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Always a good idea to get feedback from others. I was put on keto for the 2.5 weeks before surgery but that was all I did. Some will likely swear by it but personally I wouldn’t go back to it. Good to kick start a diet but not long term. Your surgery is the best kickstart you’ll ever find. The high fat intake on keto is the real issue for me. I’ve never enjoyed high fat foods & now I don’t have a gall bladder to help process all that fat. You may find your cholesterol temporarily increases while you are losing (it’s released from your fat). I believe it’s one of the reasons most surgeons & dieticians recommend low fat while you’re losing so you’re not adding to the risk. Losing large amounts of weight & high cholesterol levels also put you had a higher risk of developing gall stones. It’s why many of us end up having issues & have our galls removed post weight loss surgery. I’ve read keto can also screw with your blood sugar levels so if you have issues with diabetes it may not be your best option. Usually best to stick to your surgeon’s plan & dietician’s recommendations while you are losing. Slowing adding in new foods as you go. You’ll lose doing that & you will go into ketosis as well - bad breath & a smelly body awaits you 😉. You may find you end up developing your own eating plan which works for you & which incorporates aspects of many eating styles once you’re close to or in maintenance: keto, vegan, vegetarian, Atkins, intermittent fasting, etc. Whatever way you go it has to be sustainable & complement how to want to live your life. Good luck whatever you choose to do.

You will be fine! I had a one-week fast and had several slip-ups also! My surgery was performed on October 6th and I am now 2 1/2 weeks out. Everything went very well! Just know that your journey is just beginning! Please send an update once you are feeling well! The best to you! 💜🌹

I created a blog entry with the same content below here, but I feel like no one ever reads BP blogs, so am posting in the forums for good measure. Sorry for the dupes! Also sorry this is so long! ---------------------- It's been 3 years, y’all. I’m a 5’2” female and was 235 lbs & 45 yrs old at the start of the 2 wk liquid diet. Didn’t lose any weight prior. I was on high cholesterol and blood pressure meds, diagnosed with fatty liver, pre-diabetic, peed every 20-30 mins, and snored like a freight train (so said Mr.) Day of sleeve surgery: 223.2 lbs No recovery issues, but I became dumper on sugar (still am). I got off my meds, eliminated liver and diabetic diagnoses within a month. I can hold my pee like a superhero (including not having to go once during a 9 hr flight pre-covid!), and I sleep so silently that Mr. admitted to checking on me during the night in the beginning to check if I was even alive. I ate VERY little during weight loss phase compared to most, but it worked for ME…I didn’t suffer any medical/nutritional issues nor any angst throughout. I tracked everything I ate/drank, weighed myself every morning and took my measurements every Wednesday (I STILL track and weigh daily - its just habit now -, but no longer take my measurements regularly) Reached goal of 127 lbs 7 months after surgery. I had zero stalls. I had a tummy tuck, arm lift and breast lift at 14 months post op. Lowest weight: 109 lbs (this was a month or so after plastics, but quickly gained back to 115-ish) I’ve basically been 115-ish +/- 5 lbs since a couple months into maintenance. Weight this morning: 116.0 lbs even. Happy place is below 120 and/or that my clothes still fit, LOL. These days I exercise semi-regularly, running minimum 5km 2-3 times a week supplemented with the occasional 20-30 min strength training sessions at home (I continue to hate strength training exercises but consider it a necessary evil), and various other for-fun cardio activities. Part of me wanted to get back to higher exercise levels so I can get the “fitter” look I had back then, but I long ago reconciled myself with the fact that I don’t want it THAT badly. Maybe someday I may change my mind, but I’m cool with it for now. I average 1800-2000 cals a day. I drink alcohol and carbonated water on the regular, use straws, chew gum, drink coffee, and eat popcorn, fried foods and carbs. I love desserts. At 3 years out, my restriction is still in effect and could probably eat about 1-1.5 cups of food in volume at one sitting before I need to tap out: some things I can eat more of (salads) than others (dense protein & fluffy bread). I will barf if I eat too much or too fast. I have energy for days, and am more than satisfied with how I look and feel. Life is good. Had my 3 year follow up last week and I continue to be the picture of health, and my surgeon asked again if I wanted to be on a poster. Ummmm, no thanks. Regrets? ABSOLUTELY ZERO. Well, except maybe that I didn’t get a v-shaped tummy tuck incision vs the straight line one that I got. Just means that I can’t wear higher cut bikini bottoms without my scar showing (see the last pic in the collage below). But I mean, really, I’m just nit-picking at this point. This forum has been a constant in my life for the past 3 years, and I’ve made some great connections and some actual REAL friends. Its really nice to engage with others who know what the eff you are talking about, even if its just about food porn and clothes sometimes, lol. Hugs and Congrats to those who made it to the other side with me, and Hugs and Good Luck to those on their way.

Its been 3 years, y’all. I’m a 5’2” female and was 235 lbs & 45 yrs old at the start of the 2 wk liquid diet. Didn’t lose any weight prior. I was on high cholesterol and blood pressure meds, diagnosed with fatty liver, pre-diabetic, peed every 20-30 mins, and snored like a freight train (so said Mr.) Day of sleeve surgery: 223.2 lbs No recovery issues, but I became dumper on sugar (still am). I got off my meds, eliminated liver and diabetic diagnoses within a month. I can hold my pee like a superhero (including not having to go once during a 9 hr flight pre-covid!), and I sleep so silently that Mr. admitted to checking on me during the night in the beginning to check if I was even alive. I ate VERY little during weight loss phase compared to most, but it worked for ME…I didn’t suffer any medical/nutritional issues nor any angst throughout. I tracked everything I ate/drank, weighed myself every morning and took my measurements every Wednesday (I STILL track and weigh daily - its just habit now -, but no longer take my measurements regularly) Reached goal of 127 lbs 7 months after surgery. I had zero stalls. I had a tummy tuck, arm lift and breast lift at 14 months post op. Lowest weight: 109 lbs (this was a month or so after plastics, but quickly gained back to 115-ish) I’ve basically been 115-ish +/- 5 lbs since a couple months into maintenance. Weight this morning: 116.0 lbs even. Happy place is below 120 and/or that my clothes still fit, LOL. These days I exercise semi-regularly, running minimum 5km 2-3 times a week supplemented with the occasional 20-30 min strength training sessions at home (I continue to hate strength training exercises but consider it a necessary evil), and various other for-fun cardio activities. Part of me wanted to get back to higher exercise levels so I can get the “fitter” look I had back then, but I long ago reconciled myself with the fact that I don’t want it THAT badly. Maybe someday I may change my mind, but I’m cool with it for now. I average 1800-2000 cals a day. I drink alcohol and carbonated water on the regular, use straws, chew gum, drink coffee, and eat popcorn, fried foods and carbs. I love desserts. At 3 years out, my restriction is still in effect and could probably eat about 1-1.5 cups of food in volume at one sitting before I need to tap out: some things I can eat more of (salads) than others (dense protein & fluffy bread). I will barf if I eat too much or too fast. I have energy for days, and am more than satisfied with how I look and feel. Life is good. Had my 3 year follow up last week and I continue to be the picture of health, and my surgeon asked again if I wanted to be on a poster. Ummmm, no thanks. Regrets? ABSOLUTELY ZERO. Well, except maybe that I didn’t get a v-shaped tummy tuck incision vs the straight line one that I got. Just means that I can’t wear higher cut bikini bottoms without my scar showing (see the last pic in the collage below). But I mean, I’m just nit-picking at this point. This forum has been a constant in my life for the past 3 years, and I’ve made some great connections and some actual REAL friends. Its really nice to engage with others who know what the eff you are talking about, even if its just about food porn and clothes sometimes, lol. Hugs and Congrats to those who made it to the other side with me, and Hugs and Good Luck to those on their way.

you're not likely to feel restriction until you get to the solid food stage. Liquids go right through you - and purees, although slower to move through, still go through pretty fast. Solid food sits there for awhile, though - so you should feel the restriction then.

It varies if you read enough of these posts. One lady had 12hours fasting. Lots have1 or 2 weeks. Mine is 3 weeks of 3 pints of milk, two veg meals and 2 pieces of fruit . I can also have coffee. One person, I read had 4 weeks of slim fast only. Every doctor has their own 'recipe' Please let me know how you get on

I guess I am just alittle confused with the beginnings of pursuing a gastric sleeve..... For the past 2 yrs or so I have had my PCP make referrals on my behalf for weight loss management whether I wanted it or not. I went for a colonoscopy and only saw that Dr one time which was the day of my colonoscopy. Next thing I know after the colonoscopy Im getting phone messages from the weight loss management section of the hospital telling me I have several referrals and to contact them. To say I was pissed is mild lol. I guess I wanted to make the move myself and not be thrust into it. Of course Im way over weight, of course my health is suffering not to mention my mobility is next to none. Im just a procrastinator. I have been on several weight loss journeys within that 2 yr period. I did have a medically supervised diet for 5 months that I did. I lost weight but quickly started gaining it back after I fell last Christmas and injured my knee. Fast forward to July of this year and I had a gall bladder attack and made a trip to the local ER and yep you guessed it....by Monday morning I had another weight management referral......blah lol plus a referral to a general surgeon regarding the gall bladder. This lady was a real trooper lol she got to hear me complaining about all these referrals and my weight loss struggles; ironically the more I talked about it with her the more infuriated I got for getting all these referrals for a gastric bypass that I didnt want. Luckily I suppose she listened so Im going for a gastric sleeve appointment next week Thursday. She told me she wouldnt require a supervised diet and that I could just move on to the surgery itself. I guess Ill find out next week if she remembers telling me that or not. As far as I am aware I am going for a preop educational appt but from what Ive read in here there seems to be alot more to it. I see ppl say their surgery dates are in the far future and not anything soon. What are some of the timelines any of you are experiencing? I think I may have a rude awakening come next week Thursday lol

I can’t respond to anyone individually on here 😡 Thank you all so much for the kind words. It has helped immensely. I am eating 1-2 oz a meal, so probably getting about 4 oz a day of food total. I am going to talk to the nutritionist and get a counselor that specializes in WLS. I definitely am frustrated with my surgeon and need more support. I basically fasted for a month, but it didn’t feel doable right not, so I think I’ll ignore that advice too. I had never heard anyone else saying they should eat once until that comment above. I have a counselor, but I need a new one. So I’m going to have to get more Swiss about my supports. I may have pushed too hard as well. I had a lot of complications with the surgery. I got an infected incision and had a lot of issues with dizziness and weakness for the first 4 weeks after surgery. I started working out at about 2 months. Thank you all so much for the support. I feel much better 🤗🤗🤗

On one of my many self-devised diets, years before VSG surgery, I fasted for 8 days straight. Only had water and non-caloric beverages. To my amazement, I lost ZERO pounds!! When my weight loss had slowed down (post-VSG) my nutritionist usually increases my daily calories. We should be eating 4-5 times a day. I’m rambling, I know, but I think we are often instructed to eat too few calories, and I believe, especially in the year post- op, we definitely should not be on OMAD or IF. Just sayin….

Vomiting (with bile) is very rare after gastric bypass because the content of your pouch doesn't contain bile. However, you can up-chuck, which is not the same as vomiting. It is merely regurgitating what you have masticated and swallowed along with some fluid. You can make yourself do it if something gets stuck or you get the chest pain signal that you ate too much too fast. I can do it by gently putting a spoon handle in the back of my throat and coughing as I lean over the sink or toilet. Genuine vomiting would be medically concerning. Dry heaves would not.

I am 4 months out and just had an appointment with the surgeon last week. He suggested eating one meal a day in order to keep my blood sugar from spiking in my body. He stated that my body has enough stored fat and if I follow Intermittent Fasting/OMAD I will lose weight faster. This is in complete opposition to the nutritionists that work in his own office. If I eat just one meal a day at this point there is NO WAY I'd be able to meet my protein goals and my calorie intake would be miniscule. So, I am actually going to ignore my surgeons suggestion on this. I am going to keep eating according to the nutritionists well thought out plan and lose the weight when I lose the weight. Stick to what your comfortable with.... remember, losing weight is not a race.

Hi Bluesupef04, I am sorry that you are frustrated and feel like you are failing. Congratulations on your weight loss, it sounds like you lost around 70 pounds, that's awesome. You are absolutely not failing. I am also almost 3 months out. The weight seems to come off fast on pre op diet and the first month after the surgery. From what I understand average loss can be about 10 pounds a month for the first few months after surgery. Some lose more & some less. Stalls are also common for many WLS patients. I am sorry that you feel like your doctor isn't being helpful. I was surprised to read that he suggested eating once a day. Have you also been working with a nutritionist? You may want to meet with one to help you see if there is anything you can do with your food plan to help. I wish you luck moving forward & hope you achieve your weight loss goals.

Hi everyone, I need some support and advice because I feel like I am failing so bad right now and I am so frustrated. I am almost three months post op. I lost 20lbs On my own before surgery. My surgeon was very strict and I only could have proteins shakes and water. I hated the protein shakes and ended up just having water a lot of the time. Especially after surgery, with a liquid diet I had mostly water. My surgeon wasn’t concerned. However, right after my surgery I lost a lot of weight really fast. The first month I lost about 30 pounds. It started slowing down the second month when I started eating especially. Second month I lost about 14 pounds. However about halfway through the month I started slowing down and hit plateaus. In the third month I have lost only 5 pounds. Is this normal? I went from 320 and am now at 250 or so. I have lost inches in the last months so I know SOMETHING is happening. But I feel like a failure and my surgeon absolutely is no help. I am realizing I haven’t got any if the support I need from him. He wants me to eat once a day, and I have never been able to do that aside from maybe day one of eating. My body is hungrier than that. It has gone from two a day total to two or three times a day with a snack. This seems on par with everything I’ve read but my surgeons words and requirements are really triggering my sense of failure. Paired with my extreme stalls the shame and guilt is intense. I work out 2-3 times a week pretty intensely and know m I’m building muscle. I also was struggling to drink all my water until last week. My foods consist of mostly cheese, meats, and veggies. I had crackers when I was sick the second month as well as a food two other times with minimal amounts of flour. I believe I am in ketosis all of the time and have not gotten out of it. I can eat 1-1.9 oz a day. Sometimes I eat until I’m full, but I’ve only had 3 or so times I’ve ate until I was past full. I’m definitely high anxiety on this and I know that is part of the issue. Anxiety causes stress which can hold weight but also make me want to eat more. Any thoughts?

I feel like that was super fast, way to go!

AjaSlimtone I totally agree. It may take us longer to get comfortable than most which isn't a bad thing. Better safe than sorry. When I read some post I'm amazed how some are eating already like they never had surgery which would scare me to death...no way would I be testing the waters so fast to try and eat regularly. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who feels this way.

Hi all!!! I hope you are all keeping safe and having a great school year! I started going back into work this year (I was remote last year) and boy I am starting to fall back into old habits! Its so easy to go the day without eating anything and then pick up fast food on the way home. I cant just go to the bathroom every 30 minutes so I drink way less water than I used to. When I get home I still have work to do so I don't work out as often I used to. And Im so used to having a drink while I work at home that its hard not to want to stop at my local liquor store after work (especially after a trying day dealing with parents who refuse to send their kids to school with masks.) It was so much easier being healthy when I was remote. Anyone else struggling? Any advice or tips? Im trying to find more snacks to eat throughout the day and easy dinner/lunch ideas that don't require as much prep. I am so over protein bars! I pack them and never eat them. Mostly I make a drink with protein powder and drink it throughout the day. I either have turkey bacon or yogurt in the morning. I also nibble on carrot sticks from the schools lunch when students bring them for me (they can be so sweet!). I am contemplating morning workouts but I just don't want to! lol. Maybe a morning walk with my coffee? I still can't eat large portions of anything so Im not gaining weight but I was already a slow loser. Im worried that this job will halt my progress. Why cant I be one of those people who loses weight when they are stressed! 😣 I know this is a list of excuses and I just need to try harder but I could really use the support of my fellow educators! What has been working for you?

I'm definitely not eating anything too fast, lol...it wasn't a feeling in my throat it was a feeling in my stomache towards the left side which once I talked to my dietician said it sounded like nerves. I did try a Greek yogurt cup yesterday like she recommended...took me about an hour to eat it all but no problems. I guess I just need to get mentally comfortable with eating again

Ok did the preop testing today...and I promise I was so ignorant! So had a oxygen test with blood from my wrist which is the worst place I ever gave blood. Then I had an ultrasound and some x-rays and drank some terrible fizzy stuff and had to roll all over the bed to take pictures. Ugh at least the girls were really cool about it and didn't make me feel uncomfortable. (TMI: It came out and I was fasting) After all that went to preop and did an EKG and was cleared for surgery and then hit with the bill $5000 something. So now I'm grasping at straws to get at least half paid so I can have this surgery done. I faith in the Lord and this is something I want to get done so bad and I've already kicked out at least $1000 for surgeon fees. This is covered by insurance but just wasn't expecting the hospital portion to be so much. Oh well. Just wanted to give some insight because I really was ignorant.

The possibility of tearing staples at this stage is pretty low. According to what my Surgeon said and what I have read through all my research, the staples will leak, if they are going to leak in the first 7-10 days after surgery. He sent me in for a barium Xray to watch the radioactive fluid go down my throat, into my stomach and ensure none was leaking out of the staples. After this point, you are pretty much in good shape. The tissue is growing over the staples and will seal itself. The first week or so is going to be challenging as you get into more solid foods. The key is definately slow, slow, slow. and as you get into regular food that requires chewing, chew 20-30 times, put your fork down and wait a minute or so between swallowing and starting the process again. If you go too fast it will feel like it is getting stuck in your espophagus. It should take at least 30 minutes to eat your food when you start eating solid foods. Take your time. You will know if you ate too fast because it will feel like something is stuck in your throat and will hurt. Vomiting can happen at this point. It is not pleasant....but slow down and it will not happen.

So what Med School did your partner graduate from that informed him on how fast you should heal? Some of us are back at our normal activities in a week or so while others take months to get back. It really depends on a lot of things like your starting weight/BMI, your physical condition before surgery, your nutrition, the complications of the surgery, any other conditions you have etc, etc. Even totally healthy people after surgery have different healing rates.

Hi Hailey, I also had hypertension (notice that past tense there!). The day before your surgery, your hospital coordinator will call you to give you specific instructions (wash with antibacterial soap, nothing by mouth after midnight, etc.) and should go through your list of medications and tell you which to take the day of surgery and which not to take. Some of them, like losartan/Cozaar, interfere with anesthesia. Your anesthesiologist has ways to control your blood pressure, so I wouldn't worry overmuch about your anxiety spiking your BP. I was as anxious as all get out and scored a super-awesome 🙄 145/87 even on amlodipine the morning of surgery, and things went just fine. But here is the awesome news: my PCP told me to take one more dose of the losartan with hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) the day after surgery since the HCTZ is a water pill and would help me pee out the surgical fluid. That was the last time I took that pill—the day after surgery. Within two weeks, I was on half my dose of amlodipine, and my doctor said to take my BP every morning and if it was below 130/80, don't take the half-dose. I haven't taken it in a week and a half, and my blood pressure has remained firmly below those numbers. So it can happen very fast. I would speak to your psychiatrist to ensure that the anti-anxiety med you're on isn't some kind of extended-release thing. Your medication won't stay in your digestive tract long enough for extended-release medications to work. I had to be switched from Wellbutrin XL (which I realize is not an anti-anxiety med...) to Wellbutrin IR... and then the dose was halved. You will be totally fine.

Hi!! I'm new here!! I'm in Canada, and I'm having sleeve surgery on november 9!! Happy to have found this forum!! I'm on the waiting for a year, but decide to go to a private clinic. I'm already 48 years old, and turning 49 in november. It's a gift to me from me! :) I'm very nervous!! This is coming very fast!!

It's so strange to be told not to eat vegetables, isn't it? After so many decades of "get your five a day!" But it's not forever. You only have a little room for food, especially at first, and so it's not "no vegetables", it's "vegetables only after protein", and at first there's not room for vegetables. It will get better, and fast. And you'll learn how to re-eat. The best part (though I had sleeve, not bypass) is that things I thought I would be tempted by aren't tempting at all. Last night I went to a birthday party and there was a whole tray of cookies and candies. None of it looked good and the size of the brownies actually made me a little queasy. In the Before Times, I'd have knocked down two or even three brownies. Now? Meh.

I had this my pain was sever, and would happen not constant but with no reason meaning not related to what I ate. It was gallbladder. It started with episodes fairly fast then they would get longer more sever and more painful. I hat to wait bc when I was finally diagnosed I was pregnant and had to wait till after baby to get it out.

I was a nanny, then preschool teacher, mom, and now elementary teacher who restricted calories or fasted and I agree with the above posted. Look at history too, Victorian, Edwardian, WWII moms did not play with their kids. They sent the kids to play in the backyard and called them in for meals and a nap. They sat at the table and had family conversations. The children had excellent communication and self soothing skills. The exception was rainy days when moms couldn’t wash laundry or the floors anyway and the kids were inside so they played games or sang or read together, not too labor intensive. You might want to have an exclusive “chamber pot” for yourself :) As for cleaning, who’s inspecting your house anyway? Divvy up the chores to the kids, use paper plates, have the kids wipe down the shower/bath after use, have the kids sort socks and fold and put away their own clothes because it’s good for them to help around the house! All the while you keep drinking your water and electrolytes and protein drinks. You’ve got this covered, you’re the boss!