't approve the surgery. But that's not what they're looking for. They're looking to see if you're capable of following a plan long-term, since that's what you'll need to do AFTER the surgery. They don't want to fork over thousands of dollars for someone who's likely to not follow rules and just gain all the weight back. So if anything, this 80-lb required weight loss is likely to improve your chances of being approved -- not disqualify you for being too successful. I lost 57 lbs before surgery by working with a dietitian and gradually improving and shaping my eating habits to align with what I'd be eating after surgery (gradually increasing my protein intake, gradually weaning myself off caffeine and simple carbs, gradually reducing my calorie intake, etc). If you don't think you'll be able to do this on your own, then find a dietitian who's had some experience working with bariatric patients. I was really surprised I was able to lose all that weight pre-surgery - but I think it was a combo of wanting to do whatever I could do get the surgery -- and the accountability of working with a dietitian (i.e, knowing I'd have to report to someone every month on my progress).