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Thank you, lizonaplane. I was required to eat a low fibre, high carb diet whilst on radiotherapy because of the affect on my stomach, but such a diet is counter indicative with the bypass and nausea and diarrhoea were my daily companions. But I’m through it, and hopefully for good. 👍🏼

Hi everyone, I’m the member of a cancer forum having completed treatment for Stage 3 cervical cancer six months ago. I’ve put out feelers to try and find anyone else who had had bypass surgery (RNY) previously, and have drawn a blank. The RNY meant challenges for me, especially as the cancer had spread to my para-aortic lymph nodes, so my stomach and whole gut were irradiated for 6 weeks. The no-ghrelin effect also returns for gastric cancer patients as the radiotherapy knocks out those hunger hormones. Just wondering if there is anyone else on the forum who has had cancer treatment after their RNY?

This does not sound like dumping syndrome, but I can sympathise. I too find that the blend of solid food with liquid (noodles and soup for example) makes me feel like throwing up, and you get that froth in your mouth. Actually unlike some others here I find that throwing up is VERY hard since the bypass - I think because there’s less stomach muscle to power it. The only time I actually threw up was in the last few months when I was having cancer treatment and my stomach was blasted with radiation… I find a hot wheat bag on the stomach helps to settle it, and strong peppermint sweets sometimes.

Yes, I regret it 100%. Sleeved 5/28/2021. As of today I am only down 18 pounds since surgery. When I tell people that, I always get a list of how it has to be my fault. Medical intervention that you can't really cheat, but it's my fault? I couldn't "cheat" if I wanted to. I don't think genetics, hormones, and age are talked about enough pre-op. My weight loss slowed way down in the years prior to surgery. I'd cut carbs and work out hard and only lose 5 lbs in a month. I thought this surgery would help, it hasn't. My biggest words of advice, IF YOU ARE NOT A BIG EATER DO NOT GET THIS SURGERY! Consider all factors first. My mother, sisters and aunts have been on "diets" since Tab and Jane Fonda workout were a thing and the smallest any have ever been is the 170's (all 5'3-5'5). We're just heavier and hormonal with slow metabolisms. Not horribly obese, but in the 200's with big arms, stomachs, and backs. Unless they've been hiding it for decades, they don't gorge on food. We typically gain 10lbs a year that we just can't lose. That's how we are and how I'll be. I'm getting ok with it. Primary is asking if I'd consider converting to bypass in the future. No thanks, what would be the point. I just never tell anyone I've done this to myself out of sheer embarrassment. Very expensive mistake.

Hello!! Just wanted to update and say it's definitely possible! I started this journey in Oct. 2020 at 311 and diabetic. Lost 45lbs before my March 2021 bypass, no longer diabetic, and today I hit ONEderland. I haven't seen this weight on a scale since 1995! Remember it's a journey - it's not a sprint or a quick fix.

No. Before I even met with the bariatric clinic to inquire about revision I did a two-week liquid diet just to see if I could do it. (It turns out that my clinic doesn't use that technique for liver reduction.) Liquid protein shakes and powders are very filling. They are not like the old "Slender" shakes in a can. I would drink them and ask "Where is the rest ov my lunch?" No, I'm quite satisfied drinking protein shakes, supplemented with broth, sugar-free Jello and sugar-free Popsicles. I won't say it was totally easy, but it was not as hard as I expected and I lost over 10 pounds during those two weeks. Do a practice run. Try it now for about four days just to see how it goes for you.

I am a sugar addict. I had the same concern as you do, and I told my doctor I would prefer the gastric bypass because I would have dumping syndrome keeping me accountable. He said he thought that the hormonal changes that occur with the sleeve would be enough for me, and I decided to trust him. I am only 7 weeks out but so far I don't have those same sort of cravings for sweets like I did before. They still sound good but I don't have this obsessive drive to go out at 10:00 at night while my children are sleeping to buy a candy bar (I never did it but I was tempted to). I think if bypass is available, you may want to do that as it will give you an extra level of protection against the sugar cravings, but I can say that the sleeve definitely helps.

I've come to realize that I am also a sugar/food addict. I've read a ton of books, some of which I will share with you. OA, a 12-step program, is an excellent support group. I haven't joined OA but I know its out there and available to me. I had WLS in 1990, received no nutrition guidance, and was pretty much left to my own devices. I lost weight during the post-op honeymoon, but as time passed I could eat more...and I did! I regained every pound I had lost and returned to my original set point, where it stayed for the next 25 years despite a variety of weight loss program. I could never keep lost weight off. I only recently learned that my RNY can be revised. I wasted a lot of time, but I'm going to give it another shot. This time I have lots more information at my fingertips. Pre-operatively I have sworn off sugar, flour, wheat, rice, starchy vegetables, and processed foods. The first couple of weeks were hard but now I rarely get cravings or head hunger. I've lost 43 lbs. since the first of April. I know that abstention is the only way to prevail over addiction. I intend to continue with this post-operatively also. Since you already know you are a food addict, I recommend the following: Food Junkies: Recovery from Food Addiction, by Vera Talman Weight Loss Surgery Does Not Treat Food Addiction, by Connie Stapleton Why Diets Fail (because youʼre addicted to sugar), by Nicole Avena & John Talbott Baratric Surgery & Food Addiction, by Philip Werdell (written for the clinician, but I found it valuable} You might find Kay Sheppard's books relevant, since she advocates 12-step programs: Food Addiction: The Body Knows and From The First Bite: A Complete Guide to Recovery One more book that I highly recommend is The Success Habits of Weight Loss Surgery Patients, by Colleen Cook. I've also discovered that there a plethora of Bariatric Cookbooks now. My favorite is The Bariatric Guide and Cookbook, by Matthew Weiner.

Forget snacks entirely unless they are protein or vegetable. They grease the slippery slope to regaining what you have lost. I speak from experience. I am approaching RNY revision and I will not make the same mistakes again. The pre-op food plan and the (clear/full liquid/puree) stages post op while we are not getting hungry give us the opportunity to establish a new way of eating. If we seek sugar-free or keto snacks we are merely making some substitutes for the OLD way of eating. It's too easy to find ourselves eating sugared and carbohydrate snacks and food when we don't happen to have the "-free" type. Just because substitute snack foods are sold on bariatric sites does not mean they are good for us. If we are wise we will ignore those products. Eat whole foods, fresh or frozen vegetables and fruits, quality poultry and meat products. Avoid sugar, sugar substitutes, wheat/flour products, and processed foods. We can get plenty of tasty food to eat with these choices. I encourage you to obtain and read these two books by Dr. Matthew Weiner: A Pound of Cure and The Bariatric Guide and Cookbook. There are lots of other bariatric cookbooks available, too, including some for Air Fryers, InstaPots, and CrockPots. These will help you learn your new way of eating.

My stats are very similar to yours - I was 54 at the time of surgery, I'm 5' 1" and my top weight was 250 pounds. I really wanted the bypass too, but it turned out it was medically contraindicated. I got a 2nd opinion and that doctor agreed it was too risky for me. So I had to go with the sleeve. I was super disappointed because I had read that bypass patients tend to lose more of their excess weight. I had the sleeve and it turned out to be really effective for me. I had no complications and I lost all my excess weight. The big difference is, there was an actual medical reason why I couldn't have the bypass. If you're a good candidate for either surgery, then you should be able to choose the one you want. The post-op experience is not exactly the same between the two surgeries and you're the one that has to live in that post-op body. So, maybe get a second opinion and see if there is any legitimate reason you shouldn't have the bypass. If you get the thumbs up, then you'll have to decide whether or not to find a new surgeon. Sorry you've hit this road bump - the good news is, either surgery can be effective, so whatever you decide will probably work out for you.

I wanted a bypass and my surgeon felt the sleeve overall was a better option. I asked to talk with another surgeon in the practice and after all the pre-op tests were done, both thought the bypass was the best for me due to severe GERD and severe asthma. The hiatal hernia helped in the deciding too lol! Sometimes just asking for a second set of eyes in the same practice helps. A larger practice with multiple doctors helps because they do (or should) work together like a team and they respect each other’s ideas. That only helps your health outcomes in the end.

Hi just a quick question I had gastric bypass Wednesday the 18th and I feel alot better but I keep having a tight knot feeling under my right breast and it just feels really heavy.. has anyone had this? Is it normal? I plan to call my surgeons office Monday. It's not painful it's just more irritating because it feels like a tight heavy ball. [emoji53] Tia Sent from my SM-N976U using BariatricPal mobile app

My clinic's pre-op food plan is low carb/high protein until two days before surgery. Those two days are "clear liquids only". The pre-op diet avoids starchy vegetables, rice, anything made with flour, any fried foods, any processed foods. It also avoids fruit, which is a sticking point with me. Yes, fruit has carbs, but it also has fiber and the body processes it differently from other carbohydrates. I've lost weight while eating fruit, but they cracked down on me, saying I was "non-compliant", so I've had to wean myself off fruit. I still don't have a surgery date for my RNY revision, but it is likely to be in October.

Thank you Devotion. I'm on the mend. Good luck to you on your revision!

Hello all - new here. I just had my initial consults at the Cleveland Clinic and I am excited/terrified about the gastric bypass procedure. I am not scheduled yet but in the process of getting approved. I have a few questions for the veterans out there: 1) Post bypass, will my remnant stomach growl or ever get hungry?! The docs could not answer this question. And 2) Post surgery, can I ever eat a little pasta ever again? I am anticipating grieving over some of my favorite foods and pasta tops my list. Can I no longer eat carbs at all? Thanks in advance, folks. I have a lot of anxiety over having my digestive system replumbed and am worried about malnutrition. 🤓

you'll likely have to take vitamins with the sleeve, too - maybe not as many because it doesn't have the malabsorption piece, but the sleevers I know in person all take them. I see people above saying not necessarily - that it depends on the person and their lab results. They would know more than I would since I didn't have that surgery, although I think the majority of sleevers do take daily supplements. I didn't have any food restrictions once I got a ways out from surgery. I couldn't eat those things you mentioned when I was early out, but eventually, I was allowed to add those things back to my diet (although I had a regular bypass - not a mini bypass. Not sure if it would be different with a mini or not. I would think not - but then, I'm not familiar with that surgery)

the sleeve is an easier, less complicated surgery and some surgeons are more comfortable doing that one. If you want bypass and she won't do it, you can always go to another surgeon. Yes - there's a greater risk of complications with a bypass, but the risk of major complications with either surgery is pretty low. I've been hanging around on bariatric surgery sites for around seven years, and yes - although some bypass patients need iron infusions because they don't absorb enough iron from oral tablets, I would say that's definitely not the majority. I went with bypass because it has a longer history and I had GERD. I've had no issues with it and have been very happy with my decision.

Actually you only need to continue with vitamin supplements with a sleeve if you personally need to i.e. blood work show you’re low in specific vitamins, etc. The sleeve only changes your tummy not other parts of your digestive system. The additional changes that occur with a bypass does increase the impact on your ability to absorb the necessary nutrients. I had sleeve surgery & haven’t taken a vitamin since month 8 when I was in maintenance. But digestive systems can work differently cause we have different physiologies so you may need to take vitamin supplements regardless of the surgery you have. Generally the post surgical diets for sleeve & bypass are pretty similar. The staged return to eating (liquids, then purées, then soft food & finally more solid foods) is to support your sensitive & healing digestive system. There also are certain foods you introduce more slowly into your diet because they’re just too harsh to begin. Both surgeries tend to focus on high protein, low carbs, low fat, low sugar, nutrient dense foods. This is a lifetime thing if you want to maintain your weight loss. In time you can eat most foods just depends on how your body tolerates them but this generally is an individual thing.

I’m having it done here in Atlanta by a highly experienced and respected bariatric surgeon. He has done many of them and likes them because with only the one hook up, there is less chance of future issues or leaking. Does the same as regular bypass…

I agree. This is a big life changing surgery and you should get the one you want. I have bipolar so meds absorption can be a bigger issue with bypass plus I had lower BMI so he thought bypass would be overkill, but even still my dr said he would do it if I really wanted it (but he also stressed the risks). I think you should consider looking to another doctor if that one refuses to do what you want.

Generally, the sleeve will be less fussy than the malabsorbing procedures when it comes to supplement requirements, however, they will all have some initial requirements for the first few weeks or months as you need some additional nutrition since you won't be eating much for a while. Shakes are a part of it, for a variable amount of time, as that's the only way other than real food to get our needed protein. Over time, there will be little that you can't eat with a sleeve -which is good and bad. Good in that you can, in principle, be able to get all of your nutrition from food if you are so inclined (most aren't, which is why they still need to supplement some.) Bad in that you can still eat junk that goes against your weight maintenance goals. Some people need supplements, even with no WLS at all, simply because that is how their body works. Some programs impose the same supplement regimen on their sleeve patients as they do for their bypass patients, not out of necessity for the sleeve but for their own (the practice's) convenience. Periodic lab checks will tell you what you personally need to stay healthy. Are you having your WLS done here in the States, or in MX? The mini bypass is rarely done here in the US and is rarely covered by insurance and AFAIK has not been endorsed by the ASMBS as an approved, mainstream procedure. I would do some further research as to why this is before proceeding. The mini is done in MX, primarily as a cheaper alternative to the RNY, and is also more commonly done in some other countries. Here in the States, I would shy away from it for the same reason that I wouldn't own a French car (irrespective whatever merits they may have) as they haven't been sold here for decades and finding parts and service is a PITA. Likewise, should you have problems with a mini sometime down the road, finding someone who knows how to treat it can be a problem; if you have a sleeve or RNY, any bariatric practice at any hospital will know what you have and how to treat it.

-It is not an unreasonable position for her to keep, as the bypass does indeed provide very similar weightloss and regain results to the sleeve but at a somewhat higher cost in potential problems, limitations in future medical care and increased fussiness on supplements. The bypass is overall a very good procedure that is mature technology - it has been around as a WLS for some 40+ years, and its basis dates back some 140 years, so it is a well known quantity, both good and bad. Her concern about ulcers is well founded, and that is something that one lives with, or at least the threat of them, with the bypass as it is intrinsic to it. One may never experience one, and most don't, but everyone is living to avoid them - it is the basis of the "no NSAID" policy that is common in the bariatric world as one needs to avoid any medications that promote stomach irritation and NSAIDs are the most common class of drugs that we encounter (but there are others that one may encounter through life.) Occasionally someone will come through with an ulcer problem that defies resolution, and their main course of action it to reverse the bypass. This is rare, but it happens. Marginal ulcers are to the bypass what GERD is to the sleeve - you can't fool mother nature and there will always be potential consequences to fooling around with her. One needs to balance what one gets from a treatment against what might possibly occur on downside. Iron infusions are also a fairly common need after bypass, as it malabsorbs minerals in particular, and while some can get away with simple oral iron supplements, many can't and need periodic infusions. This is rare with a sleeve as there is no particular malabsorption. Another factor that weighs on some is the "plan B" factor - what does one do if things don't work as expected - complications, inadequate weight loss or regain? While we don't like to think in terms of getting revisions, they are sometimes necessary, and the bypass is difficult to revise if it doesn't work right; as noted above in the case of intransigent ulcers, the usual is to reverse the bypass and put you back where you started from, and likely still needing help in weight control. The sleeve, on the other hand, can readily be revised to the bypass if needed - typically for intransigent GERD problems - or to a duodenal switch for continuing weight problems. Again, not something we like to think about, but the options are there. The bypass also presents some additional limitations in future medical treatment, as it leave one with a blind remnant stomach and upper intestine, which can't easily be scoped endoscopically as with the natural GI system or with a sleeve. Again, something that may never come up, but likely will sometime in your future life. A further note, your surgeon is in good company, as my doc rarely does bypasses as well, though his preference leans toward the duodenal switch as his primary, with VSG as a second choice. He does, however, do a fair amount of business revising problematic bypasses to the duodenal switch, and will do the odd bypass when it is specifically indicated for a patient, but that is fairly rare.

That's the weird thing, She has 23 years experience and is a surgeon of excellence in a MBSAQIP bariatric center. I don't want GERD and I don't want to have another surgery down the road. It annoys me a bit that the surgeons are like if this doesn't work out we'll change to a bypass later. Not everyone has the funds to keep getting surgeries.

I would seek another surgeon. Her experience is probably lacking in the gastric bypass arena. If I had my choice over again, I'd go bypass instead of sleeve. It would've saved me years of Gerd and sleep issues because of it. That is just my personal experience, of course. Many do not develop Gerd. I had my revision to bypass a little over 3 wks. ago, and I feel so much better now.