Search the Community

Can you tolerate lettuce? Do you like salad? When I had my sleeve I did a lot of chick fila. Their salads are really good and they really measure things and post the nutrition information that is actually accurate not like places that do not measure and you really don’t have any idea how many calories you are getting. Plus the crunchy toppings are on the side so you can choose to leave off if need be and they have the exact calories listed on those as well. Early out to avoid spice I got the spicy southwest salad but I asked for plain chicken breast (no seasonings) and the market salad I would get without the blue cheese. Both of these I take home and take the toppings with just a little bit of lettuce and put into a plate because it’s way too much if not. When I dine in I just do my best to eat the toppings to get the nutrition and toss the lettuce. It is a good place to go with friends because they can get what they want and I can get eat on plan. Super early out you can ask for the grilled chicken breast by itself. Panara is another place with some healthy options. I usually get the kids meal because it’s a half salad which is more than enough and you get a yogurt you can save for later instead of bread or an apple. I have often wondered if they will let you pay to double the protein though because the half salad is half the protein which very well may be plenty. I’ve just never weighed it. Panara also has food that the rest of the family could enjoy.

I went with the bypass because it had the better chance of resolving my issues with hypertension, cholesterol, and blood sugar, and much better chance of not developing GERD. I also know the 10-year weight loss/regain numbers are a bit better for bypass. And, just a minor consideration, but I felt better not having part of my body removed. I know, I had my intestines rerouted and all that, but my stomach is still in there and somehow that made me have more peace of mind. 2 weeks out today and my recovery has been fantastic. My doctor moved me along to basically a regular solid food diet at my appointment, with just some restrictions regarding excluding beef/pork/lamb and raw veg for a few more weeks. I've had no issues, only minor pain the first few days, and I feel fantastic. I can walk for an hour or more at a time with no problem. My recovery has been much easier than my brother's when he had the sleeve several years back, though not sure if that has anything to do with the surgery type.

TW: Mention of ED I’m about 4 weeks out from having this gastric sleeve surgery. Right now I am on the soft foods stage. I have one week of it left. When I was on the liquid diet I was craving food watching food videos and just could not wait to eat again. Now suddenly I am disgusted by all foods, and I do mean all foods even my “favorites.” I look in my fridge and most days I’m just like “I would rather not” and I have to force myself to eat but normally halfway through I’m like I can’t do this anymore. Ive also been experiencing a “twisting” feeling in my stomach when eating or drinking which is very discouraging trying to get the food down. I’ve even been doing this thing where I’ll chew something up only to spit it out. I struggled with binge eating disorder pre surgery and got treatment for it & what is making me nervous is that I heard a lot of people with anorexia/bulimia explaining their eating disorders and some of the things I’m experiencing are red flags for anorexia and I’m just afraid of going from one spectrum of eating disorders to the next. Did anyone else have this same repulsion with food? I am currently seeing a therapist and am planning to tell her all of this so I can get the help that I need. Sorry this isn’t so positive but I am just wondering if anyone else experienced this and if they had any advice or if it got better? Thank you!!

Like others above, check with your team. I was to aim for 20 macros of protein for each of three meals. I couldn’t do it but that was the goal. I ended up 20 for breakfast, 10 lunch, 10 around 3pm, 10 around 5ish, and 10 in the evening one hour before bed. In my efforts to curb nighttime snacking habits, I started then (and still maintain now) 50% or more of my daily food should be consumed by lunchtime. It makes me go to sleep earlier and wake up refreshed, and mostly banished the nighttime munchies. Obviously this won’t work for everyone. I was never a morning person, nor a breakfast eater before surgery. You’re doing great, keep up the good work!

Eat what you enjoy the taste of. That goes for all food not just cheese. I eat cottage cheese because I like it. I eat tasty cheddars because they have a little kick. No point in eating anything that you cant taste. I have shaved parmesan. Our food is restricted. Enjoy the things you can eat.

Caffeine is usually restricted for the first few months in a virgin DS/SADI surgery to help prevent dehydration. You may not have this restriction put on you since you already have your sleeve and should keep food and fluids down fine post-op since they probably won't resleeve you unless yours was done wrong. Even if they put you on caffeine restriction, it is only for a little while. There is no reason to restrict it long term, it doesn't harm the digestive system. My partner loves to dine out and we don't have kids, so I've been eating out since a month after surgery. I am careful with my choices, the first thing I ate out was grilled swordfish and sauteed green beans. It was fine. I've since eaten Thai curries (mild), pho without the noodles (they put veggies instead), sashimi, fajitas with guacamole and cheese sauce (no tortillas, rice, or beans), steak (ribeye is my favorite and digests better now than it even did pre-op), wings, traditional Chinese food (nothing fried, no rice), Peruvian chicken, the list goes on and on. I try to stick to protein/veggie options. Anything I wanted to eat at a restaurant I tried to have a version of at home first to know how it would affect me. I tolerate most things pretty well, though it seems my digestive system prefers baby spinach over iceburg or romaine lettuce, but that's not a huge sacrifice. And I can't eat beans at all, but I never really tolerated them pre-op either. Also I try not to have too many cruciferous veggies at once (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage), as they cause bloating, but I had that problem before surgery too. (I have had IBS and an inflammatory bowel disease since I was a teenager.) That said I try to make healthy choices in general whether eating out or eating at home. DS patients don't really need to restrict fat because we malabsorb so much of it (regardless of what the dieticians tell you) and SADI patients can eat a moderate amount of fat as they malabsorb a moderate amount of fat. Too much fat in one sitting can cause diarrhea, but you'd have to really make an effort to do that, and any bariatric surgery other than the sleeve can cause that issue. Coke Zero does not have sugar alcohols in it, it has Splenda, so it is fine from that perspective. Carbonation is only an issue if it bloats your sleeve. However, it can cause you to be hungry faster, or cause gas due to the air bubbles, so it isn't the best habit to have long term. But it won't piss off your intestines. I switched to unsweetened iced tea and carry Splenda or Equal packets with me! Sugar alcohols are things like erythritol, xylitol, and malitol. Allulose can also cause gastric upset depending on how tolerant you are of it. I can usually have a little of any of those, but more than a tablespoon and I'll be in the bathroom half the night. 🤣

Hi everyone!! okay so I’ve always been “heavier” haven’t met the BMI standards since jr high maybe a year in high school. My hips & thighs were always me in size 9 jeans. Well I had health issues that required surgeries. Which left me disabled. And my weight was stuck at 180 due to it, my weight jumped some to 210. I am currently on Rybelsus 7mg and my current weight is 189. So im almost to the weight that I’ve been stuck at for years. Yesterday I had a consultation, intake to the Bariatric program. I was told that I would be receiving a Gastric Sleeve with robotics, which would give me one night hospital stay and a weight loss of 60-80 pounds. I’ll be having the testing done soon as well as meet with the psychiatrist and dietitian. I see him again 9-11-24 So I can home a nervous wreck! I am afraid of having general anesthesia again. I have had it a few times without and with complications. Honestly being a mom IS the only real reason so my anxiety. The what if I pass. I researched ALOT and seen the procedure is a safe one. That calmed me nerves and I was in a good space, until an hour ago. I started thinking about how I absolutely LOVE food and how only being able to eat maybe half a happy meal. I read gum, soda etc are not allowed after surgery as well. According to my P.C.P. I am healthy just obese. Years ago I struggled with hypertension, diabetes and gallstones. Those issues were resolved but I have a consult about my fatty liver in Nov. anyways. I was wondering has anyone else gone through this? I don’t care if I get down to my healthy bmi weight or not. I am fine if I can get to 160. What I am saying is am I having the “regret” even though I haven’t even had surgery yet. A little FYI.. I am Intermittent Fasting & My disability makes me unable to jump, run or go one long walks. I can’t do some exercises so modifications help but are not as effective I believe. So I AM excepting, eating healthier already.

There are plant based protein powders about you can purchase which are whey free. Look for plant based or lactose free yoghurts, soups & milk. So many options available these days. Bone broth is good too. Or you can make your own soups. I love soup & made quite a few. Purred them in the beginning & let them simmer for ages so the meat & vegetables would be super soft & tender in the soft food stage. You can process many proteins simply by adding enough broth, stock, gravy, milk, Mayo, etc. - just lactose/whey free versions. Make your own yoghurt drinks/smoothies by blending the yoghurt with milk & sugar free flavours or protein powders. I was allowed to eat instant oats during puree - just kept extra thin & milky & you can add protein powder to that too. The hardest part for me was my altered taste buds. A lot of things tasted awful - shakes too sweet, bone broth too salty, & some textures & smells were off putting too. Thank goodness this was temporary. All the best.

Good that you caught it early. Maybe check back in with your dietician and get some support there. Try changing what you are eating around. Throw in new foods/recipes and snacks. Our bodies get very efficient with the same old foods and learn to make the most of the energy that we put it and out. Change the type of exercise that you are doing.

Had my surgery Jan 24th, yesterday I was able to get 32oz of water and 20g of protein down. Tomorrow is day 3 and I am on stage 2 modified soft foods. I’m down 10lbs already but I did have a bowel movement yesterday. The gas sucks! But I was able to walk a block yesterday slowly and got a lot out…then took a 2hour nap afterwards. Today I feel better just sore

Honestly, this seems way off-base, with the exception of 60-80 grams protein, which is completely sufficient for most people (but not all!). Your calorie estimations are much too low for the vast majority of people in maintenance mode. So rest assured, you won't be on 650 calories for life! Also, 25g carb is extremely low carb and not a lifestyle most people are eager to embrace. If a doctor insisted on 25g carb for life as the only way to succeed, I would seek out a second opinion for sure. From what I see people saying around here, 1200 to 1500 is a much more realistic calorie range for the long term, although that is for maintenance, not for weight loss or for early days after surgery. If you eat to maintain your current weight right now, that would seem to go against your goal of losing 20-50lbs more. I have two suggestions. First, check out some bariatric cookbooks because they will tell you appropriate portion sizes for maintenance as well as give you some ideas for what types of foods to be eating. My favorite is Kristin Willard's Bariatric Meal Prep Made Easy: 6 Weeks of Portion Controlled Recipes to Keep the Weight off. She's a registered dietician specializing in bariatrics and every recipe has a gorgeous color illustration. Second, take a look at the Portion Perfection brand bariatric plate. It's kind of expensive, so you may not want to buy it, but the concept is really good. Basically it's an 8 inch plate (with a one inch rim all the way around, so a 6 inch circle of eating space). There are lines and illustrations to divide up the plate and show you where to put your foods and how much. If you're a visual person, this may really help. Other than that, you may want to check out some of the nutrition videos as well as the weekly podcast done by Dr. Matthew Weiner (Pound of Cure). I find them so insightful and he and his dietician, Zoe, are very keen on plant-based nutrition, which may be perfect for you. Edited to add: Here is a link to a dietician article about post-op goals that might help: https://www.mybariatricdietitian.com/mbd-blog/portion-sizes-after-weight-loss-surgery

I had my surgery on the 13th as well, although my surgery was the sleeve. So here we are, a day away from our first week with our new internal mechanics. Iʻm just going to take a minute to congratulate us both for being brave enough to do this. While I understand that the "food onboarding" process differs from procedure to procedure and even surgeon to surgeon, I hope youʻll consult with your surgeon or program before you eat solids. My program considers sugar free jello a liquid. Would that suffice? I get it, believe me. I made my husband go to our local Pho restaurant last night and buy me just Pho broth because I couldn't stomach one more sweet drink. Regarding meds, I had to switch a couple that were time release to rapid release so that they could be safely crushed for daily consumption. Did your doctor tell you that all medications and supplements had to be liquid, chewable, or crushed for the first month? Mine did, and while the chewable vitamins and calcium are a treat because I get to chew them, crushing the others and trying to mask their awful taste with a protein shake is disgusting. I'm not getting used to it. Like you, I'm not in any pain and for the last two days, even the gas has been minimal, so I must've finally expelled all that surgery gas. Again, congrats on your big decision and hang in there.

Thank you for this detailed accounting!! I hope you continue it as you heal so we can follow along. Glad it all went safely!! The recovery houses sound really great in concept for the first week after surgery. I think they have them in areas with a lot of plastic surgery, like in Miami too. It feels like a gentler transition than just sending you home or to a hotel with no care. Though I have heard the food is an adventure!! I wish you much ease with your continued healing...

Oh my gosh @MLC3409 why the 360 with the doctor? And I don't blame you with the food because this is very hard work (especially for myself with a husband and three kids). Did he find something wrong yesterday? Is he going to keep the surgery date? (I think you said yes) and they wouldn't be ordering meds without telling you. Keep on plugging along!! And remember the why and keep telling yourself that...Reach out whenever...my problem is I am also looking at stuff for the purees stage and so on lol because I want time to fly by. I been adding "bullion" to my broth as a treat.

Yes, you have to take more vitamins than you did with the Sleeve. The most common to supplement are a multi twice a day, calcium 4-5 times a day in divided doses, and vitamins A, D, E, and K which your bariatric office will tell you to get in one ADEK supplement, but often you have to break down into the individual vitamins as labwork dictates, depending on your individual absorption. You'll have labs drawn several times the first year, then yearly afterwards to make sure you are getting enough vitamins and iron. But yes, vitamins daily are a way of life for SADI patients. It is also smart to take a probiotic, and sometimes you need extra B1 or B12. Learning about macros is important! I highly recommend tracking your food through the Baritastic app, it will track your macros for you. Don't be surprised if your dietician is useless about things. Sadly, a lot of dieticians don't understand the proper eating routines for a SADI or DS patient and will give you advice meant for a RNY or Sleeve patient. That is why support groups like the Facebook one are so important, because the veterans of these surgeries often know a lot more about them that the surgeon or dietician do. I know a lot about the SADI because I considered it before going with the DS surgery. So ask whatever you want and I'll see if I can answer it!

Yes, when they asked me why am I only taking 1 shake, I told them after calculating what I eat I am able to reach my 65-75 grams a day, but sometimes I can still feel hunger. Right after surgery I felt the hunger. It didn’t fix the hunger part but it limited how much I can eat. Maybe the nutritionist wants the shake to fill me up… but the shake doesn’t. Is it possible to feel hungry when I feel the 3 oz of food filled me up and I feel the tightness? That’s my case anyway. I feel thirsty many times but I just can’t drink more liquid cause I can feel it coming back up.

Hey lovely! I am pre-surgery at the moment, due to have it on 14th May, and my birthday is on 7th June - so like 24 days after my surgery! I have been wondering the same thing, though I will still be massively restricted in what I can eat by that time. Typically, I feel that birthdays and other events of celebration tend to revolve around food, and that can be really triggering, so what I was thinking of doing instead is something more practical. For example, celebrating by going somewhere and doing something active or enjoyable, rather than going out to eat or staying in and just having snacky food like I usually do! Just trying to change up the way that I celebrate so it isn't so food-driven I guess! But honestly, I do think that trying even a little bit of the cupcake is okay! You celebrate however you want to! The surgery isn't about restricting yourself forever from things you used to enjoy, it is about finding what works for you and still enjoying the little things in moderation. All that being said, happy birthday!! ❤️

I’m going to jump on the going off plan issue first. Your tummy is being held together by sutures & staples (can be 12inches of them - imagine that on your arm or leg)). The staged return to eating solid food is in place to protect your healing tummy & not strain or stress your digestive system. Your tummy is a muscle. Would you start exerting your arm or leg muscles if the wounds were there or would you tread carefully & follow the plan to aid healing? Nerves are also cut during surgery so signals that you are doing harm may not be getting through. Please, please return to your plan. As for hunger, yes there are some who do continue to experience hunger after surgery but it’s not common. It’s more likely you are experiencing head hunger not real hunger. (A easy way to differentiate the two is with head hunger you tend to crave a specific food, flavour or texture. You don’t with real hunger.) Most of the area that produces your hunger hormone is removed during surgery. For many, we ate as a comfort & to soothe ourselves when stressed or emotional. The surgery is stressful on your body & you psychologically & emotionally (consciously or subconsciously). This is a time you would turn to food but you can’t which makes you want food more. Plus the psychological issue of how can this small amount of food be enough can start to kick in & you consequently feel hungry because you think you need more food. There are a few strategies you can try to help with head hunger. Distraction is very useful. Read, play a game, phone a friend or family member, check social media, go for a short walk, etc. Sipping a warm drink can be helpful. These diversions are helpful in the long term too. As we progressed many of us distracted ourselves by cleaning out a wardrobe or drawers or the pantry or learn a craft. I found setting routines for eating good too: didn’t eat between my set eating times. I still do this nearing 5 years out. All the best.

We’ve all been where you are now. Loss of hunger & appetite is a benefit of the surgery (though there are some who don’t lose their’s) but it can be confusing & difficult to work with it. Aim for three ‘meals’ a day and eat what you can. Don’t force yourself to eat more even if that means you don’t eat all your portion. You’ll get used to leftovers in your fridge you’ll finish at your next meal or the next day. I only drank two ‘meals’ a day during liquids. I diluted everything and just sipped, sipped, sipped until it was finished - usually a couple of hours hence the two meals. Probably the most challenging part is understanding the difference between real hunger & head hunger especially as many of us were driven by our heads when it came to eating not real hunger. Head hunger isn’t affected by the surgery so it can be a real struggle to manage as it seems almost stronger. Generally, if you’re craving a specific food, flavour or texture that’s head hunger (a craving). If you’re hungry out of boredom, emotions (like stress & worries after the surgery), habit (always snacked by watching tv or after dinner, etc.) that’s also head hunger. If head hunger is making itself known try distracting yourself: read, craft, do a puzzle, ring a friend, go for a walk, sip water, a cup of tea, or similar. It takes about 8 weeks for you to be healed after the surgery and this includes your nerves which carry the messages to tell you you’re hungry, had enough or are full. So for a while those messages may not get through or may get through differently and the signals may be different. Like some sneeze, or their nose runs when they’ve eaten enough. Believe me, when your hunger does come back you’ll wish for the days you didn’t have it. All the best. PS - Yes they pump you full of lots of fluids so the scales can show an increase after surgery. You’ll pee it out over a few days.

Officially 2 weeks post op as of yesterday and i feel like i’m finally in a groove : i can serve food and know if it’s too much. I’ve mastered what my new normal portion is. I have also managed to make sure my water intake is ok (not great, around 1.5 litres per day should be a little more). I feel much better and have even had morning or afternoon snacks on the go which is great as i feel i’ll be able to manage once i go back to work next week. I’m not getting enough protein in daily yet because i can no longer stomach protein shakes, they feel heavy on my stomach and have made me throw up the last 2 times i’ve tried them. I have a couple more brands to try and hopefully one of them works. I tried protein water but honestly i can’t stomach it either (taste wise) - everything seems so sweet … I don’t have much room for vegetables and i’m craving some so badly. I’m going to try and incorporate some but i have to prioritise the little protein i’m getting in so it won’t be easy. One thing i’ve learnt this past week: some days i can eat more than others. It almost scared me one day but the next few days i ate so much less than i realised we just need more sometimes ! Weight wise i’m at 10.9 kgs (24 lbs) down which is great so far :) I know a stall is near as everyone mentions the 3 weel stall so i’m’trying to be reasonable and weigh in less ! My new goals for the week are to make sure i reincorporate vitamins and minerals that will help me fight any fatigue next week when i go back to work. And also, to up my protein intake ! Hope everyone is doing well :)

Firstly, you are NOT a failure! I am 6 years post vsg, and it's a marathon, not a sprint. You are still 20kg under your start weight, which is fantastic! I regained 5kg two years ago, and felt I was on a slippery slope again. I went back to the basics, started on my shakes again, really counted all my food and managed to lose it again. But I am still 10 kg from my target weight! Has your nutritionist got you keeping a food diary? We often underestimate our portion sizes, or we are drinking calories we don't realise (milky lattes, a cocktail, thickshaks or sodas). But please, don't beat yourself up. A sleeve is just a tool to help you, it's not a win or fail. Best wishes.

Update: 10 days after surgery. The one thing you should do if you're not doing is taking stool softener. Yesterday was NOT fun. Even taking MiraLAX everyday, I hadn't gone #2 in two days. Yesterday, I couldn't go and was hurting from not going. After an enema and trying to free the compaction myself, I had to go to the ER in order to get it free. After being violated and a large enema later, I was freed from the beast. Never had an issue like that in my life. I've been getting 64 oz of water or more a day. I went ahead an started the soft foods, because the ER Doctor said I was only intaking protein and not getting fiber that allows better bowel movements. Be sure to get in water and take stool softner. Constipation isn't fun, being compacted is something I hope never happens again.

First, there is no one right way to eat to lose or maintain your weight. There’s just the right way for you. I agree to the suggestion to get in contact with your old dietician or find a new one. I’d also teach for a couple of weeks just to check your calorie & nutrient intake. I’d also get in contact with your surgeon as well to see what other options you have - revision surgery or maybe GLP - 1 meds. You’ve likely reset your body’s set point. The surgery lowered it but returning to larger portions, poor food choices & bad old habits have raised your set point again. So you’re actually fighting your body now. You’re trying to lose weight & your body is doing all it can to hold on to it. Have a look at Dr Matthew Weiner’s Pound of Loss metabolic reset diet (not that I’m an advocate for any ‘diets’.) It may give you some ideas you could try to see if works for you. He’s a great source of information around all things weight loss, bariatric surgery, etc. (He has a website & a you tube channel.) If you like being active, I’d add in some weights. Building muscle will help burn more calories & help counteract any muscle loss you experience while losing. Walking will help with general fitness. Remember though, activity only contributes to about 10% of any weight loss. Oh & don’t listen to your family & friends when they offer advice about your eating, nutrition or weight loss. They mean well but unless they’re qualified nutritionalist, dieticians, bariatric surgeons or medical doctors or had bariatric surgery they really don’t know what they’re talking about. And they’re not you. You know yourself best. You know your psychologically, physiologically & emotionally self best & know how you want to live your life. All the best.

Think that’s normal and very natural. Changing your life is difficult. I’m nervous, had my pre op assessment today and my BP was through the roof, purely because I was there. I’m also frightened of being dependent upon people for even a short while. I take comfort knowing they do the surgery 3 times per week and people come through the other side. speak about your doubts. Bringing them into light might help.

Yeah, the dietician was a prick to mention your weight in relation to other patients. You were not unusually heavy and it is just plain unprofessional. I hope you have a word with the surgeon about it at some point, people need feedback on how their staff are carrying out their jobs. I'm sorry it is so hard to obtain this surgery in the UK, you should have been given ample support and encouragement on your journey, not criticism. As was said above, you may need the support of a dietician post op and going to one who was condescending to you pre-op is not a recipe for success post-op. You may want to seek out your own dietician for support. One you can feel free to fire at will. LOL I find dieticians assume by default we are all idiots about food, especially healthy food. And they tend to fixate on weird things, like pasta alternatives that are "just like the real thing!" that they have probably never eaten themselves. Or cottage cheese!! OMG I do not want to eat a bowl full of cottage cheese!! I think they should have to go through a 3 month staged bariatric diet, including an all liquids portion, so they have some lived experience and can be a little more human with their patients... Although I will say I've actually run into a few dieticians that have had bariatric surgery and while they don't say the stupid weight things anymore, they do still have a lot of biases from their training (like no protein supplements because they aren't "real food"). Your weight story is not unusual, as others have said there is more and more research pointing to obesity being a very complex disease and far from a moral failing or issue of willpower. There are a lot of stigmas around weight and weight loss surgery and unfortunately the medical community is a willing participant in much of that misinformation. I'd advise you to find a therapist or a mindful eating coach who can support you in changing your food choices early on, so by the time your hunger comes back your new habits are firmly in place and something you can rely on. I wish you so much luck on your journey!! You are doing great!