Vivis

I had no clue this was a thing...I'm definitely new to all of this omg! Thanks for sharing!!!

You're a QUEEN for responding in such beautiful detail!!!! I appreciate all the information. Definitely taking some notes from what you wrote.

I don't know how to quote or tag your names so this was all I could figure out. I want to thank you all! Everyone gave different and yet similar advice. And I now finally truly feel so much calmer.

Yesterday I started tracking my food and my workouts (again) and I saw how the workout basically burned my few calories and put me in the negative. And, without a medical degree, I know that is not good. It just makes no sense. I'm assuming what I should be doing are - calmer workouts that don't burn so much but keep me healthy and moving while I'm on such a low diet. Maybe when I'm months into this journey, I'll be encouraged to go beast mode like I did yesterday but it'll make more sense then since I'll be able to eat more.
I've called my surgeon's nutritionist and shared my concerns with her. I have a meeting with her tomorrow to figure out exactly WHAT I should be doing at this point. I definitely need more instruction in terms of which direction to head in and quite frankly you guys are right -- I can raise my concerns but I need to follow their guidance as they're the ones working with me throughout this entire journey.

I LOVE that whenever I freak out, this online community ALWAYS helps me out so much and calms me down. I cannot thank everyone enough for taking the time to respond and share their thoughts.

I don't know how to quote or tag your names so this was all I could figure out. I want to thank you all! Everyone gave different and yet similar advice. And I now finally truly feel so much calmer.

Yesterday I started tracking my food and my workouts (again) and I saw how the workout basically burned my few calories and put me in the negative. And, without a medical degree, I know that is not good. It just makes no sense. I'm assuming what I should be doing are - calmer workouts that don't burn so much but keep me healthy and moving while I'm on such a low diet. Maybe when I'm months into this journey, I'll be encouraged to go beast mode like I did yesterday but it'll make more sense then since I'll be able to eat more.
I've called my surgeon's nutritionist and shared my concerns with her. I have a meeting with her tomorrow to figure out exactly WHAT I should be doing at this point. I definitely need more instruction in terms of which direction to head in and quite frankly you guys are right -- I can raise my concerns but I need to follow their guidance as they're the ones working with me throughout this entire journey.

I LOVE that whenever I freak out, this online community ALWAYS helps me out so much and calms me down. I cannot thank everyone enough for taking the time to respond and share their thoughts.

I don't know how to quote or tag your names so this was all I could figure out. I want to thank you all! Everyone gave different and yet similar advice. And I now finally truly feel so much calmer.

Yesterday I started tracking my food and my workouts (again) and I saw how the workout basically burned my few calories and put me in the negative. And, without a medical degree, I know that is not good. It just makes no sense. I'm assuming what I should be doing are - calmer workouts that don't burn so much but keep me healthy and moving while I'm on such a low diet. Maybe when I'm months into this journey, I'll be encouraged to go beast mode like I did yesterday but it'll make more sense then since I'll be able to eat more.
I've called my surgeon's nutritionist and shared my concerns with her. I have a meeting with her tomorrow to figure out exactly WHAT I should be doing at this point. I definitely need more instruction in terms of which direction to head in and quite frankly you guys are right -- I can raise my concerns but I need to follow their guidance as they're the ones working with me throughout this entire journey.

I LOVE that whenever I freak out, this online community ALWAYS helps me out so much and calms me down. I cannot thank everyone enough for taking the time to respond and share their thoughts.

Hi guys! I'm all sorts of confused...
I just reached 2 weeks post-op. My surgeon cleared me to go back to the gym. Prior to the surgery, I was working out daily 7 days a week lifting weights and throwing in some random cardio for a month and a half straight. In my past, I've consistently gone to the gym for Zumba classes, but obviously through-out the years I would commit and other times I wouldn't. This has been on and off for like the past 10 years. But I was able to go today and I did the same exact weight routine prior to my surgery and I felt absolutely fine! No pain. No issues.
HERE'S WHERE I'M CONFUSED! I came across this surgeon who does NOT encourage you work out. He goes through all the "myths" of working out. I primarily want to work out like I was before because of 1- loss skin prevention and 2- better weight loss. HOWEVER after watching his video -- I'm confused. He's absolutely right -- when you work out, you burn X amount of calories, but with a VSG, and since I'm so fresh out of surgery, I can't possibly eat more than I'm supposed to in order to prevent the stomach from stretching...and on top of that -- I have such a limited amount of nutrients coming in since I'm only eating 3 times a day 1/2 a cup of food. And I'm worried about stretching out my stomach I mean I can't even eat and drink at the same time anymore because we're told not to. There's no way to eat more unless I bump it up to 4-5 times a day of eating (but that's stage 3 of the diet and that begins in 3 weeks). And also another myth -- skin doesn't have muscle, so how can you tighten your loose skin (if and when you get there). But I see so many overweight people who have gone to the gym and don't have loose skin. I see other surgery patients who never went to the gym and have so much loose skin.
So yeah...I'm really confused as to what to do. I'm barely at my beginning, so I'd love to find an answer as to what path I should take, but I'm not an expert and I don't have all the answers. I know I need to consult with my nutritionist and possibly a personal trainer (but their sole purpose is gym-related) but my surgeon okayed it and encouraged it...

You're a QUEEN for responding in such beautiful detail!!!! I appreciate all the information. Definitely taking some notes from what you wrote.

I had no clue this was a thing...I'm definitely new to all of this omg! Thanks for sharing!!!

I did. for me it didnt help.

My surgery was 4/25. GasX was recommended by my Bariatric team. I tried it the first evening and it didn’t seem to help. I then had an extended issue with vomiting so I didn’t continue with the GasX and now it has mostly passed.

My surgeon listed GasX on my post surgical med list. But I didn’t have any gas pain (apparently my surgeon is known for his patients not having gas pain) so didn’t take any. Can’t say the same after he removed my gall though: the pain was not good. Unfortunately I forgot I had the gasX tablets so suffered through it. Just walked and stretched my arms up & down to try to force the gas up & out. Deep, slow breathing is supposed to help too.

I took the bariatric advantage multi vitamin and calcium chews while I was early out. At about 6 months though I switched to pro care health bariatric multivitamin with 45mg of iron. It’s truly a one a day vitamin and it’s a capsule that’s much cheaper and was approved by my team. I have to take it with something though. I take it immediately after I finish my protein shake in the morning. Some people have to take it with food. For what it’s worth I did not lose any hair. I kept up my protein and took only those two vitamins. I honestly don’t think it’s a matter of brand of vitamin but I do believe that early out it’s safer to take the best when you are getting hardly ANY real nutrition.

Just a warning, I thought the chewables were disgusting. I had to throw all of them out. I have tried two different one-a-day capsules from this website. Both great.
I also recommend the Bariatric Pal calcium chews. They are like chocolate starburst, I take two of them per day as a dessert.

After my surgery, I took the following chewables (almost all brands have the same stuff so I just went with what would cost the least!)
Pro Care Health Bariatric Multivitamin with 45 mg Iron - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085F314T2/ - "Fruit punch" flavor, the taste is a little meh but it does that job
BariBursts - Watermelon Calcium Citrate - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07SV51NM6/ - Oh yeah these are freaking delicious, it was like having a little candy treat twice a day
After my doctor's office said I didn't need the chewables anymore, I switched to these:
Bariatric Choice Once Daily Bariatric Multivitamin Capsule with 45 mg of Iron - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07HZ3YQ5X/
Spring Valley Calcium Citrate Dietary Supplement - https://www.walmart.com/ip/Spring-Valley-Calcium-Citrate-Dietary-Supplement-600-mg-300-count/47431969 - I take two, twice a day, and it's ridiculously inexpensive

My surgeon required me to stop taking everything for the first two weeks. After that, everything has to be chewable for 60 days. I will be taking Flintstones Multivitamin with Iron, Bariatric Advantage chewable calcium citrate, B-12 that dissolves under the tongue and a chewable Biotin.
P.S. I took chewable Gas-X after surgery for the gas pains. It was a life saver, so ask your surgeon about taking that.

I read it as you’ll need to take the multi vitamin & also take the calcium (because of the plus sign) but you don’t need additional B12 as it is included in these meds (the recommended multi).
The bad news is if you are one of those who will lose extra hair after surgery, you can’t do anything to stop it. Worrying about it will likely only make it worse - you don’t need additional stress. Remember we naturally regularly shed hair. After the stress of the surgery & the dramatic change to our diet, our natural hair loss cycle is accelerated. So the additional hair you lose was always going to be shed. Your new growth is still occurring but just at its usual rate. The hair on your head is dead & nothing can save that. All those vitamins & supplements that promise hair growth may do is help your new hair growth. Just like fertiliser won’t stop dead leaves falling off a plant but may help with new growth. Same with your nails.
Once you get to your maintenance point & you’re eating larger portions & a more balanced diet, everything settles again. Even your face, which may look more drawn for a while, settles too. Your healthier diet will bring a lot of benefits to the quality of your skin, hair & nails in time too.
Vitamins can be very expensive but it may be better to start with the higher quality recommended ones to begin while your diet is most restricted. My surgeon, dietician & pharmacist all told me that the vitamins kept behind the counter at the pharmacy are always the best quality in purity & quantity of ingredients. Apparently this applies to all over the counter meds. If they keep certain meds behind the counter buy those.
All the best with your surgery & recovery.

I couldn't choose which vitamins to take. The Dietician recommended Bariatric Fusion Complete. And if I want to try something else, she has to approve it. So this vitamin that I take, you chew two in the morning and two at night. And that's it. It's complete.
I asked her about the ProCare Chewables with Iron... she said I would take one chewable plus I would have to take calcium citrate chews 2-3 times a day beginning a few hours after the vitamin, and also the calcium has to be spaced out throughout the day. Your body can only absorb 500 mg of calcium at a time and you can't take it at the same time as you take any supplement containing iron.
So I decided to stick with the Bariatric Fusion Complete, because it's easy and I don't have to buy extra calcium. It seems like less of my life would be revolving around supplements all day long too.
So the regimen column is indicating how many vitamin chewables you take, then how many calcium chews you have to take also. B12 is included in the multivitamin.

I personally have several different ones. So since i just had surgery on Monday. I am not really wanting to do pills at this moment. So i am doing the patches. But thats only for maybe the first month. After that i have the Barimelts Multivamin (They melt in your mouth) and also the ones from this website here called Bariatric Pal Multivitamin One with 45mg iron. I will wait to take those once i am more healed

I use the Bariatric Advantage Multi Chews and Calcium Citrate Chews. They arrive pretty quickly so if you order today they should be there when you get home from the hospital no problem. I wasn't supposed to start my vitamins until 2 weeks post op because they are strong and can upset your stomach. First day I found them kinda gross but they have "grown" on me and I tolerate them no problem.

Hahahaha well -- we were put on the SAME restrictions now because they removed ALL dairy products since we discovered I'm lactose intolerant! So at least you get the pudding which used to be MY FAVORITE SNACK!!!!!! Good luck on it. Honestly, it's hard but once I made it past the first week the rest of it seemed to be a lot easier. I'm almost done. Just need to make it to Monday as my last day before surgery on this liquid diet but then I get to add soups to it after surgery!

This is the first time posting any pics. I am a couple days shy of 2 mos post op. Down 46lbs.

This is me, 7 months post-op..79lbs lost

I had surgery almost 10 months ago. Hubby is just eatting better

I remember being pre-op and my favorite thing to do was look at progress photos and dream
I am 6 months, 10 days post op and I am down 128 pounds total. This isnt a very great pic since I have been sick, but i still took it because anything is better than my before!!

Congratulations on reaching your surgery dates , Your all lucky when I had mine in August 2021 I had the milk liver shrinking diet 3 pints of semi skimmed milk and 2 50grm pots of yoghurt but could drink tea and coffee with milk that was bonus go to pintrestand type in biatric liver shrinking foods and the different stages after your op and how to make broths theirs loads of stuff on there that will help you and recipes good luck not to long now and after you'll not feel like eating for a bit anyway just make sure you drink fluids