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I am one year and one month post-op, and I have lost 90 pounds from my heaviest weight. I'm feeling a lot better, sleeping better, eating better, and moving more. However, since January, the scale hasn't moved at all. I spoke with my surgeon's assistant at my one year check-in, and she said I should still be losing about 3 pounds a month, albeit slowly, and to reduce my calories if I'm not meeting that goal (I eat between 1200-1500 calories a day, but usually closer to 1500). But, I've also noticed, the last few months I've been really struggling with sweet cravings. Before my surgery I'd like some sugary things every now and then, but lately I've had these really intense cravings that feel like almost every day. I try to choose fruit, or make a chocolate protein drink, but I'm more annoyed by the cravings than anything. I really wish they'd go away. I always feel awful after I eat something sugary, too, so I know it's not going to sit well in my stomach but that pang is still there. Can anyone offer advice on how to cope with this?

Congrats and good luck! I had mine last Monday, and had similar doubts going into it. The first 8 hours afterwards was the worst, but it wasn't so much that it hurt, it was more just an uncomfortable feeling. That combined with coming out of anesthesia and the way I overthink things didn't help, haha, but around 8 hours afterwards it started easing dramatically. I felt way better the next morning and walking was easy after that. Definitely recommend walking and Gas-X to reduce the pressure feeling. As for the scale not moving, just remember that weight loss is not linear, it comes in waves. Whenever there's a sharp change to our body, our mind overreacts because it thinks we're under threat and its trying to save our life, even if its something as simple as a diet. The fat we accumulated was as a defense measure to protect against starvation for our ancestors, but we as humans haven't adapted to the plentiful amount of food and high carbohydrate availability that we have present day. Think of our fat cells as little balloons that can store pieces of fat as a potential fuel source for starvation protection. As we go into a deficit with our calorie restriction, the body is forced to burn those pieces of fat, but those balloons remain, waiting to be filled back up again "just in case". If our body thinks it is threatened after a significant amount of that fat fuel is burned, it will temporarily fill it with water/fluid to keep the balloons in tact. This is where the "water weight" you may have heard of comes into play. So even though the fat itself is gone, those balloons are hanging on for dear life, thinking they're trying to save you. Only after some time passes, the body decides that its safe to shed those empty fat balloons, and you'll have a "whoosh" of weight loss after a stall period. These stalls can be 1 week to a couple months, which makes it very easy to get discouraged. When (not if) you get to a stall, just remember to stay the course. You had an entire lifetime to condition your body that your higher food intake was the normal amount required for survival, so it won't be convinced that everything is ok with a reduced caloric intake for a little while. Your weight loss will appear like stair steps instead of a straight line. Also anticipate slight gains during these stalls. That is just the water retention, and not fat reappearing, so think of it as "fake weight". As you get close to your final goal, and you're exercising more, remember that muscle weighs more than fat, I think about 1.5x as much. So as you build muscle, it will offset the number on the scale. That is why the scale number isn't as important in the final phase of your weight loss journey. It can be discouraging if you're only chasing the number, so keep in mind all the other victories towards the end. Think of the energy you have, an easier time breathing, the ability to do things you couldn't before, being able to wear clothes you never thought you'd fit in, and the additional years added to your life!

Oh we had our surgeries about the same time and i had to stay for an extra day too due to complications. Congrats on 60 lbs! Well i'm asian and while asians are known to be pretty quiet, when it comes to weight- they don't hesitate to comment. Whether it's your family, friend of the family, distant relative, or someone they've seen a few times at the store. They call you over for dinner and when you've finished, they tell you you're fat and pack up all the leftovers for you to take home. (Say no all you want, it's gonna happen anyway). That being said it's kind of concerning that they haven't said anything at all. I don't go out much so it's mostly dr's visits and they've noticed and said something right away. So i have a weird sample size. But i have to see i dont really take any comments to heart, i just wanted to see if anyone could tell and it's kind of a mixed bag atm..

My less eloquent take. I am also a foodie. I never stopped cooking for family and friends. I just pureed what I cooked and then had tiny portions of what I cooked and can now have bigger portions but nowhere near what I used to. Food is a big part of socialising. Eating out was super tricky in the early months because nobody outside my immediate family knows about my surgery, so I just avoided it. Once I could eat a starter or at least rearrange the leftover stuff to look like I'd eaten most of it, I was back in the saddle! I said I had eaten already or wasn't really hungry and nobody ever cared. Lots of thin people eat like that - I have regularly split main courses with people I've known for years who always left half their meal anyway. Small plates like tapas are absolutely ideal. And sharing plates - you can have a bite or two of everything and if other people are digging in they'll honestly not notice. And don't bother with the sides - our plans want us to concentrate on the good stuff! Most of us (especially with sleeves) can very quickly eat everything again. Don't worry, you will absolutely still be able to celebrate food whilst losing weight. Welcome to the forum and welcome to your new life.

Haha! I love this comment. Honestly, if she weren't my boyfriend's family, I would have used all manners of vulgar language as a response! I don't know why people just see fat people as easy targets, as if it is their right to inform them that 1) they are indeed fat, 2) they are lazy, but also 3) they should lose weight, but only in a socially acceptable way. Makes my blood boil!

I am so glad they recommended you for revision!! It is sad that a lot of insurance companies have a "one bariatric surgery per lifetime" clause, or will cover revisions but make it near impossible to qualify for them. The sleeve surgery is the first stage in a classic DS surgery, it should always be up for revision to a DS/SADI if the results from it aren't lasting! I had a modified traditional DS done on November 1st. I'm so happy I did it. My diabetes and high blood pressure went into immediate remission. My weight loss has been slower than I'd like, but that isn't unusual for a DS because we lose for a lot longer than other surgeries (if we are lucky!). Your sidebar says you are pre-op, you should adjust it so it shows you post-op! How are you feeling?? I've heard the recovery from revision from sleeve to SIPS is not too bad since they don't normally touch your sleeve again unless it was improperly done the first time. Do they still have you on a strict post-op diet progression? I look forward to seeing how your weight loss goes, revision patients to this surgery usually do well! It just goes a little slower than before. ❤️

I dont know what weight you are so its really guess work. I did a 3 week pre op diet and with 2 months post surgery weight loss, I dropped 40 pounds. If you do the same and bought your outfit, maybe your clothes would not fit. I really had a struggle with food after surgery. At 2 months I was just about getting the hang of it. I would not have eaten regular food. Soup, milk, yogurts and cheese were my staples at that time. If I had to go to a function I would pack myself a emergency pack, just in case. I had massive drops in energy and needed lots of little meals to pick me up. I still carry protein bars and a drink.

Have you had a liver function test done? Excess copper is excreted from your body in your bile by your liver. While we’re losing, it’s not uncommon to have odd liver function results (processing our fat out of our body strains it). Maybe if your liver isn’t functioning effectively or being stressed by your weight loss may mean it’s not processing the copper out of your system & it builds up. I don’t really know either. Just wondering. Worth a deeper conversation with your doctors as to why it might be happening & what can be done to help reduce your levels.

Drs Weiner & Pilcher are great. Lots of information of their sites & you tube channels. I’d probably avoid a lot of social media around weight loss. Bad advice, scary stories, etc. just to garner attention. I stumbled upon one that actually showed you how to purée burgers & fries to eat two weeks after surgery & how to eat around your surgery. Just horrifying! This forum is great. Supportive, encouraging & a wealth of experience. Was so helpful in the beginning & I still learn things about post bariatric surgery life. Personally, the sleeve has been wonderful for me. Do I have a few little idiosyncrasies? Yep but my tummy was fussy & a bit sensitive about certain things before so nothing really different. I lost all my weight & more & have basically kept it off for 4.75 yrs. Never ever been able to keep weight off for any length of time even a month. Does it take continued work? Hell yes. This is a forever thing. Can you eat the same as you did before? No. But why would you? I mean that’s how you (& we all) ended up obese in the first place. That’s not saying you can’t enjoy things you used to. You’ll focus on how much of it you eat. How often you eat it & even look for healthier, more nutritious versions of those foods. You’ll work out a way of eating that is sustainable, doesn’t limit or restrict you & allows you to live & enjoy your life as you want. Are there risks? Sure but there are with any surgery. They’re not common because the risks are very low (I read appendectomy is higher) & often are related to pre existing conditions. Sometimes issues are discovered before of after surgery because of the more intensive medical testing we undergo & then monitoring. Sometimes it’s just our own body & how it reacts which you can’t really predict. Most are easily remedied or manageable. I didn’t have any comorbidities before my surgery (though they were very likely in my future) so I can’t share my experiences with that. Do lots of research on reputable sites like those of the above doctors’ & here. List down your questions & take them with you to your surgeon. Ask for their statistics & experiences too. All the best with whatever path you decide to follow.

Agreed with these comments. Definitely up your Protein where you can and cut out excess carbs. Anything past your minimum range, and they slow down the process of burning excess fat. Also processed foods along with excess carbs can cause more fluid retention, which causes your weight on the scale to increase. Granted, that is fluid weight, and not fat weight, but it can also cause inflammation and make you feel tired and bloated.

If you haven't had surgery yet, you may want to join the support group "Duodenal Switch SUPPORT Group" on FB for SADI/DS patients. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1799552573392212 There are a number of patients on there who have had the RNY and done revisions to SADI or DS. Honestly, the choice is up to you and how comfortable you are with your surgeon's opinion. There are plenty of lightweights who get SADI surgeries, especially those with pre-existing conditions. But some insurance companies still consider the SADI to be experimental, so be sure yours doesn't if you decide on it. You can get vomiting with any bariatric surgery. You can get diarrhea with any surgery. And while RNY can be good for GERD patients, there are plenty of people with GERD who still end up with a SADI or DS. I'm one of those patients, I have had GERD issues for years, but I wanted a more robust surgery than the RNY and two surgeons both agreed the DS would be the better option for me because I'm diabetic. The surgery normalized my blood sugar within 24 hours, as well as my blood pressure, and my cholesterol and triglycerides are normal now. It packs a huge metabolic punch. but I do have to watch carbs and sugars or I get diarrhea. My starting weight at surgery was 307, my goal is 180/170. But I regularly see lighter starting weights in my FB support group... Surgery type is a really individual decision!

Hey everyone, it’s me again. I woke up early this morning feeling pretty good and refreshed. I think I’m still proud of myself for doing my walk last night. I told my husband that I was proud and I know that it’s not really that big of a deal but it feels huge to me and he reminded me that after my sleeve I never exercised so it is a big deal. When he would mention it I would just tell him what my surgeon said that it’s really a pretty small part of weight loss. I left out the part where he said that it is still important for physical and mental health though. So I guess the fact that I am less that a month out this time and trying a different approach already is a pretty good thing. I went to do my grocery pickup this morning and got my supplies for my first week of soft foods which I get to start tomorrow 🎉 I ordered a lot more that I need for sure. The guy just kept adding bags to the trunk and my fridge has never been so full. I got out my book that my Dr gave me and it doesn’t mention a portion size for soft foods. The handout the hospital gave me says 1/2 to 3/4 cup though so I guess I will stick to 1/2 cup to start and make sure that’s okay. I just took a little nap since I woke up early and plan to walk again tonight. I have been scouring the Internet for a solution to my shorts riding up. The best thing I can find is to put a boning in the seam so I think I may order some and give that a try. I guess I have to drag out my sewing machine and relearn how to thread it and all that so I’m not sure how long I will procrastinate before I do it. I did order a pair of inexpensive yoga shorts to wear in the mean time and good news is when I measured my waist and hips to get the right size I realized that I have lost two inches in both. My only concern I have now is that one incision that’s dented in still. Everyone says that they think It will be fine but i just don’t know I think it’s going to stay like that honestly and worry that when I lost and it’s extra skin it’s going to look even worse. I guess no one but my husband will ever see it but I really wish it would just flatten out I hope everyone else is having a wonderful holiday weekend and feeling better and better each day. I know that I am.

I feel the same. I was explaining to my partner that it's just liquid that doesn't even touch the sides. On top of that all the shakes are sweet, not savory, so it just feels like I'm having rubbish sweet shakes and nothing else. Sleep is the only time I feel okay because I don't feel the hunger as much. I just feel like I'm struggling on day 3 never mind another 25 days. I think maybe writing down the positives/reasons I'm doing it when I feel like I can't do it anymore or I'm tempted might be a good way to go. To remind myself. I think I'm going to weigh myself once a week to just see the scale down a little. Any weight loss is positive reinforcement. Thank you for sharing, it really helps!

You had surgery almost 50 days ago, and your worst "transgression" is one instance of drinking tea with your food and consuming 2 fries and half a small onion ring? I have a feeling if past you could see this, she would not see much resemblance to herself. If eating those things felt triggering, like you're afraid it will be a slippery slope to undoing all the changes you're making, that's definitely something to work through, either on your own or with a therapist. I totally get that fear. But the hardest mindset shift, I think, is to realize we're not on a diet. This is life. Carb counts and protein goals and fat limits and daily calories are helpful guidelines to be mindful of, but they aren't laws that must be followed 100% of the time or else. Instead of beating yourself up, congratulate yourself on being more than halfway to your weight goal! And next time you have an event, decide ahead of time how to handle it if there's nothing there you can eat so you can go in feeling confident you won't have a slip.

I had the menopause in my very early 40's and this surgery at 62. The only things that I have noticed a difference are - My hair had already thinned so I got really worried at one stage and had to cut it really short, I can notice my scalp with wet hair but hide it after styling. - My skin is a mess. I lost elasticity after menopause. I have decided to not have the surgery. It looks too brutal and having to pay myself it would be out of my reach for all the work I would need. I have lost a huge amount of weight and mostly without exercise or having a busy work life. I had a lot of long stalls but I tried not to compare myself with others who were storming along. You will get there in the end, Have a chat with your team. I found it useful.

I actually had virgin sleeve/SADI surgery nearly 4 years ago now. I don't think SADI is an option for the "my surgery" part of the profile on this site so I listed DS as the closest. Honestly, I had a pretty easy surgery and recovery. Of course there is soreness and healing like there would be with any other surgery but I felt well enough to go back to (extremely sedentary) work in a week. Really, the worst thing for me was a sore throat from being intubated. My doctors gave me a three week eating plan to follow one week each of clear liquids, any liquids, soft solids before eating a regular diet. I followed this faithfully even though I felt like I could eat more and was a little hungry at times. Now, I eat pretty much exactly the same things that I ate before surgery, just smaller amounts. If I have a lot of sugar or simple carbohydrates, I will get gas and loose stools. It's not painful though, it's just . . . happening. Still, I usually try to avoid it but treat myself now and then. My iron got very low about two years out from surgery. I was getting lightheaded and they ran some labs to find out my iron/hemoglobin was tanking. I had to get a series of IV infusions and then take extra iron supplements. Almost two years after that now and I am able to keep my levels in the low-normal range with just the supplements. I take three doses of an adult multivitamin per day, no special bariatric formula (don't tell the admins!). Be prepared to explain your surgery to any non-bariatric doctors you deal with. Unless they are bariatric specialists, they will NOT be familiar with the different kinds of surgery and they will likely have no idea what SADI is. A lot of them generically call any weight loss surgery "bypass" (e.g. the hematologist I see for my iron tests). Get a big plastic tote and put it on the floor of your closet. When a piece of clothing is too big, take it off, put it in the tote, and don't think about it again. When the tote is full, bring it to your local women's shelter or similar. If you can, get one new piece of clothing for every two you put in the tote. Build your new wardrobe thoughtfully. My only regret is that I didn't do it 15 years earlier.

The purpose of this diet is to shrink your liver. The liver is in the path of surgery. Following the diet will use up the glycogen that is stored in your liver. Glycogen is the storage form of carbohydrates. Depleting your liver’s glycogen stores shrinks the liver, which can decrease complications during and after surgery That being said, 4 weeks of nothing but meal replacement shakes is a tough row to hoe. I agree with the broth suggestion. You may also want to ask your doctor if you can have non-starch veggies - at least for the first two weeks. I had to do 2 weeks of a full liquid diet; it does get easier the closer you get to surgery - because you are ALMOST there! And as you get closer to the date and you are losing weight and your clothes are getting looser and you feel better, it is even more incentive. Hang in there!

Hi all, After my prior post regarding the complaint I had - I finally have my surgery date for the 28th of this month, after almost 5 years since my first GP consultation about the sleeve (yippee!). With that being said however, they gave me 4 weeks notice because they now want me to lose another 3.5kg pre-surgery. For context, I was 135kg at my highest, they wanted me to stay below 130kg, and I'm now 124kg. They didn't give me a reason why, I have always had ok blood test results, I'm not pre-diabetic or anything either. The last consultation I had in-person with my surgeon also said 130kg would be fine, so again, don't really understand the change. Believe me when I say, my diet is STRICT. I'm on 1000 calories a day, high protein, super low carb (less than 40g per day easily), lots of water (at least 2 litres minimum), and an average of 10-15k steps per day, with at least one hike per week. I've been doing this for the last couple of weeks, but I am really really struggling to get this last few kg's off beforehand. No sugar - no fruit, nothing. I really think my PCOS is not helping the situation, but I'm really worried in the event I'm not at the 121kg they want. I have been that weight recently, I was down to 119kg this time last year with the help of Saxenda, which I then had to stop taking in June because every pharmacy I could order from were sold out. I haven't been on it since, so the fact I have maintained this weight loss honestly I'm just pleased with at this point. If anyone has any ideas as to how I could lose this last 6lbs or so, I would be greatly appreciative. I've lost 0.5kg so far over the past 4-5 days, but I'm so stressed I'll get to the hospital and they'll turn me away. Thank you! x

Perhaps bariatric surgery etc. isn't for you? There is no "fast" way to lose weight that's safe and healthy. If you're not losing as fast as you'd like perhaps you should consult your doctor...

i had an arm lift (and breast lift, and tummy tuck...all in one shot in Dec 2019). i always disliked my upper arms. when i was thin (and thought i was fat) i was self conscious of what i thought was the size of them and rarely wore sleeveless tops. then when i actually got fat i NEVER wore them. if i had to go to an event the warranted (an arm-baring) dress, i always wore a shawl. fast forward to the weight loss and i was left with some saggy jiggly upper arms. while they looked okay when my arms were at my sides, i really did not like the look of them flapping in the wind when i raised them, lol. and i raise them alot, ha...i'm one of those raise-your-arms-in-the-air-and-wave-them-like-you-just-don't-care kinda gals, lolololzzz. so i had them done about a year post op (6-ish months after i reached goal). LOVE EM. while i did wear sleeveless again after the weight loss, i feel a lot less self-conscious about them after the arm lift. and really, it makes all the difference :).. now i do have very prominent scars on my arms (i scar very badly, and knew this going in), but for some reason the scars dont bother me as much as the flapping did. Go figure. recovery is no joke though, i'll be honest. had i not done too much too soon, i would probably have been good to go by 6 weeks...but i didn't, so my recovery was more like 3+ months. that was over 5 years ago now, and i've been wearing tank tops and other sleeveless tops all year round since, hahaha. it really all boils down to what YOU are comfortable with...i was told by countless of people that i didn't need to/shouldn't get it done. but i got it anyway, because the only person who can say i need it is ME. if you have the means and the desire, the option is yours. Good luck! ❤️ some pics: 1st link: 6 months BEFORE the arm lift 2nd link: Day before VS 3 weeks after arm lift 3rd link: 6 months AFTER the arm lift

36 down, 14 more to go... submit your stats if you haven't already and I will reward y'all with a nice little report, LOL! 1. Basics: GENDER, AGE, HEIGHT 2. Total Weight lost in the 6 months BEFORE surgery (if any) 3. Weight on DAY OF SURGERY. 4. Weight at 1 MONTH POST surgery 5. Weight at 3 MONTHs POST surgery 6. Weight at 6 MONTHs POST surgery 7. Weight at 12 MONTHs POST surgery 8. Type of Surgery (Sleeve, ByPass, etc...)

I love how supportive you have been of your wife (and am sorry to hear her diabetes remains an issue). I honestly think the relationships that most often fail post-surgery are the ones that are not healthy to begin with. The effects of the weight loss just shine a light on the problems that were already there and being ignored. Society sends the message that being overweight equals being unattractive, that you'll never find a partner unless you're slim, or that you're darn lucky if you do have someone, even if that person treats you poorly, and you'd better put up with it because you won't get anything better. None of that is actually true, of course, but sometimes losing weight is the thing that makes a person realize it and start believing they deserve a happy life. But if a spouse is one of the "good ones," they'll take your advice to heart and end up with an even better relationship. I'm so glad that's what has happened to you and your wife!

I have had more friends/family tell me now that they were worried for my health etc etc. Of course only a couple close friends told me they were concerned before I started losing weight. It is what it is, fat jokes etc don't bother me, I made them when I was at my heaviest. I know people talked behind my back, it is human nature.

Congrats!! I'm sure you feel relieved! I'm at the point where I've been in a stall or at least a weight loss slow down stall for a few months myself. But I've only lost about 3 lbs the last month..21 over 3+ months and I'm only at 5 months post op! As annoying and worried as I'm sure you've been.. I hope it helps some knowing you made me feel relieved knowing it might only be temporary. Again, congrats and you're soooo close to your goal now - you've got this!

I have a sleeve and as the others have said, yes, you will be able to eat a larger portion than what you do after surgery but that’s what’s supposed to happen. It’s how we are able to consume the calories & nutrients we need to maintain our lower weight. However, the larger portion is more like what a recommended portion size is nothing like you may have eaten before surgery. You’ll be looking at about 3-4ozs of a protein & around a cup of vegetables. You’ll be able to eat a lot of the same foods & old favourites as you used to. The difference is how frequently you have them & how much you eat when you do. You may even make healthier choices around the ingredients or cooking methods. Like instead of battered or crumbed fish & chips you have grilled fish & salad or air fried or baked vegetable chips, Instead of a burger on a bun have a bun less burger or a lettuce wrapped one or just eat half of the bun. There aren’t foods I can’t eat just foods I choose not to, choose to eat small portions of or eat infrequently & I feel better for it. Your stomach is a muscle and there is the potential to stretch it again but you’d have make a concentrated effort & eat large portions, many times a day over a long period of time like you did in the first place. It’s not easy & can cause a lot of discomfort (even vomit) to force yourself to eat that volume of food. Why would you want to though? Second the advice to watch the videos of Matt Weiner & John Pilcher.