Many of you probably don't 'know' me from these forums, but I have been around for several years. i'm almost 4 years post VSG. I have struggled through many chapters in my life since my surgery and have regained a good amount of weight. since I carry ALL my weight right around my middle, I look horrible and my self esteem has tanked. Since my surgery I changed jobs and moved, lost a parent, had to change doctors, and gained a master's degree. I'm currently in the final few classes to become a Family Nurse Practitioner.

on top of all that, I had managed to lose enough weight initially to be off all my medications-GERD and BP. Now i'm back on both. My GERD has worsened with the weight gain and i'm at the point where I can't lay on my left side if I've eaten within the past few hours because the food and acid will backwash into my throat.

i'm miserable. I have been to the psych doc, the NUT, to the surgeon, and to my GP. none of them can give me an exact direction of what to do. my GP says they simply don't know enough about bariatrics to guide me. The bariatric team trialed me on Contrave, I got so sick I had to stop. I tried Keto and spent two days in misery from all that fat. My brain is the issue and I don't know how to get it back under control. I am taking straight Welbutrin for the time being to see if that will help with behavior AND with appetite. my surgeon is very concerned that from the GERD, i'll need a revision. I don't really WANT a revision, I know that the GERD has worsened because I carry ALL my weight in my waistline and it's pushing up on my sleeve- badly.

I have an EGD this week with my GI doc which will look at the GERD and also the condition of my sleeve. I have no excuse, the regain is completely my own doing. One day about 20 months ago, I thought that drinking a diet ginger ale at work would be ok, and it has spiraled out of control from there. I am trying badly to get off of soda again, which I think is really the first step.

As I walk this very difficult road to get back on the path where I belong, I ask for your prayers, positive thoughts, and vibes.

Sending good thoughts your way!

Sending thoughts and prayers! Have you had your gallbladder checked? Keto doesn't have to be all fat all the time, but a little bit of fat shouldn't make you miserable. If you've got gallstones or gallbladder problems, it can cause problems digesting fat.

As for the reflux, sleeves can make that much worse, and I've heard of plenty of people needing revisions from a sleeve to a gastric bypass for that very reason. Hope you get some answers soon!

Thoughts are with you through all your struggles

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I wish you the very best in this difficult part of your journey. Remember to not eat at least 2 hours before lying down for bed, and stay away from spicy foods. I have found that taking 2Tbsp. of Apple Cider Vinegar every morning has helped to the point to where I don't need Prilosec anymore. I have been taking it for about 6 weeks now. Maybe it could help lessen your symptoms.

Also, you don't need to do a keto diet to start losing weight. You just need to let go of the soft drinks and junk food/processed food/fast food. That should help you. Try to get some lean protein and veggies each meal followed up by some healthy snacks. I like to make my own P3 snacks, like raw almonds, Monterey jack cheese, and turkey slices.

If you really want to get the weight back off, you are going to have to change your lifestyle and relationship with food back to something more healthy and balanced. Not an easy thing to do, especially with the added stress of school. You can do it though. Just take it 1 day at a time. If you still have your restriction, your tool can still help you.

I hope that you are able to solve these problems without the need for another surgery. I believe that you can do it.

Best wishes coming your way!! I'm so sorry everything is happening to you. YOU can do THIS!! Do you know why I say this? Because you already DID IT...yes you have lost the weight so I have full faith that you can and WILL be ok!!! Start over you know what to do to get you the results you want!!! KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE PRIZE!!!! And KEEP ON KEEPING ON!!!

4 hours ago, DropWt4Life said:

Also, you don't need to do a keto diet to start losing weight. You just need to let go of the soft drinks and junk food/processed food/fast food. That should help you. Try to get some lean Protein and veggies each meal followed up by some healthy Snacks. I like to make my own P3 snacks, like raw almonds, Monterey jack cheese, and turkey slices.

This is good advice. There are plenty of us eating a whole foods plant based diet and we are losing weight very well. If you can get off the high sugar processed junk food you can do this!! I will be praying for you.

sending you prayer and good vibes!

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Saying prayers. It sucks. Now what everyone doesn't want...duh duh dunnnhhhhhh--yes, that's right! It's time for the "Advice from a Pre-Surgery Newbie" Show, starring? FluffyChix!

Ok, so now for some practical advice. You are a medical professional--so you must be aware of this stuff--if not, get to know it!

1. Take baby steps. Begin again. Today. Right now. Only focus on the next bite. Today your one job is to dump the carbonated diet drinks. Dump em baby. Use LaCroix as a sub if you must.

2. Tomorrow or when you feel you can, work on the next step...make your snacks healthy and filling: 2oz of protein, or PB3s, or 2oz of GS apple + 2tbsp peanut butter (I'm presurg and this snack right here fills me for 3 hours).

3. Next step, STOP drinking while eating. You can do this. It's actually the easiest step. Make it the first step if you want!!!

4. Next step, go back to eating protein first with every meal. Follow the baby step meal order: protein, non-starchy veg, high carb bs, dessert.

5. Next step, get rid of all the sugar and carby nonsense. Lose the desserts and high carb nonsense. Dump all the sugar from your diet. Tighten up your daily food intake. REALLY this is the fish or cut bait time. It may take several days...get rid of the CRAP.

6. Go back to planning your meals for 1 day. Weigh and measure everything. All. The. Things. Each day, recommit to weighing and tracking (and planning--don't forget the planning) for that day and that day only. Each day. Every day. Recommit.

7. Start walking every day--just around your house, inside your house if necessary...just 5 minutes if that's all you can do. Work up every day to more.

And that's as simple as it gets. Don't eat within 3-4 hours of bedtime. Sleep elevated. Make low acid choices. Chew the crap outta stuff and makes notes on what makes the GERD and your esophagus feel worse. Take your PPIs. Treat yourself kindly and with respect. Congratulate yourself on getting through some serious ****. Congratulate yourself on graduating and improving your life.

Go back to basics. Each day plan and log your food. Only focus on taking the very next BEST bite. Don't forget to surrender to your higher power.

Read about CBT and food addiction. It's an awesome tool for overeating or eating with abandon.

And lastly, don't put off a revision if it's called for with the GERD. Just jump in and get it done. Don't waste any more of your life on this. But you do need to get the overeating/eating off plan stuff together cuz as you know, you can eff any surgery if you're determined to do so. Do OA or Greysheeters. Go to therapy. Just concentrate on changing one thing at a time. Take baby steps and you can turn your life around.

This is exactly how I backed into starting my new life on the pre-surgery plan. Before I could even do my plan, I had to slowly and gradually back into it until I had strung together so many successful days that I'd built momentum and resolve. Resolve and commitment grow exponentially with success. The more you see the scale move (or whatever your marker of success may be), the stronger the resolve to stay on plan.

Good luck. If I can do this, you can do this. I'm the queen of recidivism. I practically wrote the book on it.

Edited October 17, 20178 yr by FluffyChix