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? Click on the 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…
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.< /p>
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)
How long will my surgery last? Typically about 45mins assuming there are no complications or other procedures (ie: hernia repairs) being done at the time of your surgery. Every surgeon is different so for a more accurate answer you should consult your respective surgeon.
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 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.
KC VSG THATS GREAT! I am scheduled for May 26- 2015 but I am sure I'll be pushing it back at least a few weeks later to June 2015. We may meet where are you from? I live in Louisiana. I'm so excited. I research for more then two years and finally decided and paid my deposit. thank you for replying
I am here now at a very nice condo. My surgery is in the morning with Dr Zavalza!! So far Robert, Johnny and David have been wonderful!! Dr Luna took me for a test today!!! I am excited!!!
I had gastric sleeve surgery with Dr Francisco Zavalza on February 24, 2015 in Tijuana Mexico. I wanted to wait until I hit my first goal before posting a review. I figured this would allow me to talk about the follow up that seems to set Dr Zavalza apart from most of the other well known doctors.
I went on this trip with a friend and we both had the surgery. He is a nurse and had 2 nurse friends who had gone to TJ and had the surgery done by another group. They had a good experience but Todd was changing Jobs and needed to have the surgery before the other group was available. I had been lurking on BariatricPal for a while and was just starting to see things pop up about Dr Zavalza. All of the reviews I read were great and I liked the fact that I would get to Skype with him before the surgery and that there was 2 years of follow up afterwards. Most of the other doctors do not meet you and you never even speak to them until the day of surgery.
Todd and I flew in to San Diego on February 23rd and were picked up promptly at the airport by Roberto. We were expecting to go to the recovery condo but shortly after Roberto picked us up we found out that we would be going to a hotel instead. It turns out that a truck had run into a transformer outside of the condo and they had no power. I was a bit concerned that this was going to set the tone for the trip and that nothing was going to be the way it was supposed to be. We were brought to the Hotel Real del Rio, which I have to say was a very nice place. David met us there and bought us dinner. He apologized over and over about the condo. I started to feel better about things as the night went on.
The next morning we were brought to Florence Hospital. When we got there we found that it was a pretty nice place. Looking at it from the road it was nothing special but once you walk into the courtyard area it is very nice. We went in and Dr Zavalza was there waiting for us. He is a really nice guy that makes you very comfortable. We filled out some paperwork (it was in English) and then were brought to our room. The room we were in was the oldest and smallest room I saw at the hospital and ironically it was the one set up with beds for 2 patients. Todd and I shared this room (we wanted to) and while it was well worn, it was very clean. The other rooms were all larger and in better condition.
Shortly after getting settled into our room we did our lab work. Dr Luna came in and met us. He is this cool young doctor who is Dr Zavalza’s partner and is a bariatric nutritionist. He always has a smile on his face and we were always happy to see him. We did chest x-rays and then not too long afterwards I went into surgery. Next thing I remember is waking up in the room again. I didn’t feel any pain or discomfort. I got up and went to the bathroom and then walked the hall. Todd went next and was fine when he got back. Later that night the gas pain hit and it sucked. I liken it to having the flu. It’s pretty miserable. The hospital staff was great, all spoke english (except the cleaning lady), and we saw them all throughout the night and the entire time we were there.
24 hours later I felt great. The drain was uncomfortable and the gas pain would come and go but it was nothing major. We walked the halls and met a lot of great people. We would go sit out in the courtyard and chat with the others there. Talking to other people sure made us glad we had chosen Dr Z. They were not getting anywhere near the attention we were from our doctors. We met some people who we connected with on Facebook and though we were only together for a couple of days, we have a bond from our florence Hospital experience.
2 days after surgery we did our second leak test and then the drain was removed. I only thought I felt good until that drain was removed. I felt like I could go run a marathon after that.
We left the hospital later that day after the drain was removed and went back to the hotel. Todd was feeling nauseous because David drives like a madman (sorry David but it’s true). David dropped Todd off at the hotel and then took Steve and myself shopping (Steve was another guy who was there with BariatricPal having the sleeve). We went to a mall right up the street from the hotel and walked around and went to GNC and a grocery store. I had cash with me but it was much easier to use my card.
The next day we took a cab out to Revolution Ave and tried to find some gifts to bring back to our wives and kids. It was just a bunch of junk though. Don’t waste your time. We decided to walk back from Revolution to the hotel. It was about a 4 mile walk. It felt really good to be walking like that 3 days after surgery. Dr Z and Dr Luna visited us a the hotel each day and on the last day Dr Luna removed our staples.
On a side note, this hotel seems to cater to bariatric patients. There were a ton of other people there that were walking around with their drains still in. We started talking to many of them and there were people there who were only 12 hours out of surgery. There were people with IV stands in there rooms and they were walking the hotel halls like we were at the hospital. One group of people had to wait at the airport most of the day to be picked up because the Medical Tourism group they were using wanted to wait until everyone was at the airport to be picked up in one shot. When the guy showed up to get them he didn’t speak English and he just dropped them at the hotel. My point with this is that you are already going to be nervous about what you are doing. Make sure you choose a doctor who is going to treat you like a person and a medical tourism group that is not going to herd you like cattle. I was very happy with the choices I made in BariatricPal and Dr Zavalza.
We flew home and 2 days later Todd was in the hospital because he wasn’t drinking enough and got severely dehydrated. Dr Zavalza was on the phone with his wife throughout the ordeal and was speaking with our doctors here and asking for copies of all of the imagery and test results. The doctors here were amazed that he even cared. He truly does care about all of his patients.
Since the surgery I have Skyped with Dr Z every week for the first 4 weeks and now, because I am not having any issues with eating or anything we are scheduled for once per month. Dr Z and Dr Luna are active in the Facebook group ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/856770857736807/ ) and are always there to answer any questions we may have.
It has been 6 weeks now and I have lost 50.2 pounds. Yesterday was Easter and I ate anything I wanted, just much smaller portions. I am loving my life with my sleeve and am grateful to Dr Z, Dr Luna, and BariactricPal.
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