Sleeve_Me_Alone

Completely agree with the above. Weight and track everything, prioritize protein at every meal, get your fluids in and take your vitamins, move your body daily. Even tiny shifts in our habits can lead to stalls and gain, so really being focused on consistency will make the biggest difference. I'm 4 months out and stick to pretty simple meals - good quality protein (chicken, lean beef, etc.) and fresh veggies in some form. Its not exciting, but it works for me.

Exactly this! I did 100+ hours of research before surgery so I felt well informed and fully prepared. But the first time I ate a few pretzels, then a few more, then a few more.... I was shocked. It is SO easy to find the loophole and if you don't really teach yourself to be mindful and do the work of dealing with the emotional stuff that drives mindless/binge eating habits, you absolutely can and very possibly will "out eat" your tool.

First of all, I'm so sorry for the difficult situation. It is a truly heartbreaking road to walk, and our hearts are with you. Second, @catwoman7 is spot on here. Its VERY unlikely to be 2 pounds of true weight gain. So give yourself lots of grace to navigate this season, and turn your attention back to your weight when your mental energy allows.

Bone broth and protein waters are my go-to's now. I am completely burned out on shakes and the unflavored stuff added to everything. Protein2o can be found at Costco or Amazon. They also make single serve packs you just shake into your water, which makes them super easy for on the go.

Weight by grams is likely to be more accurate. I try and weigh everything in grams when I can for exactly that reason.

Talk to your psychiatrist for sure. If they are extended/delayed release, you will very likely want to consider a med adjustment. Because of the way bypass works, it can impact the absorption of certain meds, especially delayed/extended release. If they are not, then the malabsorption should not be a factor, but as you lose weight and hormones fluctuate, you may still need adjustments. That being said, WLS can be successful for those of us with mental heal diagnoses and you absolutely can be healthy and well!

I set my own goal weight, my surgeon does not set them as a general rule, as many don't. I picked a weight at the very high end of "healthy" BMI, borderline "overweight" category. This also aligns to the 70% of excess weight loss average for WLS, based on my starting weight. Knowing that I have been obese my entire life, my goal is to just be as healthy as possible. If I could get to a weight that is in that range, that would be great! That being said, I know that even that weight is likely a stretch, so I'm focusing more on other metrics than the scale (lab results, how I'm feeling in my body, how I feel when I'm working out, etc.).

For foods: Stick to whole foods. You don't need any premade, prepackaged, keto or bariatric foods. Meats, cheese, fruits & veggies, eggs, etc. If you buy ingredients and make your own meals, you don't need to worry about nutrition labels. I know it seems boring, but the trick is to switch up flavors (Spanish, Asian, etc. etc.) and figure out what you like. Cottage cheese, jerkey, protein bars/shakes, hummus, and things like that are all generally very safe bets as well. Recipes: Look in the forums here, Pinterest, or online for cookbooks. Also, find support from a registered dietician if you can - @theguacwarddietitian, @bariatric.meal.prep, @bariatricchefboyrd, and @mybariatricdietitian on IG are all great, as is @BariNation. Exercise: Fitness Blender (website or YouTube) and Get Fit With Rick (website or YouTube) are great resources for at home workouts. They both have a wide variety from super beginner to super advanced, many that do not require any equipment at all. Pre-Op Diet: This varies WIDELY from surgeon to surgeon. Some require a period of liquids only, some have a whole foods, low carb based approach. Your surgeon should be telling you exactly what they expect you to be doing pre-op. Lastly, please make sure you are having this conversation with your surgeon. They should be providing you with nutritional guidance, meal plan resources, etc.

All of the above is solid advice. You don't need a "pouch reset" you just need to get back to basics. Weigh & track everything you eat. Prioritize protein first, then fiber full veggies next. Get your water in. Take your vitamins/supplements. Move your body with intention. I would also STRONGLY suggest counseling to work on the mental/emotional stuff. This journey is so much more than just the weight. Getting help to manage stress and anxiety, learning new coping mechanisms, and changing your relationship with food is all critical work. You are never too far gone and you haven't failed! We are cheering you on!

I started on Depo and Prozac in Dec. 2017. At the time, I had lost 40lbs from my highest weight. Within a year, I had gained it all back. Its hard to say how much was from each, as they are both well known for weight gain. That being said, I had VSG in Sept. 2021, so nearing 4 months post-op and I've lost about 65lbs. About 20 of that was pre-op, 45 post-op. I figure that's pretty average, given my starting BMI, age, etc. I'm now 10lbs lower than I was before I started the meds, and at my lowest ever adult weight and the loss seems to be holding pretty steady week over week.

Give yourself LOTS of grace. This process is not easy, and there will be bumps along the way. Prepare yourself mentally as best you can. Therapy helps immensely. If you're not seeing someone, look into it. If that's not an option, read up on disordered eating, eating addiction, and transfer addiction. Arm yourself with information and resources. Start making a list of questions for your surgeon and ask them BEOFRE your surgery. Get a support system in place. Spouse/partner, family, here, BariNation, wherever. Just be sure you have a place to go with the hard questions and the big feelings because they WILL come. Most of all, be so dang proud of yourself for taking this step. We will be here cheering you on!

Therapy, meds, meditation, reading, and posting & interacting with other bariatric patients all help. I also try and focus on HEALTH not weight. Weight is just a number, it has nothing to do with your worth or value as a person. Working on your health, eating well, moving your body are a form a self-care and a privilege. It means we were given another day to live. And on the REALLY bad days, I give myself grace to stay in bed, cry, drink extra coffee, whatever. Sometimes its ok to do that, too, you just can't stay there. ❤️

I have a FitTrack Dara scale. I love the data aspect in the app, ability to track multiple family members, and other health metrics. I don't like the app itself, its very clunky. Its a new version and I MUCH preferred the old one. But customer service was great when I made the update and things got a little wonky, so that's a plus. I have not had a body scan to compare to, but weight matches very closely to my Drs scale and is consistent with my regular digital scale. I use it for weight loss and we use it for my son for growth tracking (he has some chronic health stuff) and its been great for both. For sure not necessary, but handy if you're a numbers/data person.

BariNation! They are on IG and they have a membership forum. I absolutely love it. Lots of support groups, forums for conversation, step challenges, expert presentations, etc. HIGHLY recommend.

I did very thin mashed potatoes with protein powder in the puree phase, but haven't bothered with them since then. They aren't very nutritious and are VERY filling. But, if you're getting in all your protein and still have room, you could certainly give them a try if they are within your plans guidelines.

First of all, I am so, SO proud of you for naming it out loud and asking for help. That is the biggest, hardest step and you did it! You need to know your feelings are completely valid. Trauma, chronic pain, massive weight loss - those are all HUGE things to deal with and everything you're feeling is normal. If your current therapist isn't helping, it may be time to look for a new one. You can try PsychologyToday. com or call your insurance for a list of in-network providers and see who might specialize in PTSD and disordered eating/addiction. Transfer addiction is a real thing, it happens to a lot of bariatric patients, and you are not alone. Do you have any hobbies or past times you enjoy? Are you engaging in those or other forms of regular self care? If not, maybe try and work in some of those things. You deserve to have rest and downtime, but getting it via alcohol won't serve you in the long-term. You are worthy of health and happiness and taking small steps that align to those will make all the difference in the world. We are cheering you on.

ProCare has a dark chocolate calcium that's really good. It helps curb the craving, but I don't have the inclination to binge on it because its a supplement. Its also seasonal, only available a few months out of the year, so I stock up and then ration them so I have them year round!

It will completely depend on the surgeon. Each private center has their own BMI/health requirements. If they won't do it, and you feel strongly that you want to move forward, keep looking. You will find a surgeon if you keep looking. Best of luck!

I've tried a couple of the gels and could not stomach them. They remind me of the glucose drink for the gestational diabetes test, but thicker. Like sugar free jello flavored snot. *gag* I much prefer the protein waters. Costco sells a bag of single serve Protein2o packets. They are easy to carry along on the go and taste like a creamsicle Gatorade.

I had VSG on Tuesday, was back to work Monday. But I have a desk job and work from home full time, so no commute, no having to huff around a building, no dealing with other humans. And, even then, the first week or so I took a nap after work every single day. The pain was extremely minimal, but the fatigue and exhaustion was pretty intense. By 2 weeks post-op I felt mostly normal, or normal enough to make it through the day without a catnap.

I use the ProCare one a day capsules. I could not stomach chewable vitamins. I also take the ProCare calcium chews and tolerate them well.

I am just over 3 months out and most days I am able to get all of my protein from whole foods. I always eat my protein first, then veggies if I have room. At this point, I'm still not eating any starchy veggies or simple carbs, simply because I don't have room for them after my protein & fibrous veggies. Occasionally, my restriction is higher which further limits how much I can eat, or if I'm out and about, I'll drink a shake or have a protein bar, but that's definitely not the norm anymore. As for bariatric foods, I do not and have never used them. When I decided to have surgery, I committed to eating regular, whole foods as much as possible and completely get rid of "diet" foods. I don't do keto/bariatric/low carb/low fat/whatever diet foods or substitutes. I didn't have surgery to eat crappy diet food for the rest of my life; I want to eat GOOD food. Stuff that tastes good and is good for my body. That is just a personal preference though, and lots of people use bariatric foods with great success and truly enjoy them. You have to find what works for you!

Premade protein shakes or protein waters are great in the early days. For foods, I ate a lot of refried beans, hummus, thick soups, etc. and would just add unflavored protein powder (Isopure) to everything. Once you progress to solid foods, it gets easier to get more protein in without supplementing.

Each plan is different, but you're saying you had surgery 3 days ago? If so, you should likely be on liquids/purees, correct? My suggestion would be to follow your plan exactly as outlined. It will likely include VERY small portions multiple times a day. No need to try and eat more than what your body will tolerate. Eat/drink very slowly and stop as soon as you feel full (hiccups, sneezes, runny nose, burps can all be "full" indicators post-op).

I'm so, so sorry you're struggling. Please know we are rooting for you and want to see you healthy and well. I think first and foremost, you should stick to what you know you tolerate well and do not feel aversions to. Eat as much and as often as you can to help stabilize your caloric intake. Try focusing on what you CAN eat and try to enjoy it as much as possible. Secondly, I would definitely suggest getting in to see a therapist who specializes in disordered eating. Yes, VSG changed your anatomy, your bodily needs, and maybe even your tastes, but this is not normative and getting support will likely be a game changer for you. The sadness, depression, and frustration are all completely valid given what you're going through, but you don't have to stay in this place and there can be improvement. Lastly, I'd say you might want to get in to see a GI or bariatric surgeon to discuss. I also had surgery in Mx and had a wonderful experience and have a very supportive PCP at home, but something this severe might warrant a face to face visit with a specialist. If there are any physical factors they should be addressed along with the mental/emotional pieces. Wish you the very best of luck!