catwoman7

I think it was about two weeks for me.

I think it was about two weeks for me.

Hi, Did you go abroad for the band ? I ask because I believed they don't do them in the UK anymore. If you did have it done here then you need to contact your team and ask them the best way to help you. There are very few people on here that are still banded. You may have to wait a day or two for any help.

we weren't allowed coffee on the pre-op diet, or for the first three or four weeks after surgery. After that, we could drink Decaf. We weren't allowed "real" coffee until about six months out. But as others have said, programs are all different.

nope - that's the same thing I told people! (except for other obese people - they know the "diet & exercise" thing is a bunch of schlock, so I was more honest with them. A lot of skinny people believe that, though...)

I haven't told anyone -- even my family -- that I got surgery. It's none of their business, and people can be really ignorant and judgmental about WLS, and I don't want to debate about it. Sometimes when someone says, "Wow, you look great!" you can divert the conversation away from weight loss just by saying, "Thanks! So do you! It's great to see you; how have you been?"

My go-to answer when people ask me how I lost the weight is, "I made a lot of lifestyle changes..." That alone is often enough to make them lose interest because they're looking for an easy answer. If they press for more information, I'll talk about using MyFitnessPal to track my food, getting a FitBit to track my steps, waking up early to work out before work, finding healthy recipes on Pinterest, incorporating more vegetables into my meals, using grocery delivery to avoid temptation, etc. Which is all true. I'm 3.5 years post-op, and over time, the surgery itself is less of a factor and the "lifestyle changes" (I used to hate that term, but that's what it is) are what matter.
Nowadays, weight loss drugs like Ozempic are pretty socially accepted, more so than surgery. I would be more willing to admit to using Ozempic than getting WLS, except that I haven't used weight loss drugs and I wouldn't lie to say I did (and wouldn't want to have to answer questions about side effects, cost, etc. that would probably follow). But since weight loss drugs are so common, people might just assume.

we weren't allowed coffee on the pre-op diet, or for the first three or four weeks after surgery. After that, we could drink Decaf. We weren't allowed "real" coffee until about six months out. But as others have said, programs are all different.

2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 1 year, and then annually after that (unless there's an issue). At around five years out, my clinic turns the reins over to our PCPs, unless the person is having issues.

that doesn't sound like dumping syndrome. Dumping syndrome happens within an hour or two after you eat and involves sweating or chills, heart palpitations, abdominal cramping, and diarrhea.
if not gall bladder, it could be Constipation or slow motility, I suppose - which is probably why they're ordering a colonoscopy. It's kind of hard to say until they get in there to have a look. Keep us posted.

summerseeker is correct - many women of childbearing age experience an estrogen "flood" after surgery that can cause screwed up menstrual cycles and mood swings. It should settle back down to normal once your rate of weight loss slows down.

2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 1 year, and then annually after that (unless there's an issue). At around five years out, my clinic turns the reins over to our PCPs, unless the person is having issues.

summerseeker is correct - many women of childbearing age experience an estrogen "flood" after surgery that can cause screwed up menstrual cycles and mood swings. It should settle back down to normal once your rate of weight loss slows down.

that doesn't sound like dumping syndrome. Dumping syndrome happens within an hour or two after you eat and involves sweating or chills, heart palpitations, abdominal cramping, and diarrhea.
if not gall bladder, it could be Constipation or slow motility, I suppose - which is probably why they're ordering a colonoscopy. It's kind of hard to say until they get in there to have a look. Keep us posted.

This is the first time in 4 years on this forum that I ever heard of a leak. It must be rare. This surgery is so safe these days. Stop frightening yourself reading about stuff that might never happen.

Nerves & feeling anxious before surgery isn’t unusual. You are doing something that requires many changes to you physically, psychologically & emotionally. And you don’t have any experience with any of it.
I didn’t have any co morbidities at all before my surgery but I knew they would be in my future simply because I was obese. Being generally in good health bedside surgery puts you in a stronger place for your surgery & recovery so a plus.
The very small portions are only in the beginning during the staged return to eating. As you progress you are able to eat more until you are eating what is a recommended & appropriate serving size. Not those large servings that are two, three or more times we been acclimatised to think of as normal but the portion size we should be eating. Doesn’t mean you won’t ever eat your favourite foods ever again either. In time you work out how much you can eat of that food & how often. Or you may make changes to the ingredients or the cooking method to make it a healthier & more nutritious choice.
We talk about having to do the head work while we are losing. This is the most important step. Working out the why, what, when you eat & changing your relationship with food. Reflecting on what drives you to eat & the food choices you make so you can mange those cravings & work out a way of eating for the future that is sustainable, doesn’t restrict or limit you & allows you to enjoy your life as you want. This is the difference between the surgery and every other diet I’ve been on (& I was almost 54 when I had the surgery & had been on a lot of diets). I’ve never been able to lose weight & maintain it for any length of time like I have after the surgery. Yes, I work on it every day but it doesn’t mean I don’t or can’t enjoy my life or miss out on anything. A lot of it is routine & I look at it as not being on a continuous diet (so many negative connotations) but this is just my way of eating. Like how people who have food allergies or may be vegan or vegetarian eat & the food choices they make.
Ensure you have access to a supportive therapist you can call on if needed & a helpful dietician who listens. This isn’t something you can really do completely on your own.
Best decision I ever made.
All the best whatever you choose to do.

Hi Joe! My surgery is in 4 days. I am 5'6" and at my highest weight, I was 250 pounds, which gave me a BMI of 40.3. Since starting the nutrition program and pre-op liquid diet, I am down to 228 pounds, so a BMI of 36.8. I have high blood pressure, prediabetes, and high cholesterol. Like you, I've dieted countless times. In fact, I was enrolled in the nonsurgical program at my hospital for 7 years, starting when I was 42.
I found it relatively easy to lose up to about 15% of my total body weight, around 40 lbs, by counting calories, exercising religiously, and not letting my guard down for a minute. After that, I would stall. Then the weight would creep back up. My doctor would prescribe meds (including Wegovy for a while, but it's too expensive for longterm use for me), and I'd lose 10 pounds. Then I would stall, followed by regain. Or the nutritionist would suggest a new approach, and I would lose a few pounds again, followed by regain. A little more each time. After 7 years of trying, I was back to my highest weight ever. I feel like I wasted a whole lot of time with nothing to show for it.
And now I'm nearly 50. My blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol all have gotten worse. My feet hurt. My joints ache. I feel older than I am, and I don't want to be old before my time. I know from reading the latest studies in weight loss science that my chance of long term success in reaching and maintaining a healthy weight without the metabolic reset of bariatric surgery is around 5%.
I'm fortunate because I've seen my brother go through sleeve surgery 15 years ago. He lost a huge amount of weight (about half his body weight) and though he has regained a fair amount of that, it's nowhere near where he used to be. His appetite is now what I would call the smaller side of normal. Nobody looks at him having dinner and would guess he had surgery. So I know that the most drastic parts of this (like a liquid diet!) are phases you have to get through to get somewhere better.
I feel nervous, too. I've never had surgery. I worry about complications. I'm hardly ever sick, so I sometimes think what if I'm trading decent health for problems? But realistically, problems are in my future. I've seen it in countless family members. The writing is on the wall. And the surgery is very safe. So for me, the risk is worth it. I've tried on my own long enough to know it isn't going to happen for me without this. And a BMI of 40 might not be as big as some people, but it's big enough to rob me of good health in my future.
I really hope this helps at least give you some things to think about to help you make your decision. Wishing you all the best!

Bypass patients are supposed to take B12 supplements (either by injection or sublingual tablets) because our new stomachs lack intrinsic factor which is needed to digest it. You likely won't absorb the B12 that's in your multi or food. So keep taking it unless/until your clinic advises you to stop. As everyone said above, high B12 isn't dangerous. I wasn't told to cut back on my supplement until mine went over 2000.

nine years later, and I still track my food every day.

1). there are a lot more people who don't reach goal than there are who lose too much weight. Plus if you feel like you're losing too much weight, you can always increase your calories to put the brakes on it - or to start gaining. So I wouldn't worry about this one AT ALL.
2). fewer than 5% of people are able to lose weight and keep it off. You may be one of the lucky ones who can do that - and if so, and you're afraid of the surgery, it's not too late to pull out and try it on your own. I wasn't one of the lucky ones. I spent my first 55 years as overweight or obese. I gained and lost weight a million times and could never keep it off until I had weight loss surgery.
3). Hair loss, if you experience it (and not everyone does), is temporary. I lost hair during months 5-8 post-surgery (so...for three months). It wasn't much, though. I could tell because there were more hairs in my combs and brushes, but I really didn't notice it at all when looking in the mirror, so I'm sure no one else noticed it. Plus hair loss after surgery is more like shedding - not huge clumps of loss like one might have after chemo. For a lot of people, they're the only ones who notice it. It's usually more loss of volume than noticeable "bald spots" - and it does grow back.
to me, the risk of losing some hair temporarily vs. being morbidly obese for the rest of my life was a no-brainer. But you may think and decide differently for yourself - and there's nothing wrong with that. If you're not mentally ready for this yet, or want to try on your own to lose weight, then there's nothing wrong with canceling or postponing your surgery. You wouldn't be the first..or last.

High B12 is common after surgery. Mine is always over 1000. In fact, I know vets who swear they feel better if theirs is over 1000. The only time my clinic ever said anything about my high B12 level was when it went over 2000 a few years back. And even then, they just suggested I cut back a bit on my supplement. Otherwise, it's met with a shrug.
weird liver numbers are also pretty common after surgery. Rapid weight loss is hard on livers. My liver numbers didn't settle down until I was a year (or maybe more) out...but they did eventually stabilize (i.e., in the normal range).

P.S. those hemoglobin and MCHC levels are so close to normal that I wouldn't worry about them. Your doctor or surgeon will let you know if they're in issue, but I'm guessing they're probably fine.

High B12 is common after surgery. Mine is always over 1000. In fact, I know vets who swear they feel better if theirs is over 1000. The only time my clinic ever said anything about my high B12 level was when it went over 2000 a few years back. And even then, they just suggested I cut back a bit on my supplement. Otherwise, it's met with a shrug.
weird liver numbers are also pretty common after surgery. Rapid weight loss is hard on livers. My liver numbers didn't settle down until I was a year (or maybe more) out...but they did eventually stabilize (i.e., in the normal range).

P.S. those hemoglobin and MCHC levels are so close to normal that I wouldn't worry about them. Your doctor or surgeon will let you know if they're in issue, but I'm guessing they're probably fine.

High B12 is common after surgery. Mine is always over 1000. In fact, I know vets who swear they feel better if theirs is over 1000. The only time my clinic ever said anything about my high B12 level was when it went over 2000 a few years back. And even then, they just suggested I cut back a bit on my supplement. Otherwise, it's met with a shrug.
weird liver numbers are also pretty common after surgery. Rapid weight loss is hard on livers. My liver numbers didn't settle down until I was a year (or maybe more) out...but they did eventually stabilize (i.e., in the normal range).

P.S. those hemoglobin and MCHC levels are so close to normal that I wouldn't worry about them. Your doctor or surgeon will let you know if they're in issue, but I'm guessing they're probably fine.

High B12 is common after surgery. Mine is always over 1000. In fact, I know vets who swear they feel better if theirs is over 1000. The only time my clinic ever said anything about my high B12 level was when it went over 2000 a few years back. And even then, they just suggested I cut back a bit on my supplement. Otherwise, it's met with a shrug.
weird liver numbers are also pretty common after surgery. Rapid weight loss is hard on livers. My liver numbers didn't settle down until I was a year (or maybe more) out...but they did eventually stabilize (i.e., in the normal range).

P.S. those hemoglobin and MCHC levels are so close to normal that I wouldn't worry about them. Your doctor or surgeon will let you know if they're in issue, but I'm guessing they're probably fine.

make sure you're sticking to your plan and stay off the scale - maybe just weigh yourself once a week.
also, keep in mind that the closer you get your goal, the harder it is to get the pounds off. It took me 20 months - and after the year mark, there were months when I only lost a lb or two.

make sure you're sticking to your plan and stay off the scale - maybe just weigh yourself once a week.
also, keep in mind that the closer you get your goal, the harder it is to get the pounds off. It took me 20 months - and after the year mark, there were months when I only lost a lb or two.