Hi everyone,

I am 20 days from surgery (4/18) and I am nervous and excited. I feel prepared but at the same time I feel like I don't know what I am doing. My hospital hasn't been the easiest to work with as far as providing information on what to expect so I have been doing a lot of my own research. It almost feels like my doctors put everyone in the same camp and don't take each person as an individual which is highly annoying for a "Type A"/Planner like myself. I start a full pre-op liquid diet on 4/4 to help shrink my liver and jump-start weight loss before surgery. I am fully stocked up on Fairlife protein shakes (every flavor except coffee) and have unflavored protein powder and collagen to add to soups. What other options should I explore or do you have any recommendations for protein shakes to try?

I am fairly nervous about my hair thinning or losing my hair - does anyone have experience with this or prevented this from happening? I started taking collagen about 3 months ago and noticed it has helped strengthen my nails and added hair growth but I am worried this won't be enough in the long run. Any advice is appreciated!

Does anyone have any advice on pregnancy after DS? I am mainly going through this process to increase my chances of having children - my husband and I have suffered two miscarriages and I am being told by my OB/GYN that there's nothing they will do for me until I am at a better weight. I am fully committed as I want to start a family but waiting an additional 12-18 months after waiting this long seems like a lifetime. I want to be as prepared as possible for any hurdles or issues we may encounter - thanks in advance!

That's a little about me - tell me about you! I am excited to be part of this community and build each other up!

Thanks so much for reading,

K. Becker - Minneapolis, MN

the hair loss is only temporary. So dont stress on it. I dont want to loose my hair either but i have some hats just incase lol Looks like you are on a 2 week liquid diet too. I just got told today that mine will be 2 weeks too. But they provided the shakes. Tho i am gonna get others too. I also bought a little magic bullet blender thing for the shakes.

It sounds like you're well prepared for your first stage of your post op diet.

The only other supplement that some people take for hair health is biotin, that I know of at least.

I have no experience with pregnancy after weight loss surgery. I had my son many moons ago when I was at a normal weight, lol.

I'm sure you're going to do fabulous on surgery day and thereafter! Just take it day by day and focus on your weight loss and 18 months will sail by!

Best wishes!

Hello, Welcome in to the best place for reassurance and information. There are people here who will help you as you go forward. You can ask anything and someone will have had that to deal with. The post go back 20 years and are full of great information and will give you a boost if you need it.

1. Protein shakes - Everybody says don't buy too many of one variety as your tastes will change after surgery.

2. Hair loss - My hair loss has just begun, it worries me a little but its nothing a short hair cut will not solve . Realistically, there is no data if anything extra helps

Edited March 29, 20224 yr by summerseeker

5 minutes ago, summerseeker said:

1. Protein Shakes - Everybody says don't buy too many of one variety as your tastes will change after surgery.

Yes this ^^ Some say they fared far better with protein waters after surgery for a while. Isopure makes some, as does Premier Protein and Gatorade Zero protein is another.

I think most pre-ops and early post-ops worry about the hair loss - but I think most of us long-timers will tell you that it's just a blip on the screen in the grand scheme of things. It's temporary, and most people don't lose enough for others to notice (some do, of course - but most don't). I lost a little - but I'm sure no one else noticed.

there's really nothing you can do about it. If it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen (and not everyone loses hair, so there's that). Some people say biotin helps, others say it doesn't do a darn thing. I did buy some but didn't take it consistently. I wouldn't sweat it, though. It may not even be noticeable, and it'll all grow back. You can always get it cut short or wear it up or wear scarves or something if it's noticeable. I know I was really freaked out about the thought, but it really wasn't bad - and I've pretty much forgotten about it at this point. Losing that 200 lbs (for me) was WELL worth the cost of any temporary hair loss.

oh - the best thing you can do is keep on top of your supplements and protein requirements. That should keep it from getting any worse than it will otherwise.

Edited March 29, 20224 yr by catwoman7

Hi I am having surgery 4/20/22

The hair loss thing was really only noticeable to me. I knew that more hair was coming out when I brushed and in the shower, but no one else notice. Yes, I did cut my hair (I used to have hair that went to my waist and cut it to brush my shoulders) but the hair cut was because I hadn't cut my hair since I was 15 (I'm 34 and had just turned 34 when I cut it) and I was in desperate need of a cut.

I don't have experience with pregnancy at all, but my PCP had weight loss surgery and had two more kids after the fact. With the DS though, it's still best to wait at least 18 months post op to make sure you have your vitamin levels where they're supposed to be because if you get pregnant too soon it can lead to health complications so that's why it's suggested to wait a full 18 months.

Also, your taste buds change after surgery so don't get too attached to a certain protein shake because you might not like it post op. The one I bought I liked pre-op, but post-op it was far too sweet.

Also, I wanted to share that my doctor never warned me that there is a 3% possibility of developing a wheat allergy or Celiac's Disease post op so I'm warning you that it is a possibility because they didn't tell me it was until I discovered that I have a wheat allergy. So while it's unlikely to happen to you, it would have been nice if I'd known... I still would have done the surgery and it was still one of the best decisions I've ever made for myself, I just wish I'd been prepared for it to be a possibility so that's why I'm sharing that with you.

I wish you the best on your surgery journey and I hope that everything works out for you!