Fred in Pa

OMG congratulations!!! That is absolutely amazing!!! You must feel incredible. I'm so happy for you

One year ago today, at 2:00pm, I had my initial phone interview from my bariatric program. I had enough and took the step.
I was always dead-set against surgery and prayed daily for God to help me. I awoke one day at peace on the surgery and made the call. I weighed 329lbs.
ONE. YEAR. TO. THE. DAY I wake to this blessing! 199.8 on the scale.

God works in mysterious ways but, in this case, no mystery...just Gods Grace!
Oct 1 will be 7 months to the day of my surgery

I had the SADI-S…it’s been 7 months.
Right after surgery my bowels were in turmoil as expected. Diarrhea, Constipation.
Before surgery I had IBS. Once things settle down my BMs are much more consistent. Most likely because my diet is consistent. As Wellington states above, you can control and use your diet to control your bowel movements. Get out of line with your diet and you get out of line with the results.

Yes, there is more flatulence and odor, but it is an acceptable trade-off for what I have gained. Don’t let the small things get in the way of a life-changing decision that can save your life.

One year ago today, at 2:00pm, I had my initial phone interview from my bariatric program. I had enough and took the step.
I was always dead-set against surgery and prayed daily for God to help me. I awoke one day at peace on the surgery and made the call. I weighed 329lbs.
ONE. YEAR. TO. THE. DAY I wake to this blessing! 199.8 on the scale.

God works in mysterious ways but, in this case, no mystery...just Gods Grace!
Oct 1 will be 7 months to the day of my surgery

That is so amazing!!! Congratulations to you! God is great!!!

One year ago today, at 2:00pm, I had my initial phone interview from my bariatric program. I had enough and took the step.
I was always dead-set against surgery and prayed daily for God to help me. I awoke one day at peace on the surgery and made the call. I weighed 329lbs.
ONE. YEAR. TO. THE. DAY I wake to this blessing! 199.8 on the scale.

God works in mysterious ways but, in this case, no mystery...just Gods Grace!
Oct 1 will be 7 months to the day of my surgery

Don't take advice from a Dietician. They advise you about things they read in books.
The Sadi is a fantastic option but creates an imbalance like all WLS's do. My bowel movements defineately smell worse, which is a result of undigested food passing through your colon. Your other option that you have in place now is to keep it and get fat(ter). The gas is a direct result of what you eat. I eat the wrong foods every day and lots of them. It causes gas and multiple bowel movements. The other other for me is for the food is be digested and stay on my body.
The bottom line is I'm thin and extremely fit in my 60's vs Obese and inactive in my 40's prior to the Sadi. I take a moderate amount of Vitamins (far less than normal DS patients), and if I eat too much food (which I do daily), I have gas and extra bowel movements to pass the food out. It's a tradeoff most people would live with.

NickelChip,
Thank you for that follow up study.
Taking ibuprofen for 30 days would be significant. It also refers to taking a defined daily dose which I’m sure is the prescribed amount over 24 hours, again, a significant amount.
I feel confident that taking some ibuprofen for some muscle pain after a long day in the yard or for a terribly bad headache will not be detrimental to my health.
I hope these studies as evidence provide comfort to others as well who have occasional pain and are deeply concerned about damaging their body.

I’m just about seven months out, and I take it on occasion, but only when needed for short periods of time. I also use liquid gel and take it with food.
I’m currently recovering from kidney stones from taking my Calcium supplements (that’s a whole other story) and took a few. Tylenol just didn’t do anything for me and the Oxy they prescribed loops me out and constipate me.

Here’s an interesting study I found https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33353863/
It’s from 2020 but they didn’t find any correlation to issues. I’m not sure if there are more recent studies, but I tend to think, in my opinion only, that it is overhyped, and they are simply airing on the side of caution, which makes sense. Since every persons system and surgery behave differently, it would be too hard to tell who could tolerate and who couldn’t. If someone then shows up with an ulcer, and their doctor didn’t warn them, lawsuits could happen. Again, just my opinion.

I saw this Swedish study linked to the one you posted: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35595650/
They found that continuous use of NSAIDs in bypass patients for 30+ days was a significant risk for ulcers, but temporary use was not. Additionally, they found no association between NSAID exposure and peptic ulcers in sleeve patients. So it seems you might be right about the extreme use of caution (to avoid being sued). Not to say anyone should disregard medical advice, but it does help to put the risk into perspective.

I’m just about seven months out, and I take it on occasion, but only when needed for short periods of time. I also use liquid gel and take it with food.
I’m currently recovering from kidney stones from taking my Calcium supplements (that’s a whole other story) and took a few. Tylenol just didn’t do anything for me and the Oxy they prescribed loops me out and constipate me.

Here’s an interesting study I found https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33353863/
It’s from 2020 but they didn’t find any correlation to issues. I’m not sure if there are more recent studies, but I tend to think, in my opinion only, that it is overhyped, and they are simply airing on the side of caution, which makes sense. Since every persons system and surgery behave differently, it would be too hard to tell who could tolerate and who couldn’t. If someone then shows up with an ulcer, and their doctor didn’t warn them, lawsuits could happen. Again, just my opinion.

I’m just about seven months out, and I take it on occasion, but only when needed for short periods of time. I also use liquid gel and take it with food.
I’m currently recovering from kidney stones from taking my Calcium supplements (that’s a whole other story) and took a few. Tylenol just didn’t do anything for me and the Oxy they prescribed loops me out and constipate me.

Here’s an interesting study I found https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33353863/
It’s from 2020 but they didn’t find any correlation to issues. I’m not sure if there are more recent studies, but I tend to think, in my opinion only, that it is overhyped, and they are simply airing on the side of caution, which makes sense. Since every persons system and surgery behave differently, it would be too hard to tell who could tolerate and who couldn’t. If someone then shows up with an ulcer, and their doctor didn’t warn them, lawsuits could happen. Again, just my opinion.

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.