Search the Community

The benefits of exercise are well known, but do you take full advantage of the extra calories, better mood, and increased motivation that come with being active? Some weight loss surgery patients are already used to being active, and have no trouble putting together an exercise program that works for them. Others, though, are starting from ground zero, and have no idea what to do or how to do it, or worry that they cannot do it. Do not worry if this describes you. Here are some strategies on getting into your healthy habit at whatever level is right for you. Pre-Op Prep You may not be focused on weight loss so much as getting yourself to the surgeon and studying up on your post-op rules, but there really are benefits to exercising before surgery. Healthier patients have lower risks for complications. Plus, the better you are at moving around before surgery, the easier you will find it to walk around after surgery to manage pain. Anything helps at this stage. Walking or using a stationary recumbent bicycle is a good place to start. Swimming laps and doing water aerobics are low-impact choices that are easy on your joints and great for your cardiovascular system. Newly Moving You need to start slowly if you are new to exercise or have not regularly been active recently. As long as your doctor approves, you can start walking immediately after surgery, starting with a few steps in your hospital room and then trips up and down the hallways. Aim for 20 to 30 minutes a day to start, but you do not need to do it all at once. You can do 5 or 10 minutes at a time a few times a day to hit your 30 minutes. The goals here are to get your body used to moving, and your mind used to being in the habit. Again, the recumbent bicycle and water exercises are also good exercises because they are easy on the joints. Reaching for More As you become fitter and exercising becomes more of a habit, you can add more time to your exercise. A good goal is to be active for 60 minutes, most days of the week. That may seem out of reach at the beginning, but be persistent. The more you exercise, the easier it gets. You might even find that you start to depend on your daily workout to keep you alert during the day, let you sleep at night, and, somehow, “feel like yourself.” As your body gets used to the walking or other exercises you have been doing, you can become more daring with your exercise routine. Try: Increasing the length. Increasing the intensity, such as adding some uphill walking or jogging to your regular walks. Trying group fitness classes, such as aerobics, kickboxing, or spinning. Adding strength training. Setting a goal that you must train for, such as making it to the top of a mountain on a family vacation next summer. This is exciting, not something to fear, so explore with anticipation! When you reach for more by branching out, you are less likely to quit from boredom and less likely to get injured than doing the same thing each day. When you reach for more by pushing yourself, you are more likely to stay motivated, and you may even lose a little more weight. Always remember to modify any exercise or exercise program to meet your own needs, and get your doctor’s approval before starting any new activity. Make it fun, and good luck!

How funny! I got the call Friday as well lol!! I'm usually a note person myself, but fortunately I've got most of everything I will need for at least the first two weeks, just need to pick up the chewable vitamins tomorrow from my nut after my preop. So, I've been spending a weird amount of time staring at my calendar wondering how I'm going to get everything done. Oh how I pray to be one of the lucky ones who have no complications and are back at it in a week! Honestly, I think I'm still in denial that this is finally happening. Hopefully after my appt tomorrow, I'll believe it.

That’s wonderful! Did you have any complications with trying to conceive prior to the Gastric Band?

Hey - I had them in hospital and to give myself a shot in the evening for a week when I got home.... Not fun but not complicated or painful. I too got a few little bruises - nothing major. Don't worry x

I was apprehensive as well. I finally got to a point where I can't go on living like this. Having the sleeve done was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I don't regret it one bit. I read a lot before I decided and there were stories that could have easily changed my mind but I know everybody reacts differently to these changes. I'm 8 weeks post op now and have had zero complications. I walk 15-20 miles a week (since day 2 post op) and just recently started weight training. I've never really felt a restriction with food intake. I don't over eat. I don't have any issues with getting my fluids and best of all I've lost 75 lbs since my 2 week pre op appointment on 11/15. Basically, I've changed my lifestyle for the better.

I only had anxiety (panic attacks at night) due to sleep apnea. I was prescribed Cipralex I believe it was (the generic of it was escitalopram). Once the apnea was gone didn't need it any more and have been off. My situation was a lot more straight forward. For many others, it's a lot more complicated with the brain is wired. I'd keep expectations to a minimum and just do your best.

Don't do it. Lapband is an awful device. Living with it for the past 9 years has been a nightmare. Finding anyone to adjust or remove (if the surgeon that put it in is inaccessible) is impossible. No one wants to deal with it because of all of the potential risks / complications.

I think calling folks whiners isn't particularly fair. Often folks post on here with things they struggle with, so you'll see more of that than posts saying "everything is great". You can see the rate of complications is very small looking at the statistics (a few percent or less for most things). The challenges are individual and real though, some people feel hunger, many don't, some people struggle with losing, others don't. I personally had a terrible first 2 weeks (I was one of the lucky couple of percent with a major - though luckily temporary complication), but even with that I wouldn't change a thing!

This is still an evolving field, So different programs use different best practices and data. Some have very restrictive post surgery diets and others don't. Generally the purpose post op is to give you time to heal and minimize complications. Many programs also track their own data, so if they find one approach gives better results (more loss, fewer complications) then they will tweak their recommendations. You can ask a program about their statistics, which is enlightening. For example my specific program sees better than national averages in terms of loss from the sleeve, but really limits carbs VS others.

Congrats on making a huge positive life changing decision. Your timeline will be dictated by your insurance (you can probably find their requirements on their website or via a call). If they don't require a supervised diet the time line is usually a couple months at best (you'll still have a bunch of requirements for pre tests, classes etc via your surgery program). If there's a supervised diet then that will be the long pole and determine timing. Be aware you can shop around for surgeons, so get one you're very comfortable with and ask the tough questions. Data shows surgeons who do over 300 (or 400?) surgeries a year have the lowest complication rates. You can read about different programs online to get a sense of what to look for. This site is a great resource with people at all stages.

For me personally i have chosen to keep those who know to a very small number. I figure others dont need to know more, they will see the results. I have informed my boss as it will impact my work, but no one else will know from my work until the next time they see me on a trip (i work from home most of the time). As for my family, that is a whole other kettle of fish. My mother had a lapband done, has since learned to cheat and now has gained back all of her weight. One sister is obese, bordering on morbidly obese but she doesnt seem to want to do anything about it. My other sister is only 28 and already on a multitude of pills to help her live. Ultimately my family lives in another country and my immediate family is here with me my extended family is back in Australia so they may not see me for another 2 or 3 years. As for my immediate family, my wife is completely on board she figures the cost in time, money and effort is going to pay off because i will be around longer. My son is very supportive and is happy i will be able to do more with him. My daughter is a little scared of the 0.3% who have complications and that i will fall into that category.

I'm new to these forums, so bear with me. My story is long and ... complicated (pun intended). I had an open Roux-en-Y in April of 2002 at St. Vincent Hospital in Carmel, Indiana. I lost over 200 pounds in a three year period and have maintained that loss for more than a decade. I am a Type 2 diabetic. I am on insulin. The surgery never really helped, and my own inconsistency and occasional non-compliance (read: stubbornness) are self-made traps. I am in control at present with an a1c of 9.2 (and falling). I walk quite a bit at work and do functional lifting when needed, but am otherwise inactive other than routine daily activities. I started smoking about two years post-op. I needed something to do with my hands as grazing was no longer an option. I have stopped a few times, once for over two years, but have yet to quit completely. As of January, 2015, my kidneys seemed to be fine. My creatinin was 1.5. A little high, but normal for someone in my shape. By July, it has peaked above 5. I was anemic and almost dead. They direct admitted me from the doctor's office and began dialysis. Oxalate nephropathy was the diagnosis. Basically, oxalates in food that normal get absorbed and removed in the stomach and intestines instead routed through my kidneys and formed crystals that clogged up the works. I stayed on hemodialysis, both home and in-center, until September 2016, when I received a transplanted living donor kidney from my son at St. Vincent in Indianapolis. He is my hero. On my last visit at the Indy clinic, my lab work showed my creatinin has risen to 2.3. It had been normal at every other test post-transplant. Because of some medication issues that are getting cleared up, I am dehydrated and my heart is palpitating more than I am comfortable with. No pain, just lethargy and worry. Basically, my new kidney is failing for the same reason as my native kidneys, but at a more alarming rate. The solution? Everyone is leaning toward reversing my WLS. There are enough complications to warrant this course of action, and it beats the alternative of more dialysis and a shortened life. Is this unheard of? Can it even be done so far removed from the original surgery? This is sort of an open topic with vague questions. I just want to spark some conversation to help clarify my thinking. Peace . . .

Awwww hon!!!! So sorry to hear about this potential complication. Please let us know how it goes on Monday! Hopefully it isn't anything major and the heart cath will just be a go in and confirm you're fine!!! ((hugs))

Good luck with your surgery. It will be better than you expect. I'm 9 days post op and have been very lucky with no complications. Let me know how it goes xx

I am sorry to hear about your difficulties. Generally sleeve surgery is not recommended for GERD patients because the sleeve will only make that condition worse. RNY gastric bypass is the recommended procedure. I had RNY surgery about 5 years ago and one of the reasons why I went that route was because I had severe acid reflux (GERD). There are several past and present members on this board who had revisions from sleeve to RNY gastric bypass because of GERD. And they seemed to report that the revision worked for them. Perhaps some of them will speak up. But before you go forward, you might want to consider the following: According to the internet: Nausea and vomiting are the most common complaints after bariatric surgery, and they are typically associated with inappropriate diet and noncompliance with a gastroplasty diet (ie, eat undisturbed, chew meticulously, never drink with meals, and wait 2 hours before drinking after solid food is consumed). If these symptoms are associated with epigastric pain, significant dehydration, or not explained by dietary indiscretions, an alternative diagnosis must be explored. One of the most common complications causing nausea and vomiting in gastric bypass patients is anastomotic ulcers, with and without stomal stenosis. Ulceration or stenosis at the gastrojejunostomy of the gastric bypass has a reported incidence of 3% to 20%. Although no unifying explanation for the etiology of anastomotic ulcers exists, most experts agree that the pathogenesis is likely multifactorial. These ulcers are thought to be due to a combination of preserved acid secretion in the pouch, tension from the Roux limb, ischemia from the operation, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use, and perhaps Helicobacter pylori infection. Evidence suggests that little acid is secreted in the gastric bypass pouch; however, staple line dehiscence may lead to excessive acid bathing of the anastomosis. Treatment for both marginal ulcers and stomal ulcers should include avoidance of NSAIDs, antisecretory therapy with proton-pump inhibitors, and/or sucralfate. In addition, H pylori infection should be identified and treated, if present. You would want to rule out the possibility of a Helicobacter pylori infection. This is common bacterial infection but generally it is a hidden infection. About 2/3 of the people in the world have it. And this condition if you have it needs to be treated, so make sure you were tested for it, because it might be the root cause of your problems.

I am sorry to hear about your problems. The three most important elements after weight loss surgery are to meet your daily protein, fluid and vitamin requirements. Food is secondary because your body is converting your stored fat into the energy that drives your body. According to the internet for RNY gastric bypass patients: Nausea and vomiting are the most common complaints after bariatric surgery, and they are typically associated with inappropriate diet and noncompliance with a gastroplasty diet (ie, eat undisturbed, chew meticulously, never drink with meals, and wait 2 hours before drinking after solid food is consumed). If these symptoms are associated with epigastric pain, significant dehydration, or not explained by dietary indiscretions, an alternative diagnosis must be explored. One of the most common complications causing nausea and vomiting in gastric bypass patients is anastomotic ulcers, with and without stomal stenosis. Ulceration or stenosis at the gastrojejunostomy of the gastric bypass has a reported incidence of 3% to 20%. Although no unifying explanation for the etiology of anastomotic ulcers exists, most experts agree that the pathogenesis is likely multifactorial. These ulcers are thought to be due to a combination of preserved acid secretion in the pouch, tension from the Roux limb, ischemia from the operation, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use, and perhaps Helicobacter pylori infection. Evidence suggests that little acid is secreted in the gastric bypass pouch; however, staple line dehiscence may lead to excessive acid bathing of the anastomosis. Treatment for both marginal ulcers and stomal ulcers should include avoidance of NSAIDs, antisecretory therapy with proton-pump inhibitors, and/or sucralfate. In addition, H pylori infection should be identified and treated, if present. The gastric sleeve is different but these observations above may also apply. So the points made above are: * Avoid NSAIDs such as aspirin, excedrin. * Use a proton-pump inhibitor, such as Prilosec (omeprazole). [In your case Prevacid Solutab (Lansoprazole) is a proton pump inhibitor]. * Make sure you do not have a H pylori infection and if you do have it treated. (Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a type of bacteria that causes infection in the stomach. It is found in about two-thirds of the world's population.) As far as the kidney stones are concerned, it may be a sign that you are not getting in the required amount of fluids. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/5-steps-for-preventing-kidney-stones-201310046721 So make sure that you drink more water.

Not sure what to say. It really sounds like you've had a terrible time. You definitely need medical advice. I would definitely get a second opinion from another bariatric surgeon. It sounds like your surgeon may have missed something (or possible even had a complication with the surgery). I have had neuro problems and unusual MRIs that were triggered by my surgery (I basically had an immune system break down). I have a neurologist who is monitoring it. Sometimes our bodies freak out after the trauma of surgery. Unfortunately, I think you're going to be stuck doing a lot of medical tests until they can figure it out. I'm so sorry this is happening to you. Your surgery shouldn't be like this. Describe every symptom and advocate for yourself! I think you may have a couple of different problems there which is going to make a diagnosis difficult. Make the doctors listen to you. Don't give up hope! They will figure out what is wrong with you!

he bulk of what I’ve been seeing is most sleevers love theirs. They love to see their weight coming off even if they went thru hell with complications. Some people jump into surgeries and don’t mentally prepare and just eat every dang thing they used to. Everyone has to do the work to succeed. Try not to listen to everyone. My dad (rip) used to say “opinions are like aholes everyone’s got em” lol

This is a tough decision and one that needs a lot of back and forth with the docs - medical care is often a game of compromises and trade offs. WLS is not an ideal thing, either, but it beats the alternative of a remaining life of obesity and its complications. You certainly seem to recognize the conflicts involved and sometimes we end up having to choose the "least worst" case. On dumping, I've see numbers of somewhere around 30% of RNY patients dump, and there are indications that the figure probably improves some over time after surgery. Our luck would usually be that if you want dumping as an aversion therapy, you won't dump! Dumping can hit VSG patients or even non-WLS people, but it is much more rare. Since dumping if basically from the rapid introduction of the sugars (and some fats) into the intestines without things being slowed down by the stomach and pyloric valve, non-RNY people can get it if they introduce simple sugars, particularly liquids, that don't trigger the pyloric valve to close. Early on, if I ate a small piece of chocolate on an empty stomach, I would get a quick "I shouldn't have done that..." feeling, that would pass just as quickly. Call it "dumping lite". With a normal sized stomach, things would be slowed down a bit more than with the small sleeved stomach. A bit of history on the NSAID thing. The bypass has a weakness at the anastomosis between the stomach pouch and the intestines. Unlike the duodenum (the part of the small intestines immediately below the stomach, which gets bypassed along with most of the stomach in the RNY,) the part of the small intestine where the new pouch joins it is not resistant to stomach acid, so that joint is very sensitive and prone to ulcers, so you treat it very gently and stay away from any meds that induce stomach irritation, such as NSAIDs. When the Duodenal Switch came along, one of its big selling points was that it could tolerate NSAIDs better than the RNY. As the DS is based upon the sleeve, the VSG carries this same basic advantage. In parallel, over the past 25 years or so, as NSAIDs came off of prescription and into wider use on the OTC market, some problems have been noted within the general population, regarding stomach upset and liver issues with consistent long term use, so most docs have become more cautious in their use overall. In the bariatric world, which has been dominated by the RNY for much of the past 40 years, NSAID aversion has become pretty standard for bariatrics, despite there being some differences in sensitivity between the different procedures. The DS has been performed by a small minority of surgeons (who also originated the VSG as a stand alone procedure) and the VSG is fairly new on the scene for most surgeons, so the NSAID aversion has remained prominent in the business overall. As more surgeons get more comfortable with the VSG, more are recognizing the differences and are more accepting of at least limited NSAID use where appropriate with their VSG patients. From our online population, you will see people who have been instructed to avoid NSAIDs at all costs for all procedures with others who have been given fairly liberal instructions on their use (our doc is fine with them as soon as narcotic pain relievers are no longer appropriate, but that comes from a primarily DS practice that is experienced with them.) Many docs will be accepting of them after some months of healing, and often advise using a PPI along with them. Best answer - talk it over with your surgeon as he is running your show for you.

Hi, just wanted to chime in. I’m also in my 20s, just turned 25 last month...I agree with someone else who posted here, you should look into the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy, initially I was dead set on having bypass, and my surgeon told me that by all means I could have it, but he also urged me to look into the sleeve because I’m young, and bypass does have some possible complications that the sleeve doesn’t, and *in his words* I have a lot of living left to do, so, if by chance I had those complications I would have a long time to have to deal with them...and after I did my research I felt just like he did. So I decided to go with the sleeve...both the sleeve and bypass are great tools for weight loss. Take your time and consider all of your options before you decide which surgery, or even whether or not to have surgery at all. As far as BMI goes the lowest I’ve heard get approved through insurance was 35(with health issues associated with being overweight)..definitely look into that aspect of this as well. We’re all here to be of help and support to you. Good luck!!

Mine was also hiatal hernia and went in 12/19 and release 12/20. Have any of you had any complications? I don’t know if it’s from the hernia or not. But I feel like heartburn or acid reflux , something I’ve NEVER had before. [emoji30] hw: 246 sw: 235 cw: 215 gw: ? Sleeved :Dec 19, 2017

Good luck Cowgirl12!! There are a lot of good surgeons. My surgeon, Dr. Thomas Cerabona, has been doing all bariatric procedures for 30+ years and has an extremely high success rate. I am now 2 almost 3 weeks post op. Surgery is no picnic but had no complications at all. Wishing you the best!!!

You won’t need a drain tube unless you are a bleeder. Sticking to the pre-op diet and guidelines cuts down on complications. I did not need to stay in a hotel. I used Trinity Medical and flew in on a Wednesday morning at 8:45 am and was taken across the boarder to hospital Guadalajara. Once we signed in I was taken to get blood work and then directly to my room. The hospital gave me a nice bag with toiletries and slippers. The room and bathroom were very clean. The tv had many channels in English and I didn’t have to watch any of the movies I downloaded to my iPad. There were plenty of movies on the tv. (Commercials were in Spanish). Dr. Pasten was awesome and hospital staff were great! They all were amazing! The two other people that had surgery the same day I did through another agency went to a hotel on Friday when I flew home that afternoon. I chose my agency based on the length of stay. (I have toddlers and it was more important for me to return home than to stay an extra day to shop for souvenirs) . After my leak test on Thursday they brought Gatorade, apple juice and chicken broth.

You have to remember that what you read on the internet is not always true. For every good story there are at least 4 bad stories. People are more apt to share their nightmare before their good fortune. This is just basic human psychology. We share our nightmares to get reassurance or even elicit sympathy from others. Remember, you made the decision in conjunction with the medical professionals and they don't generally perform risky elective surgery. Is this going to be an easy, pain-free, and discomfort-free journey? No, it probably won't be. Instead of relying on other people's experiences to judge the wisdom of your decision, you have to ride out this phase and come to your own conclusions. If your gut feeling says that this is the best option, most likely it is. Since I am a T2 diabetic, the best option for me is RNY. My entire care team knows that RNY will be the best surgery for reversing or curing T2 diabetes. I am putting my faith and trust in those whom are caring for me. I read about all kinds of horror stories about RNY and automatically dismiss most of them. The cold hard facts from research show that there is a less than 1% chance of complications which is statistically insignificant. Most people worry about the lifestyle changes and I think you just have to ride them out.

Looking to see if anyone has any insight on Cleveland Clinic employee health plan and getting approved. My story is complicated so let me know and I will explain. Thanks!!