Ellebronwyn

For my VSG surgery, I was recommended by my surgeon and dietician to take off at least 6-8 weeks minimum to get through all the stages of my post-op diet first. This is moreso for the "mental" aspect of it and to get used to sipping Water throughout the day and not get dehydrated, etc. I had (and still have) an office job where I sit most of the day and do not lift. When I got a second surgery due to GERD (rny w/ hiatal hernia repair), I only took off about a week and a half. This is because I was already used to this way of eating and drinking prior, and my surgeon felt I was ready to return. At the end of the day, do whatever makes YOU feel most comfortable, and of course always discuss with your surgical team. If you feel you need more time, request it and take care of yourself.

There are so many non-scale victories I have be blessed to experience so far 😊

Some of them include:

1. No longer having sleep apnea (so long C-PAP Machine!!)

2. Being able to purchase clothing from the mall or another regular retail chain store again.

3. Not feeling tired by mid-day; more energy.

4. Symptoms of depression and anxiety have drastically decreased.

5. Being able to keep up with my son when we do activities outdoors!

I have always been sensitive to cold temperatures, but post-surgery it has only gotten worse so I understand! I try to bring a thick jacket to wear in the office (we are not allowed to have heaters unfortunately as they are considered a "fire hazard"....). Sometimes I have to get up and get moving/walking to warm myself up as well. It can also be a sign of Iron deficiency so be careful!

Hello all!

I am not a newbie when it comes to tracking apps and food logs. I just started using Baritastic today (after being a faithful MyFitnessPal user for years), and I was pleasantly surprised. What are some of your favorite apps to track food/exercise/etc?

7 hours ago, NovaLuna said:

Well, you could revise to a duodenal switch or loop duodenal switch surgery. The biggest problem, of course, would be finding a surgeon who would do it in the first place, and also one who would be comfortable doing a RNY revision to DS or Loop DS. The DS is the most aggressive surgery and one of the biggest downsides is having to take more Vitamins. Also, if you wait too long in between eating... your bowels will decide to empty everything in them after taking about two to three bites of food and you'll be in and out of the bathroom for an hour or more, so if you do decide to do the surgery keep something like a granola bar or something next to your bed. I had the Loop DS 3 years ago and am incredibly happy with my surgery choice.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experience with the Loop DS. This is one surgery I have heard about but never really researched as much. Hoping I wont have to go this route; just trying to identify ways to stay fuller longer without snacking too much.

The side effect of my medication is weight gain; for example my younger brother at one time took this same medication and gained over 60 pounds in 3 years (prior to that he was always skinny). I have def noticed an increased appetite with it. I have never eaten to feel "full" or uncomfortable since surgery, I have always been good about stopping and eating small portions at a time (half plate of food). However, I think my main issue is feeling hungry again soon after eating and then snacking. The only thing I can think to do is to measure every single thing I eat for a period of time and see if that helps, and to cut out snacking completely. My diet is average at best. I still make sure to get 60-80 grams of Protein a day, and enjoy lots of veg and some fruits, however I do not stick to low carb or low fat options all the time--this may be another issue.

Thank you for sharing this! I am glad to know I am not alone in this (I was worried there was something wrong with me not feeling as restricted). My surgeon never really explained this part to me, but after reviewing other articles and posts, it looks to be common for the RNY. I need to start measuring portions (something I have not been doing for the last 2+ years). Luckily I have a follow up with my nutritionist in March

Thank you Tek for your response.

I do need to work on my Portion Control, although I still eat much less than before surgery, I know I am still eating more than I need to at this stage. I like the idea of measuring portions for my meals. I also tend to snack more lately, while at work. My initial motivation was to extreme health issues, thankfully all have resolved, but I know I am not immune and those could come crawling back if I don't get this under control and gain more. Also of course, big motivation is being around and healthy for my son, and of course, for myself.

So I'm going to just copy and paste part of my about me section to make this a bit easier lol:

"in May 2019 I had VSG, and for about a year everything seemed to be doing fine. Initially, I was successful and almost 100 lbs down. I got down to 174lbs within a year. Almost 14 months later, I was dealing with a new stressor in my life (an abusive situation) and ended up developing extreme GERD, reflux, and would feel burning acid come up each night--sometimes choking on it and breathing in my own stomach acid. I ended up suffering with bronchitis and pneumonia due to the extreme GERD several times within a short period of time. My surgeon stated that this is one of the possible side effects of VSG as well as extreme stress, and offered revision to do the RNY and a hiatal Hermia repair. All went well, and at first, I seemed to have recovered well. But now, here I am in 2023 and I have slowly gained over 30lbs in the last 2.5 years, going from my lowest post-bariatric weight of 174 lbs to now at about 207.7 lbs. Not really sure if it was a result of surgery, or poor eating habits (or both), because from the moment I woke up from surgery and in each phase of my bariatric diet, I felt as though my "pouch" or new stomach was no longer feeling restrictive, and I was able to eat much larger portions than before. "

I know 30 lbs may not seem like " a lot" to most, but to me it is a big deal and has been stressing me out a lot. Lately, I have been considering seeing either my old surgeon or possibly a new one for a check up to see if there is something "wrong" with the size/my surgery failed. Or perhaps, maybe this is hormonal, stress-related, etc. One thing I would like to add is that the majority of this weight regain started the moment I started taking SSRI medication (which I am still on for anxiety and depression). Looking for advice on what to do....as I have been trying to motivate myself to get back on track...

Hi Lindsay,

I have PCOS and a Pituitary Adenoma, so I have experienced my fair share of crazy hormones!

Prior to WLS, I would go sometimes 4-6 months without a period. Now I get one about every 35-50 days or so. Not normal by any means, but MUCH better than before. I have experienced more issues with some acne around my chin at times ( a pimple here or there, nothing major). The one drawback however, is I have noticed the hair on my head has decreased, while the hair everywhere else (my entire body) has increased in thickness.

Hi all!

I'm new to this group and looking for support. A little bit about me, In 2019 I had VSG--year later had extreme GERD/Reflux---then in 2021 I had revision surgery to RNY and hernia repair. Long story short, post VSG I was down 100 lbs almost and got to around 174, but after my revision to bypass to alleviate the GERD I noticed almost right away my "pouch/new stomach" or whatever you want to call it was no longer as restrictive and pretty much right away I was able to each much more volume. Over time, I gained about 30 lbs in 2 years, and I feel just awful. Has anyone else experience this before, and if so, do you have any tips? I am honestly struggling with motivation and getting back on the ball, and I am looking for advice, ideas and/or support. Thanks everyone!