Bariatric Surgery
babs2314
Posts: 1 Member
Good morning, I am fairly new to myFitnesspal.
My husband and I started a new journey together as of the beginning of November 2016. We are on a six month plan with our doctors to prepare for bariatric surgery next May/June 2017. We are excited and of course nervous. I would love to hear from individuals that are either preparing for surgery or may have had the gastric sleeve procedure and how you are doing since surgery.
I never knew it could be so difficult to get in 80-88 grams of protein daily...
My husband and I started a new journey together as of the beginning of November 2016. We are on a six month plan with our doctors to prepare for bariatric surgery next May/June 2017. We are excited and of course nervous. I would love to hear from individuals that are either preparing for surgery or may have had the gastric sleeve procedure and how you are doing since surgery.
I never knew it could be so difficult to get in 80-88 grams of protein daily...
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Replies
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Welcome aboard.
You're likely to find more support for body modification in one of the groups than on the general fora.
You can browse or search them here: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/groups
I hope that you both find through this 6-month waiting period that you're able to learn healthy eating & exercise patterns so you can achieve your goals without making such a radical lifelong irreversible change.
One of my MFP friends lost over 125 lb on her own. I lost just over 80, have regained some, and am working at it again. That's life - a work in progress.
But here are some useful posts / links for general help with weight control.
Especially read sexypants.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10012907/logging-accuracy-consistency-and-youre-probably-eating-more-than-you-think
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/819925/the-basics-dont-complicate-it/p1
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/872212/youre-probably-eating-more-than-you-think/p1
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/833026/important-posts-to-read/p1
"Most weight loss occurs because of decreased caloric intake.
However, evidence shows the only way to maintain weight loss is to be engaged in regular physical activity."
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/physical_activity/index.html
Goal setting, including weight, calories, and macros
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/MKEgal/view/2014-06-08-setting-goals-667045
Exercise basics
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/MKEgal/view/2014-06-08-exercise-6670806 -
"I hope that you both find through this 6-month waiting period that you're able to learn healthy eating & exercise patterns so you can achieve your goals without making such a radical lifelong irreversible change"
I think you are underestimating the amount of work it takes to continue to maintain your weight after weight loss surgery. Comments like this perpetuate the stigma that weight loss surgery is the "easy way out". They are not supportive or helpful.
There are a lot of great resources on bariatric surgery on Youtube! I spent MONTHS watching peoples videos before i had my surgery and they were ALL soooo helpful! I got to watch people go through the exact same process that I was getting ready to go through, not only did i feel prepared mentally i had also been working on healthy eating and exercising during that time and felt prepared physically before surgery. Take this time to really focus on WHY you are eating and be prepared for things to get ugly when your food is taken away. :-) XOXOXO
Good Luck! Work Hard!6 -
I had gastric bypass in June of 2015 and I can attest there is nothing easy about it. It is just a tool and it can be defeated if you don't work at it every day. I have lost 153 pounds so far through dedication to my nutrition and exercise. Every day is a struggle to eat correctly so that I am not sick. Don't ever ever downplay WLS because it is just as hard if not harder then losing it by exercise and nutrition alone. There are so many potential complications that come up. Malabsorption, strictures, vomiting, diarrhea. I unfortunately had to learn everything through my own research as my surgeon wasn't exactly helpful. But I did it and along the way I figured out why I have had such terrible GI problems all my life. Grains and sugar. So now to keep my weight loss going..I have about 57 pounds left I have adopted the Keto program. Congrats on choosing WLS!!! It's not a cop out and it's definitely never going to be easy but it is worth it in the long run.8
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I think youtube is a great reference as well....I also like to follow people who've done extreme weightloss on instagram be it through VSG or other weightloss surgeries or through diet and exercise. It's a daily motivator for me to look at people who've succeeded and who still struggle daily with decisions, binge eating, lack of motivation, depression, or self esteem issues. It's not only a physical change but a mental and psychological change you're embarking on. Research, learn, imitate, and just keep going!! Each choice is one step towards your goal. You'll fall off track, you'll have a bad meal or a bad day or a bad week, but just keep going!!3
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I'm on the list for an appointment with a bariatric program at a local hospital. I'm still scared of actually doing the surgery, but I want to take the first steps any way. I've been looking at the post-surgery diets and am going to try and model my eating after those, see if I "have what it takes" to do it - and to lose some weight on my own!
Good for you - and good for you for not rushing into it. I hope you and your husband have all the success in the world.4 -
Hello all. Next week, I will be finishing the bariatric program through SoCal Kaiser Permanente. Surgery will most likely be around March/April 2017. Ive learned a lot through their program and going to bariatric support groups. Even though I have learned so much throughout the program, I found it difficult to get my food addiction under control. I just started this past week giving 100% effort into my weight loss journey. Logging my food and exercising 5x/week. Really hoping that I will stick to it until I have surgery.
I think it is great that you and your husband are taking this journey together. You will support and encourage one another. Having support and encouragement is definitely needed. Find a bariatric support group in your area to hear from people who have already had WLS. I also like watching YouTube users who had WLS.1 -
janice1112011 wrote: »Hello all. Next week, I will be finishing the bariatric program through SoCal Kaiser Permanente. Surgery will most likely be around March/April 2017. Ive learned a lot through their program and going to bariatric support groups. Even though I have learned so much throughout the program, I found it difficult to get my food addiction under control. I just started this past week giving 100% effort into my weight loss journey. Logging my food and exercising 5x/week. Really hoping that I will stick to it until I have surgery.
I think it is great that you and your husband are taking this journey together. You will support and encourage one another. Having support and encouragement is definitely needed. Find a bariatric support group in your area to hear from people who have already had WLS. I also like watching YouTube users who had WLS.
Add me1 -
I had bariatric surgery in October of this year. There is nothing easy about it, nor is it a quick fix. You still have to diet and exercise for the rest of your life and the potential side effects (dumping, ulcers, hair loss, etc) are scary. I have been on one diet or another for nearly 40 years. I lost close to 100lbs through diet/exercise but couldnt maintain it and couldnt push past that plateau. What wls did for me that dieting alone couldnt do was "cure" my diabetes and high blood pressure. I literally went in for surgery and have not needed an injection or a pill since that day. I had continuous ulcers on both feet for two years and two months later they are completely healed. That alone made surgery worth it to me. Its a great tool and my only regret is I didnt do this years ago.3
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My knees and back are hating on me much less, now that I'm over 30 pounds down from my surgery weight.2
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I went in for consultation in may or April. They told me I had 6 months but I didn't do it (then gained more weight!) So now I'm starting over. Even if I lose weight the next 6 months I'm still doing the wls. I'm tired of yo-yoing and I need help.4
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Hi☺ congratulations to you and your husband for making this decision for yourselves. I'm not sure how this blog works-its my first time writing on one but I'd love to stay in contact and show support on yall's journey. I am 2 appointments away from submitting to my insurance for gastric sleeve. I had a 3 month wlp. Good luck you guys and enjoy the process.3
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NewToKetoMama wrote: »I had gastric bypass in June of 2015 and I can attest there is nothing easy about it. It is just a tool and it can be defeated if you don't work at it every day. I have lost 153 pounds so far through dedication to my nutrition and exercise. Every day is a struggle to eat correctly so that I am not sick. Don't ever ever downplay WLS because it is just as hard if not harder then losing it by exercise and nutrition alone. There are so many potential complications that come up. Malabsorption, strictures, vomiting, diarrhea. I unfortunately had to learn everything through my own research as my surgeon wasn't exactly helpful.
I wish the surgeons would make it more clear to people that this isn't a miracle cure but just a radical tool. Everyone who is contemplating this needs to be aware that it will fail if they don't take care to follow the diet -- just as if they didn't have the surgery really. I have had 3 relatives who have all gained back everything they lost because they just thought that the surgery would make everything work without having to do the work.
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WLS is real work. It's a tool that can help if you use it correctly. I had surgery 02/15 and made it to goal weight in February of 2/16 then lost another 15 pounds trying to figure maintenance out. My body seemed to settle in with the 15 pound loss so I decided maybe my goal weight was too high. I'm 5'4" at 130 pounds. There is not a day that goes by that I don't focus on what to eat and getting my exercise in. If I don't I'll simply go back to my old habits and regain the weight. I plan my meals by calorie, carbs, fats, and cholesterol. It's a lifetime change not just during the weight loss phase, which is exactly like any other diet. You have each other for support and as long as you're willing to put in the work WLS can be successful. By the way I haven't had any complications but I followed the doctor and nutritionist guidelines to the letter. I never second guessed their decisions and advice.4
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Hello and congratulations on taking this important step toward future health. I had gastric bypass on Nov 28, 2016 in order to fix other very serious and life threatening medical complications related to GERD. My surgeon recommended the bypass as the best way to fix the GERD and assist with my obesity at the same time. As someone who has struggled with weight since my late 20's, I was ready to make this decision. I could never figure out why I didn't have the "willpower" to JUST EAT LESS and EAT HEALTHY. I mean, what the heck was wrong with me? I was a successful, ambitions, competitive person in every other area of my life. Why couldn't I just follow a diet long term? Well, it turns out that is a more complicated question than it seems on the surface, but some of the information I learned in the pre op classes was SO reassuring to me. For example, a HUGE percentage (like, over 90%) of people who have large amounts of weight to lose gain it back on the long term when they do it with diet and exercise alone. And those people are not "weak" with no willpower. There are chemical reasons why we do what we do and this surgery changes that around. So it's not just that it makes your stomach smaller. It changes the chemical signals going from your stomach to your brain. In fact, some of those signals telling your brain to EAT are in the part of your stomach that has been "bypassed." That's why sometimes people who have had the surgery forget to eat.
I still have to work at this. I still have to think all the time about food, particularly ensuring I am getting enough protein, so I do not lose muscle mass instead of the fat. I will have to take vitamin supplements for the rest of my life, as malabsorption can be an issue for bypass patients. I have to plan my meals better and think about what I am buying at the grocery store. I have to pack a lunch and snacks for work. I was in pain for over 3 weeks after surgery and I HATED every minute of the liquid diet part of things. But so far it has been worth it. I have more energy and optimism for the future. I recommend the following sites for recipes that are bariatric friendly, particularly in those early liquid and soft food stages: http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/
And http://www.bariatriceating.com/
Good luck!2 -
I am nine weeks out as of today, and have gone from a surgery weight of 284 pounds to being 247 pounds today. That has taken me from a size 22 women's pant, to a size 16.
I unsuccessfully tried so many other, more conventional ways to lose the weight over the years, before I decided that gastric bypass was the best way for me to address it. I also had, and I emphasize had, very bad acid reflux. Keep in mind that continued acid reflux can lead to esophageal cancer. Not something I really want to have to experience.
Since the date of my surgery, October 27, 2016, I have not experienced a single instance of acid reflux.3 -
Hi, I'm 2 weeks post surgery. I'm in Ontario Canada and began in the Bariatric programme in March of this year and had my surgery December 15. I used to think surgery was taking the easy way out but, even before I began the programme, had realized it was probably the most difficult route. Do what's best for you and good luck with whichever route you choose.5
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I am 10 days post op VSG 12/21 I am looking for others that are on our same journey!1
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As of Thursday this week I will be 2 weeks post op, I have read the past posts and they are right this is not the easy way out. I started April 2016 through this program we have here and I see a psychologist, a RN and a dietitian every month through the whole process I had lost 42 lbs through that process. I lost 5 lbs during the liquid protein phase prior to surgery. So far the hardest part for me was the liquid protein it is too sweet and it makes me gag I never was into sweets I liked the fatty savory foods, my next phase is the puree foods, I am looking forward to this so I can get my protein in I have had no trouble getting my liquids in I was ahead of my goals since surgery on the liquids. I have lost 9 lbs post op and will probably lose it faster once I get the correct amount of protein in. This is a every day thought process I need to plan out everything in my day because I have no real interest in eating well at this time I don't, since my surgery my sugar levels have been in the normal range so I am off of that med for now, and two other medications have been stopped, I have four others I am hoping to be off of very soon, I start my vitamins next week and that will be life time but I would much rather take vitamins then medication which I really never believed in, in the first place. If you need some one to talk to please feel free to ask me although I cannot give medical advice I can tell you what I have done. g'luck on your new journey's1
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Surgery is definitely not the easy way out. I have tried and tried to lose weight with countless failures. The only time I lost a significant amount of weight and kept it off was when I had pancreatitis. I got RNY Gastric Bypass on December 28th 2016. I'm now 9/10 days out and honestly I already don't regret it. I've lost 20 pounds in that time and I already feel better. I am 5'5 and my starting weight was 308 lbs. my weight the day of surgery was 265 lbs. I am now 245 lbs and I haven't been this size in 8 years. I'm only 18, and I'm so glad I did this when I did. I recommend it to anyone willing to make a serious change for themselves. It'll definitely help.1
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I had a gastric band fitted 10 years ago and it was the single worst thing i've ever had in my life... Mines slipped and i'm now having to pay another load of money to have it removed... causes me food hell as i can't eat so many things that i would like to1
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This is a great website (American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgeons) for debunking the myths surrounding WLS. If it's something you'd like to explore, it's worth taking a look:
https://asmbs.org/patients/bariatric-surgery-misconceptions
No, it is not 'the easy way out'. And yes, there can be complications. But you have to balance out the odds of WLS complications with what you are personally facing re: your own personal health, (dis)abilities and current issues. Obesity is deadly too. For those of us who have spent decades working at it, with little long-term success, WLS is an option worth consideration.
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This is a great website (American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgeons) for debunking the myths surrounding WLS. If it's something you'd like to explore, it's worth taking a look:
https://asmbs.org/patients/bariatric-surgery-misconceptions
No, it is not 'the easy way out'. And yes, there can be complications. But you have to balance out the odds of WLS complications with what you are personally facing re: your own personal health, (dis)abilities and current issues. Obesity is deadly too. For those of us who have spent decades working at it, with little long-term success, WLS is an option worth consideration.
This is like accepting the American "College" of Radiology as an unbiased source on how often you should have a mammogram.2 -
I had my gastric bypass now 4 years. It's no easy task if anything my health has changed completely. I'm now diabetic and have spinal issues which happened 18 years ago so find exercise hard. I need my life to change I've lost 15 stone before and after my surgery but now things are staying still. A fellow surgery friend suggested using this and I'm so glad already I did. If anyone else is similar I'd love to get in touch. X0
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I never had WLS, but my ex wife had DS almost ten years ago. It's not the easy way out, and its hardly a walk in the park, but it can be a very effective tool if used properly. To the OP, if you have any questions, PM me. Although from Canada, we ended up going to the US to have it done0
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