Search the Community

You are 20 pounds away from your goal, why would you need bypass or sleeve. That seems like a terrible recommendation. If the bad slipped they should be able to go in and put it back on.

Not sure where you read that... but both of those statements are not accurate. Overall, more folks still have hunger than not. And no bypass patients *CAN'T* absorb all the calories consumed, the whole point of the redirection of the stomach acids are to reduce absorption.

My gastric bypass was on 4/18. During my surgery they also fixed two hernias and removed some lipomas. I am experiencing a sharp burning pain in my right shoulder blade when I bend. Has anyone experienced something similar? Should I email my surgeon?

So, Ive been lurking on these boards forever reading all of your stories and hoping that one day I would get to share my story as well. I looked into the bypass more than a year ago when my doctor suggested it, I was fed up with my wieght, I dont seem to lose weight anymore I go on diet after diet to no avail and come out heavier than i started. I got diagnosed with pre diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension and knew I had to make a change.. Unfortuanately when I started the journey then, I lost insurance and wasnt able to carry through, but I kept believing that one day, maybe, I to, would be a success story. I spent a year researching and making sure this was absolutely the option I wanted to take. Im really excited I have met with a nutritionist, I have a doctors appointment tomorrow, I have my psych eval set up in May and I have called my Cigna insurance spoke with them a couple of times and I have a 3 month waiting period with the dietician. I have always been overwieght since around the age of 10. I remember my doctor talking to my mother about getting me on a diet, and she declined saying it was stress of the loss of grandparents. That stress eating got me to the pleasently plump woman I am today.. The woman who feels like she has gotten to a point of no return. I actually lost a significant amount of weight about 4 years ago, I had gotten tired of it and completely revamped my life I lost 90 lbs! I looked amazing, I loved being alive, I had a whole new love for fittness that I had never thought was possible! I really miss that girl, and Im sure my kids do to. I got pregnant with my twins and the weight came on like no other.. I gained 80 lbs with my twins but actually once i delivered and healed from my vertical c-section them I was only about 30 lbs more than when i started. I of course had a lot of excess skin, something only cosmetic surgery will fix, but I felt good. Unfortunately, the next year and a half of sleepless nights caused my weight to spiral out of control, throw in every stress imaginable with being a mother of 4, working full time, finishing a degree, and LIFE and what do you get, ME! I know that my weight has put a strain on my relationship, I'm to the point that I dont want to leave the house because I feel so ashamed. My kids use to love when I took them on hikes and bike riding, and now it doesnt even seem obtainable. I feel horrible that I have allowed myself to become like this. I always put my children first and did everything for them and their health and making sure they had a good life and everything they could ever want, I just never thought my weight was taking away from them.. but now I know it is. As far as support goes, little to none, but that doesnt stop me I have always been my biggest cheerleader when it comes to getting what I want anyway. My fiance "supports" it but he got angry at me the other day and told me I was being selfish to him and he didnt have anything to look forward to and now i do. I know that when it comes down to it, this decision and my new lifestyle will cause some issues with us, however at this point I feel that I'm doing the right thing for me and my future. I hope that once he sees the changes in me, and starts to see me for the girl I was when he met me, maybe his attitude will change.

I was banded November 22nd and am not too far from my goal. Since I hit the 100 lb. mark, it has been a slow loss. That is partially my fault since I have been sampling foods that were a complete no-no before. My advice is to make sure your band is adjusted well. Then, slowly eliminate carbs and fat. My doctor only allows 5 grams of carbs per meal. If you are not exercising, start doing so ASAP! I swear by my exercise routine. I do a mix of strength training and cardio three times a week. Then, I try to walk/jog a couple of days a week. That is the only thing that has kept me losing at this point.

Congrats!! I'm scheduled for June 27th!!! Bypass!! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

The doctor's office just called to inform me that my surgery is no longer Dec 3rd........it has been changed to NOVEMBER 25TH!!!! I am SOOOO happy I could bust. Thank you all for all the words of encouragement and advice over the last couple of months. It is becoming a reality quickly!!!!:banana :banana :banana :banana

Omg yes I hate this phase I'm almost finished with post op phase 1 it's sucks can't eat nothing just liquid but u don't feel hungry it's just a mental thing physically your not hungry I had the vertical sleeve on the 26 of November and the day of surgery I was 310 and know I'm 289.6 and today is December 13th so I've lost some weight and fast it's so worth it but mentally challenging.

hi all i have just started the first steps towards surgery i feel i want to go for the gastric bypass as i have a bmi of 56 but i am really scared as i have looked all over the internet an so many things say there are risks of death ie... staple fluid lekage and emolism an internal hernia and so on please does anyone have any advice im so scared

Elizabeth, try to look at it this way.. Yes there are risks but I bet the risks of staying at a BMI of 56 are much higher than bypass risks. That's why it's called morbidly obese . It will kill you. Bypass will give you the opportunity to start a new better life. A life with the morbidly removed. I know wls saved my life.. I was morbidly obese and now I am living my life to the fullest. I started with lapband but now have bypass I wish I had just done bypass.. Good luck and remember even walking down the street has risks. Start googling benefits of bypass and I know those outweigh the risks ten fold. Hope that helps!!!

Yup, I meant "gastric bypass" patients have malabsorption issues. Sorry for the confusion. Fixed it.

Hi guys, I have been a silent lurker for a while. I got my surgery on July 2nd. 2018. I am 33 years old, 4 feet eleven inches tall. Mother of 2. On the day of surgery I was 195. By the second week I was at 180. It has now been 1 month since the surgery and I have gained 5 lbs, lost 5 lbs, gained 2, lost 2, gained 4. It is frustrating because I got into a debt that I did not need to be able to finance this surgery. By the way, I had gastric sleeve in Miami but I don't live there and I also don't have insurance so seeing a doc is difficult. I track all I eat through MyFitnessPal. I eat things low in sodium, no sugar or at least low in sugar ( I am a coconut water addict) and since the surgery water is bleh . I am extremely careful about what I eat. I cook at home. I make sure I meet my protein goals. I am used to eating healthy and more so now since the surgery. It's frustrating to know that I got into this massive debt and I'm not losing weight. We know a ton of people that have done gastric sleeve or bypass and bands and everyone has lost weight incredibly- here I come spending money I didn't have with a surgery that isn't doing anything for me. Bowel movements are nightmare. Since the surgery I can't unless I drink some slimming tea nothing has been done by my body naturally. If I trust my body to do its thing it wont. Ugh. For the past week I been drinking milk of magnesia and that works but it's so unpleasant. It's sad because my mom didn't want me to get in the debt and I was so sure that I would lose the weight. People are around me were rooting for me to lose weight. So it sucks because people ask "Hey how is the weight loss, you should have dropped like 30 lbs or more by now" and I be like "Naw, fam. I GAINED 5" It sucks to disappoint. I don't know what to do. I give up.

I love Dr. Braverman! He is so smart and kind! Very down to earth. He is doing my bypass 9/22. I can't wait!

And good luck! I am so happy I had my bypass done.

I too am a band to bypass revision! My surgery date in 8/11/14! I AM PUMPED!

Wow, that sounds like a big change! We have been of the opinion that smaller is better when it comes to decorating. My mother-in-law used to go completely wild. It would take the whole month of November to get everything up, and the whole month of January to take it back down again. We get it done in about an hour or two. As far as moving goes, I hope to be carried out of here in a box. There is way too much stuff to have to pack up. I was really surprised when she came in with that ornament. I kept looking at that little block, thinking I should just toss it, but knowing as soon as I did, the rest of the piece would surface. I am amazed I was able to find it, to tell the truth. Usually I see something like that every day, and then when I need it, it is gone!

I am 3 years post-op RNY gastric bypass surgery.

Hello All, just found this site, I am changing from a band to a bypass , have my date it is Oct 27th. I am excited and anxious to finally get it, I have had the band since 2006 and don't think I will miss it, I lost about 55 lbs with, wish I had lost more and dr.said I was a good candidate for the Bypass. so now getting the rest of the labs and preop testing The sooner the better, I would love to get all the support I can, so please feel free to email me or contact me here, probably email would be better to get it, My name is Donna , I am 64, live is Maine, and I would love to hear from people who have or have not had the same thing, Thanks so much and my email is Mammysm@aol.com thanks again, and look forward to the emails and support and good luck to everyone here and their journey,

Hi everyone its been a minute since I been on here October 17th will make it seven months since I had the gastric bypass. I am down 100lbs my starting weight was 275 here is a before pic and after. I am 175lbs and have 30-40 more lbs I want to loose but I am happy were I am God has really helped me thru this journey its been a long one but I am gone keep pushing I went from a 2xl in shirt to medium and large from a 18-20 to 11-12 ????????????☺

Hi everyone!!! I was hoping somebody could give me some encouragement and guidance. I was banded in March 2011, with a starting weight of 202, yeah yeah I know that doesn't sound like very heavy however, please keep in mind I am only 5"1. I am down to 160 pounds to date and my goal is to get to 130. I am up to about 9.5 ccs in an 11cc realize band. I walk approximately 2 miles a day even though this is my only form of exercise. The biggest issue I'm having is not restriction, or not watching what I eat but the fact that i think i have hit my plateau and i am extremely frustrated. I am a creature of habit. I eat the same thing for breakfast everyday, damn near the same thing for lunch. I am having a problem getting beyond this 160 pounds...I was considering maybe trying the master cleanse or something like that thinking it would give me a boost. I could use some suggestions... Thanks. Date My Journey Began: May 1, 2010 Date of Approval: January 18, 2011 Date of Pre-Op Diet: February 14, 2011 Date of Surgery: March 1, 2011 Starting Height/Weight: 5"0 203 lbs Current Weight (as of November 2012): 160 pounds Goal Weight: 130 lbs *When Your Ready To Change Your Life... You Have To Change Along With It....*

Hello! I am in Groton Connecticut.. the other end of the state. I work in New Haven and plan on getting banded thru St. Raphael's Hospital. I am going to the seminar in early November. Bringing my mom with me for support. I am kinda doing this incognito. Not really telling alot of people. I have lost 15 lbs on my own. But it is so hard. I exercise my butt off and eat healthy and it doesn't help because of this darn insulin resistance. (I am diabetic) Just wanted to say hello and you guys are doing wonderfully! Good Luck and I look forward to reading all your wisdom and you continue this journey! Donna

1. Are full liquids eating, i.e. no drinking for 30-90 minutes after? Ask your doctor. 2. Is Jello considered eating? No, its a full liquid believe it or not. 3. Can I drink broth all day? Is there a difference between chicken and beef? Yes, and nothing. 4. I don't like artificial sugar for the sugar free diet. How can I compensate? You can't. Although you have had a sleeve. You can still get dumping as you do with gastric bypass if you eat sooo much table sugar. But you won't have the cramps...you will get diarhea...trust me. 5. How do I keep the momentum going with the weight loss? I'm starting to feel hunger, but can't eat. I'm worried about going into starvation now that I'm actually feeling hungry and it working backwards for me. I'm also afraid that when I do start eating it will either stop the weight loss or go backwards because of the previous "starvation". Momentum, momentum, momentum, I want to keep it rolling. If you wait to each until you get hungry. Make sure you are eating every 3 hours at least (3 meals - Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and 2 Protein shakes) It the protein that is most important as it contributes to healing and more "filling". 6. I'm having a hard time watching my family eat. It grosses me out the food intake not so much with my growing boys, but especially with my husband who is going to have the surgery also. I feel like....."hey do you realize how much food you eat and I'm over here drinking broth all day long! Get control of yourself." Yikes, I know. So sorry, but it's true. This is emotional. You don't realize the emotions that you will go through in this life changing journey. Don't know if anyone told you but when you lose a lot of fat, your body will release a lot of hormones into you rsystem which give you mood swings like crazy. I felt the same way about my family but I remembered that my husband did not have the surgery and I didn't like it when someone told me that I ate too much so I usually talk more at the table or sit down at the table 10 minutes after everyone else does so that we all finish at the same time. My husband has decided to go forward with the surgery so soon he'll know what I went through. 7. TMI Warning!! I am on the Depo shot and I have been spotting ever since the surgery - 12 days. I never have a period if I do it a day or two of lite spotting. This is every time I wipe, not fresh but old if you know what I mean. Sorry again. Could something in the surgery have messed with my shot or what are your thoughts on this? I do not want to get pregnant! Again the hormone release do to the rapid release of fat can do this. Call your doctor to besure. 8. I'm starting to feel normal and that scares me a little. When I could feel the soreness and restriction (no hunger), it made it easier to not eat and be great with it. Now, it's like appetite is coming back. I'm scared of gaining. Other diets have worked opposite for me and I don't want this to also. I'm scared of any change or move! I feel like I have to starve myself to keep this going. :-( Remember this is a tool to help you adjust to a new healthy life style. If you try to eat something fried or full of sugar you will get very sick. You will only be able to get 300-500 calories in the first month or so then you will need to get 800 to keep your hair from falling out. And it will be a challege to get 800 in. I am at 3 months and I'm struggling to get 600 calories. Also measure, measure, measure your food. I can't stress this enough. Normally, leaks occur 3 weeks after surgery because patients feel better and use the sleeve to gage fullness. But remember, it take 20 minutes for your mind to get that signal that you are full so by then you would have consumed to much. Besides, if you do eat to much or too fast, you will thowup and believe me, it's no the same as throwing up before you had surgery...it's worst! Not to freak you out but it is painful and sometime lasting. You will also plateu that will sometimes last for a week. You may gain a little when drop the following day. These are all normal things. I used a calendar to write down my weight everyday and the total lost. Then at the end of the month I figure out how much weight was down for the month. One month I gained 5 pounds but had at total weight loss of 13 pounds. My husband has been very supportive. He is having his surgery in August. We have already change what we eat when we go out and what I cook for the family. Being obese is just as much of a mental battle as it is an emotional and physical battle. Everytime I was tempted to eat bad or eat fast or stuff my face or felt sad that I can't eat what everyone else was eating, I would redirect my mind to think " in 3 month I am going to look HOT!!!!" Now, I am the envy of every woman at work! I can fit in to a Small Shirt!!!! i have never fit into a small shirt!!!!!!! 9. Life evolved around cooking, eating out, social eating, etc. I've halted all of that and feel a little trapped. No one except immediate family, i.e. husband, sons, and girlfriend who went to hospital with me know that I have done this. I don't lie and would have a hard time explaining why I'm not eating, drinking alcohol, participating in the activities this early in my post surgery. So we are using our workload right now as a reason for staying home, etc. There's so much there for me right now. My husband is extremely supportive and wants me to do the same for him when he has the surgery. Sorry rambling but trying to get through the emotional/mental part of it. I like to cook too. It was a real adjustment to cook healthly things. I have discovered new foods as part of the process and that has been fun. As far as explaining why I don't eat to colleagues, I told them before the surgery. For colleagues I haven't seen in a while, I told them the truth if they ask and answered their questions. I have had only one person treat me bad but she was a big B to begin with so I was prepared to handle it. As for anyone who had past judgement on me to my face or behind my back, that just doesn't bother me because I did this for me and my family and for my health and that is all that is important. I think you will surprise how supportive people can be. Most people are just curious. And again don't get sorry about rambling because you are emotional...it's the hormones talking. 10. I'm still bloated and tend to bloat throughout the day. Is this normal or what can I do to alleviate this? Yes, this is normal. I was bloated for 5 weeks. This is because of swelling. Also there may be gas still trapped inside. Walking makes a big difference. 11. I know I don't get enough liquids in as I can't drink Water. Any liquid suggestions would be great. Frozen sugar free popsicles, warm tea, and sugar free gatorade were my friend. I also had sugar free jello and broth. 12. I can already tell that my absorption rate is super sensitive and high! Within seconds of trying something, I either feel sick, lightheaded or full or all of the above. Does this stay? When food is introduced will it be one bite at a time? You may need to eat slower. Take a bite, chew 25 times, swallow, then count for 10 before taking another bite. This does going away...sort of. You will get sick, lightheaded if you eat too fast. As far as full, you will have to figure that part out on your own but my Doctor told me to start with 4 Tbsp. (2 tbsp of a protein, 1 tbsp veg, tbsp fruit - in that order) but be prepared if you can only get 2 tbsp down. I started with 2 tbsp but now I am up to 1/4 cup. 13. I think protein shakes make me sick?? You tastes with change over time. I liked my protein shakes before the surgery. Then could not stand them for about 6 weeks after surgery but now I like them again. I would try a bunch of difference one. I like the Unjuy and nectar brands. The nectar brands taste like fruit juice with not after taste.

Hello folks, I can't tell you how much I appreciate this forum. Without this forum, I can't imagine that I'd be embarking on this surgery. As a child, I was normal weight. However, many members of my extended family were overweight with some having diabetes. In my early 20s I started gaining weight and have never stopped. As I approach 50 I'm obese, have very high blood sugar (and will definitely become Type 2 Diabetic), high cholesterol, severe sleep apnea, etc. I've done Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, Phentermine, exercise, Pritikin, and a lot more. A few years ago I looked into the Lap Band and decided against it. The post-band lifestyle and complications were more than I was willing to live with. Gastric Bypass was too severe and not really appropriate for someone with my BMI. A few months ago I found out about VSG and it appears to be the answer to my dreams. My problem has always been binge eating - once I start I can't stop. VSG seems to be the tool that can help me stop. After a lot of investigation I'm pretty sure I'll be going with Dr. Lavin in Louisiana. I'm self pay and he is much cheaper than the doctors in California where I live. Also, he seems to be very highly rated. Anyway - I'm in the very early stages and I'll keep those interested posted via this thread. -Jordan

To repeat again, only about 30% of Gastric Bypass patients dump to any degree. Back when I had surgery 50% was the quoted rate, but back then the bypasses were a bit more distal which would make dumping more likely. I am one of the few, the proud, the dumpers! I dump on sugar and fats. Less so on fats. Not enough to dump on cheese, thank goodness. I am glad I dump as it takes sugar off my menu when otherwise I would abuse the crap out of it. While dumping sounds horrible, it's not quite as bad as it sounds. I don't often dump these days as I have a good sense of how much sugar I can consume when. When I am fatigued, stressed, sick, or in other ways out of sorts I dump easier, so at such times I try to be extra careful, but still misjudge and it get's me. When I'm in public I don't do sugars at all, though I don't do them much anyhow. I asked my surgeon for a little extra bypass, a little extra restriction, and dumping. 18+ years later I still dump, my restriction is still in place. I have no clue on the extra bypass. I have dumped on fruit but rarely. My first dumping episode, at about 3 months post-op, was orange juice. Good luck, Tek

Hi Tammy! My doc is Wade Barker in Mesquite. He is very nice and we chatted it up a bit.. we have some things in common and that made my experience easier with him He didnt really direct me to anything in particular. What exactly is Myocel? is it a powder or what? is it at GNC? I have been reading all these sites on obesityhelp about people with the AGB... I am wondering if anybody actually gets to the goal weight after this surgery? Dr. Barker seemed unphased and like I was totally going to be 130 pounds... but now i wonder. The gastric bypass people seem to lose tons of weight, and I know that they lose it faster and 5 years out the AGB folks are comparable... but... do people really lose all their weight with the lap band or just around 60% excess weight?? just curious... i really want to reach 130 pounds but i am afraid of being stuck at 156... i got that figure off of the graph dealie on that website.. anybody have any ideas?