Fred in Pa

Snap! I woke up one morning & said enough too. I made an appointment with my doctor to start the process the same day. Best decision I’ve ever made.
Your anger is a stage of the grief you’re experiencing which is quite a common before &/or after surgery. Doesn’t matter how much you read about life post surgery, it’s not until you experience it yourself do you fully understand. So you are also in a place of fear of the unknown. Talking with your therapist is a great idea to work your way through your anger, grief & fear. And keep referring to that list of positives. They’ll become blessings before you know it. It seems a long time at the beginning but in time you’ll look back & realise it wasn’t that long - the progress & benefits of your weight loss sort of blurs the time & makes it worthwhile.
Most importantly get off the social media sites about bariatric surgery. They are the worst. They’ll feed your fear & anger. The ones I’ve seen give you tips on how eat around your surgery, how not to follow your plan (saw one sharing how to purée a fast food burger & fries 😱) & offer little support or encouragement.
Yes, there are risks but there are with any surgery & bariatric surgery is far lower than many others including appendectomies & knee replacement. Your risks are much higher simply by remaining obese.
As to whether you’ll be able to eat your favourite foods again the answer is yes. Though you’ll eat them less often & in smaller portions. You’ll work out how much & how often is best for you over time. You may even find alternatives &/or ingredient substitutes that are better for you & more nutritious. I looked at some of my old favourite foods & decided while I loved them they really didn’t love me & contributed to my obesity. You may find you discover new favourite foods & even that your old ones just don’t appeal as much.
I’m a low sugar eater & avoid artificial sweeteners wherever I can (rather have a little real sugar than a sweetener). The shakes can be disgusting & have sweeteners but you don’t have to keep having them. I haven’t had one since I started purées & even in the post surgery liquid stage I only had one a day. Had Soup for my other meals. Then I discovered a high Protein yoghurt & yoghurt drinks to boost my protein intake. (Make your own drink by blending the yoghurt with milk which gives you bonus protein.) Your dietician should be able to help you find other suitable alternatives as well.
All the best.

If you see your diet after weight loss surgery as deprivation, you’re doing it wrong.
After the weight is lost, the diet you maintain should be that of a normal weight person at normal caloric intake. There should be no deprivation involved. Getting to your goal weight involves caloric reduction but it should not be to the point that you want to binge… and if that’s the case, then again, you’re doing it wrong.
And it should not really be called a “diet”, it should be normal, healthy eating.

Because addiction isn’t cured…it’s always there and always will be. The strength of its grip can vary, but it’s never gone. Addiction is also sneaky…you may think it’s gone until you gain back weight and wonder how that happened. Then ask about “pouch resets”, or injectable drugs. Make sense?
There is no alternative, you just need to accept it and deal with it as best you can. Find support and explore the reasons.
Again, I believe this is THE biggest issue people miss in this journey and what leads to most failures.

When my doctor told me to change my eating habits within that first year or 2 of major restriction, I took it seriously. I learned how to make better choices 80% of the time. Don’t get me wrong, I eat chips, dips, pizza, cake & all the other bad stuff. I even drink beer. However, I eat and drink in moderation and I do it occasionally. I stay away from sugary drinks and those extra calories that add up quickly—most of the time. I  do indulge occasionally. I also learned easy swaps when cooking to help reduce calories. For example, I cook with cooking spay, not oil. I use lean ground turkey meat, chicken breast, and other lean meats. I still wake and go with a Greek yogurt for Breakfast, and I will add Protein Powder in the mix & top with fresh fruit. I love eggs in so many combinations, and if I want eggs with bacon or cheese (or other high calorie toppings/sides, I’ll use egg whites instead of the whole egg. I do zucchini noodles instead of pasta…all these little things that have become habitual are what make a BIG difference in the long run. I literally changed my eating lifestyle.

The 2nd component was body composition. I started lifting weights. Heavy weights…for me. The heavy lifting helped me add muscle and lean out at the same time. I don’t do cardio…or, I hardly EVER do cardio. I hate it. My fitness is purely from heavy weightlifting. It became another aspect of my lifestyle. I have lifted 4-6 days a week…Consistently…Year round…Since I was sleeved & released for physical activity. If I’m on vacation, I’m on vacation. If there’s an emergency, there’s an emergency. However! Tired. Not tired. I go to the gym. I think of it as my job. Whether I want up go or not, I have to work.

And yes, I still have restriction 10 years out! But sliders are definitely still a thing, and if I stick to my Protein, veggies, and complex carbs, I don’t really crave or care to indulge in those sliders too often!

Bottom line. It’s a lifestyle change. Change your habits. Be consistent.

Congratulations!
You are truly an inspiration for the long-term success, and look fantastic!
Here’s to another 10 and to a long, prosperous and healthy life! Cheers!

Congratulations!
You are truly an inspiration for the long-term success, and look fantastic!
Here’s to another 10 and to a long, prosperous and healthy life! Cheers!

My gut says you have dodged a bullet. This is awful treatment and I would not feel safe letting those people have my care in their hands. You should have had your concerns validated and calmly discussed by a patient coordinator over the phone, not suddenly have your procedure cancelled simply because you voiced concerns. My worry here is if you were to go through with things with them, what happens if you have a complication, heaven forbid?? Will they treat you as a malingering patient instead of taking you seriously? That could go very badly, very quickly.
I know this delay is devastating. I am so sorry you are experiencing this. My heart hurts for you! I would seek out another practice. You already meet all the pre-reqs. The process shouldn't take as long the second time and you deserve to be in good hands that will respect your time and your trust in them as a patient. This behavior from them is inexcusable.
ETA: As an out of area patient they should have been taking that into consideration the whole time and should have been working hard to keep your schedule steady. This is NOT a big ask of an office doing this sort of care and is something the patient coordinator should have been advocating for you. Surgery practices are accustomed to needing to do this. Some will even schedule multiple appointments for you in a day and work with each other to ensure you get all your boxes ticked with minimal travel. I really want you to know that your expectations are not out of the norm, their behavior however IS.

There is a new lawsuit out, claiming that these medication‘s may cause gastroparesis, which is paralysis of the stomach.

I started Ozempic 8/11/23, yesterday at 0.25mg. I have been stuck in the 230s for over a year now. 3.5 years out VSG. Hoping it helps me get back into the swing of things. Will monitor closely for side effects.

One of the reasons I had surgery was to get off medication’s. In my opinion, this stuff is just poison. The side effects are considerable and the weight loss temporary as you will regain once you go off the medication.

My levels have been perfect. Like I’m no longer a diabetic type perfect. I’m so happy. For now I still wear my Dexcom to help me monitor and and old school test to calibrate. It’s been great. Trust me the feeling of reducing my medication intake is amazing.

Post op, this hit me hard. I considered it part of mourning food but it still concerned me even though I heard about it. Thankfully, it does go away over time as your body adjusts. Your body physically, and mentally are going through a lot and hits you all at once.

Gradually you get used to the new way of seeing food, eating food and it does get easier. But man those first weeks are hard. I seriously missed the enjoyment of chewing food and eating the large quantities along with the glorious tastes This is part of the addiction and, as the mind resets, and you set new habits, it does diminish. I am five months out, and now see food as fuel. I still get enjoyment from the taste, but the restriction has now created a new habit of getting joy from a smaller amount. Before surgery I used to stuff myself each meal. Now I hit my restriction and find it easier to just stop and be happy.

Hang in there, stick to your plan using your training from your program.

Post op, this hit me hard. I considered it part of mourning food but it still concerned me even though I heard about it. Thankfully, it does go away over time as your body adjusts. Your body physically, and mentally are going through a lot and hits you all at once.

Gradually you get used to the new way of seeing food, eating food and it does get easier. But man those first weeks are hard. I seriously missed the enjoyment of chewing food and eating the large quantities along with the glorious tastes This is part of the addiction and, as the mind resets, and you set new habits, it does diminish. I am five months out, and now see food as fuel. I still get enjoyment from the taste, but the restriction has now created a new habit of getting joy from a smaller amount. Before surgery I used to stuff myself each meal. Now I hit my restriction and find it easier to just stop and be happy.

Hang in there, stick to your plan using your training from your program.

Stock up with lots of low carb, sugar free, high Protein Snacks. That way you are still sticking to the plan. My surgeon explained that the sugar intake is the biggest thing, because it allows your liver to shrink and reduces risk during surgery.
I did portioned out mini containers of t good foods, and it really helped. Some favorites were - Cottage cheese cups, sugar free Jello, triple zero yogurt, cooked chicken, Moon Cheese, healthier popcorn, P3 Protein snacks. All easy and fulfilling.

As long as I kept my hands busy , I was okay. I was a big "sit in front of the tv with a bowl of something and keep shoveling it into my mouth" type person. I stopped buying the tempting stuff and instead bought myself a bunch of markers,pens,sketchbooks , coloring books and kept that next to me while watching tv. I also had Water with me at all times. Not gonna lie - the first couple days are bad ! Pretty soon my brain switched gears and I really got into my doodling. Lost a good amount of weight,too !

Like Carmen suggests, the only thing that worked for me was distraction.
You are facing head hunger, addiction, and engrained habits…
I created a list of small, but obtainable, chores so as not to overwhelm. Then picked one or two each time I was feeling like grazing between meals.

Like Carmen suggests, the only thing that worked for me was distraction.
You are facing head hunger, addiction, and engrained habits…
I created a list of small, but obtainable, chores so as not to overwhelm. Then picked one or two each time I was feeling like grazing between meals.

Ugh! I feel your pain. That was me during the pandemic shut down of schools. I taught for 1.5 years from home. What I did this summer (because I was home all day) was pick a different room each day to "spring clean" while I waited for my surgery on June 19th. I literally went through boxes and bags and closets. I rearranged rooms, threw away things that were no longer of any use, got out of the house to visit with family more often than usual.
You might consider some DIY projects at home to keep your mind busy. It doesn't have to cost a lot of money. They could be Dollar Tree DIY projects. Try to think of what things you want to take care of before your surgery that you won't be able to do for the first 2 months afterwards. I cleared the way back to my treadmill that was in the extra bedroom by moving boxes and furniture. I rearranged the kitchen so that things were easily accessible for me after my surgery without having to reach up too high or bend too low. I also made sure all the laundry was done, and that I had all the things I'd need in my immediate vicinity handy. I researched Protein Shakes, Vitamins, supplements, and found this forum.
I really do understand how hard it is to not focus on food when food has been our main focus for so long. You're not alone. Everyone finds different ways to distract themselves at first, but it really does become easier as the days go by, especially if you stop carb intake. I hope you find something in which you can immerse yourself that will help you, my friend.

Wow, that’s crazy. Good to hear it settled.
The only thing I can think is that it’s the sensor. Since the sensor goes in just under the skin, maybe your Fluid level is affecting the draw up into the device? Post surgery, your bodies fluid level is all crazy…so maybe it’s bothering the sensor.
Another item. If I slept on my Dexcom the wrong way, it would pinch the sensor tube in my skin and I’d get false lows. So maybe with your fluid being wonky and such, it’s a combo of things?
Do you stick yourself to check your sugars with a regular strip when you get a low on the Dexcom? That should tell you if it’s off.

@Fred in Pa I had the manual meter until I got Dexcom. I’m going to have my primary care do a new prescription for me. I don’t have the funds to pay for it out of pocket anymore. But it does look like im going to have to go back to manual for a while to calibrate it more often.

Oh, I've never heard of this before! I am pre-op and even pre-op I can't seem to drink the required amount. Part of my problem is I can only drink Water ice cold and that makes it harder to track because of the ice, etc. I'll have to check this out.

@Fred in Pa wow that’s crazy. I’m glad you made it thru. I have a Dexcom on. But I guess my glucose was dropping to rapidly it couldn’t catch up. It was off by 10 high or low every time they checked it. I’m going to ask for mints or maybe glucose candy just in case it drops again. I will make sure I ask my doctor. Thanks

I've seen some posts on here that are sad or upset because in 2 weeks the OP has only lost 10-15 pounds. Let me give you a few things to think about.
#1 - everyone loses weight differently, so never compare yourself to anyone else
#2 - non scale victories are at least as important (if not more important) than what the scale shows. Examples are: fitting in seats better, walking better, clothes and rings fitting better or getting too big, getting off meds, no longer having high bp or being diabetic, etc...
#3 - the average "normal" weight loss is 1-2 pounds per week, and if you're on some kind of special diet then MAYBE 2-3 pounds per week. So if you look at the high end of that, without the surgery you would be down 6 pounds in 2 weeks. So while you may think you haven't lost enough weight, or not as much as some people on here have, you're doing a lot better than you would be if you never had the surgery.
#4 - the more you weigh before your surgery, the more (and faster) you will lose after. The first 6 months is when you lose the most, and if you are in the 300-400 range (or higher) you will see the more dramatic weight loss during that time. Those that start off in the 200s tend to lose a bit slower and not as dramatically. That's just the way of it. It doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong or the surgery is a fail, it's just the nature of the beast. The higher the bmi, the more dramatic the initial weight loss. The lower the bmi, the slower the weight loss.
AND FINALLY
#5 - You may have complications. It's just a fact. Not everyone does. Majority don't. But some, like me, do. And that's ok. Stay in regular communication with your doctor, advocate for yourself, do everything you are supposed to do, take whatever meds or do whatever procedures you have to, take deep breaths, and know it'll be ok and you'll get through it. In the moment, they can feel overwhelming and never-ending. Regret definitely can creep in. BUT... remember that "this, too, shall pass" and when it does, you'll be on the other side, living your best life, and the complication will just be a blip in the road. How many health issues and complications did you have pre-surgery? And you rode those out, knowing another one was inevitable due to being so unhealthy. So just know that once you get on the other side of THIS, you'll be so glad you had the surgery and your health improved. In the wise words of a little blue fish "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming..."

Type 2 here…
My last shot of insulin was in my pre-diet phase. My sugar dropped like a stone after. I actually ended up back in the hospital two weeks after surgery with starvation ketoacidosis. My doctor said I was following the post surgery diet to strictly(all protein) and I needed to add back in a few healthy carbs here and there to keep my insulin level steady.

I think that shot you took was a mistake. Until it clears, you will need carbs to keep your sugar up. After that, monitor your levels and adjust diet as required.
Of course, all of this should be checked by your doctor and his team.

Type 2 here…
My last shot of insulin was in my pre-diet phase. My sugar dropped like a stone after. I actually ended up back in the hospital two weeks after surgery with starvation ketoacidosis. My doctor said I was following the post surgery diet to strictly(all protein) and I needed to add back in a few healthy carbs here and there to keep my insulin level steady.

I think that shot you took was a mistake. Until it clears, you will need carbs to keep your sugar up. After that, monitor your levels and adjust diet as required.
Of course, all of this should be checked by your doctor and his team.