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My general doctor had referred me to a nephrologist because my kidney function had been deteriorating for almost 2 years. She mentioned that I "have kidney disease dear". By the way during the entire time I had Been seeing her she never even mentioned that my kidney function was a problem. I went to a nephrologist who then pulled up the exact same charts she looks at and walked me through a 2 year history of my failing kidney function. I was already at stage 3 and progressing very quickly to a very bad place. He is the person who went through my complete medical history and asked me if I had ever thought about weight loss surgery. He could see through 17 years of yo yo dieting in my medical records and knew I needed help. I went home and started researching immediately, made an appointment with my general doctor and basically told her this was where I was headed. She literally tried to talk me out of it and suggested I speak with one of their nutritionists. I had already begun the process of WLS and had completed the seminar and was scheduled to meet with the psychology, nutritionist and Bariatric surgeon. Her only job in this whole thing was to complete a pre op physical when the time came. We had been planning on moving out of state or I would have looked for a new general doctor at the time. I was angry that she had not even mentioned my kidney situation until 2 years had gone by and I was at stage 3. Well I had my surgery in sept. Then about a month ago I was immediately scheduled for a 3 level cervical fusion and needed a preop done again. When she saw me, she literally could not believe that I had lost over 100 lbs and all my comorbitities were gone. She kept saying how great I looked. Then, she said maybe she should look into WLS for herself! How stupid of me for staying with this doctor for so long! I have moved out of state now and will be looking for a new general doctor and trust me, I won't be so stupid this time either. I really believe now that she didn't suggest it or initially support it because she herself is obese and didn't know how that would be received coming from her. (This is just me theory) Once she saw my results and I told her that my nephrologist has been my hero for even discussing the option with me, she admitted she should have talked to me about it several years ago. My advice is to go in well educated about WLS, be prepared to talk about your own weight loss history and the medical issues that are resulting from it. Explain you are looking for her/his support. The reality is, your insurance company will likely require you use a Bariatric center of excellence and should be able to give you the names of some in your area. You might even have that info in your back pocket. My lesson in all this is, to start taking control of your own health. I was clearly ok with allowing many years to go by with many comorbitities and a doctor who honestly never addressed any of them. I was clearly not in control at all. That is no longer my behavior and never will be again. Good luck with your journey! You deserve to be a healthier you!

All NSAIDs are off limits post WLS surgery. They can cause ulcers in your new tummy. That being said, no one has ever verified if this is forever.

I leveraged the required list from my Bariatric center of excellence. They do not push or sell a certain type of solutions, they simply give you a list of requirements and where they can be purchased for less. AM Take Biotin (this is optional and helps with hair, skin, nails) calcium citrate PM Multi Vitamin with Iron D3 Calcium Citrate Twice weekly sublingual B12 Most everything I buy I get at costco in bulk. I do not take iron separately as I no longer have my period and my iron levels have been excellent. Prior to my bypass I was anemic and having to take iron everyday.

It depends on your insurance. Mine would have had no problem.

You are doing fantastic and I love the analogy that the sugar is leaving your body kicking and screaming! That is a good way to describe it. Good luck to you!

I have not really had that problem other than in the first couple of weeks. Once I was back on a normal diet everything went back to normal.

I will be one of those people who will drink one a day forever mostly because I cannot consume enough food to deliver 70 grams or more of Protein. I am over 8 months post op. I have never been told to stop them at a certain point but have been coached to focus my actual meals on protein and good carbs like vegetables and fruits. Then supplement with a shake if necessary.

It completely depends on your insurance requirements. Mine "Medica" had a 6 month supervised diet so by the time I got all the appointments with nutritionists, bariatricians, stress test sect., it was actually almost 9 months to the day. Best to call your insurance and get very clear about their requirements. I am glad I had that time because there were a lot of habits I was able to work on during that time. Good luck to you!

Most of the time that nausea is due to not enough liquids. It can really create havoc on your body.

Yes, this fatigue is normal and the only way to deal with it really is to start to push yourself. This assumes you are getting your proper hydration. I just had surgery last wed. On my spine and I can barely keep my eyes open. I realize it is time for me to get my behind moving a bit more. You really have to push yourself to get that back. It will get better.

I had 7 incisions and they really are all over. I was actually surprised to see how high they actually are. Also don't put the pillow under your seat belt, it is just to hold on your tummy when u go over bumps. I will be honest, I would not have needed the pillow and was off all pain medication by Thursday. I had my surgery on Monday night. If I got uncomfortable I took some liquid Tylenol. The reality is, the pain Ned's did not help the type of pain I had. Most of my pain was from the gas they use in your tummy. Once that passes I could handle the small amount of pain I had from the surgery. I will say everyone is different and I have had 5 spinal surgeries since 2001. For me the bypass really was a piece of cake. I was uncomfortable but not in pain. I was more exhausted from lack of Water and nutrition. My surgeon told me that this was actually pretty normal for most people. Some people have a harder time managing pain that others so you just want to make sure you have your mess with you and stat hydrated.

That is just plain gross! I bet you are right and they do sell them.

1 gram for every inch you are tall minimum. It is harder in those beginning weeks that is why it is so important to use a tracker like my fitness pal to help you track your progress.

@@Annek2014, I totally feel your pain. I just had a 3 level cervical spine surgery last week and I am so afraid it is going to set me back. Fortunately I have not been able to eat a lot because they went through my throat. The bad news is because I am not getting enough calories and Protein and I am restricted on exercise, I am stalled and even gained 2 lbs. It makes no sense, the only thing I have been able to eat is cottage cheese, pudding and some clear broth type Soups. Anyway, I know that my protein is really short so I am going to try drinking 3 Protein shakes for the next couple of days and see if that will help get things moving again. Water as well, I have had such a hard time swallowing anything including water. I am going to really work hard at those two things and see if it helps. Oh, and of course all these stinking pain killers have caused me to be constipated which I am sure is also part of my problem. I tried backing off some of the pain killers and then spent most of the day in tears yesterday because the pain was so bad and clearly it was too soon to be backing off. I am in a hard color neck brace for 12 weeks minimum which makes any kind of exercise besides slow walking next to impossible plus I a, restricted anyway. I am usually a positive person but this can bring you down in a hurry. I just cannot let it do that so today I am going to try to work through this differently and see if it helps. The only advice I can give you is don't miss your protein and water, it causes more problems than you need. Keep me posted on your surgery and I will try to do the same with you. Good luck and I hope you have a speedy recovery!

My number 1 favorite Protein can be purchased at costco. It is called Premier Protein and they are ready made shakes. They do go on sale fairly regularly. chocolate is the best flavor but strawberries and cream is pretty good as well. Drink them ice cold and shake them up before you open them. They do not have that gritty, nasty protein flavor you get with some shakes. I also use Syntrax nectars for something different. I order them on Amazon and love fuzzy naval, Caribbean cooler and vanilla bean torte. You could also order a sampler that has all the different flavors for you to try. I prefer the grab and go because it is all pre measured, all you have to do is add Water or milk.

Protein is hard because what you might like now, may change after your surgery. The best thing you can do is go onto a site and order some samples so you can try the different flavor until you find some that you love. That being said, I have some absolute favorites that i would recommend trying: 1. This is my favorite! Premier Protein ready made shakes. The have 30 grams of protein and 1 gram of sugar. They come in chocolate, strawberries and cream and vanilla. For me, chocolate is my favorite because it is not overly sweet. You can buy these in bulk at Sam's and costco and the do go on sale. 2. Syntrax grab and go nectars - these can be made with milk or Water are are absolutely delicious. I am drinking a fuzzy naval flavor mixed with water. It is delicious. There are 23 grams of protein in these but could be boosted if you make them with fair life milk. I also love the Vanilla Bean Torte which I do make with milk and it tastes like a delicious milkshake. Lastly I also love the Caribbean cooler which tastes like one of those fru fru drinks you get on vacation. Honestly these are the Proteins that I prefer. I have trouble with a lot of the whey protein mixes but for some reason Syntrax seems lighter and more delicious. Go onto Amazon and order a sample pack so you can try the different flavors.

I am not sure what surgery part two even is? Are you saying your sleeve has failed and need a revision or are you talking about plastics or what?

Without the Protein and Fluid you will continue to feel tired and lethargic. Do your best to get as much as possible in. In terms of not liking G it, you will have to find something that works for you. Try samples til you find one you like. Mt favorite is Premier Protein ready made shakes. As soon as I was able to drink those I started feeling a lot better.

I ended up with RNY for the very same reasons as listed above. RNY will cure it while the sleeve and lap and can make it much worse requiring a revision to bypass anyway. Good luck!

I had my lip and between my brows done. I was shocked at how painful this procedure actually is. Yet I went back once a month for 6 months for more torture. Thank god I just had my lip and brow done. I cannot imagine the pain of having my hoo haa done! No way, no how! There has to be a better way to have hair removed permanently without the torture. I swear every time they zapped my lip I felt it in my teeth! I swear a masochist must have invented this lovely procedure! Oh and of course every time I came in for the next procedure they would ask if I wanted the numbing cream?!?! Are you for real? Of course, please numb my whole head so I cannot feel anything please! Not sure what it actually numbed but it sure wasn't my lip! I have honestly thought it would be a really good way to get back at that man in your life when they irritate you!

There are several Protein shakes that I use and are delicious. My favorite is Premier Protein ready made shakes. You can buy them at Sam's or costco. chocolate is my favorite flavor is it is not overly sweet. You get 30 grams of protein and only 1 gram of sugar. These are very tolerable shakes and were recommended by my Bariatric team when I struggled with some of the others. Recently I also had the need to try another type of shake called Syntrax nectars. I chose the grab and go packets to try and they can be mixed with Water or milk. The fuzzy naval, Caribbean cooler and vanilla bean torte are all delicious. I choose to mix the vanilla bean torte with milk. You do have to mix these well, wait a few moments and shake them one more time. I do not get any grit nor do I taste that nasty protein taste. They are delicious and have 23 grams of protein in each shake. In terms of Vitamins I initially used Centrum chewables. They were just fine. Now I can swallow a small daily multi Vitamin with Iron with no problem.

I am so very sorry for your loss! When you lose a pet it feels like you lost a member of your family. I am glad to hear you are going right back after goals. You should be so proud of yourself. It is also always very encouraging when someone says something so kind to you when you need it most. My thoughts and prayers are with you! Stay strong!

Water and Protein. These are the things that will get you through the stalls. Your body gets used to routine. You need to increase water and protein, if you do those things your body will catch up. By the way, a stall is NO weight loss for 10 days to 2 weeks or more. Your weight fluctuates every day so it it is going to make you crazy, you must stay off the scale. It is only one measurement that you should care about. Take a big breath and keep on going, your body will catch up!

@@Dub I am so very very excited for you! You have clearly done a lot of thinking and researching WLS. You are well on your way to a much healthier life already. I am glad to hear you have kept an open mind about which procedure to pursue. There really is a lot to understand. I too had my heart set on the sleeve mostly because of all the hype. When I went to my first appointment with the Bariatric doctor and Bariatric nurse, they went over my full history. As we began to discuss the different options the fact that I suffered from Reflux and Gerd came up. At that time they recommended that I consider bypass instead of the sleeve. I was devastated but decided I would do some research and get a second opinion. The more I researched the more I learned that the sleeve and band can both make reflux worse and in some cases give someone who has never had it, can cause it to happen. In my case I was already on the maxi u dose of reflux medication so if I had a problem with it post sleeve there would be nothing they could do to resolve it besides revise to a bypass. After I saw my gastroenterologist he definfinately recommended bypass and even told me that the bypass would likely cure this disease for good. Well, after that meeting it was a no brainier for me. I had my bypass on 9/29/2014. I have been off all reflux medications at the 30 day post op mark. I have never ever had a single episode of heartburn, reflux or Gerd. I am down 105lbs and would like to lose another 40 although I look terrific already. I no longer have diabetes, stage 3 kidney disease, knee pain or ankle/foot pain. My sleep apnea has been resolved. I do still have serious spine issues that have gotten worse but that was because I waited too long to do something about my weight. I have normal to sometimes lower blood pressure and my cholesterol both good and bad are now all normal. I feel so lucky that I have a second chance at life! Your story is so inspiring and I really wish you the absolute best of luck as you go through this process. In terms of changing some things now, you are asking at a perfect time. I would suggest going after one thing at a time but for starters stop with the soda. You will never be able to have it again post surgery so ween yourself completely off now so it is not such a shock to your body. Then start with coffee. Practice eating your meals very slowly. Never eat for more than 30 minutes but try to take that whole time to eat your much more normal portions. Also if up you can, practice eating without drinking 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after. This was the hardest for me to practice before surgery but I have had no problem sticking to it post surgery. Also if you eat in front of the TV, try really hard to eat without distractions. It helps you pay attention to what your body is telling you. Good luck and please keep us posted on your progress! I am looking forward to your success! You deserve it and are working hard to get after it.

I just had a neck surgery that heavily involved my throat. Worse sore throat I ever had in my life. I swear it is like strep throat times 100. Still cannot eat solid food. I was able to order Cepastat from the drug store. They no longer sell it on the shelves and it is what they gave me in the hospital. I have 12 boxes of them sitting on my coffee table right now. They are sugar free, taste pretty good and most importantly it takes the edge off the throat pain. I just had a neck surgery that heavily involved my throat. Worse sore throat I ever had in my life. I swear it is like strep throat times 100. Still cannot eat solid food. I was able to order Cepastat from the drug store. They no longer sell it on the shelves and it is what they gave me in the hospital. I have 12 boxes of them sitting on my coffee table right now. They are sugar free, taste pretty good and most importantly it takes the edge off the throat pain. I just had a neck surgery that heavily involved my throat. Worse sore throat I ever had in my life. I swear it is like strep throat times 100. Still cannot eat solid food. I was able to order Cepastat from the drug store. They no longer sell it on the shelves and it is what they gave me in the hospital. I have 12 boxes of them sitting on my coffee table right now. They are sugar free, taste pretty good and most importantly it takes the edge off the throat pain.