Greetings,

I am going for my orientation on Monday and prior to that - I have done a lot of my own research. In addition, my wife had a gastric bypass.

I can't have a gastric bypass due to medication that I take, so it has to be the sleeve.

I am primarily obese due to lack of portion control. It isn't that I eat the wrong things or unhealthy things per se, but I eat enough of it to feed a whole family at once and I never feel full. That button in my brain is broken. So I am hoping that the sleeve will help with portion control and feeling full, but I still want to eat the foods that I normally would generally speaking.

I also love spicy foods and pretty much put hot sauce on everything. I have read some patients have a hard time with that and some are fine. I love Buffalo Wings for example and would really like to be able to still have a few as opposed to the 50 wings that I usually have eat at one time. I would really have a big problem if I couldn't eat spicy foods/hot sauce anymore.

I have been told by some patients that compared to the bypass - sleeve patients can pretty much go back to how they used to eat - but just a lot less of it. But then some patients say that they tried to eat a very small hamburger (slider) and felt sick.

I also drink primarily carbonated drinks - never sugar ones, just Diet Coke and carbonated Water. I do drink regular water, but I don't really like it even when it is flavored. I need the crispness of the carbonation.

Now here is the problem - some doctors claim that you can't drink carbonated drinks, because it will stretch out your stomach, etc. And there are doctors that say that it's a complete myth and drinking carbonated drinks is fine - that it's impossible to stretch out your stomach with the carbonation levels found in a can of Diet Coke or club soda.

Patients say the same thing - some drink carbonated drinks and it's perfectly fine and some don't - because their doctor told them not to.

I suspect because doctors assume that drinking Diet Coke will lead to patients to start drinking regular Coke/other sugar drinks and thus impact weight loss. So just tell the patient that they can't have anything carbonated.

Anyone here drinking carbonated drinks with no problem?

Now this is going to sound weird, but I have great hair and one of my biggest worries is losing my hair/thinning hair, which I am told happens after surgery. Can this be avoided with any kind of vitamins/fish oil, whatever? Losing weight is great, but I don't want to be a thin bald person if you know what I mean. I know it's supposed to be temporary and it grows back, but I am a guy that doesn't want to lose his hair and I am a little paranoid.

I may decide that the sleeve isn't for me ultimately - I just find it hard to make a decision with all the conflicting information from doctors and patients. I may decide that life is too short to no longer enjoy the foods that I love in moderation at least and try to find another way to lose weight.

I wish there was a way to know for sure how things will be after the operation. I don't want to find out after the fact that I can't have spicy foods anymore or bread makes me sick or a piece of chicken give me a stomach ache.

I would greatly appreciate any feedback to what I posted above and responses to my direct concerns.

Thanks!

HM

Edited April 24, 201610 yr by Hey Man

while there is no way to tell how you will be after surgery, I will say that the thing is, I don't really miss or want the things I don't tolerate well.

my problem was also portion control. I would wait to see if I was still hungry. I would drink Water to see if I was thirsty and still end up eating 3 times more than I should to shut off the hungry monster. Now I eat a child's portion and I am satisfied almost all the time. I do have hungry days, where I do add one more snack. Protein based. I don't drink when I eat except to swallow pills, and it really does make a difference. I don't personally have a hard time with spicy food. I am getting my protein, and fluids. the swelling went down quickly and my team advanced me to soft foods early, because that liquid period was the hardest for me.

bottom line, no matter what, to me it was worth it. I am no longer diabetic and I weigh less (!!!) than my husband. everything else is gravy, I am already a success

There is conflicting information because Everyone is different, and there is no real answer to your questions....for you. You have no way of knowing how your body will react to surgery until you're there.

My experience has been, yes, I can eat spicy good just fine. No I can't drink carbonation. It's not that I'm not supposed to, it's that I CANT. the bubbles have nowhere to go so more than a sip or two is painful. And no, I never lost a strand of hair. Didn't take any supplements, just got in all my Protein and Water and never stressed about it. But you have no control over it. It's just gonna happen it not.

I guess you just have to ask yourself if you want to be thinner and healthier even if you can't drink soda or eat spicy food or if you go bald. My answer was yes. If your answer is no then perhaps surgery is not for you, cause you can't take it back. Besides, surgery alone will not make you successful. It's not JUST about portion control. There are a lot of lifestyle and diet changes you must commit to....forever.....or the surgery will be a waste of time and money.

while there is no way to tell how you will be after surgery, I will say that the thing is, I don't really miss or want the things I don't tolerate well.

my problem was also portion control. I would wait to see if I was still hungry. I would drink Water to see if I was thirsty and still end up eating 3 times more than I should to shut off the hungry monster. Now I eat a child's portion and I am satisfied almost all the time. I do have hungry days, where I do add one more snack. Protein based. I don't drink when I eat except to swallow pills, and it really does make a difference. I don't personally have a hard time with spicy food. I am getting my protein, and fluids. the swelling went down quickly and my team advanced me to soft foods early, because that liquid period was the hardest for me.

bottom line, no matter what, to me it was worth it. I am no longer diabetic and I weigh less (!!!) than my husband. everything else is gravy, I am already a success

What foods did you love (not junk food) that you can't eat anymore?

What foods did you love (not junk food) that you can't eat anymore?

currently the only two things I have tried that have not set well have been steak and venison steak. just made me feel like I had a sour stomach. ground meats of the same cut do not bother me (go figure?!?) but I am only 2 months out so I will try in a couple of months again. I can eat ground meat, turkey, chicken - ham I am not suffering for choices.

Edited April 24, 201610 yr by Christinamo7

There is conflicting information because Everyone is different, and there is no real answer to your questions....for you. You have no way of knowing how your body will react to surgery until you're there.

My experience has been, yes, I can eat spicy good just fine. No I can't drink carbonation. It's not that I'm not supposed to, it's that I CANT. the bubbles have nowhere to go so more than a sip or two is painful. And no, I never lost a strand of hair. Didn't take any supplements, just got in all my Protein and Water and never stressed about it. But you have no control over it. It's just gonna happen it not.

I guess you just have to ask yourself if you want to be thinner and healthier even if you can't drink soda or eat spicy food or if you go bald. My answer was yes. If your answer is no then perhaps surgery is not for you, cause you can't take it back. Besides, surgery alone will not make you successful. It's not JUST about portion control. There are a lot of lifestyle and diet changes you must commit to....forever.....or the surgery will be a waste of time and money.

I just think it would be somewhat helpful for a doctor to say - you may be able to have carbonated drinks or you may not, it depends on the person as opposed to some strict NEVER rule and false information about stretching of the stomach, which I have been told is completely impossible with carbonated drinks.

I will be making that decision - if it's for me as I go through the process of talking with doctors, nutrionists and the other people as required before I can have the surgery.

I get encouraged by patients who have no problem with the things that I am concerned about and then there are patients the say the opposite and then I get worried.

There is conflicting information because Everyone is different, and there is no real answer to your questions....for you. You have no way of knowing how your body will react to surgery until you're there.

My experience has been, yes, I can eat spicy good just fine. No I can't drink carbonation. It's not that I'm not supposed to, it's that I CANT. the bubbles have nowhere to go so more than a sip or two is painful. And no, I never lost a strand of hair. Didn't take any supplements, just got in all my protein and water and never stressed about it. But you have no control over it. It's just gonna happen it not.

I guess you just have to ask yourself if you want to be thinner and healthier even if you can't drink soda or eat spicy food or if you go bald. My answer was yes. If your answer is no then perhaps surgery is not for you, cause you can't take it back. Besides, surgery alone will not make you successful. It's not JUST about portion control. There are a lot of lifestyle and diet changes you must commit to....forever.....or the surgery will be a waste of time and money.

I just think it would be somewhat helpful for a doctor to say - you may be able to have carbonated drinks or you may not, it depends on the person as opposed to some strict NEVER rule and false information about stretching of the stomach, which I have been told is completely impossible with carbonated drinks.

I will be making that decision - if it's for me as I go through the process of talking with doctors, nutrionists and the other people as required before I can have the surgery.

I get encouraged by patients who have no problem with the things that I am concerned about and then there are patients the say the opposite and then I get worried.

There is conflicting information because Everyone is different, and there is no real answer to your questions....for you. You have no way of knowing how your body will react to surgery until you're there.

My experience has been, yes, I can eat spicy good just fine. No I can't drink carbonation. It's not that I'm not supposed to, it's that I CANT. the bubbles have nowhere to go so more than a sip or two is painful. And no, I never lost a strand of hair. Didn't take any supplements, just got in all my protein and water and never stressed about it. But you have no control over it. It's just gonna happen it not.

I guess you just have to ask yourself if you want to be thinner and healthier even if you can't drink soda or eat spicy food or if you go bald. My answer was yes. If your answer is no then perhaps surgery is not for you, cause you can't take it back. Besides, surgery alone will not make you successful. It's not JUST about portion control. There are a lot of lifestyle and diet changes you must commit to....forever.....or the surgery will be a waste of time and money.

I just think it would be somewhat helpful for a doctor to say - you may be able to have carbonated drinks or you may not, it depends on the person as opposed to some strict NEVER rule and false information about stretching of the stomach, which I have been told is completely impossible with carbonated drinks.

I will be making that decision - if it's for me as I go through the process of talking with doctors, nutrionists and the other people as required before I can have the surgery.

I get encouraged by patients who have no problem with the things that I am concerned about and then there are patients the say the opposite and then I get worried.

I'll try to address each of your issues/concerns from the info I've gleaned... but I'm no doctor so take it with that in mind.

The big thing seems to be that you don't want to change any of your eating habits, just think that the portion control is your problem. But I'll tell you now, from what you have posted, you have a portion control and a crap food addiction. Unless you get them both figured out, you will not be successful in the long term. Weight loss surgery is not a cure all; it is a tool that give you control back for a portion of time which you are supposed to use to deal with your food issues and throw out how you eat now and relearn how to eat healthy for the rest of your life - it is not easy, and you will have to make a total lifestyle change if you want to be successful for the rest of your life.

Yes, you will be able to eat things that are spicy/hot, and eventually you can eat things like a burger. Thing is, you should be adjusting over to eating healthier versions of things like hot wings (like baked, no battered - just saw someone posted a really good recipe for those), and eating the "regular" versions of stuff like that should be an occasional indulgence, not something you eat every day or even every week.

You can eat pizza and fries and burgers... but why would you want to eat them the same as before surgery? They are bad for you, have little nutritional value and mostly are full of fat, carbs and sodium. You could eat smaller portions of crap and literally starve your body of nutrients. Which begs the question of why anyone would do that and expect to come out healthy and happy?

You get about 12-18 months where the combo of the portion control (from the stomach reduction) and the lack of out of control hunger allow you to completely change how you eat. All of the doctors seem to like the high Protein, healthy veggie, and complex carb in moderation diet. You have to deal with your food addictions and issues during this honeymoon period and get adjusted over to eating healthy about 90% of the time, so that when you do eat something like a slice of cake for a birthday or a small burger at a cookout... it doesn't throw you off because you're not eating that stuff all the time. This is how the non-fat people eat; they have generally good control over their portions and don't eat crap every single day.

Everybody will lose weight even eating crap for the first year or so. After about 12-18 months, however, if you haven't gotten yourself adjusted to eating healthy (good protein as the main portion of your meal, healthy veggies as a main side and complex carbs like brown rice or small serving of sweet potato if there is any room) you will start regaining weight.

So losing your hair... it is temporary and it's because for about a month or two, you're going to have difficulties getting in enough protein and Vitamins to keep your basic body functions up. So one of the first signs of low protein/nutrition is losing hair (your skin and nails will also suffer a bit, but it almost always is the hair if nothing else). It starts around 3 months out, continuing for a few months while your body catches up to your increasing ability to eat protein in greater quantities. To minimize the issue, make sure to get in your protein ASAP. Also important for hair/skin/nails is to take your vitamins and drink your Water. Some people see little hair loss, some see gobs and freak out a bit. You have no way of knowing how your body will react, but it is temporary. Frankly being vain about my hair when I was grossly obese was almost laughable when I thought about worrying over it. So I didn't. Because my health is way more important than a few clumps more in the shower drain for a few months. And it's fine now - I have gorgeous hair.

Carbonated drinks/diet soda. I drink them. I have one soda can a day usually. I open it in the morning, pour it over ice and let it sit for around an hour so the carbonation goes down significantly and the ice melts and waters it down. I also know that I'll never touch anything not diet, and that all sodas have a dehydrating effect (caffeine and sodium is very dehydrating), so I drink more than 64 ounces of water/light drink mix to make up for the fact that I drink a soda. My doctor does not like carbonated drinks, but he wasn't forbidding me from drinking them. But I also know that drinking them can slow down weight loss as well (the fake sugar/sweetener can still react with your metabolism). So if you choose to drink them, then know you're making the choice to continue something that is unhealthy and will effect how well you do with your sleeve.

And finally your last thing about how life is too short to not enjoy your food... No food is worth sacrificing your health! You seriously need to make sure you get help understanding how twisted this viewpoint is, because you have equated food with pleasure and reward and that is so sad! (and I say this as someone that once thought that way, so don't think I'm judging you!)

Your life WILL be too short if your trade-off is food over health. I freaking love food; I taught myself to cook when I was 8 years old and I can make stuff that would make you cry its so good... but I also realized I didn't want to be fat, sick and die in my 50s because I couldn't get control over my food addictions. I still eat fantastic food, but it's healthy and good for me and I feel great now. And because I changed how I cook, my dear husband is also much better - he lost over 70 pounds and says he's never been happier and does NOT feel deprived because we cook so many awesome meals that are good for us.

Edited April 24, 201610 yr by FrankiesGirl

There is conflicting information because Everyone is different, and there is no real answer to your questions....for you. You have no way of knowing how your body will react to surgery until you're there.

My experience has been, yes, I can eat spicy good just fine. No I can't drink carbonation. It's not that I'm not supposed to, it's that I CANT. the bubbles have nowhere to go so more than a sip or two is painful. And no, I never lost a strand of hair. Didn't take any supplements, just got in all my Protein and Water and never stressed about it. But you have no control over it. It's just gonna happen it not.

I guess you just have to ask yourself if you want to be thinner and healthier even if you can't drink soda or eat spicy food or if you go bald. My answer was yes. If your answer is no then perhaps surgery is not for you, cause you can't take it back. Besides, surgery alone will not make you successful. It's not JUST about portion control. There are a lot of lifestyle and diet changes you must commit to....forever.....or the surgery will be a waste of time and money.

I just think it would be somewhat helpful for a doctor to say - you may be able to have carbonated drinks or you may not, it depends on the person as opposed to some strict NEVER rule and false information about stretching of the stomach, which I have been told is completely impossible with carbonated drinks.

I will be making that decision - if it's for me as I go through the process of talking with doctors, nutrionists and the other people as required before I can have the surgery.

I get encouraged by patients who have no problem with the things that I am concerned about and then there are patients the say the opposite and then I get worried.

My last 2 nutrition classes did touch on the hair loss thing. The first time was because I specifically asked due to me being diagnosed with PCOS, I already do have some hair loss although it's only noticable by the shower drain. I was worried that perhaps after surgery it would be noticable on my head! She said that if you had hair before the surgery then you will have hair again after even if you do lose it temporarily (which I'm ok with). She said sometime it can happen because of how your body is responding to resetting itself but once it levels out, the hair will grow back. Of course it would still suck to lose your hair but if it grows back then it's only a small sacrifice. She also recommended that I take Biotin which I guess is supposed to help with that.

Obviously everyone is different, and you will get conflicting information depending on the patient/surgeon you hear from. I'm only 8 days post-op, so I can't speak long-term, but I can tell you that your tastes will most likely change. Some of the things you enjoy now, you may not after surgery, and some of the things you can't do now (like water) you may be able to after surgery. Everyone's experience is different.

Again, being only 8 days post-op I don't know long term, but I can tell you for sure it would be a bad idea to drink anything carbonated for some time after your surgery. When or if that day comes where it's "safe" to try, I don't know, but I do know that I don't crave it like I used to and I certainly don't miss it.

I think you have to mentally prepare yourself for lifestyle changes, and not just "less" of what you eat now. This surgery is a tool, not a complete answer, that takes dedication and sacrifice to achieve.

That being said, if you are reaching your goals (you should definitely set goals) and feeling good about where you're at down the road, I don't think it's the end of the world if you indulge a little, especially if you weren't making poor food choices pre-op.

Hopefully you'll find your happy medium and figure out a plan that works for you. I wish you the best!

There is conflicting information because Everyone is different, and there is no real answer to your questions....for you. You have no way of knowing how your body will react to surgery until you're there.

My experience has been, yes, I can eat spicy good just fine. No I can't drink carbonation. It's not that I'm not supposed to, it's that I CANT. the bubbles have nowhere to go so more than a sip or two is painful. And no, I never lost a strand of hair. Didn't take any supplements, just got in all my Protein and Water and never stressed about it. But you have no control over it. It's just gonna happen it not.

I guess you just have to ask yourself if you want to be thinner and healthier even if you can't drink soda or eat spicy food or if you go bald. My answer was yes. If your answer is no then perhaps surgery is not for you, cause you can't take it back. Besides, surgery alone will not make you successful. It's not JUST about portion control. There are a lot of lifestyle and diet changes you must commit to....forever.....or the surgery will be a waste of time and money.

I just think it would be somewhat helpful for a doctor to say - you may be able to have carbonated drinks or you may not, it depends on the person as opposed to some strict NEVER rule and false information about stretching of the stomach, which I have been told is completely impossible with carbonated drinks.

I will be making that decision - if it's for me as I go through the process of talking with doctors, nutrionists and the other people as required before I can have the surgery.

I get encouraged by patients who have no problem with the things that I am concerned about and then there are patients the say the opposite and then I get worried.

I think that the docs who say NEVER to carbonated drinks truly believe that they should be on your NEVER list. As far as stretching the stomach goes, I don't know, but I'm sure it expands it temporarily from the carbonation and I have heard stories from other post-ops that have tried it (perhaps too soon) that the gas pain can be unbearable. I've not heard any docs say it stretches the stomach on a permanent basis though. I've not tried any at this point (8 days post-op) and I have no desire or intentions to anytime soon, and I was a heavy coke zero drinker pre-op.

With carbonation, the big thing is the bubbles take up room you need for healthy foods and fluids. For at least the first few months you are going to be struggling to get enough calories in, so you don't want to take up the precious space in your tummy with carbonated beverages.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

FrankiesGirl,

Thank you for your post. I actually do eat healthy - I only brought up chicken wings, because I love them and I would still on occasion like to eat them - baked, fried, whatever the case. I also brought them up - because I often see people trying to find healthy versions of the food they love on forums like this like pizza for example or trying smaller portions of the food they love to see how their body reacts.

I am not looking to eat crap, but I think it's reasonable to have an ice cream cone during the summer or a slice of pizza without puking outside of all the healthy food I am eating generally. Just like it's reasonable for a healthy person to splurge on something and work it off the next day. I plan to work out as well as have the surgery, so I know there is more to it than just having the surgery.

I don't think it's a twisted view at all. Life is all about indulging in moderation. It's not about reward or pleasure, but simply experiencing and enjoying life. There is a reason why there are 50 million different cook books and cooking shows - because food is a wonderful thing and you shouldn't have to deprive yourself as long as it's in moderation.

My problem is moderation - even with healthy foods.

Keep in mind as well that my wife had gastric bypass, so she was obese as well - which means we were like two crack addicts getting high together constantly, so that contributed greatly to us both getting so obese. We enabled each other. She has lost all her weight now and is doing great. I feel that I will do great as well - but I will need to have some things in moderation and I don't think there is anything wrong with that.

I don't think it has to be all or nothing for one to be successful after surgery and many patients have proven that. And if I no longer crave my favorite foods after surgery, then great - no problem.

Like I said, I may determine that the sleeve is not for me and I will have to lose weight another way. I am looking to see what's best for me for now and long term.

Edited April 24, 201610 yr by Hey Man

Honestly, whether you are fully aware of it or not, you're afraid of making permanent changes in your life. @@FrankiesGirl is spt on in her assessment. She's much further out from surgery than I am, and I don't mean to put myself out there as someone who is a surgical veteran after six weeks with a sleeve.

That said, I know resistance to change when I see it. You don't mention your age, how your weight affects your life, nor how much you need to lose.

Successful WLS is for those who are fully committed to making permanent changes in the way they live their lives around food. Each of us had barriers such as you describe about things we didn't want to give up. I didn't want to give up meal sized salads or face the idea of not being able to eat a (whole) deli sandwich, for example.

But in the end, each of us wanted to give up the extra baggage in our lives that staying overweight, that avoiding permanent changes, meant: chronic illness, pain both emotional and physical, and a host of other personal demons. When you get to that place, the idea of avoiding diet soda or hot sauce for a while will seem a pittance of a price to pay.

Honestly, whether you are fully aware of it or not, you're afraid of making permanent changes in your life. @@FrankiesGirl is spt on in her assessment. She's much further out from surgery than I am, and I don't mean to put myself out there as someone who is a surgical veteran after six weeks with a sleeve.

That said, I know resistance to change when I see it. You don't mention your age, how your weight affects your life, nor how much you need to lose.

Successful WLS is for those who are fully committed to making permanent changes in the way they live their lives around food. Each of us had barriers such as you describe about things we didn't want to give up. I didn't want to give up meal sized salads or face the idea of not being able to eat a (whole) deli sandwich, for example.

But in the end, each of us wanted to give up the extra baggage in our lives that staying overweight, that avoiding permanent changes, meant: chronic illness, pain both emotional and physical, and a host of other personal demons. When you get to that place, the idea of avoiding diet soda or hot sauce for a while will seem a pittance of a price to pay.

It's not resistance to change - it's deciding if this method is for me. If it's not for me - I will still need to make changes when doing calories in/calories out.

I am not trying to hide information about myself. I figured it would come eventually. I am 45, 440 pounds - my goal is 190, what I used to be a few years back. I haven't been overweight all my life and I was pretty active. So of course carrying around 440 pounds has made it hard to be active.

I have no health issues. Essentially I am healthy for a fat guy and that is what my doctor has told me, but it WILL eventually catch up to me. I don't drink or smoke, so that probably has a lot to do with it.

I don't have a problem with giving up for a while - it's the forever that I have a problem with.

Edited April 24, 201610 yr by Hey Man

By the way, I found this video to be informative.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5nm1GXqrm4