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My doctor told me not to pay attention to my weight, just focus on getting my protein, water, vitamins, and exercise. I'll admit up front that I've done very little exercise--whether because of bad knees or bad weather or bad attitude--but I've still lost what I consider significant weight (though far from enough). One of my stalls lasted five weeks, I think. It is frustrating but one thing to remember is that even when we put on this weight, we didn't gain a pound every day--we won't lose it that way, either. Sometimes your body just needs the time to catch up . . . but if you are following your program, you WILL start to lose again. Hang in there!

Do you know the phrase, "With friends like that, who needs enemies?" Anyway, yes, there can always be complications with surgery. On the other hand, these are statistically safe surgeries with low rates of complications. You face much greater health risks by remaining obese. As far as keeping it off long-term, you have a much better chance with surgery than just doing it on your own, where the success rate is dismal (something like 5 percent, I think). The surgery isn't magic, it just gives you a fighting chance to lose a significant amount of weight AND time to change your eating habits for long-term success. Good luck!

Northern New York covers a lot of territory--but I'd suggest finding out if your bariatric practice has any support groups. Mine, through the Orange County Regional Hospital, did, and I was required to attend two meetings. Otherwise, you might find out whether your doctor's office knows of any or if they'd allow you to advertise your interest to see if others would respond.

The timing for this seems to vary, but it does happen to many of us. One bit of advice I've read it to take biotin, which I have, but I have no idea whether it has helped. The other key thing seems to be to make sure you are getting your protein. Beyond that, wait it out---it will stop after a while and then grow back. Kind of a sucky side effect, but it does at least reverse itself eventually. Hang in there!

Protein could include hamburgers (you should skip the bun or bread); meatloaf; chicken--season it with salt, pepper, and one or two other herbs, such as thyme or rosemary, and bake it; chicken in the crockpot with some veggies and seasoning that doesn't include a lot of sugar--check the section at the store with seasoning packets or bottled seasonings (but watch those for sugar!). If you like fish, that's fairly easy to wrap in aluminum foil with some lemon juice and herbs--parsley, dill, tarragon--and, if you like, onion pieces, then bake it. Roast some veggies with a little olive oil and seasoning--I always found cauliflower boring until I roasted it--delicious! You can also go to a site such as Pinterest or one of the recipe sites (Food network, Epicurious, Yummly, etc.) and search for "low-carb" or "high-protein" to give you ideas. There are demonstrations on cooking on YouTube, also. Take one step at a time--maybe decide to try one new recipe a week? Crock-pot cooking is fairly easy in that you put things together and then just let it cook--try chicken or beef or turkey and some veggies with some herbs and a bit of liquid (e.g., chicken or beef stock). Good luck!

I have two basic breakfast ideas: one is high-protein oatmeal, to which I add a little dried cranberries; the other is an egg, usually with either bacon or sausage, and a piece of rye toast. The egg can be fried, scrambled, or an omelet--either spinach and cheese, salsa and cheese, or, well, cheese.

I don't know which surgery you had or what your eating plan is, but I'll just say that I had no energy for the first month and it only started to return to normal when I was eating solid food again. Otherwise, make sure you are getting your protein and water and vitamins and get what exercise you can.

I'd check with the doctor, too, but I started taking pills (not chewable) vitamins right after I got home. No issues that I recall with that.

Oh--should also mention my standard recommendation for protein help if you aren't crazy about shakes--protein water. The Protein2O water has 15 grams of protein per bottle and I find it much easier to drink than the shakes.

I am just wondering if you have explored the possibility that you are allergic to something or have some medical reason for your food sensitivity? I know some people's tastes change after surgery, but please be aware that some don't. Food tastes the same to me and I still like the same things I did before--no appreciable difference I can tell.

To be clear, I've been falling asleep after eating for a while, including before surgery. If your reactions have changed significantly since the surgery, I'd double-check with the doctor about it.

I get sleepy after eating quite often . . . As to not being hungry, don't worry too much about that. Your appetite will probably come back at some point--it took several months for me, but mine did. I kind of miss the days when I didn't care whether I ate or not--I just tried to get my protein in. You'll eventually be able to eat more, too.

My longest stall was five weeks or so. I *may* not have been entirely on point with my program during that time, but I was still eating relatively few calories and finding it frustrating that the scale didn't move. Eventually, however . . .

What about water with some Crystal Light or Mio flavoring? It'll be a color that could indicate just about anything in terms of a mixed drink . . .?

It sounds like you are asking if there are options to help you gain weight, but I suspect you really are asking if there are options to help you continue to lose weight or to fight weight gain? One suggestion is to go back to basics if things get out of hand--substitute protein shakes for one or two meals. You can also track your food intake if you don't usually do that and see exactly how many calories, how much protein, etc., you are getting. I find the MyFitnessPal website useful for this. If I've misunderstood your question, I apologize.

I'm currently 62 and was quite a bit heavier to begin with (and still am, for that matter). I, personally, did not find the surgery difficult at all--recovered quite easily with almost no pain. I did have low energy for the first month or so, but am now back to what I'd consider pre-surgery energy levels--no big increase has been noticed by me, though many people report that. I also take medication for high blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as GERD and diabetes. I'm still on the meds for the first three, but can report that my numbers/test results have been very good since the surgery. Additionally, while I'm still diabetic, I've stopped one medication and reduced another. More may happen with all of this as I lose more weight. I'm still eating less than I did pre-surgery, but I'm at what I might call "small normal" meals--I don't miss the stuff I don't have any longer (e.g., diet soda, lots of bread), though I do incorporate some carbs into my diet (e.g., rye bread instead of white, and much less of it). Not a drinker, so that's not been an issue for me. Overall, it's not that you won't be able to eat many things, it's that it's not a good idea to keep eating some of them. I don't know how much I'll lose overall, but I do know that I'm darned happy to have lost as much as I have so far. I don't spend a lot of time worrying about how I compare with others in terms of this--I just know whatever I can lose and keep off will improve my health and longevity. I'm also, personally, interested in having my knees hurt less, which they seem to be doing. Good luck in making the decision. You can certainly read around the site and see what people say, but the majority definitely are glad they had this surgery--and very many wish they'd done it sooner.

Well, that's part of what this site does for us--gives us people to talk to and get answers from. Granted, we're not medical professionals (mostly), but there's a lot of experience here--and support, too. It looks as though your surgery was a success from a weight-loss standpoint, but I'm sorry you have regrets.

I keep reading that it's a factor, but I have GERD and have been on prescription antacids for years, and I have had the sleeve. I don't notice any difference, quite honestly.

One of the most useful things I read was the reminder that we didn't put our weight on--no matter how much we overate--on a daily basis. We aren't going to lose it that way, either. It can be frustrating when you know you are eating many fewer calories and not seeing a loss, but stalls are normal and will pass as long as you stick with the program. Some people suggest ways of changing up your routine--add more water, more protein, more exercise--but my experience is that if you wait, the stall will pass (eventually). Good luck.

Different programs have different procedures and requirements. Yours might be different than anyone answering this question. But your next appointment with your surgeon will certainly give you some idea. You may be required to lose some weight before surgery. I had to have a variety of other tests--upper GI, blood tests, cardio.

It's been about twenty years, but I still remember eating a chicken dinner in Montmartre . . . fantastique! One thing about traveling--you'll be doing tons of walking, so you have a little extra wiggle room in terms of what you eat. Have fun; maybe think of some of the meals as your last indulgence, although, to be fair, when enough time has passed after surgery, you'll be able to eat just about anything--it's learning that isn't a good idea that's so important in the long run. The surgery just makes it a lot easier to learn.

One of the things about this stage is that since everything is liquid, you mostly won't feel full. Once you get back to solid foods, you will--hang in there! I hated the first month--it has been much easier since then.

For what it's worth, I've exercised very little . . . I'm old and I have rubbish knees. I know I should do more . . . I've been staying with a friend and climbing the stairs a couple times a day--that's a lot for me. I hope to do some walking when it isn't snowing or 20 degrees out every freaking day! Spring, where art thou?? Someday, I may even be living somewhere I can swim on a regular basis. A girl can dream. I guess my point is that you can lose weight even without a lot of exercise--and I'm not at all saying that's a better way. Definitely better to exercise. But also, stalls happen. Sometimes changing your habits can break them, sometimes not--but they will break, eventually, if you are following the plan. Hang on in there--this is definitely a marathon, not a sprint--metaphorically, anyway.

Nuts--I prefer cashews or pistachios, myself. You have to be a ways down the line for this, but beef jerky works. Yummy. Yogurt (I know, not crunchy at all). I do some carbs, so cheese and crackers. A friend gave me some Medifast products, so I also have high-protein pretzel sticks and crunch bars (for what it's worth, I like the peanut butter ones, the chocolate mint ones, not so much--there's an artificial flavor I can't get past). But it's good to have a crunchy, high-protein, 110-calorie snack on hand.

Just wondering how long you've been stalled? I ask because I was--post-surgically--stalled for a month or more. In my experience, it happens even when one is consuming relatively few calories and pretty much no matter what else one does or doesn't do. Stalls happen, and then they stop, and you lose again. All part of the process.