Anyone wanna cheer me up?

[ryan_86 335]

I’m having my revision from sleeve to bypass a week from today. Going over all the dietary changes and potential unknowns, I’m just not looking forward to this at all. I wish my weight and reflux were much worse so the revision felt 100% necessary; right now it feels more like 50%, but that’s not going to change the longer I wait.

I’m dreading the post-op period and all it’s unpleasantness. Long term, I’m really worried about food intolerances changing my ability to enjoy things that bring me a lot of pleasure. Trying new foods when I travel, indulging in a pastry on a Friday morning, drinking fabulous wine.

I swear, I don’t even remember how I managed all the mental and social repercussions the first time around. It just feels more daunting this time. Maybe because it was so unambiguously needed then, I had a more gung ho attitude.

Could someone please tell me that six months or a year from now, my lifestyle will be pretty much the same as it is today? Perfectly okay to fib to me if needed 😅

[GreenTealael 24,905]

I was revised from VSG to RNY over three years ago. I can say that my lifestyle and routine is about 95% the same as VSG (and about 75% the same as pre WLS.) I think I was back to what I considered normal in about 4 months after surgery. Your experience may vary of course.

The 5% margin of difference between VSG and RNY was the immediate post op period where I had to adjust to new bathroom habits and figuring out exactly which food I no longer could tolerate. Now even the things I didn’t tolerate immediately I can have in some amount and some things I just don’t want at all (super sugary sweet stuff).

I can’t speak to the weight loss aspect because I was at my goal and have pretty much stayed there, but the reflux/GERD is gone and has not returned, yet (although unlikely anything is possible).

Good luck

[Tomo 1,148]

There is no difference to me between the two as far as what I can eat. I can eat everything too. I don't dump, I don't have any side affects, and I don't have the bathroom problems or side effects. The major difference is no gerd, and a little more control in calorie intake. Post-op was a lot easier after the RNY vs VSG. Some people think it is such a drastic difference between vsg and rny when it comes to diet but it's basically the same.

[kcuster83 1,503]

I didn't have a revision, (virgin bypass here) but I had the same concerns pre-op. I was worried about never being able to eat a piece of steak again.. or becoming lactose intolerant. I LOVE DAIRY!

Long story short, none of it happened. I can eat anything I want, never dumped or maybe once but so mild I am still not even sure if that's what it was.

By about 5-6 months, I was pretty much perfectly back to "normal" other than the restriction and eating WAY less than my normal pre-op self.

I never had a problem getting my fluids or hitting Protein goals.

You got this! Don't worry. I know everyone is different but keep in mind, negative travels faster than positive! So it seems like you hear about more negative things but in reality it is just how word of mouth travels.

Best of luck to you!

[catwoman7 10,922]

I don't think there's much - if any - difference. The first few weeks after either surgery is challenging - but once you get a few months out, you no longer have any food restrictions - you're just eating a lot less than you did pre-surgery.

You've brought this all up before - and we've told you that it's really not going to be any different. Lots of us can eat pastries (well, occasionally - else you risk gaining weight back, just like you would have with the sleeve!), drink wine, and try new foods when we travel. I"m not sure why you think you're going to have lots of unpleasantness. I would say that's very rare.

[Jeanniebug 473]

Since you seem so on the fence about the surgery, my only suggestion would be to try *everything else* first. Make sure that this revision is your *last resort*. That way, you can go into it knowing that you have no other options; that this surgery is the only way. And, you can toss the match on that bridge and walk away without looking back.

Edited December 21, 2022 by Jeanniebug

[Dan1131 20]

Ryan I am SO GLAD you posted this, I am in exactly the same place, my revision from VSG to Bypass surgery is January 9. Im on day 2 of the 14 day pre-op liquid diet.

My VSG was 10 years ago and about 9 months ago I started to develop reflux and GERD. Tried the meds, didn't really help. Like you I have been about 50% happy with my weight post op and in truth because of my carefree approach it never got down to my goal and has been creeping up.

I was 331 pre-op and got as low as 261. Im now 276 10 years later and on a lot more HBP and Cholesterol meds than I would like to be. So there is reason to do this beyond the GERD but I'm super scared I will lose the little bit of joy I have with food. That I'll screw up the new way I have to eat and make myself sick.

The big difference for me this time is that I have a doctor who will stay with me post op. 10 years ago I moved from the US to Canada 6 months after the surgery and had none of the follow up support or checkups that would have allowed me to take full advantage of this tool.

Your post really helped and the responses here have helped even more. Im just trying to take comfort in the fact that I did this once before and 10 years later I'm probably alive when I might have been dead. This bypass hopefully will extend my life to something approaching normal and I'll get rid of the GERD and avoid esophageal cancer.

What I read here is that its not that different 4-5 months post op, my Doctor tells me the same. If I get a bit more weight loss that will be my reward and I plan to buy a whole new wardrobe, so I at least have that to look forward to.

So glad you posted thank you!

[ryan_86 335]

On 12/21/2022 at 8:05 AM, catwoman7 said:

You've brought this all up before - and we've told you that it's really not going to be any different.

The problem, it seems to me, is I've been reading post-op booklets and talking to healthcare professionals, which make the changes seem rather drastic. A lot of use of "never" in those sources, but coupled with the exact opposite. I was discharged today, and in the space of two sentences, the program coordinate, for instance, said no bread ever again and yeah, bread eventually. Reminds me of my VSG surgery when the surgeon would say to eliminate certain things from my diet forever and the nutritionist would say the exact opposite. They were both right from the perspective of their profession.

[Tomo 1,148]

The problem, it seems to me, is I've been reading post-op booklets and talking to healthcare professionals, which make the changes seem rather drastic. A lot of use of "never" in those sources, but coupled with the exact opposite. I was discharged today, and in the space of two sentences, the program coordinate, for instance, said no bread ever again and yeah, bread eventually. Reminds me of my VSG surgery when the surgeon would say to eliminate certain things from my diet forever and the nutritionist would say the exact opposite. They were both right from the perspective of their profession.

If you go to 10 different vsg surgeons, you will probably get 10 different post-op diets. If you go to 10 different rny surgeons, you will probably get 10 different post-op diets. The only difference between vsg and rny post-op diet is the surgeon's opinions. For example, my vsg surgeon wanted low carb, my rny surgeon pushes 7 to 13 servings of fruits/veggies a day for long-term weightloss, anti inflammation and anti cancer reasons.