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Sorry to hear you had such a rough start. I had some complications as well so I feel your pain. It wasn't the best start to this new road but things do get better. Promise! Despite the early setbacks I wouldn't change a thing. Still one of the best decisions I ever made. Just listen to your body and take your time with it all. It's better to give yourself plenty of time to heal and start the journey right. I was always jealous of people that could manage to exercise a month after surgery. I was happy to walk around for 10 minutes without any pain and/or feeling exhausted...lol. Best of luck to you.

I'm not snubbing my nose at you. It's just the truth of the matter. I saw it with folks long before I had my surgery and time and time again. It isn't worth stressing about, honestly. Your other thread showed signs of classic worrying about the scale - weighing on different scales, multiple times a day, etc. It's just sad seeing people get really freaked out over it. Not saying you, just people in general. Only trying to get you to take a deep breath and relax. I'm seen some people really wig about about the scale and it isn't fun to see people beat themselves up because they didn't lose 10 lbs this week. You have to remember - if you are losing any weight that is not a stall. A true stall is annoying as crap, believe me. What protein brand are you using? I know my "cheaper" brand runs about 200 calories a serving for 30g of protein. My more expensive Unjury is only 100 cals but only gets you 21g protein. With skim mik then it's pushing 200 cals and 30g of protein. It does seem like your calories are a bit high this early on so there might be some diet tweaks that can be made, but also don't spend so much time trying to get it down too low if you're exercising on top of it. I had complications after my surgery so I couldn't fathom exercising at 4 weeks out.

Tsk tsk. You let your judgement cloud your thinking Kate. There's a difference between a medical professional explaining complications and a lay person dramatizing those complications.

In the beginning I was all about the gastric bypass. The first person that told me about WLS had the bypass 2 yrs ago, and she told me the truth about it,you get the most weight loss with bypass...So I started to do my research on it, and I found out she was right...I didn’t know anything about the other 2 surgeries, didn’t even bother to look because I was dead set on bypass lol. But I had my first meeting with my surgeon and his team on December 8th(I love them, they are so thorough, each person spent at least 10 to 15mins a piece talking to me and getting to know me,I definitely didn’t feel like just another face)but after telling my surgeon my history and what not, and him taking all of that along with my age(25)into consideration he said that I could ABSOLUTELY have the bypass if I wanted it, but that he recommends the sleeve because I am so young and the bypass has so many possible complications that I would have a lot more years to live with,while the sleeve has honestly just about none, well aside from the usual risks associated with surgery...so he gave me until my next appointment to think about it and do my research...and honestly if I had read anything about the sleeve or looked at other people’s journeys and success stories like I did with the bypass I would have chosen the sleeve over bypass myself...it’s ultimately up to you. But they recommend bypass over sleeve if you have GERD because the sleeve can make GERD worse. Good luck on your decision! Do what’s most comfortable for you.

Fear is an interesting factor in this thread. People talk about their own personal fears justifying their responses to the OP. What if someone with a clotting disorder ran around to all the threads here saying "OMG DO NOT HAVE THIS SURGERY you COULD DIE! Don't be stupid, you're risking your LIFE!"? Would that poster be wrong? Nope...they have empirical evidence on their side...once in a blue moon, someone does die from a clot or other complication and it's absolutely tragic. Just exactly like...once in a very rare blue moon...someone has a negative consequence from an indulgence off their plan. So....is it helpful, or is it fear-mongering? Does anyone really believe the OP doesn't know better?

The sleeve is actually the most common bariatric surgery in the U.S. now and has few complications. I've read studies that state the sleeve can be as effective as bypass so that's why I'm doing it. Plus it seems like I hear about complications with the lap band all the time. For me, it was an easy decision.

Wow reading all these posts appreciate everyones views. I had RNY 12-6 and still have a wound vac from complications after surgery. I went 3 weeks on liquids and gotta say after that when introducing soft foods diet was last thing on my mind. If a few bites is all i can endure it doesnt matter to me about calories it matters about protein and it matters my stomach can handle it. So i try to drink water more as i am dehydrated and if every hour i can take a couple bites if its a cookie i would rather eat steak but my stomach cant take it so hey it was the holidays and i havent been sick so that means i am doing well. Lets all be gentle with ourselves. I have lost 20 lbs and only have 40 more to goal weight so these days just happy i am alive. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-T377A using BariatricPal mobile app

I know what your saying, now that surgery is a real possibility i had to take a real serious look at if this is the right choice, could i try and diet harder or exercise more, what type of financial hardship is this going to put my family under? But then i take a step back and i look at the fact that im floating around 300lbs, i have high blood pressure, i have high cholesterol, i have diabetes, i have back issues and now my liver is beginning to have issues. I have tried and i have lost and then i have gained back. Then comes the whole financial issue but i look at that and the reality is what type of financial situation am i putting my family in if i am not around in a few years. My wife and i Have discussed it and as someone else pointed out it comes down to risk vs benefit and while there can be complications there is also benefits, one of which is a longer life with my family. I often travel in my job so when 9-11 happened and the reality of the fact that that i could have been on those planes hit home for me and my family we had to make the decision of do we do everything we can to avoid risk or do we do everything we can to enjoy every moment we have together. We chose to do everything we can to enjoy every moment we have together. So for me i am moving forward with my plans. I wish you all the best in your efforts and lifestyle change be that from a surgical intervention or from a change in your diet and exercise. Weigh up your options consult the experts and make a decision based on the facts, but whatever you do dont let your fears rule you. Go in the direction you go in because you feel that is the best option and not simply because you are afraid of the other option.

I had several complications from the beginning, had to have surgery twice after my bypass to fix my esophagus that was closing up and to remove my gallbladder. I still have dumping syndrome and there are many things I still can’t eat after 8 years, BUT I have NO regrets! I would do it all over again! The only thing I would change is to exercise more!

I've been ghosting, this is my first post. I am scheduled for January 11, one week! I am very nervous, especially when I read stories of complications. Pre-op diet going good since the 26th, except for some champagne and bad snacks at a party on NYE... But still already down 11lbs during pre-op. My diet right now is protein shakes for breakfast and lunch and a small protein forward dinner w/ veggies. Been having Oikos triple zero and sugar free jello for snacks when I get home from work as well. I am a bundle of worries and fears, these being the biggest ones: - Complication from surgery - Alcohol and carbonation restriction (I am [hopefully "was"] a daily drinker, diet cokes during the day and wine and beer at night) - Regaining weight after losing a lot (I regained weight after being on Medi Weight Loss and losing 100 lbs 5 years ago) - Returning to work quickly (I run a business and cannot afford not to be back) - The diet ruining my active social life which revolves around friends and going out for drinks/food. - People finding out about my surgery and thinking that is was the "easy way out". I have only told my SO and my BFF. There are other smaller fears but it felt good to write those out!

Hi and welcome to the boards! It isn't so much that you "can't" have surgery with a >60BMI. It's more that you need to make sure to choose your surgeon and new tool wisely. Make sure to ask your surgeon how many people he/she's operated on in the past year with BMIs >60? Ask if it will be an open or closed procedure. Ask about the surgery type. Ask about their success rate/complication rate. If it were me, I'd be sure to go with a Center of Excellence surgeon, team, and hospital--but I'm a wieny that way...I'd mainly want to know that my doc has great comfort/skill in operating on someone towards the higher BMI spectrum. Ask about contingencies: what happens if he/she gets in there and that there's "not enough room" to perform the chosen surgery--then what happens? Will the surgery change to an open procedure? Will you wind up with a different procedure? BTW, most docs are gonna wanna see some weight loss. They're gonna want to know you can go the distance, are serious about changing food relationships and sticking with a diet program. They're also gonna want to reduce your bulk to increase the space they have to operate and to reduce your liver. So you may have to lose 5-10% of your weight or more. My insurance company only required I lose 5% of my total weight. My doc said 10%. I've lost 10% from the date of my first weigh in with the surgeon. I think I will have surgery either next month or in early March.

Dating sucks, relationships are fine. I can understand wanting the companionship but before you take on the complexities of a relationship, get yourself to your goal first. In my opinion, a relationship too early, especially one that goes south, could derail your progress. Focus singularly on your needs for the time being. I think you'll find that once you reach your goal, not only will you be more eligible, you'll be more confident in what you want and do not want. My most recent attempt at weight loss failed because I sought out a relationship, things got complicated, and I got totally off track and put all the weight back on plus 20 pounds and became diabetic. I wished I had worked on one thing at a time. Now, it's going to be goal, then date. It's going to be challenging enough to simply adjust to the new lifestyle that this surgery mandates. I am expecting to have some difficult days ahead.

Are carbs bad for healing? I know they aren’t good for weight loss, but how does it cause a leak or other complications?

That right there. It isn't so much that fruit is bad for you as it is packed with carbs. That being said they don't want you on a lot of foods/fruits this early on because you are still healing. I know it's frustrating seeing so many doctors doing things one way or the other. It doesn't make it easy for the patients. If you're going to cheat, which I don't recommend of course, I wouldn't be adding fruits in this early. This stage sucks but trust me it won't be worth it if it causes a set back. As one that had complications I seriously wouldn't risk it for a few more days of struggle. Anything that delays your healing only adds to the misery. I loathed my protein shakes ath that point as well so I feel your pain.

I did. Complications can happen. Isn't the end of the world but something to keep in mind. For me my supposed to be 3 day stay turned into almost a week (my spleen decided to start bleeding for fun on day #3 at the hospital). Despite having complications I don't regret doing the surgery. As to the original poster - no regrets. I think what many of us are looking for when we ask this question is more of how badly am I going to miss certain things? Do I miss those binge eating days, or stuffing myself on Thanksgiving, or those stops by the gas station to load up on snaks for road trips? Sure, I miss it to an extent, but now I look at it like giving up smoking. There's still times where I miss it but I know I'm better off without it in my life. The good by far outweighs the bad. While the responses have mainly been positive there certainly are people on the forum that have regrets. Complications are something you have to come terms with and know that there is always a chance something could happen, whether it's getting acid reflux down the road or something more complicated. For the health problems I had prior to surgery I figured it could only make things better and it did.

- How do I know if surgery is right for me and how did others come to that conclusion for themselves? That's a question we all have to find an answer to on our own. I've fought being overweight all my life. I considered WLS over the years but sadly kept talking myself out of it. Yes, it's a drastic change, but a lot of it was the "Oh noes! I can't make a pig out of myself on Thanksgiving any longer! What ever will I do!" What pushed me over the edge was that I was continuing to gain more weight. My sciatica had gotten so bad that walking was painful for more than 5 minutes at a time. I lived that way for almost 2 years and said enough was enough. It was either back surgery or get the weight off. I wanted to do everything I could before having to consider back surgery. Talked with my family doc and he was fully on board with me having WLS and thought it would be best for me. - What factors are taken into consideration when chosing what type of surgery to get (bypass, sleeve etc) ? Personally I think it depends on what you struggle with. For me it wasn't sweets and candy. It was pretty much all portion control problems. Sure I love ice cream like anyone else, but it was always going back for that second plate of pasta that was doing me in. While the bypass was appealing in that it could cause a greater overall weight loss (and quicker) I was put off by the extra vitamins and other concerns about getting in all my nutrients. In the end I was okay with maybe not losing as much or weight coming off a bit slower. - Did anyone feel any shame or embarassment about it? And if so, why and how did they deal with it? Sure, there was some embarassment. It felt like I was admitting defeat and fought that stigma of "taking the easy way out." Having gone through it now I can say it's no easy way out. It's a tool that has helped me greatly but it required a lot of lifestyle changes that weren't easy to overcome. - Did anyone have to deal with criticism? Honestly have yet to face anyone that has been critical of my decision. Lot of others on here haven't been so lucky unfortunately. I'm sure I'll face a few in time, but all in all it's not something I would worry too much about. It's your decision to make. - Did anyone keep it a secret or can it even be kept a secret? You'll find many on here that have kept it a secret. Again it's a personal preference. I'd rather be open and honest about it and if somebody doesn't want to be my friend because of I'd rather know about it so I can tell them to sod off...lol - How did everyone go about asking their doctor for surgery? Again I'll reference back to my sciatica issues. I'd been trying various treatments for over a year with no success. Told my doc I was considering it and he recommended it. From there I started researching on my own and started with who would be in my insurance network. There are a lot of pros & cons with having WLS as well as risks. I was one that had some complications a few days after surgery that made for a miserable week at the hospital. Even with that I wouldn't change a thing. It's something I truly wish I would have done all those years ago.

Thank you! I am getting very nervous. I have pre op dr appt tomorrow. I see so many having complications on here scares me. I am hoping mine is uncomplicated.

I know it's hard to resist counting calories, but honestly in the early days don't stress about it. I did my journals to track protein as usual. First couple of weeks I was probably around 600 a day. That's all I could manage. Mainly stuck to yogurts, protein shakes, and the early soft foods allowed on my plan. If you're info is accurate it looks like you're only about a week out from sugery? Seriously that's way to early to be stressing about the weight coming off. Getting healed up is priority #1. The weight will come off. Your body has been through a helluva a lot so be patient with it. You're also at a bit lower weight than a lot of others. It's just the nature of the beast. It always seems that weight comes off quicker in the beginning for those that weigh more. Focus on the basics right now. Don't think of your walks as exercise to lose weight. It's to get you up and moving and help the healing process. You got all the time in the world coming up to fine tune your diet and exercise program. I had complications after surgery which made for a very long 2 weeks after surgery. Don't push yourself too hard because it isn't worth risking any setbacks. In time you'll get your calories up, and you're right that you will need to. If they're too low your body will resist wanting to shed weight. I hit a stall for about a week or two in the early months and found that actually increasing my calories helped get the weight coming off again. That being said we're all different. Keep doing a food journal because that will give you something to go back and look at and help figure out what is and isn't working for you. In a few weeks you'll have a lot more options and you'll be feeling way better. The time right after surgery is tough physically as well as mentally. The mental part is what a lot of us weren't fully prepared for. Give it some time and it will all be good!

I'm getting surgery on the 10th, and I'm so worried about complications. Did anyone have any?

I’m having gastric bypass on the 10th because I’m beyond nervous for the procedure. I’m so worried about complications during or having the surgery! I keep telling myself I have a child....what if something goes wrong! Does anyone else have these feelings? I desperately want my life back because I feel I’ve been stuck in a fat shell!

I hear you about not reading too many complication threads. I always try to remember how much worse the complications will be if I don't do something to help me get this weight off. Much scarier. I need to try a few days eating as I will post op. I did just start logging my food into MFP. I think that the fact that I have to do the liquid optifast diet for 1 month preop has been at least my excuse to not start a diet ahead of time. Still, the more that a person loses pre op, the safer the surgery will be. AT 2.5 months out, I really need to get in gear.

I am a retired nurse and spent most of my professional life working in labor and delivery. I cannot tell you how many times women get on the phone and talk about the terrible, near death, experience they had. I would just snicker because I had been with them and they had short labors, easy deliveries and no complications. I am not minimizing the pain of L & D but there is some gratification they get out of the exaggeration. My point is there are those that love to tell horror stories. Just click off and move on.

As you get closer to surgery, you start hearing more about the potential risks, which triggers that fight or flight response it seems. At least that's the way it was for me. It was all sunshine and rainbows up to that point, because I was hearing everybody's success stories and seeing these amazing transformation photos. Sure, I read about complications as well, but it seemed that even when someone had complications, they didn't regret the surgery. For me, it made it even worse when my soon-to-be Mother-in-law called me upset because she knows someone who knew someone who died after having weight loss surgery 10 or 15 years ago. I had to spend a good twenty minutes assuring her why this was a good idea and promising that I would be safe, and that conversation left me feeling scared and confused. Although this is a safe procedure, it is still a MAJOR operation, so of course you are nervous! I was full on panic mode the day of surgery and actually almost had a panic attack in my room waiting to go to the OR. Then the nurse that came and got me to take me to the OR told me she had the procedure done a year prior with the same doctor. That helped me so much! Do you have someone that will be there with you that you can be open about your fears? That helped me as well. I cried and told my fiancé how scared I was, and he held my hands and reminded me of the statistics and also why I was doing this. I'm not going to lie, the first couple days after surgery were pretty awful, but I don't regret it at all. I am 3 weeks out and already down 34 pounds. You got this! <3

If your in northern NJ why not go to NYC. I was at NYU. If you have a complication you don’t want to be in a ‘center’ you want to be in a multidisciplinary full hospital.

Thanks, you're in my prayers, it was my prayer when I submitted to my insurance that God placed the needed people in place that would be reviewing my case. I thought i had gotten denied bc my Drs office nor myself had heard anything from my bcbs in over two weeks, so I called to followup. The precertification dept told me that my case had been dismissed for lack of receiving my clinicals. I had to give them the date that tge clinicals were sent in and had been confirmed by bcbs. The pre-cert dept then said I was correct and that they didn't know why It had veen dismissed and that tgey would re-enter my information and submit it for review. It so happened that the original reviewer had the day off and my case was sent to another nurse that approved it the same day that I called. Make sure to ask your doctor if he/she will do a peer-to-peer conversation if you are denied. Please note that being affected mentally by weight complications is a reason for the surgery to be "medically necessary" (as long as the patient is psychologically cleared for the procedure) and some insurance companies will take that into account. Please keep me posted! Excited for you already! Sent from my SM-N920V using BariatricPal mobile app