MarinaGirl

Perhaps your friends who self-paid for their surgery in Mexico are more compliant at eating less post-op than the ones that had it covered by insurance in NY because they paid more money out-of-pocket. Or the ones who went to MX had lower BMI so less to lose, or do not suffer from Binge Eating Disorder, or didn’t go back to their old eating habits, or drink less alcohol, or lots of other reasons that could result in better weight loss & maintenance. Just because their bougie was smaller doesn’t mean that’s why they’ve maintained their weight loss compared to others.

I believe in scientific evidence versus anecdotal statements concerning very few people (i.e. small sample size). Correlation does not imply causation.

Please cite any scientific studies that show a smaller bougie is more effective. I have not found any that confirm your statement.

The ASMBS website also cites a study that showed no difference in short-term outcomes between 34-Fr bougie and 60-Fr bougie in patients whose BMI is less than 60. https://www.soard.org/article/S1550-7289(15)00620-6/abstract

The following study (dated March 2016) showed that there was no difference in %EWL after 1 year for patients with 32-Fr bougie versus 40-Fr bougie. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy for morbid obesity: does bougie size matter Conclusion: LSG is a safe and effective operation for treatment of morbid obesity and obesity-related comorbidities with significant short-term weight loss and an acceptable complication rate. Bougie size does not affect short-term outcomes. We need to extend our study to determine the effect of the bougie size on the long-term outcomes. Note that the optimal size of the bougie remains controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the first year outcome of LSG using two different sizes of bougies.

It felt great. I really enjoy shopping for clothes now and no longer hate getting my picture taken.

Your hunger could be dehydration. Make sure you're sipping at least 64 oz of water a day. At this point (1 week post-op), hydration is more important than food or protein. Another thing that could cause you to think you’re hungry is reflux. Are you taking a PPI? Most bariatric surgeons have their patients take PPIs for 3, 6, or 12 months after WLS. It could also just be head hunger instead of real hunger. Did you detox off of simple carbs and caffeine well in advance of surgery? If not, you could be going through detox and craving the unhealthy food you may have eaten prior to WLS. And you may not feel fullness or restriction while the nerves that were cut during surgery are still healing. So don’t eat until you’re “full”; instead, measure your food so you don’t overeat. Good luck - you can do this! Food for thought: Hunger is not an emergency

I had MGB and lost all of my excess weight and then some, but 8 months after surgery an EGD endoscopy showed I had bile reflux and Barrett's Esophagus. (Prior to MGB, I had acid reflux and esophagitis but not the other 2 issues.). This happened even though I had the stitch to prevent bile reflux. In July 2018 I had surgery to correct the problems and am doing much better. I don’t regret the MGB but think RNY would have been better for me originally. YMMV

3 meals a day and occasional snacks. I also brush my teeth soon after dinner to minimize the temptation to eat any more in the evening. Now all of the things I mentioned above, along with eating protein first on my plate, has become my lifestyle instead of thinking of it as a diet. You don’t lose all the weight and then get to eat more without consequences. This is also true for most normal-sized people; adequate portion sizes and minimal processed/junk food.

I lost 100% of my excess weight and have kept it off for 18 months. Things that helped me achieve this: 1. Months PRIOR to gastric bypass, I gave up the following: a. No carbonated or caffeinated beverages or juice b. No alcohol c. No artificial sweeteners d. No fast food e. Minimal processed food, desserts, bread, rice, or pasta f. Stopped drinking during and after meals g. No food funerals 2. I followed my bariatric surgeon’s instructions to the letter and did not advance my diet ahead of schedule. 3. I worked on my food and other issues with a therapist before and after surgery. 4. I started walking more before surgery and continued to increase my daily steps after surgery. 5. I cleaned out my closet of clothes that were too big as I lost weight. 6. I weigh my food because too large portion sizes (with mindless eating) was a main reason I got so heavy. 7. I no longer snack/graze all day. 8. I’m much kinder to myself post-surgery. If I overeat I don’t beat myself up and then binge; instead, I move on and eat less at my next meal. 9. I drink a lot more water now. 10. I weigh myself almost everyday. When I was overweight I didn’t weigh myself, which allowed me to be in denial about my true weight. Now it’s just data and I can course correct quickly if it starts to go up.

The problem isn’t the medicine. PPIs just mask the symptoms of GERD/reflux/heartburn; they do not stop acid from still damaging your esophagus or stomach because they do NOT resolve the root cause of GERD.

You need to be consuming a minimum of 64 oz of water a day. This is more important than food or vitamins right now. It is hard because you can only sip a little at a time, so you must carry a bottle of water with you constantly. The biggest risk post-op is dehydration and orthostatic hypotension.

Walking is what helps gets rid of the CO2 gas that is pumped into your abdominal cavity during laparoscopy surgery. Gas-X does NOT help as it is for gas within your GI tract, which is not the cause of pain & discomfort post-WLS. It is an Internet fallacy that you should use Gas-X right after bariatric surgery. Save your money and just walk, walk, walk.

I highlighted my hair before and after gastric bypass, no problem. I suffered from some hair thinning after GB surgery but it only lasted for around 4 months. Don’t take Biotin as it doesn’t help with hair regrowth so it is a waste of money. However, the main reason to not take it is it can interfere with lab tests (e.g. cardiovascular diagnostic tests and hormone tests). Please read this Safety Communication from the FDA for detailed info: FDA Warns that Biotin May Interfere with Lab Tests

Gastric bypass reversals are VERY rare. Some of what you’ve read may be Internet trolls, fear mongerers, patients that had issues pre-surgery, didn’t follow post-op instructions, have other health issues but are blaming them on their GB, or that didn’t have a very good bariatric surgeon. Again, serious issues are very rare so try not to let that derail your decision to have GB surgery. Note that some post-ops lose a lot of weight, get to normal BMI, but then their family/friends tell them they’re too skinny/malnourished, even when that’s not the case at all. People in your life may not be used to seeing you thin, or be jealous of your new look/lifestyle and tell you untruths. Unfortunately, some of those patients may then think they need a reversal when they don’t at all.

You do not need to go back to a liquid diet, which was critical for your stomach/intestines to heal properly right after gastric bypass. Doing so is fad diet mentality and wasn’t effective pre-surgery and won’t be post-surgery. Instead, focus on eating dense protein first, followed by non-starchy vegetables. I highly recommend you work with a therapist to figure out why you’re sabotaging yourself - you need to address your food issues as soon as possible. Also, clean up your cupboards, and don’t buy any junk or processed food going forward; make sure you’re consuming more than 64 oz of water a day as thirst can sometimes be confused with hunger; measure out your food with a scale as we’re not good at eye balling portion sizes; and track ALL you consume (be honest) with an app like MyFitnessPal or a food journal.

I don’t think leaks are a common issue with people that have had multiple bariatric surgeries. Instead, it sounds like it may be an issue with your surgeon’s practice. You may want to investigate further. I had revision surgery in July 2018 and have had 5 abdominal surgeries in my lifetime. My surgeon, who is one of the preeminent bariatric/GI surgeons in the U.S., did not tell me I was at increased risk for leaks. I have suffered no complications post-op.

This post doesn’t ring entirely true for me as you just joined, haven’t posted before, haven’t read the entire thread, and so it comes across as fear mongering (about GB). Instead of hijacking someone else’s post, can you please start your own and include any questions you may have?

I recommend Dr. Ungson or Dr. Esquerra at Mexicali Bariatric Center. They are the preeminent DS surgeon’s in Mexico and will gladly tell you how many DS surgeries they’ve done. Note that they perform the true standard of care DS surgery. They do not do the misnamed “DS” surgery (aka SIPS, SADI or Loop) that has poor results (malabsorption ends at 12 months, leading to insufficient weight loss) and is considered experimental in the US.

Your muscle pain and nighttime cramps can be due to magnesium deficiency.

Note that some post-ops do not absorb iron supplements well, even when taken at the right time and/or dosage. For those people, periodic iron infusions may be required long term.

Make sure you’re NOT taking your iron supplements at the same time (or within 2 hours) as the following items as they will interfere with absorption of each other: - Calcium - Multi vitamins containing iron & calcium (instead take a multi that doesn’t contain iron such as One A Day Women’s 50+ Advantage and then take iron by itself and 2-4 hours earlier or later) - Thyroid medication - Heartburn / GERD medication - Caffeine / coffee

Pouch reset is a fad diet; crash diets never work and is not the right approach post-WLS. Instead, work with a therapist to resolve your head issues, then focus on the bariatric “rules;” dense protein first followed by non-starchy vegetables, use a scale to measure portions, don’t drink during meals or 30 mins afterwards, track what you eat with a food journal or an app like MyFitnessPal, drink a minimum of 64 oz of water a day, cut out processed food & junk, no alcohol, etc.

My medical team clearly said to not take Flinstones or children’s vitamins as they don’t contain the right vitamins and dosages for adult bariatric patients.

I never found any chewables I could stomach, especially as most/all contain sugar alcohols, which caused me nausea post-op. Instead, I just took regular vitamins, and the larger ones I cut in half with a pill cutter.