NickelChip

I’ve recently hit the one year mark since my VSG. While I’ve reached goal much earlier on, I feel the past few months have been really transformative. My body composition has improved so much, I look lean, my abs are visible, my arms and legs are defined and I feel so good.
My biggest fear (the culprit to not considering VSG earlier) was that I won’t be able to workout as intensely or lift heavy, and that my muscles will wither and die, which couldn’t be farthest from the truth. I workout almost daily, I lift heavy and have excellent muscle tone. I am also so grateful that I don’t have loose skin and don’t need plastics!

Life is so much better in every way. I would do it every year if need be. So grateful ❤️
before:


After:

Well not to scare you but I felt something in my breast about 2.5 months post op and when I got the call I was 3 months post and it was breast cancer. I think I honestly may not have found it if it hadn’t been for the weight loss though so at least now I have a fighting chance. 🤷‍♀️. I truly do hope yours is absolutely nothing but i just wanted to mention that it’s always best to get anything like that checked (as you are). I had my mammograms annually and even had my breasts checked at my Pap smear only ten days prior to feeling it myself and the Dr had missed it so I really had to go with my gut to get it checked out anyways. It was hard to believe that she wouldn’t have felt it and I figured that they were going to just laugh at me because it was supposed to be there but it wasn’t. I would probably be stage 4 instead of 3 if I had waited until my next mammogram instead of trusting my gut.

Definitely don’t worry about it until you have a real reason to, but also for anyone else reading this don’t ignore it because it does happen. Just get it checked out and enjoy your life. All we can do. Maybe when you go ask the radiologist to do a self exam with you and tell you what things you feel are so you know what’s normal and what’s not. I would only trust the radiologist that has the imaging in front of them though because my gyno when I went to tell her I felt something said that she was 99% certain it was just fibrous tissue but would send me for mammogram anyways. I actually almost cancelled the appointment because she made me feel like it was a waste of time and money. Thankfully I didn’t.

I finally got into the Christmas spirit when we took my five younger cousins out for a night of Christmas Lights and Hot Cocoa. That’s usually the end to our big annual Christmas crafts day with the kids but with chemo I can’t do a whole day and night of five kids right now energy wise so we just did the lights part. I usually don’t get into the spirit until I’m around the kids. My Christmas treat is the Ghirardelli peppermint chocolates. They are individually wrapped so you can easily have just one and they have it in dark chocolate. It’s definitely off plan and a splurge but you can freeze them to make it less tempting to not waste.

I am hoping it is just hormonal or just normal lumps and bumps - but you just never know! I am glad that everything is okay so far - good that you got it checked! It is definitely harder to tell, like when my boobs were bigger nothing felt strange, but now they are saggier and smaller everything feels strange haha
I feel that on the cold front!! I have also had this Christmas flu that has been going around and I have been unwell for the last 2 weeks so I just want it to budge before Xmas!
I hope you get your wrapping done!

Fingers crossed the lump turns out not to be a concern. I had to have a biopsy earlier in the year for a suspicious finding on my mammogram but so far so good, they just plan to monitor it. Best to get everything checked, but I do wonder if weight loss can lead to some of these irregular findings.
I'm a little stressed with Christmas just around the corner. Not quite ready for it and it's gotten so cold I don't want to do anything for the next few days except sit under an electric blanket! Got to get the motivation up for wrapping gifts tomorrow.

Fingers crossed the lump turns out not to be a concern. I had to have a biopsy earlier in the year for a suspicious finding on my mammogram but so far so good, they just plan to monitor it. Best to get everything checked, but I do wonder if weight loss can lead to some of these irregular findings.
I'm a little stressed with Christmas just around the corner. Not quite ready for it and it's gotten so cold I don't want to do anything for the next few days except sit under an electric blanket! Got to get the motivation up for wrapping gifts tomorrow.

My program also only counted Protein and suggested "low carb" with roughly 40% of calories coming from protein, 30% carb, and 30% fat. If you eat 1000 calories (to make the math easier, but you won't probably hit 1000 calories for a while, at least a few months), that would be 100g protein, 75g carb, and 33g fat. As time goes on and calorie intake goes up, my dietician says the percentage of protein might decrease and carb might increase, but it's about finding what works for you. Also, I was told not to worry about hitting these numbers perfectly every single day, but to look at the weekly average for a better idea of how you're doing.

Hi, everyone. I had my gastric sleeve done four days ago and am amazed at how wonderful I feel. I never needed post-op pain meds, though I adhered to the advice to take it on schedule that first day afterward.
Aside from some low bowel motility issues, I can honestly say I am having no difficulty at all. No nausea, no pain. I'm getting 4 oz per feeding (5/day), and working up to all my needed Snacks in between, as I just have no hunger and have to remind myself. That's putting me up to between 60-65 grams of Protein per day so far. My silly phone goes off constantly reminding me to drink or eat.
At 67, I'm finding myself wishing I'd done it sooner. I started this journey on July 6th at 375 pounds, and this morning clocked in at 316.6. I am so grateful, I cannot tell you.
Wishing everyone a fabulous journey towards health of their own.

I was in the hospital 2 nights and was on toradol via IV. The 2nd night was because I had a minor issue during surgery that made my doctor concerned about a leak. It turned out to be fine, but he was cautious and wanted me to wait until I had imaging done before I was allowed to have anything by mouth. That delayed some of the milestones I needed to complete before I could be discharged, so they kept me the extra night just in case. When I got home, I was only on liquid Tylenol. I took it the first couple of days and then didn't need anything.

Unless your program has given you an extremely restrictive carb limit, your carb intake is perfectly fine with a reasonable calorie intake for early on and most of your calories coming from Protein. The only thing I would question is if your sugar intake is natural sugar or added sugar. If it's fruit, great. If it's added sugar in your coffee, not so good. You don't seem to be getting more than 3g of fat right now, which you may want to ask your program about just to make sure that's not too low.

Today marks 6 months since my gastric bypass surgery! It's also almost exactly one year since I attended the orientation class at the weight loss center that was the first step in beginning the surgical program. I came home after the class and took a "before" photo. I had just weighed in at my highest weight ever. I was on blood pressure meds and my A1c put me in the prediabetic danger zone. My joints ached every morning. My 50th birthday was looming and I felt so old.
The day after that photo, I started making changes to my diet. I lost 13 lbs from August until early February. I lost an additional 13 lbs on my 2-week liquid diet. I had my surgery on February 21 and since then, I've lost another 45lbs, for a total of 71 lbs down! My blood pressure is normal, and so is my A1c. The aches and pains are gone, and I'm hitting my 10k step goal several days each week. I'm nowhere near perfect, but I'm improving steadily.
I honestly couldn't tell you the last time I was this weight. It had to have been when I was around 22 years old. Like pretty much everyone says, my only regret is not doing this sooner.

Only you know the answer as you have to be ready, mentally, physically and emotionally, for the surgery and the changes you will have to make to be successful with the surgery in the long term.
I was healthy, no comorbidities at all yet I knew at my weight and age (almost 54) the chance of them developing was very high. I also knew I could lose weight myself as I had many, many times before (though it’s much harder as a menopausal woman) but I also knew I could put it all back on again which I always did. The decision was easy. Woke up one morning and said enough. Made an appointment with my GP and 6 weeks later I had my surgery (no or very few hoops to jump through in Australia if you meet the criteria).
Yes, the first couple of months aren’t easy: restricted diet, temporarily changed tastebuds and interesting discussions with yourself around food, eating, hunger, etc. (the head work we talk about begins). Pain was gone after 4 days though if you have surgical gas pain it can linger a week or so.
You’ll discover and decide how & what you want to eat in the long term to maintain and that may be different from others. It’s all about what works for you & your lifestyle. Many people still eat ‘unhealthy’ food but it’s all about the portion they eat and how often they eat it. Everyone travels & then it often comes down to making the best choices you can and not beating yourself up if you do indulge while away. I just came back from a short girls trip and ate an obscene amount of cheese & drank more than I usually do. I’m okay about it and got back on my usual path when I got home.
Like @NickelChip there are things I avoid. bread, rice, Pasta sits heavily in my tummy too. Foods can be super sweet so I generally avoid sweet things (I do indulge at odd times like at Christmas). I don’t find it hard to avoid or reduce my intake of those foods I struggle to eat or choose not to eat rarely. I don’t want to waste the opportunity I’ve been given.
And yes, I’d do it again in a heart beat.
All the best whatever you choose to do.

What you are experiencing are very normal worries - I think we all would have had some form of concern or anxiety leading up to the surgery!
Just my personal experience, I started talking about surgery YEARS before I even booked a consultation with a surgeon. I am talking like 3 years worth of "umming" about whether or not I should go for it, and subsequently talking myself out of it. I would berate myself saying that I should be able to do it the natural way, I should be strong enough and surgery is risky etc, but I think I was just making excuses for myself really! I'd tried to lose weight since I was a teenager to no avail, and I honestly wish I had just had the surgery sooner!
It was my first operation as an adult, so I was definitely scared of the pain and of the whole experience itself but honestly, it was all manageable and it didn't last long!
You'd be so surprised how quickly you get used to your new way of living - and genuinely this forum has been an amazing place to just not feel so alone in your experiences.
So, ultimately, think about the pros and cons for each potential decision and make sure it is the right one for you. You've got this!

@NickelChip
&
@Arabesque
Thank you both for taking the time to respond. I am sure this is common, but trying to rationalize a way out when I have been so pumped for so much longer than being nervous is annoying, to say the least. Important and reassuring points you both made! I need my metabolism on my side, and it would be a mistake to pass up what is likely one of the most positive and important health decisions I will ever make. I need to stay focused on starting 2025 out with a bang!

Personally? Yes, I would have the surgery. Why? Because losing weight is only half the battle. Obesity is a disease. The vast majority of people will gain back all the weight they lose through diet and exercise alone within 5 years. Weight loss surgery changes your metabolism so that it works with you instead of against you. I knew from too many attempts to lose in the past that I would not be one of the lucky ones to lose and maintain on my own. Every time I lost weight, I gained it back, plus a few pounds.
To address a few of your fears, I can say from my experience that my pain lasted about 5 days. I never took anything stronger than Tylenol once I was discharged from the hospital. My tastes have changed in that I now find certain foods are less pleasant to eat. More than a small piece of bread gives me an unpleasant heavy feeling in my belly. Very fatty foods will make my heart race a bit so I avoid them. Certain sweets like cake frosting and cheaper milk chocolates seem much too sweet and I don't want more than a bite or two.
The adjustment period in terms of learning what you can eat lasts about 3 months, at least it did for me. Even after the first month, I was able to eat in restaurants. I just chose to split a meal with a companion and stuck with simply prepared items like a grilled chicken salad. I've gone on road trips, spent a few weeks away from home in hotels, and did just fine. I eat mostly healthy foods, I don't count calories, I get reasonable exercise but don't go out of my way for it. And at 50 years old and not quite 10 months out from surgery, after a lifetime of struggling with my weight, I am back to the size I was my first year of college and still slowly losing. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

This sounds like the three week stall. Totally normal! Your body burns glycogen for energy, and during extreme calorie restriction, you burn a lot of it. Glycogen is stored in the body along with Water, so each gram of glycogen you burn for fuel also releases 3 grams of water, which you flush out. This is why you lose weight so quickly the first few weeks, not because you are burning all of that weight just from fat stores. After the first few weeks, you start to be able to eat some solid foods along with your Protein Shakes. This gives your body a chance to replenish the glycogen you burned, which is vital for survival. But it means that for every gram of glycogen you store, you also store about 3 grams of water. Your body is continuing to burn fat during this time, but you won't see it on the scale because it kind of zeroes out with the whole glycogen/water storage thing going on. After a week or two, your body will be back to normal in terms of glycogen reserves and you should start to see your weight decrease again at a moderate pace. I really wish doctors would explain this to patients before surgery because it's just basic science, and people totally freak out when they are eating nothing and not seeing the number on the scale go down. I think doctors forget that their patients have failed at about a million attempts at weight loss prior to surgery and we are naturally prone to believing we are failing again. But you're not!
Also, counting calories at this stage is pointless. You're in a massive calorie deficit. It's impossible not to be unless you are doing something terribly wrong against every bit of medical advice. Focus on Protein and water but don't stress over calories until you get to a point many motnhs from surgery where there may be a legitimate possibility that you are overeating.

One thing I've learned through experience is that it's hard to predict what will happen next. My weight loss slowed significantly in July but then I dropped a lot in August and September, but slowed again in October and even more in November. A lot of it not really because of any major changes in my behavior, either. There's a lot going on that you can't really see throughout this whole process. I notice, for example, that my body shape changes when my weight is steady.
I do try to be honest with myself. Sometimes, I know for certain I have been doing everything correctly and am not losing. That's fine. Sometimes, I lose weight and I know I did so despite making some poor choices. I try to be aware of that because it will not be as easy as time goes on (it already isn't for me!). I know that if I have things in the house, I will be tempted by them, but I rarely would leave the house to go buy something I didn't already have just because it sounded good. If I buy Cookies, I may end up eating four of them instead of the two I said I would eat. If I don't buy them, I will eat zero. So, after the holidays, not buying or making the stuff is my main strategy.
For me, it's all about figuring out how I want to live. I want to be healthy, but I don't want to be miserable. I'm working on being more intentional with what I eat and how I exercise. My goal now that my appetite and capacity have kind of settled into a fairly predictable pattern, is to strengthen my routines around food prepping and setting regular meal times. If I can stick to that most of the time, have a solid list of things I make on a regular basis and keep in the house ready to go in an instant, and things I do NOT keep anywhere near me, I won't feel like I need to worry about the occasional indulgences. Because skipping all holiday Snacks or treats, or never ordering a dessert or a special cocktail, isn't a way I want to live! But I also don't want to lose track and let myself indulge all year because I forgot to set limits.

Oh, yes. I'm just a bit ahead of you surgery-wise at nearly 10 months post-op, and I've noticed a few things as time has gone on. First, the number of pounds I'm losing in a month has slowed. Early on, I was losing 10+ lbs in a month. Two months ago, I lost 6lbs in a month. Now, I'm losing more like 2lbs in a month. Second, there's more noticeable daily fluctuation now. (I like to weigh myself every morning right when I get up, just to have a record.) In the past, I would bounce up or down a few ounces over a few days and then continue my downward progress. Now, I see half a pound or more difference, and I might bounce around for a week or two before reaching a new low weight.
I'm currently about 12 lbs away from a "normal" BMI, so that has a big impact on how quickly weight changes. My smart scale also tells me I have higher than average muscle and bone (taken with a grain of salt since I know they're not completely accurate). One thing I notice now is that some of what I see on my body as "areas for improvement" are no longer simply "would look better if less fat." Now it's more like "would look better if more toned."
As for staying on plan with nutrition, I'm not going to lie. This time of year is a challenge. There are sweets everywhere, and sadly, I can eat them with far too few side effects. I'm not going crazy like I would have pre-surgery, but I would say it's pretty easy to not be in much of a calorie deficit, either. Plus more eating out at restaurants, more holiday parties, etc. Nutrition is something I will tackle again in January.

This is a new video Dr. Weiner (bariatric surgeon in Tucson) put out through his podcast this week. He is one of the best resources out there for reliable information on bariatric surgery and the science of weight loss. This 55-minute video is all the most up to date information to get you started with all the basic questions you might have (and if you want more in-depth information, he has hundreds of other videos that dive deeper). He talks about nutrition, exercise, surgery, and GLP-1 meds.

And I third - well worth watching as many as you can.

I second his videos and podcasts as a very good information Resource. His Pound of Cure weigh loss is good book too.

This is a new video Dr. Weiner (bariatric surgeon in Tucson) put out through his podcast this week. He is one of the best resources out there for reliable information on bariatric surgery and the science of weight loss. This 55-minute video is all the most up to date information to get you started with all the basic questions you might have (and if you want more in-depth information, he has hundreds of other videos that dive deeper). He talks about nutrition, exercise, surgery, and GLP-1 meds.

This is a new video Dr. Weiner (bariatric surgeon in Tucson) put out through his podcast this week. He is one of the best resources out there for reliable information on bariatric surgery and the science of weight loss. This 55-minute video is all the most up to date information to get you started with all the basic questions you might have (and if you want more in-depth information, he has hundreds of other videos that dive deeper). He talks about nutrition, exercise, surgery, and GLP-1 meds.

That doesn't sound like enough food, or a very healthy choice, to be honest. Crispy chicken is fried. Sweet tea is nutritionally the same as soda and can provide a shocking number of empty calories. You aren't getting enough Protein and if you're only eating once a day, that's probably messing up your metabolism.
Just based on what my dietician has told me, I suggest three meals per day, a minimum of 60g protein per day, 64 oz Water, and little to no sugar or simple carbs. You might try cottage cheese with fresh berries for Breakfast, a spinach salad with 3oz grilled chicken for lunch, and 3oz baked salmon with steamed broccoli for dinner. Maybe add in a serving of raw almonds for a snack. Make sure you weigh all your portions.

Same on the tweezing to get fine brows! My left side is coming in decently but my right is very bare in spots. However, after about 8 weeks, I am starting to see tiny dots, like stubble, coming in. I find I have to dye mine once a month to be able to see them since so much is turning grey/white. I'm tempted by microblading but I keep reading horror stories that make me hesitate.

That doesn't sound like enough food, or a very healthy choice, to be honest. Crispy chicken is fried. Sweet tea is nutritionally the same as soda and can provide a shocking number of empty calories. You aren't getting enough Protein and if you're only eating once a day, that's probably messing up your metabolism.
Just based on what my dietician has told me, I suggest three meals per day, a minimum of 60g protein per day, 64 oz Water, and little to no sugar or simple carbs. You might try cottage cheese with fresh berries for Breakfast, a spinach salad with 3oz grilled chicken for lunch, and 3oz baked salmon with steamed broccoli for dinner. Maybe add in a serving of raw almonds for a snack. Make sure you weigh all your portions.