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I post here for advice, encouragement and always get such uplifting/helpful comments. I just need this to get out to my bari-fam! I am 15months post op. I have done well, got down to my goal weight fairly quickly, made leaps on my fitness journey and just pretty proud of how far I have come. Lately, body dysmorphia is really rearing its ugly head and I am not dealing with it well. I am punishing myself with binge eating...All of April has just sucked a$$ for me. I am maintaining, continuing my workouts, my days are great then I go home at night, I grab a few chips, leads to some sweets, leads to some bread and butter, ect....do I eat a ton of it? No but I don't feel good when I eat it. Last week, I went on a week long drinking fiasco- I used to drink...a lot pre-surgery- Last night I ate Jack in the box tacos.. you know those disgusting delicious mini tacos and my feel like garbage today! I am letting my emotional eating get the best of me and I am struggling to get back. I woke up at 5 walked on my treadmill at 10incline 3.8speed but at the end of the day you cannot exercise a shitty diet. I wake up every single day and tell myself okay new day lets get back on track. And every single day I just cannot seem to get my ish together when I am at home. I am getting rid of all the bad snacks and getting everyone on the healthy train. I am trying and I am so terrified that I will get back to 300lbs again. Looking at the mirror, I see how big I am, I see the tummy, I see the hanging skin, I see everything negative when in reality I probably look fine. Not sure what I am looking for outta this post, but I needed to get it out and not hide my food struggles because I did that and it lead to me hiding food and getting up to 300lbs.

Yea. She can prep some things for you. At first you will be on all liquids and once you get to puree you will be eating tiny portions. By the time you get to regular food you will have dropped a significant amount of weight and may be surprised at how much better you feel. I have a tremendous amount of energy now. I haven’t exercised in 20 years but now I’m walking daily, doing yoga twice a week and just tried a cardio/strength class today that I think I’m going to keep doing as well. I started at a lower BMI than you so you may not be doing rigorous exercise right away but you will be able to do more than you can now for sure and each day you will be able to do a little more and more. You can always supplement with protein shakes anytime too. Sometimes if I’m on the run I will have a shake for lunch even though I’m back to regular foods and I have one mixed with coffee every morning (that’s pretty good by the way if you like iced coffee I make mine with decaf). Perhaps you and your wife can cook together once you’re physically able and while you’re learning. I did that with my husband for a while before he got too busy with work and it was actually kinda fun. Anyways, I’m really excited for you on this journey. This surgery is life changing. It takes a great deal of work and commitment but it’s well worth it.

At the end of the day, it is calories in vs calories out. If you are eating less calories than you expend, you will continue to lose weight. Those calories can be from cookies or steak... the benefits from what your getting from those calories is the difference. Ask yourself, am I getting a balance of all the vitamins and nutrients that I need from food? If you had a day where you ate amazingly healthy with variety, a cookie is probably not going to hurt.

I'm sorry I haven't replied until now. Just got on here yesterday and wasn't on my computer so couldn't see everything well. My life has been so so busy since I first came on here! I had 14 dietitian appointments and other visits while working extra to help my clients get ready for Christmas then surgery was on Dec. 2. So just been crazy. Just now on regular foods. Having trouble with liquids and protein myself. Making tuna salad meal prepping this evening for tonight and tomorrow. Tuna and eggs helps. And I'm getting better at drinking all day but wasn't before and was struggling a lot. I always drank a lot when I ate food so this is a whole new world for me. And also I've noticed my tastes have changed so much! Have yours?

Hi. I got my band in 2017. No major issues except occasional stuck food. Def no reflux! I had my gall bladder removed on Jan 22 2025 and about a week later started having TERRIBLE reflux, keeping me up at night and prescribed Prilosec / tums aren't helping. Also my band feels TIGHT!!! tighter than it ever has. I'm actually getting some fluid out this week which will hopefully help with both problems but any advice would be much appreciated! Thank you so much!

It’s not always easy to meet your exact goals every day in the first months. You’re recovering, your tummy is teeny and often won’t tolerate certain foods (flavours, textures or smells), you’re trying to work everything out, all the emotions and mental stuff, etc. It’s a lot to deal with. As long as you’re close most days and over time you are getting closer you’ll be fine. You can only do what you’re physically and mentally able to cope with on any day. Give yourself some grace.

Epigenetics are crazy fascinating! Like your ancestors went through a famine and now your body is programmed to receive/keep food nutrients differently or your ancestors ate a lot of a certain food so you can tolerate better than most. It's crazy! People have believed that what they did in their life did not affect their kids genetics, but we now know thats untrue.

I a vertical gastric sleeve in 2006. I weighed about 400 at the time and got down to 250, then plateaud at 285 for 10 years. I was happy with that. In the last 10 years, I've gained it all back and am at 400 lbs again. I am close to my pre-op visit to discuss the revision. The weight loss nurse I am working with said this time, my weight loss might not be as significant. I said I was shooting for 300 lbs, and she said that was doable. I'd be happy with that. What I want to know is what type of revisions you've had, and how your experience is different after a revision than with your first surgery. Also, I am concerned if I have the bypass or the DS about dumping. I didn't have that with the first surgery. I could manage if it was occasional and I could control it by the types of foods I eat, but I have heard it can become a constant, lifelong problem.

dinner last night: i have a bad habit of ordering more food that i can eat which is both a blessing and a curse for Mr., who always gets tasked to dealing with my leftovers. i don't have an after pic, cuz yeah, he ate it all before i could (plus he ate all of his dinner too omg.). i have no proof, but i believe i ate 2 broccoli florets. 2 or 3 forkfuls of of the sauteed onions, 4-5 potato squares, 1 forkful of corn, and maybe 1/4 of that ribeye. i ate from the left side which was the fattier part...soooo yum. IMG_1644.mov

Oh I get full on 1/4-1/2 cup of food some things hit me heavier and others hit real light.

Hey sweet, I think what you are experiencing is something we all go/continue to go through! Although I still don't feel hungry very often, I crave certain tastes if that makes sense! I have found with a balance of healthy and high protein foods, I can still enjoy a treat every so often, as I know one thing that used to completely derail me was not allowing myself to indulge every now and then - it is now just about changing what we indulge in! Honestly it does get easier and easier to manage as time goes on, and you are doing amazingly already! x

I feel that this topic is my favorite topic on bariatric pal. I love food! Everyone's food look so good! I'm glad to see that most have self control. Some foods posted I wish I could eat 😐😐😐, due to my food addiction I have to run from it like the plague.

I share this story in hopes that it may help someone to never pick up a drink after VSG or to at least be hyper-vigilant about the dangers of drinking post weight loss surgery. I was sleeved in August of 2015 @ 310 lbs. Quickly lost most of the weight needed and began running 5k. Not really setting the world on fire, but it was really good for me. Prior to surgery, I had always enjoyed drinking with friends. Typical guy stuff - couple beers @ a football game or watching the game on Sunday, meeting for drinks after work, etc. Never an issue or problem. Never anything that i had to have. My doctor warned me against alcohol, sodas, and transfer addictions, but I thought "never me". WOW, was I wrong. I remember the first couple times I had a beer after the surgery (I waited 6 months), it was very fizzy and uncomfortable. I convinced myself that it would get easier, and unfortunately it did. Next came the rum and coke zero. Wow, that tastes great, and I get a buzz very quickly. That fast buzz turned into getting very drunk, very quickly. Our new bodies absorb the alcohol in 1/2 the time that a normal internal system would. Over the last couple yeaars there have been many episodes of drinking way to much, blacking out, and not remembering what happened. I have had to apologize for my behavior more than once after a night of drinking. I even started drinking every day. I would make a drink as soon as I got home each day. 1 turns into 2 or 3. Just like lays potato chips you can not have just 1. Alcohol consumed my every thought. When can I have a drink? How can I make sure I can get a drink? It amazed me how I was able to justify that if creamer was good in my morning coffee, how great would Rumchatta be (it's damn good, by the way). I am living proof that transfer addiction is a real thing. I am now in counseling for my alcohol addiction. Transfer addiction is definitely a real thing. Prior to VSG surgery I was over 300 pounds because I had an addiction to food, and all the wrong kinds of food. My new addiction is alcohol and it's best friend is food addiction. what goes with beer = chicken wings, or nuts and pretzels, what goes with a margarita = tacos, etc. Alcohol also makes it impossible to lose weight. So if you are really dedicated to clean eating but you drink, your weight may stay the same, but it surely will not go down. I have packed on 60 lbs of the 120 that I lost. And, I am slowly changing behaviors to get back to where I want to be. It is a journey,, but I am worth it. I will overcome. Addiction is sacrificing everything for that one thing ! Recovery is sacrificing that 1 thing to have everything !

I had a post op appt with my NP yesterday. She is please with my nutrition even though it’s not quite status quo. I am still doing chemo with steroids so I have some pretty intense cravings but for now the chemo has made me hyperthyroid so I am maintaining despite a lot less exercise and a less than perfect bariatric diet. Sounds like a blessing to be able to eat more but I’m still having to rein it in because I am ravenous 24/7 and of course there are some real health risks with hyperthyroidism so I have to closely monitor things. I am really hoping it goes away or I’m going to go broke trying to afford healthy food in the quantity I am able to consume. I have mostly nutritious food but I’m not counting calories or quantity for now. Plus with the tiny stomach I eat like 10 times a day so it’s pretty time consuming. On a better note I had a PET Scan the other day and my treatment is working!! A couple more months until the chemo should be done as long as I stay healthy enough to keep getting it. I hope a couple of months later things will be back and I will have a normal amount of cravings that I should be able to handle. I’m gonna need some emotional support kicking the carbs though for sure.

I differ from what SpartanMaker says, I wouldn't try any more of the options that are out there. Obviously you first need to recognize that obesity is a disease and it never goes away. You tried to starve yourself to death and the body will automatically save every morsel you put into your body and store it as fat, especially on a 300 calorie diet. Increasing the calories is not necessarily the fix either, you need to look at the foods you are eating. Is it protein heavy or are you still eating salads, which are carbs by the way? Are you thinking that a baked potato is a veggie, it is not it is a carbohydrate, then add all the stuff you put on the potato. Diet wise, you may be choosing the wrong foods. And certainly the amount. You passed out probably because your glucose levels went into the basement with such a low calorie intake. I agree with SpartanMaker, and seek out a Bariatric center that has a whole host of options. Surgery is a tool that the obese person uses and it is a life long commitment to make lifestyle changes. You may need to see a therapist and nutrition expert both to help you, and maybe they have other options other than going straight to surgery, but for certain I feel you need better education on what is an appropriate "diet", and not all "diets" are really diets but ways to spend more money that is just wasted. You obviously have the willpower and stamina to take hold of a new life, it won't hurt to inquire. I would also urge you to watch some of the YouTube videos from BariNation, they have Podcasts with bariatric physicians and other healthcare providers every week and most recently there was discussion about Obesity being a disease and using something other than weight or BMI (Body Mass Index) to determine if someone is obese. My plan has always been to go the cautious or conservative route first. In my case I jumped right in and happy for it. I had an excellent surgeon and team that all worked together to ensure I had a good experience and did. Never had any pain with my surgery, and have had good results so far and today is Post op week 3, day 1. I wish you the best in your journey to seek out further information and a good bariatric group!!

I'm about the same amount of time since my bypass. I don't recall having an intollerance to almost all foods for extended periods. But for a few days or a week, sure. I don't think you should rule out the experience of anyone based on years post-op because there are people here that know more about weight loss surgeries than you and I. Heck, they give many surgeons a run for their money. Some of us research the stuffing out of weight loss surgeries before we even see a surgeon. Could you fill us in on what's going on? How does your intollerance work? Does it prevent you from swallowing, or does your food come back up? How long after eating? Anything else change during this period? Your previous issues could also provide insight into your current issues. Also, what does your medical team say? Tons of knowledge and experience is on the edge of their seats waiting to help. Tek

I agree with the others. You’re just not ready yet to eat solid foods. Your symptoms of discomfort, vomiting, hiccups, burping are evidence of that. It takes at least 6 weeks for you to heal ( all those sutures and staples holding your digestive system together) which is why we’re put on the slow, usually two week cycles, of progressing from liquids, to purées, to soft foods to regular solid foods. Even following this schedule, many have to go back a step simply because they haven’t healed enough tolerate the denser food yet. And that’s okay. You may have to do this too. There are even solid foods that some people take even longer to be able to eat without experiencing side effects. Foods like chicken breast & steak. Some foods can be too rich like eggs or they’re too dry or coarse (sauces & gravies are your friend). Your tummy is very sensitive and can react to any food (texture, flavour even smell) and this can continue for a couple of months. I used to describe my tummy as a petulant two year old who throws random tantrums. Unfortunately there’s no hard and fast rules about this. You just have to try things and see how you go simply because of our individual differences. Never give up on a food you struggle with initially though. Give it a break for a couple of weeks and then try again. Glad you’re on a PPI (sumac) which will help with the excess acid your body is still producing (it hasn’t learnt you don’t need as much yet). Will also help with the hiccups and burping. Actually many people find hiccups are a signal they’re full. Make sure you’re eating slowly (take 20-30 minutes), small bites and not eating too large a portion yet. Out of curiosity what are your portion sizes at the moment?

I still have an itchy scalp, it drives me crazy. I am regular at the hair salon asking for a lice check. [ I know her well] I now have to buy extreemly expensive, lightweight shampoo to calm it. I put the dryness and dandruff down to a lack of greasy, oily foods in my diet. They make me dump. Never thought it could be surgery driven

I'm now 4 weeks post op. I'm not really in any pain except my hip which is unrelated. I'm about to start the soft foods phase,. I'm nervous about when I will start solid foods because solid foods are what helped me get big in the first place. I have my ne month review with my surgical team in the 7th of November.

One tactic is to totally reset. Go back to the liquid and soft diet that you used immediately before and after surgery. Kickstart your weight loss and then slowly reintroduce "normal" foods.

I don’t know about you but pre WLS when I was eating bad I would not get on the scale and it spiraled way further out of control because I basically ignored my changes in eating as they gradually got worse and worse. You didn’t do that, though!! You got on that scale and took accountability. As females our bodies are designed to pack on pounds and hormones make things even harder. You are not the only one that has times of the month that their bodies make them want to eat more. I think all we can do is give ourselves a little forgiveness if we slip sometimes. Maybe try your free foods. Did you have those on your pre op diet. I had several on the list but the ones I recall were sugar free popsicles, pickles and lettuce. If I was hungry, I was told I was allowed to eat as many of those foods as I wanted. And to this day I still consider them to be free foods. Those are the only calories that I do not log on my calorie app. I allow myself to have them when I am hungry so I never feel like I am starving. Just maybe not getting what I would prefer to eat.

I lost 26lbs post-op. It's been 52lbs since I started the process with the doctor 4 months ago. I am just now starting the puree stage, so it's still mostly liquids and slowly adding in purees. My first post-op appointment was on Wednesday.

Sorry you are in so much pain. I have a B12 deficiency (pernicious anemia) and a some of your symptoms are what I suffered from before my diagnosis and now when my level starts to drop, though I was diagnosed about 12 years ago so way before my WLS. My anaemia cannot be managed through oral supplements or food (as my body does not break down the B12 sufficiently) but the bariatric multivitamin I take daily and dairy products do help maintain my levels in addition to regular B12 injections (every four to six weeks). I think getting a B12 supplement and multivitamins should be top of your list, if you don't already take them but obviously that is not going to solve all the issues you are having with hernia and such. Make sure you get an appointment with the bariatric team to discuss everything with them and request full bloodwork and then also keep the appointment for the ultrasound etc. Hopefully you will get some answers soon that result in a course of action that will treat the cause and end the pain.

Oh wow, yes a serious B12 deficiency is a big deal, but I'm a little surprised for it to show up 11 years later? Also, did your other doctors not do any blood tests? A typical blood test called a comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), is really common and should have shown a B12 deficiency if you have one. A B12 deficiency is fairly rare in most developed countries because B12 is found in high quantities in meat and dairy. For obvious reasons, it's more common in vegans, though most vegans know to consume foods high in B12 or to take a supplement. Speaking of supplements, are you not taking a multivitamin? Really everyone should take one since there's very little downside compared to the risks involved in vitamin & mineral deficiencies. Bariatric surgery patients especially should do so for a lot of reasons. If you really think this might be your issue, go pick up a multivitamin from the store and start taking it ASAP. You could just get a B12 supplement, but it's potentially possible it's something else, so a multivitamin should cover more potential deficiencies.

On the flip side.... I have to chuckle at the responses here. Most are from those that openly admitted to hating protein shakes and wanting "real" food. To each his own. Hahaha! I may be in the minority here along with @waterwoman I'm 1 1/2 years out and still drink protein shakes. In fact just last night. I made one that tastes just like a strawberry shake. Way healthier than eating ice cream. I think if you struggle with eating real foods early on like I did and still do on occasion, the shakes are a godsend. When I have a day where food does not agree with me I go to my shake to get my protein in for the day. Forcing food to meet a daily quota is bad if you can't keep it down or you end up making yourself sick. As for total meal replacements? It has it's place in this journey. For a time. Although I have drank my fair share of them, I have always tried the foods suggested for each phase. You will find that some days the food goes well and another not so much. And if not, I will revisit that food later on down the line and drink my shake. It's a long slow process but I've come to a place that most foods are tolerable for me now but I still have those days where my protein drink is my best friend. LOL