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What you wish you'd known before having weight loss surgery



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On 11/19/2017 at 8:13 PM, fclenz said:

12/19 is my date too!

Are you going to Mexico?

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Just now, bellabloom said:


Hey there.

I have dumping syndrome (rare for sleeve patients) and I have trouble with things getting stuck/ throwing up after I eat. I also just feel nauseated or generally unwell after I eat most of the time. These might seem like small issues but over time they can be very exhausting.

On the up side, I’m healthy Vitamin wise, my energy is good and I’m thin and living a much happier life. :)

I'm sorry you have to deal with that. Sounds pretty miserable.

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I wish I knew that I'd have diarrhea forever. (maybe it's not forever, but I had surgery 7 months ago and I still have it). It isn't every day, I haven't been able to figure out what specifically causes it, only that sometimes I eat and in an hour, I can't go more than 500 feet from a toilet. pills don't work quickly enough, so if it happens, it's a good 2 hours before I can safely leave my house or office. It's not something that would have stopped me from having surgery. But I do wish I had known that this was going to be a problem for me long term. I am exhausted and depressed at the thought of this being my life forever.

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I wish I knew that I'd have diarrhea forever. (maybe it's not forever, but I had surgery 7 months ago and I still have it). It isn't every day, I haven't been able to figure out what specifically causes it, only that sometimes I eat and in an hour, I can't go more than 500 feet from a toilet. pills don't work quickly enough, so if it happens, it's a good 2 hours before I can safely leave my house or office. It's not something that would have stopped me from having surgery. But I do wish I had known that this was going to be a problem for me long term. I am exhausted and depressed at the thought of this being my life forever.

This sounds like dumping!!


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the burping... everytime i eat or even drink, i keep burping

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On 11/16/2017 at 9:08 AM, Sullie06 said:

I wish I knew that I would have a drain for 48 hours. My surgeon never mentioned it so I assumed they didn't use them, wrong. That was a surprise to wake up to and the most painful part for me.

Also I wish I prepared myself better for mild regret directly after surgery and how slow moving through the stages would feel.

Now I'm almost 11 months out, about 15-20 pounds from goal and I have zero regrets.

Awesome and glad things are better, I am preparing mental self for a little emotional rollercoaster but I

know why i'm doing. Thank you for sharing :)

surgery date 12/20

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I wish I knew that I'd have diarrhea forever. (maybe it's not forever, but I had surgery 7 months ago and I still have it). It isn't every day, I haven't been able to figure out what specifically causes it, only that sometimes I eat and in an hour, I can't go more than 500 feet from a toilet. pills don't work quickly enough, so if it happens, it's a good 2 hours before I can safely leave my house or office. It's not something that would have stopped me from having surgery. But I do wish I had known that this was going to be a problem for me long term. I am exhausted and depressed at the thought of this being my life forever.


I️I’ve heard that some people become lactose intolerant. Have you tried to eliminate dairy or take lactaid when you do have dairy?

I️ have Ulcerated Colitis and was told the surgery would decrease my flair-ups - I’ve been in a flair and on steroids since Sept [emoji79]. Did you see a GI yet? Pepto works pretty fast and it’s less harsh than immodium.
Good Luck!!!

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On 11/18/2017 at 10:25 PM, bellabloom said:

I would trade being obese for living with chronic digestive issues, never being able to eat freely or normally again and that meals would always be a struggle.

See this is what has been freaking me out lately. I Already have chronic digestive issues (along with a host of other chronic pain & health issues), and since my IBS has been flared up lately, I keep questioning if this is going to make it worse. My IBS is mixed, mostly C, but sometimes D. Mainly a lot of abdominal pain, intermittent nausea, GERD - which is well controlled with OTC 20 mg Nexium - so I can always go up to 40 mg if needed - and my gastroenterologist insisted the sleeve was the better option for me, in her opinion. So, IDK. I guess because we are paying out of pocket, and our loan is not inexpensive, that I already feel like it is a burden financially for my husband/family. If I don't have a good outcome, or if my daily issues become Worse?? Ugh, I can't even imagine any of us having to deal with that....

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Man I wish I only had my drain for 48hrs. My surgeon requires one for 7 days, and do to a scheduling issue I was stuck with mine for 9 days. That was by far my least favorite part of the whole process. Other than that I wish I knew just how greatly my tastes would change in the time right after surgery. There are quite a few foods that I simply cannot stand the taste of anymore that I loved pre-surgery.




How common is having a drain? I’ve never heard of anyone getting on for this surgery.


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I wish I would have known how much gas pain I’d have. It was mentioned many times, but I guess I just chose to ignore it. Three days post-op and it’s just as bad as the day of. [emoji30] I know this too shall pass, though!


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How common is having a drain? I’ve never heard of anyone getting on for this surgery.



I had one I had gastric bypass, my surgeon does the drain with every surgery. I guess it depends on your doctor and your body?


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That I would live my life in 30 minute blocks...

What do you mean?


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    • Prdgrdma

      So I guess after gastric bypass surgery, I cant eat flock chips because they are fried???  They sell them on here so I thought I could have them. So high in protein and no carbs.  They don't bother me at all.  Help. 
      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        It's possible for a very high fat meal to cause dumping in some (30% or so) gastric bypass patients, although it's more likely to be triggered by high sugar, or by the high fat/high sugar combo (think ice cream, donuts). Dietitians will tell you to never do anything that isn't 100% healthy ever again. Realistically, you should aim for a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat each day. Should you eat fried foods every day? No. Is it possible they will make you sick? Maybe. Is it okay to eat some to see what happens and have them for a treat every now and again? Yes.

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      · 1 reply
      1. NickelChip

        I actually watched cooking shows during my pre-op, like Great British Baking Show. It was a little bizarre, but didn't make me hungry. I think it was also soothing in a way.

    • Clueless_girl

      How do you figure out what your ideal weight should be? I've had a figure in my head for years, but after 3 mths of recovery I'm already almost there. So maybe my goal should be lower?
      · 3 replies
      1. NickelChip

        Well, there is actually a formula for "Ideal Body Weight" and you can use a calculator to figure it out for you. This one also does an adjusted weight for a person who starts out overweight or obese. https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/68/ideal-body-weight-adjusted-body-weight

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      2. Clueless_girl

        I did find different calculators but I couldn't find any that accounted for body frame. But you're right, it is just a number. It was just disheartening to see that although I lost 60% of my excess weight, it's still not in the "normal/healthy" range..

      3. NickelChip

        I think it's important to remember that the weight charts and BMI ranges were developed a very long time ago and only intended to be applied to people who have never been overweight or obese. Those numbers aren't for us. When you are larger, especially for a long time, your body develops extra bone to support the weight. Your organs get a little bigger to handle the extra mass. Your entire infrastructure increases so you can support and function with the extra weight. That doesn't all go away just because you burn off the excess fat. If you still had a pair of jeans from your skinniest point in life and then lost weight to get to the exact number on the scale you were when those jeans fit you, chances are they would be a little baggy now because you would actually be thinner than you were, even though the scale and the BMI chart disagree. When in doubt, listen to the jeans, not the scale!

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      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
    • BeanitoDiego

      Now that I'm in maintenance mode, I'm getting a into a routine for my meals. Every day, I start out with 8-16 ounces of water, and then a proffee, which I have come to look forward to even the night before. My proffees are simply a black coffee with a protein powder added. There are three products that I cycle through: Premier Vanilla, Orgain Vanilla, and Dymatize Vanilla.
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      · 0 replies
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