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500lbs pre-op + mental health + acid reflux



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Hi everyone,

I'm new to this wonderful community and wanted to say a big hello all the way from the Middle East!

At the age of 29, I have finally decided to have the VSG surgery. Last year was tough, and my weight, which I have always struggled with, is now almost 490 lbs ( around 222kgs for those like me :) ) I can feel myself dying, and surgery is my last resort. I will be paying out of pocket because insurance companies in the country I live in still consider bariatric surgery cosmetic (what rock are they living under?) And to wait for a government subsidised surgery, and pay much less, might mean waiting for another year or more. I just don't think my body can afford to wait that long.

My doctor said that if I quit smoking and try to shed around 20kgs, I would go ahead with the surgery. I am hoping for a late Feb surgery date and I am very excited.

Anyway, my questions are....has anyone here had surgery with their starting weight being so heavy as myself? What was your experience like?

Secondly, I've been struggling with depression and anxiety over the past few years. Unfortunately it doesn't seem that there is much psychological support for bariatric patients where I am at. I was wondering if anyone could recommend tips or books about dealing with emotions and mental health through thia journey? Obviously, like many of us, food was my go to comfort and I want to prepare myself. I know my quality of life will get better after the surgery, but I am always reminding myself that losing weight isn't going to be the answer to all my problems.

Thirdly, I have pretty bad acid reflux and I heard the sleeve could make this worse. My surgeon said he could strengthen some muscles to help while he is doing the sleeve (I forgot its name, it's the muscle that helps control upward flow of acid). Has anyone else had this issue?

Thanks for taking the time to read this and I hope you are having a fantastic day!

-Mohamed

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My Dr fixed my Hiatal Hernia when he did the sleeve in 2011.Evenually it failed and acid reflux was horrible.I had a revision to bypass on Nov. 22,2016.No more acid reflux.

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My Dr fixed my Hiatal Hernia when he did the sleeve in 2011.Evenually it failed and acid reflux was horrible.I had a revision to bypass on Nov. 22,2016.No more acid reflux.

Thanks for the info! My surgeon did say that we will start out with the sleeve and after a year passes will assess if we should turn it into a bypass. Fingers crossed for the best and glad you are acid reflux free now!

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I was as close as "don't matter" to you in starting weight. My high weight (as far as I know) was 481 lbs. I dropped 67 of those pounds just by going to a 2000-2500 calorie a day diet pre-op. Today marks three months post-op for me, and I am down 125 lbs. It does work, and it can work for you. And if it doesn't give you the results you need, the sleeve sets you up for the duodenal switch.

Losing 44 lbs (20 kg) by February might be tough. I started out losing a pound a day, but that slacked off fairly quickly. Looking back at my timeline, I lost at an average of 7.6 kg a month pre-op. But every one of us is different, so I say go for it. What do you have to lose, except weight?

I do not have any advice on books, or even reflux. I had a very slight case of reflux before I started this process. It required one Prilosec every two to three days to control it. My doc says he fixed a very small hiatal hernia, so small it did not even show up on the endoscopy, so that may help. Right now I am still taking one Prilosec a day as a preventative against acid as my stomach continues to heal. Good luck with it!

Edited by LittleBill

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I think the Beck Diet Solution by judith beck is filled with Cognitive thinking solutions you can apply to assist in losing weight. It's like a workbook. I found it helpful and I believe it's similar to what a psychiatrist in the field would suggest to bariatric patients.

Sent from my SM-N910T using the BariatricPal App

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I am 30 now and started my journey when I was 29 and 540 pounds. I had surgery in May of 2016 at 480 pounds. I am now 7 1/2 months out and am at 332 pounds. I didn't have an easy time with it but my case is unusual.

I used a few books and one workbook:

The Binge Eating and Compulsive Overeating Workbook: An Integrated Approach to Overcoming Disordered Eating by Carolyn Ross

End emotional eating by Jennifer Taitz

Food: the good girls drug by Sunny Sea Gold

Friends with the scale by Linda Spangle

Life is hard, food is easy by Linda Spangle

You are a badass by Jen Sincero

I do not have any experience with the acid reflux part of it. If you have any questions at all you can IM me too.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

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Another book to try is The Emotional First Aid Kit

Sent from my SM-N910T using the BariatricPal App

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I was as close as "don't matter" to you in starting weight. My high weight (as far as I know) was 481 lbs. I dropped 67 of those pounds just by going to a 2000-2500 calorie a day diet pre-op. Today marks three months post-op for me, and I am down 125 lbs. It does work, and it can work for you. And if it doesn't give you the results you need, the sleeve sets you up for the duodenal switch.

Losing 44 lbs (20 kg) by February might be tough. I started out losing a pound a day, but that slacked off fairly quickly. Looking back at my timeline, I lost at an average of 7.6 kg a month pre-op. But every one of us is different, so I say go for it. What do you have to lose, except weight?

I do not have any advice on books, or even reflux. I had a very slight case of reflux before I started this process. It required one Prilosec every two to three days to control it. My doc says he fixed a very small hiatal hernia, so small it did not even show up on the endoscopy, so that may help. Right now I am still taking one Prilosec a day as a preventative against acid as my stomach continues to heal. Good luck with it!

Thank you so much for your insight! Throughout these forums I've found you both inspirational andentertaining :) Yes, I am doing my best to drop as much as I can pre-op. Fingers crossed! Thanks so much again!

Sent from my SM-G928C using the BariatricPal App

I think the Beck Diet Solution by judith beck is filled with Cognitive thinking solutions you can apply to assist in losing weight. It's like a workbook. I found it helpful and I believe it's similar to what a psychiatrist in the field would suggest to bariatric patients.

Sent from my SM-N910T using the BariatricPal App

Great! Will definitely check it out - thanks so much!

Sent from my SM-G928C using the BariatricPal App

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I am 30 now and started my journey when I was 29 and 540 pounds. I had surgery in May of 2016 at 480 pounds. I am now 7 1/2 months out and am at 332 pounds. I didn't have an easy time with it but my case is unusual.

I used a few books and one workbook:

The Binge Eating and Compulsive Overeating Workbook: An Integrated Approach to Overcoming Disordered Eating by Carolyn Ross

End emotional eating by Jennifer Taitz

Food: the good girls drug by Sunny Sea Gold

Friends with the scale by Linda Spangle

Life is hard, food is easy by Linda Spangle

You are a badass by Jen Sincero

I do not have any experience with the acid reflux part of it. If you have any questions at all you can IM me too.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Thanks so much for these recommendations and congrats on your weight loss so far! Do you mind me asking what was unusual about your case?

Sent from my SM-G928C using the BariatricPal App

Another book to try is The Emotional First Aid Kit

Sent from my SM-N910T using the BariatricPal App

Fantastic! Thank you will be checking it out for sure!

Sent from my SM-G928C using the BariatricPal App

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    • LeighaTR

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      1. Selina333

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

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        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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