BabySpoons

I can relate to the acid reflux issue due to having a hiatal hernia too. I was daily suffering with it for years until WLS. My stomach was also pushed up through my diaphragm. Docs found the hernia during pre-op testing and repaired it the same day as my RNY.
I think your doctor was hoping by fixing your hernia, it might take care of your reflux along with you losing the abdominal weight from the sleeve surgery. I also carried the majority of my excess weight around my midsection and was told that my reflux was because excess fat was pushing food back up into my esophagus. That was before they discovered I had the hernia. But both problems contributed.
After losing over 100 pounds, I'm finding that even though I am losing weight all over, my stomach is still the last place it is coming off. Very frustrating but I still have 40 lbs. to lose. And that's where it is sitting. I chalk it up to genetics.
Sadly, the hernia repair didn't take care of your reflux and the sleeve is notorious for causing it. Even in those that never had it. One of the reasons I opted for the bypass and haven't had reflux since.
As for your weight loss stall, maybe try backing off from hard workouts unless you are getting an adequate days rest in between. Increased levels of cortisol can cause abdominal weight gain. I lost all my weight from leisurely walking outdoors 2-3 miles 5-6xs a week..
GL. Your pics look great.

I was told drinking before a meal took up space that should be reserved for food. That never made much sense to me since liquids usually move quickly through. But in the beginning, I still waited 30 minutes before and after eating. Nowadays I wait anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour but only after a meal. Depending on the meal. It is quite painful otherwise if I don't.
I would forego the Snacks if I had to choose between them and staying hydrated.
GL

I'm 9 months out from WLS and I've been following this forum since January 2023. I can't count the number of posts here of people struggling to drink protein. I consumed a lot of them before ever having surgery. Back in my weightlifting days. Maybe it's an acquired taste sort of thing but never had a problem with them except for a few premade ones tasting too sweet. Food/drink aversions are pretty common post-op though. taste buds change etc.
I can't help but wonder, when using the powders... if tasting chalky, use a good blender. I have a Vitamix and even the cheapest protein powders taste good. I tried Walmart's Equate whey Protein powder for $18/18 servings. If you are mixing with a spoon or shaking in a cup, even the best powders will taste chalky.
I buy vanilla or unflavored powder so I can change up the taste by adding frozen fruit, SF various flavor Greek yogurts, Peanut Butter or cocoa powder, Crystal Light or stevia to sweeten. I like to use milk and ice. It comes out tasting like a milkshake. strawberry being my fav. Experiment to find what you like. Variations are endless and beats drinking the same premade ones day after day.
GL on your weight loss journey!!

I went through all my "small" clothes too. I was able to wear the smallest ones until about 10 pounds from my goal. When my pants fell down walking up the stairs with my arms full, I knew it was time to buy. I like Ross and thrift stores. I also bought from TEMU, though I return half of what I buy. TEMU ships from China and takes 2-3 weeks, so I had to predict my size or order something that would look good a little tight. My daughter in law and 2 of my friends are thrilled with their "new" wardrobes too. One of those friends is right behind me in her weight loss, so she really needed the clothes I gave her.

One of the things I sorely missed when overweight and homebound was thrifting. I had plenty of old clothes in various smaller sizes I held onto that I have been fitting into over the past 9 months since WLS. I have been having the best time buying new to me used clothing and bagging up the ones now too big and donating.
I'm just so happy to finally fit back into stylish clothing again instead of tent dresses and elastic waistbands. I love vintage clothing and have no qualms wearing used except underwear. LOL
I guess the thrill for me too is finding expensive items for practically nothing. Also it's just not practical to pay full price for clothing you will outgrow in a few short weeks.

I can relate to the acid reflux issue due to having a hiatal hernia too. I was daily suffering with it for years until WLS. My stomach was also pushed up through my diaphragm. Docs found the hernia during pre-op testing and repaired it the same day as my RNY.
I think your doctor was hoping by fixing your hernia, it might take care of your reflux along with you losing the abdominal weight from the sleeve surgery. I also carried the majority of my excess weight around my midsection and was told that my reflux was because excess fat was pushing food back up into my esophagus. That was before they discovered I had the hernia. But both problems contributed.
After losing over 100 pounds, I'm finding that even though I am losing weight all over, my stomach is still the last place it is coming off. Very frustrating but I still have 40 lbs. to lose. And that's where it is sitting. I chalk it up to genetics.
Sadly, the hernia repair didn't take care of your reflux and the sleeve is notorious for causing it. Even in those that never had it. One of the reasons I opted for the bypass and haven't had reflux since.
As for your weight loss stall, maybe try backing off from hard workouts unless you are getting an adequate days rest in between. Increased levels of cortisol can cause abdominal weight gain. I lost all my weight from leisurely walking outdoors 2-3 miles 5-6xs a week..
GL. Your pics look great.

One of the things I sorely missed when overweight and homebound was thrifting. I had plenty of old clothes in various smaller sizes I held onto that I have been fitting into over the past 9 months since WLS. I have been having the best time buying new to me used clothing and bagging up the ones now too big and donating.
I'm just so happy to finally fit back into stylish clothing again instead of tent dresses and elastic waistbands. I love vintage clothing and have no qualms wearing used except underwear. LOL
I guess the thrill for me too is finding expensive items for practically nothing. Also it's just not practical to pay full price for clothing you will outgrow in a few short weeks.

My god that is terrible and I wish you all the best.
I had sleeve surgery in 2023 and had side effects but nothing to that extent and I am not sure what was due to possible hospital errors or just bad luck for me.
I ended up with severe pancreatis and then infections because of a hole in my stomach. The hospital tried a few attempts of clipping the hole but that didn't work and now I have a coil/tube in the hole to hopefully have the hole heal around it over the next few months. If that doesn't work I may have to get bypass.
I spent three months in hospital instead of just the one expected night, some for weeks on a feeding tube , had to get a transfusion and a lot of antibiotics. I am suffering severe exhaustion, not sleeping well and at times feeling quite down. I can't walk far without feeling weak and if I do something one day (like go to supermarket) I need the next day to recover. At times I question if I would have been better going down the medication route, but as I don't have diabetes and there are no studies yet available on how the injections impact long term I thought surgery was the safer bet, I really doubt that now. I still get stomach pains at times and I honestly don't know if that is due to the surgery complications or if everyone gets them. I nearly called for an ambulance on new years day I was in so much pain.
I keep trying to be strong for my family, as they don't live in the same country as me and get very worried, but I find it is adding to my exhaustion. Some days I just have a bit of a cry as I feel there is no-one to compare myself to and it is all such an effort.

I had the gastric sleeve surgery in December of 2022. Upon being released to go home 6 hours later I fell off my bed and stopped breathing. I was rushed to the hospital that did my surgery and arrived DOA(dead on arrival) I was in full organ failure and place in an induced coma. None of the doctors know what happened but I ended up waking up in the ICU with memory loss due to being without oxygen for 17 minutes. I also had a heart condition, kidney failure and severe left side weakness and unable to walk without assistance.

I am a Gerd patient and got the sleeve Sept 5, 2023. My HW 210, SW 206, CW 180. I hit the plateau in November 2023 and havent lost any weight since. I did have GERD previously before the surgery with a hiatal hernia 2cm; but, my stomach was literally stuck in my chest since 2008. I was told by my surgeon that GERD patients have a harder time losing weight. I workout 4 days hard since 3 weeks after surgery, I still watch what i eat as a GERD patient not weight loss. I want to know if anyone is going through this stall as well. I've seen videos of people around 240lbs weighing 120 6m after surgery.To me that is crazy, I do eat carbs but its limited and I still keep my Protein intake above 90g daily. I do track my meals and i'll have days ill eat 1000 cal or below and sometimes as high as 1200 cals. I do drink about 48 oz of Water sometimes less or more. When will my plateau stop or is it cause i am building my muscle fast; I was never obese just in my belly that is my issue. the left pic is 1 yr before surgery and the pic on the right is 4 months after surgery

I'm 9 months out from WLS and I've been following this forum since January 2023. I can't count the number of posts here of people struggling to drink protein. I consumed a lot of them before ever having surgery. Back in my weightlifting days. Maybe it's an acquired taste sort of thing but never had a problem with them except for a few premade ones tasting too sweet. Food/drink aversions are pretty common post-op though. taste buds change etc.
I can't help but wonder, when using the powders... if tasting chalky, use a good blender. I have a Vitamix and even the cheapest protein powders taste good. I tried Walmart's Equate whey Protein powder for $18/18 servings. If you are mixing with a spoon or shaking in a cup, even the best powders will taste chalky.
I buy vanilla or unflavored powder so I can change up the taste by adding frozen fruit, SF various flavor Greek yogurts, Peanut Butter or cocoa powder, Crystal Light or stevia to sweeten. I like to use milk and ice. It comes out tasting like a milkshake. strawberry being my fav. Experiment to find what you like. Variations are endless and beats drinking the same premade ones day after day.
GL on your weight loss journey!!

The benefits of WLS far outweigh the risks. I would be more afraid of doing nothing. You'll do just fine. 👍

I actually did the math and took it to my surgeons office asking exactly how did they expect me to do it!? I further explained I'd have to drink right up to bedtime and sleep was just as important in the healing process, so if I drank just before bed..I'd be getting up several times in the night. I was told they "know right out of surgery there is no way to get in the entire Water requirement." They just want you to try.
My math (basic because I suck at math):
Average "day" (excluding time for activities you can't be actively drinking water i.e. driving, showering, different tasks at work): 12 hours
No drinking water 30 mins before and after and during a meal: 90 mins+-
90 x 3= 270/60 = 4.5 hours per day you aren't allowed to drink
12 hrs a day +- - 4.5 can't drink. = Leaves you 7.5 hours to get down 60+-oz each day
7.5 hours to get down 60oz each day @ 2oz. max each "drink" = .12 to get your sip in. In other words not real easy or possible if you also add nauseous! This isn't taking into consideration snacks (which I didn't do and still don't).
Needless to say they found me funny. I wasn't going for "funny!" Said they'd never had a patient break it down before. I told them I'm a Histologist who manages a laboratory measuring in microns/millimeters/centimeters etc. everyday what did they expect?..
Perhaps they should have done the math before asking patients to do something! I asked who has time for that!? That's when they said to work up to it, its not expected for awhile, to just try..its a goal to shoot for. Eventually you'll be able too. So no worries, just do the best you can!
😆

Yes, do it!! I love kayaking. Well, I did it once almost 20 years ago. But have been dreaming about it since. Once I'm able to sit on the floor again, I will definitely be trying it too!
One NSV is that I am starting to see loose, wrinkly skin on my stomach and butt. It's not pretty, but it's a symbol of my hard work!
Looking forward to having a jawline someday, not there yet~ A weird thing is that I weigh less now than I did 20 years ago (in my 20s), but I'm bigger than I was then. My low-hanging apron and jawline/neck, specifically. I guess body fat to muscle ratio? Plus just ageing, I suppose. It'll be a huge NSV for me when (if) I have my panniculectomy~

a few months late, but better than never!
Starting weight (Oct 2018): 235 lbs, 5'2" female, 46 yrs old
Surgery Day weight (Oct 2018): 223 lbs
Goal Day weight (May 2019): 127 lbs
Today's weight (Jan 2024): 117 lbs, 5'1.5" female, 51 yrs old

It's one of the best feelings in the world for me too. I bought myself one of those big fluffy one size robes a few years ago and couldn't even close it in front. I saved it along with a bunch of other clothes "just in case" I ever lost the weight and now I'm swimming in it.
I'm also looking forward to swimming at the lake this summer and trying my hand at kayaking. I haven't got in the Water for years. I usually sit in the boat and watch everyone else. That's gonna change
Congrat's on your success @JFreeman

Pic 1 - 388 pounds
Pic 2 - 330 pounds
Pic 3 - 290 pounds
Pic 4 - 255 pounds
Pic 5 - 230 pounds
Pic 6 - 222 pounds (this week at work)

I can’t recall but I will say it’s exciting to see your jawline again. And cheekbones. And your neck gets thinner & looks longer. Even my hooded eyelids greatly reduced.
A little warning though. You can start to look drawn & tired especially when you near your final weight. Your body needs time to resettle itself. Then you’ll be your gorgeous self. Think it took a month or two for me. You may have some saggy skin though too which doesn’t go - waaah!
Oh, and there have been a few amusing stories here about people whose phone’s facial recognition didn’t recognize them anymore. A tip might be to keep updating it every month.

I have had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome for over a decade, along with Fibro and an autoimmune disease, so fatigue is a daily companion of mine. Pre-op I could generally pick one thing in a day and anything else was too much, not enough spoons!! Just walking from the car to the flat was exhausting. Before my fatigue was disability level and I slept on and off all day and all night.
Post op at about week 3 I started feeling more energy off and on and it was so strange, I couldn't figure out where it was coming from. I just noticed I wasn't falling asleep in the middle of the day anymore... Then I noticed I had enough energy to make a meal. Then several meals. Then I noticed we'd go run and errand and I could still pick something to do around the house afterwards. Walking to and from the car was easy. I've gradually started adding steps in, increasing by 500 each week. I'm at over 2,500 steps a day now (which is a bit more than a mile) and I'm not wiped out by it!! I can still go run errands or go to an appointment, and still no naps. Honestly, I haven't felt this much energy in my body in decades... I still pace myself some to respect my limits, but man, it is a miracle, I swear. I had NO idea that the surgery I had could impact my chronic fatigue. I'm incredibly grateful, it just feels unreal. I'm almost 10 weeks post op. I can't imagine what I'm going to feel like a year post op!!
ETA: I do still get tired, but it is a good kind of tired from a productive day. And I sleep much better too, before sleep never did anything, now I actually feel refreshed a bit in the morning!

I woke this morning to the sound of a snowplow in my driveway and a snowblower. Not sure who my good Samaritan is yet, but it was 5:30 AM. I normally would go back to bed and sleep till 9 or 10. When I was young..er, till noon.
Before WLS I always woke up tired no matter how many hours of sleep I had. Anyone who knows me is aware I am not a morning person. Don't call early unless it's an emergency etc. LOL
Of course, early on after surgery, I was tired. I had major surgery. But now?? I can't believe how good I feel and waking up rested is nothing short of a miracle. YMMV.
I made sure to stay hydrated, take my daily Vitamins, drink my Protein and move post op. And rest. Let your body heal. I did have a time when I felt exhausted and found I was low on Iron. I switched vitamins with added iron and that made a huge difference.
All I know is that WLS does wayyyy more than just effect food restriction. It rewires the brain, resets your body fat setpoint and reverses a lot of co-morbidities. 👏
And I never would have guessed I would become a morning person. LOL
GL @Tamika James , speedy recovery and boundless energy to you!!

I woke this morning to the sound of a snowplow in my driveway and a snowblower. Not sure who my good Samaritan is yet, but it was 5:30 AM. I normally would go back to bed and sleep till 9 or 10. When I was young..er, till noon.
Before WLS I always woke up tired no matter how many hours of sleep I had. Anyone who knows me is aware I am not a morning person. Don't call early unless it's an emergency etc. LOL
Of course, early on after surgery, I was tired. I had major surgery. But now?? I can't believe how good I feel and waking up rested is nothing short of a miracle. YMMV.
I made sure to stay hydrated, take my daily Vitamins, drink my Protein and move post op. And rest. Let your body heal. I did have a time when I felt exhausted and found I was low on Iron. I switched vitamins with added iron and that made a huge difference.
All I know is that WLS does wayyyy more than just effect food restriction. It rewires the brain, resets your body fat setpoint and reverses a lot of co-morbidities. 👏
And I never would have guessed I would become a morning person. LOL
GL @Tamika James , speedy recovery and boundless energy to you!!

Forcing yourself to eat to meet a suggested calorie count sounds very problematic. Reminds me of the days of eating past the point of being full which led to weight gain and our need for WLS. Hmmm....
Mindful conscious eating is key to success. Listen to your body. Stop eating before you get full and stay away from the scale.
GL to you!!!

I am turning 50 in a few months, and I've struggled with my weight most of my life. At 26, my BMI was probably around 30, but I didn't have the health issues so it was just a nuisance to me. I tried dieting and healthy eating for years, but my weight increased steadily in typical yo-yo fashion. Post-pregnancies, I spent my late 30s and early 40s in the 35-39 BMI range and started getting co-morbidities. By the time my BMI hit 40 this past year, I was aching in my feet and joints, had high blood pressure and cholesterol, and was prediabetic. So it's not about weight or appearance at this point but getting control of my health now, while my body can still bounce back and hopefully age more gracefully. I feel like I'm at that tipping point where if I don't act, the next decade will not end well and I will not have a good time of my senior years.
This is despite all my best intentions and 7 years of actively going to a weight management doctor. All of that is to say that trying hard and knowing the right things to do rarely leads to success if you are prone to obesity. It's a disease, not a moral failing, no matter what people tell you. Unlike dieting, weight loss surgery provides lasting metabolic changes, as close to a cure as you can get. And you still will have to make all the lifestyle changes you would need to do anyway to lose weight, but they will actually work (instead of spending the next 24 years getting bigger and less healthy like I did).
I have posted frequently about what a huge fan I am of Dr. Matthew Weiner's books, YouTube videos, and new podcast. Honestly, his books were life changing for me in terms of my perspective. I highly recommend starting there. He has 3 books, one is called Pound of Cure and gives great, scientifically sound information on what a healthy, set-point lowering way of eating looks like and how to get there. The second is a book that explains exactly how gastric bypass and sleeve surgeries change your metabolism and why they work (it's not just a smaller stomach and eating less!). The third is a cookbook with bariatric friendly recipes and serving sizes for different stages. These books are super fast reads. You can probably get through all three in a week (minus making all the recipes, of course!).
With three months to go, my suggestion is get these books and start implementing the diet changes in a deliberate way. Start exercising in a sustainable way, working up to it little by little. See how you feel. Don't do crash diets. Don't start anything, whether food or exercise, you don't think you can basically do 90% of the time for the rest of your life, because there's no such thing as doing it for long enough to lose weight and then getting to "go back to normal." This has to become your new normal, with or without surgery.
In three months, if you really aren't sure about the surgery, don't do it. It'll always be there. But know that it's an additional tool that will make the hard work you have to do either way in order to keep your health for the rest of your life more likely to stick. Without it, there's a very high (but not impossible) chance you will not be able to keep your weight in a healthy range.

Unfortunately, there is still a lot of stigma on WLS. This is why I haven't told anyone except medical professionals about my surgery. Not even my parents or siblings, and definitely not coworkers or friends.
So, my strategy for dealing with negative comments is to avoid the subject entirely. You know what's best for yourself and what they think is irrelevant. If, however, you want to respond to them, maybe you can educate them on what WLS really entails. People who are ignorant look at it as the "easy way out" or cheating in some way because they have no idea how intense the whole process is. The comment about not having the willpower to do it yourself is ridiculous to anyone who has been through it, because taking the initiative and putting forth the effort to go through with it takes a heck of a lot of strength and courage. And even with the help of the surgery as a tool, it still takes a lot of willpower to stick with your program, lose the weight, and keep it off.

Thanks for this chuckle @summerset. So true.
There will always be these types of people and there numbers seem to be growing. At Christmas, my brother’s mother-in- law responded to my youngest brother’s Christmas half hug & greeting with ‘’You are grossly overweight.’ She actually greeted me quite warmly which was unusual but then when she was leaving she told me she didn’t know who I was (which explained the warm greeting on arrival 🙄). Sure I haven’t seen her since I lost my weight but for F’s sake I’ve known her for almost 40years which included many years I was slim. Hurtful but pretty much what we expect for her - insensitive, tactless, cold B.