Search the Community

Hey guys, I’m fortunate enough to have my Mom stay with me to help me after surgery. But my question is, I have a 4 & 2 year old and I’m wondering how long I should ask her to stay? Appreciate the advice!

I had gastric bypass on September 9th. Struggling to drink more than 25oz per day of liquids

So my ENT diagnosed me with silent GERD. Never heard of such a thing. Had a revision in May 2020 due to hernia and GERD. Had to revised twice more in June due to some complications. Have been feeling fine then boom, come July I feel a lump In my throat. No heartburn. At my ent visit for another issue with dizziness she did a scope and said it’s acid in the throat. Not the esophagus. 🤦‍♀️ 🤦‍♀️ Don’t have a single symptom of typical heartburn just this lump. Feels like something stuck. Like a pill. I can drink and eat with no issues. It’s getting worse so she put me on Pepcid 40 At night time. Anyone have this. What did you do for it. It’s so annoying.

So I have lost 12lbs since surgery 9/04/2020 and Iam very happy I just wanted to see what the average amount is with other people that have gastric Bypass. Sent from my SM-G970U using BariatricPal mobile app

If it is too early to get labs done for your surgeon (it's often not until six months,) talk to your surgeon or PCP about your problem and maybe get your iron and B12 levels checked to see if either of those are your problem - a sleeve does not markedly change your B12 absorption (that's more of a bypass thing) but some people do run intrinsically low in it. Our program doesn't call for any B12 supplements for VSG or DS patients, and I never needed any. Electrolytes were mentioned, and that is something to look into. Another area where this is a common problem is simple dietary balance. Our early diets are usually by default low in carbohydrates, and some go overboard even further in limiting them, but they are also our primary energy source - lethargy and brain fade are not uncommon side effects of low carb dieting, so there may be something that can be tried there to restore balance a bit. While I never had any real lethargy problems after the first month or so, I was running out of gas after swimming for an hour, Working with my RD, we added some complex carbohydrate to my lunch before I went to the gym, and a simple piece of toast did wonders, and broke that wall I was having at an hour. That is a simple thing one can try (I didn't add any calories, just reallocated what I was already consuming. A bit of carbohydrate for breakfast - oatmeal perhaps - can help set the stage for more energy through the day (as opposed to late in the day.) I have seen references to some programs that specifically want their early post op patients to do a bit of carb loading (bit of fruit juice, apple sauce, oatmeal, etc.) specifically to help maintain energy levels (nothing big, we're mostly talking about minor adjustments here.) Something else to think about.

Motivation needed! I am almost one year post op (gastric bypass) and I have stalled. I have gotten sloppy with my eating habits and I'm looking for any advice or motivation you can offer. Looking for ideas for a meal plan to get back on track. Thanks y'all and I hope everyone is well!

I am getting my revision from band to sleeve on Monday, September 21st. There was no problem with the insurance covering it but I had to go through the whole program again like I did with the band so it took months. Then Covid hit and all surgeries were postponed so it's been a long wait. I got my band in 2010 and loved it and did really well, but a couple of years ago I started getting horrible GERD that was caused by the band. They had to take all the fluid out and since then I've put back on 40 pounds and I'm miserable. The fact that my gym closed and I couldn't go to my usual exercise class everyday didn't help either. I'm pretty sure your insurance will cover it, but it might take awhile if they make you go through the whole program again like they did with me. Good luck!

At my last followup visit with my surgeon I had lost 103% of my excess body weight. He was so impressed. I have lost 53% of my highest recorded weight from 5 yrs ago. I did the diet roller coaster for yrs before having my RNY gastric bypass. WLS works if you do the work! It truly is a lifestyle change.

Good morning, How do you feel? I am an OG gastric bypass patient. If you have questions do not hesitate to ask.

Hello My name is Missy and I have been on my journey since 2009. I started with the Lapband procedure which I spent the longest amount of time from 2009 through 2015. After experiencing an erosion of my stomach in 2015 the band had to be removed and in 2016 my surgeon conducted a revision which is the Gastric Bypass. I was extremely happy at one point in my life because I began to lose weight again. Unfortunately 6 years later I am facing a slow weight loss phase in my life and I am trying to fight from getting where I once was. If anyone is experiencing any of these complications, please share and together we can overcome some of these challenges so that we can remain at our weight or improve our health.

I’m sorry did I say that carbs caused GERD? My intent was to say sleeve can cause eventual need for revision to RNY due to GERD. Carbs are a separate subject, that can cause issues with the weight weight loss phase and usually healthy carbs are for maintenance and after protein is eaten. And depends on the persons ability to process them. I’m sorry I won’t be responding to posts. I’m not very good at getting the correct message across, especially lately I’m just dealing with a lot of issues with my chronic illness. I’m not sure why it’s offensive though to discuss a strict low carb way of eating, that is beneficial for some people. Not all people process carbs very well. But it does come down to individual needs. And I’m not pushing low carb with my comment. Just saying that carbs if any comes with maintenance. And if someone has GERD it’s usually An issue after sleeve surgery. Sorry I’m stepping away now from commenting further on anymore posts since for some reason I offended you.

"Bariatric Surgery is probably one of the most effective interventions in health care." - Laurie K. Twells, clinical epidemiologist at Memorial University of Newfoundland [2] Are you lurking on these forums debating whether or not you should have surgery? Unsure about making a permanent change to your lifestyle and body, or thinking that since you lost x number of lbs before, you can do it again? Heard about all the horror stories of complications and regain? This was me, one year ago. I want to tell you about the study that changed my mind. This study[1] looked at three groups: 418 patients who sought and underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (surgery group), 417 patients who sought but did not undergo surgery (primarily for insurance reasons) (nonsurgery group 1), and 321 patients who did not seek surgery (nonsurgery group 2). They performed clinical examinations at baseline and at 2 years, 6 years, and 12 years to ascertain the presence of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. Let me highlight a couple images from their study. These charts graph the amount patients lost as a percentage of total weight (NOT excess weight) at 2, 6, and 12 years relative to their baseline. First, this graph is the individuals who did not seek surgery. This group lost only 0.9% of their total weight 12 years after the study began. Those empty triangles? Those are people who ended up getting bariatric surgery anyways. Lets look at the second group, people tho sought out surgery but couldn't get it. So at least we are aware that this group is invested in losing weight. This group fared slightly better, as patients lost a mean of 2% of their body weight at 12 years out. This excludes patients who got surgery (they lost an average of 10%). Lets look at patients who did get the surgery. Patients lost an average of 26% of their total body weight even after 12 years. I found this difference absolutely remarkable. To reach that average 26% body weight loss without surgery, you would need to be in the top 5-10% of losers. Think about that. I used to see getting the surgery as an admission of my own personal failure at willpower and dieting. But this study makes it clear that the probability of success for non-surgical options is astoundingly low relative to bariatric surgery. Studies [3], [4], [5] reinforce the positive impact on health that bariatric surgery has on patients who choose to go through with it. Reading these helped put my mind at ease. Bariatric surgery is one of the best decisions I could make for my health. I encourage you to skim through the studies to see other benefits I didn't outline here. The NYT[2] article is also a great read for seeing why bariatric surgery is so effective. It distills a lot of the studies into facts that you can use to arm yourself when speaking with family and friends who aren't supportive. Sources: [1] https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1700459 [2] https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/13/well/why-weight-loss-surgery-works-when-diets-dont.html [3] https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11695-012-0718-9 [4] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/oby.21322 [5] https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/fullarticle/2546331#Introduction

I'm not sure where that info is coming from, but there is no link between carbs and reflux, and certainly not to RNY revision. GERD is a complication of the sleeve due to the new stomach anatomy creating a high pressure upper GI system. There are many different post surgical diet programs, all prioritize protein, hydration and calorie deficits. But they are not all strictly low carb. There is more than one path to weight loss success.

@Keatsy honestly needed that. Not in a good place right now. But i get up and deal with the day the best I can. One step at a time even if my limitations don’t let me get too far ... reading these posts we all need to learn to be our own nutritionist on our journey. Each have our differences especially how our bodies process foods. I was trying some meals with beef and cauliflower rice and am not sure what caused a spike in my weight. I rarely if ever eat beef. Perhaps it was that it was a frozen meal (real good foods Mongolian beef bowl) guess I’ll stick to doing it my way. I’m still testing the waters with cauliflower rice. At least post gastric bypass that is. I ate it often before. I’m wondering what surgery your friend had that she is having reflux. And that she can eat so much without pains. Did she have sleeve? A lot of times with sleeve maybe the nutritionist guidelines can be more lax. Some nutritionists think carbs are ok even early on. But my nutritionist guidelines save complex, healthy carbs for maintenance and then only after having protein first so very minimal carbs. And usually from vegetables and healthy sources. It is strange how different they can be. And it can be very damaging to the success of the bariatric patient’s success. Also with sleeve that’s usually what causes eventual reflux or GERd. And then people usually end up getting revision to RNY. it’s hard to know what to say even to a friend. I was in similar position years ago a friend eating herself sick, literally but I couldn’t confront her about it. But that was a very difficult situation. If this is a close friend and she trusts you gently ask about her nutritionist and why she approves of so much carbs and sugar. Especially during the weight loss phase. Maybe just curious to compare to yours. I would think mot nutritionist guidelines would say very little if any sugar. I don’t know if it’s different for sleeve.

Wow. Thank you for taking the time. An amazing read. I’m in Seattle and wanted a sleeve but my acid test and gerd numbers were too high according to my team. I informed them that I only began experiencing heartburn/reflux after my abdomen got larger and tight plus I have a small frame, 5’0. They refused, it was bypass or nothing. If I can get my belated dumping under control I believe I will be on track to hit my goals and can start exercising soon. That is, when the West Coast smoke dissipates. Thanks Rick

"Gold standard" is a marketing term used in selling a procedure (cynically, it has been said that it applies to the surgeons themselves, as that is where they make the most "gold") and as such is basically meaningless. Here in the States, there are four mainstream procedures that are routinely performed, and approved by the ASMBS and the US insurance industry - lap bands, RNY, VSG and DS. The bands are falling out of favor owing to their high longterm complication rate and low effectiveness, but there is still a lot of marketing push for them by their manufacturers. The RNY has been around for forty years or so, based upon procedures that had been first developed 100 years before to treat gastric cancer and other gastric maladies (Billroth II). It was an improvement over the existing malabsorptive procedures such as the JIB (jejuno ileal bypass) but it still had the longstanding tradeoffs of its basic configuration - bile reflux, marginal ulcers (aka, the "NSAID problem"), dumping syndrome and moderate nutritional deficiencies. Bile reflux has largely been eliminated in the RNY WLS procedure via tailored limb lengths, but the others remain as common side effects and are largely controlled by diet or medication restrictions and supplements. It is overall a very good and mature procedure that works well with tolerable side effects, but it is far from perfect, which is why there is been an ongoing effort in the industry to find a replacement (this is how progress is made.) The duodenal switch (DS) was developed in the mid to late 1980's, which combined a moderate level of malabsorption with a moderate level of restriction (compared to the RNY which is more highly restrictive and minimally malabsorptive) that takes care of the RNY's problems with bile reflux, dumping/reactive hypoglycemia and marginal ulcers. In exchange, it is more technically challenging for the surgeon (which is why most don't offer it) and is a little more fussy on its' supplement regimen. On the plus side, it is more effective in treating diabetes, somewhat more effective on overall average weight loss, and much better at resisting regain. It should certainly be on the radar for anyone in the high BMI ranges and/or with a history of yoyo dieting. The main thing that has held the DS back from being more popular is its complexity, which often doesn't fit in with either surgeon's skill sets or business models (can't do as many procedures in a day.) The VSG came out of the DS as it is the first phase when the DS is done in two steps. Typically the VSG stomach is made smaller, about half the size, than the DS sleeve. It overall yields similar weight loss and regain characteristics to the RNY but without the dumping/reactive hypoglycemia or marginal ulcer predispositions and is also quicker and easier for the surgeon to perform, which is why it has been gaining popularity. The primary downside is the predisposition toward acid reflux owing to the stomach volume being reduced much more than the acid producing potential, to which the body doesn't always adapt. Nothing is perfect, and they all have a place for different circumstances. Getting beyond marketing fluff, hey are all the "gold standard" when used appropriately. The next new thing that is working its way through the industry is the SIPS/SADI (sometimes called the "loop" or simplified DS) that shows some good promise of having effectiveness somewhere between the RNY and the DS, with surgical complexity on the order of the RNY (it is being promoted as being "almost as good as the DS" while being more "accessible" - simpler so more surgeons can do it. It is still usually considered by most insurance to be investigational, and has yet to gain approval by the ASMBS, but there's a good chance that it may become that RNY replacement that the industry has been looking for.

I was just sitting here with my coffee and had all these thought running through my head so I started putting them down on paper as sometimes do. Hope you enjoy it---- Twas the night before bypass and all through my head Was a mixture of feelings, thoughts, and cheers. I have worked hard to get here and this day has come, Its time to cheer and shout, Tell the world “Here I come” No more will I hide behind this wall of shame That kept me from being the person I am, The true me is coming, I’m ready to shine So onward pride, happiness, love, peace, and joy You will show the sadness, guilt, and loneliness where to go, There is a new me inside all ready to show. So know that the fear, anxiousness, and worry is there now, But remember just what the purpose is and it will bring a big smile.

You can have water just sip it. Which surgery did you have? I was very excited to be losing weight. I had a gastric bypass initially and with that or Duodenal switch you are guaranteed to lose for the first year.

Hi there. I’m new to Bariatric Pal. Needing a community. I had gastric bypass 2006 top weight 301 current weight 165. My lowest was 138 intentional gained 10 lbs (with doctor’s guidance) bc I was getting very cold. However in 2018 I started playing around with carbs and now paying for it. What I remember was doing no carbs in the beginning. I think maybe the first year. The focus was protein. My belief and still is that the gastric bypass team doctor, surgeon, dietician are my guide. I ask lots of questions and keep food journals. The foods that got me to 301 I had to let go. And they are the foods that caused me the weight gain. Hope this helps some. sylvia

Most practices offer rny because its the gold standard not as complex and has a lower death rate. I dont know what country you are in but here in america gastric bypass is standard but sleeve is more popular this year statistically

Hey girl regain is actually common that far out on the sleeve statistically you are not alone. You could try to get revision to d switch or you could try to lose the lbs by following plan. Also maybe consider getting apetite suppressant to help if you feel hunger. This reads more like binge so maybe make appointment w counselor

Hey 👋 its not the end its the beginning of a new lifestyle. I switched to bypass two weeks before surgery just let surgeon know. Alot of people here older than you some in their sixties!

I am 7wk post gastric bypass surgery and I been getting muscle twitching/spasms. Have anyone gone through this? Sent from my SM-G965U using BariatricPal mobile app

For me personally I had my gastric bypass surgery April 29th 2019 I reached goal before my one year anniversary. I ended up going for plastics in June. My weight was at the lowest that it ever would be, the lowest I’d ever been able to reach actually. It’s still stable I knew going in to expect a range within a few lbs of fluctuations and try to keep it in check due to hormone issues. But I don’t regret jumping in when I did. I saw the opportunity and grabbed it. I’m still in the recovery process wearing Faja. I had a belt lipectomy/butterfly lift with stomach muscle tightening, thigh lift, and augmentation. It helped that my BMI was low.