gl12282

Thank you for posting these. I hope you continue to have a smooth recovery.

I was told 10 days for driving. I couldn't have driven before about 5 days (I was in quite a lot of pain and couldn't have done an emergency stop properly) but would have been fine after that.

I don't do any kind of physical job as you do but I went back to work after 2 weeks which was fine. In terms of liquid, at 2 weeks I could have drunk plenty of liquid (3 litres plus if I needed to- I wasn't restricted for liquids much/at all) but not at the same time as eating or for at least 1 hr after eating. So the main issue for me would be timings and whether you can drink enough and still have time to eat.

I lost hair from about 5-6 months post op to about 8-9 months post op (now 10 months post op). My hair was thick so it actually suited me. My weight loss has stopped now (which is fine as my BMI is only just above 25) and so has the hair loss but I assumed that it was coincidence that happened at the same time.

My BMI was about 32 when I was sleeved (although it was 42 at its maximum several years ago). Apart from the first 2 weeks when I lost very fast, my weight loss averaged out at 1lb per week for the first 6 months (including my stall at 2 weeks) which I think many people would be horrified by. However I am now at BMI 25.5 and feeling great. Weight loss has slowed right down but I think that's not really surprising. So if you don't lose fast, don't panic. Just stick to the plan, eat sensibly and it will come off. I didn't really know what to expect so I just did what I was asked as much as I could and feel amazing now. Best of luck. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

At 3 weeks I could eat only extremely tiny portions of purees (and very slowly because I didn't know how much I could eat). Having a small plate with a tiny portion was essential to avoid me trying to have too much - at that point for me, less than a teaspoon more than I needed was enough to make me feel very ill. I personally would just try to stick to soup for ease of what to say (and the importance of sticking to your plan and not ending up eating too much). What you eat will look less 'odd' than trying to eat a tiny portion of something. I ate soup at work for a while rather than purees/soft foods while I went through that stage for that reason. Remember that this is your choice and no-one else's business. This phase will pass. They probably won't remember it and you will reap the benefits. Hope all goes well. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I stalled after 2 weeks. It lasted about 2 weeks. Then I carried on losing. I have had occasional stalls since then (lasting up to 3 weeks). I'm now 7 months post op and still losing but not too far off where I want to be in the long term. I don't do anything different when I stall. Just carry on trying to eat sensibly (ie enough Protein, good variety of foods including vegetables and fruit, taking Vitamins etc). Just accept that it's a part of this process, don't panic and eat the right things. Hope all goes well. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I was told not to run for 6 weeks (because of the impact/jolting). At 6 weeks, I could run with no difficulty (in terms of pain/stamina) so could pretty much go straight back to what I was doing before surgery (but I wasn't doing long sessions at that time). Prior to 6 weeks, I took it easy and followed the advice that I was given about when I could start doing stuff. I can't comment on the longer runs and other stuff other than to say that I still can't eat and drink together at 6 months post op (and have been advised not to in the long term) so you need to plan what you need (liquid vs nutrition/calories) with the priority on liquid. If you need significant quantities of both then you may need to use supplement drinks otherwise you will have to compromise on one or other of your needs. Hope all goes well for you. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I took 2 weeks. Could have gone back after a week or so but glad I had 2 weeks (although my surgeon had said 1 week was enough). At 2 weeks, I was totally fine and went straight back to my 'after work' activities/hobbies at the same time (except exercise/gym). My surgeon said 10 days for driving I think. I don't have a very active job but i could have been more active than I was. As someone else said though, it's useful to have a 'liquid strategy' to make sure that you get enough fluid in when you first go back to work because you may need to eat more frequently than previously and can't drink for a bit before and after eating. So it needs planning. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I am 6 months post sleeve and have just as much of a sweet tooth as I did before. I also find that cakes/cookies etc are very definitely slider foods for me - they go down easily even when I'm full and can't eat any more 'proper food'. I have to make just as much effort with sweet foods (and junk food) as I ever did however it has really helped with overeating/portion size (which was my biggest issue before). I still have to make healthy choices about food otherwise it's easy to have full days worth of food with a 'normal' calorie intake but very little food with nutritional value (please note this is NOT what I'm doing !). I can see from what you have written that you are clearly carefully considering issues and think you are already aware that this surgery will not just make everything better on its own. You will need to continue to work at this for the rest of your life. It is a tool to help but the hard work will be done by you. I only had dumping for the first couple of days but know that it is more common after a bypass but not everyone gets it, therefore the controls on sweet stuff will still need to be yours. I hope all goes well for you. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Weight loss is a funny thing. I have lost weight fairly slowly compared to many (apart from the first 2 weeks, it has been consistently 1lb per week average - now 6 months post op) however although the average is 1, it is almost never 1lb in a week. I have had stalls for up to 3 weeks and even a gain but overall it is coming off nice and steady. So try not to worry too much. If you are following the plan and not cheating it absolutely will come off. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Some great posts here. I'm only 6 months out and still losing but I'm extremely aware of just how easy it could be to regain weight in the long term. Although those statistics are very difficult to interpret because of the low numbers in the 5 yr follow up group, I'm personally pretty certain that if they were able to find those patients, the trend would be similar (maybe even more so ???). At the end of the day, as a few people have pointed out, this is 90% us, 10% sleeve. I am very aware even at 'only' 6 months, how easy it is to 'cheat' the sleeve by eating the wrong things. I am still fairly restricted, I can 'get away' with having pudding/'treats' and still lose weight. But this is only for now. If I continue to do that, I know this sleeve can't help me. This is very much still my long term challenge that I continue to fight and will do for ever. It has taken away some of my issues but I will continue to work at the others for the rest of my life. I try to make sensible food choices all of the time. Mostly I do but sometimes I don't. Sometimes I fail completely and just eat rubbish but when I do, my sleeve restricts the damage I can do then. Ultimately my sleeve is likely to continue to help me at those times but without my own effort to seriously limit those occasions, I may not succeed. I look at the successful long term posters here (who are inspirational) and I am pretty certain that almost all of them work very hard at that. I aspire to be that person but know that I will have to continue to work hard in order to achieve that. Thank you to all of those people for inspiring the rest of us. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I'm 6 months post VSG and had also hoped that my hunger would go but it hasn't ever really. Initially I found myself hungry all the time and that feeling not always going when I had eaten and felt full. However I am aware that some of it is definitely 'head hunger' but some definitely isn't. Overall, I'm not sure that my hunger is much different to pre-op however whilst hunger is sometimes difficult for me to handle, it mostly wasn't a big driver of my eating. I know that the statistics suggest that it comes back for a lot of people anyway in the longer term so I've learnt to live with it. However despite all of that, my eating is totally different and my thoughts have changed so don't worry too much. With or without hunger, you can learn to make it work. Good luck Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I'm able to eat normally (5.5 months after) although I still try to chew meat more carefully (and overall prefer to have fish/vegetarian foods) but I can eat everything just far less. I can also eat a meal pretty quickly (which I sometimes have to) but I would strongly recommend that you try to stick to eating slowly and chewing well just because you have much less chance of overeating/doing any damage. On the few occasions I have overeaten, although you would think it would be uncomfortable and then ease over time, in fact it got worse over time (30-45 mins) until I was sick. I think eating slowly will most prevent this. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I would be clear that the 'expectation' is 60-70% but there will be many who lose more (just look around this forum) but equally if that's the average and some lose more, then there will be some that lose less. It's really down to you. Face your 'demons', use it as a tool to help but don't rely on it to do everything. I see this as my 'emergency brake' for life - if I rely on it too much, it will 'wear out' and stop working but if I do my best most of the time, it will kick in when I need it (and I definitely still need it at times as much as I try not to). That may not be scientific but it's my analogy and it seems to be working so far ! Good luck. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well done shaychelle. Glad it's settled but you could probably try cold liquids now. Mine really didn't take long to settle. Once the cramps had gone completely with warm fluids they were much better already with cold. It will get better though :-). Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I had the same. I am definitely better now than in early days though. I still can't drink anything other than a tiny sip for at least 30 mins and longer after a meal. However it's not too bad before eating (although I know you need to be careful not to 'wash food' down). So I tend to spend most of my day concentrating on drinking enough and particularly if I haven't had enough to just postpone a meal to get a bit more liquid in. In the early days, I would sometimes substitute a meal for shakes/soup though to get the liquid in. I'm sure it will improve for you over time. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I had the same problem. I ended up back in hospital because I couldn't manage but it got better from there. Try warm fluids - they were better than cold and it all settled quite quickly from about 96hrs post op (or even a bit earlier) and then was fine. Guidelines here are for a PPI for 6 weeks post op sleeve then can stop unless you have symptoms. Good luck. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

As far as I am aware, the chance of complications (or long term nutrition difficulties) is higher with a bypass. There are certain issues that make a sleeve more 'risky' (eg if you already have bad reflux, it may be worse after a sleeve). I know that fast weight loss may give you saggy skin but I think a lot more about saggy skin is uncontrollable by us - if it's going to happen, it will happen. For me, it's frustrating but losing weight and feeling good is faaaar better. However I think the most important thing is you. As far as I am aware, none of these surgeries will give long lasting effects if you don't make that happen. You have to continue to work at it for ever. Some of your 'food issues' (whatever they are) may well improve or even go away but some will definitely not (and you may even have some new ones). I had a sleeve and feel in myself that I'm doing brilliantly and have no regrets whatsoever (starting BMI 6 yrs ago 42, start before surgery 32, now 26 - 5.5 months post sleeve) However I am fully aware of just how easily this could be reversed by me. I am very restricted with 'general food' but slider food far less so. If I eat little and often of the wrong things (which I generally don't) I can eat more than 2000 calories in a day. So my advice would be to realise before you start that this will help you a lot, that you will definitely lose some weight but how much and for how long is really down to you. Go in with the attitude that you will continue to try to address your issues with food, work at it and enjoy your new life. Good luck. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Tminus - my weight loss has been slow too. My BMI was 35 when I made the decision to have surgery (sleeve) but I lost 14lbs prior to pre op and 7lbs on the pre op diet. I am now 24 weeks post op and have 'only' lost 36lbs since surgery (of which 11lbs was in the first 2 weeks post op). So overall it has been roughly 1lb per week after the first 2 weeks. But it is still coming off at that kind of rate (with the usual plateau from time to time). I don't have that much more to lose now (current BMI just over 26) and I feel amazing. So stick to your plan, don't cheat and keep at it. Good luck. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Glad you are feeling better now. Hope all is going smoothly now. For others reading this - I had similar - for the first few days I struggled with keeping enough Fluid down. Even if I took a small sip, I would get a few minutes worth of cramping pains so it was just all a massive effort. I ended up back in hospital for iv fluids for 24 hrs but it settled shortly after that and I'm fine now. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Yes. Mine has definitely improved over time though (I'm now 5.5 months post op). Worse with certain foods (salads particularly). I've just got used to it though. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

To the original poster, I was told that overall expectations are 60-70% excess weight loss (i.e. That over BMI more than 25) at 2yrs but obviously some will lose more, some less. It's pretty much up to you - it's not easy but it's easier for me than doing it without it and I am delighted with the results. (5.5 months out and feeling fabulous). Go into it with a positive attitude that you are going to learn to deal with your issues and just keep trying. Good luck. To co-lyndee - the first few days are a roller coaster, the first few months are a total learning experience. Things will change over time - you will learn to deal with some things, you will find other things no longer a problem. It's the best thing I ever did (and lots of other people here). So take comfort in that - follow your instructions and look forward to a new life (albeit with different challenges). Good luck. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App Wow Omieliz - brilliant stats. Well done :-) Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I have the same problem. I am totally medication dependent now unfortunately. I'm sure that drinking more will help but I find that difficult (but if you can manage it, definitely do it). I take bisacodyl 10mg every night and occasionally 15mg but it's too strong for some people. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I was really hungry for months afterwards. In the end I just got used to it and accepted that although the surgery often took away hunger, it didn't always. However over time (I'm now 5.5 months post op) it has definitely got better. I still get hungry sometimes but definitely less than in the first few months. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App