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You will be wearing a hospital gown and given non-slip socks, so all you really need is to wear something to the hospital that is comfy with a stretchy or loose waist you can wear home, and bring clean undies and socks. Also bring a toothbrush, travel toothpaste, hair brush, deodorant, chapstick, and lotion. Don't bring meds or fluids as they will need to administer those to you and record them in your chart. But check on this because if you are taking something unusual, they may want you to bring it. In my case, they just gave me my daily thyroid medication from the hospital pharmacy. Bring your phone and charger and a book, maybe headphones if you'd rather listen to music. Hospitals are kinda gross, so the less you bring, the better. I had an incident where my IV came unattached and I ended up with watered down blood everywhere, which would have ruined any pillows or blankets from home. Oh, I brought a small pillow for the car ride home that is made for abdominal surgery (search Amazon for hysterectomy pillows) and can velcro to your seatbelt for extra comfort for your incisions. It was nice but not 100% necessary. For home, I had a weighted heating pad that I loved for sleeping. You will also want a bottle of liquid adult strength Tylenol at home for pain.

Almost exactly the same here. 16 pre op and 13 post op. I'm having a little stall right now with three days stuck at 210, but not going to worry. My focus right now is coming up with good food options I can rotate for meals and figuring out what time of day would be best for exercise.

I was given the all clear to restart eating solid food at my 6 week appointment yesterday. Hooray! I'm not hungry but I did miss variety in flavor and texture. Tonight I'm making a 15 bean soup because the weather is terrible and it sounded soothing. The doctor did say I'm losing weight at the low end of normal. I need to increase my exercise, which I definitely struggle with. I need to figure out a good way to incorporate exercise every day.

I've never heard of phases taking that long to get through, so unless you have a very unusual case with special circumstances, I think there's been a misunderstanding. A week or two of liquids, which I assume included protein shakes, is normal. After that, some programs put you on purees and some will say soft protein food that you chew thoroughly, usually once you're doing well with this, after a week or two, but certainly by week 6 or so, you will be told to slowly introduce veg, fruit, and finally starch and grain. I had gastric bypass on Feb 21. I had one week of liquids, which included yogurt, cream soups, and thin cream of wheat. At week 2, I was allowed to have cottage cheese, tuna salad, refried beans, ground turkey, and flaky white fish. At week 3, I was allowed to start including cooked vegetables and fruits and told to slowly start incorporating other foods, but to wait until 3 months for pork and beef. I had a setback with some vomiting, so I had to go back to liquids for weeks 4 and 5, but I had my 6 week appointment today and was told I was clear to resume a normal diet (minus beef and pork) and just needed to be cautious and keep track of/eliminate anything that caused upset. I found this video very helpful, although I will point out this program's way of reintroducing foods is not quite the same as mine, (or most others).

I put a scoop of Benefiber in my tea or protein shake once a day. The type I bought has 5g fiber per serving. If I have any trouble after that, I take a dose of Miralax daily as needed.

I was going to say that I had the opposite happen. I had been complaining of chronic sinus issues for months, maybe years, and ever since surgery, I have had no issues breathing at all. I think the sinus problems were all a part of the inflammation I had, which has gotten so much better since right after surgery.

That really is pretty consistent every month! There's a slight tapering off toward the end, but nothing like the "average" curve I've seen with massive losses in the beginning followed by very slow loss later.

Oh, that's interesting. So many sources say you start out much faster and then slow down at 3 months and again at 6 months, but it's encouraging to know that isn't the only way it can happen. My highest weight is what I show as my starting weight in my stats, but I lost about 13 lbs from nutrition changes while waiting for surgery, and another 15 lbs from the pre-op diet, so in the 5 weeks since surgery, I'm only down 12 lbs, with a one week stall at the 3-week mark, like clockwork. Patience is not one of my virtues.

@LindsayT Looking amazing! Did you track your monthly weight loss totals? I'm really curious what the progression looked like for you. And has it finally slowed/stopped? I know you were nervous about losing too much.

So bored by liquids, but I'm managing. I seem to be losing an average of 1/2 pound a day, so that's nice, at least. If it continues at that pace, I'll be under 200lbs in less than a month from now. But I really miss variety in my diet and being able to chew. I like soup, but there's only so much of it I can eat before losing interest.

This should be fine. It sounds like you're aware of the portion that is appropriate for you right now and making reasonable choices like leaving behind the bread. The biggest issues with restaurant foods are probably portion size and hidden calories/fat/sugar in sauces. Since you know this is part of your lifestyle to get takeout, and not something you're looking to change, I would say stay aware of the choices you make, as it will be easier to push it the further out you get. Beware of getting the fried chicken instead of grilled "just this one time" which becomes every time because it's tasty. Eating the bun because you have a little "extra room" instead of getting yourself a side salad to fill you up. Eating the million calorie sauce, which will go down way too easily, instead of substituting something healthier. If available, you might want to get the nutrition info for your favorite places to make sure what you think you are eating matches up to what you are actually eating. If you want to reduce eating out, consider doing some meal prep/batch cooking and freezing options for when you're not in the mood to cook.

I'm so sorry you're having a difficult time! Fortunately, if people develop anxiety and depression after the surgery, it tends to be a temporary thing. Your body has gone through a major shock, and you're also burning fat, which is where you store hormones such as estrogen. It can sometimes become a perfect storm for mental health stress until things start to stabilize. When my brother had the sleeve several years ago, he ended up flying across the country to stay with me when he was about 3-4 weeks post-op because he didn't want to be alone and was so emotional and anxious at that point. It eased up little by little over the course of a few weeks while his body adjusted, and by the time he went home, he felt so much better. It's really common in the early stages to fear that this is your new life and you will never feel normal again, but remember this is just healing time. Give yourself grace to get through it as best you can. Take friends and family up on offers of help. Don't do things that really can be put off. Let yourself go to bed early. Play your favorite songs when you go for a walk. Go for a pedicure. Even writing down your thoughts in a journal can help a lot. It really is going to get better over time, even though it feels horrible and scary right now.

Oh no! I'm just over 5 weeks out and I've been put back on liquids due to vomiting. It started just before 3 weeks with what I thought was an isolated incident because of some fish that was too dry. I had four hours of agony before I was finally able to expel everything from my stomach and have the pain stop. But 4 days later it happened with something else, and then three days after that it seemed that anything I tried to eat was triggering pain and vomiting. So I had to go back to liquids. I've been having protein shakes and cream soups. It's been 9 days and I haven't had any more pain. I see the surgeon on Tuesday and am hoping he'll say I can start trying soft protein again. I hope your doctor gets to the bottom of the issue for you soon! I'm grateful that water isn't causing any issues for me.

This video also addresses how much you can eat over time:

Catwoman is right. It depends what's on your plate. By and large, at least according to two prominent surgeons (Dr. John Pilcher and Dr. Matthew Weiner), pouch stretching isn't really a thing. Your pouch is meant to regain elasticity as it heals, allowing you to eat the amount of food you'll need for maintenance. It's what you choose to fill it with that makes the difference. Bearing in mind I'm still in the early stages so this is just based on research instead of personal experience, this is what I have read and heard. You want to keep your protein serving to 3-4oz and your starch/carb serving to 1/4 to 1/2 cup (or 1 slice bread), and the rest non-starchy veg. That would be 1/2 your plate is veg and 1/2 your plate split between protein and carb. And a smaller lunch/salad plate, not a dinner plate bigger than your head! The meal you posted looks pretty healthy to me. I found this video really informative:

The problem I see with this, not the study itself but the implications, is that if you have a high genetic risk for obesity, the amount of exercise required to stave it off may be well outside the limit of what most people can tolerate. Finding out you need 4 or 5 hours a day of exercise when most people might only need 30 minutes isn't exactly actionable if you also have to work in a sedentary job to earn a living.

What are you eating besides protein? Do you get fruits and veg every day? Does your diet have any fat in it? Make sure as you focus on protein that you also focus on getting a well-rounded, balanced diet and enough calories to keep your body going.

@BlueParis My skin has been so dry! I've been using more lotion than usual and my hands still feel like sandpaper. Maybe because I barely eat any fat right now? I'm not convinced the advice for non-fat milk and yogurt makes sense right now because I basically get no fat when all I'm having is protein powder and dairy.

This video should be required viewing for every bariatric patient. I have watched every one of Dr. Weiner's videos and rewatch them regularly. So much important information that you don't learn in most programs.

It sounds like maybe you would benefit from a stricter routine. At least, I know I tend to flounder when I am just let loose without many rules. If I have to figure out what to do every day and each day is different, I get totally off track with stuff. But when I get into a routine, it's way easier. I haven't gotten off track yet simply by virtue of not being able to eat very much right now, but I know that establishing habits and routines is the most important thing for me to do before I get to the point where I could. Here are some suggestions, just in case they help! Put your full week's worth of vitamins in a weekly pill case (I use this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C6XZN1YH). It's especially helpful if you get the kind where you can take the day's box with you for those later in the day doses like calcium. Make the same thing for breakfast and lunch every day, or have a rotation of things you can do that are all close to the same in protein value. Plan a dozen dinners that are also roughly the same in protein. Add them up and make sure any breakfast, lunch, and dinner chosen from your repertoire will hit your protein goal. If not, plan for a snack or two in the same way. Don't eat things that are not nutrient dense, and if you do have a treat on occasion, make sure you're limiting yourself to once a month, not once a day! (And if you happen to love chocolate, consider this for one of your daily calcium supplements: https://procarenow.com/products/calcium-dark-chocolate-500mg-calcium-500-iu-vitamin-d) Consider getting something like the Portion Perfection plates and meal prep containers if you struggle with portion size Buy a bariatric cookbook to help with food choices and portions Put your gym or exercise time on your calendar and treat it like you would a doctor's appointment (I struggle with this so much) Or, if you hate the gym, choose exercises you'll actually look forward to. Going to a gym is not a requirement but moving your body is. Put all your reminders for vitamins, mealtime, snack time, and exercise time in your phone so you get reminders

2 Tbsp in one sitting is a reasonable limit since the stomach capacity right after surgery is somewhere between 2 and 4 Tbsp (although 2 Tbsp is only 1/8 cup, not 1/4 cup). But the OP said she was only told she could eat 2 Tbsp in an entire day, which I've never heard before. Usually programs will say 2-4 Tbsp per meal, and then recommend somewhere between 3-6 meals spaced evenly throughout the day, with protein shake supplements to make up the difference. It just seems unusual compared to a lot of other programs, and the fact the discharge papers told her 1/4-1/2 cup per meal (which is too much) and the dietician said 2 Tbsp per day would definitely have me wondering if one hand knows what the other is doing in that program. I mean, it's possible the dietician has a good reason for the once a day limit, but it's also possible they misspoke or had a typo and it's supposed to be per meal (and they really need to address the discharge instruction packet). It's certainly worth clarifying, at least.

This is a hard one because on the one hand, it's fairly easy to advise how to change your diet and lifestyle. Here are some basic things to try: drink at least 64oz water per day remove all processed foods and sweets from your house and diet and replace with fresh fruit and nuts/seeds (this includes artificial sweetener and protein shakes if you're past 3-6 months post-op) make sure you hit your protein goal (probably 80g) with high-quality lean protein every meal, every day (meat, chicken, fish, eggs, cheese, beans) decrease or eliminate your grains/starches and always opt for whole grain when you do have it eat only at mealtimes increase your vegetable consumption increase physical activity (for example, get 10k steps per day) keep a journal that includes both a food journal and an emotions journal, and use this to see if you can find patterns or triggers in your behavior The motivation is a whole other issue. None of these changes are likely to stick if you don't have the motivation and mindset you need to do it. Personally, I found a lot of information and motivation from reading Dr. Matthew Weiner's books, A Pound of Cure, and also the one that explains how weight loss surgery really works. I also get a lot of inspiration from watching YouTube vloggers and podcasts. Here are a few of my favorites: https://www.youtube.com/@LouisesJourneyxo https://www.youtube.com/@apoundofcure https://www.youtube.com/@nicoleislosingit https://www.youtube.com/@kakisrnyjourney5376 https://www.youtube.com/@thistothatlife Finally, if you can, get friends and family involved in supporting you by checking in on your progress, going for walks with you, maybe cooking meals together. And post here for support!

I really appreciate you including this part because, as I was reading your story, my first question was "I wonder how you say 'Go f**k yourself' in French..." For what it's worth, a friend who has put on some weight in recent years, teetering at a 30 BMI, (menopause, a breakup, long-distance move), started with a new primary care doctor a while back who told her whenever she had the urge to eat a cookie, just reach for a cucumber slice instead. She also only ordered blood sugar tests when my friend's main medical issue is thyroid related. Totally useless doctor! She's finally gotten in with a new one who isn't fat phobic (I know this because she's now going to be seeing my doctor). You have to have medical professionals who know how to give appropriate care, and yours really missed the mark. I'm so sorry she was so terrible. And given your other medical issues, I can definitely understand why you chose to do VSG even with a lower BMI. I hope getting back to a more typical-for-you weight helps ease your symptoms. Joint pain at a higher weight is no joke.