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Hi, I'm also 4 mos out with a stall between 192-195. I'm also became caretaker for my elderly Mom so lots of stress going on here. I know how that can impact a person's health but at least I'm not gaining. Still thrilled to be in "onederland" and really enjoying breaks I get from other fam members so I can do my. Reformer Pilates classes where my focus is now cardio/sculpt. I also hop on my treadmill at home buty water intake has really taken a dive. Need to work on that. The great news is that my A1c # for diabetes no longer requires meds. I'm so, so, happy about that🙂. Btw, my highest history of weight gain was 261, pre-op was 245 to 235 from the week fast, and now 192. Goal is 150 since I am 5'6". I had the revision from lap band to gastric sleeve. My niece had the bypass and she said that her stall required her to go back on protein shakes 3x a day un order to trigger more weight loss and so far she has lost 100 pounds. I think I will be trying that, too. Good luck to everyone and I love seeing the pics Mizzkay! You look awesome. Blueslily, thx for keeping this topic alive. I'm right there with you on the stall. We can do this! Sincerely, Trish

For anyone who has had their gallbladder removed after their weight loss surgery, could you please let me know of your experience post op removal? I’m having my gallbladder removed next week (I’m around 8 months post op bypass) and really haven’t been given much info on what to expect pain wise, post op diet etc. just looking to hear about some personal experiences :) thanks

2 years ago almost i found myself in a dv relationship in a new city with no friends i just moved there 3 weeks prior ive had weight/gain weight loss alot of bloating and alot of gas ive since a gastrointestinal doctor who wants to do the camera your stomach im sure weve all have had but i have no to drive me and covid had made it difficult on top of the huge co pay ugh so this doctor set me for this test where i drink some frizzy like alka and it made me burp uncontrollably when thw test came back i have small rolling hernia which confuses me still because 2013 i had thst was tied down during my bypass. Has anyone experienced this ir any idea Sent from my SM-G991U using BariatricPal mobile app

I did a revision and it's horrible 😫

I put on 40 lbs since my VSG in 2018. I filled out a health questionnaire for Mexico Bariatric Center. Just got approved from one of their Doctors. Not sure if I want to try and take this off traditionally or try the revision. I think it's 3 times the price here in the USA.

Congrats on your upcoming surgery! I had the Loop DS 18 months ago. And in my own experience the bowel prep bit was absolutely miserable. And I felt like I got hit by a truck when I woke up from surgery, but I was up and walking after about three hours. It really helps with getting rid of the gas. Some people (myself included) vomit old blood after the surgery (it was only 4x for me, but super painful) so I'm telling you incase it happens to you because they didn't tell me it was a possibility and I freaked the hell out! I went home after three days in the hospital and I stopped taking pain meds at home after two days (so on day 5 post-op was the last day I took pain meds). The part where they take your stomach out will hurt the most, especially when you get up or sit down and you may need help showering (I did), but I was a lot better by week two. I struggled to get fluids in at the hospital and they almost kept me a fourth day because I was getting all my fluid in via ice chips so they weren't able to count so they gave me a bunch of 1oz cups and told me I had to drink a certain amount for them to release me (I didn't get released until after 6pm, so they seriously almost kept me another night). Broth tasted like heaven lol, but I couldn't eat sugar free jello at all because it made me feel like my stomach was flipping (I'm odd, I guess lol). It's hard to get the protein in (in the beginning) and the powder was wayyy too sweet, I had to drink the pre-made protein drinks instead so I had one in the morning that I nursed for several hours and then one at night, that I again nursed for several hours. Fluids were a struggle for several months for me, but some don't have the same kind of issue that I had. Also, they never told me, but there is something like a 3% chance that you can get either a wheat allergy or Celiac's Disease after surgery (this is for any WLS with malabsorption. So DS/Loop DS/Gastric Bypass). It's only 3% so only 3 out a 100 people so the chances are low, but my luck is terrible and I developed a wheat allergy so if you end up getting what feels very much like dumping syndrome when eating something with wheat in it... you might want to get tested (that's how I found out). My allergy has progressed to where I break out in a rash if I even TOUCH something with wheat in it like dried noodles that aren't even cooked or hand crackers or a cookie to my niece or wipe off bread crumbs while looking after my nieces (I always have benadryl when watching my nieces lol. My 12 year old niece is always asking why I didn't just ask her to clean up so I don't end up breaking out in a rash. I just clean out of habit). Anyway, the recovery in the beginning can be tough and for the first few days I kept asking myself "why in the hell did I do this to myself", but things do get better and I'm sooooo glad that I made this choice for myself. I've reached my own personal goal weight and am hoping I can even lose a couple extra pounds before I hit maintenance! Try and stay positive and stick to nutrition guidelines you're given to the best of your ability and you'll do great, I'm sure! I wish the best in your journey and if you have any questions feel free to ask!

Had my bypass 8/2 and also had my gallbladder taken out. Doing well but first 2 days were very painful. Still have pain, and have been doing a lot of sleeping, too. how are the others who had bypass already?

I had bypass on August 3rd. I'm working on taking in enough liquids right now. I'm not sure how big of a sip I should be taking or how much is too much at one time. I'm having lots of burps and gurgle in my belly.

actually, animal products, esp meat, have a lot more protein than vegetables. Or are you vegan? 65 mg of elemental iron is about what bypassers are supposed to get - not sure about sleevers. But be aware that different types of iron contain different amounts of elemental iron. Elemental iron is the part you actually absorb. Carbonyl iron is 100% elemental iron, meaning you absorb all of it. Some of the more common versions, like Ferrous Sulfate, have a much lower percentage of elemental iron. So it's hard to answer your question about the amount you're taking since it depends on if you mean elemental or not. Only 20% of ferrous sulfate is elemental, but 100% of carbonyl is (and there are other versions that have different percentages of elemental iron) - so the required mg is going to depend on which version you're taking. I'd ask your surgeon or dietitian how much you need.

My surgeon actually gave me a hard cover copy of Sally Johnston’s Your Complete Guide to Nutrition for Weight Loss Surgery at my first appointment. I found it very helpful. Information about sleeve, bypass & band, before & after surgery, post surgical stages, general healthy eating & nutritional needs as well as sample menus & recipes for each stage.

Did anyone purchase a secondary health insurance policy to help cover the cost of a revision?

I had the sleeve in 2011. Went from 479 to 160. Stayed that way for 6 years got pregnant 4 times 2 babies. I switch to bypass this may start weight 280 current weight 231. I don't look like I have lost any weight. I'm super tired and have no energy. I struggle with wanting to graze. Please help me. Sent from my SM-S506DL using BariatricPal mobile app

SW 280, VSG DOS 263 LW 172 but weighed 177 for about 4years. Got GERD and went up to 233! Revision to Bypass 11/2/20 and today 165! Not even a year our yet. So yes you will lose. Not as much as the first time but I’m still working out a lot and I drop when I eat more calories. I’m at 1,000-1,200 a day right now and run 5x a week 2 miles a day and weights 2x a week. I wish I would have don’t this the first time around lol BUT the surg was so painful I was like omggg why lord. My doc said well you have to understand I had to make the stomach slim again since it was stretched , THEN do the bypass so it was a lot of work. Yikes! Lol so thankful. Anyways good luck! Now I get my plastic surgery so I can feel comfy and get rid of this old skin lol

4 years post-sleeve, yes, I do regret it. The sleeve has a pretty high rate of revisions to gastric bypass in the long run due to either really bad acid reflux or inadequate weight loss. It also makes you more likely to get a hiatal hernia post-operatively, which may not sound like a big deal, but it has had a real effect on my quality of life. I didn't have a hiatal hernia until after the sleeve. Knowing what I know now, I would have never had bariatric surgery in the first place, because I was quite healthy in spite of being fat and bariatric surgery made my quality of life worse instead of better. However, if I did want to go through bariatric surgery, I'd rather get the RNY. At least the RNY has stood the test of time over many decades and cures acid reflux instead of making it worse like the sleeve does. Personally, I would only recommend bariatric surgery to people who already have health issues from being fat. Then it is worth the risk that the surgery might create its own problems.

I also meant to say that I also put off WLS for years because I had taken care of patients in the ICU that died due to complications (mostly leaks) after gastric bypass surgery and it scared me badly. Fortunately techniques have changed and improved over the years and surgical complication rates are MUCH lower so after much research and consultation with friends and coworkers who had WLS I decided the time was NOW. Plus the fact my insurance now covered WLS without requiring $3000+ up front any more convinced me it was time to go for it. Still early days but I’m convinced it was the best decision I could have made to improve my health and take back my life!

How many times did you guys and girls have to appeal an insurance denial before it went through (if it went through?) I have Harvard Pilgrim, and they have determined that my revision is not medically necessary despite reflux that wakes me up every night with imaging and an upper endo to prove this. I plan to call my surgeon's office and find the best way to appeal it, but I was just curious if anyone had successfully appealed before - particularly with Harvard Pilgrim. Thanks!

I’m 4 weeks post bypass and I feel like when I drink water it causes me pain. Almost feels like a terrible gas pain or a hunger pang. But it takes a few minutes to go away. It’s interfering with my hydration. I’m not sure why or what to do. Anyone go through this? Any advice?

I don't have RA, but rather Osteoarthritis (though my doctor is testing my knees for RA in November because my original diagnosis was for my back and hips, but I've been having constant knee issues since April. I literally had a flare that lasted the ENTIRE month of April from the 5th until the beginning of May. And I've had multiple flares since). Before my WLS I never had issues with NSAIDs. I was even given the okay by my surgeon to occasionally take ibuprofen or another NSAID for inflammation in moderation (because I had a surgery that involves the sleeve stomach. Just with the intestinal bypass bit added). You're not supposed to have NSAIDs at ALL with gastric bypass according to my surgeons office. As for my own experience, the one and ONLY time I took ibuprofen I went to the ER with such bad chest pains I thought I was having a heart attack. Then my doctor gave me Votaren Gel for my knees and I broke out in hives and welts on my neck, even though the gel went on my knees. I took two benadryl and went the ER where they had to give me a steroid shot and monitor me and the whole time I was panicking because I've had an angioedema allergic reaction in the past so when my neck turned red and got welts I started crying because I thought I was having a reaction like that and when the angioedema reaction had happened they'd told me if I hadn't gone in my airway would have closed up and I would have suffocated. I had flashbacks and I was a mess! Then recently my doctor prescribed me Meloxicam which is supposed to be a mild NSAID. But the two times I took it, just like the ibuprofen, I ended up with terrible chest pains (and I'd taken benadryl before taking it because... paranoia) and the only think that helped with the chest pain was taking valium which is for my BACK (the meloxicam was for my knees). So, I just use aspercreme with lidocane for pain as well as tylenol and tumeric and ginger root for inflammation. They've been working, luckily. I do believe RA has some steroids options that may help, from my understanding (which isn't much, mind you). You could try the tumeric, which I highly recommend. And the ginger root pills work as a good secondary and have the added effect of settling your stomach if you're dealing with nausea issues lol (I get the occasional nausea issue so it's a plus, for me).

Follow up: I actually just got the denial from my insurance company about an hour ago. Even seeing this, they’ve deemed a revision “not medically necessary.” I’m gonna have a fight on my hands 😩

I received the sleeve and that’s what I wanted, but you better believe it insurance had only covered bypass that’s what I would have gotten. For me it wasn’t the original cost that stopped me from getting surgery (I had to wait years to get on a plan that covered it at all) it was the unknown of potential complications increasing the cost. I could have afforded the out of pocket but if I’d had a leak or needed additional days in the hospital this could have been a huge issue. I work in the medical industry and the out of pocket cost for uninsured medical complications is no joke. I would always recommend to someone if they can get insurance for it then go that route. It’s just safer from a financial perspective.

Hi! No, they didn't do a baseline swallow study, so I don't have anything to compare it to, unfortunately. Fingers crossed that insurance approves my revision and we can get that corrected intraoperatively, too. Thank you, and I hope you feel better soon too!

That is absolutely abnormal. Did your doctor say that it has been stretched over time? Did you get a barium swallow right after surgery to compare? I don't have a dilated fundus, my sleeve looks good but my esophagus is really dilated instead, so I think that is the cause of the really bad reflux, Gerd Etc. and why my doctor suggested I get a revision to bypass. I hope you feel better soon.

My surgery, revision from sleeve to RNY, is on 9/20 and pre-op diet begins 9/6. I’m feeling all sorts of feelings; excitement, anxiety and a little apprehension. Good luck everyone! I look forward to reading about your progress.

I am going on a year now trying to have a revision done due to GERD. Last August, I saw my old surgeon's nurse practitioner who told me that omeprazole daily was my only option. She ordered a swallow test which she reported looked "normal" and she could see no reason why I had GERD - so, again, continue with omeprazole. This past April, I finally had had enough and decided to advocate for myself a little more and saw a surgeon in another facility. He took one look at my swallow study and said it was far from normal - I have a huge dilated fundus and a hiatal hernia. He, too, tried to push the meds vs. a surgical intervention but I told him that I could not go on like this nor did I want to take yet another medication daily for the rest of my life for an issue that could be fixed with a revision. Fast forward to THIS August, I'm waiting on insurance approval with my fingers crossed. I'm frustrated that I was misdiagnosed, as this could've been taken care of almost a year ago... bottom line, push, advocate for yourself. You know your body best. The only trick is getting insurance to deem the revision medically necessary. Good luck!

I agree, the full liquid phase seems to be going very slowly. I had my sleeve the same day as your revision. I started full liquids on Thursday (29th) and don't move to soft stage until August 10th. Getting tired of broths & shakes, but knowing this is temporary makes it easier. Sometimes I even feel like I wouldn't want anything to eat anyway, those times makes it easier. Then other times I really want something other than what I can have. I am looking forward to that soft food stage! (No purée stage on my plan) Yesterday, I added Genepro to my Crystal Light and my soup (half serving of genepro in each), that way I only needed 1 protein shake. Do you, or anyone else have anything they did during full liquid that makes it easier or more interesting? We'll be on to a new phase before we know it, we just got to hang in there! Hoping everyone is doing well with their progress. 😊 (Scale isn't moving as much as I thought it would my first week🙄, but it's moving)