BigSue

vitamin patches are hit or miss. They work for some people but not for others. If you're not taking any Multivitamins, Patches are almost certainly better than nothing, so it's worth a try. Did the multivitamins that caused nausea contain Iron? A lot of people experience nausea from iron supplements, so you might want to try a Multivitamin without iron. For iron supplements, there are different forms of iron, and iron bisglycinate is supposed to be easier on the stomach than ferrous sulfate (which is the more common form of iron), so that's another thing you can try.
I don't think it's particularly common to get a medic alert Bracelet just for bariatric surgery. I do have one because I have a pacemaker, so in addition to my pacemaker info, I have "No blind NG tube" and "No NSAIDS." I wouldn't have gotten one just for that, though (and I didn't get one until I got my pacemaker). I don't have an actual bracelet, either -- I have a tag that attaches to my watch band (it's from a web site called Road ID). It is much more subtle than a separate bracelet, so if you want a bracelet but are self-conscious about it, you might consider something like that.

After my surgery, I was getting in better shape (from both weight loss and increased exercise) and my resting heart rate steadily decreased. By about a year post-op, my resting heart rate was 38 beats per minute and I was experiencing fatigue, weakness, and edema in my legs. My surgeon said this can happen because of rapid weight loss and referred me to a cardiologist, who diagnosed me with sinus bradycardia. The cardiologist said that some people can live with bradycardia without having symptoms, in which case, it's not really a concern, but since I was having symptoms that affected me pretty severely, I had to get a pacemaker.

Nuts are pretty calorie-dense and can cause weight gain if you eat a lot of them, but 1 ounce of cashews is about 160 calories (could be more if they have added ingredients, e.g., honey-roasted) and have no more impact on your weight than 160 calories from any other food. Are you including that in your 700 calories per day or is that in addition? Either way, you are under 1000 calories per day, which is low enough that you will continue to lose weight (especially if you're working out 60-90 minutes per day).
Stalls are very common and normal. Weight loss isn't linear. Stick with your program and your weight loss will resume.
I'm guessing that BMI is in error. I suspect the weight is meant to be 235 pounds and not 235 kg (518 pounds). While it's possible that she actually weighs 518 pounds, her goal weight of 150 kg (330 pounds) would be unusually high for a goal weight. Still, even at a weight of 235 pounds (BMI of 39), less than 1000 calories per day is well below TDEE.

Nuts are pretty calorie-dense and can cause weight gain if you eat a lot of them, but 1 ounce of cashews is about 160 calories (could be more if they have added ingredients, e.g., honey-roasted) and have no more impact on your weight than 160 calories from any other food. Are you including that in your 700 calories per day or is that in addition? Either way, you are under 1000 calories per day, which is low enough that you will continue to lose weight (especially if you're working out 60-90 minutes per day).
Stalls are very common and normal. Weight loss isn't linear. Stick with your program and your weight loss will resume.
I'm guessing that BMI is in error. I suspect the weight is meant to be 235 pounds and not 235 kg (518 pounds). While it's possible that she actually weighs 518 pounds, her goal weight of 150 kg (330 pounds) would be unusually high for a goal weight. Still, even at a weight of 235 pounds (BMI of 39), less than 1000 calories per day is well below TDEE.

Have you tried calling your surgeon’s office? Even if they’re not open on the weekend, they probably have an on call service during off hours.

Have you tried calling your surgeon’s office? Even if they’re not open on the weekend, they probably have an on call service during off hours.

The pre-op diet is one of the most difficult parts of the WLS process. It can vary greatly from one surgeon to the next, and even between patients for the same surgeon (for example, I've read that some surgeons require a more strict pre-op diet for patients with a higher BMI and/or who carry more weight in the abdomen), but remember that it is for the safety of your surgery, to shrink your liver so your surgeon has good access to your stomach. You are trusting your surgeon to cut you open and rearrange your digestive system, so it's important for you to do your part in getting your body ready for surgery.
As for tips and tricks, it depends on what's allowed on your pre-op diet, but sugar-free Jello and sugar-free popsicles are helpful if they're allowed (also for the post-op diet). A strategy I used during my pre-op diet was to get a lot of samples of different brands and flavors of Protein Shakes, so I had a variety and it helped me to figure out what I liked in preparation for using post-op (but be aware that many people report a change in taste after surgery, and after stocking up on Protein shakes they liked before surgery, they realize they can't stand the same shakes after surgery). Good luck!

I hope you didn’t intentionally gain weight just to qualify for surgery.

As always, @Arabesque is spot on.
I see that you are are only a few days post-surgery, so the one thing I'd add is that everything you're feeling is 100% NORMAL at this point. We all start second-guessing our decision early on because having WLS is HARD! How you eat, how you feel and how you look is radically changing every day. It's physically and emotionally challenging. The good news is it gets easier as you progress.
I told my wife she only had one job post-surgery. When (not if), I started doubting my decision, she needed to remind me of all the reasons I decided to have the surgery in the first place. I tell you this because I feel like you may need a similar reminder right now. You know your own reasons for taking this journey.
It's easy at this point to think the challenges you're going through are not worth the hoped for end goal, but they are. Remember that it WILL get easier over time and you can absolutely reach those goals you set for yourself. Right now, it's all new and confusing and frankly most of us worry this is how life will be forever. It's not. You will make it past this, just like the rest of us did.

I get that little slapping flap now and again too with certain movements. I think of it as my body applauding my physical efforts. 😁😁😁

All went well. Still recovering in the hospital. Beware of the gas pain...ouch. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers.

19 pounds in one month is in no way slow. If you’re comparing your weight loss to others’, (a) don’t and (b) they probably had a higher starting weight and therefore more to lose. The more excess weight you have, the faster you can lose it, but as you get smaller, it slows down. Each pound is harder to lose than the last. Be patient. You didn’t gain all the weight in a month, and you won’t lose it all in a month. There are many factors that affect your rate of weight loss, and 19 pounds in the first month is excellent.

Stalls are a normal part of weight loss, but when you say your "diet can use some work," is it possible that you aren't losing weight because you're not in a calorie deficit? It would be unusual to be able to eat that much 2 months post-op, but it's hard to say without more information. The less you weigh, the lower your calorie needs, so if you're consuming the same number of calories now that you were when you were 30 pounds heavier, that could now be too much for weight loss.
Regardless, you shouldn't be afraid of what your surgeon will say about your weight loss. Your surgeon isn't (or shouldn't be) there to judge you, but to help you. If what you're doing isn't working, your surgeon/clinic wants to help you fix it.

Good luck -- hope everything goes well for you!
P.S. Remember that you put a lot of thought into the decision to get this surgery and you know it's the right thing for you. It's very common to have buyer's remorse early on, but have faith that once you get through the hard part, you'll be glad you decided to change your life.

Good luck -- hope everything goes well for you!
P.S. Remember that you put a lot of thought into the decision to get this surgery and you know it's the right thing for you. It's very common to have buyer's remorse early on, but have faith that once you get through the hard part, you'll be glad you decided to change your life.

Stalls are a normal part of weight loss, but when you say your "diet can use some work," is it possible that you aren't losing weight because you're not in a calorie deficit? It would be unusual to be able to eat that much 2 months post-op, but it's hard to say without more information. The less you weigh, the lower your calorie needs, so if you're consuming the same number of calories now that you were when you were 30 pounds heavier, that could now be too much for weight loss.
Regardless, you shouldn't be afraid of what your surgeon will say about your weight loss. Your surgeon isn't (or shouldn't be) there to judge you, but to help you. If what you're doing isn't working, your surgeon/clinic wants to help you fix it.

Yes, my surgeon used the Da Vinci robotic surgery system. He was oddly insistent that HE, the doctor, would be performing the surgery, not the robot, so I guess a lot of people have these concerns. The robot is just a tool that the surgeon can use. The surgeon is in control, but can maneuver the robot in ways that human hands can't work. My surgeon said that he performs the surgery both with and without the robot, but he prefers to use the robot. I personally would rather have my surgeon operate with the tools that he likes to use.

I am a 67 year old woman. I had surgery over a dozen years ago, and quite frankly... I have a lot of sagging, baggy, skin. And I am dammed proud of it.
I have had to have enough surgeries in my lifetime that I am not going to put myself through any plastic surgery. I am lucky enough that my belly doesn't really hang, and I am not physically challenged from any hanging skin. Do I look like "saggy baggy the elephant" naked ? Yep. Do i still wear sleeveless shirts that show my hanging skin on my upper arms ? Yes I do. I wear shorts that cover the drooping skin on my thighs. But once, a long time ago, I was visiting a National Park and saw an older woman in hiking shorts, and a tank top. She was tanned and looked so healthy... and I realized that she had saggy skin, and had lost a LOT of weight. I was very obese. I looked at that woman and knew what I wanted to be when I was old (well.... at 30 something, 60 something looked really old !) and you know what ? I AM that woman. Whoever she was/is. She was a silent inspiration to my eventual weight loss. Now, when I am walking a trail in that same National Park, I recall her influence and thank her.

What an incredibly compassionate and helpful reply!
@mlbninja, I’m glad you found this forum and reached out for help! I hope you will click around this site and keep posting because we WLS patients have a unique set of experiences and challenges, and sometimes it just helps to know you’re not alone in what you’re going through.

Welcome to the forums and congratulations on your success.
Many of us used food as a coping mechanism or self medication to deal with issues. If this is true for you then having WLS may have taken a key coping mechanism away. It's likely time to talk with a therapist or behavioralist to learn new, better, healthier coping mechanisms.
Many of us also had unrealistic expectations on how WLS magically change our lives. I've mentioned elsewhere that I'm an introvert and I'd long accepted it, but I still had visions of becoming a social butterfly when I lost my weight. Everything that my weight prevented I would be able to do again better than ever. Predictably, that's not how it turned out. A common meme is "we had surgery on our stomachs not our brains." Just because we lost weight doesn't mean we will automatically change. Losing our weight wasn't easy and took a rather drastic help. Changing other aspects of our lives may likewise take effort.
WLS and rapid weight loss can upset your life. You are changing the status quo. Your relationships may change because your roles in them change. Work can be impacted. Even the way you perceive yourself may change, or not change quick enough, or become totally unrealistic. You may get more wanted or unwanted attention and be unsure of your response. Be sure to keep lines of communication open with your spouse, friends, and associates. Especially your spouse.
You may eventually have your Saturday night whiskey. Two things here: First, be aware and careful of transfer addiction. Now that you don't have food to use as a coping mechanism many of us have turned to other often worse things like alcohol, drugs, or stand up comedy. Second, if not having your Saturday night whiskey makes you this sad then perhaps it's something you need to discuss with a therapist.
To sum up find someone to help you. Heck, find a team. Your spouse can be a huge support. A close, trustworthy friend or family member could help. Forums like this can help. A therapist would be a great choice because they have the experience and resources to help build new tools.
Good luck,
Tek

I am not sure what is going on with me. I had my surgery Dec 8th last year and I have already lost 96 pounds. My wife is happy. I am more active. I can now keep up with my kids for the first time in years and years. I am more active, and my sex life is amazing now. For some reason I am super depressed. I mean it is bad. I feel fat ei feel disgusting. Maybe it is cause idk what to do. As everything gets better in life I seem to be spiraling out. Can someone please give me some advice.

If you are concerned about loose skin, don't get the surgery. If the possibility of loose skin outweighs the health problems you want to resolve or prevent by getting weight loss surgery, you are not ready to get surgery.

If you are concerned about loose skin, don't get the surgery. If the possibility of loose skin outweighs the health problems you want to resolve or prevent by getting weight loss surgery, you are not ready to get surgery.

the VSG was once part 1 of the DS. The DS was often done in two surgeries in the past - they'd make a sleeved stomach first, then would go in a few months or a year later and bypass the small intestine. But enough people lost enough weight after surgery #1 that they started offering it as a standalone surgery - and the VSG was born. Long way of saying - doing something like this in two parts should still work fine. I know you're wanting a SADI instead of a traditional DS, but the same should apply.

The pre-op diet is one of the most difficult parts of the WLS process. It can vary greatly from one surgeon to the next, and even between patients for the same surgeon (for example, I've read that some surgeons require a more strict pre-op diet for patients with a higher BMI and/or who carry more weight in the abdomen), but remember that it is for the safety of your surgery, to shrink your liver so your surgeon has good access to your stomach. You are trusting your surgeon to cut you open and rearrange your digestive system, so it's important for you to do your part in getting your body ready for surgery.
As for tips and tricks, it depends on what's allowed on your pre-op diet, but sugar-free Jello and sugar-free popsicles are helpful if they're allowed (also for the post-op diet). A strategy I used during my pre-op diet was to get a lot of samples of different brands and flavors of Protein Shakes, so I had a variety and it helped me to figure out what I liked in preparation for using post-op (but be aware that many people report a change in taste after surgery, and after stocking up on Protein shakes they liked before surgery, they realize they can't stand the same shakes after surgery). Good luck!