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Hi all! I am 7 yrs out from gastric bypass. I did very well losing the weight, followed everything by the book. Mentally, I have struggled over these past 7 yrs with old mindset I’m supposed to be the fat one. I’ve always had a weight problem and it’s difficult to not let that creep back in my head. Self sabotage! Decided to get on with it and take off the 40 lbs I’ve gained. QUESTION If doing a reset, do you do this for 5 days? 2 weeks? On liquid protein shakes? And what protein shakes do you prefer? I am very lactose intolerant. Like many now, I’m sure. Thank you in advance for any idea on which shake to drink, and how long!

I have PCOS as well. I had my surgery on April 4th, 2022. So I am 19 days out. My initial weight was 410lbs before the 2 week liquid diet. My weight the day of surgery was 399lbs. My current weight as of today is 374.8lbs. So I’ve lost 36lbs in total and 25lbs post surgery. I am actually at a stall now. Having only lost 1lb this week. And I’m starting to think it has something to do with my PCOS and that i won’t lose anymore. This is quite discouraging as one of the main reasons I chose to do this surgery was so that I could correct my PCOS and potentially have children in the future. I am only 19 days out and already stalling, it’s a bit worrying to me. i do struggle with water intake, but my doctor said that that’s normal for the first few weeks considering my stomach is still so small. So I don’t really know why I’m not losing anymore and I just hope it breaks soon.

Hello everyone! New to this site. I have done a lot of research and I am pretty positive I want to have the SADI-S surgical procedure done for weight loss. Has anyone else had this done? If so, can you please tell me about your experience with it? I want the good and bad parts of your experience to know as much as possible. I went to one of the major hospital bariatric surgeon groups in my area that said they accept self pay since my insurance doesn’t cover anything dealing with weight loss and after 5+ hours of classes and meetings with the team the surgeon came in and said no to any surgery because my insurance will not cover it and she doesn’t want to do it in case of a complication and me being 100% financially responsible for the cost. So I have another appointment with a different major hospital bariatric surgeon in 2 weeks and I explained what happened and they said they will deal with the insurance company and will accept self pay, they said this is a common thing they deal with. Thanks for any information and help you give!

I always LOVED drinking soda, it was my favorite (and usually almost only) thing I ever drank. When I was in college one summer we were on a meal plan where we got $25 to spend in the school cafeteria a week, Every week I bought 8 2 liter bottles of Diet Coke or Diet Pepsi (forgot which) and filled up a little mini-fridge I had in my room. I drank all 8 bottles every week. And that was just when I was in my room, that doesn't include the sodas I would drink throughout the day. And yes I drank them right out of the bottle like an animal. That was admittedly excessive, but for the next 20+ years I still drank a LOT of soda, had it every day with most meals and throughout the day. Preferably Diet Coke but I'd take Diet Pepsi if DC wasn't available. Also loved Diet Cherry Coke and Diet Cherry Pepsi. The caffeine never even affected me, I'd drink it right before going to sleep with no problem. I would definitely feel miserable if I went a day or two without, like caffeine withdrawal headaches. I had my last glass of soda the day before my first 2 week liver shrinking diet before my sleeve surgery, back in December 2016. The first week was absolutely miserable going without both food and soda but I managed. My doctor advised no more soda EVER so I followed his instructions and never had a full glass of any type of soda ever again since then, and honestly I don't even miss it. After a while I tried a sip once or twice when I was really thirsty and nothing else was around and I discovered that I can't stand the taste anymore. It's too fizzy, too saccharine, just unappealing. I really don't miss it. Even when I screwed up and put most my weight back on before I had my revision to bypass, I never started drinking soda again. I get bored drinking water so I drink tons of crystal light lemonade and I actually just found something new this week - I'm on vacation in Virginia and found a brand called Milo's that makes Sweet Tea which of course I can't/won't drink, but they have a Zero calorie version which I got and it's delicious, I already found a store near me that sells it so I'm going to start adding it to my shopping list. Good luck!

It was shopping for me. For a good 6 months I spent way too much on clothes. I really did need to replenish my wardrobe after losing 130 pounds, but I was buying more than I needed. It took me a while to recognize what was going on and stop doing that. I have a couple of friends for whom the weight loss itself became their transfer addiction. Instead of stabilizing once they reached their goal, they kept dieting and losing. Eventually they were both emaciated and skeletal. In their 50s, both of these ladies developed full-blown anorexia. Fortunately, with treatment, they both recovered and they are at healthy weights now. But it just shows that literally ANYTHING can become problematic if you use it to self-medicate. It's like whack-a-mole.

I wouldn’t worry too much. It could just be your natural fluctuation especially as it’s only a couple of pounds. Your weight can fluctuate a couple of pounds through out the day as you eat & drink. Also consider whether you pooped that day & if you’re retaining fluids due to your hormonal fluctuations. Unless you’re being weighed at exactly the same time, wearing the exact same clothing on the same scales & you’ve eaten the exact same foods & the same volume of fluids, etc. you have to expect some differences in what the scale says. Each of my doctors keep their own records of my weight & I keep mine. They’re not the same & that’s ok. My fluctuation is a kilogram (2.2lb). Because you’ll be weighing yourself more frequently you’ll get to discover your natural fluctuation. It may be more or less but it’s just part of life. And as you’re just starting out in the process & are just starting to make changes to your diet, maintaining your weight is still a win. Way better than gaining. As you progress with those changes, you’ll likely notice your weight starting to go down. You’ll be on the pre surgery diet before you know it & then your surgery & your weight will very noticeably drop.

Hi! I was banded back in 2008. I'm 5'4" and my weight before surgery was 290-something. I lost about 130 lbs in the first year, and maintained at around 165-175 (for me this weight equated to around a size 10, which I was fairly pleased with) for almost 10 years. I had a tummy tuck in 2016 and believe that my band was nicked when the plastic surgeon moved my port. In any case i suffered a 'slow leak' in the band that my surgeon Dr. Elariny could not pinpont, even under fluoroscopy, and have not really had any restriction for the last 5 years. I have sloooowwwwlly gained back up to 215 lbs during that time. Last month I had a consult with Dr Elariny to explore options for another weight loss surgery. He asked me a million questions about my eating habits and ultimately said he believes I'll be most successful with the DS. At first I was completely against it, as the malabsorptive procedures have always scared me. But after voraciously reading this and a few other DS forums, I have decided I want to go forward bc it seems like this is the most successful, most foolproof procedure. Ultimately I want to go back to the way I felt when my Lap-band was working perfectly for all those years....when I finally wasn't on a diet, for the first time in my 37 year life. I didn't have to be obsessed over every bite I put in my mouth. I wasn't constantly beating myself up over eating too many calories or eating the wrong things or eating between meals or after a certain time at night, etc etc etc. For many years when my band was working, I felt like I just ate like a "normal" person. It was so incredibly liberating. If I felt like eating a burger i ate a burger. If i felt like eating a salad i ate a salad. I just ate when I was hungry and didn't have to think about it alllll the time. I want to go back to occasionally getting on the scale out of curiosity, rather than getting on it every morning and feeling desperate and ashamed. I do think that in addition to the lack of restriction, that menopause and hormonal changes are working against me now, at age 51. I haven't changed a thing about my exercise routine. I still workout every morning, 5-7 days per week, doing a combo of weight lifting and HIIT. But nonetheless i've just steadily put on weight, year over year. So, to bring this to a question of some sort...I guess I'd like to know if any of you long-time DS'ers feel like you eat "like normal people" now? And don't have to think about it so much? Or must you be extremely focused on what you eat bc of the ill effects the malabsorption causes? It is sort of confusing that my doctor tells me that if I eat high fat foods after this surgery I'll be rewarded with many urgent trips to the bathroom, and that if i eat carbs I'll experience terrible and potently malodorous gas. But many posts I've read have said something along the lines of "fat is your friend after the DS". I understand that Your Mileage May Vary, and every person is different. And my other question is whether I'm crazy, with a BMI of 37, to consider such a "drastic" procedure? My insurance has already approved me, for what it's worth. Thanks in advance for all of your thoughts!

Well, I had my day 1 of my journey on Sunday 4/17. At that point I weighed 278 pounds. I’ve had quite a few doctor visits lately so I’ve been weighed more frequently and I’m gaining. 4/21/22 279.4 4/23/22 279.2 4/24 (today) 282.2 I’ve been eating a little better and trying to move more so this is very frustrating. A weight I have always feared is being 300 or more and it looks like I’m rapidly getting there.

So great to hear that you are one the other side of week 1! Keep moving and sipping! Your weight loss is amazing! I hope you feel the difference in your body. For every pound we lose it is like 5 pounds for our joints! You are a Rock Star keeping the kids away from fast foods! It just sets them up for health problems as they get older. I found a couple cool Bariatric cookbooks on Amazon. 1 was a 5 ingredient, the other was a regular bariatric cookbook. There is also a bari air fryer. I am approaching week 3 so still on purée but looking forward to getting back in the kitchen for my hubby. He will just enjoy different portions. Be Well! T

Hello everyone. I apologize for the late follow up. Surgery was successfull.. I weighted in a 397 before surgery. I was 450lbs at the beginning of this journey, on March of 2021. The first week was a bit difficult, buy I found ways to make my transition manageable. I cook many meals for my family, no fast food for the kids. I have been watching international cooking shows (food porn), which helped out a lot. Today I weighed in at 383, just 8days after surgery. I feel good. The pain I my abdomen, from the incisions, are less painful. I am looking forward to working out and playing basketball with my son, niece and nephews. Thank you all for the support, encouragement and advice.

So glad you are doing well! Congratulations on the amazing weight loss! ♥️

I'm so glad your ok, that is incredibly scary. So glad you are feeling better. Wow, that weight loss is incredible!

Congrats....keep it up. Try to walk around as much as possible, it will speed up your weight loss.

I went into this firmly believing I would be getting the sleeve but after my pre op testing and research I ended up getting the bypass. I discovered my frequent heartburn was actually GERD and a hiatal hernia. My surgeon had no problem with me switching to the bypass even though my BMI was exactly 40 (I am 5'-3" and my highest weight was 236). She did make the comment that I was on the low end of patients she would want to do a bypass on. I did not want my GERD/heartburn to worsen. I had bypass on March 3 and have been taking pepcid twice daily. I think this is for only the first 3-6 months. I have had NO heartburn since surgery. I would get a second opinion.

like the above person said, the average weight loss difference between the two isn't that much, and it IS up to the patient to develop good, lifelong eating habits to prevent gaining the weight back - so I agree with that part. However, there's about a 30% chance of developing reflux with the sleeve (or if you already have it, of it getting worse), whereas the bypass usually improves - if not outright cures - GERD. most of us are put on PPI's (like Prilosec) for the first 3-6 months after surgery, but after that, no. If you continue to have reflux issues after that, then yes - but continuing reflux problems are much more common with sleeve than with bypass. I'd consult with another surgeon. Or if you don't have other options, then insist on bypass. You should be able to get the surgery that you want.

I'd say he is partly right and partly wrong. The right part is that outcomes are not that vastly different between sleeve and bypass. You can have great success with both, and also completely regain weight with both. So, the fact that he's not bought into the higher weight loss with bypass rings true. It's about what you do with the tool. It isn't a magic bullet. The acid reflux thing is just totally wrong, though... If you have GERD or severe reflux the bypass is definitely better. My practice required an endoscopy before doing a sleeve. If I had had it - even silent GERD - she wouldn't have done the surgery. I'd consult with other surgeons if you have options where you live and see what they say. I spoke with 3 different practices when I was considering mine and I learned a lot at all the consults. It really helped me make the right choice (for me) in surgery type and also the surgeon.

Hmmm, that is completely opposite from what I learned from my surgeon and everyone in support groups and forums just by reading and listening to people's stories. I would try to have a consult with another surgeon. I had SEVERE GERD before surgery, so bad I have extensive damage to my esophagus that had to be repaired during surgery. I went into my first apt. with my surgeon with plans of getting sleeve. He explained both surgeries in depth and then explained why the sleeve was not a good choice for me. Mainly was because of the GERD and a high amount of patients end up with some to a ton of acid problems with the sleeve, secondly because I wanted to loose so much weight that the malabsorption would assist in that more so than just the restriction. he asko explained that the hatial hernia repair and the bypass would likely eliminate the GERD if not completely, very likely to get it under control. I was on 2 prescriptions meds and eating tums every day and still, vomiting fireballs half the time. I am 4 weeks post op and I am now only taking a pepcid prescription which everyone takes for a while after surgery to lower the risk of ulcers, but better yet I have had ZERO acid problems. I mean NONE! I know it is still early, but I am starting to get back to a regular diet, even eating some hot sauces from time to time and still no issues. I have high hopes. Honestly, even if I have to take meds I would be completely satisfied as long as they completely controlled it with the meds. This is just my experience and everyones is different. But I truely believe his information is incorrect based on years of research and what I have learned. But I am no professional.

I also have PCOS. I had my son naturally but then had 10 losses before I was diagnosed with PCOS (even though I have all the classic signs and symptoms, not a lot of doctors knew about it). This was back in 2005. I went on birth control for a few months, then had to take Metformin and Clomid to get pregnant with my daughter. I had her in 2006 (my kids are 8 1/2 years apart because of the PCOS) and after I had her, I was never able to get pregnant again. My hormones are all over the place and I CANNOT lose weight and keep it off no matter what I do (I always have initial success but it never lasts). I was told that bariatric surgery is huge in helping PCOS patients get pregnant because weight loss is the #1 thing that helps. It *can* help with hormones, but not always. The weight loss is really the biggest factor for PCOS patients. But that can also make birth control pills (which regulate periods, add estrogen to low estrogen hormones) more effective, as well as fertility meds (Metformin and Clomid, Femara, etc) more effective. Also makes your body healthier for pregnancy (almost no diabetes or high blood pressure issues). So the surgery is definitely huge for helping PCOS patients have a baby. Good luck!!!

My thoughts are that you need a new surgeon. If you have reflux, DO NOT get the sleeve. It will likely make it a lot worse. I was able to choose between bypass and sleeve because my A1c was less than 7 and because I don't have any form of reflux, so I chose the sleeve. My husband has GERD and a higher A1c and was advised that bypass is really his only option. Sometimes those that never had reflux get it with the sleeve and have to revise to a bypass to resolve it. And while the sleeve has less risk, the bypass does give about an extra 10% of weight loss. So definitely find a new surgeon.

Can you consult with anyone else? There are huge differences between the two procedures. I have read several posts on here about folk’s revising the sleeve. If you don’t stick to the guidelines you can just eat less crap and still regain the weight. Tmw my con worker is going from sleeve 8 yr ago to a RNY. The doctor should really be looking at all of your needs and concerns to help you decide what is best for you.

I feel you on the mourning the food addiction all I want is to eat until I’m full it’s crazy how fast you have to come to terms with your addiction. Many times I wish I had never done this but I also recognize that that’s the addiction talking and that I will find more fulfillment in choosing to be healthy. Just have to keep the mindset I know I shouldn’t be weighing myself but I think after all the dieting that never stuck all the working out and the weight I would shed and quickly gain back the fact I’m watching the scale consistently show me I’m dropping weight it’s helping me realize that I made the right choice. I’m dreading the stalling period already but I’m getting better and not checking everyday but I have a smart scale called Fit Track Pro and every time I weigh myself it keeps track of it and I can watch it decrease and it also measure BMI muscle mass water intake and visceral fat of course not as accurate as the doctors office but it’s a very nice tool that I have I’m glad your feeling better if you ever wanna chat lemme know I’m always down for conversation ❤️

I started at 5 feet tall/250 lb, so very close to your stats. It was pain that drove me finally have the surgery. I had a broken down knee that doctors wouldn't replace unless I lost weight. So I had the surgery in 2019, lost 130 pounds and had my knee replacement in 2020! It's a long process, with lots of ups and downs, but my quality of life is SO MUCH BETTER now. I wish I had done it sooner! Don't get discouraged by all the hoops you have to jump through, just take things one step at a time. Best wishes!

I had my first consultation with my Bariatric surgeon today. I said I would prefer a sleeve but that maybe a bypass is better for me because it seems to have a better long term outcome with keeping the weight off. He said that both procedures have the same long term weight loss it’s just up to the patient to eat right. He also said that you cannot stretch out a sleeve. The one that really surprised me was when I said that I have reflux and I don’t want a sleeve to make it worse, we’ll he told me that both can give you reflux and that I’ll just be on Prilosec either until it resolves or forever because it’s perfectly safe. What is everyone’s thoughts on all of this? He did elude to the thought that he only does bypasses on extremely large unhealthy people.

My pain is on the upper right side incision I don’t know if you had the sleeve or not but I have 5 lil incisions kinda all in random spots the upper right where they went through the most stomach muscle is pretty sore but not sore enough that I can lay on my stomach and side if adjust carefully I recommend a pregnancy pillow they are fabulous after weight loss surgery. My liquids and protein intake has upped substantially so I’m really happy about that and I’m losing a bout 1-2 pounds a day so far so I’m pretty pleased my energy is up to I had a busy day today of errands and walking and I’m still pretty good. Wbu??

Three weeks is barely a stall! I know people who stay the same weight for months, then WHOOOSH! lose a few pounds. It is definitely harder to lose weight as you get closer to goal/a healthy weight.