Tracyringo

FYI: At only a month post op, not many of us are allowed to eat sandwiches (according to post op diet plans)
You are still early out so there’s a chance your restrictions with kick in eventually, or rather you’ll recognize what it feels like sooner
Don’t give up!

there are statistically more complications with bypass, but complications with either surgery are really pretty low. The rule of thumb lately seems to be if you have GERD issues, go with bypass, otherwise, it comes down to personal preference. They're both good surgeries, and you'll find people on this site who've been very successful with both.
you will have to take Vitamins for life with both surgeries, but there are more consequences if you slack off on vitamin-taking with bypass because of the malabsorption. But if you're diligent about taking your vitamins, then Vitamin deficiency is rare.
about 30% of sleeve patients develop GERD (or if they have it prior to surgery, it can get worse), and about the same percentage of bypass patients (about 30%) experience dumping syndrome, and in both cases that's kind of a crap shoot. You can't really predict ahead of time if you'll get those or not (although if you already have GERD, it's very likely not to improve and there's a decent chance it'll get worse with the sleeve. On the other hand, bypass usually improves if not outright cures GERD). If you have bypass and are one of the 30% who dump, it can be controlled by not eating a lot of sugar (or fat - some people dump on fat) at one sitting.
Hair loss is very common with both surgeries. Actually, it's a potential side effect of any major surgery (and childbirth, too), due to stress on the body. I think we see it more after bariatric surgeries than other surgeries, though, because in addition to the trauma from the surgery, we're also taking in very few calories the first few weeks/months. The good news is, it's temporary - the hair will grow back - and in most cases, you're the only one who'll notice it. A few people don't lose any hair at all, a few lose noticeable clumps of it, but most of us are somewhere in the middle. It's more like "shedding", and it's not enough for others to notice. I didn't lose much at all. It lasted maybe three months and then started growing back. But anyway, don't make your decision based on hair loss, because that's very common regardless of surgery.
I don't think you can really make a wrong decision either way. I'd take into account what your doctors say, and also consider your personal preference. Some people are more comfortable with one or the other. As I mentioned, they're both good surgeries and you can get good results with either one.

I am a year out from my revision to RNY and can only eat half a slice. I ate a full slice once that sent me down for 2 hours🤢🙁. I do however make pizza bowls and they are delicious !!! ( all the toppings sauce and cheese oven baked)

I was almost 54 when I had my surgery. Yes, I have some loose skin. And like @catwoman7, you can’t really see it when I’m dressed ... except for that wee pooch at my waist but I am slouching a little for effect in the pxt on the left below 😉. Like @STLoser I happily carry my loose skin: I worked hard to lose my weight & I continue to work at maintaining. The loose skin reminds me every day to stay my course.
When you first lose weight you could look drawn but I found my remaining fat seemed to resettle once in maintenance & I looked better. Increasing my calories & adding some whole/multi grain carbs to my diet helped. You won’t look as you did before. Then your features were likely distorted by the weight you carried. My face was a round blob. People said I looked younger because the fat filled out any wrinkles I had. When you lose weight you’ll see your cheekbones again, your neck will be thinner & look longer. You’ll have fewer chins. My eyelids aren’t as hooded & my face is oval with a strong jawline now. And people still say I look younger than my age.
If you need support to understand & battle your addiction, seek a therapist who has experience with bariatric patients. Many do seek help with success. Though you may find, that like @Jaelzion, your desire for sugar/sweet is muted after surgery & you can manage it without the support of therapy.
I made a conscious decision to avoid or restrict certain foods in my diet. They were my danger foods - not cravings but foods I enjoyed a lot & often that were calorie heavy. It was my choice to avoid them or restrict the frequency I eat them. Do I miss these foods - not really. Some people can eat their old favourites without issue but they do it in moderation. You’ll work out what works for you that’s sustainable.
Understanding what a recommended portion size is a big learning as is the difference between a portion & the size we get served. Most serving sizes are 2 & 3 times what we should be eating to maintain a healthy weight. I eat about the recommended portion size for most foods now or a little less. For example I can almost eat two eggs, about 100g of meat, a cup of vegetables, a small bunch of grapes, etc.
Some days will be harder than others. You’ll learn new things about yourself & your body. There’ll be days you’ll question your decision but the surgery is so worth it. If you’re willing & ready to make the changes to take full advantage of it, you’ll be successful & be able to enjoy your life to the fullest.
Good luck.

PS - You look fabulous @STLoser. Love the lip gloss colour too.

Oh. Cool. Somehow I got these pictures to post.. Now I took the first pic to see if I liked that color lip gloss on me lol. That's why I have no other makeup on. As you can see, I have some bags under my eyes (they run in my family), and they are more prominent since I lost weight. I can also see lines under my eyes that weren't there before, but overall, I don't think it's too bad considering I've lost almost 150 pounds. I don't know how it will look when I get to goal though..that's another 60 or so. It's hard to see my loose neck skin here, but it's there. The other 2 pics are from last month. I try to take a picture of my progress every month. With clothes on, it's not really obvious that I have loose skin on my thighs or stomach.   

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you look great!!!

I can relate to most of your fears. I was 54 when I had my surgery. I also worried that the surgery would not work for me, that I'd fail, that it would end up just like every other attempt to lose weight. But my outcome was a happy surprise.
Regarding cravings, the surgery did not eliminate, but seriously dampened the intensity of my cravings. It's much easier to tell myself "no". Actually since I am in maintenance now, it's more like "not right now". Because I do indulge in a treat now and then, since I'm no longer actively trying to lose. I know the surgery doesn't have that effect on everyone, but it did for me.
Surgery also completely defanged my hunger. Yeah, I do get hungry if I go too long without eating, but it's not that raging, insatiable hunger I had before surgery. I'm just aware that I need to eat, but I can delay it if I have to. It's a really different experience.
When it comes to loose skin, I have a LOT. I'm scheduled for plastic surgery this summer to have a Tummy Tuck since that's where most of my extra skin is. Here's a recent picture of me - when clothed, the loose skin is not noticeable. But there's enough of it that I have to buy a whole size bigger to accommodate the stomach! Obviously, there's some stuff I don't wear, but any 56 year-old can say that, LOL.
Honestly, I do look a little older since losing all the weight (my neck especially) but I wouldn't go back to being 250 pounds for anything. Only you can decide if surgery is right for you, but hopefully, our experiences will help.

I agree with all the others. I wish I hadn't been so scared of the surgery and had it 10 or 20 years before I actually did. I felt like I was just existing rather than fully living for all those years. I would do this again in a heartbeat. In fact, I'd do it every year if I had to.
There are a lot of food restrictions early out, but after that first year, no. I can eat most of the same things I did before, I just eat a lot less of them now. And we're not talking a couple of tablespoons (although that's the case the first month or so after surgery) - now I eat like a lot of my never-been-obese women friends do. For example, when I go out, I'll have an appetizer - or I'll order an entree and take half of it home. Honestly, a lot of never-been-fat people eat that way, especially women. Watch some of them sometime.
you can always work with a therapist on your sugar addiction if you think that would help. A lot of WLS patients work with therapists on their food issues and have found it helpful.
finally, I lost over 200 lbs and had a TON of loose skin. However, it was very easy to hide in clothes. No one knew it was there except for me (well, and my husband and doctor, of course). I've since had it removed, but here is a picture of me BEFORE I had plastic surgery. See the loose skin? Trust me, it's there. Especially my gut. Like someone else said, I would take the loose skin any day over weighing 373 lbs again. ANY DAY!!
oh - and you're not too old at all for WLS. Lots of us have it in our 50s and 60s - and a few even in our 70s. I had it at 55. I'm probably 58 in this picture.

Oh, and yeah, I have loose skin. My stomach was really big at 393 pounds so I have it there and my thighs are pretty bad too. My arms have always been small for my size so they don't have much. My face got pretty huge at my high weight, but so far it's not looking too bad. I have some loose skin on my neck, and notice some lines around my eyes I didn't have before, but overall people still don't think I'm almost 50.
And I will take ALL of this any day over the way I was before. I feel so much better and life is so much easier now it is worth any loose skin or looking a bit older than I did.
And there's always plastic surgery if it really bothers me.

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Wow. You sound exactly like me. I was 48 when I this done last year. I also had a 9 year old son. He's 10 now and I'll be 50 in August.
I'm still scared of failing. I have lost 148 and still have about 60 I would like to lose. My weight loss has slowed recently, and I'm afraid I won't get to my goal. I has all those feelings you had, and I still worry.
However, I knew if I didn't do it, I'd stay the way I was for sure, and probably not live to see my son grow up.
I'm SO glad I did the surgery. I was worried about missing food, but since you're not hungry at first, that makes it easier. And I do have cravings, but they're easier to control now.
I just do my best to follow my plan and don't beat myself up if I do give into a craving, which isn't that often.
Therapy is also something you might want to consider. That can help you work though issues with food.
This is a big life change and I would be worried if you weren't scared. It's pretty normal to have those feelings!


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I went partially through the approval process at 40 and then chickened out. I wish I wouldn’t have. My only regret is not having surgery sooner. I finally went through with it at 49. Yes, I ended up with loose skin. Plastic surgery took care of all of it (and oh man, do I love my perky boobs). I’m fit, healthy, and love how I look now. I enjoy eating thoroughly. Just smaller amounts. I also am a big sugar fan. That has lessened somewhat post op, but I still fit small treats in to my plan and am satisfied with much, much less. For example, a dark chocolate/caramel/sea salt bar that has eight segments lasts me eight days. I savor each one in the evening, letting it melt slowly in my mouth rather than chewing it with hardly tasting it.

I truly feel like this surgery is my second chance, I’ll be around and be healthy to enjoy my kids and grand kids and fully participate in life. Best of luck to you!

I had to revise to bypass and I cannot vomit and I am also a dumper. One bite too many is just as bad for me as a dumping episode.

Your weight loss will be consistent. Follow your plan. The weight loss phase was the worst for me because it was slower then everyone else around me. I had to keep reminding myself it wasnt a race but my journey which would not be like everyone else. You will lose all the weight you want to lose if you stick to the plan and you will make it by your year kbrookings.

I agree with greentealael and considering you dont have issues with GERD a DS may be better for you since you have more excess weight to lose. I would absolutely ask the surgeon his thought on it. No restriction on RNY for me after my revision but luckily I dump and cannot over eat without getting violently ill so it keeps me in check.

re: 5 lbs a week - that's pretty common for month #1, but beyond the first month, no. I know people on shows like "My 600 lb Life" lose can lose a ton of weight really quickly, but they start out at much higher BMI's than the average WLS patient.
It seems like most of us lose in the 15-25 lb range the first month, and then maybe 10-12 (maybe 15 for some) lbs for a few months - then it drops again...and then drops again....until it finally stops. So at 2 lbs a week at seven weeks out, you're a little under that, but not by much. If you're following your clinic's plan (and it sounds like you are), that's about the only thing you have control over (other than activity level - which you also have control over). The other things that affect your rate of weight loss (age, gender, genetics, metabolic rate, starting BMI, your body composition (people with muscular bodies burn more calories)) you really don't have much - if any - control over. So do what you can - i.e, follow your plan and try to be active. As long as you're trending downward, you're good.
you're also not starting at as high a BMI as some of us. I started out at 373 lbs. I lost 16 lbs the first month, then 10-12 lbs a month until month 6 or 7, then 5-8 lbs a month until I got to about the year mark, then it dropped again. By the end, I was eking out maybe 2 lbs a month.
here's the difference I found (surgery vs. no surgery). My rate of weight loss was about the same. The difference was, before surgery, I'd drop about 50 lbs (and that was on my more successful attempts - most of the time it was only 20 lbs), then I'd hit a brick wall, and then my weight gradually went back up 'til I was back at square one. If not higher. That didn't happen this time. I kept going. And I didn't put it back on.

Your weight loss will be consistent. Follow your plan. The weight loss phase was the worst for me because it was slower then everyone else around me. I had to keep reminding myself it wasnt a race but my journey which would not be like everyone else. You will lose all the weight you want to lose if you stick to the plan and you will make it by your year kbrookings.

Hernias can be repaired alongside a revision (or separate). It’s up to the surgeon if they believe it’s worth repairing at the same time as it may prolong the surgical time.
IMHO choose a surgeon that has done plenty of complex cases with great outcomes.
I’ve gone from sleeve to bypass albeit for GERD. Outcomes can vary greatly but discussing optimal roux limb length for the best weightloss possible with your surgeon may help. It’s entirely possible to maintain or even gain after revision to RNY.
Some revision patients also experience a loss of VSG restriction because the pyloric sphincter is bypassed. food might feel like it goes right through you if you are used to the strong restriction of VSG.

Another option to inquire about is a revision to SIPS or Duodenal Switch especially if you don’t have GERD and have a significant amount to lose.
Good Luck!

Yes...my regret tho is not following through and getting comfortable. Had my VSG in July 2016, lost 80 lbs that first year then started eating and pushing the limits. Hence I gained back 50 of the 80 lost. I just had revision from VSG to RNY last week and I was told I wouldn't lose much that don't expect the same results with revision. Im not screwing up this third and final chance. I will be the exception and lose the 50+ I gained back.

I have not had any bread products yet so if I do have some pizza, I'll stick with just the toppings. I've handled cheese, tomatoes, most meats, and veggies just fine so far!

cheese and toppings like the others said and If you have not had any bread products yet, don’t try it for the first time outside of your home (But go with your nutritionists recommendations)

Only eat the toppings(veggies and protein) and cheese.

I ate cauliflower crust pizza at 8 weeks. Only 1 slice lol but it was yummy.

Eat it with a knife and fork, and just eat the cheese. You will be full after 2-3 bites anyway! LOL!!!

hello, I have never done this forum thingy b4 !! but here it goes i had sleeve surgery in 2015 at Kaiser
went very well .. So point is that i don't have Kaiser any more and i have to get a revision due to acid damage now!!
i have IEHP insurance can anyone suggest a good bypass surgeon ????
PLEASE HELP!!

With VSG (my original surgery) I also never experienced the odd warning signs. I had to stick to measurements (1/8,1/4,1/2 cup etc) then under eat slightly because my full sensation came 15+ mins later (super annoying 🤨) the feeling was a lump in my throat that would not go away no matter how often I swallowed and sometimes tightness in my chest.
Now with RNY, the delayed full sensation is still in effect but I can still overestimate my capacity and pay the price. So I have to pay attention while eating and consciously choose when to stop.
My BF calls me two bites <insert name> because I almost never finish anything just incase 😉