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You’ll probably be ok if you stick to the liver-shrinking diet 100% from here on out. Keep in mind that the purpose of the pre-op diet is to make the surgery safer for you. I’ve heard that some surgeons will close you back up without doing the surgery if your liver is too big when they start. That is very rare, and I’m not saying this to scare you, but it is something to take seriously — as are all of the instructions from your surgeon. The post-op diet is really restrictive, too, and you won’t be able to eat fast food for a long time after surgery (and you might not be able to eat certain things ever again without getting sick). If you eat things you’re not supposed to while your stomach is still healing, it could cause serious complications. It’s hard, but so important to go into this fully committed to following your surgeon’s instructions.

Did your insurance require you to go back through 6 months nutrition? I had my lapband removed 2016 due to complications andI now want to get Gastric. Hoping not to have to wait 6 months like before.

The Forum Rules and Guidelines state: Disrespectful and Hurtful Posts are Forbidden In addition, “bashing” of individuals is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, statements that a person is: Lazy for choosing one type of weight loss surgery over another Unprepared for or undeserving of weight loss surgery because of Deserving of complications or disappointing weight loss because of their choice of weight loss surgery This tread is now frozen.

My program requires a weight loss surgery seminar (general information about WLS), a one-on-one nutrition consultation with their dietitian, and a group nutrition class (general nutrition information and some info about the post-surgery diet). I also had a 3-month medically-supervised weight loss requirement from my insurance company, which was with my PCP, who did not provide any guidance other than "eat less and exercise more." A couple of weeks before my surgery, I had to attend what they called a "consent class," where they went over all of the possible complications of surgery plus detailed pre-op and post-op instructions. Most of the information from the classes is included in the bariatric patient manual for my program. Does your surgeon have something like this? I think most programs do. If yours doesn't, you can search for manuals from other programs to get an idea, although every program varies a bit and you'll need to follow your own surgeon's instructions. You could call your surgeon's office and ask them if they have a document like this. There is a lot of information online about post-surgery meal planning and recipes (check out https://www.bariatriceating.com/blogs/recipes and http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/). There are a lot of videos on YouTube about bariatric meal preparation, as well as people telling their personal WLS stories. Pain can vary a lot from patient to patient, but I can tell you I had very little pain. The first day, when I woke up from surgery, I was in a lot of pain that I'm pretty sure was gas pain, but that went away very quickly, within 24 hours. I haven't felt any pain from the incisions. For the first few days, I had a little internal discomfort when I consumed fluids. I was given Toradol for pain while I was in the hospital, and I was sent home with several prescriptions, including hydrocodone + acetaminophen for pain (which I didn't take at all, and I didn't even feel the need to take regular Tylenol), ondansetron (Zofran) for nausea, and hyoscyamine for cramps/spasms. I haven't needed any of it after the first few days.

Does anyone know of a really good surgeon in the north Alabama area? I'm in Huntsville, Alabama. Should I go to UAB Hospital in Birmingham? I've heard they are better if there's complications....

Thank you so much for the information. I knew thigh lifts were problematic, but I had no idea the complication rate is THAT high. Yikes. Do you recall how expensive the personal care nurses were? I'll eventually do consults with a few surgeons, some of which have after care built into their prices, so I feel like I need to tack that onto whatever quote I get from Dr. Michaels. I won't compromise my safety, but I'd be lying if I said price isn't a factor, even though it's behind safety and results.

Additional note regarding complications -/ The wound associated with the inner thigh lift was covered by my primary health care insurance hoo also covered my lab work and prescriptions for all the procedures. They are very strict and indicate in their policy they cover no elective reconstructive plastic type surgery - yeah they covered the medical clearance EKGs and other preop items. Maybe because I have my primary care doctor perform all those tests labs and medical clearances. Anyway it save me on my original weight loss surgery as well as three plastic surgeries. Just hate that word plastic - LOL

First round - LBL, exterior thigh, bumb reconstruction with fat transfer, stomach muscle, and breast lift Round two arm lift round three inner thigh lift. 11 or 13 hours on the first surgery, then 4 and 6 or 7 respectively. Both hospitals he uses are top notch with extremely minimal infection rates. Finally in regards to aftercare - it was hell. He is extremely good super responsive and I literally got in touch with him at all hours - also he can refer you to personal care nurses. In my final surgery this was super helpful and I wish I done it for all my surgeries. I would consider an Airbnb, with nurse support. They do this all the time so talk with the office staff. Honestly the aftercare part I was nervous about but feel pretty comfortable with. Round one and two went just fine. Inner thigh lift had complications - The complication rate is 50 to 75% and I knew this going into it. I also know that I can be a type a personality when it comes to medical procedures and I absolutely needed a response of staff and a doctor I could reach personally. Once I apologize for being a difficult patient- and he pointed out that is why he gets paid the really big box! Well his surgical skills are good and I like his bedside manner that hospital he practices at was a contributing factor - positive. I would highly recommend getting a consultation and seeing if he is a good fit for you chat with office staff as well. I think the times are right but it’s been a few years - The after care was smooth and even if I wasn’t local I would choose this doctor knowing what I know now. I would do it all over again too. As a note - he would not do the inner thigh left with the LBL as the skin pulls in different directions. The same is true of breast work with Arm lift.

First round - LBL, exterior thigh, bumb reconstruction with fat transfer, stomach muscle, and breast lift Round two arm lift round three inner thigh lift. 11 or 13 hours on the first surgery, then 4 and 6 or 7 respectively. Both hospitals he uses are top notch with extremely minimal infection rates. Finally in regards to aftercare - it was hell. He is extremely good super responsive and I literally got in touch with him at all hours - also he can refer you to personal care nurses. In my final surgery this was super helpful and I wish I done it for all my surgeries. I would consider an Airbnb, with nurse support. They do this all the time so talk with the office staff. Honestly the aftercare part I was nervous about but feel pretty comfortable with. Round one and two went just fine. Inner thigh lift had complications - The complication rate is 50 to 75% and I knew this going into it. I also know that I can be a type a personality when it comes to medical procedures and I absolutely needed a response of staff and a doctor I could reach personally. Once I apologize for being a difficult patient- and he pointed out that is why he gets paid the really big box! Well his surgical skills are good and I like his bedside manner that hospital he practices at was a contributing factor - positive. I would highly recommend getting a consultation and seeing if he is a good fit for you chat with office staff as well.

Why are people gaining weight during COVID? "The Covid-19 pandemic has likely exacerbated the problem for many teenagers whose daily routines have been disrupted and who now find themselves at home all day with lots of food being hoarded in kitchens and pantries, Dr. Nagata said in an interview. “We’re seeing more patients and referrals for eating disorders and their complications,” he said." With Eating Disorders, Looks Can Be Deceiving

I am a just over two years out and I have gained 40 pounds back. After surgery I had no complications. Nothing made me sick, there was no food that I couldn't eat or that I couldn't tolerate. I did good for a little over a year then I hit a rough patch in life and went completely downhill. I was craving and eating sweets like it was nothing, I was drinking again and often, I quit taking my vitamins regularly. I was taken off of my depression and anxiety meds and put on Vyvanse. It seemed to be working for a while. The transition from my regular meds to Vyvanse happened right before I had surgery so of course, it helped me losing weight. I lost 114 pounds. Then all of a sudden my Vyvanse seemed to not be working anymore. Everyday was a struggle. I tried to get taken off of it a few times and my psychiatrist didn't think it was a good idea. I tried to take myself off of it and I quickly figured out that was not a good idea. I am so irritable most days. I have gotten to where its a struggle to even want to get up out of bed and do anything. I've had several people at work tell me i'm never happy. I'm always complaining or biting someone's head off. This is not me at all. I am generally a happy and fun person. People used to like being around me and now i'm pretty sure they don't. I finally took my myself off off of my Vyvanse (3 weeks without it) and struggled through it. My psychiatrist put my back on depression and anxiety meds last week so i'm hoping to be doing better soon. I've started back on how i'm supposed to eat today and have all of my vitamins. Has anybody else went through something like this or experiences irritability and unhappiness?

you are not going to die. Gastric bypass has a 0.3% mortality rate, VSG is even less. So that means you have a 99.7% chance or better that you're going to get through it just fine. And you will. Those odds are excellent. My surgeon has been doing these surgeries for 30+ years and has never lost a patient. They'll put you through all sorts of medical clearances (if they haven't already) to make sure you're healthy enough for surgery. YOU WILL BE FINE! on the continuum of surgeries, VSG and RNY are among the safest surgeries there are. They're much safer than hip replacement surgeries, for example, and you know they do hip replacements every day, so... for that matter, people have died during tonsillectomies or wisdom tooth extractions. How often does that happen? Almost never. Same with weight loss surgeries. It's not going to happen. as for horror stories, quit reading them. Now. Major complications are very rare. Almost all of us have had either no complications at all, or very minor ones that are easy fixable (like a stricture). You will be fine. I know it's hard not to be afraid, but these are very safe surgeries with very little chance of major complications.

I'm probably weird, but before I made the decision to have surgery, I looked for WLS horror stories because I like to be prepared for the worst-case scenario and it kind of helps me to know what that is. I was surprised by how difficult it was to find horror stories and people who regretted their WLS. Even some people who had horrible complications still said they would do it again! The reality is that the overwhelming majority of people have few complications (or none) and the surgery drastically changes their lives for the better. Also, it is a lot safer than it used to be, so some of the horror stories from 10 or 20 years ago are about complications that are incredibly rare now. I still thought, "Yeah, but what if I'm the unlucky one out of hundreds who has horrible complications or dies?" I took some steps to make sure my affairs were in order just in case (like updating my beneficiaries and calling my mom, who didn't and still doesn't know I had surgery), but you can't spend all your time worrying about everything bad that could possibly happen, because bad things can happen no matter what choices you make. I do not remember going under at all. I don't remember being in the OR or seeing the anesthesiologist or counting backwards from 100 or anything. The last thing I remember was being wide awake in the surgery staging area, and the nurse said she was going to give me a heparin shot in my stomach but she would wait until the Versed kicked in. Next thing I knew, I was waking up after surgery.

I wasn't scared of the surgery or being put under but mostly because I'd had brain surgery in 2017 so this was like a walk in the park by comparison... Your mind makes things out to be worse than they actually are. I think it's just human nature to stress about the worst possible outcome. Your chances of not making it through the surgery are 1 in 1000. Chances of major complications are like 4%. It's slim. Just trust that you're in good hands and try not to stress yourself out more by reading about the worst things that can happen or you'll just stress yourself out more! In my own experience when I went into the operating room I was talking to the anesthesiologist after they got me situated and he asked me a few questions and the next thing I know I'm being wheeled into a room. I'm going to be honest... when I woke up I felt like I got hit by a bus! But they gave me pain meds when I mentioned that and then I was good. My worst experience about my surgery is that I vomited old blood for the first two days... and it HURT! It scared my mom, but the nurse said that sometimes that happens and it's normal. I had those blue puke bags on hand just in case lol. But I had the Loop DS and that's different then Gastric Bypass so you likely won't have that issue. Just try and stay away from reading about the worst possible outcomes and just think positive. Think about how much better you'll feel as you hit each milestone! I wish you the best in your upcoming surgery!

I had RNY it was the best choice ever no issues no complications and lost weight really quickly 😁

I brought my phone, charger, and a book. I wore the hospital gowns and the hospital provided toiletries like toothbrush and paste, shampoo, and mouthwash. I was pretty out of it until the day before I went home, but then I had some complications and stayed longer than most people.

I had my surgery with Dr. Bessler in 2018. While he is chilled and straightforward as the other poster mentioned, he is extremely knowledgeable and responsive. It was a great experience from beginning to end. Everything from pre-op to post- op went without a single complication. I had no trouble with the staff, they even kept me calm during the insurance waiting game. I highly recommend him. I wouldn’t hesitate to do it again.

I only wish I did it 10 years sooner... It has been amazing... Maybe I was unique but I had no Hunger it cravings for months.. I lost weight quickly and consistently with maybe 1 week stall the whole time.. I lost all my excess weight and it only took about 9 months and I've been in maintenance now for over 2.5 months without gaining even though I eat more now than I did in the beginning... I feel the bypass has changed my metabolism and I can eat like a skinny fit person without gaining anything... I've had no complications at all, yes dumping does make you feel sick but you learn what foods will make you feel that way and then try to avoid them.. my BMI is 22.2 and I'm fit and healthy for the first time in 20 years Don't be scared 1000s of people have the bypass every year...

A vast majority of those having complications with GB as compared to the sleeve had to do with health and weight beforehand. GB is predominantly recommended for the morbidly obese as it is far more likely for them to have lasting success. However, since they are morbidly obese and many have multiple comorbidity’s, their risk of complication is higher.

ASMBS Guidelines/Statements Safer through surgery: American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery statement regarding metabolic and bariatric surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic Executive Council of ASMBS Published: June 05, 2020 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soard.2020.06.003 The surgical treatment of obesity and its complications has been postponed in many parts of the world during the COVID-19 pandemic, similar to the postponements for nonurgent surgical treatment of many other human conditions and disease processes. Many have characterized bariatric and metabolic surgery along with cosmetic plastic surgery as clear-cut examples of elective procedures that must be postponed during COVID-19. Some U.S. states have included these types of procedures in their state-wide order as examples of “elective” surgical procedures that should be the last to be restarted. For those who define “elective” surgery as not necessary or optional, the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) asserts that metabolic and bariatric surgery is NOT elective. Metabolic and bariatric surgery is medically necessary and the best treatment for those with the life-threatening and life-limiting disease of severe obesity. The definition of elective in the Merriam-Webster dictionary is “relating to, being, or involving a non-emergency medical procedure and especially surgery that is planned in advance and is not essential to the survival of the patient.” Metabolic and bariatric surgery is life-saving surgery, with multiple studies confirming the survival benefit for patients treated by surgery over those treated without surgery [1]. Metabolic and bariatric surgery creates long-term changes in metabolism and reduces or eliminates multiple serious obesity-related diseases improving long-term health and quality of life as well as survival. The ASMBS supports the use of the term “medically necessary time-sensitive surgery,” as proposed by Prachand et al. [2], or “medically necessary nonemergent surgery,” as far superior to the term “elective” surgery and what it connotes. Metabolic and bariatric surgery should be restarted when it is safe to do so. The ASMBS disagrees with the concept that bariatric surgery should be postponed until the pandemic is declared over. The global nature of the pandemic, the potential for a second wave or persistent ongoing infection in some parts of the world, along with more traditional risks, such as annual influenza outbreaks, make postponement potentially indefinite. There is clear evidence bariatric surgery improves survival [1] and significantly improves the disease of obesity and several critical obesity-related conditions (including diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular events). Obesity and obesity-related diseases have been identified as independent risk factors for adverse outcomes in COVID-19 infection [3], including need for intubation, ventilatory support, intensive care unit care, and mortality. From a patient-centered and public health standpoint, it is critical to resume metabolic and bariatric surgery. We also understand that obesity and related diseases are the same risk factors that must be taken into consideration for temporarily postponing bariatric surgery in certain higher-risk subsets of patients. The risks and benefits at that particular time for that specific patient need to be carefully considered. Factors to consider in making that decision also include the local prevalence of COVID-19, the availability of testing, the available resources, including hospital beds, ventilators, and personal protection equipment, as well as strategies to protect healthcare workers and patients. However, delay in the life-saving surgical treatment of obesity and its complications for many months or years is not in the best interest of our patients. The ASMBS has advocated for many years that patients suffering from the disease of obesity and its many serious associated diseases should strongly consider metabolic and bariatric surgery as a life-changing intervention that improves health, quality of life, and long-term survival. COVID-19 is the most recent of many diseases in which underlying obesity worsens the prognosis. Before COVID-19 began, it was clear that patients with obesity were “safer through surgery.” In the era of COVID-19, “safer through surgery” for patients with obesity may prove to be even more important than before. PIIS155072892030318X.pdf

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I hope I'm not fooling myself, but I keep telling myself that pain and misery I can handle. Complications, however, scare me quite a bit. No matter where I go I'll be flying, so at some point I'll return home and I want to do everything in my power to make sure I have no complications, particularly once I've returned home. If I can get results similar to some of the results I've seen, it looks like a game changer. It's a bit like bariatric surgery all over again. It's a little terrifying, but even more exciting. Bariatric surgery was absolutely a game changer and I have high hopes for plastics. Thanks for weighing in!

My gallbladder was removed as a preventative measure before getting my duodenal switch in May. From the research I've done, a common complication from getting the duodenal switch is gallstones. This complication is common for patients with rapid weight loss or restrictive diets. If you take the gallbladder out before gallstones develop, you save a lot of pain and drama. I didn't have gallstones but I did have an unhealthy gallbladder and a restricted common bile duct. Fortunately, They resolved the bile duct issue in a separate procedure after the gall bladder removal and before the duodenal switch surgery. These surgeries and a hiatal hernia repair were all done in the same week. I'm feeling great. I recovered quickly. I've lost weight at a rapid pace, 86 lbs. this year so far.

I have the best surgeon in East Tennessee - he's in Knoxville. His name is Dr. Keary R Williams with New Life Bariatric. They're located in West Knoxville, in the Parkwest Tower across from Park West Hospital. He performs surgery at both Park West and Tennova West. He is the surgeon who is contacted for the more complicated surgeries. He performs the Sleeve, RNY, and BPD/DS. He also fixes anything he might find while he's there. I had a hernia and a spot on my small intestine that could have turned cancerous in the future; he fixed both. A friend of mine had a large cyst on an ovary - he fixed it. His staff is wonderful, as well.

Hi. You could also talk to your doctor about the use of a Proton Pump Inhibitor such as Pantoprozole (Protonix) which eliminates or reduces the heartburn by decreasing acid production. If it were me, I would also ask for an endoscopy to see if there is a hiatus hernia where the esophagus pases through the diaphragm. If you have that it could be more complicated. Also if you lose weight the fat between the stomach and diaphragm can get smaller and effectively make it easier for the acid to reflux. I would discuss that also. Best of luck.