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Hello, my name is Sarah and I completed all the steps that are required to get bariatric surgery(psych evaluation, classes, nutritionists) and my surgery is scheduled for March 12, 2018. One problem... I’m having some major second thoughts and fears... I’ve been overweight my whole life and have been 300+pounds my whole adult life. As of right now my family is against it but they don’t know how it feels to feel trapped in this body. I think the overall fear I’m having is just going under the knife that’s my biggest fear. As of right now I’ve been hitting the gym 5 to 6 nights a week since January of this year and lost 15 pounds but I’ve tried pretty much every diet out there with no significant results. My doctor who is doing the surgery said I have a possible 2% chance of losing weight the conventional way and keeping it off. My insurance is good but a possible career change very soon may mean this is my only chance to do this surgery. I just need advice I’m just scared about surgery....

I had surgery 2/28 so I'm 5 days out. I was hungry leaving the hospital and have been hungry since! LOL I not only have the hunger pain, but I sometimes have pain on my right side after I swallow anything. In the beginning it was excruciating, but it has lessened. I am able to hold down everything I'm allowed: water, sf popsicles, broth, yogurt, thin cream soups, sf pudding, and my protein shakes. The first two days home I had trouble reaching my water goals for SURE. I only got in about 16 to 20 oz. But by day 3, I finally hit 32 oz. Today, I hit 40 oz. So I'm definitely making progress. I'm getting all my protein from the protein shakes (with skim milk), Premier Protein Clear and yogurt which probably puts me right about 65-70 grams of protein a day. I'm relying on the shakes for my vitamins as well. NUT said to begin vitamin supplements on 3/7. I'm looking into getting some of the vitamin patches here on Bariatric Pal because it'd be one less thing to think about putting in my mouth! Today was my first day back at work and I was a little weak but I have a desk job. I wonder if the weakness is from a drastic calorie drop. I'm probably getting about 300 to 500 calories a day. (I also use Propel with electrolytes for my water goals, so I'm hoping my body appreciates that too.) I've been sleeping on my back which sucks because I'm a side sleeper but I don't want to mess my incisions up. They are a tad sore, but I have to really twist or hit a bump in the road to feel pain. They look good so far. I'm hoping the glue doesn't wear off too soon because I feel like I need the reinforcement for a good while! My one week post op is Thursday and hopefully I get a thumbs up from my doc. Oh, and I'm down 7 pounds since the surgery.

I probably will buy some from the Bariatric Pal store, prices seem good and they have a wide variety of items. I am allergic to chocolate and a lot of the bars etc at Wally World are chocolate containing. I'd like something like lemon, orange or strawberry bars. Or even a mixed berry, funny but candy or even artificial candy has,lost its appeal. Maybe since i've been paying more attention to nutrition I've gotten smarter? Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

This post is actually for my daughter. She had a gastric bypass on December 18, 2017 and has done very well losing weight. However, for the past couple of weeks she has had extreme dry heaves in the morning when she first gets up and sometimes at night. They are so severe that it causes radiating pain from her back, up into the back of her neck, Into her hairline and no amount of medication has been able to completely stop her pain. She thought it was from drainage due to a cold, because she is not throwing up any food, just a little mucus. I am so worried ...but cannot convince her to contact her bariatric surgeon. Has anyone else had a similar situation? I had a lap band done 20 years ago so I’m familiar with a lot of what she’s going through, but I’ve never had this happen to me. I know for a fact that she’s not meeting her protein goals, but I think she probably is drinking plenty of water throughout the day. She is down over 50 pounds in two months, mostly because she is scared to eat very much. She had migraines prior to her surgery, but they were under control with a daith piercing. She has also complained of numbness in her thighs and across the front of her stomach. I think this stems from some nerves that might be pinched because of the vomiting/dry heaving, but I’m a mom- not a doctor. 😐 Any advice or suggestions on how to stop this vicious cycle?

Do you have diabetes or GERD? Those 2 conditions your doctor will suggest a RnY, in the long run you'll lose a tad more with RnY(which is another name for gastric bypass). I think on Bariatric Pal there are a few more sleevers than bypasses but it's like 53% to 47% by my guess so really pretty even, I could tell you my reasons for RnY but it truly is a decision for you and your doctor to make. Sometimes it relies on your age as well as other conditions. He/She will know more of your physical condition and other factors than I do. I'll make you a promise, I'll tell you what made my decision but let's let some other people weigh in, then if you want still to hear, I'll tell you, okay? At any rate welcome and we're here to answer any other questions you may have. Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

Hey Johanna, I understand your struggle 100 percent but here is what I think you should do. you have done a huuuuge step even though you might not notice it, * you actually realized that you have a problem with obesity and you want to change* try not to put so much pressure on your self because you might end up getting very frustrated and end up consoling your self with more food. I think you should look for a good surgeon and go to a seminar and see if you really want surgery. The way I saw the 6-month weigh-in was a tool to mentally prepare me for my new life. During these six months, you should start making changes in your eating habits and your lifestyle in general. The time will go by extremely fast. You have this forum along with your bariatric team for support. You are not alone.

Perhaps you can go back to the surgeon who did the exploratory (is he Kaiser, too?) and see if he has any pull, Were you satisfied with his work and would you want to go back to him? Unfortunately, this is often how Kaiser is - they do things their own way. In CA, the Dept. of Managed Healthcare is the regulating agency and is who one appeals to when one has exhausted the appeals process within the healthcare company, though I'm not sure if they will do anything yet (they aren't refusing you care, just what you want...) That said, people who want or need the DS instead of an RNY or VSG have to go through the DMH to force Kaiser to provide it from an outside surgeon since they don't do it in house, so it is worth touching base with them to see what your options are from their side. As for "going after" the original surgeon, after this much time it would be hard to determine if there was anything wrong or defective with the original surgery vs. the way something evolved in your body. It might be worth going out of network and paying out of pocket (if you can) to see an outside bariatric surgeon for a second opinion, and use that (assuming it goes your way) as part of filing an appeal through DMH. Longer term, given your history, both physically and with Kaiser, it may be worth exploring switching to another health plan like a PPO that gives you more flexibility in choosing specialists - it's these tight restraints that Kaiser imposes that keeps their rates lower. Good luck...

Hi everyone! I wanted to take a time out here and share about my weight loss journey, as I close in on my goal weight it's a good time to reflect, look at what worked and what isn't work and set myself to accomplish what I am out to accomplish. I had gastric sleeve in Mexico on 5/26, and started a 10 day liquid diet before. I was self-pay, my insurance doesn't cover bariatric surgery. I coordinated with my PCP (who wasn't thrilled, but once she got I was going to do it, we did all the preliminary lab work in advance so there would be no surprises.) The surgery was straightforward and seamless and besides not liking the hotels included in the package (I went to Cancun), everything else was great (the surgeon, nurses and other staff). I had prepared myself for what there was to deal with and took a week off work afterwards which was more than enough time. Before my liquid diet I weighed 335 which was my highest ever weight. I am 50 and 5'8", so clocked in with a BMI over 50. I had not developed hypertension or sleep apnea, but my A1C was 7.0 and had just started metformin. I hadn't dieted in years - while in the past I found it pretty easy to lose weight, at some point I would fail and more weight would come on so I had concluded that I would stop dieting and just deal with being fat for the rest of my life. I started to consider WLS about 3 years ago, but I was so scared to confront this issue again, I just avoided doing any planning, acting or organizing to move this forward. It was last year (feb 2017) that my A1C was up to 7 and that's when I decided to act. I had known that VSG patients were almost immediately cured of diabetes that's when I started to act. After surgery, I dropped weight quickly and easily and still am. Not including the 1st month (a huge loss), I have averaged 2.5 lbs per week. There are a couple of things that made a difference for me. 1. Keeping the protein first rule and learning which foods are sliders and which foods are triggers. 2. After I was down to 290 I started an exercise regimen. I used to play sports and work out and knew that I could build muscle quickly and easily which would support my weight loss. I did HIT and strength training and am now doing low impact conditioning and strength training (injured my knee last month). 3. I weigh and tweak, weigh and tweak, weigh and tweak. Right now I am eating a high fat, moderate protein, low carb diet. I average about 1000 cals/day. Every 4-6 days I do a major calorie/carb spike. I am now experimenting with single day fasts. However, high fat/moderate protein seems to be the best combination. I do the carb spike if I go 4 days without losing weight. I made all this up, it's strictly a function of weighing and tweaking. I don't know if there's any science (except the studies that validate that the most successful weight loss people are the ones who stick with it and find what works for them.) Until I am in maintenance I will continue to weigh and tweak and if any approaches stop working, I will stop using them. 4. Paying attention to building lean muscle - improvements in strength, flexibility and endurance were as important as drops on the scale. I hired a trainer who runs a small boutique fitness gym 2 doors from me - I selected it because I figured I couldn't have any excuse not to go given I didn't have to walk far, take the subway or deal with transit. I got lucky - he is amazing, unbelievably educated and started training me right where I was and its unbelievable the changes in 4 months of work. He said he couldn't promise weight loss - that was up to me - but he could promise strength, endurance, balance and flexibility - all of which he delivered. 5. I am planning for maintenance - I am a very target-oriented person. Given me a target, a goal or an outcome and once I set my sights on it I am pretty unf****kable with it. I am looking at different goals and outcomes to create for myself. 6. I am surprised at how necessary exercise has become for me. Even when I played sports, I hated all the training that came with it - I just wanted to play and compete. To some extent, I think I am competing with myself, but this is a journey and I am excited about what my body can become and accomplish. For the first time in almost 30 years I am under 200 lbs. I have lost 85% of my excess body weight in 10 months. I am grateful for surgery, genetics, and also the people on this board - whom I have learned a lot from. What is next? I am still experimenting and am educating myself on fasting. I am doing weekly 1 day fasts just to get in the world of what that's like and will plan for a 3-5 day fast at some point in the future. If I get my knee straightened out I would like to hike up a mountain. This summer I would like to sail and bike the west side of NY along the Hudson River. I would like to lose these last 30 or so lbs my birthday in June (which is unlikely, but I like targets!) Thank you for these boards, your participation and every journey here, it has made a difference.

I had rny in 2004 in MN and lost 167 pounds. In 2009 I started having pain and went back to my bariatric dr who did no tests but said I probably had ulcers and put me on meds. Several months passed with no relief but dr said keep taking meds, no tests. I went to my primary dr who sent me for an upper endoscopy. They found no ulcers and said I was fine but I was still in pain. He gave me pain meds but no followup tests or suggestions for correcting the issue. Long story short 3 years go by in constant pain and 3 doctors later I decided if I didn't leave MN I would die. I moved it CA and started the whole process again only to be told nothing showed on any tests so they sent me to a general surgeon for exploratory surgery. At this point I had zero quality of life, I lived in extreme pain and no medication helped. I knew my days were numbers. The surgeon asked me when I wanted to do the surgery and I said TODAY. He laughed and said he had a cancellation that day or he could do it in 2 weeks. I said I won't live 2 more weeks. He did the surgery that day and afterward he told me I wouldn't have lived 2 more weeks. I had strictures that had closed off the release of acid from my disconnected stomach and it was ready to burst and I also had a strangulated hernia. 2 years later I was back in surgery for the same issues. My primary Dr with Kaiser refused to refer me to a bariatric doctor. He said Kaiser doesn't do that. The Pain is now back with a vengeance. I requested a new primary and asked him to refer me to a bariatric doctor. Now I'm getting the run around and am wondering if anyone else has had issues with Kaiser in SoCal no allowing rny patients to be seen my a bariatric doctor. I'm 99% sure I will need surgery again and I would rather have this handled by a bariatric doctor. Why do I have to see a PA to get a referral to bariatrics when I've proven the need with my past history? Is there anyone I can contact to get help?

Hi everyone! I’m starting my weight loss journey to get VSG. I am on month 2 of my 6 month weight monitoring. My insurance is UHC and requires it. I asked my Bariatric registered nurse if I needed a “doctor aka licensed physician” to sign off on my 6 month and she said my nurse practitioner is fine. I just don’t want to go through these 6 months and then have to start over. Did anyone else use a nurse practitioner and get approved? Any advice will help. Thanks in advance.

Just weigh/measure food and don't go above 4oz for protein at a serving, stop snacking/grazing. The pouch reset is a mind game, you cannot physically 'reset' a pouch, if it is truly stretched only surgery will fix that and the only way to know is to have your bariatric surgeon do a barium swallow test. You know what to eat and what to do to follow the original guidelines.

Try this, @kharvard15 ... Complete Five-Day Bariatric Reset Diet The Five-Day Pouch Reset is a "reset" diet for people who have had gastric bypass surgery and might be starting to regain weight. Step 1 Drink only liquids for the first two days of the five-day diet. You'll need to drink at least two litres of water in addition to low-carb protein shakes. You can drink as many shakes as you want; the point of the first 48 hours is to take a break from your eating habits. By getting all of the nutritional needs from liquids, you'll be forced to pay attention to how often you were eating, snacking or simply grazing. Remember: The goal during this phase isn't weight loss, but mentally re-setting your habits. You can't make your pouch smaller through changes in diet, but you can learn portion control. Step 2 Eat only protein the next three days. On day three, you'll eat "soft protein" such as eggs and cottage cheese. On day four, you'll eat "ground meats" -- such as meatloaf and hamburger. On day five, you'll eat "solid proteins" such as chicken breast or a piece of fish. Limit condiments, such as salsa or mayonnaise. Foods should be as dry as possible -- which will help you gauge how full you are. You're allowed to eat as much as you'd like and as often as you like, but you must stop eating 15 minutes after you start. Do not sit and eat for longer than 15 minutes at any point during the final stage of the diet. Step 3 Do not drink any liquids 30 minutes before eating or with your meals. Liquids can help push foods more quickly through your pouch, allowing you to eat more than you should. Many facets of the five-day bariatric pouch reset diet are similar to the post-op diet followed right after surgery. Tips Plan ahead because the diet restricts the types of food you can eat. Make sure you have the foods you need on hand. The goal of this diet is to make you conscious of your food choices and stop mindless eating. Warnings According to the National Institutes of Health, "bypass surgery alone is not a solution to losing weight. It can train you to eat less, but you still have to do much of the work. You will need to follow the exercise and eating guidelines that your doctor and dietitian gave you."

I use bariatric advantage protein shake mix from my surgeon office. It comes in a 3.3 pound bag Sent from my SM-J727U using BariatricPal mobile app

And you both inspire me, lI have arthritis and have since 25. 2 knee replacements and I'm a very,painful 72. I'm still struggling to get my surgery, I am hoping to get accepted into another bariatric program, I have a seminar March,9th and one booked also for March 10th. If #1 does pan out I'll cancel,my reservation at #2. I'm actually hopeful of #1, probably should have gone there instead of where i did. I vow to win my surgery, I won't let my bad experience stop me. I don't have to meet a minimum like you girls I have a BMI of 47 with 2-3 comorbidities.But I want to have both of you as friends Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

Numinousvessel I was worried about you, not all those other people. My road to my RnY has turned complicated also but I want to be here for you just as a friend. I can tell you my problems at another time, suffice it to say I got kicked to the curb by my bariatric program after completely doing all requirements. Now I must enroll in another program if They will accept me. So we have a commonality there. I will listen if you want to talk more. Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

I'm not trying to be unkind, but why in the world would you drink sugary juice (I am assuming from the tone of your post that this is what you meant by juice) and eat potato chips when you have had not one but TWO weight loss surgeries? At some point, you have to muster the grit and perseverance you need to be successful and rise to the occasion. Otherwise, all of this trauma to your body will be for nothing. Are you working with a therapist who specializes in bariatric patients? It would probably be helpful. You HAVE to change your relationship with food and embrace the kind of eating that will make you successful (protein rich). I wish you the best, but only you can make this happen. As you know, the surgery will not do it on its own...

Hi everyone! I finally have my surgery date set for April 4th! I set everything up with the surgery coordinator at my surgeons office and then asked what I should start eating and she said “ ask your nutritionist.” I was pretty shocked by this. I was expecting a packet maybe, with a specific plan but nope nothing. She was kinda rude about me not choosing a nutritionist at the same hospital. Anyways my nutritionist has really been more of a therapist and hasn’t had experience with bariatric surgery patients. Does anyone still have their pre op diet plans that they could text/ email me a picture of? I’m struggling to find info on the internet and I want a good plan to follow. also anyone here struggle with low sugar drops while trying to eliminate carbs/ sugar? This week I’ve tried to reduce sugar and carbs and feel a little dizzy, shaky in the afternoon so I end up eating something sugary to take the shaking away. Any advice?

I am seeing a bariatric surgeon in my town tomorrow. He usually does not take on patients with bipolar disorder and I am hoping he will make an exception as I have met with him previously about my gallbladder. If it is a no, I have set up another appointment with my original surgeon but it isn't until April 18 and I would get a surgery date then. I also tried to get on with another office that does open surgery that is 4 hours away and after the surgeons had a meeting and reviewed my files, they decided that they would decline me bases on my surgeon's report from the day of surgery. I am not sure if it is caused by my autoimmune stuff, but I think it is chronic inflammation that has caused these adhesions. It has made my head and heart hurt too much to be on here or Instagram because everyone is moving and growing and changing. And here I am, stuck in limbo and on pause. I just sent this to biddynz. Also, why are you talking about something that is not related to my OP ? There are multiple forums and boards that could answer your question rather than this post about an aborted surgery and adhesions. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using BariatricPal mobile app

Q: Can I drink alcohol after surgery? A: Alcohol is not recommended after bariatric surgery. Alcohol contains calories but minimal nutrition and will work against your weight loss goal. For example, wine contains twice the calories per ounce that regular soda does. The absorption of alcohol changes with gastric bypass and gastric sleeve because an enzyme in the stomach which usually begins to digest alcohol is absent or greatly reduced. Alcohol may also be absorbed more quickly into the body after gastric bypass or gastric sleeve. The absorbed alcohol will be more potent, and studies have demonstrated that obesity surgery patients reach a higher alcohol level and maintain the higher levels for a longer period than others. In some patients, alcohol use can increase and lead to alcohol dependence. For all of these reasons, it is recommended to avoid alcohol after bariatric surgery. (American College of Surgeons, 2011) Think of alcohol as being in the same catagory as soda. It does you no good and it has the potential to cause problems. If you think having soda every so often is ok..... having alcohol every so often is ok, too. It's the same thing. If you wouldn't do one...don't do the other.

Hi there-it’s normal to be afraid, it is a major surgery and a permanent change. Might be strange if you weren’t afraid. I went through fear fits right up to getting on the operation table. I dealt with my fear through research as I’m a sciencey kinda gal, but maybe some of these links and facts will help. fact: for many obese people like you and I, the stats show that we’re highly likely to fail keeping weight off ( if we can lose it at all) without surgery fact: bariatric surgery is the most successful method of weight reduction in our arsenal today Fact: while there are risks of complications, laporoscopic bariatric surgery is as safe or safer than many other common surgeries like joint replacements or gallbladder removal fact: doctors don’t completely understand all the mechanisms but bariatric surgery (aside from the band) can help your body reset to a healthier weight and does not typically reduce your basal metabolic rate as much as if you lost the weight through dieting alone. This is partly due to how it affects your hunger hormones. Keeping your bmr up is an important part of succeeding at weight loss. Fact: while it may feel barbaric, you and I live at a time where surgery is the best option giving the food-rich environment we’re exposed to constantly, an environment that our bodies did not evolve to deal with. Maybe in 20 years they’ll have less invasive fixes but we need to live our lives now. Fact: you’re worth it. Hopefully you have a bariatric team behind you reinforcing this. Your team has helped many people through this process and unless they’re all masochists they do it because the see the positive impacts on people’s lives. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/27/health/bariatric-surgery.html http://www.obesityhelp.com/articles/surgery-is-not-the-easy-way-out-a-bariatric-surgeons-perspective I suspect it also helps to be realistic about the tool. As my nurse put it, I am unlikely to reach a so-called normal BMI (according to the stats) but I will be a healthier weight and much healthier person. Best of luck, Diane

Prior to surgery I had Idiopathic hyperhidrosis, or excessive sweating for several years. Shortly after surgery this condition went away. I am now 5 years post-op and that condition is no longer a problem. This weblink list 10 causes of night sweats. http://www.activebeat.co/your-health/10-common-medical-causes-of-night-sweats/ #4 and #10 look interesting. Do you have other symptoms that pair with these conditions. Many people develop a condition called reactive hypoglycemia after bariatric surgery.

My surgery date is 3/16 so I am on day 4 of the pre-op program. I have fought through the first few days, but I am extremely emotional today and feel so hungry. I hear this is the hardest and then it gets easier. My family is extremely supportive, but they don't understand what I am going through. I am hoping someone can give me advice or tips on how to get through these harder days. Thank you!

I just had my bariatric bypass on 2/26/18... I stayed overnight at the hospital... I’m doing well except for the pain where one of my cuts is... When I’m sleeping and take my pain beds I sleep... But when I wake up the pain is almost unbearable. Just took my pain pill now. Take an hour half to work. I know part of it is gas. Has anyone had the same experience....Help!!!

Leslie.( And all the rest of you.) good to hear from you again. What I want to share I hope doesn't cause any offense. I joke that I live in Bible Belt North, a fair amount of gospel music moved in from farther south, think,Kentucky and Tennessee. There's a song keeps running through my head: Wouldn't take nothing for my journey now Gonna make it to Heaven somehow The Devil, grabs ahold and tries to turn me around We all have our devils, our self-doubts, many of us even say "oh I can do this on my own" well it just doesn't work, I've tried every diet known to man, up to and including starvation. What weight I have lost was rubber, it bounced right back on and sometimes it brought friends. Don't waver in your resolve, surgery is your hope and future tool, trust you are doing the best thing for future health, an inceasing lifespan and the fitness to walk proud and strong. Some of us, moi,included, are one step away from spending life and traveling through the rest,of our days in a wheelchair because our legs gave up, they said(in Spanish) No Mas! I ain't a -doing that no more. You weigh less than I do but I'm 4 inches taller and 80 lbs heavier. Oh,i'm not proud of it and I'll have quite a road to make it down to the size 15/16 I do dream of. My surgeon says a normal BMI weight,would be 144 to148 lbs, I will never be there short of cutting my esophagus in two or severe chemotherapy. My dream weight would be 175 but I'd even accept up to 190-195, that's the size I was when I visited BC in 1967, I was not petite but dang I was muscular and fine then. Doubts? We all go through them, I myself am in limbo or maybe its purgatory? I finished all my prerequirements, thought I was done, I had jumped through every known hoop, was waiting on a surgery date,& received a call from surgeon's office. The 3 bariatric doctors in the practice had a commitee meeting and decided not to perform my surgery. Their excuse(mind you I don't believe this) I wasn't emotional stable or had a lack of something mentally. Bovine excrement, I asked for more clarification, she said Dearie(oh I loathe people calling me Dearie) I don't know if I can explain. When I saw the psychologist in my adult son's presence I was told I had passed all questions with perfect answers and she would forward her notes to the practice. What happened? So I will apply to another bariatric facility, I have 1 seminar Friday March 9th, another March 10th. I will have my records released to whichever one and go on from there. I've screamed my screams, cried my cries, now I'm picking myself up and progressing onward. Why don't I give up? Because not having surgery, continuing on with this fat tired and aching body is a step by step path to my death, I fear surgery less than the vision I see. So doubts, I'm the chairman and CEO of that club, and I must have missed my election but I'm stuck with the job. If you want to talk more, I'm always here to listen. Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

Hey so I posted before just after my op on 28 February. I’m 4 days post op and 4kg lighter (8.8 lbs) already. It’s so tough guys. Really. I’m happy I’m doing it and no regrets but psych yourself up for a difficult first few days. And don’t worry because I’m a wuss so if I can get through this recovery you damn well can too!! Plus in the USA you have heaps of interesting protein options and bariatric food options for recovery that we don’t have here in Australia. I have another suggestion, once you’re able to start tracking your fluid intake so you know what you’re getting. I’ve got my favourite plastic Disney cups that have seen better days and marked ml on them with a sharpie, just 50ml and 100ml. Then I can note down in my (Disney) notebook for each date: time / fluid type/ fluid volume and also medications. It’s important to have a sense of how much fluid you’re managing to get overall. I’m borderline getting 1l a day so I can’t afford to go below that. Tracking helps.