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As @catwoman7 said some of those changes you mentioned are just temporary. Like hair loss usually persists for about 3 months & your hormones settle once you’ve lost most of your weight (oestrogen is stored in fat so as you lose all the excess oestrogen is released into blood stream). Large weight regain can occur because of complacency & people slipping back into old eating habits. It can occur because how they were eating wasn’t sustainable &/or was too restrictive. It didn’t allow them to live their life as they wanted & hindered them doing what they enjoyed. Or they didn’t do the head work to understand & learn to manage their old eating behaviours & what drove them to eat. All things the surgery doesn’t do anything about. But it does give you the time to explore these factors. Also remember the average weight loss at about the three year mark is 60% of the weight that had to be lost. This can include the bounce back ‘resettling’ weight gain, complacency & adjusting to a more flexible eating plan. Or it could just be the weight your body is happier at. Sure there is always a chance to develop an issue that has to be monitored but it’s rare. Comparatively, there are very few complications from weight loss surgery. Some of the issues may not have anything to do with the surgery. I have a protein malabsorption issue. Not from my 3 yr old sleeve but from my gall being removed last year. (Malabsorption issues are very rare with sleeve.) I have low BP. I had a genetic predisposition before surgery now it’s all the time because of my lower weight not the surgery. Gerd is probably the highest risk after sleeve - about 15-20% I believe. But it can be managed or treated by a revision to bypass. Some issues may be revealed because you likely are being monitored medically more closely now then before or your weight & associated comorbidities may have been masking what were pre existing conditions. You’ll likely read & hear about people with problems because they they post to seek help & support. They don’t often post about what the cause was or the remedy. In comparison, people tend not to post or talk about their successes. I know many people who’ve had the surgery. No one has experienced long term or developed new issues because of the surgery. A couple regained most of their weight because they went back to their old eating habits. Certainly the benefits far outweigh any temporary side effects or the very rare problem.

Skin can be dealt with too. Check out the plastic/reconstructive surgery forum. Lots of us on here had a variety of skin removal surgeries (myself included). I agree with @Sleeve_Me_Alone though, even if I hadn’t had the extra skin removed I’d still trade be thrilled to be happy & healthy.

It’s an individual thing. You may only be able to sip for months or you may be able to chug liquids in a few weeks. Neither is right or wrong. Just for the first couple of months we usually are advised to sip slowly to support & not strain our healing tummy & digestive systems. Follow the advice from your surgeon & you’ll be fine. You’ll get to what your body is comfortable with in your own time.

My surgeon didn’t want one initially, but after I mentioned I had a murmur as a baby he decided to do one in the hospital the morning of the surgery. Guess maybe I should have mentioned that sooner. We had time to kill anyways cause I couldn’t pee so they had to rush a blood pregnancy test. They really should give you a cup to bring home.

I got my surgery on Friday 6/17 and since then I’ve been using barimelts. I’ve really struggled with these as the taste is terrible and it makes it super hard to get down. I hope your experience with them are much better.

One week, 20 pounds!!! I know we're not supposed to weigh ourselves much, but, Hurray! I really notice the difference in not having to haul that around. Question - how's everybody's energy doing? I'm really struggling with low energy. Okay, I'm 74, just had major surgery (including a bonus hernia repair), and yesterday was the first day I was able to get in 800 calories, so I guess the answer to my own question is simply, "Patience." ---sigh--- (Not my strong suit)

I had my one week consult. Everything is going well. No problem working out but they want me to make sure I listen to my body. I’m moving my liquids to 100oz and protein to 100gr. I know it all water weight but down 13 lbs.

Sleep as much as possible!! Liquid Tylenol was the only pain med I could tolerate, highly recommended. It will get better! The first 2 days I was like omg what did I do?! I’m a month in now and not regretting my decision.

I hate to shop. Losing weight has not changed that. I put off buying anything new at all until I absolutely had to. I found I could get away with using a belt (another thing I dislike) and pulling my pants up "Urkel Style." As long a my top was longer, it hid alot. But I am past that point now. I had to buy some new pants/jeans and some pants for the summer. I chose to order from places which permitted in store returns. I had no idea what size I needed to order so I would order 2 or 3 different styles/sizes knowing I wasn't going to keep them all. That was usually enough to qualify for free shipping and then I could return in person. At this point, I won't order anything that is not on clearance. I had to break down and order new bras. The "girls" have packed up and left, what remains has migrated south 😪. Again, I chose from clearance. Fortunately, my mother still has her sewing machine. She was willing to take in most of my cheap (Roamans, Woman Within) knit tops. Perhaps, lizaonaplace, you could consider that. All she did was run new seams up the sides and cut of the extra if needed. Everything is still big in the shoulders, but at least the tops no longer look like dresses (In addition to being big myself, due to where I work, I wore clothes that were baggy. I have a lot to get rid of. I don't live in a major shopping area so consignment or thrift is not an easy option. I'm also scared to---you know, the what if's. If I hadn't purged all my clothes that had become too small over time, I'd have something to wear now. Selling them online seems more work that it's worth. For now, I'm hanging on to them until I find someplace to donate. Ideally, I'd like to find some place that would provide the clothes to a plus-size woman who is truly in need.

Set an intention to be loving and respectful to you every day. Drink plenty of water every day. Intentionally move your body every day. Spend 5-20 minutes in sacred silence every day. Say only Kind and Loving things to and about yourself Say "Thank You" to compliments. Listen to and speak with your body throughout the day. Eat life-affirming high energy foods. Pay attention to your intuitive hunches. Notice energy. Protect your energy (ask/pray that you not take on others' energy/anxiety, before you leave your house imagine you are surrounded by a protective shield/bubble that will only allow positive loving energy to penetrate, no negatively get get through... If you are talking with someone who is particularly negative you can imagine you are standing behind a one way mirror and everything they say to you just bounces right back to them, or you can "put on your teflon suit" i.e. nothing sticks!!) Clear your energy: meditate, stretch, take a bath in epsom salt, spend time in nature, create a releasing ritual Before you say or do anything take a deep BREATH…Connect with your inner wisdom and ask if what you are about to say or do will support your Highest Good. Intend that your words and actions be grounded in the energy of LOVE Don’t say or do ANYthing that doesn't feel right. Live in the moment (pay attention to your breathing: this will always bring you back to the present moment.) Count your blessings/feel gratitude every day. Be ever mindful of living in the energy of LOVE. Live in Love, Louisa