Frequently Asked Questions

[pvechiola 195]

People that are on meds are given VGS to help with absorption of medications

[pvechiola 195]

Dr allowed regular coffee... pretty much right off the bat as one of my Clear  liquids. I think some docs are okay with it. I drink my lil 4 ounces or so with some sf Creamer. I had no issues with hair falling out. I lost my weight really fast. It was kind scary. I am at a "normal" amount now a few pounds here and there but I lost almost 80 pounds in about 2 months which was super scary actually. I made sure I got my Protein in and was lucky to not lose hair. thank goodness I have thin fine hair as it is and can't really afford to lose any! [emoji3] I did notice... your body scent changes a bit so be prepared for it to be different. I have lsot the taste for many things ( including cigarettes which is a huge blessing) [emoji4] Trust your body listen to it weigh and measure your food and you will do wonderful [emoji4]

I have a little Hair loss anyway and I use a light brown hair spray concealer and you can't even tell.

[MsSandy17 4]

Vitamins with Biotin help stop hair loss

[Braveheart1 14]

Dr allowed regular coffee... pretty much right off the bat as one of my Clear  liquids. I think some docs are okay with it. I drink my lil 4 ounces or so with some sf creamer. I had no issues with hair falling out. I lost my weight really fast. It was kind scary. I am at a "normal" amount now a few pounds here and there but I lost almost 80 pounds in about 2 months which was super scary actually. I made sure I got my Protein in and was lucky to not lose hair. thank goodness I have thin fine hair as it is and can't really afford to lose any! [emoji3] I did notice... your body scent changes a bit so be prepared for it to be different. I have lsot the taste for many things ( including cigarettes which is a huge blessing) [emoji4] Trust your body listen to it weigh and measure your food and you will do wonderful [emoji4]

Please tell me how you lost weight that fast

[Tashh 0]

Hey guys, one week post a gastric sleeve.

struggling to drink or eat pureed food, having chest pain like symptoms. Some help!

thanks

[Syaniya 319]

Hey guys, one week post a gastric sleeve.
struggling to drink or eat pureed food, having chest pain like symptoms. Some help!
thanks

Eat smaller bites and sip smaller sips. I had the same problem and when i sip just enough to wet my mouth more often it doesnt hurt in my chest.

Sent from my SM-N920V using BariatricPal mobile app

[Lars 1]

On Wed Mar 28 2012 at 4:50 PM, Lilee84 said:

DISCLAIMER: This FAQ is in no way intended to replace or undermine the advice of your physician. Every person is different, every surgeon has different guidelines, and no two situations are identical. Therefore if any of the answers below are unclear or contradict your physicians’ instructions, always follow your physicians’ instructions. The responses given are a compilation from multiple sources and references.

How do I embed the weight loss ticker? There are many ticker generators you can use, but the majority of us use TickerFactory.com or MyFitnessPal.com – Once you create your ticker, embed the code into your signature via your “Settings”

*Adding* Ticker Tutorial Link

What can I have during liquid stage? During your clear liquid stage you can have anything that you can sip through a straw that is translucent, meaning see through. For instance: Water, juice, broth, sugar free popsicles, sugar free Jello, Isopure Protein drinks, Gatorade, Powerade, decaf tea just to name a few. Once you move on to full liquids you may add liquids that are not translucent. For instance: creamed Soups, Soups with the chunks strained out, milk, Protein  shakes etc… NOTHING CAFFEINATED

When can I have coffee/soda/tea? Decaf coffee is typically OK about 30days post-op. Decaf tea is OK starting with your clear liquid diet. Soda is typically never OK, with the reasons varying from the carbonation causing painful gas to the carbonation stretching your sleeve. Regardless of the reasoning, it's generally a good idea to avoid sodas entirely, or to consume them in extreme moderation.

When do I start mushies/purees? Every surgeon has different guidelines for the progression of your post-op diet. The majority of post-op diets progress as follows:

Day 1-7 Clear Liquids

Day 8-14 Full liquids

Day 15-21 Purees

Day 22-50 Mushies

What’s the difference between mushies and purees? The major difference is that purees are anything that has been blenderized/pureed to a baby food consistency and has no chunks. These should not be watery, but instead a thicker pudding like consistency. Mushies are soft foods that have not been pureed.

I'm on liquids/purees and I feel no restriction, should I be concerned that my surgery didn't work? Nope! You'll feel your restriction as you start to take in denser foods. In reality, you never want to experience that over stuffed feeling again because that means you've over stuffed your sleeve. There's much debate over whether or not you can stretch your stomach by over stuffing your sleeve, I for one am not trying to prove or disprove the theory. Best to play it safe - when you start to feel full, stop eating.

Should I be counting calories or carbs or both? Both. Again, every surgeon is different, but the majority of sleevers will be on a 600-1000 calorie/day diet with carbs kept at 60-80g or less. The general guideline is this: When eating, Protein is always first, veggies are second, and if you have room carbs/starch last. The majority will rarely have room for the carbs.

How much Protein should I be getting per day? The recommended protein intake may vary from 55 to 100g per day, depending on your individual needs and the bariatric diet provided by your surgeon or dietitian. The generally accepted minimum protein requirement for women is about 50 to 60g per day and men need at least 60 to 70g of protein per day.

How much liquid do i need for the day? About 60-80oz

When can I eat salad? Once you reach the point where you’re on normal solids you can try salad. Start with a small amount and see how your sleeve tolerates it as it can be difficult to digest.

Best Protein Shakes? This one depends on your particular tastes, however most seem to enjoy powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury.

What else counts as a liquid? Anything that can be sipped through a straw or that will reduce back to a liquid. For example: Jello, sugar free popsicles, frozen yogurt/ice cream (these are generally no no foods)

Why can't I tolerate plain Water, is this normal? It’s called Water nausea and it is completely normal. This is very common during the first few weeks following surgery and should eventually subside.

What is sliming/slimes? Sliming or slimes occur when you eat or drink something and then regurgitate a slimy, foamy, saliva like substance, usually when belching.

What is grazing? Grazing is when instead of consuming your standard 3 small meals and 2 small Snacks per day, you simply munch all day grabbing a handful here or a bite there. The rule is that your meals should take you 20-30 minutes to eat and should be about 3 hours apart with only fluids in between.

What do all these acronyms mean?

In no particular order:

WLS – Weight Loss Surgery

NSV – Non scale Victory (ie: smaller clothes, compliments, climbing a flight of stairs etc…)

NUT – Nutritionist

PCP – Primary Care Physician

VSG – Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy

TOM – Time of the Month

SF – Sugar Free

WFL/WFD – What’s for Lunch/Dinner

How much did you lose at 1 month etc.? How much can I expect to lose in what time frame? Everyone’s body is different and so is everyone’s journey. There is no set amount you should expect lose in a set amount of time, and you should never compare your journey or your progress to someone elses. As long as you’re sticking with the program and following your surgeons guidelines, the weight will come off.

What is a stall? How long does it last and how do I break it? A stall is a point at which the scale stops moving for a period of time. The length of the stall varies from a few days to a few weeks and sometimes a few months. Non VSG’ers typically call it a plateau. Stalls are perfectly normal and to be expected. As we lose weight so dramatically, our bodies need time to catch up physically - this typically happens during a stall. While the scale may not be moving, you may notice an increase in compliments. This is because while the number on the scale isn’t getting any smaller, you are physically getting smaller. There are many tips and tricks for breaking a stall (increase your fluids and protein, increase your activity, up your calories…) but the reality is it will break on its own.

When can I have sex? When you’re ready. Keep it simple for the first few weeks post-op and don’t attempt any tricky positions. Be careful until you’ve been cleared by your surgeon for strenuous activity.

When can I start exercising? Typically right away, though the types of exercises you can do will be limited. Most surgeons restrict weight training/resistance training for about 3-4 weeks after surgery, but you should be walking/speed walking at least 30-45min daily starting from the day you get home.

What do I do with flabby skin? What's the best exercise etc.? The severity of the flab will vary based on many different factors. While there’s no way to tell how bad it will be or whether it will even be bad, there are a couple of proactive measures you can take. Make sure you’re using a moisturizing lotion with Vitamin E and Keratin several times daily. The Vitamin E will help add elasticity back to your skin and the keratin will add moisture, both of which may help your skin bounce back as the weight falls off. The best exercises to target your problem areas are resistance and strength training in order to tone and build muscle to replace the fat. Lastly, be patient. Just as your weight stalls while your waist catches up to it, your skin will sag until it gets the signal to shrink. While it probably won’t ever be as tight as you’d like, it will shrink.

Will I lose hair? How much? What causes it? When does it return? Do Vitamins help? The truth is, yes, you probably will lose hair. Because of the drastic changes going on that are caused by the extreme reduction in protein and Vitamins coming in as well as the hormonal fluctuations caused by the rapid weight loss, it takes our bodies a while to adjust. Don’t worry, as our hormones level out and our bodies get used to the new us, it will come back. There is no set time frame for it to do so however.

I’m constipated - what is it okay to take, especially in the beginning when newly sleeved? Will it get better? Worse? In the beginning a simple stool softener like Colace should do the trick. You don’t want to take a laxative or anything that may irritate your new sleeve. While you’re in the liquid/puree stage, Constipation shouldn’t be an issue, but as you reintroduce solids you may have to go back to your stool softeners. If you do find that stool softners are only offering temporary relief, try increasing your fluids and Fiber and decreasing your cheeses.

I’m having very loose bowel movements, is this normal? Totally. You do need to monitor stools of this consistency to ensure they contain no blood, but very loose stools, even watery stools, are completely normal for a few weeks post-op. When in doubt – ask your surgeon.

Will I feel fatigue? Will fatigue go away? Yes and yes. Your body has just undergone major surgery and it needs to heal. While it’s healing you will feel more fatigued than normal. Subsequent to having such a large portion of your stomach removed is the fact that you can no longer take in as much food (read: fuel) and therefore your body has to adjust and find a new fuel source. Your body will eventually begin to burn fat for fuel and some of the fatigue will subside. Your surgeon should also prescribe a B12 supplement which will also help with energy.

When can I go back to work? How much time should I take off? That will be entirely up to your surgeon. Most return to work within 2-3 weeks.

How many days in the hospital? Your hospital stay will depend on your recovery. When you are able to keep down liquids, are up and about and walking as directed, and your surgeon and nursing staff are confident there are no complications, you’ll be released. Your surgeon should be able to give you an expectation of the length of your stay.

Do the staples dissolve? No. The staples used to close the stomach are titanium and do not dissolve. The stomach tissue will eventually grow over the staple line. Your staples do not make metal detectors go off or make you ineligible for an MRI. They are completely benign.

Why am I always hungry? The most likely culprit is either head hunger or reflux/heartburn. Head hunger is a false sense of hunger triggered by boredom/emotions/the clock or any number of things which make you think you’re hungry when you’re really not. Heartburn is the most common culprit of constant hunger. Even though you may not feel as though you have heartburn, you may find that a simple antacid will eliminate that constant hungry feeling.

What is dumping syndrome? Dumping syndrome is what happens when the contents of your stomach are rapidly dumped into your small intestine. It is characterized by cramps, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. Most people that complain of dumping syndrome associate the attacks with eating a certain type of food IE sweets, carbs etc.. It generally resolves on it's own once the offending food has left the system.

What is a stricture? A stricture is what happens when scar tissue builds up in your esophagus (sometimes caused by reflux) that causes your esophagus to narrow and makes swallowing difficult.

What is a leak and what are the symptoms? A leak is an opening along the suture line of your sleeve that allows bile and other digestive fluids to leak into your abdominal cavity. The symptoms of a leak vary but the most common symptoms are pain radiating across the abdomen, fever, rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, dizziness, vomiting, nausea, fatigue, and abdominal cramping. It is important to note that leaks are rare and only occur in about 1 out of every 100 cases.

Can you get a leak any time after surgery? Or is it just immediate? Most leaks happen very soon after surgery, but there is still a risk for about 4-6 weeks after. Again, it is important to note that leaks are rare and only occur in about 1 out of every 100 cases.

Some of my incisions are oozing - is this normal? If they’re oozing a green or yellowish Fluid, absolutely not. Green and yellow are the colors of infection and should be reported to your surgeon immediately. If your incisions are oozing a pinkish or clear watery Fluid it’s your body’s way of keeping your incisions clean and isn’t usually a concern. When in doubt, ask your surgeon.

I see a lot of people posting about drains - I don't have any. Should I be concerned? Drains are tubes that are temporarily placed in the abdomen that allow fluids to drain from your abdominal cavity in order to prevent infection. Not every surgeon uses them so if you don't have any, don't worry. It likely means your surgeon saw no need to place them. That being said, it doesn't mean you're immune to infection so you should still be on the lookout for fever or any areas that a red, warm to the touch, painful, swollen, or oozing any green or yellow fluids.

Has anyone else had stomach spasms when swallowing? I'm 11 days out and becoming concerned.

[Tashh 0]

Thank you Lars for all that information it will defintely help.

i just wanted to ask what specfic creams i should use for my skin. did some research and unable to find a cream that has kertain and Vitamin E.

Any ideas?

Tash

[Tattooedlady 2]

I have 2 questions, compleatley not related to one another.

Is it normal not to poo for days? I have only been twice since the op. That is twice in one week. Wasn't substantial either. Is that weird. Definitely getting enough Water and passing urine fine.

Secondly (and slightly random)

will I ever be able to eat nuts again (I don't mean in the foreseeable, I just mean ever) maybe it is just because I am at the stage when I am greiving some of my past food life. I was thinking will I ever be able to enjoy nuts again (obviously in moderation) it's a big Christmas thing in out family and I would really miss it. On the other hand I imagine they are really hard to digest. Any long term sleeves out there know what the score is?

[Tattooedlady 2]

On 08/11/2015 at 5:24 PM, Kathleen568 said:

I don't know if this has been asked before, but I'm just about 4 weeks post sleeve surgery, and I've been freezing since I got home from the hospital. I find that I need to be about 5-10 degrees warmer than I was before my surgery.

Is anyone else experiencing this strange phenomenon? Am I missing some nutrient -- is that why I'm so cold all the time?

Thanks!!

Me too. It's like I'm a reptile, as soon as the heat dissipates I'm done.

I wake up with energy, have something to start me off (clear liquids- 6 days post op). I feel like I have enough energy to get on with the day. Then I crash. Hard. I get almost tearful. Then I need to rest and get warm before finding energy again.

It has to be lack of calories

[OutsideMatchInside 10,166]

40 minutes ago, Tattooedlady said:

I have 2 questions, compleatley not related to one another.

Is it normal not to poo for days? I have only been twice since the op. That is twice in one week. Wasn't substantial either. Is that weird. Definitely getting enough Water and passing urine fine.

Secondly (and slightly random)

will I ever be able to eat nuts again (I don't mean in the foreseeable, I just mean ever) maybe it is just because I am at the stage when I am greiving some of my past food life. I was thinking will I ever be able to enjoy nuts again (obviously in moderation) it's a big Christmas thing in out family and I would really miss it. On the other hand I imagine they are really hard to digest. Any long term sleeves out there know what the score is?

It is normal early on not to go for days and not because you are constipated but just because the quantity of food you eat is so small. As you eat more, you have more frequent bowel movements, By the time you are 6 months or so they should be close to normal.

My plan says I can have nuts at 8 weeks. I have only had nuts a couple times since surgery just because they aren't worth it, not enough Protein for the calories but you can have them. Nuts aren't hard to digest at all. You chew them and they break up very small and mushy, like a nut butter. By the time Christmas comes around you will have no issues with eating them at all.

[Berry78 4,261]

Make sure you have at least 2 BMs a week. Less than that and you risk getting impacted.

Love nuts and seeds. I also was allowed at 8 weeks. I limit my consumption to 1oz a day.

[Tattooedlady 2]

On 29/05/2017 at 11:31 PM, OutsideMatchInside said:

It is normal early on not to go for days and not because you are constipated but just because the quantity of food you eat is so small. As you eat more, you have more frequent bowel movements, By the time you are 6 months or so they should be close to normal.

My plan says I can have nuts at 8 weeks. I have only had nuts a couple times since surgery just because they aren't worth it, not enough Protein for the calories but you can have them. Nuts aren't hard to digest at all. You chew them and they break up very small and mushy, like a nut butter. By the time Christmas comes around you will have no issues with eating them at all.

22 hours ago, Berry78 said:

Make sure you have at least 2 BMs a week. Less than that and you risk getting impacted.

Love nuts and seeds. I also was allowed at 8 weeks. I limit my consumption to 1oz a day.

Thank you for getting back to me.

Im now at a week post op but I have a long way to go. I'm finding it more unusual than difficult at the minute.

The things that I look forward to are the little things (literally) my days of bingeing on carbs and stodgy meals are gone. I can't wait to taste things and savour them.

[Lucha41 5]

Has anyone else had stomach spasms when swallowing? I'm 11 days out and becoming concerned.

I'm glad u posted that, I'm 12 days out of Vsg and the spasms get better each day

Sent from my XT1254 using BariatricPal mobile app

[paucod 0]

Thank u for answers about incisions. 4 days post