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Hi all I’ve had to take a laxative as it’s been over a week since I went to the toilet. This painfully moved everything along. Today I passed a stool with blood in it. Not too much but enough to scare me. I’ve obviously had stomach surgery but this wasn’t mentioned. Is it normal? My sleeve was 6 days ago. My last bowel movement before laxatives was 8 days ago. Tia

I put mine as the weight on the day I went to my first surgical consult, which was also my highest recorded weight. With the diet and lifestyle changes I made as part of the program, I lost about 13 lbs in the 6 months between then and the start of my pre-op diet. I lost another 13 lbs in those 2 weeks of liquid diet before surgery. But I want credit for all the weight I lost! Interestingly, Dr. Weiner recently said on a podcast that the weight lost on a pre-op diet definitely is credited to the surgery in his opinion. The reasoning was that if you go on a liquid diet, lose 13 lbs, and then try to keep that weight off without having surgery just by eating right, you are going to regain most or all of it in a matter of weeks. The fact that we lose that weight and then keep losing more weight instead of gaining is thanks to the metabolic changes of the surgery. He also told me in a live Q&A support group a while back to use my weight from before the pre-op diet as my starting weight if I wanted to plug it into a prediction calculator. I raised the concern of being a bit behind the prediction based on one of those calculators and he asked me what my weight was before the liquid diet. When we used that number instead of my surgery day weight, it tracked much better (and is still looking very accurate at 9 months out). He said if I had always been 225 lbs (my day of surgery weight) that would be one thing, but in reality, my "true" weight was somewhere between 238 and 251 in terms of what my metabolism was trying to overcome with the surgery. I feel like that's one of those big questions a lot of us have in the beginning and nobody really gives an answer on the calculator sites.

Hi all, New here names Kat. 46 years old. In 2009 I had a gastric sleeve and hiatal hernia repair in Colombia. In 2020 I had horrible GERD and had another hernia repair as my stomach was in my chest cavity behind my heart at that time. I was doing ok until last week. I work in an animal hospital and I assisted in lifting a 90lb dog that fell off a table during a surgical prep and instantly felt I had injured myself when I lifted this dog. The next day I went to the ER and was told I had a large hiatal hernia which incorporated my entire stomach as well as part of my large intestine and my liver was also coming up through my diaphragm. I consulted with the surgeon that did my repair in 2020 and he is recommending a sleeve to bypass revision as he does not want to risk my sleeve slipping and the hernia recurring because going in for a 4th abdominal surgery isn't ideal and becomes quite difficult as scar tissue accumulates with every repair. Needless to say I am terrified. Having done my original procedure in another country I did not follow America protocol when it came to the appropriate mental health to go along with a bariatric procedure. I have never had a healthy relationship with food and have continued with a poor diet throughout the years. My fears are not so much surrounding the procedure more so the lifestyle change that must be made post surgery. The liquid diet pre and post surgery, the portion control, the protein and water intake that's require the regiment of vitamins and supplements needed to stay alive. Over the years I've never even been good with taking a daily multi vitamin. I'm not really sure what Im looking for by posting this thread as I'm sure I will get plenty of negative comments about just having to do what I'm told but was hoping that someone anyone can relate to the anxiety I am feeling about not being successful in what needs to be done. I know I WANT to do the right thing. I know I want to see my 9 and 12 year old grow up. I know I don't want to leave my husband heartbroken and alone. I know that even if I suck at doing the right thing for myself I need to do the right thing by my family. Im just freaking out a little. I just dropped of the CT scan cd to my surgeon yesterday and am waiting to hear back from him this coming week about talking to a bariatric dietician and discuss a date when this is all going to happen. Looking for any insite and honestly from people with similar fears sticking to post op care and life long lifestyle changes. Thanks in advance and please be kind.

I'm new here, I have surgery 8/19. I'm on a liquid diet for TWO WEEKS prior to surgery... has anyone else done two weeks? Seems like one week is the usual... and even then it looks like actual food is present in one meal a day. Interested to see if anyone else has this hardcore of pre-op instructions. thanks!!

I get your anxiety as I struggle with it as well and I’m pretty sure that I worried about the same thing but I would be surprised if they would have scheduled your surgery or your preop appointment if the surgery hadn’t been authorized. These surgeons are beyond busy and their office and surgical time is limited and worth a lot of money. Think about it, If they schedule you before they should and end up with a slot they can’t fill the Surgeon loses money and I’m sure they aren’t very happy if that happens too often. With the preop and authorizations required for this surgery it’s probably pretty difficult to fill an opening. They would need someone else that’s just been approved by insurance and still has over two weeks notice to do their preop appointment with the surgeon and start their preop diet and that date works for them and their driver. Most likely those people would’ve already been scheduled with their own date or they won’t be able to do surgery that date for one reason or the other. Long story short, they probably already got your approval and just didn’t tell you. That or they deal with your insurance company alot and they know the exact criteria and turnaround without a doubt. You really should be fine.

So just wanted to pop in and give you my short experience. I never ran, until 6months ago, I started out with walking outside, then stair master, then walking on incline a little faster to a short jog. I too would jog for 2-3min at a time then walk for a min and continue that pattern for about 15min. Now I can run 3.5miles on my lunch break and it takes me about 30-32min to do so. I started really slow but running really helped with my body composition, my mind is more focused and overall has really helped my moods too. I also lift weights 4 days a week so that has helped. My only thing I noticed with all the working out is that I eat more LOL however when I was only eating 1200-1500 calories I was not building the muscle I wanted, and not looking how I wanted. So if you start eating more remember its the working out and your muscles is burning off all that fast! Now that I am not able to work out how I like due to PS I am slowly dying LOL but soon enough i'll be back to it. Enjoy this journey its so fun!

Find something you enjoy doing. While I have been a gym rat forever, I always take up things that I look forward to and it has to always be sustainable for me. So some years ago I took up tennis and would go twice a week, I also took up Taekwondo, martial arts and now Pilates. My two Pilates classes a week are the highlights of my week, I look forward to them and I shop cute workout outfits weekly because I like to look good when I go. It is much easier to build on the workouts (movement) you enjoy, so if you enjoy a certain activity (swimming, cycling, tennis, padel, Pilates, yoga, hiking, dancing, whatever it is) you will always feel a bit more motivated to build on that. So for me, I go for Pilates twice a week and I lift and do strength and conditioning another 3 days a week to add to my classes. I love jogging, HIIT and plyos and do that for my cardio, but even brisk walking is really really good to maintain weight loss. Keep it simple. Also, I find it much draining to workout after work, so I workout at 5:30 AM before work (except for my Pilates classes because my studio doesn't run classes that early), this allows me to get it out of the way and have my evenings free to do what I like (which is be with my kids, bake, chill). It also helps that I have a fully equipped gym at home that I have built. I always kept weights, a bench, jump rope and resistance band at my old house and would mostly workout at home early in the morning, if you can keep some weights, a walking pad and some resistance bands at home (if it is an option) do that, it works great for busy days or mornings where you don't have time/the will to go to the gym. This is what has worked for me. It has to be enjoyable and sustainable for you.

I was supposed to have my surgery Dec 28 last year. I had the option of taking a last-minute cancelation the Monday of Thanksgiving week, but when I told my mom (whose help I needed with my kids), she was totally against it. Said I would ruin everyone's holidays if I had a terrible recovery and kinda made it all about everyone else. So I gave up the date, even though it pained me to do it, because I didn't want to be selfish. A couple weeks later, my hospital discontinued their surgical program and canceled my date. I was devastated. I had to rebook with a different program, which was still affiliated with the parent organization of my hospital, but unfamiliar to me. I didn't end up getting my surgery until February. It was very stressful and I was pretty angry with myself for not choosing what I wanted instead of what other people wanted me to do. Having said that, it did all work out for the best in some ways. Apparently, the November surgery date would have been right after the doctors at my old program were told the center was closing, so maybe that would have meant the surgeon wasn't as focused going into my surgery, which could have been dangerous for me. And I would have had to do all my follow up with a different program, which would've been awkward. And I appreciate that I knocked out my deductible in February so have had full coverage of all my tests and appointments all year. I actually have a biopsy I have to get done next month (not related to bariatric surgery) and that won't have any out of pocket costs, so yay for that. On the other hand, my recovery was pretty much text book, so all my mom's worries over me ruining the holidays with a terrible recovery were baseless. I was pretty self sufficient and back to about 80% functioning by the end of the first week. And 8 months post-surgery, the holidays are rolling around again and guess what? I still can't eat more than a tiny plate of turkey breast, a few green beans, and a bite of pumpkin pie. I still won't be baking a million cookies or drinking a pint of egg nog. So, whether it happens this year or next, your family will have to figure out how to navigate around your new normal. If it were me, I would decide based on what makes financial sense (your deductible, etc.), what works for you with time off work, and would probably avoid the two weeks right before Christmas just because you will need some time to recover in peace without holidays adding to your stress. In retrospect, waiting until February wasn't such a big deal, though, so if you do have to wait, it will be okay. Just make sure you do it for yourself and not for everyone else.

Thank you! I have to agree, I noticed when I was making myself eat less, I cannot even work out well, I am lifting lighter or running slower because I am lethargic and fatigued. I do have to admit I am on the straight struggle bus with not being able to work out. I feel like I am eating too much however I am not eating near the calories I was. I do think it has to do with the dietician from my program shaming me into how much I was eating at my 6m appt. She told me that I needed to stick to 800 calories max, 100g protein, 140g carbs and 40g fat. I told her that is just not possible with sustaining my activity. She got into my head and I have been avoiding my 1yr check up for this reason because now I eat even more but I weigh 25lbs less. I wanna be you when I grow up! I was running 15ish miles a week and that was insane to me but 30miles? wow!!! how do you break that up? I would love to do a mini marathon though I am very intimated. I ran 5miles at once ONE time. The next day I couldn't move hahah

I'm only two weeks post op and it doesn't hurt to eat unless you eat too much. I've learned pretty quickly what "too much" is so it's not painful to eat. Just eat slowly and your restriction will stop you from.being in pain. My mother had bypass in 2008 back whe it was standard to do an open procedure. She was able to eat almost anything and she wasn't in pain when she ate 15 years later. If they are 3+ years post op and still in pain when eating, they are probably either not eating correctly or they should speak to their surgical team.

I've been stalled for 3 weeks. I contacted the dietician and had her look over my food logs on the baritastic app. She told me stalls can last a month, sometimes more. She went on to tell me I wasn't getting enough fiber. So, I bought some Flaxseed and going eat more fiber foods to see if that was the thing keeping me stalled. How many grams of protein and carbs are you getting per day? I'm curious, every doctor or nutritionist seems to have a variety of how they do things. I believe you had the sleeve which would be a different nutritional guideline than mine since I've had gastric bypass. It's frustrating to work on doing the right thing, only for a lingering stall. It has been getting really hot in Oklahoma. Mid to high 90's. I have a hot job as it is. Sweating all the time, I thought just by the heat and sweating I would lose a few pounds. It truly is a marathon

This has also been my biggest struggle. I was going to the gym fairly regularly before surgery, but it's been a struggle since being cleared. For me, it's just prioritizing that time for myself. It's been getting better this week, I've gone twice, walked a lot last night, and I plan on going today!

Yes. I am 2.5 weeks post SADI revision surgery. The majority of us on this thread have already had our surgeries since we are getting to the end of August.

I think like most things, moderation is key. I have a basement stash of UPF in the basement for quick fixes: shelf stable protein shakes (obviously), instant bone broth packets, and a couple of instant soup powders I bought from the BP shop. They get me through days I'm feeling low energy or have no appetite. Right next to them, I have a huge stock of SF FF pudding mixes that I bought pre-op thinking I'd need them for the first two weeks of recovery (spoiler alert: I didn't need 1/16th of the **** I 'prepared' with), so the greek yogurt recipe sounds like a fab way to slowly make my way through the stash. I've also got a SF Lactose Free chocolate ice cream sitting in my freezer for certain monthly cravings. Again, something I bought for recovery that just.... hasn't been fully used up yet. It's not awful nutrition wise, but I use it sparingly. I have a pack of high protein flatbreads in the freezer, some NSA protein pancake mixes and a few NSA flavouring syrups in my pantry. I'm not against sweeteners or UPF in general, it's more that it's rare to find any one pre-made food that hits all the macros for me, and my brain really likes when I follow a nice, strict, mathematical structure. The only thing I use more often than I think I should is probably the protein pancake mix? Twice a week I'll make a pancake in place of a more balance meal -- this week it's been three times already because it -- and oatmeal-- are one of the few things not pinging my nausea. (It's been a rough week) (@NickelChip That's good to hear about the yonana machine -- I've been eyeballing it for a while but even as a child I go through cycles of strong banana-aversion LOL.)

Kind of feel like a broken record from what everyone says but....STALLS HAPPEN! Also, its okay to have imperfect days, were human, give yourself grace. I freaked out when I had mine so I totally get it! but your doing amazing!! Just from your profile pics I can see the changes in your face, you have lost 88lbs! to put that in perspective, that is my 7yr old and 2yr weight combined! you lost two little people lol Now your wearing a 1x?! damn killing it!! Keep doing what your doing it will come off, and focus on those NSV's they make all the difference!

New week new things that I grieve ... pre-menstruation hunger and menstruation hunger needs to be further talked about in the bariatric community.

As someone who started traveling less than 3 weeks post surgery, my biggest advice is to make sure you load up on what you need before the day starts (proteins that you can "safely" eat) - Just keeping enough snacks/food that you know you can tolerate easily during the flight rather than relying on whatever they provide you. For me, an aisle seat was key on long hauls also just so that I could get up and walk if needed. Extra water for the flight was also very helpful. Mostly, enjoy the extra room! That was seriously a game changer for me. Before surgery, I'd panic if I had to fly coach wondering if I'd get a seatbelt that fit or have someone beside me that was just disgusted at my presence.

Liquid diets or liver shrinking diets before surgery are very common. Different surgeons will want patients to follow specific diets (like all liquid) prior to their surgery usually for about two weeks though can be for longer or shorter. The aim is for you to lose a little more weight before surgery, thus making it safer, and to shrink your liver so the operating field is more visible and your tummy and digestive system easier to access. Different patients will fe given different plans to follow based on their weight, current health status, surgery, etc. Some are given weight loss goals to reach like you, others not. For example, I was put in Keto and not given a specific weight loss goal just had to lose some. I lost 4.5kg (9.9lbs) in just over two weeks. Just follow the diet plan you’ve been given & you’ll be fine.All the best.

I had a ton of scar tissue from a butcher surgeon 40 years before my sleeve surgery. The bariatric surgeon noted it and allowed a little more theatre time for me. My surgeon said it was very stuck inside but he did it all keyhole. It just took him longer. This week I was due to have my ovaries and a huge ovarian cyst removed by key hole surgery. I was informed that I may have to be opened up if it became a problem. It was and I was. This is day 6 and I am feeling more like myself and the pain is manageable today without meds. So what are the differences, More pain, your muscles are cut. A big scar and drain holes. And a 12 week ban on house work and lifting, more of a bonus that one really. I hope it goes well for you. It will be worth it even if its not keyhole. Trust me

what i eat varies greatly day to day so i don't really have a "typical" menu of eating. food: but i do generally "eat all day" starting around 12-1pm and eat something or other every hour or so until about 7-8pm. what it is depends on where i am, what i'm doing, who's with me, what's in the fridge, how lazy i am, etc. ha! though there are days that i dont eat anything at all until 6 pm because i got distracted or just forgot. when i do eat, i generally eat about 2000-2400 cals (when i'm tracking). activity: i do some sort of dedicated exercise every day, for at LEAST 60 mins, but usually more: i go to hot yoga every day for 1 hour (a couple days a week i go for 2 hours); i do pilates 2 x 60 mins a week; run 5K 1-2x a week, rock climbing 2x a week (i go for an 90 mins or so but am only actively climbing for maybe 20 mins...rock climbing is EXHUASTING...it mostly resting, lol). plus i do other non-regular activity: walking, hiking, swimming, dancing, volleyball, tennis etc, etc....

It’s not particularly common but it does happen. I actually “eat” every three hours. Something small And I have seen others on here who eat every two hours but they are much further out from surgery than you and me. Also, this is something small and it’s all protein high protein food so if you log all of the calories and macros you can eat more often but still stay on plan. Maybe run this by your team. My nutritionist that I talked to you before my surgery did not think it was a good idea but the nurse practitioner said it was actually fine so long as I wasn’t eating more portion wise than I was supposed to while everything healed. I think the problem with it would be in the future as portions grow a bit if you’re eating five meals a day then you are eating five bits more instead of three bits that adds up faster. as long as you know that you’re able to control the portions and the quality of the food that you’re consuming your team may be on board. In the meantime, check in with yourself to make sure that it’s not what we call head hunger. Are you tired, lonely angry or bored or anything like that when you’re feeling hungry? If so, then talk to your team about that and maybe try journaling to get your feelings out or an alternative behavior such as working on a puzzle or craft or something like that. If that’s not it, there was a lady on here years ago that struggled with hunger that never went away, and she tried everything to get to the bottom of it. In terms of it being head hunger, and it didn’t seem to be she finally said that one thing that helped was warm liquid such as soup, broth, or tea or warm coffee. Another thing is there is not a whole lot of protein in one egg. I know your pouch is small and you can’t consume a lot food wise at this point, so maybe you need to supplement that protein with a little bit of a protein shake in between. I actually have what I call proffee for breakfast for that very reason. I am able to consume an entire protein shake over time with added chilled coffee and that keeps me full until lunch. Of course, don’t go against your teams plan without discussing these ideas with them, but hopefully something here helps. You have to remember that they give you a cookie cutter plan when you start out. But you are very individual and it’s possible that what they gave you just doesn’t work for you so make an appointment to talk to them sooner or email through your patient portal and tell them what’s going on. My suggestion would be to log what you’re eating and your activity and show them so they can have a better idea of what’s going on. I used a Fitness watch that is connected to an app on my phone for my activity and the Baritastic food app, which is free on the phone, but there are others as well. Also, pay attention to your mood or feelings because a lot of of us are emotional eaters. I know that I turned into food a lot of times out of just boredom. But also stress and anxiety. Basically, I realize this by sitting there with my hungry feelings for a few minutes and thinking about what had happened that day and whether it was particularly stressful or how I was feeling about it. If you really take inventory and it doesn’t coincide with emotions, though it is possible for the hunger to come back sooner, it has happened again just very uncommon. It will be easier to explain to your team if you have done a feelings inventory and tried a journal or really thought about if you were, I can’t remember there’s an acronym, but I think it’s stressed, lonely bored or tired. Something like that. After reading the comment above, it reminded me when I was early out. I did not eat food, solid food that often I had shakes in between. Also, yes, it is possible that it’s stomach acid too so ask about a PPI if you aren’t on that already. And please don’t just adjust anything without talking to your team because I don’t even know what surgery you had and everybody’s situation is different but you could run those ideas by them.

I do have to say I kinda agree with you here! Seems like such a strict and long LRD for no reason! @NeonRaven8919 if my maths is right, I weighed more than you pre-surgery, and I was on an 800 cal a day LRD for 2 weeks - it is mad to me what they are asking of you! Though, with that being said, you are smashing it and that is just reflective of your own strength!

Everyone has different plans from their doctors but in all of them I have never heard of being on regular food after 2.5 weeks. Do you mean non liquid phase and that you are normal food but soft? I hope so as that is all your stomach should be handling now as you can't digest normal food at this stage, which is what may cause the vomitting and pain. It should be no water 30 minutes before and after a meal so maybe if you are only leaving it 10 minutes that is causing the problem? I did have gas issues but it was caused by complications so not the same for you I am sure. Could you ask your doctor about taking something to help with reflux?

Ok. I’m two weeks out. My dr ordered diet is liquids and purée for the first four weeks. I’m so sick of broth. I’m tired of pudding. I don’t want mashed potatoes anymore. I’ve puréed green beans but I’m over it. I tried purée meat but that is a NO GO. Any ideas on good purée things I can do for the next two weeks?

Oh yes, you never open a medication that is a capsule form. can’t belief they told you to do that. The outer shell is to protect your digestive system and to ensure the medication is absorbed slowly. People with sleeve usually don’t need to take as many supplements as those with a bypass, Sadi, etc. as sleevers don’t have as much of a malabsorption issue as they do. I had to take a multivitamin and vitamin D with K. That was it. I only took the D with K for about 3 or 4 months and stopped the multi at about 8 months. But I stress that was me and what my blood work showed I needed (or was lacking in) or in my case didn’t need. Some sleevers are also required to take calcium and iron. Does your blood work show you have existing needs i.e you are lacking in some vitamin? This would be a staring point as to what you may need even pre surgery. Then subsequent tests will show if you drop in anything. As to whether you can take tablets or need to have patches, chewables, liquid, or mouth spray versions is really up to what your surgeons requires and what you are able to tolerate. I could swallow capsules from about day 4 or 5. (Regular sized capsules not those giant horse sized ones 🙂). General advice: take your multi after you’ve eaten. They can cause nausea if taken on an empty tummy. If you have to take two or more multis as your dose, spread them out across the day. Try one in the morning and one in the evening. don’t take your calcium at the same time as your iron. Your body can’t absorb them at the same time. Try one in the morning & the other in the evening. don’t take your iron within an hour or so of consuming any caffeine if you’re allowed caffeine. Caffeine reduces your ability to absorb iron by more than 60%. Ensure you’re getting regular blood tests. My surgeon required once every three months before visits but my GP had me do one in between so I was having one every 1.5 months. That way if anything unexpected was happening, we knew about it quickly. All the best.