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I had surgery 6/20/18. My bs lvl sits generally around 90-100 all the time. If I eat ofc depends on carbs or sugar I still have the spike up to upper 100”s. Then after 1-2 hrs generally speaking a hour or so, I drop back to 90-100 range. This is a normal effect even for non diabetics.

So turns out I was feeling so awful because I got an abdominal infection from the surgery. It wasn’t a leak, but something got into my system and created an abscess. I spent 2 weeks in the hospital on strong antibiotics, being fed through a tube, but luckily, no corrective surgery was needed. I’m home now, eating puréed foods and slowly starting more solid foods. I’m feeling so much better. I’m a little over one month post op. Down 33 lbs since I started the preop diet and down 21 lbs since surgery! Feeling great. My BMI has gone from 42 to 34.9 - I am officially, only Obese class 1!

Oooh, I like this idea! Arizona sounds especially nice bc Minnesota is being dumb and already 20 degrees and snowy 😡

Thank you, sideeye. Everything you say here is EXACTLY HOW I FEEL. People shouldn't assume I am so stupid and treat me as such. Maybe there are stupid people.. I do not think my post warranted the reactions/lectures. It was just meant to be light hearted and fun. The last thing I need or anyone else for that matter is 50 lectures from the "veterans" and others jumping on the bandwagon all about how my head is not in the game here. It is a hard thing to swallow when I have literally not had ONE BITE of food for 6 WEEKS. Yes, 6 WEEKS. My pre-op was 2 weeks LIQUIDS. No din din like most, 3 meals liquids. Now, I am still on LIQUIDS. I have been FAITHFUL to it. My post was truly innocent and I thank YOU for seeing that. I am an underdog. I ticked off one veteran and she brought her friends back. I see through all that stupid BS. You are 100% CORRECT about why people leave, it SUCKS to be the underdog. A very small, limited amount of chocolate may the thing that keeps me sane, it may not be. It may be the tool that helps me NOT go off the deep end, it might not be. People should really refrain from spanking others. They do not understand the thoughts/intents of others and just jump to their own conclusions. Who has time for it? I have been trying to delete my account and I see that I cannot even if I wanted to. I do not need people to lecture me here. I know why I am here. I have had people mistreat me most of my life, and I assumed this would place might be a little different. And I do not have a friend here but maybe you. So, thank you for speaking some truth here.

Has anyone lost too much weight after RNY ? I’m nearly 18 months out and currently weigh 52kg I’m fed up of people telling me I look too thin I eat constantly even have reverted back to eating things which are not good for you Been told to eat x6 times a day Never ever thought is struggle to put weight on

So I didn't have a honeymoon year one, everyone is different. I've been in the 190's for a long ass time. I've been staying in my calories and getting enough protein and fluids water. It's honestly been a hell of a year. I will eventually hit the 180's at some point. I walk a lot outside workout DVD's inside when it is rainy outside. Good news to report: I start working at my new job on Monday the 12th! I have orientation for the first day, I'm an image generalist (I'll fill you guys in on what it is when I get there) My shift is a good one from 7 am to 3 pm Monday through Friday. Starting pay is 12 an hour and has growth opportunities. Once they see how diligent and hardworking I am they will (computers I'm in IT, there are no IT desktop support jobs close by) they will move me into other areas I'm sure. It's secure work, based on the fact that I have a disability (High Functioning Autism) I am mood wise struggling to stay afloat, been getting back into journaling and painting. When I workout I try so hard to reach the 'high' or the 'zen' that comes after a hard as hell workout. Nadda, nill nothing just sweaty Hannah with a meh ok that's done. 🤔 Might have to do with hormones I'm looking at getting off of the bc I've been on since I was 25 years of age an entire decade of low dose bc isn't good. It's kept my PCOS at bay but I need to visit my OBGYN and come up with a game plan with her. I want to par down my meds too, but the first on the list is the bc. I'd just like to be down to two or three meds, not 6 and above. 🤨

No matter where we go in life there will always be negativity and suffering. Doesn't mean we have to feed into it, because when we do, it gets worse. Instead let the positivity shine through. Don't co-sign someone else's bs. Some people are more opiniated than others and some enjoy letting others take control. It's just the ebb and flow of the world we live.

I haven’t had anything like that, I’d talk with your team bc it sounds serious! Congrats on your amazing progress! I had my surgery in July as well and I’m 20 lbs behind you when I include my two week preop loss too! Wow!

Do NOT cheat! You will be mad at yourself. I wanted pizza so bad during my liquid diet. I thought one slice was fine. However, I was strong!!! I would not allowed myself to do it Bc I was scared I would screw my self over during the surgery. Just eat a bunch of ice pops! It does not get easier. Also, make thick protein shakes. They fill you up much better than the store ones. Keep weighing yourself Bc you will see the weight go down and that will make you happy. Also drink your broth it tastes delicious during the stage 😂😂 good luck!!!

Hi! Eat blended bean soup like black bean soup. You can only eat so little because it makes the belly uncomfortable. I was only hitting 400cals at your stage. Just eat soups and chili and tuna salad and chicken salad. You will see that you can barely eat much Bc it hurts. Best of luck

Hi everyone! I was wondering if anyone had any info on bariatric (VSG) requirements with Prestige Insurance (Florida Medicaid)? I was told by member services that it is covered when medically necessary, but they wouldn’t tell me what the requirements were ie., length of time for supervised diet visits, specific BMI info, nutritional and psychic evaluations. I am scheduled for an informational session in Tampa in a week, but I can’t get any info from my insurance or perspective surgery center and it’s so frustrating. Also if you have any other FL Medicaid insurances and know the surgery requirements for them, pls let me know what they are, bc I’m still within the time frame to switch insurance plans. Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Because with the patch it’s a one shot deal, taking pills you need multi, iron, calcium, vitamin D, extra Bs and B12 and some people like me suffer from constipation with all these supplements but not with the patch. Those are my reasons and labs have been great so far!

I swear from 3 weeks on, I had considerable hunger. And I too could eat more than I should. So I didn't. I closely followed my doc's post-op plan to the letter of the law, including quantities. And I at 3 weeks I was eating 3 meals + 1 snack + 4oz Premier Protein snack (cuz that was my doc's plan). I was on softies (not mushies). I ate 1/2cup of food per meal and I weighed everything that went into the cup. I did experience hunger and I just had to rein myself in and deal with it. That sounds hard-hearted, but I did and do still have to practice tough love on my wayward self. Cuz I didn't "accidentally" find myself at the Obesity Ball, I ate myself into a lifetime invitation to it whether I'm in a "skinny dress" or my "tent." So I had to accept like @GreenTealael that hunger is part of life. And just cuz we're hungry, does not mean we must eat. I learned that hunger passes and does not build in intensity if left unfed. I learned that if ignored, hunger goes away and is less the next time. I learned that if I fed hunger, it would continue to grow. I had REAL hunger too, plus significant head hunger and cravings. I just had to deal. It sux. Honestly. But now it's so much better. Also, you could be having extra acid that is masquerading as hunger. It can make you feel hungry. But I would really encourage you to weigh and measure your food and eat no more than 1/2c per meal with 1 or 2 very tiny meals or a protein supp to make your protein goal. Also thirst MUST be dealt with or it will make you feel hunger. I would drink a cup or more of water every time I felt hunger. Good luck on finals!!

Good post! I’m avoiding alcohol for a while bc I was warned that it is easy to become dependent after sleeve. It is not mentioned much probably bc there are some really hardcore and super judgmental folks on here that call themselves veterans and shame anyone that they see as weak or not conforming to their brand of advice. I encourage you to keep reaching out. This isn’t something I struggle With right now but I’m very aware of it and am taking precautions because I do not want to become an alcoholic. Thanks for sharing the info. Keep going to your meetings and hang in there! I have seen this discussed maybe on here but maybe elsewhere. Best to you!

"transference" in an interesting notion, but based on my current experience, I've become convinced that there's a brain chemical explanation for my alcohol increase post-bariatric...... First off, let's acknowledge that heredity has a lot to do with addiction. Some of us are just born wired to fall prey to over drinking. Study: If neither of your parents were alcoholics, you have a 1 in 10 chance of developing alcohol issues. If one parent was an alcoholic, your odds move to 1 in 2, and if both parent were alcoholics, your odds move to 4 in 5. ack!! Guess who drew that last lucky straw! AA calls it being born 'allergic' to alcohol. Second, alcoholism is a scientifically provable brain chemical disorder; not some kind of moral failing or weakness of will-power. Here's a snippet from a great video that really helps explain. Third: There have been studies which link vitamin deficiency with an increase in alcohol abuse. I'm describing this study from memory, but it goes something like this: Back in the 50s, they did a study where they placed rats in a cage with a bowl of water and a bowl of alcohol and then fed them Puppy Chow. About 10% of the rats turned into alcoholics, which is in line with the general US population. Next they re-ran the experiment with a new set of rats, except this time, they extracted all the vitamin nutrients out of the food. About %85 of the rats turned into alcoholics. Finally, the re-ran a third time, but with Puppy Chow mega fortified with vitamins, specifically B and C. None of the rats turned to the alcohol. When I read this study - true or not - I was inspired. It made a connection in my head. What is one of the major issues facing post-bariatric patients? Vitamin deficiency. And who hasn't been a very good boy about taking his bariatric vitamins for the last two years.... the exact time frame where my drinking went from the occasional bender, to daily drinking? Me!! So two weeks ago I started getting really serious about my vitamin intake, including getting B-12 injections every two days. Wow! what a difference! My craving went from a scream to a whisper. This last 12 days of sobriety has been a piece of cake compared to all my other attempts (none of which lasted more than seven days before giving in to the cravings). Your milage may vary, but if you are struggling with managing your alcohol cravings, give b12 injections a try. Hopefully it makes the same difference as I've experienced the last two weeks (knock on wood) I'll keep this post updated and honest.

Thanks. Dealing with a lot personally too. If anyone of you want to see what a post looks like when I'm pissed... go read that last one I posted to that thread, that was me like shaking mad. In this day and age, to tell someone they don't understand something because they are one gender or another (or one sex or another, your pick) just really set me off. I'm never anything but honest and factual. I go out of my way to be helpful and understanding. That post... concerns me more than anything because this woman is using her 4 kids as the reason she won't go to the ER because she's unable to consume water... yet, me alerting her to the fact that, she could die if she doesn't... is me being harsh. I can't wait to see someone twist my last post into some "mansplaining" bs. I'm dealing with a bout of shingles w/o a rash. So I've got no treatment options other than dealing with the pain, can't take any NSAIDs or pain meds that actually work thanks to the bypass... I still am greatful for the bypass, but this kinda sucks. I'm not going to make 200 before my 20th anniversary or birthday, and that is depressing, even if I fully understand that it's just some arbitrary goal that does nothing to negate my progress, it still sucks. Haven't been sleeping well because of the pain... BUT I am back to the gym most days now... working towards being able to climb a mountain. Need to be able to climb 500 flights of stairs carrying about 30 lbs of gear. The actual climb is going to be about 5000 feet in 5 miles. 10 miles round trip, 5000 feet up, 5000 feet back down.

And then you remember how my MaMa, may her rest be peaceful, force fed my 7 pound 12 ounce newborn body into 36 inches ,35 pounds on my 1st birthday, what % would that be? OMG in Heaven it's Scaredy scare when you think about it.😬😟

Thank you @dsdesigna! All great points and reminders and thank you for the encouragement. I do need to get outta my head on the numbers game bc I do have many non scale successes! I didn’t think about the losing 34 in 8 weeks but I guess you are right about that! I’ll check back in and let you know how I’m doing! Thanks again!

Hi Everyone, I’m a lurker here...first time posting. I’m 8 weeks out post op from my DS. I lost 25 lbs before the surgery; right out of surgery bc of the fluids I gained 11 lbs, - lost that and an additional 23 lbs for a total of 48 so far. I get very frustrated by the scale. I am seeing differences in my clothes and health, but I want to scale to move faster than it is. I was thinking the weight would come off quicker. I basically eat 6 Snacks a day. Usually hit my 80-100 grams of Protein every day. Calories range from 700-900ish. I’m wondering if I’m eating too much? Is this normal?

On fasting days, I don't worry so much about cals. But for instance, if I was doing every day as a 16:8, then you need to meet the macros that you've been eating either to maintain or to lose. You know? For me, I do some BS gyration. LOL. I actually combine 16:8 with ADF or OMAD--so it becomes more of a 23:1. On those days my goal is to stay at or under 500 cals with my protein averaging around 50g for the day. Then I alternate with 16:8 where I eat 900-1100 cals and 60-74g of protein per day. My average protein is about 60g and cals average about 825 for the month.

Well since you are preop I would think it would be up to you unless you are on your preop diet to shrink your liver in which case it is not allowed. In my understanding, alcohol affects post op BS patients differently and it is important to be really careful until you know how it affects you. I have heard of some people developing alcoholism after BS. I personally have drank alcohol in moderation since age 18 and continue to do so and I have not encountered any problems with it.

Y’all... day 3 of this liquid bs, stinks! I really was okay with it until today... sorry- just venting! 🙄

Today was my first set of appointments to start the process; nurse practitioner, dietician/nutritionist, and physical therapist. In addition, I got my bloodwork and EKG done. I already have a mammogram and colonoscopy on record. I went in with a positive attitude and I think that helped, I was more excited than nervous. I mentioned that I had been reading the forums on this site to learn what I could and I think it helped me comprehend the massive amount of information I was given because I sort of studied ahead, plus, they gave me a notebook The dietician noted that I take a lot of supplements, and she stressed that I will be restricted to taking only a few after surgery, at 200% the regular dose; multi-vitamin that includes iron and other minerals and B12 sublingual at night, calcium citrate 500mg liquid or chew three times a day, plus vitamin d, liquid or small gelcaps. I forgot to ask about my Wellbutrin and allergy medicine. Oh well, there's time! A lot of people in these forums say NOT to try the drinks, food, or supplements pre surgery, but my dietician encouraged me to try different things to find what I like (even though my preferences may change post surgery). I have already purchased some Protein20 drinks, Premier Protein shakes, sugar free Gatorade, Propel electrolyte water, bone broth, and some Millie's sipping broth samples. My choice is the gastric sleeve but they will probably try to convince me that the bypass is the best option (and "gold standard" as I keep reading everywhere). I was scoped in July and they found a hiatal hernia, some non-bloody ulcers, and Schatzki's ring. I was instructed to continue with the Omeprazole in order to continue to calm my esophagus and stomach. I hope they let me stick with the sleeve, I don't want to deal with malabsorption issues and I prefer being able to take NSAIDS. I have enough dumping from having my gallbladder removed and being sensitive to grease/oil. Today while at the hospital, I had a long break so I had brunch consisting of an egg-salad sandwich (which they said was freshly made that morning) and half a bag of chips. Let's just say I had to visit the restroom 4-5 times during the rest of my time there, ugh! The insurance company has told my hospital (OHSU Portland Oregon) that the procedure is covered, but have not yet responded regarding what they require from me. The hospital requires two nutrition classes and a few more tests. My EKG came back "borderline" so I am being referred to a cardiologist to make sure everything is ok. I made my two nutrition class reservations and psychological evaluation appointment, as well as my sleep study consult. I'm 58 and have had a hysterectomy (1 ovary left) so I'm not required to get a pap smear, review birth control, and they're not requiring that I be screened for drugs & alcohol (I quit smoking 31 years ago). I'm hoping to have it all done by February, but won't know what else I need to do until my insurance company forks over some information! This facility only requires 24 hours of clear liquids before surgery (yay). While I was given my diet information, I think I'm going to slowly incorporate better habits and definitely pay attention to my protein and fluid intake for now. Since my BMI is slightly over 41, I was cautioned not to lose more than 10 pounds because it would put me below the required 40 BMI. That is unless I end up being diagnosed with sleep apnea (I have high cholesterol); neither joint pain or depression qualify as co-morbidities. My lab results have already been provided and they found my ferritin to be low, so I need to begin taking carbonyl iron with vitamin C right away. I've read a lot of different posts of people sharing their program information, so here is my post-surgical diet information from my booklet: STAGE ONE - first day following surgery - CLEAR LIQUIDS STAGE TWO - starting day two post surgery, for 14-21 days - FULL LIQUIDS STAGE THREE - starting 2-3 weeks post surgery, for approximately 6 weeks (depending on how the patient is doing) - SOFT FOOD STAGE FOUR - approximately two months post surgery - SOLID FOOD (low sugar & low fat) Over the weekend I cleaned out my cupboards of a bunch of food and food-like substances; what wasn't expired I took to work. Fed the crows some expired cereal and crackers. Haven't tackled the freezer yet. Since my surgery isn't scheduled yet I have plenty of time! I just wanted to thank everyone who posts their experiences and questions and advice, I think people are very supportive here for the most part!

Hi! Here’s a disgusting story for those who love infected, gross, oozing things: After my surgery in June of this year I healed up very quickly and nicely. Except for my belly button. It was very sore and smelled horribly. I figured I was just healing and since belly buttons are gross anyway, it was just taking a little longer. Additionally, my belly button was all the sudden TWICE AS DEEP! WTF?! Went to my two week post op and the nurse practitioner (bc my a-hole dr just couldn’t find the time to see me after a $40k surgery) said he didn’t even cut me open in my belly button. I said “uhhhhh yeah he did! I have stitches in there!!!!” How the hell did she not know where he cut me open? Anyway, she said oh it’s just the way you’re healing. Fine, whatever. Then a couple months goes by. Still infected, smelly, sticky, etc. I go back for my 2 month check up. She again said it’s just the way I’m healing. So it’s been four months since surgery and last night I was in the tub and washed my belly button and it hurt so bad! It’s beyond infected. Swollen, full of yellow puss, skin is falling off and there are little sores. WTF?! So anyway, my question is: has this happened to anyone else? Also, I know some insurance companies will cover skin removal if the area is constantly irritated/infected. Has anybody ever had any luck getting a tummy tuck covered through their insurance due to irritation/infections of the skin? I have medical mutual in case anyone has ever had any experience with that specific company. Thanks for listening and for any advice! (Yes I will call my doctor AGAIN tmw morning).

What a great spot, so glad to find this thread! I had my sleeve 9/26 at 352 - no loss during the preop phase bc I have (had?) huperinsulinemia and nothing would budge. The sleeve is supposed to correct that, and I sure pray that’s true. So far down about 26 lbs but 17 of that was week 1, so I feel like the jury is still out. I’m 5’ nothing with hEDS and arthritis, peri-menopausal at 47. If I can get below 300 I think I can do more working out.