Ready2Live!

These two before and after face pictures always make me go WOW!! And make me realize " I got this" Never ever think you can't do it!!

I only have a few pictures of me "before" as I always hid from the camera back then.

Surgery Was on 10/03, down 25.6 lbs. Weight loss slowed this week, but I am losing inches. I feel great. Red meat doesn't sit well with me nor does cheating by trying to sample bad choices, so yep...I stopped that nonsense. I finally got a small hunger feeling this week, but no cravings. I didn't see a difference, but others notice. So, I took a photo today and put it side by side with a before VSG pic and it is insane to see the face behind the extra lbs. How are you all doing? #wecandoit

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Sweetie, this is totally normal. Your body has been through an incredible amount of trauma. Your hormones are raging. This happens to many people post surgery. It happened to me. I was either crying hysterically, seething angry or laughing like crazy. It changed constantly and for no reason. I really thought something was wrong with me but I found out that after WLS these hormonal feelings are super common. Unfortunately, this is something many surgeons never warn us about so it hits us so hard. For me, the emotional issues post surgery was probably the worst part. I was such a mess. It lasted for a couple of weeks.

You’re going to be okay. This is going to pass. I promise. It’s one day at a time. Sometimes it’s just one minute at a time. You focus on getting through the next minute. That’s all you have to worry about right now. One minute at a time.

I know you’re upset and in pain but try to get some rest. Sip liquids as much as you can when you’re awake and try to sleep whenever possible. You’ve been through a lot. Give yourself a break. This is going to get better, I PROMISE you.


As of October 12, 2017, I am 4 months post op and have lost 100 pounds. I have reached my goal weight and could not be more ecstatic!

I have had this since day 10 of surgery (sleeved 10/2). Everything (sometines even water) causes clear mucus like slime to come up. Mine happens with stomach spasms. Having major intake problems.
How do we get this to go away?????

If your insurance doesn't have any restrictions on the number of WLS per lifetime (some limit to one WLS per lifetime) then the usual insurance rules generally apply - BMI of 40 and above, or 35 with comorbidities. So, that's the good news - if you were covered before and have regained to that point, then you should be covered again.
The bad news that you probably don't want to hear is that it won't likely do you much good in the long term, unless there was something seriously defective with your first procedure that needs to be corrected. Changing to a bypass may get you back on track again for a while, but ultimately you will be in the same position as the two procedures are very similar in overall strength or outcome. Think of your WLS as more of a "do-over" than a metabolic reset - it gives you the chance to get things in order to live sustainably and maintain your weight, but it doesn't do it for you.
While I don't agree with everything this doc says, he is one of the few that acknowledges that our meal capacity will increase over time (to around half of our pre-op capacity), and has a viable prescription for living with that fact. His numbers are consistent with my experience over the years. Also, that sleeve/pouch size has little to do with long term capacity or success - my wife has a huge sleeve on VSG terms (from her DS, which typically uses a sleeve of about twice the size of a stand alone VSG sleeve,) and our meal sizes are pretty much the same several years out. It is very much a matter of food choices and habits rather than absolute restriction minimizing how much we eat.
A good part of the game here is matching the right procedure with the patient - think in terms of the WLS procedures having somewhat different personalities, and you have to find the right "fit", just as you do with friends and associates. The RNY isn't any mover powerful overall than the VSG, but may be a better fit for you. Or it may not - research and talk to as many people with the bypass as you can to see if it is right for you, as one of its' drawbacks is that it is very difficult to revise to something else if it doesn't fit. With either procedure, it would not be uncommon for women of average and below height to maintain in the 1000-1200 calorie range long term. If you are having problems at 12-1500 calories now, a bypass or resleeve isn't going to help much if you can't find a way to maintain at whatever level your metabolism dictates.
The DS does offer a better metabolic kick long term and may be your best option if you can't make the long term diet/lifestyle adjustments to make the VSG work; its' caloric malabsorption is long term vs the bypass which sees its caloric malabsorption dissipate after a year or two.. But it requires more serious commitment to supplementing and follow up lab work for life (that's part of its' "personality" that you have to live with. But I have seen many be successful over 10-20 years with it, often eating a less than "ideal" diet.

I'm a few weeks out and not quite there. My intake has been quite slow. That being said, I have issues with nausea and vomiting which isn't so common at this point.
But your intake seems pretty reasonable to me. Up to 4oz is what my office said for meals and that got you full. And it looks like you didnt have more Protein until a few hours later, which seems to be good timing.
This VSG thing really affects each one of us so diffrently. You may just be one of the lucky people who heal quickly and handle typical intake right away.
I wouldnt be concerned but, if you are, you can always check in with your office and see what they say.

For me it was the 2 wks of liquid Dieting! It was hard not being able to chew! So what I did to over come this, I first put myself on a eating schedule. This way I was able to make sure I got my Protein requirment in as well to stay satified. Next when it was my daughters turn to cook, she would graciuoly cook meats & veggies with broth & juices!
Once I was able to eat solid food I had to deal with Constipation & getting enough protein. The problem with getting my protein was due to the fact that I could no longer tolerate all flavors of the Preimer protein drinks! Nor can I eat cheese, all pork or some forms of beef! I can, however, Eat cottage cheese & Greek yogurts ( the 1 with zero carbs & very low sugar). I had to experiment with different protein powders to find what was best for me. Finally, after much research I found Isopure 100% whey Protein Isolate mixed it with flavored water! By the way, for some strange reason, I now can not tolerate Plain water! Good thing we have one of those under sink Water filter systems! Now for the problem with constipation I try to drink at least 48 oz of my flavored water each day & i take a really good probiotic!( the kind you have to keep in the refrige) If I still dont have a BM(sorry, this is the nicest way I can describe it) within 2 days then I take a full medicine cup of Milk of Mag ( also called MOM) every other day. I am now 9 wks post op & doing well & feeling great & looking fine! I dont have ANY regrets or mind the slow weight loss. That way I can stay on top of the flabby skin! My surgery was August 16, 2017. Beginning weight was 210 now Im 190 Lbs. This was taken in early Sept. I was 195Lbs.
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I have reached my one year anniversary and I am down 102 pounds!!!!! One year ago I would of never believed I could have done this, I am very proud of myself and my journey has only begun.... Don't ever think you can't do it!!!

my energy was zapped due to my Iron and folate being low.. I started a new multi and forced myself to do strength training and it's completly changed it! I feel like a million bucks!

Im thinking of asking the doc to place a few staples in my forehead...gotta complete the look !!

The majority of obese people have hiatal hernias and many don't even know it...
A hiatal hernia repair is an easy fix that takes a few seconds, apparently. According to my surgeon, my hiatal hernia repair added a whopping 90 seconds to my overall sleeve surgery time.

Thanks Joann454.
I think I may let them move forward with removing and hope for the best!

Took them before and taking them after. They do help with regularity due to regulating your gut bacteria, etc. also, I read an article of a test done on people who had WLS and probiotics. Some had the actual probiotic and the other had a placebo. The probiotic group had a 70% better weight loss than the placebo group. Worth taking it, for benefits all around.
This isn’t the study I saw before but it’s a nice article about the benefits.
https://www.peachtreebariatrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/PSB-Probiotics.pdf

Usually, eating too fast or too much. The vagus nerve runs along the top of the stomach. It controls reactions in the upper half of the body, such as sneezing, runny nose, hiccuping, and yes, it can make your esophagus and mouth produce slime.When it gets irritated by food mashing against it, it considers making you throw up or somehow get rid of the food, hence the slime. Try eating slower, eating less, chewing more carefully, etc.
Some people do experience sliming even apart from eating as they heal from surgery, just because the nerve is kind of pissed off in general after the trauma of surgery. Usually that resolves itself as you get further from surgery and things heal down there. But that situation is rare -- it's usually from eating too much or too fast. Good luck!

Congratulations! You look great!

From what I understand this is true and it is theorized that reducing the stomach removes some of the offending hormones.

Also, plastic surgery after WLS (like a tummy tuck) can help by actually removing excess fat cells, not just shrinking them.

It helps to hold a pillow on the sore spot and apply counter-pressure

4.5 months post-op.
1. Get yourself in a long-view mentality. Do not get fascinated with the quick drop at the beginning (or lack thereof). Do not obsess over what is happening with the scale on a daily or weekly basis - use it is a tool (and an imperfect one at that).
2. Use this time to change your habits. As much as possible, routinize your food. Move eating to a "background" activity (something that is done out of necessity, versus organizing activities/events around eating). Do as much as you can to completely eliminate unhealthy/non-nutritious food from your diet. Train yourself to love/crave/want nutrient rich food. Be prepared to find new activities to replace eating - walking, exercise, other hobbies and activities.
3. Prepare yourself for how you are going to communicate to others about your lifestyle change. You have the right to communicate however you choose - but think it through in advance and be ready. Be ready for people to have opinions (both positive and negative). Be ready for the overweight people in your life to be curious, jealous or inspired. Be prepared for some of your relationships to change because YOU will change.
4. Take on habits that foster discipline - making your bed every day, weighing/measuring your food, prepping meals, keeping a clean house - any habits that build or foster a sense of discipline where it has been lacking. There will be times when the discipline of keeping your word (if only your word to YOURSELF) will give you a lot of power when old cravings kick in.
5. Empower yourself - do not beat yourself up if you slip, if you make a mistake, if you have strong feelings, if people act like morons. You are making a choice for the quality of your life.
6. Create a point for the surgery that supports you. For me, looking better was not worth it. What was worth it was having my body by useful, make a difference for others and contribute to people for decades to come.

I am one year post-op on Thursday.
My best advice is to do whatever it takes to change your relationship with food. Make food fuel, not a reward, not a comfort, and not a friend. Nothing about this journey is sustainable without making that change.

Congratulations! What a huge accomplishment!

So AWESOME!!!!! Super proud of you!!!

I'm 5 days out and have only lost 1lb. I'm a bigger girl (369 day of surgery) so I expected to lose quickly early on. I also didn't lose much during preopt though I followed it to the letter. There is this fear that you will have done all of this and still not lose. I realize it is still very early so I am trying to give the process time. But I do understand your disappointment. It seems the early losses are what motivate people to get through these tough early days. We will just have to stick it out- we've already come this far!

Woot! Today I reached 100 pounds lost. It is difficult to wrap my mind around. The other day I hauled a 40lb bag of dog food upstairs - and the thought that I have lost 2.5x that amount is both impressive and unsettling. I'm including a screenshot of my before and after SmartBMI calculations. If I'm feeling brave enough, I may post a before and after body shot in the stickied thread.
Thank you to all of you nice folks at BP for being supportive, especially in my more distressed times.

I'm 5 days out and have only lost 1lb. I'm a bigger girl (369 day of surgery) so I expected to lose quickly early on. I also didn't lose much during preopt though I followed it to the letter. There is this fear that you will have done all of this and still not lose. I realize it is still very early so I am trying to give the process time. But I do understand your disappointment. It seems the early losses are what motivate people to get through these tough early days. We will just have to stick it out- we've already come this far!