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Short term post op some people experience mood swings and depression and/ or anxiety due to the hormones being out of whack from major surgery and the accelerated weight loss. But long term I think if people have issues it’s more because of meds not working as well. My dr suggested sleeve over bypass because of the medicine absorption issue that is possible with bypass but far less common with sleeve. I just kept reminding myself that LESS absorption did not mean NO absorption so maybe I would have to take a higher milligram of certain meds to get the right amount to absorb but they should still work. Or maybe I would have to try another medication but there are so many out there that something should work. There are some meds such as extended release meds that tend to cause The most issues for people. Some people are fine with them but others have to take the immediate release version twice a day. So my takeaway was Basically as long as you work closely with your doctor they should be able to make adjustments to your medication to find something that can work for you. I had one medication that you have to eat 350 calories at the time you take it so I had to switch to another Medication but other than that I have not had any issues with medications post sleeve. I have bipolar disorder and anxiety disorder and I totally get what you are saying. I was a little bit nervous the whole time but I just kept reminding myself that I went with the surgery the dr suggested and I am very compliant with my meds and responsible to go to the doctor and ask for help if I need it and there are so many meds out there that IF I had issues they would only be temporary.

Hi there totally new here and just looking for peoples experience, I am post op 10 days post gastric bypass, just wondering if I am eating too much or too little, just scared I am messing thing up ; so currently I am eating around 4- 5 yoghurts a day and around 2-3 cups of coffee with almond milk and 2 soups a day. All the yogurts are low sugar and low fat ie when I look at the calories for everything except my soups I get around 600-700 calories a day this is without counting the soups as they are home made with carrots, chicken etc. Pre surgery I was 131 kg - 288.8 pounds , and day of surgery I was 124 kg - 273.4 pounds and now I am 117 kg - 257.9 pounds (10 days post op). (I am 184 cm height - 6.03 feet) I have not eaten any additional protein as I getting that with the soups , and will call my dietician for follow up to make sure I am doing things right, and also I feel hungry a lot however I think its just because I am dead bored with the food, not sure if this is normal or not. Looking forward to hear other peoples experience. Many thanks

Milo's is pretty good (I buy it at Walmart). The latest drink I love to make is to take a Vitamin Water Zero lemonade and add a packet of Wyler's Light Peach Iced Tea. The drink is 5 calories, zero sodium, has a bunch of vitamins/minerals from the Vitamin Water, and tastes like an Arnold Palmer.

a 10-20 lb rebound weight, usually during year 3 (although it can be earlier or later for some) is EXTREMELY common. A dietitian who gave a presentation on one of Unjury's virtual support groups a couple of weeks ago said they don't even consider it regain until you gain more than 15% of your lowest weight (so for you, that would be slightly over 15 lbs). Under that, and it's just your body settling in to a weight it feels comfortable at. you can always lose weight again by cutting your calories - although weight loss is a struggle for those of us at or near a normal BMI.

It’s a mind set change about solids vs liquids. Doesn’t make it easier but … The liquids will have all the calories you need so should satisfy a lot of your real hunger needs. Though unfortunately for many of us a lot of the satisfaction of eating comes from the actual crunch & chew of solid food but suddenly that’s gone so you start to crave them & feel head hunger even more. And the cycle & hellishness begins Are you allowed any solids? Many have two or three shakes plus a solid meal of protein & vegetables/salad at night which is easier to handle. I did that diet years ago for about two months & I swear I fantasised about eating that ‘real’ meal all day long every one of those 60 days. 😁 All the best.

Just as a preface, I had the sleeve in Dec. 2016 and dropped about 120 lbs in 6 months, then screwed up and slowly went back up almost to where I started. I had a revision to bypass in Nov. 2021 and have been doing very well, about 80 lbs down so far. Last week was spring break for my kids so we decided to take a vacation, my first since the most recent surgery. We went to Virginia (drove from NY). I was very worried for a few reasons. First, I weigh myself every single day (yes I know some recommend against it, it works for me). I didn't want to bring my scale so it would be a week without monitoring my weight loss (or gain). Second, I rarely eat out and I weigh everything I eat when I make it. I wasn't going to be bringing my food scale and I knew I'd have to eat out more than usual. Finally, we were going to a lot of places where there weren't the healthiest options to eat. So I resolved to try my best not to blow it and see what happened. We stayed at a timeshare resort which had a full kitchen (stove, oven, microwave, utensils, pots/pans, etc) which was fantastic because we were able to go shopping for a lot of stuff to make in the room so I knew exactly what I was eating. I was able to make my usual breakfast (2 scrambled eggs with shredded cheese) almost every morning. I bought a few pre-packaged salads and some other stuff for the room. I only had to actually eat out 4 or 5 times the entire trip, not counting during the drive to and from VA. When we ate out I was able to check the calories for what I was eating to make a healthier choice, and made sure to stop when I was full instead of cleaning my plate. I was able to find something to eat at both Waffle House and Cracker Barrel that wasn't too horrible. Even at Busch Gardens we went to the German area restaurant and I got something called a German Chef Salad that was pretty good and not too heavy or unhealthy. Bonus at Busch Gardens: Last year (pre-surgery) we went to an amusement park and I wasn't able to ride most of the roller coasters because I just couldn't fit - no problem at all this time, got in with room to spare! I stayed away from snacks and desserts (I got Halo Top ice cream for the room to have at night). When we got back I was concerned what the scale might say, but I was down 2 lbs from when we left, so I'll consider that a win! I had a nice NSV before the trip too - I was looking for clothes to bring and found a bunch of shirts I got when I lost all the weight the first time, and they all fit comfortably and looked great. Before the surgery I wore XXL shirts, and even those were getting a little snug, I even had one XXXL I think. Lately I've been wearing XL's which were getting roomy, all the shirts I found were L and fit great, so that was awesome. I also had to buy a new pair of jeans that was 4 sizes smaller and fits great. I found my old bathing suits which were too tight last year, now half are too big and the rest fit OK (almost too big but not quite yet). So it's been a good week, hoping to continue on my path to onederland again! Here's a pic of the family having fun.

I tried editing my original comment but couldn't figure out how so updating here in case it's helpful - the store that supposedly had the zero calorie sweet tea did NOT have it and had never heard of it. So the closest I could find was Crystal Light Sweet Tea packets at Walmart which I bought and holy cow it's even more delicious than Milo's! So that's an option for people looking for something sweet that isn't bad for you.

Over 60 here and I don't look older except that well, I am old already lol. I just look thinner, perhaps more gaunt, tired. I think months of low calorie diets do that in general. I recently went back to having a vial of sculptra in my cheek area which has always helped me. I put it off for a few years. All I needed was one vial as per the dermatologist. After 4 to 5 weeks, I don't have that tired look anymore. Sent from my SM-S908U using BariatricPal mobile app

I've lost 49 lbs. About 25 since surgery, which was just over 2 months ago. I can eat any foods I want, as far as tolerating things. I've even eaten some foods that are not necessarily beneficial, but I try to always get my protein, liquids, and still not overdo it on the calories to counterbalance the situation. It seems to be working for me. I haven't really had anything negative.

Every surgeon has their own pre-op requirements. Unfortunately, the ASMBS doesn't have hard & fast guidelines for pre-op diets so they vary greatly from surgeon to surgeon. Most have some elements of calorie restriction, lower carb, and higher protein. Mine was on the more restrictive end, being 2 weeks of liquids only, but others follow a whole foods based plan that allows for multiple meals a day. As others have said, you'll need to get your plan for your surgeon and go from there.

Consuming 5-10 calories and a couple grams of sugar (to me) far outweighs the tertiary effects of inhaling any chemical substance into your lungs. All of my surgeons and doctors support an edible but do not support or condone smoking of any kind. If you're okay with that risk, then by all means, toke away!

Oh no you didn’t! Some unbelievably ingenious person came up with this million dollar idea and i am not worthy: DARK. CHOCOLATE. COVERED. POTATO. ‘CHIPS. 😳 170 calories for this serving, ate it all in reverence. P.S. i also have yet another salad calling my name in the fridge, which i’ll get to when I get to 😇

Greetings all, I'm seeking some guidance. Here are my stats: Pre-op weight: 269, SW: 255.8, CW: 245.8 Sleeve date: 3/31/22 I want to make sure I am consuming the right amount of food in the right way. After surgery, the protein shakes (Fairlife & Premier) caused diarrhea so I stopped drinking the shakes. Instead, my typical day is: Yogurt 25g protein Tuna/Chicken Salad 12-15g protein Pork or chicken 12-15g protein Water or zero-calorie drink I don't consume more than 1/4 - 1/3 of a cup at a time. It takes me 2 "meals" to finish the yogurt. As you can see from my stats I'm losing very slowly; which is fine as long as I know I'm doing the right thing. Can you please share a typical day of meals? I want to make sure I'm doing the right thing. Thanks in advance

I know that's a question that only I can really answer, but it's one that keeps spinning through my head. I came to this site today to do a bit more research and realized I had joined back in 2018! So yeah, this is something I've thought about off and on for the last four years. What's stopping me? First, I have had SO many surgeries in the last decade. Fourteen to be exact. I really don't want another one. Second, the thought of having part of my body removed (especially my stomach) is triggering and scary. Been there, done that. A bit of history: Up until about 8-9 years ago, I was a fairly thin and fit person. In Jan 2012, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I went through five months of really rough chemo, a mastectomy (a body part removal), anti-estrogen meds for seven years, surgeries galore (including an oophorectomy - another body part removal), depression, anxiety, depression and anxiety meds (even ones that say they don't cause weight gain - HA!)... just a lot. Through all that, the scale just went up and up. I'm now 80 lbs overweight, pre-diabetic, have sleep apnea, and my cholesterol is high for the first time in my life, and just mostly feel like hell. In the last four years, I have tried several (doctor prescribed) "weight loss" meds, injections, a liquid diet, an elimination diet, calorie counting, points counting, exercise, nutritional counseling, intermitant fasting, acupuncture... the list goes on and on. Nothing has worked or has been sustainable. So I came here to just get more info and couldn't resist clicking on topics that speak to regret (I know I shouldn't do that, but I couldn't help it). I mean, this is a no-going-back situation. Most of the stomach is being removed! I know there are no guarantees that I won't have regrets, or that the procedure will work or that I won't have complications, but I WANT those guarantees. So much in the last ten years has been up in the air and I hate that feeling. But I also hate feeling miserable in my own body, so... How did you make that final decision to go forward? I want to lose this weight more than anything. but this is a really huge decision I wish I didn't have to make. Sorry for the long post. And thank you in advance for any insight you can offer!

Wishing you all all the best! My RNY was 4-5-22. Every day just gets better. My energy is still a lil low on purée 2 tbs plus liquids and shakes so not a ton of calories. All of my surgical incisions have healed. My surgery was on Tue and I was driving on Saturday for a pedicure and store run. My only advice is to toss the Food Bucket List! Start focusing on your goals of better health and go into your surgery as healthy as possible. It will help you heal and it sets the foundation mind and body for a healthy YOU. This surgery is only a tool, if you can’t wrap your head around what it means to have a different relationship with food you will risk regain and misery on the other side. My procedure was a revision after 23 yr. Pls know I would hate anyone to have my experience of regain, shame, and fear. I wish I knew back then what I know now! Tina 2.0

Thanks for the honesty ! Theresa lot to be said for tracking then food, the calories and the type of food you eat! I can stay below 1000 calories a day, but if those calories have any sugar or bread in them, I stall out for a week or two. I'm about 2 months out of the surgery. Sometimes I think, maybe it isn't working on me like everyone else. I'm certainly not in the "I can eat whatever I want and still lose weight." I know I do best on keto diets, but that's so hard to stick to! If I think I will still lose by eating only 1/2 of a sandwich and still sticking to under1000 calories a day, it doesn't work that way for me. The bread stops the weight lost. Not being able to eat salads right now (my surgeon says no raw vegs for 6 months) its really challenging eating out and staying away from any carbs. I admire people who can do it. I've noticed, the further away from the surgery, the more my hunger comes back. I'm only 2months out! Is anyone else dealing with this? At the same time, if I'm not hungry, at least a little bit, I'm not losing weight!

Oh dear, thats discouraging! I'm probably doing the same thing. I lost 20 pounds in the first 6 weeks. When I stay on keto or very low carb, I lose. As soon as I have any bread, wheat, tortilla, I stall out and don't lose anything, even though my calorie count is still under 1000 calories in a day. I haven't lost anything in my second month so far because I ate out and had bread of some sort. What can I say? Before surgery I could lose 1/2 a pound a month, I know I have insulin resistance, it is what it is. Hand in there! At least we aren't gaining!

I am on the 14 day pre-op diet now and the shakes I am drinking are the BEST and they are lactose free! Shamrock Farms Rockin' Protein Builder with 30g Protein, 9 net carbs and 190 calories. I drink three of them a day and have broth and sugar free jello in between along with 64 oz of water. I feel great! I do miss chewing but I know it is temporary. I have been on the liquid diet since 4/12 and I have lost 12 pounds.

I hear you I was afraid of that too (coke addict) but it's been OK some days I really crave a coke and then Ican go days without it. Moderation is the key. I do drink heaps of soda water zero calories and powered which has more calories than coke 🤔🙁

I always LOVED drinking soda, it was my favorite (and usually almost only) thing I ever drank. When I was in college one summer we were on a meal plan where we got $25 to spend in the school cafeteria a week, Every week I bought 8 2 liter bottles of Diet Coke or Diet Pepsi (forgot which) and filled up a little mini-fridge I had in my room. I drank all 8 bottles every week. And that was just when I was in my room, that doesn't include the sodas I would drink throughout the day. And yes I drank them right out of the bottle like an animal. That was admittedly excessive, but for the next 20+ years I still drank a LOT of soda, had it every day with most meals and throughout the day. Preferably Diet Coke but I'd take Diet Pepsi if DC wasn't available. Also loved Diet Cherry Coke and Diet Cherry Pepsi. The caffeine never even affected me, I'd drink it right before going to sleep with no problem. I would definitely feel miserable if I went a day or two without, like caffeine withdrawal headaches. I had my last glass of soda the day before my first 2 week liver shrinking diet before my sleeve surgery, back in December 2016. The first week was absolutely miserable going without both food and soda but I managed. My doctor advised no more soda EVER so I followed his instructions and never had a full glass of any type of soda ever again since then, and honestly I don't even miss it. After a while I tried a sip once or twice when I was really thirsty and nothing else was around and I discovered that I can't stand the taste anymore. It's too fizzy, too saccharine, just unappealing. I really don't miss it. Even when I screwed up and put most my weight back on before I had my revision to bypass, I never started drinking soda again. I get bored drinking water so I drink tons of crystal light lemonade and I actually just found something new this week - I'm on vacation in Virginia and found a brand called Milo's that makes Sweet Tea which of course I can't/won't drink, but they have a Zero calorie version which I got and it's delicious, I already found a store near me that sells it so I'm going to start adding it to my shopping list. Good luck!

Hi! I was banded back in 2008. I'm 5'4" and my weight before surgery was 290-something. I lost about 130 lbs in the first year, and maintained at around 165-175 (for me this weight equated to around a size 10, which I was fairly pleased with) for almost 10 years. I had a tummy tuck in 2016 and believe that my band was nicked when the plastic surgeon moved my port. In any case i suffered a 'slow leak' in the band that my surgeon Dr. Elariny could not pinpont, even under fluoroscopy, and have not really had any restriction for the last 5 years. I have sloooowwwwlly gained back up to 215 lbs during that time. Last month I had a consult with Dr Elariny to explore options for another weight loss surgery. He asked me a million questions about my eating habits and ultimately said he believes I'll be most successful with the DS. At first I was completely against it, as the malabsorptive procedures have always scared me. But after voraciously reading this and a few other DS forums, I have decided I want to go forward bc it seems like this is the most successful, most foolproof procedure. Ultimately I want to go back to the way I felt when my Lap-band was working perfectly for all those years....when I finally wasn't on a diet, for the first time in my 37 year life. I didn't have to be obsessed over every bite I put in my mouth. I wasn't constantly beating myself up over eating too many calories or eating the wrong things or eating between meals or after a certain time at night, etc etc etc. For many years when my band was working, I felt like I just ate like a "normal" person. It was so incredibly liberating. If I felt like eating a burger i ate a burger. If i felt like eating a salad i ate a salad. I just ate when I was hungry and didn't have to think about it alllll the time. I want to go back to occasionally getting on the scale out of curiosity, rather than getting on it every morning and feeling desperate and ashamed. I do think that in addition to the lack of restriction, that menopause and hormonal changes are working against me now, at age 51. I haven't changed a thing about my exercise routine. I still workout every morning, 5-7 days per week, doing a combo of weight lifting and HIIT. But nonetheless i've just steadily put on weight, year over year. So, to bring this to a question of some sort...I guess I'd like to know if any of you long-time DS'ers feel like you eat "like normal people" now? And don't have to think about it so much? Or must you be extremely focused on what you eat bc of the ill effects the malabsorption causes? It is sort of confusing that my doctor tells me that if I eat high fat foods after this surgery I'll be rewarded with many urgent trips to the bathroom, and that if i eat carbs I'll experience terrible and potently malodorous gas. But many posts I've read have said something along the lines of "fat is your friend after the DS". I understand that Your Mileage May Vary, and every person is different. And my other question is whether I'm crazy, with a BMI of 37, to consider such a "drastic" procedure? My insurance has already approved me, for what it's worth. Thanks in advance for all of your thoughts!

I’m down with that but wouldn’t that be empty calories too? I say hit the pen. Just my opinion 😂

The salad i made yesterday that i added some avocado to: 410 calories (remember people, if u want to up calories “healthily “, chow down on some avocados…calories made up almost 1/2 of this thing!) Ate about 1/3 at first attempt…rest in the fridge for later.

I’ve been doing lots of research into sugar and how it effects the body in every aspect. It’s funny that the CDC advises you limit added sugar intake to less than 10% of your total daily calories, while the AHA recommends a limit of 6% daily. I’ve cut out most processed foods and my sugar consumption is very minimal. I can’t tell you what a difference it’s made to my moods and energy levels. My tastebuds no longer need that hit of sweetness that only come from laboratories and whole food like tart strawberries and oranges do the trick. If I really crave chocolate, I go for dark chocolate chips.

Some plans encourage you to eat more than 1000 calories a day especially at your 11 weeks out. So don’t beat yourself up if you’ve had some days that you have. I bet even when you did you still didn’t eat the volume of food or at the same frequency as you did before surgery. I was only advised portion sizes never calories. I started at 1/4 cup & worked up to almost a cup by goal. One of the most helpful strategies I still employ is to ask myself if I need the next bite or do I just want it. Coupled with trying to stop eating before I feel full. Eat slowly and never be afraid to put your cutlery down, push your plate away from you &/or sit back from the table. Real hunger feels different to head hunger. Head hunger will go if I distract myself or delay eating for 30minutes or so or if I focus on drinking (warm is best). Real hunger persists. With head hunger I want a specific food or flavour (sweet, salty, etc.) but it often doesn’t satisfy the desire. With real hunger I just want food & nutritionally dense food satisfies it. I feel restless with real hunger like something is wrong. Head hunger usually affects my emotions - hangry or frustrated. Are you bored, stressed, frustrated or another emotion & is this what is driving you to eat? Are you eating out of habit or a time on the clock? A rumbling tummy often doesn’t mean you are hungry but it’s just your body digesting food. I rumble & grumble all day long but I’m not hungry. Stomach acid can make you think you’re hungry. PPIs can help with that. Nutritionally dense food like proteins are usually more filling than empty calorie, high sugar, high fat or highly processed foods. Have a chat with your dietician.