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I told everyone the reason I wasn't leaving my house during the two weeks of my liquid diet was so I wouldn't risk catching Covid, but I think a close second is to not accidentally run into the local Girl Scouts and their addictive boxes of delight. Thankfully, I no longer personally know someone I need to order from. But given that I've had nothing but protein shakes and jello for going on a week, I might seriously consider selling my soul for Thin Mint right now. Or a carrot. Seriously, anything crunchy right now would do.

Oh, hon. My grandma was like that, too. It's so hard, especially if you get mixed messages. Mind you, I take after my grandmother 100% physically. She was a bigger woman from her tee years at least, and on a diet of some kind her entire life (died at 92, though, so despite the obesity, she had a good run). But my God, she would be one minute talking about my weight and the next breath offering me food. Her idea of a portion size was a full 1lb link of Polish sausage. She would put out enough food for snacks to feed a small army. But then, "Oh, you have to watch it or you'll get fat." I swear there needs to be a patron saint for people trying to be polite to their family members under trying circumstances.

I'm in quite a different situation, but maybe the anecdote will be helpful. I'm trans and had been taking testosterone for a little over a year before surgery. 9 months out, I got my T levels tested and they were double what they had been when I was tested a few months before surgery. I have no real insight as to why and it's possible that I was just absorbing the topical gel better through paper thin skin rather than an inch of fat, but perhaps it has to do with the mechanism @Arabesque mentioned.

I agree - that's a question for your team. In my case, I was allowed to everything BUT weights once I was four weeks out. I was cleared for weights at eight weeks out.

I am five months postop and think I am driving myself crazy. I have not lost any weight since November 11 right before the holidays and am terrified I messed my surgery up. I indulged a little too much with carbs during Thanksgiving and Christmas. I started this journey at 285 and am currently 227. I was 269 August 29th day of the sleeve. I followed my diet to the T until holidays How do I pick my weight loss back up?? Did I ruin this for good?? I def CANNOT eat as much as I used to but I can't seem to get back to starting point of protein and 5%carbs and 5%fat limits on food items. I'm embarrassed to talk about it with anyone except this forum. All my bloodwork is great. I am doing some cardio and weights 5 days a week but not much as I'm slowly getting into it. But I feel like I've messed up my sleeve or something!! What If I did all this just to lose almost 60 pounds but to be honest I do feel the best I have in years. I just don't wanna give up I don't even know what to think about not losing weight all these months. I did gain/lose a few pounds (was 224 then was 230 now I'm 227). Am I going to be stuck at this weight forever??? Its only been 51/2 months!! Advice please!!!!

I agree with @Arabesque, track your food and see what you're eating, how much, and how often. The further out we get from our surgeries, the easier it is to slowly get off track. Our stomachs stretch out a little and we notice we can eat more, so we do. Definitely reach out to your dietician and see if you guys can come up with a way to get back on track. It's normal to have the weight loss slow drastically as time goes on, but if you aren't where you want to be yet, there's ways to fix it. But definitely start tracking your food and liquid intake, reach out to your dietician, and make sure you're moving your body. Even if you don't do full workouts, make sure you're moving every day. Park at the far end of a parking lot, take stairs instead of the elevator, take a walk a few times per week...anything to get your body moving.

I did not have to commit to any amount of time for my Dr but they do recommend 2 weeks because then you can usually get the drains and stitches out. I stayed 6 days at a recovery house and then another week at my moms because she lives just 30 min from the border. That second week I just sent pictures to the dr as needed for updates and then traveled once to go get my stitches and drains out before I flew home. You can travel the day after surgery if you wanted to but I would really not recommend that because I could barely move. I really had no pain and other patients of his seem to have no pain too. I was just on tylenol and nothing else for 5 days. But you are so stiff and numb its like wearing a plastic suit or something and makes doing anything so much harder. I am on several plastic surgery boards and so far basically no one is reporting any hair loss like after bariatric surgery. I have not lost any yet but it also didn't happen until 3 months after my surgery before. So I'm hoping it won't happen but its too early to say for sure.

Day 5 out of 14 on the pre-op diet and I've settled into somewhat of a routine. I do a Bariatric Fusion cappuccino shake at breakfast with a 20 oz decaf tea that has 1/2 cup Fairlife milk and a scoop of collagen in it. Oikos triple zero yogurt for a mid-morning snack. Bariatric Fusion chicken soup shake for lunch. Jello for snack. 2 scoops Syntrax Nectar unflavored powder in one cup of Pacific Foods tomato basil soup for dinner. Jello for dessert. Sometimes a Good Night protein hot cocoa before bed if I'm hungry. I also take my chewable Celebrate One 45 vitamin, 3 celebrate calcium chews, 2 scoops of Benefiber, Vitagut liquid probiotic, and a liquid omega 3. Believe it or not, all of those supplements add 160 calories and 14g carb to my day! I also drink three 32oz waters with a sugar free flavor packet in each. Total average daily macros: 850 calories, 105g protein, 11g fat, 50g carb Weight loss so far: 7lbs

I am sorry to hear about how you are feeling, I have not experience any Nauseous , the depression is normal for VSG patients, what we are doing feels lonely when everyone around us is living and eating anything they want. You have to pull yourself up and do things that bring a smile to your face, remember why you did this (to get your health and life back). Everyday is going to be a challenge until its not and we start to see those results we want so badly.

This is good news. The real good news is the fact that Basic option pays $200 for a surgeon and $100 per night at the hospital. My VSG was considered outpatient (I stayed 23 hrs) so the total bill for surgery out of pocket was $300 only!