S@ssen@ch

Sneezing is my full trigger. It's common and called "snatiation."

I had my lap band out as a separate procedure and without any intention of having another weight loss surgery. The removal was a much easier procedure than the installation. To answer your questions: It was done outpatient. No hospital stay required. It was brief. I can't say for sure, but less than an hour because I was recovered and we were on our way home by noon (surgery at 7am). Of all the surgeries I've ever had, I would say that it was probably one of the easiest. The port site was the sorest, but even that wasn't bad. I had to take very few pain medications. I recovered very quickly and I was back to work within a couple of days. Even the progression to eating was smoother and faster. On liquids for a day or 2, then right to soft foods. The removal was covered by insurance as a failed implant. Mine had slipped. However, my insurance also covered the original surgery. Word to the wise: make sure you have insurance approval PRIOR to undergoing the procedure. My doctor didn't and I had to fight with the insurance company in a drawn-out appeals process to get it covered. Meanwhile, the surgery center was trying to take me to collections!

I had GERD before the sleeve. Started getting heartburn about 6 weeks after the sleeve. Began taking Nexium and making some general lifestyle modifications. My 1st year was the worst and by the end, I consulted with a GI specialist to discuss options. We decided to try the STRETTA procedure and were in the scheduling stages when COVID hit and along with it, all closures/elective procedures/etc. I was left to my own devices for that year and today, I have very little GERD. I still take Nexium, but at this point, I'm taking it every other day with the hopes of eventually getting off of it entirely.

Texan here and we're at a point where we're inching into our hottest months. I can't say as I have an intolerance to the heat or sun, although I am rather fair-skinned and don't often spend a lot of time out in the sun anyway. As someone mentioned above, I can say that I'm rather cold intolerant. Even at 3+ years out, I am often cold and am glad we relocated to a warmer state. I don't think I could tolerate those midwest winters anymore.

@Tim C At some point after surgery, I returned to "normal" vitamins. I'd estimate it was between 6 months to 1 year. I took multivitamins and supplements for a long time before surgery. At almost 3 years out, I take a lot of 'supplements' for various things, but my basic vitamin/mineral regime consists of: Women's One-A-Day, 1 caplet, with my evening meal Citracal, 2 caplets, with my morning meal Hair-Skin-Nails, 1 caplet, twice a day (with morning and evening meal) Magnesium, 1 caplet, with my evening meal PS: I would probably be taking this regime regardless of whether I had gastric sleeve surgery.

If they did a urinary catheter during your surgery, the biggest risk factor is infection. Damage to the structures during catheterization is very rare; possible, but rare. What you're describing sounds like 2 things/2 different symptoms: Urinary urgency and Urinary retention (the not feeling like you're emptying, then having to "go" more). You should see a doctor for both. Get checked for a urinary tract infection. Both can be symptoms of a urinary tract infection (among other things). My experience: They did not insert a urinary catheter for my surgery (I know, I asked). But, within about a month after surgery, my urinary issues were better. Before surgery, I dribbled and would easily wet myself if I coughed, sneezed, or laughed too hard. No amount of Kegels seemed to help. After surgery, I no longer dribbled and I these days it's pretty rare for me to have issues with coughing/sneezing/laughing.

I can't commiserate with you on the severity of the acid symptoms you're experiencing, mine were much less severe. However, I can offer a suggestion on the change of insurance issue. I moved to a different state after I was sleeved. Therefore my bariatric practice was no longer available to me and most bariatric practices don't want to pick up bariatric care after someone else did the surgery. I was having some GERD issues and was concerned about the long-term use of PPIs, so I went to a gastroenterologist. He is good and understands the issues surrounding VGS. So, if your insurance prohibits you from going to your bariatric surgeon, go to someone who specializes in stomach issues (gastroenterologist).

I have full triggers that are in "stages." Runny nose: caution, you're getting full. You might want to stop now. Sneeze: You are full. STOP! (This stage has a couple of levels: 1 sneeze is mild. Multiple sneezes mean it's more urgent/severe.) Hiccups: DANGER, DANGER Will Robinson! STOP, you daft wench!

I think this depends largely on the type of work you do. If you work in a relatively sedentary position, you'd be able to safely and comfortably return to work sooner than someone who is on their feet all day or doing heavy lifting. I work in a sedentary position, in an office with no heavy lifting and I returned to work six days after having surgery. That being said, I was pretty fatigued and needed more frequent breaks in those 1st weeks after surgery. My boss let me work from home for the first week that I returned to work. I sat down on the couch for a lunch break and fell asleep! I slept for an hour and a half!

It's been a little while for me (almost 3 years), but I specifically recall my surgeon/bariatric coordinator telling me not to worry about vitamins for the first couple of weeks. After that, I went through about 2 months of trial and error with vitamins. I was less concerned with them tasting good than I was with how they made me feel because it seemed like every time I took them, I felt TERRIBLE/SICK. After trying several forms and varying the time of day, I settled on a gummy vitamin WITH a meal. Caution: some doctors forbid these. It was the ONLY thing I could take that didn't make me nauseated, so it was a matter of getting my vitamins or skipping. After about 6 months, I converted back to a standard "horse pill" tablet and haven't had any trouble since.

To answer this... I don't think it's possible to binge through your entire pantry/freezer in one setting. However, it is possible to graze your way through your day, and depending on what you graze on, you could theoretically get up to 4000 calories. I think the difficulty with maintenance is entirely individual. This is YOUR journey and your own habits/practices dictate the difficulty level. Since COVID lockdown, I noticed that I've reverted back to some old (aka BAD) habits like sweets/baked goods/etc. I'm struggling a little to eliminate those again. It's like crack or something... Fortunately/unfortunately, my husband was recently diagnosed with diabetes and we're getting back on track TOGETHER. So, I guess the point here is that it's easy to revert to old habits. If you have strategies in place to keep yourself on track, maintenance will be much easier. Side note: take advantage of your Bariatric TEAM. Consult your nutritionist as needed. If you need counseling, get it. I'm almost 3 years out and I absolutely cannot eat as much as I could before the sleeve. Can I eat more than I could in the 1st year? Yes, sometimes. That depends on exactly what I'm eating. Some foods fill me up much faster than others, but my typical meal fits on a small dinner plate (like the one you put under your coffee/teacup).

Me. I can relate to slow weight loss with the sleeve and for many of the same reasons you've stated. I had a lap band in 2005. Did great, but was miserable and later found out that my band had slipped. I had it taken out in 2009 and did pretty well maintaining my weight until I had some major life changes and did some stress eating. Gained all of my weight back over the course of 2 years. Had a sleeve done in 2018 and my weight loss was slow but steady. I'm still not at goal, but I'm happy and feeling good. COVID lockdown has totally stalled me and maybe added a few, but my tool is still there and when I'm ready, I'm confident I'll get back on track. Stay the course. Follow your plan. It will work. (side note: it is my understanding that revisions typically lose slow. Something to do with the impact on our metabolism. Sort of a "been there-done that" mentality.) Good luck!

I doubt the weight gain is directly responsible for your misery, but I'm not a doctor. I would recommend you contact a doctor. If it were me, I'd consult a gastroenterologist. Theories on your current situation: Theory #1: You may have long-term, silent reflux. After a while, it sort of erodes the lining of your stomach and causes an ulcer. Theory #2: The changes in your diet may be contributing to an exacerbation of your reflux. If you have reintroduced diet sodas, are they caffeinated? Caffeine can contribute to acid reflux (as per my doctor). The gluten in bread is more challenging to digest. Not to say you're gluten intolerant, it's just the nature of the beast. If you're eating too late into the evening/too soon before bedtime, you may have residual undigested food that's sort of "laying there" and causing your discomfort. Theory #3: The extra weight MIGHT be causing additional pressure on your diaphragm at night and contributing, but is unlikely a primary cause. Theory #4: A combination of theories 1-3. Long-term, untreated GERD can have lasting consequences. Please consult a doctor. In the meantime, if it were me, I'd implement standard GERD strategies: PPIs (prilosec/nexium), make changes in my diet to avoid foods that contribute, sleep on a wedge/inclined bed, do not eat 3 hours before bedtime, etc. Good luck!

Oatmeal, no matter whether it's steel-cut, rolled oats, quick oats, or even instant is not generally accepted as part of a puree diet. Too much bulk that tends to swell after it's ingested. Cream of wheat is usually recognized as suitable for puree. No thicker than pudding consistency. Rule of thumb: puree consistency should be similar to pudding or mashed potatoes. No lumps or chunks (no matter how small).

I've suffered from fine/thinning hair since my children were born and have taken hair, skin, and nail supplements for many years. WLS did NOT help the situation. My hair loss started around 3 months and didn't stop for at least another 3 months. I recommend you look up and read about telogen effluvium. My advice: As others have said above, the supplements are likely worthless at this point. If you're already shedding, starting supplements after the fact won't make a big difference. *I took them long before surgery and still got it. The hair you're currently losing was in production at the time of your surgery (see telogen effluvium hair cycle). Meet your nutritional goals set by your doctor. At this point, it won't stop it, but it might help it slow down and help you recover faster/grow your hair back/etc. Consider healthy scalp treatments like massage, oil treatments (castor oil and others) Get plenty of rest and manage stress (stress only makes it worse) Take it from someone who has spent $100s (if not $1000s) of dollars on "supplements," "natural cures," special shampoos, and all sorts of snake oil on hair loss. The best thing you can do is not stress and get your nutrition in. Today, my regime looks like this: I still take a daily Hair, Skin, Nails formula (mine also has a lot of other vitamins/minerals, so I justify it like that) Here's the one I take I introduced a collagen supplement (good for hair and hails) I do not wash my hair daily. I usually wash about every other day and if I can stretch it to a 3rd day without looking like an oily mess, I do. I got a scalp massager Here's the one I purchased on Amazon I sleep on a silk pillowcase (it is recommended to reduce breakage) (besides, they say it's also good for the skin and preventing wrinkles) Before I wash, I do a deep scalp massage with follicle-stimulating oils like castor oil or red pimiento or some similar oil meant to moisturize the scalp and strengthen hair follicles. Every time I wash, I use a different shampoo (I change between 3 favorites) to prevent any build-up that would weigh my hair down or lead to breakage. I recently started washing my hair with cool/cold water. I cannot believe the difference! My hair immediately felt fuller and was definitely shinier, stronger! If you can tolerate it, I strongly recommend this one.

I've experienced both the "wash down" and the sensation of being too full if I drink with or after eating. And I 100% agree with @ms.sss about coordinating food and drink. I can and will drink right up to the point I take my 1st bite and don't drink until at least 30 minutes after I eat. *I say "at least" because I drink when I feel like I have "room" for it. Sometimes, I feel satiated and/or full for longer than 30 minutes and I just know that I'll be uncomfortable if I drink sooner than when it "feels right." PS: I DO eat soups. I love soup and eat a variety of soups including broth-based soups with solids in them, cream soups, or chili/chili-like soup. I haven't found it to be a problem. I still get full. They satisfy me the same/similar to if I'd had a fully solid meal. EX: earlier this week, I ordered a small Wendy's Chili. I could eat a little more than half of it and was satisfied for the rest of the evening.

Think of your sleeve as a sort of hour-glass. When the food is there, it sort of takes a pit-stop in your stomach and moves through rather slowly. If you introduce fluids into this, the fluids will "wash" the food through and you will likely be hungry again sooner. I don't mind not drinking with eating and it just seems sort of "normal" now unless I'm at a restaurant where they don't quite understand WHY you don't want anything to drink. I've even had them bring me water, just in case and regardless of the fact that I specifically told them that I didn't want water.

@ms.sss, I take Havasu ACV See link here The bottle shows 500mg of ACV and 20mg of cayenne pepper. *Word to the wise: If you choose this one, do NOT hold it in your mouth for more than a few seconds before drinking it down. One time, I put it in my mouth before I had a drink ready and the capsule dissolved before I had the chance to drink it down. Remember: it has cayenne pepper in it! I had a mouthful of acid and HOT HOT HOT! Not a pleasant experience.

Like @kristieshannon above, I started taking ACV to help with GERD, among its other benefits. I absolutely could not stand drinking it, no matter how much I diluted it. So, I did a little research and discovered these capsules. They also have cayenne pepper in them for some of those anti-inflammatory properties. I can't say as they're a miracle or anything, but I do feel better when I take them. 9 weeks out might be a little soon to introduce ACV. When in doubt, ask your doctor and/or nutritionist.

Never. I gave up carbonated beverages in the months before surgery and aside from an episode of genuine old-fashioned rootbeer envy in my first year, do not miss them. Not one single bit.

I guess I'm weird. I proudly say how much I've lost. In my first year, the only thing I kept close to my chest is the fact that I've had surgery. When I had surgery, I kept it mostly to myself, only telling a handful of people in my close circle. But, my co-workers obviously noticed that I was losing weight. They sometimes asked me how I was doing it or how much I'd lost. If they asked me how, I could honestly say that I was exercising and watching what I ate (high protein/low carb/etc). And if they asked me how much I'd lost, I was proud and told them! Every single one of them was happy and complimentary. Now, after almost 3 years, I really don't have much reservation in admitting I had surgery. Not that many people ask.

@Hello_Pumpkin I agree with catwoman7 and mswillis5 have said, so I won't re-state their points. BUT, as I have the unique advantage of having been banded first then later converted to the sleeve, I feel that I have some valuable experience. I can't say that my sleeve "failed me." I had a slip that went unnoticed for several years. I couldn't tolerate fills and I had TERRIBLE reflux, but I still lost a significant amount of weight and managed to keep it off. When the reflux became intolerable, my surgeon said the only option was to take it out. He offered to sleeve me then, but I chose not to. Fast forward a few years and a lot of grief later, I was sleeved and don't regret it one single bit. Regarding drinking while eating. While banded, I rarely attempted drinking with meals. On those occasions where I attempted, there were really no consequences. No pain. No PBs. Nothing. After having trained myself with the band, I still rarely attempt to drink while eating. BUT, I find that every time I try, it's very uncomfortable. Even today, facing 3 years out from surgery, I do not like how drinking with eating feels. It's not painful per se, but sort of an uncomfortable pressure or fullness that I'd like to avoid. I will reiterate what catwoman7 said about eating around the sleeve. Her example about the pizza is spot on. You can also get a lot of calories by eating slider foods. This is similar to lapband. There are some foods that you can simply eat a lot more of and negate the restrictive benefits of the sleeve. Liquids, ice creams, etc are obvious, but for me, popcorn is a huge slider food. I seem to be able to eat entirely too much of that. So, I choose SkinnyPop and portion out my popcorn so I'm not eating mindless handfuls from the bag. It's all about developing good habits and strategies.

I used Premier ready to drink in my pre-op phase. After surgery, I couldn't stand them. They were too thick, almost to the point of being slimy for me and definitely too sweet. Post-op, I had a few samples from my doctor but settled on Unjury. Best advice I can give: Individual preferences in for protein shakes vary widely. Try all different kinds and anticipate that what you liked before surgery may change after surgery.

I have Anthem BCBS. When I qualified, they went with my starting weight/BMI and didn't ask for updates. Note: I specifically asked this question to the bariatric coordinator who reassured me that any weight lost during the process does not affect insurance certification.

Contact your doctor and not necessarily your bariatric surgeon. Tingling in an extremity can be a sign of nerve impingement or circulatory compromise. Disclaimer: The advice above is not intended as medical advice. Please consult your attending physician.