catwoman7

it's not really cosmetic - I don't think they attempt to make you look "pretty" - but they do remove the excess skin. I might have been OK with it because I'm in my 60s and have been married forever, so I really didn't care what I looked like under my clothes - I did it more so my clothes would fit better and my skin didn't slap up against my body while I was exercising. But I decided to go for the whole lower body lift, not just the panniculectomy. if you want something that looks more natural, then go for a whole lower body lift (also called a 360, I believe). They do front and back, pull up the mons area, reposition your belly button and create a new, natural-looking opening for it (so it looks like a normal belly button), etc. And as the above poster said, they usually do liposuction and muscle tightening, too. Appearance-wise, it's going to look a lot better. That is, if you care... if your insurance covers panniculectomies (and if so, you're lucky!) but you want to do a full lower body lift, many of them will at least cover the panniculectomy part of it.

here - I just did the search for you (on the three week stall). 17,501 posts at the moment: https://www.bariatricpal.com/search/?q=three week stall

23 lbs in two weeks is actually phenomenal. You are ahead of the curve. It was probably six weeks before I'd lost that much. you're probably in a stall right now. Most of us have our first major stall during the first month or so after surgery. It's called the "three week stall" because it's usually the third week, but not always. Typically lasts 1-3 weeks. Just stick to your plan and stay off the scale for a few days. As long as you follow your plan the stall the break and you'll be on your way again. if you want to read more about this, search this site for "three week stall". Last time I checked, there were over 17,000 posts on it. And no, I am NOT kidding. It happens to almost all of us.

no one loses 15 lbs a week for the first 2-3 months. There might be *one* week out of that 2-3 month period where a few people might lose that much (although I've been hanging out on bariatric boards for about seven years and have never heard of anyone losing that much in a week - so if so, they'd be outliers - unless, of course, they started out the size of someone on "My 600 lb Life"). It's really pretty unusual for us "normal" WLS patients to lose more than 25 or 30 lbs the first month, and then it drops after that. It seems like most of us are somewhere in the 15-25 lb range the first month - but again, there are always a few who lose more than that (maybe 30 or so lbs). But 15 lbs a week, no - or at least I've never heard or read about anyone who's lost that much. someone else quoted that MIchigan study on here a year or so ago, and those of us who have been hanging out here for a few years found it pretty unbelievable. I think the five lbs a week they quoted isn't unusual at all - but 15 is a huge stretch. Maybe it's just the wording they used (??). If so, too bad - because that can - and probably does - get misinterpreted. to the OP: I lost 16 lbs the first month, and I started out at almost 400 lbs. I'm not sure how much you've lost or what your expectations are, but I do think a lot of people's perceptions and expectations are based on shows like "My 600 lb Life". But you have to keep in mind that those people start out MUCH heavier than your average WLS patient.

it depends on where you are, but yea - it's happening all over the country.

really common. For some it eventually goes away, for others, it's permanent. Has to do with less padding plus temperature regulation, I think. I had that the first year or two post-surgery, but I don't any more.

I can eat all of those as well

if you stick to your clinic's program, yes, you'll lose the weight. But you have to be really dedicated, because as GradyCat said, it's just a tool. It'll only take you so far - you have to put in the work to really take advantage of it. That said, it's the only thing that ever worked for me.

unfortunately, transfer addiction after WLS isn't all that uncommon - some people substitute one addiction (in our case, food) for another. I agree with GradyCat - I'd try to find a therapist who deals with these issues (PTSD and depression - and now, addiction issues). I'm so sorry you're going through this!!

when I get chocolate cravings, I sometimes mix a teaspoon or two of unsweetened cocoa powder into a thing of vanilla Light & Fit (or Carbmaster - or another low-cal Greek yogurt). And occasionally I'll even top that with a couple tablespoons of light or sugar free Cool Whip and a few raspberries. My version of a sundae...

not sure what the guidelines are in the UK - or if it makes a difference if you're self-pay or not. But you'll find out at the consultation. In the US, if your BMI is below 40, as others have said, you have to have weight-related conditions (such as diabetes) to qualify.

I took off three weeks but could have gone back after two.

P.S. if you're expecting to drop like 30 lbs a month, you need to adjust your expectations. Almost no one loses that much that quickly unless they're the size of someone on "My 600 lb Life". Unfortunately, I think shows like that give people unrealistic ideas and expectations about weight loss surgery. Us "normal" WLS patients, with very few exceptions, just don't lose that fast. After the first month, many of us settle into about a 10-lb a month (give or take) rate...and the further out you get, the slower the loss.

I don't know what your starting weight was, but I started at 373 lbs and lost 16 lbs the first month. I don't remember where I was at the six-week point (it's been a few years since I had surgery - and I only have my monthly weights in my spreadsheet), but I was probably not that far ahead of you. that pound you gained could be anything - water retention, more stool than usual in your intestines, hormone related - I wouldn't worry about a pound. Weight fluctuates all the time. As long as your overall trend is down, you're good.

yes - could be. Dehydration can definitely make people nauseated..

yes - my program allowed it.

not dumping. Dumping involves an hour or more of chills, sweating, heart palpitations. about 30% of RNY patients dump. It's much less common in sleeve patients. I've never dumped, and most of us RNY patients don't. as others have said, it's due to eating too much sugar in one sitting (and for some people, fat). It can be controlled by limiting (or avoiding) whatever it is that sets it off (sugar or fat). your issue just sounds like a normal thing that some of us go through the first few weeks after surgery when we're healing and/or trying to figure out what our new stomachs will tolerate.

sounds like a pretty normal weight loss to me...

I'm married so I didn't need it (I have a built-in home care aide!), but not sure I would have needed one. Other than reaching (like to upper cabinets), I didn't really have any restrictions that I can think of. You probably won't need one 24/7 at the hotel, either - maybe have someone stop in a couple times a day in case you need anything - or need your drains emptied (if you have them, that is - ) - but there wouldn't be any reaching at the hotel. Before your surgery, you may just need to put anything you might need once home on a counter or something so you can avoid reaching as much as possible. hopefully someone not as far out of surgery as I am will respond - but honestly, I just don't remember there being that many issues with it - other than you're supposed to avoid reaching the first few weeks. And then I had drains the first three or four days that my husband emptied (but that was at the hotel right after the surgery)

I agree with GradyCat - if you end up losing all the weight you're hoping to (over 100 lbs), you'll have loose skin. Plastic surgery is the only way to get rid of it, but toning will help a little. I did have mine removed a few years ago, but honestly, I'd take my loose skin any day of the week over weighing 300+ lbs again. ANY DAY! Besides, it's pretty easy to hide in clothes. I just wore slightly oversized, long-ish tops with 3/4 length (or longer) sleeves. Ta da! Skin gone. Here's a picture of me from BEFORE I had plastic surgery. See any loose skin? Nope! (several months after this picture was taken, I had a lower body lift, arm lift, and breast lift. But I did this for myself. No one knew that loose skin was there before I had it removed - other than my husband and me, of course!)

no - not normal. Since it's only been 17 days, it was likely brewing before you had surgery.

35 lbs in two months is a lot more than I lost - and I had a virgin bypass and weighed almost 400 lbs. And yes - revision patients typically lose more slowly.

yes - normal. The big drops that many of us see initially are mostly "water weight". After my first month, I was losing about 10 lbs a month, give or take. So that's about 2 lbs a week. On top of that, at your weight, you're what we call a "light weight". You're not going to lose as fast as someone who starts out at over 300 lbs.

I take Centrum Sliver - two a day

blender if you don't have one. Food scale is very helpful the first few months (I still use mine occasionally, but I used it all the time the first year post-op)