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Hi everyone! My name is Anthony and I'm 31 years old. I've struggled with being overweight all of my adult life. I am just about 5'9" and currently weight 245 lbs. It may not seem like I have to lose as much as some others and a lot of people tell me that I don't look like I weigh that much, but I know that I don't like the way I feel or look. I have back and knee pain, especially when I am standing for too long. It's also difficult for me to exercise at this weight. I've lost weight in the past via diet and/or medications but it always manages to come back on. I'm strongly considering the gastric sleeve. My only worry is that I did have my colon removed when I was 16 due to severe Ulcerative Colitis. I now have what's called a "j-pouch", which is basically when they form a new bowel out of your small intestine so that you don't need an ostomy/colostomy bag (I did have one for 3 months in between the 2 surgeries - first surgery to remove the colon, second to reverse it and make the pouch). I've checked with my doctors and one of the colorectal surgeons said he doesn't recommend the gastric sleeve and a couple of others said their only concern would be having urgent bowel movements due to having less of a digestive tract, but told me to check with the bariatric surgeons to make sure. The bariatric surgeon said he thinks it would probably make me have LESS bowel movements since I would be eating less and the food would be moving slower through my system. Wish me luck, I am having another virtual consultation next month!

I was at about 4 weeks before I could stand any pressure on my abdomen, but I had a hiatal hernia repair at the same time as the bypass, which upped the pain levels and pain duration. I slept on my side with a pillow protecting my stomach area, and another wedged behind me to stop me rolling onto my back in my sleep. Sleeping on my back would have been fine, but I didn't want my cat jumping on me. 8kg of cat landing on my gut would have probably sent me to the ER!

I was told by my surgeon that his NHS waiting list was three years, he did my operation privately within 4 months of my initial consultation and that was only that long because he gave me two months of that to quit smoking. I know it is a lot of money to go down this route but for me it has been worth every penny.

You will often have stalls of a few weeks at a time. That's the nature of weight loss. You may go up a pound or two just because of fluid balance (pooping, peeing, salty foods, etc), but it will come off again if you follow the plan. My surgery center also does not use a set number of calories. When I was 4 months out I told the nutritionist that I was eating about 800-1000 calories a day and she said that seemed in the right range. I'm 5 months out and eat about 900-1100 most days. I weigh every day that I'm home (I travel a lot). it helps me feel like I'm on track, but I don't worry if the number goes slightly up or doesn't move for a few days/week. It's normal, and I just look at the trends.

Hi Natty I'm julie I had the sleeve in 2010 on the NHS I have sleep apnea and didn't lose much then decided to go to the doctors to ask for a bypass had to go through 2yrs diet and cbt I had high blood pressure sleep apnea heart failure caused by high blood pressure prolapse disc in my back and artritis in my back and both hips I had my first at Macclesfield in a private hospital and the second at Stoke University hospital they were brilliant couldn't do enough for you , just go and see your doctor and ask about weight loss surgery and could they put you forward, good luck

Anyone have a FitTrack or other smart scale to measure muscle and fat mass? Seems like it would be helpful info (and encouraging during the times you may not be losing weight, but gaining muscle!) but skeptical if it really works and if the additional data is actually worth the $100. Any thoughts?

I don't know how much I gained after my sleeve, but it was a considerable amount due to a big dose of steroids they gave me due to the swelling of my sleeve after surgery. It took weeks to finally start losing. Keep with your program and you will start to lose. Sent from my Z6201V using BariatricPal mobile app

My surgery date is 2/22/22. I'm having the gastric bypass. I'm currently on day 8 I think off my liquid diet. I'm miserable, not going to lie. But I have friends rooting me on and family supporting me. Good luck to everyone else who is having their surgery this month!

I'm on day 11 of my pre-op diet and started having some freaking out feelings today. Also just hit the point where my son's cold half-eaten grilled cheese sitting on the counter looks like the best thing ever, lol.

You may need to eat out after WLS, because Americans eat out a lot. Some estimates put one-quarter of Americans eating fast food on a given day, before counting food from casual and upscale restaurants. A total of about 1 in 3 calories come from foods that are eaten away from home, such as prepared foods and restaurant foods. With restaurants, fast food, and other prepared foods being such a big part of our culture, you may not be able to, or even want to, stop eating out. That is okay, even after WLS. You will just need to be a savvy customer to be sure that wherever you are, you get a meal that fits into your meal plan. Take heart: it is almost always possible. The Trouble with Eating Out Research has been clear on the differences between eating out and preparing food at home. Restaurant meals tend to be bigger and higher in calories. Beyond that, they are higher in sodium and saturated fat, and lower in fiber. That does not bode well for weight loss, but you are not doomed. Most restaurants are willing and able to accommodate you. You may be pleasantly surprised at the choices. Do Your Homework (Or Procrastinate) Most restaurants have their menus posted online. Many have their nutritional facts online. Check before you go to the restaurant, and decide on your meal before you get there. When it comes time to order, you need not browse the menu for temptations. Or Procrastinate It is not always possible to check beforehand, and that is okay. Just keep your goal in mind: Some lean protein, such as eggs, chicken, or fish. A vegetable. A small amount of a healthy starch and/or healthy fat. Build that meal from the items you see on the menu. The Customer Is Always Right If you need another expression to drive home the point, what about, “He who pays the piper calls the tune?” You are perfectly entitled to ask for no sauce, dressing on the side, or no bun. A surprising number of joints allow substitutions or modifications for no extra cost, although some may charge. The cost is usually minimal, and worth it. Examples include getting grilled instead of fried chicken or fish, or swapping a side salad or steamed vegetables for a side of rice, pasta, or potatoes. Best Bets for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner You can go to a restaurant with some ideas of what they might have for each meal, and search for those. Breakfast Eggs: in an omelet or scrambled. Look for egg whites if you can, and choose vegetable toppings. Cheese and turkey can also be good additions. Skip bacon and other fatty meats in your eggs. Oatmeal: plain, regular or steel-cut, without add-ons such as dried fruit or brown sugar. Nuts are okay. Steer clear of granola. Breakfast sandwich: English muffin (you can eat half) with egg and/or cheese and/or ham – no bacon, sausage, croissant, or biscuit. Create a meal from sides or add-ons, such as cottage cheese, an egg, fresh fruit, or turkey sausage. Lunch Green salad with any of grilled chicken, cheese, nuts, vegetables such as tomatoes and cucumbers, and light dressing. Skip regular dressing (or order it on the side), croutons and chow mein noodles, and dried fruit. Chicken, fish, turkey breast, a veggie burger patty, a hamburger patty, or taco beef. Skip the bread, tortilla, bun, or taco shell, and steer away from breaded and fried. Side salad, carrot sticks, yogurt, or sliced apples. Dinner Shrimp cocktail or broth-based soup for starters. Avoid dips, chips, bread and breadsticks, and fried starters. Grilled, baked, or roasted plain chicken or fish. Avoid fried choices, fatty meats, and creamy or buttery sauces. Steamed vegetables or a side salad. Avoid fries, pasta, rice, and mashed potatoes. The Final Filter: You No matter what lands on your plate or your to-go box, the ultimate decision about what goes into your mouth is made by…you. You can turn a potentially disastrous order into a not-so-bad or even good meal with some smart choices. Decide how much you will eat and pack away the rest before you take your first bite. Scoop out the filling from sandwiches and burritos, while leaving the bread and tortillas. Eat the proteins and vegetables from your plate, while leaving the fries and fatty sauces. Scrape off any breading and eat only the chicken or fish inside. Weight loss surgery is to help you lose weight, but it is also to help you live a better life. If the good life for you includes eating out, you can do it. Just be careful. Keep your weight loss surgery diet plan in mind as you order and eat, and you can lose weight as you live your normal life.