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The way to combat the scary stories, is to also read the fixes. Are you scared of strictures? How do they fix them? Are you scared of bowel blockages? How do they fix them? Pretty much all the complications can be treated, if caught in time. Every scary complication I read about, I also read about the treatment. That calmed me down. I also asked myself: If my doctor were to tell me that I would definitely have x, x, and x complications, would I still go through with it? The answer was always, "yes". I think that's where you need to get. If you were told that you would definitely have ___(insert scary complication and its associated treatment)___, would you still have the surgery?

It's great that you have a post-operative appointment with your bariatric surgeon! Here are some questions that you may find helpful to ask during your appointment: How is my recovery progressing? What can I expect in terms of weight loss in the next few months? Are there any specific foods or supplements I should be avoiding? How often do I need to return for follow-up appointments? What signs should I look out for to indicate a complication? Can you explain the long-term effects of the procedure? How can I manage any potential nutrient deficiencies? Are there any physical activities or exercises I should avoid at this time? How can I manage or prevent any potential long-term side effects? Can you provide any additional resources or support groups for post-operative patients? It's important to take the time to ask your surgeon any questions or concerns you may have, as they are the best source of information for your specific situation. Don't hesitate to bring a list of questions with you to your appointment to ensure that you don't forget anything.

I was reading those stories in the days before my surgery and had to make myself stop. I knew that those kinds of stories are very rare, but still, they scared the crap out of me. the people above are correct in that people are a lot more likely to post when they have issues or questions or concerns. They're looking for advice and support. People usually don't post to say that everything is great (I know some do - but it's way more likely they'll post when they're having issues). Most of us don't have complications, and of those who do, they're almost always minor things that are treatable to "fixable". I had strictures at weeks 4 and 8. They're the most common complication in bypass patients (they can happen to sleevers, too, but they're pretty rare with sleeve). But about 5% of bypass patients get them. I would hardly call something that only 5% of people get "common", but there you go. (strictures can happen within the first three months post-op - they're very rare after that. And they're a super easy fix. They just do an upper endoscopy and use a tool to stretch it out. You feel 100% better afterward). yes I am so happy I had my surgery and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. If I had to go back every year and do it again, I would. Honestly, it was one of the best decisions I"ve ever made - if not THE best. It's changed my life! another thing to consider - you are at much greater risk staying obese than you are having the surgery. These surgeries at one time were very risky and some people died from them. But that was 30+ years ago and they've come a LONG way since then. They've become very routine surgeries, and they're quite safe these days. There's a 0.3% mortality rate for bypass, and less than that for a sleeve (I can't remember the rate on the sleeve, other than it's lower than bypass). That means you have at least a 99.7% chance of making it through just fine. And you will. That rate is actually even better than the rate for hip replacement surgeries, and they do those all the time.

My insurance also needed a health complication like diabetes, high blood pressure etc to be approved along with 6 months of weight loss. Due to needing the surgery as a revision to correct major complications from the previous surgery a disingenuous hack did to me, my insurance can wave the 6months requirements with medical proof of those complications. My new surgeon's office informed me that the insurance can backtrack my doctors visits for those 6months. My PCP and Gi are willing to send the necessary paperwork to my insurance telling them that the revision surgery is medically necessary due to the continued deterioration of my health. What helped me a lot was a case worker from my insurance. Request one to assist you. They will collect all the necessary medical information that your appeal needs, a long with being an advocate for your well being.

I am 53. I had my surgery last year. I had the gastric sleeve surgery. They fixed a hiatal hernia as well. I live in Ohio, but flew to Las Vegas for my surgery. I paid $9800. My general practitioner did my follow up labs at 6 months, and will do my one year labs as well. I'm a couple pounds away from my goal and a normal BMI. I will definitely hit my goal before my one year mark. My sister saw my success and wanted to go to Las Vegas as well. Her price was a few thousand more so she looked into Mexico. She did go to Tijuana, and I was her companion. She paid half of what I paid. She had her surgery last month and has lost 25 lbs so far. She has not had any complications. The gastric sleeve seems to be a common surgery with very minimal complications wherever you go. I wish you the best! Kelly

stay off TikTok. I read those kinds of stories before I had my surgery and they scared the crap out of me. I almost cancelled my surgery. However, those kinds of horror stories are extremely rare. Most of us never had complications or just had mild ones that could be "fixed" or treated. The most common complication is a stricture, which happens to about 5% of bypass patients, if that tells you anything (I personally would not consider something that only happens to 5% of people "common", but that's the most common complication...). It's a minor complication that's easily fixed. P.S. I finally made myself quit reading the stories.

Being nervous and scared is normal. This surgery is a big deal. Whenever I heard about a scary complication, I researched the treatment for it. There's really no complication that can't be treated, if caught in time. Also, quit torturing yourself. Stay off the sites that are causing you grief.

I was self-pay so I went with the Sleeve because it was cheaper and came with a lower complication risk. Being self-pay, any issues that arise due to the surgery also aren't covered under insurance so I wanted to make sure to go with the option that carried the lowest complication rate. In my experience it seems that bypass is the more dominant option for those that are severely overweight (think BMI 60+) and want the best chance at being able to lose most/all of their excess weight and maintain the loss.

I can tell you my experience as someone who had bypass. My weight as of January 2022 was 245; on surgery day (May 13th, 2022) my weight was down to 223. As of today it's at 134. My height is 5'2. The surgery itself went fine, but I had some issues with pain management (don't let that freak you out, it's very individualistic on how people experience pain). I was in the hospital for 3 days and released when I was able to keep a bit of broth down. I found that walking around and heating pad helped with the gas, but it took quite a while for that feeling to go away. A week out from my surgery I had to go to the ER because I couldn't keep more than an ounce of fluid down and was dehydrated. 3 bags of fluids and a GI study later, they found there was still some internal swelling that was making it hard for me to meet any fluid/protein goals. I followed the nutritionist advice and start the mornings with a warm drink, which does help. Now, all of these months later, I'm not able to eat much (once again, this is more the exception than the norm), but clearly the amount of food I've been able to consume is providing energy to get me through the day. My sister also had bypass without complications and she lost 85 pounds in a year. She's been able to eat most things, though she's learned the hard way about dumping syndrome. I have no regrets about my surgery and feel much healthier than I've felt. I've gone from a size 22 to a size 8. Something I never thought would happen. Good luck on your surgery.

Hi all newbie here. I had the sleeve surgery back in 2015. I did super well until 2020 when I was placed on a depression/anxiety monthly injection that caused some serious side effects. Unknown to the doctors, therapists and myself one of the non-listed side effects were to lose weight. At this point I was already at goal of 160# but the injection made me loose down to 121# within 2 months. I had become super weak, with almost no mobility. It was so bad that I could no longer take care of my personal needs without assistance. I could no longer walk but shuffle no more than about 6 feet before giving out and having to rest. My family doctor told me I absolutely had to gain weight of a G tube might be in order. My phyc doctor change my meds and unfortunately, I went from 121# to now 225# within about 6 months. Here I sit literally only 42# away from my WLS starting weight Now every time I try to do a reset or just simply get strict with eating and watching all my intake, I do good for about 3 days then I goof up again. For all those years I was able to keep my diabetes at bay, but it showed it weary head last year and has been acting up ever since. My mom died in 2004 from complications of diabetes so I have to get back on track. My dad passed away in August this past year (I am a daddy's girl 100%) and he begged me to have the revision and get my life back on track so this is what I shall do. Any tips or info you wished you would have known prior to the revision from sleeve to bypass? I greatly appreciate any info and prayers. (NOTE: I am in the midst of getting my medical records to locate the name of the injection I was on as I do not recall the name of it)

Hi I had my Lapband for 9 years and just got it taken out. It was stuck to my liver and I had a lot of scarred tissue. I also had a large hiatal hernia the size of an orange they had to fix. It was a very risky and complicated surgery. It took 5 hours to complete it. I did stay 5 days in the hospital because I had so much inflammation and couldn’t get enough fluids down.

It is generally recommended to wait at least six weeks after gastric balloon placement before going on a rollercoaster or engaging in other high-intensity activities. This is because the balloon can cause some discomfort and inflammation in the stomach during the first few weeks after it is placed, and engaging in activities that involve rapid movements or changes in pressure can exacerbate this discomfort. It's important to check with your surgeon or healthcare provider for specific recommendations on when it is safe for you to go on a rollercoaster or participate in other high-intensity activities. They may advise you to wait longer than six weeks, especially if you had any complications during or after the procedure.

Thank you everyone for taking the time to respond. That’s really helpful to hear. My doc is very conservative I guess as the no solid food till 12 weeks post op is standard for their patients independent of the bowel obstruction complication. Plus pretty rigid on the 15 minutes between 1-2oz bites or sips (haven’t bitten anything is 4+ weeks!). It’s just a lot to accept but I know at this point I have no choice. Just hopeful things will normalize in a few months. One day at a time as they say.

I presume your prolonged restricted diet is due to your complication & is to support a longer healing time. Remember this is temporary and as the weeks pass you’ll be able to eat a more varied range of foods & textures. After all you’ve been thorough though feeling down is to be expected. Certain foods are best avoided while you’re losing (rice & bread because they swell in your tummy, popcorn because it’s a slider, hotdog because of the bread & fatty sausage) but once you’ve stabilised you can eat these foods again with just frequency & portion size a consideration. Unless of course there’s an issue with you eating them. Like I still can’t eat bread, rice & pasta as they sit too heavily in my tummy - don’t miss them & I used to eat them a lot. There are always alternatives.

Did your surgeon permanently remove those listed foods from your diet or for a short period? Week by week things will get better and you will eventually return to a normal routine but I understand completely. It is very hard giving up foods you like even for short periods of time. Hang in there! Glad you are doing well and recovering after the complications ❤️

I’m 2 weeks post op on a sleeve to bypass revision. Sleeve was 10 years ago. Never wanted this bypass but reflux was persistent and my doc said, “we’re going to have to do this eventually might as well do it now while your young (52) and healthy.” I had a complication 5 days after surgery with a bowel obstruction at the Juijnem site because of post op swelling was in hospital on only IV fluids for 3 days. It cleared up and now at least my bowels are doing what bowels do on a daily basis. That’s all good, I’ve even lost 16 lbs post op (pound a day). BUT I’m really mourning food in general, solid food in particular and just variety. I’m on full fluids and next week I get to add thinned cottage cheese, ricotta and and oatmeal (all thinned). But I just did the math and it won’t be till April that I can eat solid food. Yes I’m talking to a therapist but I’m just really regretting all of this. I was basically happy with my weight preop (could have worked harder to lose 15 lbs. but I didn’t really care). Now I’m down 35 from before the two week preop Optifast and I just want my life back. I feel like I’ll never be able to enjoy food again, have sushi roll, eat popcorn, a hot dog at a ballgame. One by one I don’t care about any of those menu items but taken together and it’s a normal lifestyle that is now gone and never coming back. This really gets me down.

Ah now that’s a complicated question & there is no definitive answer. There’ll be those who tell you sleeve is the best or bypass is the way to go, etc. The thing to remember is that was the surgery that was best for them. And yes there’ll be those who say they wished they’d chosen another surgery. There are some issues that can make one surgery a much better option over another. For example if you have pre existing reflux/gerd sleeve is not for you or you have a lot of weight to lose bypass may be a better choice. There are other pre existing conditions that may need to be taken into consideration too. As well as factors like your weight loss & gain history, lifestyle, eating style & preferences, etc. Best advice is to do lots of reading & gather information like this yourself & then have a long conversation with your surgeon & see what they recommend based on your medical status, general health & with consideration of the factors mentioned above & then make your decision. As for the long term effects of, I presume maintaining your weight, it really comes down to you. The changes you’re willing to make to your eating, how compliant you are in the long term with your new way of eating, the activity you choose to add to your lifestyle, etc. The surgery is a tool & it’s success depends on how you use it & the sustainability of the changes you make. My surgeon recommended a sleeve after going through everything with me & answering my questions. I was leaning that way anyway as I didn’t want as major a change as with bypass. My weight had only become a serious obese issue with menopause before that I bounced between a BMI of 23 healthy & 29 overweight). I had some existing food sensitivities. I dislike taking medications. Didn’t have any co morbidities - my general health was good. Was fairly controlled about a lot of my eating & was aware of food choices, portion sizes, etc. Didn’t want the increased possibility of dumping (already had random episodes of hypoglycaemia) or absorption issues (especially calcium & iron as a menopausal woman). And yes, it was the right choice for me & my situation & needs. I lost all my weight & more. I’m only 3.75yrs out but have pretty much maintained my weight except for a very fast 2kg (4lbs) gain after my gall was removed in June 2021 which reduced my absorption of protein (so made a dietary change) & we also recently discovered my HRT. I had lost about 0.5kg of the 2kgs over almost a year but since I went on a HRT patch 3 months ago I’ve lost a kg without trying (Damn hormones - or lack of in my case.) Will be interesting to see if the last 0.5kg goes too & I end up where I was at 49kg. That’s my story anyway. All the best whichever surgery you choose.

That's hard to say. I was in the hospital for 3 days because there were issues with pain control and originally I had planned to take 2 1/2 weeks off (I also work from home), but ended extending it an additional week due to complications. Some people have taken less time, others take a bit more, so it really seems to be an individual basis. Do you have flexibility with using less time off or getting more as needed?

there aren't many surgeons who are placing lapbands these days because there were so many complications with them. A lot of people have had them removed and have had the sleeve or bypass done instead. I suppose there are some still out there who might place a lapband, but it might be hard to find one who does. The lapband has largely been replaced by the sleeve as the non-RNY option. You might want to chat with a bariatric surgeon - let him/her know your concerns and see what they recommend. If the person you talk to doesn't work with lapbands anymore and that's what you really want, they may know of someone who still works with those. Or they may reassure you about your revision options. At any rate, it'd be good to talk to a specialist about all of this.

Hello I’m dealing with something i wonder if anybody else can help , i was sleeved March 2022 so just about 10 months post op . I have successfully lost about 110 pounds . I haven’t had many complications i did get a gallstone recently but other then that nothing but for the past maybe 6 days i have been experiencing extreme diarrhea as soon as i eat i get a really bad stomach pain maybe 5-10 minutes after then boom diahrrea immediately and it’s Every time i eat i have a diarrhea and then times in between so maybe 10 plus times a day I’m on the toilet . Has anyone else experienced this ? If so please let me know what i should do or what you were told .

I had my bypass on 8/31/22 and I've lurked in this forum even before that, as I was getting ready. I just joined today to reply to this post. I hope you are feeling better today, LivBee! I had a lot of complications after my surgery, including a stricture that closed to the size of a pinhole, keeping me from even being able to swallow water at one point. I had to have two post-op dilations on 10/12 and 11/14. If I'd had to go back in for a third, they were going to put in a temporary stint, which they did not want to do. I was weak, dizzy, and malnourished for months after my surgery and yet I kept pushing myself to do things like I had the energy of someone else. I passed out in the shower once, and almost passed out on several other terrifying occasions away from my house. I had so much regret, but I kept saying, "I'd do this again. I'd do this again." The reason I kept saying that? I was losing the weight, I was coming off of the T2 diabetic medications, my insulin needs were becoming less and less (I've gone from 50 units of insulin a day pre-op to 20 units a day, currently, and no other maintenance meds). I've gone off of blood pressure medications completely. Now? I do have the energy I was pretending to have before. No dizzy spells. My pre-op clothes are comically large. I could chase your twins around no problem. And I do believe you will get there too! Every body is different and every healing process is different. Like you, I also had the misfortune of trying every diet and exercise program out there with limited success before gaining everything back - and like you, I was approved for surgery because of my comorbid conditions. We are going to be brand new, healthier versions of ourselves, with all the hard work and struggle that common society thinks WLS patients skip. You keep it up, mama. Keep pushing, keep thriving. Keep smiling. You've got this!

I am getting nervous almost ready to back out. I am terrified. I am worried about pain leaks and complications. I just do not want to regret this. Gastric sleeve surgery scheduled for Jan 16 2023.

Welcome! You know yourself best. Hopefully your passion doesn't burn brightly for a few months and then wane in time. This is a long game and it's nearly all mental. I had 6 months of visits and I'm glad for it. The delay gave me time to start therapy, time to read all the books I could get, time to research complications and treatments, time to gather supplies, and time to prepare my loved ones. It also gave me time to try to lose weight on my own, fully cementing the conviction that I cannot. Take advantage of this time - as short as it is. Learn about yourself. Learn all you can about your issues with food and learn ways to correct them. Learn new coping skills - you'll need them when you can no longer turn to food. And you'll need to keep practicing them, so that when food becomes a viable coping option again - later on - you won't go down that road.

I have a group PPO plan through BCBS of Michigan/my large employer. Customer service is pretty terrible when I call. They're often not able to answer questions about plan coverage accurately or give conflicting answers. If you have a specific procedure code, they can be more helpful, but it's still not great. On the other hand, they cover virtually everything at 100% without too much fuss. I'll end up paying a few hundred dollars out of pocket for my surgery and most of that is copays for seeing my $%@^ing dietician. If I have complications, that could go up relatively quick, because there's a significant ER co-pay, but it's all flat rate for in-network providers. And the network is basically every provider. I don't love them, but if I have to deal with an insurance company, they're probably as good as it gets.

It can be challenging to adjust to a new diet and lifestyle after bariatric surgery, but it's great that you're trying your best and seeking out resources to help you stay on track. Having a support system, whether it's an online community or friends and family, can also be very helpful in staying motivated and accountable. Remember to be patient with yourself and to focus on small, achievable goals. As you continue to recover and adjust, you may find that your taste preferences and tolerances change, and you may be able to introduce more variety into your diet. It's important to follow the guidelines provided by your surgeon and dietitian to ensure you're getting the proper nutrition and to avoid any complications.