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oh wow!! I’ve had to do pure liquids for 3 weeks. It’s been TOUGH!!

I bet I will be right there with you in a week, honestly, so please don't feel alone. I DO feel that it is totally ok to be looking forward to *real food* and wonder if your therapist wasn't using that word to prepare you for the fact that maybe food will end up tasting differently once you DO go back to it? I know my taste buds have changed a lot just during this liquid diet phase, and it makes me think of how when I stopped drinking soda my mind would be like 'Ooh a Coke sounds so NICE' but then I'd go to take a sip and it just.. tasted awful. My Chantix has caused the same effect for me regarding cigarettes. Once in a while I get to thinking that I want one, but because of the medicine even if I take a puff it doesn't taste good or satisfying AT ALL. There are some things that I used to not particularly enjoy that I'm now finding I like, though, like hot lemon water, well salted vegetables, and chicken/salmon much more than say - a burger. I'm not sure what is causing my change in preferences, I know in part is is the no-sugar, but it's also just across the board. I even rinse my mouth after the shakes and don't like the drink mix I used to use very much. I agree wholly with what others have posted here - It's fine to enjoy food, we'll just be enjoying it in a different way once we ramp back up to being able to eat it, and any sugary indulgences will have a cost-ratio we'll have to consider when we DO decide to treat ourselves. So glad you posted here, and hope you're doing well! My surgery is the morning of August 5th - I'm having a virgin SADI - a sleeve plus revision style surgery to my intestines all at once as my first WLS.

I'm sorry so many of you are having struggles. I, too, was told that the first 4 months or so will be filled with ups and downs. I guess I'm in more of an up place right now. The nausea has subsided, it's almost gone. I don't feel good when I eat, but that's about it. My energy is way up from where it was when my bp was low and I was dehydrated. And the scale had been going down... 3 pounds this week. I almost feel guilty telling you all this. I do struggle with getting enough protein. I get between 30 and 60 grams a day, and I'm trying to add protein powder to anything I can. I can't eat enough food to get it in. I'm pretty much off protein shakes and bars. I can sometimes tolerate half a protein bar. Right now, I have a shake sitting here next to me. I get gaggy thinking about drinking it, but I'm going to try! Is anyone experiencing hair loss? I heard it usually starts around the 4-month mark. I cut my very short to prepare for it... but am hoping it doesn't happen. At least it will be during the summer months! Have to look on the bright side

Thank you! It's cliche but we all know It is not easy but it is worth it. Since posting that testimony I have lost another 12 lbs and am now at 82lbs in 7.5 weeks. I workout every morning at 530am and night at 630pm at my boxing club in Iowa. I wanted to share the start of my journey to help tell people that IT IS OKAY TO CHOOSE YOURSELF. In fact, always choose yourself. Proud of everyone who is taking this journey. 🙏 Yesterday is on the right. December 1st is on the left.

Congratulations! I'm almost 4 months post-op from gastric bypass and my advice is to watch every video from Dr. Matthew Weiner (Pound of Cure Weight Loss) and Dr. John Pilcher on YouTube. These were by far the best resources I found, and I go back and watch many of them (especially Dr. Weiner's, and also his new podcast) all the time even now. Especially the ones on how to build lifelong behaviors to keep the weight off. One thing I did early on, right after my first bariatric appointment where I weighed in at my highest weight ever (yikes!) was order Dr. Weiner's books. There's The Pound of Cure, which gives a detailed, step by step way to make healthy changes to your diet, plus a second book explaining how bariatric surgery really works and then his bariatric cookbook (I also really like Bariatric Meal Prep Made Easy by Kristin Willard). I made several of the changes recommended by the Pound of Cure (I didn't start with the 2-week diet, just started implementing changes I thought I could manage) and over time I lost about 12 pounds, plus just felt healthier and more in control of what I was eating. One other piece of advice: don't over-buy protein supplements. So many people on this board will tell you this, and I did not heed the advice. Now my cupboard is full of protein supplements I stopped liking after surgery and will never use. I've barely needed supplements after the first month or so, honestly. I feel guilty at how much money I spent on them, but I will likely end up throwing them all away (most are opened so can't be donated). If you want to stock up on anything, an unflavored protein powder is much more likely to be useful to you in the long run than the flavored shakes. But if you're buying flavored ones, consider trying a soup flavored one because the sweet ones get old really fast, even pre-surgery. Oh, and take "before" photos! I know taking photos can be so uncomfortable, but you will want them. Choose something very form fitting to start. I went with a pair of exercise leggings and a tank top that was so tight it was like skin. I took photos about a week after my first appointment, so around my highest weight, and then on the day before surgery and at each month-marker thereafter. So far, I've worn the same clothing each time, although I may need to change that as it becomes too baggy to show the progress clearly. Take your measurements the same day you take your photos. You may struggle to see (or refuse to believe) the changes in yourself, but the photos and measurements don't lie. Even if it's painful to see the photos now, you will be so grateful to have them later. I was in shock and wanted to cry when I truly looked at my highest weight photos, but I'm so glad I took them.

I had revision May2023 due to stage 2 esophagitis the herd was extremely bad. Since May I’m down 74 lbs it’s definitely much different from the sleeve . I HAVE NO HEARTBURN!. I went to a new dr for this and his program has helped me tremendously. I just stick to their guidelines and exercise 4-6 days a week.

Hi all. My name is Carrielee. I am 33 years old and have been on the fence about WLS for the last few years. I have struggled with obesity since I was quite young and the weight keeps piling on. I am 5 foot 1 and just hit 325 pounds. I now have a BMI of 61.4. I have uncontrolled Hypertension on multiple meds, uncontrolled Type II Diabetes, and high cholesterol, sleep apnea, severe fatty liver disease (nearing cirrhosis), severe arthritis, IIH, angina, past history of PE. I can barely walk and have been told if I don’t lose the weight I likely won’t live to see 40. I’ve backed out of this so many times but now that I’ve surpassed the 300 pound mark I know I have to do this. I’ve ended up in the ER twice in this last week with abnormal EKGs and the idea of having a cardiac event before 40 terrifies me. I have to do this. My mom died at 50 at over 400 pounds due to multi organ failure from obesity and I am so scared the same will happen to me.

hello im 23 years old and all my life ive been battling my weight it was always fluctuating. Started at 280 and now I’m down to 180 I’m 5’8 and im definitely noticing muscle definition and loose skin is bouncing back. But as of lately ive been feeling super depressed and my recent breakup was what set it off. Just recently started going out with friends and having to eat small portion completely ruins it for me i wish i can cram in just a little more to enjoy food with friends. I feel like its a chore now to make sure im hitting my daily macros and im starting to have regrets. I feel good in my own body but i feel like i could’ve done this without surgery with the love i grew for the gym. I go 3-4 times a week with a split. Is there anyway to combat this depression and regret i have i just wish i can eat a little more to socialize and im scared of losing more weight

Hi! Happy to answer this. I am 10 months post op. Had my first glass of champagne 6 weeks out. Sipped it for hours. You will get hit by the alcohol quickly. Alcohol will get you twice as drunk for the same amount due to starvation / not drinking for ages. i am a social weekend drinker and attend lots of events. I can say since then I will have a drink or two every weekend. Without shame or issue. I simply count my alcohol calories. I have lost 30% of my body weight and weigh in the low 60s now. You have to live your life - I’m not into banning foods and rules. This is the beginning of the rest of your life. You have to have fun and enjoy it. Say you drink a bit and it takes you an extra month to reach your target? Who cares. At least it’s sustainable. Don’t feel ashamed for having a drink or two if that’s what you want to do. Just remember you will barely drink anything and feel the full effects. Lol. Best of luck!

You can take my advice with a grain of salt since I've never been in the position of losing too much weight and am only 4 weeks post-op, but I think at this point your best bet is to ignore calories and just listen to your body. Eat if you're hungry, don't eat if you're not, and focus on nutritious food. Your body will stop losing weight when it feels like it. I agree with @Spinoza that I think the surgery gives you a new set point. It's best to just see what that is and only worry about it if it's so low that it's unhealthy. More than likely, it'll bounce back up on its own if it's too low for you to maintain. But better you bounce up to where your goal was initially than put the brakes on now and then bounce up 10 lbs higher than you wanted in a year.

Hello everyone. I’m new here. I had my gastric bypass surgery on March 13, 2024, along with a large hiatal hernia repair. I am in no pain. I vomited once since I’ve been home. That’s only because I drink something too fast. I would love to know how is everyone doing or have done after the first week of surgery? I am just sick and tired of drinking everything. I need help to see if I can help at least a little something so like a scrambled egg or something. I take a lot of medication and I’m afraid to even take my meds. Please feel free to comment and help me out. thank you so much. The first picture is me 6 months before surgery. The second one is 1 month before surgery.

My Pureed stage is actually 2 weeks. It is so hard. But I’m going to keep the course.

i had a bit of difficulty getting my protein shakes the first 2 weeks, i used protein powders and i had to water them down ALOT to get it down. i probably only consumed maybe the equivalent 1 cup of a pre-made protein shake the entire first 14 days post surgery. it was a issue of aversion for me...it was just so unappealing and gag-inducing. that and i was just so exhausted that there just wasn't enough awake time to drink. my water consumption wasn't that great either, probably sipped maybe less than 2 cups a day (warm/hot water cuz it felt better)...and i did this from a 1oz medicine cup all day long...soooo annoying omg. first two weeks i probably had less than 400 calories each ENTIRE WEEK. but magically (on day 13 to be exact), i accidentally found out i could could gulp down water...i was so thirsty that i forgot i was supposed to sip...and it was wonderful lol. so much more satisfying than those sad sips from the stupid medicine cup. after that i was gulping down litres of ice water. and protein shakes cuz i just would water then down alot with ice water and down them. solid food on the other hand took a little longer master...but that's another story. now i drink lots and eat lots (avg 1800 cals a day) for a bariatric patient, but not quite like a "regular" person, lol....and im 5+ years out. long story short: hang in there, it gets better by increments. keep in contact with your doc and team, and there is no need to worry of they aren't. good luck ❤️

Thanks for sharing. In a little over a week I'll undergo a 360 with a breast lift and implants and these are very encouraging. I admit to being afraid of the pain too, but everyone has said that it's worth it. I figure if they could do it, so can I.

I start my 2 week liquid diet on Feb 7, but if I had to drink milk, I don't know what I would do . I can't stand the stuff! I haven't had a glass of milk since I was about 8. Thankfully, I can have protein shakes, yogurt, pudding, broth, and jello. If I start to feel grumpy about it, I'll remind myself I could be stuck drinking milk!

Just really wanted to reach out because I’ve had a tough day. I was supposed to return to work today but I have a very physically demanding job. I had a rough two days with food and abdomen pain, so I decided to not return just yet. I’m feeling like I may be better suited going back to a desk job both for healing and the ability to have a more consistent schedule working the same hours each week, as I’m concerned I’ll struggle with maintaining my new routines at my current job. Particularly the time to eat and drink as often as needed. Has anyone else experienced anything similar?

At first it was because, even though I completed my requirements in early October, the first available surgery date was end of December. And then my hospital abruptly cancelled all surgeries and closed the weight management center 3 weeks before my surgery, so I had to get established with a new hospital (one that is owned by the same big healthcare company that owns several hospitals in the Boston area). It was a real shock. The first available appointment was early January at the new place. Luckily, they've accepted all my prior appointments to fulfil the requirements, and they allowed me to schedule my surgery after one meeting with the surgeon and dietician, which I was able to do that same day last week. Now I'm scheduled for February 21 and am counting the days while fearing something will go wrong again.

I am the same with the jeans, feel like I am buying a new pair every fortnight. I also had to get a new swimsuit within a couple of weeks of starting aqua aerobics as the one I bought a short while ago was holding too much water. I also like that I can now sit comfortably on a bus seat and not worry that I am taking up a seat and a half. I am able to get the seat belt on a plane closed without any issues where as a year ago I had to get an extender piece (was mortified).

Sorry tech challenged, I meant to answer you lol. I was on a 5 week optifast pre-op liquid diet only. Also water of course. I was honest to my team as I wasn't perfect the entire time time. Probably why it didn't shrink enough... I don't know.

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I had the surgery fall 2012... The first year was great... The end of the second year, I have gained 18lbs and went through menopause... I am wondering if this is common... I still average about 1300 calories a day, but cannot seem to shake this weight gain... On 1/15, I started doing the 5:2 Intermittent Fast Diet... One week out, I am finally down 3.6lbs... I am committed to doing this 5:2 plan for at least a month to see if this gives me the results I need... I have read that a weight gain after menopause is not uncommon, but I thought 18lbs was quite a bit for one year. ????

Hi all I had surgery on Aug 28 I went from 197 to now 173 which going down even 1 pound is better than going up. My goal is 160 which means I have 13 lbs to go. I have been sticking with my dietician’s initial recommendation- basically no white carbs. I was a potato head. Now if I want something with potatoes I use sweet potatoes instead. I quit rice and I was never a big bread eater. For the most part I stick with protein first and veggies. I continue to monitor sugar intake - the added sugar in food products- at home I have used Splenda for a couple years now. I don’t really snack I just eat my meals. My issue has been that I’m not hungry. My weight dropped then stalled and it wasn’t until I began to take in more protein that the pounds started coming off again. If you haven’t already I would suggest reaching out to your dietitian to reevaluate your diet and get some helpful new insights. Always be kind to yourself and give yourself grace. Celebrate every oz and inch that comes off.

I guess I've been doing this all along, at least once I was allowed regular foods. I'll have a small serving of ice cream if I go to an ice cream place. I had a couple bites of cheesecake a while back. I'll have a square of dark chocolate a few times a week. I generally order chicken or fish, and not fried, with veggies at a restaurant, but I'll eat the sauces and not worry about it. I'll eat a couple fries off someone else's plate. That'a all I want is one or two. My program is fairly simple, 60-80g protein and 64 oz water are the only rules I was given, (no specific calorie or carb rules) with an added recommendation of aim for 3 meals a day, about 40% protein per meal, and avoid snacking. Obviously, there is the list of good choices and not so good choices that we all know, like avoid oils and fried foods, and eat nutrient dense foods, etc. But I stopped keeping a written food journal every day because it isn't required of me, and for me, I don't want to live like I'm on a perpetual diet. Somewhere I heard the advice to follow a 90/10 rule. If 90% of what you eat is healthy, don't worry so much about the other 10%. That resonates with me. Also, I like the concept of a "planned indulgence" instead of a cheat meal. Cheating implies doing something wrong. Planning to indulge in something is deliberate and you're in control of it. For me, that fits my life.

I have stagnated a little bit over the past month+. Got down to 215 but popped back up to 220ish (now back to 217). Figure it is just a bump in the road and I am still committed to getting to sub 200 by my year mark. Feel amazing and had a good ego boost last week when a nurse at my dad's memory care facility asked my mom if I was single Currently trying to gently talk my sister into looking into the surgery as well (and potentially her son). She is worried about the financial aspect of it, which I totally understand, but my mom has said that she would pay for it. Given how against my surgery my mom was, I feel like this is a HUGE win. I want what is best for my sister (and I think the surgery is best), but I also know how I felt when people told me what I should do about my weight, so I am trying to be very supportive and helpful without being pushy at all. I have talked to others about it as well. I kinda feel like I am a WLS evangelical now! Finally, haven't heard from @Synlee in a while, but I hope you are doing MUCH better. I still say a prayer for you every week.

"- Still have fun but track their calories and weight DAILY." This is me too. 1. What are your golden rules to successful maintenance? I've found that sticking to a monthly calorie average rather than a daily one gives me the flexibility I need. If I go over my limit for a week, I know I have time to balance it out. This approach prevents me from being too harsh on myself for one bad day. For instance, my goal for June is to maintain a daily average of 1550 calories.This method has been crucial for my success. In the past, focusing on daily or weekly limits led to self-criticism and was counterproductive. It took some time, but I’ve learned that this is a life long game. By being kinder to myself. I've made much more progress. Even naturally thin people overeat occasionally; the difference is they don't punish themselves or give up. 2. How did you manage the mental shift (navigating fear and uncertainty) while transitioning to maintenance? The shift for me came pretty naturally. I eased into it slow. I remember in the beginning that if I lost a pound or so that month I would adjust my calorie intake, small increments so I wouldn't get used to too high of calories. It's always a slippery slope when you have a history of overeating. I adjusted it month to month, until I got to the point that my weight was stable month to month. 3. How much indulgence do you actually allow yourself? I don't have any absolutes. I do try to eat healthy 80/20. I try to eat 5-8 servings a day of fruits and vegetables.