Search the Community

Definitely do it! At 71, 100lbs overweight, in pain constantly, both knees destroyed by arthritis, peripheral neuropathy in both feet with hot burning pins and needles when standing and walking, back pain. My journey started in orthopedics with knees, steroid injections, worked well most of the time, but didn't stop the occasional fall [3 to 4 times a year]. I knew sooner or later something would break. I would have had knee replacement sooner except for covid & elective surgeries were cancelled for two years [socialized medicine ***]. No weight gain, but developed hypertension. Researched weight loss thru ***, and because I had obstructive sleep apnea, I would qualify, and found this bariatric surgery should be first before the knees. I researched, attended classes, youtube videos, surgeons, after care, supplements etc. I wanted the Roux-N-Y but at my age surgeon said no, VSG. The surgeon recommended to me, is EXTREMELY strict and no BS kind of guy, he canceled my first surgery date because he didn't like something I did, so I really buckled down to his protocol. I knew I would have nausea and vomiting from anesthesia so I told EVERYONE, to give me whatever so this didn't happen. Well...it happened, no medication, and postop recovery the uncontrollable violent projectile dry heaves started, nurse good, gave IV Zofran, the IV Reglan and within a few minutes it stopped, but it was bad. I went home the next day. I had all my foods for week two, supplements etc. I am keeping up with supplements and fluids but not hungry. Dr said eat 1/4 cup every 2-3 hours otherwise your body will try to hold on to everything and the metabolism shifts. I'm going to add the vitamin patches from Bariatric Pal to my daily regimen of chews and capsules, [ I am very fatigued] for a while and see how this works. I use Mira Lax/:axa Clear equivalent in my morning water bottle and use a stool softener at night. Find whatever works for you, the stool softeners alone did not work for me. Trying to find my new normal, I knew it would be a process. I have NO regrets, and would tell anyone considering surgery to 'go for it' and FOLLOW directions strictly. Once I pass the phase of full liquids and get into pureed foods it will be another advancement. During surgery found a hiatal hernia and did the repair. Who Knew?! I didn't, glad it's done. My significant weight loss will help me in recovery for total knee replacement. I'm looking forward to repairing the rest of my body in my older age. Best wishes to you. Surgery May 15.

You have a tough regime. Most of us have 2 weeks of each phase. The liquid phase is the hardest because we naturally want to chew. You are also getting over really tough surgery. Its a hard learning curve and you will be so sore. Your hormones are doing summersaults just now. Its a full on smack in the face. You have to white knuckle the liquid part that your team has set for you. You need to let your stomach heel. It will all pass very quickly. We all got passed it and we got fed up too. I couldn't do puree but I could do strained soups. Just do your best. It would not do any harm to contact your team and ask if you can have a little leeway with your diet. Try hot cold and frozen clear liquids just for a little variation

Hi, So I’m 10 days post op and in liquid diet phase and it’s dreadful. My plan as per my dietician is 4 weeks of clear liquid 4 weeks of puréed phase and 4 weeks of soft foods before real food.I am fed up with my food now and want to have some real food. How do I overcome this?

Paying up front, day of procedure is BS and has messed me up a couple different times. I met my out of pocket for this year and all bills from now thru Dec should be paid 100%. Still getting some in the mail. Grrr BCBS said one of the providers must not of filed correctly because it wasn't showing that I paid over $1000 day of my pre op heart catherization test. Now I have to keep paying to avoid these last bills from becoming past due and possibly going to collection. Then I'll have to wait on a refund for overpaying. It used to be, providers filed with insurance and then I paid the balance for whatever was left, after . When did all this change because I want it back the way it was. From now on I would avoid prepaying anything unless you absolutely have too. OK rant over...

I have some not so nice words for the 3 week stall. It needs to go on. No one has time for its bs! 😂😂😂

Well, you're right. There are people living this way. Their opinion is just not as popular so some of us prefer to rather not comment. If it's possible not to worry about weight in the future? I can only speak for myself and I notice the lingering fear in regards to weight gain in the back of my brain so for me it doesn't seem to be possible but that doesn't mean that there are people who have a more relaxed relationship with this. It's definitely not mandatory. That's BS. I'm saying it again: it's not mandatory. Low carb, high protein is just the trend nowadays. Or keto. Some years ago it was low fat. Times simply have changed and they will most likely change again, bringing on the next dietary trend.

My program allowed carbs after 3 months! Whole grain carbs, healthy carbs, etc. I've learned to love Keto bread products as they're usually low cal, low carb & can be a solid substitute! You 100% don't need to be keto to get them, they're just a really good compromise if you want to go that route. I even make pizza with keto crust (I use Joseph's Brand Pita Bread & Lavash Bread for it) It's good to have around But I've also found that I crave breads less in general. I don't -need- a carb to be apart of every meal anymore bc all that protein keeps me full & satisfied. Maybe that can happen for you too

I’m June 7. Very apprehensive bc I’m 69 years old. Anyone around that age?

It could be just your fussy sensitive tummy. Many of us experience temporary changes to our taste buds &/or sense of smell. For some certain textures upset them. I was so excited when I was able to eat vegetables again but nope my tummy said no to some of my favourites. But it was only temporary. At best it’s just a ‘this is yucky’ reaction. At worst it may cause you to vomit. And yes certain artificial sweeteners (usually the alcohol ones) can cause digestive distress - bloating, vomiting, diarrhoea, etc. I actually had a reverse experience. Before surgery, I often found smoked salmon too rich & strongly flavoured. After surgery I surprisingly could eat it (smear of cream cheese wrapped around a wedge of cucumber - yum). But a few weeks later - nope awful & still avoid it. Give your tummy time to relearn flavours, smells, textures, etc. This is often a great time to try different foods or foods you fed isn’t enjoy in the past. Avoid those foods that upset you fur a couple of weeks & then try again.

I’d always bounced between being a healthy weight & being on the top end of overweight. Then I became perimenopausal, then menopause & I became obese I swear overnight. Couldn’t lose more than a couple of kilos which would come back even more quickly. I battled for a good 4 years. A friend who’d lost a lot of weight told us she’d had the surgery and about three months later I woke one morning & decided enough. Got an appointment with my GP who gave me a referral to a surgeon (the one my friend saw). It was about 5 weeks between the morning I made my decision & my surgery. So very glad I did. I didn’t have any comorbidities though I knew if I continued at that weight I soon would. I was fed up with my large body because it wasn’t who I really was. My energy was compromised & I felt I couldn’t play with my younger nieces & nephews as I wanted. Looking back I realise I also used to work harder & do more at work or home to prove my weight wasn’t limiting me. Another factor was I love fashion, clothing designs & fabrics & my choice was being restricted by my size (about a US14). To me the difference between the surgery & medications is you’ll always have the changes to your digestive system but medications are a temporary artificial change. Of course in the end both depend on your willingness to make permanent changes to how you eat, what you eat & why you eat. If you go back to eating how & what you did before you will regain weight regardless of the surgery (you can eat around your surgery if your determined to) or medications. All the best.

I’m 3 weeks post op RNY and am now beyond the period of post op pain etc, feeling physically good. But the mind work has been on-going. A friend asked me what my final straw was given there are injectables out there etc and I had to think about it. I didn’t have a crushing moment- it was more a collective of discomforts and feelings of being on the outside looking in, always. It was not finding clothes that fit, turning down invites bc I felt uncomfortable in my body, never wanting to eat in public (like strolling with an ice cream) for fear I’d be called out- essentially the meanness that I encountered on a daily basis. The scrutiny by me on myself was far more viscous than anything anyone might throw down but I didn’t like the wall I’d built up to protect me from the world. Did you have a moment or was it a slow unfolding that brought you to going forward with surgery? Thanks for your candor and vulnerability on this one ❤️

Thank you all for the insightful responses. To be clear- I understand more education will be involved. I actually have already looked into a few programs that would provide me the certifications for personal training, nutrition counseling, etc. I am in the US but would happily help folks in other countries as long as schedules could align. I will would also open my doors to all types of folks not just the Bariatric Surgery community (but my passion is geared towards the BS community). Thanks again.

It’s a symptom of ‘mild dumping’ you have experienced I think. I experienced this a lot in the first few weeks and especially as you begin to learn what foods your new tummy likes and what it dislikes rather loudly too. I’d say it’s due to the advocado most likely. Swap to say a very soft poached egg instead. Try adding advocado in a few days to see if it settles better next time. Just because it didn’t quite settle today means your tantrum provoking baby tummy wasn’t quite liking what you fed it but that’s not to say it will not like it in a few days or in a week or a month for example. new tummy means many foods may cause this slight ‘hypo’ feeling even though you may have eaten these foods prior to surgery with no problems. your tummy is new. Brand new like a babies tummy - yet to try food for the first time. Like some babies will vomit, nappy soils a plenty, be colicky or dislike the food - your tummy should be considered like the babies. this feeling you have described is exactly what we all experience. Dumping is like a blood sugar hypo - in bed sweating / cold / shivering / sometimes with loo trips and vomiting and tummy pain but sometimes not. it can last for mere minutes to 5 hours and nearly always zonks you so groggily that you need to sleep. Energy drain and lethargy is instant. This doesn’t mean you’ll have extra sensitivity to dumping either - it’s literally your new tummy telling you it didn’t quite like what you ate. I hope this info and my experience helps you feel reassured. ❤️🥰

Thank you for taking the time to reply to me. I have 10 stone to lose. My surgery weight was 21 stone 9lb and 11 weeks later I weight 20 stone 5lb. So really rubbish weigthloss in 11 weeks, with weeks of no losses. I haven’t lost any weight in the last 4 weeks. I’m just seriously fed up. I understand stalls happen and weightloss is different for everyone. I took the no weightloss for the first 3 weeks and took it on the chin. I then kept reading to trust the process which I have for the previous 4 weeks and still no weightloss. I’m not living my life at all and haven’t been for years as the weight really affects my confidence. I’m not sure I can carry on for the next years to come if this weight doesn’t come off. Seems like it won’t and like my body has just adjusted to the new calories and storing it all. My only hope is fasting at this point. My last hope in all seriousness. I'm really sorry you’re going through a stall at the moment. I will keep my fingers crossed it’s a short term stall for you and you’ll be back losing before you know it. It’s very deflating.

That should say I am on 1 stone and not 2 stone. I do think it could be hormonal for me. I’ve called my GP today and going to request full screening of bloods to see if there is anything. 11 weeks prior to surgery, I wasn’t dieting so I wasn’t gaining or losing. I was eating very unhealthy though with wine and takeaways. Up until the pre op diet and I followed the plan they gave me which was meal replacement shakes for 2 weeks and lost 2lb only. Thing is if I keep waiting for results, I’ll be here in weeks to come and still have no weight loss. I’ve given it 4 weeks and tried increasing calories and nothing it working. Suppose I’m feeling utterly deflated and fed up.

I am so fed up. I am 10 weeks post op. I didn’t lose any weight in the first 3 weeks. Very odd as it was liquid only. Between weeks 4-7 I lost just over a stone. Since week 7, and I am now nearly 11 weeks post op, I haven’t even lost 1lb. I am not drinking calories, I am sticking to the NHS guidelines and my dietician. No slider foods. High protein, low fat and hitting my fluid goals each day. Literally feel like my last draw is gone. I keep reading to trust to the process and I’ve carried on but weeks of no weightloss has no meant that I have started a water only diet, fasting as it seems my body will not lose weight if I put any food in my body. I have never felt so depressed or let down. I could understand if I was eating he wrong things, or eating too much, too little. Wondering if it’s hormonal and that’s the reason I’ve struggled for years with weightloss and gaining Any help would be greatly appreciated.

1. Does that price sound outrageous? Again it’s a good size job and I’m sure it’s more bc of that?? It seems a little high. Definitely get multiple quotes. Find a surgeon who best fits your needs. 2. Is there anything else I can do to reduce this tummy I know the big procedure is the only way to really do it but do these fat loss clinics (must be Lipo? ) clinics work? Nope, nothing will resolve the volume of loose skin most of us have without surgical removal 3. How painful was this? Very manageable for me. A lot of discomfort, very little pain 4. Would you do this in office? I wouldn't hesitate to do it in an office. It's more comfortable to recuperated at home than in a hospital setting. These procedures are regularly done as an outpatient. To answer your question, 100% worth it. Like @ChubRub said, plastics were life changing for me, like WLS was. WLS made me comfortable in clothes, PS made me comfortable in my own skin. I'm one of the Dr. Capella patients that @catwoman7 referenced. He specializes in massive WL patients and is very fairly priced. I love my results. My only caution is, he does better work on low BMI patients, with skin, not fat to remove. I was pulled tight, in a fantastic way!

Yes, yes, yes to being worth it!!! Plastics changed my life! Best thing I did for myself, besides the WLS!!! As for price? Yes, $30K for tummy and breasts is way too much in my opinion! I would recommend joining the Facebook Groups, there's a bunch of them, check out No BS Tummy tucks and Breast Mob. Lots of before and after photos, surgeon info, prices etc. If you are willing to travel, Miami is the place to go for a MMO! I would go private practice though, not one of the clinics, as the clinics tend to overbook, and then change your date at the last minute, which is a problem when you are traveling for surgery. I was initially scheduled at a clinic in Miami (for $11,500), but my preferred surgeon left the clinic, and I didn't want want to go with a different surgeon at that particular clinic. So I ended up switching to a private practice surgeon on the other coast (Ft Myers), and ended up paying $14,000. To me, it was worth the extra $$ for the private practice experience, etc. There are lots of private practice options right in Miami though. You can bring a companion with you, and stay in a hotel, or if you want to travel solo, there are recovery houses available that provide after care until you are ready to fly back home. Or of course, just stay local, but shop around a little bit more until you find the right fit and right price! Best of luck in whatever you decide!!

SHORT ANSWER: (in my opinion) omg yes, totally worth it. its a serious game changer. 1. Does that price sound outrageous? Again it’s a good size job and I’m sure it’s more bc of that?? I've read similar pricing like that on here at times so not totally outrageous...but I am from Canada and it seems prices up here are comparatively lower. I also had my TT supplement with provincial insurance so that helped reduce the cost.  2. Is there anything else I can do to reduce this tummy I know the big procedure is the only way to really do it but do these fat loss clinics (must be Lipo? ) clinics work? If the rest of you is already "small", then probably not. its not possible to "spot-lose" weight without surgery. Lipo adresses fat, it will do nothing for excess skin. 3. How painful was this? Um...really painful. but im a bit of a low-tolerance pain-baby, so.   4. Would you do this in office? I had a choice to get it done in my surgeon's office or in the hospital. But since insurance was covering part of it, the premium to have in hospital was also covered, so it was a no-brainer: hospital. BUT, if i did have to pay, i would probably have done in hospital regardless just for peace of mind. i remember being low-key scared of not waking up after surgery and the idea that there were all these doctors and equipment to revive me made me feel a little better (dramatic, yes, but still!!). plus i could stay overnight with 24hr care.

Great question bc I've been wondering about this too! These answers so far have been helpful

I tell everyone I had surgery bc I’m so proud of myself! Surgery is not easy and being obese is extremely hard. It’s my business and I don’t care what anyone thinks about it.

I lost my weight in 2020. Since then I’ve been struggling with my tummy mostly (I lost 120 and other areas could use a nip tuck). I have a pretty big belly it prevents me from tucking in and wearing a lot of things I would like to wear. I’m 56 years old and petrified of surgeries but especially this one. I know it will be very painful. And also the quote I got at the surgeons office was 15k for tummy and 15k for breast lift. I’m in Boston and this was in office not in hospital. In hospital was an extra 11k. My questions are 1. Does that price sound outrageous? Again it’s a good size job and I’m sure it’s more bc of that?? 2. Is there anything else I can do to reduce this tummy I know the big procedure is the only way to really do it but do these fat loss clinics (must be lipo?) clinics work? 3. How painful was this? 4. Would you do this in office? Thanks so much for your feedback!

You mention that you're struggling financially to buy healthy groceries, so apply for food stamps if you can. With that said, bc your stomach is smaller and you're eating less calories, you can make more expensive nutrient dense foods last longer/more meals. It says you live in CA, so try Food 4 Less, the 99 cent stores, Aldi's and Trader Joe's, they all have good prices. You don't mention your age or height or level of activity or the amount of fluids you're drinking, but here's my experience: I'm 5'4 (female) and 35 years old. I had surgery on 1/11/23. started at 252 and I'm now 211.... 42 lbs down and down 6 inches on my waist. Fluids: at LEAST 32oz + 12oz protein shake, so 44... I try so hard to drink more water but cold & room temp liquids make me super nauseous since the surgery. Activity: Since and including the day after surgery I've strived to walk a MINIMUM of 5,000 steps a day. I live in a tiny apartment, and for the first 3 weeks after surgery I was still able to hit this goal simply by walking back and forth in my small apt for 5-10 minutes every hour. For the past 3-4 weeks, I've made it a priority to go to the gym and do cardio for 30-60 minutes 3-4/week. Some days I don't have time but will still force myself to do at least 10 minutes of incline walking on the treadmill. If you can't afford a gym, go walking, preferably somewhere with hills or stairs. (Walking flat is great but it doesn't get your heart rate up high enough). If you can't find/drive to hills, throw a backpack on and load it up with books (or weights) to add weight to your flat walks. Diet: 800-1300 calories (the 1300 end is if I workout really hard and my body needs to refuel) .. I am LAZY (I like cooking but hate dishes), but also a busy non-traditional college student with lots to do. So simple, quick, easy foods have been essential to my success thus far. I'm still basically eating the same as I was when I was on the soft foods diet but now I eat chicken and beef here and there. My go to food staples are: Cottage cheese 1%, OWYN - elite pro 32g protein shake, Simple Mills Almond flour crackers, soft/hard boiled eggs, small omelet, whole grain toast with avocado on it, refried beans, homemade turkey chili with beans, shrimp, turkey bacon, Sargento reduced fat string cheese (it had the lowest fat compared to the other string cheeses in my store). Example of my day: Every morning I have either 1-2 eggs, or 1/2 cup-1 cup of cottage cheese, then mid-morning/lunch I have the protein shake, then lunch/mid-afternoon I have 2-3 string cheese sticks, then for mid-afternoon/dinner I either have cottage cheese again, or 1 slice toast with tuna or chicken salad (I use either mayo or avocado mashed up), or shrimp and avocado slices, or rotisserie chicken and carrots/brussels/string beans. After dinner if I'm still hungry I have crackers. If I'm hitting my protein and still hungry, then I know I need more dense carbs and I'll have 1/4 cup-1/2 cup of sweet potatoes/mashed potatoes, etc. I don't SNACK anymore. I eat if I'm hungry. If I'm not hungry then I don't eat just to eat and have a snack bc I want to, that's what got me fat in the first place. If you're not physically hungry-don't eat. If you haven't already, learning the difference between physical hunger, thirst, and mental hunger/boredom/filling a void is essential to success. On Easter I had like 8 snack-sized kit-kat bars as a meal lol... I'm not advising it, but I've still lost weight since then. Don't beat yourself up over 1 day or 1 meal, it's not gonna completely kill your progress. Just make sure it's not every day or even every week. A lot of this journey is learning what YOUR body needs, not just what is written on a diet plan.

I had my surgery in September 2021, and my hair started falling out pretty bad around Christmas of that year. I do want to add that I got REALLY stick in late November and was really struggling with keeping mysel fed the first few months. I lost probably 50-75% of my hair, and I am a fair-skinned brunette so it was VERY noticeable. I ended up cutting it extremely short (think Winona Ryder in Girl, Interrupted) to save my plumbing and vacuum. It started growing back around March 2022. I supplemented with collagen and extra-strength biotin gummies. Before my surgery, my hair was thinning anyway due to probable PCOS and it is actually much thicker and healthier than it was before it all fell out. It's already past my shoulders again!

Could you please share your favorite supplements brand for multi vitamins/iron/calcium and why they’ve worked best for you? I need to order some and am confused between chews (like Starbursts?) and liquid (better absorption?) and chewables (chalky?). I care most about proper absorption bc I’m having gastric bypass and want to keep my levels healthy. Thanks all!