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I signed up on here awhile back and waited to post anything until now and hope I can give some of my experience. March 1st of this year I had my gastric sleeve. I went in with a weight of 363 pounds and am 6’1. As of today posting this I am 225 pounds. Definitely was one of the smartest decisions I ever made for myself. Everyone’s journey is different. I was met with immediate energy following my procedure, like waking up everyday and ready to take on the world. And it’s still like that. For whatever reason for me, my eating habits and likes and dislikes immediately changed. I hated fish my whole life and now find myself craving it. Once loved ranch dressing, not it makes my stomach feel yuck. You hit these plateaus where your weight doesn’t change, sometimes for a couple weeks at a time, it’s easy to get discouraged but trust me, stay the course, don’t go back to bad habits and then bam! Next thing you know, you’re dropping a pound or two a day, followed by another plateau. This will happen repeatedly. For me I’ve noticed that walking 4 or 5 miles a day and being as active as possible REALLY makes it come off even quicker and maintaining a diet with no sugar for me has seriously helped. I treat myself to a little bit of carbs daily but mainly all proteins and it has worked great for me. Again, these are just the things that have worked in my journey and no two are the same. I’m fortunate that my job is pretty active so I keep track of my steps climbed and steps to get my exercise minutes in while I work. I also find a reason to be active when I’m not working. I wish everyone luck that is or has had this procedure done. And like I said, it’s the best thing I ever did for ME.

Unfortunately there are a small percentage who do feel hungry. First though you need to ensure what you’re feeling is real hunger. Many of us were so driven by head hunger we forgot what real hunger truely feels like. Head hunger can be quite strong after surgery especially if your eating was driven a lot by emotions & you ate for comfort. At the moment you are experiencing quite an emotional roller coaster (hormonal fluctuations, the actually surgery, stress, etc,) & you can’t turn to food like you may have previously. And of course you always want what you can’t have more. For many of us if we want a specific food, taste or texture we know it’s head hunger. Plus many nerves were cut during surgery so a lot of signals don't work at all or work differently at the moment. There are strategies you can use. Distraction is very useful as head hunger often will pass or reduce in intensity in time. Go for a walk as you’re able, craft, play a game, read, ring a friend or your family, etc. Often a warm drink can be helpful like herbal or green tea. All the best. PS - check your plan as yoghurt & cream of wheat usually aren’t allowed until at least the puree stage but there are differences in plans so…

I’m on a cpap too. I don’t have any advice on dealing with the disappointment but if I were you, I’d probably tell myself it’s just another step toward health. And who knows, maybe you’ll recover faster and lose faster because you are getting quality sleep and rest? Could happen!

Wow, you look great!! I'm so glad you've had such a great result! I love when successful people pop up to encourage everyone to stay the course, it is really inspiring. I'm in my first stall post surgery and it is soooo annoying and discouraging, even though I know it is part of the process. I'm just staying the course--low carbs, high protein, water, water, water, move when I can. I know it has to break at some point. I gained 2.6 lbs but I know it is water weight. It is a good thing I only weigh once a week or I'd drive myself mad... LOL

I woke up in recovery hungry, genuinely hungry. I would have eaten seafood if they'd offered it and I hate seafood. I'm one of that minority that didn't lose my hunger, in fact, I wasn't hungry before, it came back after surgery! Not fair! LOL I find hydration is important for controlling hunger. I had to have a stern talk with my body about how shakes are nourishment and head hunger was complicating the picture because I just wanted to chew on something. Sugar free popsicles helped. I was on liquids for 2 weeks post surgery, strict liquids, no cream of wheat or yogurt or pudding. I agree with Arabesque, distraction is your friend. As is drinking your shakes on a schedule and hydrating all throughout the day... I saved my popsicles for the evening, when I'm most used to eating a meal. Your doctor is mistaken if they assume being hydrated or having shakes takes care of hunger. It doesn't for everyone. Each body is different. Just remind yourself this is a finite period of time. Try warm broths to alternate between the cold, sweet shakes.

Congrats! That is great progress! Look how much you're able to do now that you weren't even a couple months ago, its amazing! Glad your health is improving so quickly! Yeah, I'm dreading my upcoming stall. I it's "when" and not "if" it happens for everybody. Just have to remember its just your body coming to terms with the drastically different caloric intake, and it will freak out periodically along the way. As long as we stick to the plan, we're still burning fat, even though our body is offsetting the scale number with fluid retention while it panics. It took years for us to put the weight on, so anything shorter than that makes our body interpret it as a threat. Once it realizes you're maintaining your health while burning the fat, it will gradually release it. Weight loss won't be linear, it will look more like stair steps with the occasionally brief increase (again, "Fake weight" since its fluid retention) before it steps down again.

Hiii friends. Had bypass done on Nov 21 just had my first sneeze and boy did that hurt!😅 also definitely Struggling with protein intake AND insomnia hope everyone is good.

I know that after the surgery my hormones went crazy. I had stopped my periods for over 4 months before the surgery but they came back and stayed for the next 9 months. Now that I'm losing weight way slower my periods have stopped again and my moods have stabilized. So some of the depression is probably from that but I also got some of that alone/lost feeling too. Mine may not be the same but I felt and still feel lost between worlds. I have no idea how to act or dress or even talk as a normal sized person but I don't fit into my over weight world anymore. My version of self is as an over weight person so I have to figure out how to be a new me. I thought it would come natural but it hasn't happened that way for me yet. I'm sure its something that will be fixed eventually with practice. I hope you feel better soon though and that you can start enjoying life and food again. Hugs!

I was getting ready to back into the office for the first time since my surgery (3wks post op and a week and a half of Covid). I’ve been living in pjs and lounge pants (comfy bra when needed-right ladies?). I was shocked at how loose my jeans were. But I visited my storage room and pulled out my “skinny clothes” -let’s be honest- we all have a full range of sizes squirreled away. I really want to save money, especially now that the medical bills are finally making themselves known- so I don’t want to buy anything new. But I’m looking at these clothes and thinking this isn’t me… this isn’t me… but I’m also not sure who the real me is, yet. I don’t feel like me anymore… I know there’s more change to come, so having an identity crisis this soon is crazy right?

You both are doing great!!! I was sleeved 7/6/23 as well- the recovery went well. I do not believe my sleeve was too restrictive as I can eat small meals without discomfort. I do limit my caloric intake to under 1000 calories per day (I track) and I do not eat simple carbs. I have been eating some fruits which I am cutting back on. I weighed in 3 days ago at 187 lbs, so I am down 43 lbs post surgery, 80 lbs since my first bariatric appointment. I have been in the middle of stall for the last 2 weeks. Hoping it breaks soon. The weight loss has definitely slowed, but based on reading others' experience, I am not going to worry at this point. I wanted to be at least 167 lbs by the 6 month mark, but I've lost very little in the last 4 weeks- don't think I'll make it. Anyway, the goal is what matters. Good luck to you all!