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Hi! I have met with the surgeon, had a psych eval, did some online courses and have set a date of June 5th for my surgery. People keep asking me if I’m excited about it and honestly I am not. I have never had surgery.I’m not excited because I have had so many failures with weight loss that I feel skeptical. I am anxious for the outcome, that’s for sure. I’m ready to teach my boys how to ride bikes and ski, I’m ready to travel with them on an airplane, I’m ready to jump on trampolines and climb trees. Those are the things I’m excited for, not the surgery. I’d love to read how y’all prepared for surgery. When did you start the bariatric diet? I was thinking after Passover I’d start weighing my food and eating the things that are recommended (almost two months to get in a habit of bariatric eating).

how drastic of a change is your taste buds? What do you wish you knew before surgery that you’d like to share with me?

I hope to build some relationships and a great support group here. Thanks for taking your time to read!

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I only noticed changes in intensity of flavors - for example, sweet things tasted sweeter and spicy things tasted spicier. I haven't noticed that in a long time (I had my surgery eight years ago) - not sure if it was temporary or if I just got used to it. As far as liking things I didn't like before and vice versa, that didn't happen to me.

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I didn't have any major changes either but the I did get the intensity of sweets in particular. I don't really like sweets to begin with but right after surgery everything was sickening sweet. Now it seems more normalized.

To your second question, to what I wish I knew... In retrospect, I wish I didn't waste time watching YouTube videos on how awful RNY was because my experience has been nothing like their experiences. It's been a smooth ride with little or no side effects, like the majority of WLS people, on this site.

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It’s quite common to have some worries & questions. As you says you’ve never done this before & don’t know what to expect. Everyone here is happy to share their experiences & offer suggestions & tips though we can & do have different experiences pre & post surgery. So if you have a question or a want clarification, don’t hesitate to ask.

For most the change in your tastebuds ( &/or smell) after surgery is temporary. Personally I chose to embrace the too sweet & didn’t introduce it back into my eating & that included all sugars: real, artificial & alternatives. What can happen is you start to embrace new flavours you hadn’t tried before & discover a new appreciation for ones you didn’t previously like.

I only had about 6 weeks between the day I woke up & decided enough of being fat I want to have surgery. I did a lot of my own research & spoke with a friend who’d had the surgery. I think that looking at what you’re eating & your portion size is a good place to begin. Start making small changes to get into new habits.

@Tomo is right there are some negative things online - like many Facebook groups & some personal videos. Go to the experts. I recommend videos by Dr John Pilcher & Dr Matthew Weiner - very informative if you’re interested. And of course here.

PS. I loved your comment about wanting to jump on a trampoline. I did that at Christmas with my 5 - 9 year old nieces & nephew. We had a ball especially as they bounced me so hard I fell over … twice (& I’m almost 58). Would not have done that before surgery. Not sure I’ll be climbing trees though 😁 .

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Thank y’all for responding! The way my doctor explained my palette changing seemed like a bigger deal than what it is (or maybe I got hung up on it because I like what I like🥴).
Catwoman, has the procedure changed a lot in the past eight years? My doc is going to use a robot and make several small incisions which seems great for recovery!

Tomo, what is RNY?

Arabesque, thanks for the video recommendations! I really am excited to do kid things again!

tha ks again for the responses, I’m sure I’ll have more questions!

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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.

    • NovelTee

      I'm not at all hungry on this liquid pre-op diet, but I miss the sensation of chewing. It's been about two weeks––surgery is in two days––and I can't imagine how I'll feel a couple of weeks post-op. Tonight, I randomly stumbled upon a mukbang channel on YouTube, and it was strangely soothing... is it just me, or is this a thing? 
      · 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

        I would use that as a starting point, and then just see how you feel as you lose. How you look and feel is more important than a number.

      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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      I'm in day three of the "puree" stage of eating and despite the strange textures, all of the savory flavors seem decadent. 
      I timed this surgery so that I'd be recovering during my spring break. That was a good plan. Today is a state holiday and the final day of break. I feel really strong to return to school tomorrow. 
      · 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
      1. This update has no replies.
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