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I was sleeved in May 2014. My top weight was 252 (the day of surgery) and I lost down to 165 in a little over a year’s time. I have since gained weight and am at 220. I’m extremely depressed about it, yet nothing I am doing is helping. I’ve read that some have undergone a re-sleeve after some weight gain and I’m interested in finding anyone who has had this done and if so, has it been successful a 2nd time and who has re-sleeved you? I moved to Iowa three years ago and can’t find anyone who does it. HELP!

Thanks for your help and input Jess! Much appreciated!

I had super strong hunger pangs for a couple weeks after being sleeved and when asking my doctor about it, I was told it wasn’t unusual to feel hunger pangs, but that they would subside over time, and they did subside. Because the part of your stomach that secretes enzymes, that tells you you’re hungry, are removed, you might rarely feel hungry, until you’re a few years out....of at all. I’m 6 years out and I never feel hunger pangs like I did before I was sleeved. Maybe I’m a weird one or something....idk 😂😂😂😂

The Monat products are expensive, but they do the trick. Also, I cut my hair into an inverted bob, to where it just slightly touched my shoulders, to let it thicken back up, and that helped tremendously.

Thank you!

That’s awesome! I have no problem admitting that I stress eat and this last year has been very stressful. I also do not have a problem admitting that I did indulge in the ice cream and Mickey D’s French fries. I also still get full on very little, it’s what I’ve been putting in my mouth and how often I was putting it in. Again, however, stress drive me to eat...and when I get a craving for something....it doesn’t go away until I get even just a bite of it. Talk about eating disorder lol. You’re looking great! Keep up the good work!

Thanks! The after picture was a year ago this past August. My husband had surgery too, so the before and after is the both of us. This is more recent. Of course, I guess it’s kinda hard to actually tell, with my big coat on. Trust me....it’s still way better than before surgery.

I was sleeved May 25, 2014. In a year’s time, I lost 100 lbs. I was so proud and I was feeling better than I remember feeling in a very long time. Fast forward to February, 2016 and my husband and I took a trip to New Mexico, and I don’t know why it is, but any time we are on vacation or on a road trip, we feel like we have to eat every meal....all of us. That trip was the start of gaining weight. Early two year later, I’ve gained 30 lbs of the 100 I had lost. I’m terribly depressed about it, but I can’t seem to get myself under control. Eating is definitely a very emotional thing for me....meaning I stress eat, and this last year has been very stressful. I’m scared, beyond everything, that I’m going to gain all my weight back. HELP! Has anyone else experienced significant weight gain? I’ve started time and time again, from the very beginning, but it’s not the same. After surgery, we have no choice but to drink our meals or eat soft foods for several weeks post op, because we just cannot get it in us and swallow, but now that I have a choice, it makes it harder to stay on track. I still get full pretty quick, but I put in a little more than I should, and I had developed the bad habit of allowing myself to have a REAL Dr Pepper once a day, instead my usual Coke Zero and water. I was also eating more sweets. I’ve halted drinking the REAL Dr Peppers and stopped eating the sweets. I’ve been drinking my protein and eating meat/chicken....Eating as few carbs and sugar as possible and nothing! Has anyone been here? What have you done to get back on track? Please help!!! I’m so scared I’m going to gain the rest of my weight back....did I mention I was scared I was going to gain all my weight back? I’m even considering sleeve revision!

Are you still eating how you ate after surgery? I’ll be four years out this coming May and, initially I lost 100 lbs, but then the losing stopped and the gaining of 30 lbs started. I’m freaking out. I don’t know how to start losing again!

Thank you! Sounds like a good plan, and I know all this....thank you for reinforcements!

I’ve thought about that! Thank you for your input! Good luck with your 30 lbs.

Thank you! I’ve actually done the pouch test, but can’t seem to get past about three days. Thank you again....I guess I will keep plugging away.

Why do you think you don't want to eat or drink? You may have to do anyway, otherwise you will become dehydrated and malnourished. Even if you're not getting ALL your Fluid and ALL your Protein, you need to get SOMETHING in. Do it with things you like....cheese, eggs, deli-meat. It doesn't have to be a big production. Just get some in you! It's better than the alternative.

I'm almost 8 weeks out and have gotten the hiccups when I'm full. It signals me that it's time to stop eating. Like the previous poster, I'm grateful for the reminder.

Hi Guys! I hope I can help again. I was told the first few weeks my dr was going to be concerned about my Protein intake. You're swollen inside for a good two weeks and getting anything other than liquids, even the cream soups, can be difficult. If you fill like you want to try the cream soups....dilute them more than you normally would and don't try to sip more than 1/3c. One way to tell you're getting full or that you are full is you will get the hiccups. I rarely had the hiccups prior to surgery. I get hiccups every time I get full or a little too full. Without the hiccups, sometimes it's hard to tell I'm full...lol. If the cream soups aren't agreeing with you, don't push it. One thing I did was to open a can of pinto Beans. I took out enough to fill the bottom of the blender, added chicken broth to dilute....it really adds to the flavor as well and you won't need to salt because of the chicken broth. Blend that together....after you hear it in the microwave....add just a tad grated cheese on top. It makes the best bean soup. If you must, use a baby spoon to eat with. It may sound silly, but it keeps you from taking too big a bite when you're fist getting started. I did better with that than the cream soups, believe it or not and there's not near as much sugar in that as there is in the cream soups. You can also start in yogurts, but make sure you watch the sugar content. I get the Dannon low fat Greek yogurt. It has the least amount of sugar grams per serving than the other brands. If you like the pre-made slim fast drinks, those are great as a liquid and for starting to get any of your protein. They make a low-carb shake. I'll only drink the chocolate and even at 7 weeks post-op can still only drink about 1/2 of a 6oz bottle. I save the other half for a later meal or snack. I may be 7 weeks out, but I'm still pretty much staying away from bread type products. I haven't had bread or soda in 7 weeks. At my 2-week post-op visit, I was told I could begin to have carbonated drinks as long as they were non-caloric. I thought, "GREAT!" I picked up a Coke Zero and a bottled Water for my trip home (2hr drive). I took one sip of the soda and had to throw it out. It was awful tasting. My Dr had mentioned that after surgery there might be things we liked that we would no longer have a taste for and vice versa. Needless to say, prior to surgery I loved my Coke and had one as my caffeine in the mornings but haven't craved or even had withdrawals from not having one. I have found that I can drink a diet cherry limeade from Sonic. I use it as an occasional treat. If I can stress anything, it would be not to push yourself. You'll get there! I have a friend who's 2 months ahead of me and she's been most helpful. I certainly don't mind helping any of you all with what I've already experience Donna

If it helps any, I'm a little ahead of you all and was sleeved on May 23rd. As of yesterday I am 7 weeks post-op and I'm 43 lbs down. My surgery was better than textbook, according to my Dr, I experienced no nausea, nor did I have a metal taste, but I understand that to be related to the anesthesia. As soon as all of that is gone out of your body, your metal taste should go away as well. The tightness and pain you're experiencing in your chest/stomach area is most likely the gas used to inflate us so that everything is visible to the surgical team for the surgery. This gas can longer forever sometimes. The best thing you can do is move and walk as much as your body will allow you. I was up and walking right away after surgery and I continued one I was home. I didn't have any problems with it after that. One of you mentioned you were in ICU after surgery. I think it's pretty standard with conservative doctors. I was also in ICU but it was ASICU (after surgery ICU), strictly for precautionary measures because had you leaked out, it would have been imperative for them to know immediately. I wish you all the best. Most of you are younger than me and I wish I could've done this years ago. But it happened when it was supposed to. I'm 49 and have 3 children. My children are 17, 12 and 9. I feel so much better than I did 43 lbs ago and am better able to feel up to doing more things with my children. I will give one warning....at about your third to fourth week post-op you may have a stall. I learned about that myself and I got in here and found that it was pretty normal. It took me a couple weeks to get last that stall and I started losing again, only a little slower than at first, but still at about 2 lbs a week instead of about a lb a day. Hope that bit of info helps. I'll be happy to help out with any other questions, if I can! Best wishes and happy sleeves! Donna Coker

I'm 4 weeks post-op (Gastric Sleeve) and have stalled it seems. I've lost 32 lbs since my surgery date of May 23, but can't seem to get below 224. I'm doing everything I know to do and will be sadly disappointed if I did this to only lose 32 lbs. HELP!

I'm 5 weeks post op and there's no way I can come close to eating a cup of good 3x/day. I do good to get about 1/3 cup down per meal and my NUT and Dr said that about 1/3 cup is all I need if I'm eating right.

It's very normal. Your body has been thru surgery and will take a bit to get moving again. It was 3rd day before I had a bowel movement and if you've been on a liquid diet prior to surgery, you still may not have a bowel movement for a while. I was not in a liquid diet prior to my surgery in May 23 and being in nothing but liquids afterwards, well....movements were nothing but luquid.

Only 2wks post op, you're still very swollen and the restriction is greater than when your swelling will go down. Don't concern yourself with calories right now. While losing you'll want to be between 450-850 cal/day and not really anymore than that. The first two weeks is nothing but liquids. You shouldn't worry if you can't finish you liquids all at once unless they aren't going down at all. Sip your liquids...you can't take big swigging gulps of liquids like you used to. Give yourself time...I'm 5 weeks post ok and experienced the same thing. Even still I can only drink about 1/2 skin fast protein drink when I drink one. I usually save the other half for later in the day.

Just a thought....when your body retains fluid of any kind, your small tube (sleeve) will retain fluid as well and will swell like your feet and ankles do, this restricting your intake. Make sure you're drinking plenty of water to keep yourself flushed. If you feel you're not getting rid of fluid like you should be, see your dr about it. Perhaps he can give you fluid medication to help for a while.

You should be eating anything near 2000 calories. Calories per day while losing should be between 500-850 and if you get in 850 cal in a day, that's a lot still. Don't worry about counting calories so much right now. Get your 70g protein/day, no sugar or very little, no carbs right now and plenty of Water. Stay away from as much sugar as possible. I usually have a lo-carb slim fast Protein (Prepackaged) drink for Breakfast but I can usually only drink about half of it, so I save the other half for my afternoon snack, yogurt (low sugar, which is usually about 6-7g per container of 80 calorie yogurt or a sugar free Jello pudding, lunch may be a couple 2-3 thinly sliced deli meats and a triangle of Skinny Cow cheese, afternoon snack may be the other half of my skin fast drink and supper is a protein/meat and a little soft potatoes (when I say little, I literally mean, by the time I eat what protein I can, it usually only a small bite or two of potatoes. In essence you should only be eating about the amour that would fit in a yogurt cup...perhaps less. You shouldn't be anywhere near forcing anything more than that. A good way to tell that you're full is you feel the restriction and/or you will hiccup. Stop by or before then. Change your menu up, but stick to that and plenty of water. Another thing may be that initially someone with a high BMI index will lose quite a few lbs really fast, but everyone is different. Everyone loses differently. I came home from hospital (I'm 5 weeks post op) with 10lbs Fluid on me. I took my fluid meds, which they denied me in the hospital because they didn't want me dehydrated since you can't drink or eat anything at first. I took my fluid meds and was 10lbs less before I went to bed that night. Since then, in the first 4 week, I lost 35lbs (not including the 10lbs fluid that came off the day I came home) and have stalled this last week (week 4-5). I came here and learned that stalks around this time seem normal. Please do t try to drive yourself to eat 2000 cal/day. You will be doing yourself an ill.

The Atkins protein bars are actually decent and have no sugar and very low carbs. Also the Skinny Cow Cheese is great. The locarb, no sugar slim fast readymade shakes work best for me. I'm 5 weeks post op and still can only drink about 1/3 to 1/2, but I put the cap back on it, stick it back in the fridge and drink it later. Deli thin sliced meats are also a great soft food to pair with the skinny cow cheese.

You don't worry about making the right choices, you just do it. You didn't have this surgery to continue on the path you were going down, you had it in order to take the oath you're on now...a healthier way of eating and living. You make food choices just the way you do every day like you have been. Just because you go on vacation doesn't mean you have to stop making those choices. In this day and age, there's something for everyone everywhere and if you're that concerned about making wrong choices, take things with you, such as Prepackaged Protein bars, low-carb, high protein pre-made slimfast drinks that can be poured over ice, and if you feel like you can splurge on an alcoholic drink, that's up to you. You could always just get sparkling Water with fresh lemon and a cherry if it'll make you feel like you're part of the crowd. I mean, why would you even ask the questions you asked? You know what you have to do to stay in track. You either choose to do it or you choose not to do it. Simple as that!

I had no problems sleeping on my side and in my bed when I came home. Was hard to do in the hospital due to the drain, but after that came out, I was home free.