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Yeah, I honestly struggled the most in the beginning of the journey (a bit before my initial consultation) and then extreme struggle right at the end (just weeks before my pre op diet) because of that constant fear that eating was over and done with forever. Yeah...not the case at all but damn does it harbor the food funeral. I honestly wish bariatric centers would offer more emphasis and support in that. I think a lot of people go into it believing surgery means no more enjoying food at all in any capacity...not the case. I had a lot of trouble with overeating a month before my surgery. I was working out like MAD so I didnt gain weight but I wanted to eat everything delicious because I believed that was my last chance. It's literally maybe a month to two months until you can eat relatively normal foods again and it goes by fast. I had my surgery in February and I'm already eating everything again accept bread, raw vegetables and refined sugars. I feel plenty satisfied and enjoy what I eat. One can probably argue all day how to see food post op and how that can benefit your weight loss and weight maintenance but im talking more so about realistic, day to day stuff. For some the all or nothing approach works but for most, it's okay to admit to yourself that you still "enjoy" food while also not letting it take over your life or your weight. I can't stress enough how temporary the extreme dieting is. It's not meant to last. No you can't overeat post op, but you likely won't want to anyway and you can still enjoy a variety foods just like before. When I needed to get back on the horse pre op, it helped to remind myself that it's not a goodbye forever from food, it's a goodbye forever to overeating. Its merely a "see you in a month or two" to solid foods and complex carbs. Lol Sent from my SM-G975U using BariatricPal mobile app

I think "food funerals" are pretty much customary for most people in the weeks before surgery/pre op diet. As long as you have control to get back to where you should be, you'll be fine.

Totally agree with a few of the suggestions in here- broth soups are vital to get some “savory” in as well. Minute miso and V8 were my friends, and I couldn’t find as many broth based soups as I wanted so I got a little hand held strainer and made my own. That hand held strainer was a godsend for post op as well. I just gave it away to a friend who had surgery last week- felt like passing the baton. 😂 Sugar free popsicles helped as well. The “two good” yogurt was good as well. And finally I tried to stay busy after work! Distracted myself with going shopping, home projects, taking kids to the park, etc. anything to avoid sitting around and craving food.

I'm down 47. 2 months out as well. Only lost .3 this week, unfortunately.

It sounds like OP got some help, I found when I was doing my 2 week liquid diet I was having problems due to a sudden drop in salt. It made me feel terrible. I got permission from my team to have V8 and I found out he “minute miso” mix at the grocery store that both helped get some sodium into my diet. I think the takeaway here is that the pre-op diet is crummy, but if you feel legitimately like something is wrong reach out to your team. I appreciated the two week pre-op liquid diet because it kind of prepped me psychologically for the post-op time. I do question the offices that have people on specific brands of shakes, etc. I can understand having restrictions on carbs, calories, sugar, whatever, but if it’s only a specific type of shake sold by the office that seems pretty suspect.

Oh man, my first week back I only worked half-days and thank goodness I did. I needed two hour afternoon naps for the first month or so post surgery. I'm not sure if you are working from home or going into an office - I was exhausted commuting from my bedroom to my home office across the hallway. If I'd had to go into an office and all that entailed, I would have made it 2 hours before crawling into a corner to sleep the rest of the day away. It gets better, and once it does start to improve I found the improvement to be exponential.

I had sleeve surgery 6 days ago. I sleep on my side with my bed slightly elevated. I haven’t had any GERD issues. I had severe GERD before my surgery for about six years. My surgeon asked me to continue taking Omeprazole for six weeks after surgery as a precautionary measure to protect my new stomach. I was very concerned when I read all the stories of patients suffering with GERD after surgery, but so far so good. Fingers crossed!

As people who are told by society we lack willpower and self-control (something I don't think is true about obesity, btw), we also tend to doubt ourselves. You know if something is not right, and it seems you have a good angle on that. I guess the way that gives you most peace of mind, and hopefully a more enjoyable last week before surgery, is to somehow finagle a chicken permission from the team at your hospital. Fingers x'ed!

In the 18 months or so that I have been reading this forum, A few people have said they sleep in a lazy boy type chair but not many in the scheme of things. Some for reflux and some for the pain from the surgery and ease of getting up and about. I had to sleep propped up in bed because once I left hospital, it lasted 3 long weeks. I didn't get any anti nausea meds and struggled with acid reflux. It was compounded by the pandemic, lack of doctors in my area and Christmas/ new year. Once I had the meds in me things settled quickly and I could sleep lying down which was blissful. Try not to worry about things that may or may not happen to you. Take each day as it comes.

The amount of requirements and perquisite's for insurance to cover can be C R A Z Y no matter what state or insurance company you have. I live and work in IL and I have Healthlink PPO. My insurance had no real perquisites per se other than I had to go to 2 seminars for the program. Now I cannot speak for everyone's journey but my own and this is what I came across. Although my insurance had no real requirements to be met, the Dr I chose sure did!! I started my first workshop on Oct 28, 21. Since I already knew my health insurance had little to know requirements I had it set in my head that the week after Christmas Id be scheduled for surgery WRONG lol. I met a nurse practitioner at my Drs office that was like hitting a brick wall LOL. She is awesome dont get me wrong but she set me straight real quick. Depending on the Dr there are loads of tests and other Drs you have to be cleared by first. I mistakenly thought it was my insurance that required alot of this and I couldnt understand why by Feb I still had not been cleared for surgery. This nurse politely informed me that my insurance is not the one that determines the surgery clearance but the DR, they are however the source of payment so a major point to but in my program I had to show I had no weight gain in 6 months/ April was my 6th month since the start. Once I weighed in and still had no weight gain they then sent for insurance approval and like Future Sleeve Diva above, I had approval very quickly and surgery was scheduled within days of that. It can be a long process for some but it will happen in due time. It can be frustrating to have to wait but it will come and when it does then you may start asking yourself if your ready for it lol. PS....I have not had any out of pocket yet except the initial consultation with the Dr ($35) I believe I had 1 other office visit charge of $35 but so far thats all

Apparently GERD and acid issues are very common with the sleeve surgery. I already have SEVERE GERD so my surgery urged against the sleeve for me and explained why bypass was my better option. I had Bypass 4 weeks ago and have had ZERO acid/GERD issues since. I did have to sleep in a recliner for about a week and a half just because it was more comfortable with the incisions healing. Laying flat like it was pulling at everything too much and was too sore.

Try pro source protein liquid? They gave me some at the hospital to take home but I have never used it, so I don't have an opinion about it. I have trouble hitting my protein goals without 1 shake a day, but I am working on that because I don't really like them and I am tired of them. I am 4 weeks post op, and so far can get to about 50g of protein WITHOUT a shake but can't seem to eat enough to get past that. I basically only eat meats and proteins right now too. Seafood has TONS of protein for very low calories!

I’m actually on day 6 of my two week liquid diet and the mood swings have been insane! I’ll be honest I got very scared in the first 3 days thinking something might be seriously off with me. Extreme fits of rage followed by deep chest aching sorrow. Now on day 6 they’ve calmed down for the most part, or at least I feel them coming and know what’s happening now and can divert that energy to not escalate any further. I’m doing my best to stay focused on the bigger picture, but boy it’s hard.

Its my understanding its due the the BMI, the higher it is the more likely the 2 weeks liquid diet is required. I have a high BMI and I have to have all liquids for 2 weeks. I have seen some on here with higher BMI than me or the same and they are allowed a low calorie, low carb, lean protein meal. No such luck for me. Ultimately its down to what the surgeon doing the surgery wants. I too find alot of varying directives on this.... 🤔

I have just had candy cane revision. When did you have the original surgery? Have you had a gastroscopy? They can't just guess this! Mine was in 2000, and I had alot of vomiting post op for years. I have had some regain in the last five years and what I thought was reflux. Turns out after a gastroscopy they found candy cane which explained the years of vomiting! Anyhoooo, decided to have the RNY revision and when he got in there found I had a fisutla around 10mm which was allowing food into the remnant stomach and some of the limb lengths were incorrect. I ended up having to have it fully open as there was alot of scar tissue and when he got in there found that large parts of my intestines were twisted! So not the keyhole surgery I had expected, and a longer recovery but all is good now. I had the operation o the 10th February 2022, and I am almost 10 weeks post op I have lost 35lbs which I am very happy with. I dont have as much to loose as the first operation, but it feels just like it did all those years ago, and the hunger is gone.

I just finished my 3rd week after revision from LapBand to Gastric Bypass! I had mine done at the same time, tho. Like previous reply, this has seriously been the best decision. The band was torture, frequent vomiting even with NO fill, my band had slipped and the frequent vomiting maybe led to a hiatal hernia. And I regained every last pound of the 60# I lost with it. The bypass has been great, I started soft foods last week and so far so good. I've lost 25.4#!! All the best to you!

Yes!!! Getting there it’s been a long process but seems real now. 2 weeks to go!

Hello. I notice you eat TONS of salads. I LOVE SALAD!! I am only 4 weeks post-op do can't have it yet but excited for when I can. I have a question though, how do you meet protein goals with so much salad in your diet?

Woohoo...you are now that much closer to your surgery date. Good luck for the coming week or two!

So sorry to hear about your father's passing. When my dad passed away about three years ago, it was expected, but still had a profound effect on me. So be gracious and forgiving with yourself in the coming days and weeks.

I'd contact your clinic and let them know what's going on - maybe they'll make some modifications in your diet. I had the same thing - all liquids for two weeks - so I know it's tough - but your reaction to it sounds pretty extreme. I'd call.

Yeah, I wouldn't have been able to, but I also had a hiatal hernia repair, so my post-op pain was pretty bad and lasted a good two weeks. You might be fine though - it's definitely a case-by-case thing. I flew interstate a week after my gallbladder removal (not as intense a surgery admittedly) and the turbulence and landing was a bit unpleasant, but it was doable.

Hi. I need a safe place to post my feelings and I thought of posting here. I hope I can be as raw as I need to be without getting criticized or judged. I'm on day 6 of the all liquid diet. I'm not doing well emotionally of physically. My mood prior to the all liquid diet was me always happy, active, healthy and on top of my game in all senses. Prior to the all liquid diet, I was working out and eating right and losing weight to the point that the surgeon's team told me I could stop eating right and stop working out because I had showed them I'm fully capable of following the plan and succeeding on it. I didn't listen to them telling me to stop because I was feeling great on my new routine and seeing results, so why would I stop eating right and working out? Now that I'm on the all liquid diet, I get sudden bursts of extreme anger, extreme sadness and I feel depressed. I feel like I'm hurting myself so much. I've had six days of extreme diarrhea. I feel sick. I don't think this all liquid diet is normal or healthy. It's actually making me feel like this is not worth it. And, again -- that is not like my normal self. My normal self is the complete opposite of how I feel and sound right now. I feel like this all liquid diet, because of how harshly and badly my body is reacting to it and my mood, it's making me not even want to try to drink anything, because we aren't eating anything to begin with. This is complete and utter torture. I don't feel like helping myself, and again that is NOT my normal self. I feel so sad and angry and I just want to throw and break things and cry nonstop. This isn't me though. I'm so displeased with this right now. I absolutely hate this and right now -- to be honest, I hate anything and everything. I'm so triggered. I feel like calling out of work tomorrow and taking a day to just be more miserable and see if I can somehow bring myself back up. But I feel so broken, physically and emotionally. I called a 24/7 nurse hotline and they urged me to go see a medical doctor ASAP. I'm probably getting 300ish calories in a day. I feel like someone pushed me, and I don't even want to pick myself back up. Realistically, I know some patients are put on a full liquid diet for 2-3 weeks. I know others are put on an all liquid diet just ONE DAY prior to their surgery. I know others are allowed one solid meal a day. My head is fighting the facts with reasons. I've followed the diet to a T 100%. But I absolutely hate everything right now. And no, it's not a carb or sugar crash. I wasn't eating carbs or sugars prior to the all liquid diet. I've been extremely healthy for the past 2 months...I'm just shocked at how differently, in a very bad way, I feel right now. I just feel...sick.

I would not have been able to do that especially if I was by myself. Most of my pain after abdominal surgery is the pain in the left shoulder from the gas used to inflate your stomach. Mine is always almost unbearable for 3 weeks after any surgery. But every one is different so no one here really has the answer for you, we can just share our own experience with you.

Xylitol is a natural Sweetener and many Keto folks use it as stage substitute. But for some, it acts like a laxative and not tolerable. I am one such person. A spoon of xylitol is all is takes for my inside to start running. I was super constipated and my daily docusate didn't help. I tried miralax but it ended up giving me cramps and felt not so good. So decided to try xylitol and bam it did the trick. I keep using fiber supplement, do eat veggies/fruits (mostly pineapple) but milk/yogurt/cheese high protein diet does it for me and I continue getting constipated. I don't know what else I can do to have normal bowel movements since I do all I can along with walking most of the days 🤷🏻‍♀️ Any other means of solving this issue? Have you tried xylitol? I am sure daily use of xylitol isn't advisable but may be once a week use may be fine to get you the needed relief? May ask my nutritionist on my next appt but that's more than month away.