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Glad to hear that you are not left with that forever. I never had clumps of hair coming out but starting at 3 months I had a pretty good amount left on my comb. And I use a wide tooth comb. Never pull or ripped at it even in the past to avoid split ends. Never a brush since it tends to pull out all my curls. Now at almost 8 months out from surgery I notice the hair loss is finally slowing down. I would suggest some trying a wide tooth comb and combing out from the ends up avoiding tugging hairs out at the scalp with a brush. Also washing too often can strip hair of its natural oils and dries out the scalp. Sorry to hear this. Maybe find a good quality protein drink that you can stomach during those times you can't eat? I know most say taking extra supplements don't help with WLS hair loss, but in your case It couldn't hurt. On the bright side, there are a lot of really good, cute short hairstyles out there. I bet you rock it

I never have counted calories at all— I think protein/fluid goals and staying with healthy choices/watching portion sizes are more what my drs want me doing. Im at 8 months with sleeve, and pretty much moving to maintenance and some days i can eat more than others— so best advise already given here is talk to your team.

Thanks for the response. I saw the doctor and discussed options and will go with Sleeve. 2 surgeries, one to remove the band and heal and 2nd 3 months after for Sleeve. He admitted that some doctors do the surgery all at once but cautioned that scar tissue can be problematic. Think I'll start a new thread about Band to Sleeve. Thanks

Fascinating article. Despite having taken several of them myself over the past few years, (including Saxenda and Wegovy), I'm very hesitant to embrace a world where weight loss drugs are the first line of defense against obesity. I say this knowing that at least some of my issue comes down to poor nutrition choices, made far too easy by an environment swimming in garbage foods and a culture that values quick convenience over everything else. When I commit to good nutrition, my weight decreases. I don't get skinny, or even "not obese" but I do lose weight. When the snacks and junk food make their way back in the house and I have stressful weeks with work where I'm at my desk for 12 or more hours and fast food feels like my only option because I'm too tired to cook, I gain weight. In about the past 60 years, we've gone from 13% obesity to 40%, with a 10x rise in severe obesity. This isn't just a weird thing that happened in a vacuum. There are pretty obvious reasons for this, some that could possibly be solved with significant changes to our food policies and investment in real nutrition instead of lining the pockets of pharmaceutical companies and massive food corporations. Much of our so-called food today has been designed to be addictive, by the same folks who brought us cigarettes, no less. That should give people pause the next time they're in the grocery store looking at all those shiny boxes and bags. On the other hand, in the days when only 1% of the US population was morbidly obese...that was my family. And some of my family lived really long lives, into their 90s. Except the ones who didn't and died young. And you don't know which you'll be until it's too late. Up until my 40s, I was one of those people who had healthy bloodwork despite being 90+ lbs over my "ideal weight." I didn't worry about my weight because I was healthy. But that changed rapidly with middle age as my weight went even higher. Now I take blood pressure meds and am prediabetic. My feet and joints ache and I worry what that means as I age. I wish I had done more to keep my weight lower when I was younger and developed better habits early on. I can't believe how ignorant I was of nutrition facts when I was in my teens and 20s. One thing I know is I can't afford $12k or more a year for the rest of my life to take these "miracle drugs." I'm not sure who really can or should. I'm grateful for surgery being an option, but it's not for everyone, and neither are the drugs. As a society, I would like to see more acceptance of humans in all sizes, and more focus on real health and nutrition instead of fads and gimmicks that make a few people really rich.

Hi Edward, The original thread starter left the forum ages ago, but I'll try to answer being veteran MGB patient now well into maintenance. Regarding "bad things". Honestly, EVERY bariatric surgery option comes with issues from mild to (thankfully rarer) serious. It's worth remembering that people on forums like this mostly ask questions when they think things are going wrong or are looking for reassurance. Stalls are common for ALL procedures. GERD is common in the sleeve but not everyone gets it. Pain? Well yeah, it's major surgery so expect it to hurt. Your body has to recover from about five deep stab wounds, being inflated, and then having the stomach cut apart and intestines rearranged. That will take time to recover from! What I think is surprising is how FAST the body recovers considering what it goes through. And if, like me, you have a hiatal hernia repair at the same time, it's another level of pain to wade through, but it does improve. And I take ibuprofen and aspirin. I was never told "never again". I don't take it frequently, but when I have to, I take it. Nothing horrible has happened, and I AM prone to ulcers. To combat my ulcers, I take Pantoprazole. No biggie. As for the hunger, it seems different for everyone across all procedures. My hunger came back about six months in. The restriction remains though, and some things have remained permanently off the menu, like coconut milk/cream and more than one bite of bread or potatoes. It's different for everyone, but I really am glad I got the MGB/Omega Loop. Worked a treat, I lost almost 120% of my excess body fat, and my lab results are all great so the vitamin intake hasn't been an issue.

Yup I’m home. Oh how I will miss the midnight blood draws. Nausea is fairly controlled. I drank one protein shake when I got home and am still nursing my dinner shake. Pain isn’t too bad and they have me controlling it with Motrin and Tylenol. They also sent me home with 5 oxy just in case but told me that if pain was much worse at home to call them. I haven’t been drinking much else at home. I was sipping water fairly decently at the hospital and they also loaded me up with IV saline to cover a few low hydration days. How are you doing ChunkCat?

The pressure in our little sleeved tummies is different than the pressure in a regular tummy from the things I've read. This can cause reflux to happen. Plus the acid our stomach produce when larger is the same amount produced when smaller, so basically we have more acid than we need. There are better PPIs than Prilosec, have you tried Protonix or Dexilant? I have had much better luck with these. RNY revision for reflux is a good option for a permanent solution. They'll probably do imaging to prove you have reflux (an upper GI series) and an endoscopy to check out the status of your stomach and esophagus. Insurance usually requires these before considering approval of a revision. I wish you much luck in finding a solution!!

Commenting in case anyone stumbles upon this thread in the future, as I'm guessing OP may have already finished their liquid diet! I've had good luck with ramen packets. Yes, the little powdered flavor packets that come basically welded to your 99 cent packets of cheap ol' ramen noodles. Definitely avoid these if you can't have much sodium 😂, but I was able to add Isopure unflavored protein powder to some boiled water with the ramen flavor packet and it was pretty darn good! Chicken and Soy have been my favorites so far. I didn't like the smell of the Beef flavor very much, but it tasted fine. My program allows us one 8oz cup of V8 per day as well (...or 3 dill pickles...so random, but love those electrolytes!), so I heated that up and mixed in the unflavored Isopure - it tasted a lot like a creamy tomato soup, and was great for breaking up the sweet-flavor overload from the protein shakes. I thought I hated V8 prior to the LRD, so I'm glad I gave it a try - it's not bad at all. I'm hoping I can find some basil in my spice cabinet and make a faux tomato basil soup! Finally, in the USA at least, there are these little "jars" of Better Than Boullion. Add a teaspoon of whatever flavor tickles you into some hot hot water until it dissolves, add unflavored protein powder if you want, add some pepper or other seasonings if it makes you happy, and you've got yourself a delightful protein "soup". 😁 Other items that are awesome are sugar-free Bomb Pop popsicles and sugar-free Tropical Popsicles, sugar-free Jell-O, Propel and Gatorade Zero, Crystal Light mix-ins for your water, Protein2O water, and there's even Gatorade Zero w/Protein these days - I found a pack of the mix-in sticks on Amazon! Most bone broth I've tried makes me want to gag, with the exception of the LonoLife mix-in sticks (found some at my local grocery store, but found more flavors on Amazon). Anyhoot, good luck to everyone doing their liver reducing diets, whatever your requirements may be! Mine's all liquid (and those 3 pickles...lol), I'm on day 6 of 14, and honestly it hasn't been all that bad. Just make sure you get enough protein spread out through the day, enough water, and get some electrolytes in (especially if you get leg cramps, nausea, headaches, or dizziness).

I'm going the self pay route with Blossom Bariatrics, but was given similar timelines when I spoke with folks with Dr Shillingford and the Nicholson Clinics, but generally scheduling could be done 3 weeks out with 2 weeks of pre-op diet for a Sleeve procedure. From first call to the surgery is generally 1 month, but sounds like it could be less in some cases. RNY, DS, and revisions required considerably more time to plan for. Far fewer hoops to have to jump through going this route, though. I'm only going this route because my insurance declines anything related to bariatric surgery. My previous employer's insurance would only cover a lap band, and it required a year of meetings. If I missed one, or gained any weight between sessions, I had to start over, which is ridiculous. Also they didn't cover any counseling, which I definitely recommend signing up for! It's just as much mental as it is physical! I'd rather not have the equivalent of a car payment hanging over my head, but my health has been declining significantly the last few years and I need a change. My job isn't forgiving with PTO either, and it was all I could do to take the 3 days off for the week of Thanksgiving to get mine done next Monday. It's a small business, so FMLA isn't an option, so I have to go back to work the next Monday.

I was sleeved in 2017. In hindsight, bypass would have been better given my history of GERD. Fast forward years later, COVID piled the weight on (working from home, lockdown, job stress (worked in healthcare during pandemic) and I'm up 65 lbs. That i can deal with though. I know the bariatric lifestyle, and I know what I need to do to lose the weight healthily and such. It's the GERD. I'm up to 60-80 mgs of Prilosec daily, plus antacids and other H2 blockers as needed. I sleep elevated and just always generally feel like I have a pit in my sternum. I've subsequently relocated to a new state since my surgery, so I feel like I'm starting all over. I have an appointment with my PCC this week to discuss the GERD issue. Given what people are stating on this board, it seems like that a RNY may be an option. Honestly, I just want to know why it has escalated so bad over the last several years. It doesn't matter what it is; it comes up. I drank some unsweetened almond milk two hours after dinner, and about 10 mins later I literally burped it up like a baby. No warning, nothing... All over my bed. Other times, it's that hor burning awful acidic in my throat and chest. Makes me cough. I try to eat crackers to help absorb the acid, which is not healthy. I'm really quite scared that's something serious. What have your experiences been like? Will I go through a whole program again? I just want relief. What questions should I bring up with my doctor. What tests will they run? This is still a fairly new PCC relationship and several thousand miles away from where I first was treated/sleeved.

Obviously, I'm not a medical professional so take anything I say with a grain of salt. Tbh, during this weight loss phase, I would try to stay focused on losing weight. Continue to monitor your eating challenges, but there will be time to sort that out after you've lost the weight. As long as you're getting sufficient nutrition and calories, you'll be fine for now. Do your best to meet the protein goal, but if you fall short, it's not the end of the world. Listen to your body, and feed it what it can handle. I'm 19 mo post-op, and even now, solid foods can be a challenge. I generally still eat a soft(ish) diet. It works for me. Obviously, if you are continually getting sick, feel bad, and/or are unable to eat enough to meet your needs, that's an urgent problem. But if you can handle it, give it time and stay focused.

Hello. I had my sleeve gastrectomy on June 13. I lost 30 pounds prior to surgery and have since lost another 72 for a total of 102 pounds. I am ecstatic except I can barely eat anything. Initially, I figured my progress was just slow, so I didn’t rush the stages. Then it was discovered I had a stricture as I was throwing up any solid food. I’ve since had two endoscopy procedures, but things don’t seem much better. I am mostly on a soft diet as a lot of solid food, even if eaten in very small quantities and chewed very well, will cause me to throw up. Many foods cause diarrhea. In fact, I’ve had chronic diarrhea this entire time. My doctor says to wait another month before a third endoscopy. I am taking Imodium a couple of times a week to curb the diarrhea because it’s getting to be extremely irritating. I am barely eating because I can hardly tolerate anything, and I am having a very difficult time meeting my protein goal. Protein shakes cause extreme fullness and diarrhea and sometimes vomiting, so those are out. I do drink protein shots which go down well, and I pretty much live on fresh mozzarella cheese and yogurt. Even the thought of a lot of foods is a turn off because they aren’t appealing and make me gag or I’m afraid of how I’ll react and psych myself out. I am at a loss as to what to eat. Luckily, I am getting my water in, 64+ ounces per day, and I do eat Pedialyte popsicles to help with electrolyte loss which my providers are concerned about. I’ve researched and researched, but I’m finding nothing. Has anyone had this issue? How did you solve it?

Thanks I typically get my protein in but I am still doing protein drinks

Do you not see a button to let you edit your post? I edit mine all the time because of typos! LOL Are you on your phone or computer? I never edit on the phone but I do on the computer all the time. Wonder why you don't have the option? It should be right next to "quote" on the bottom edge of your post on the left side.

Dates are getting close guys, I'm so excited for you!! I'm almost 2 weeks post surgery, mine was on Nov. 1st. I'm still on liquids and still getting the weird tummy spasms but I can now get some protein drinks in so that's progress!! Still hitting my fluid goals daily. I cannot stress this enough, try everything you can to hit your fluid goals post surgery and remember ALL fluid counts towards it, even protein shakes, broths, soups, etc... Being hydrated really helps things. Vary your fluids, use flavoring powders and decaf tea and decaf coffee, it helps you feel like you aren't just chugging along on one thing. I'm less sore this week abdominally so that's nice, less episodes of nausea so that's good too. Yesterday I was able to lay on my side for a bit with a pillow supporting my tummy. It felt sooo good, I'm so tired of laying on my back! I will tell you though one thing that has helped a lot is that our bed is on a platform that elevates the feet or head, so we've had the head elevated since my surgery. Sleeping on an incline has helped a lot with the pain and I seem to rest better with my head raised some. You can mimic this with pillows! Oh, and while you are in the hospital, if they don't do it automatically, ask for a script for a proton pump inhibitor. It will help with the over acidity that new tummies seem to deal with and you won't get reflux when you lay down at night. You can wean off after a few months once everything settles down, but I've noticed consistently that those who don't get prescribed these after surgery tend to have more indigestion and reflux post surgery as they are recovering, so something to think about.

Thank you all for the kudos. I'm wondering if my dramatic weight loss is partly due to malabsorption; I'm pretty vigilant about taking my supplements and focusing on protein. I'm going to go get tested for SIBO tomorrow- I had it before surgery and it was pretty awful. This time, it isn't quite as acute, but despite my care in diet, I find that food passes through. I did that crazy expensive anti-B the last time-- rifaximin-- not sure I want to spring for that again (cost is over 2k for a bottle of pills with a $700 co-pay-- the retail price for the drug outside of the States). Anyway, I should know the results quickly- the gastro I've been using is very good. And I cannot stress enough getting in some strength training, particularly if you are older. Even though I felt sort of lousy thing morning, working out made me feel better.

Are you meeting your protein goals at 400 calories a day?? Some programs will give you calorie goals, but others tend to focus on macros. Which does your doctor/dietician use? I know at 400 calories I'd be waaay below my protein goals, and those protein goals are very important to maintain your muscle mass as you lose weight. By 3 months out you should be able to hit them most days, or at least get close.

Half way through my pre op diet. I haven't done the best with it, yet I'm down 22 lbs in a little over a week. I checked with my doctor since that didn't seem right, and it seems I was retaining way more fluid than I thought due to my previously poor diet and exercise. Hoping I don't burn out on protein shakes before surgery haha. Joking aside, the headaches and fatigue are really disruptive, as are the frequent bathroom trips from all the water.

Have you tried Fairlife milk? It's just ultra filtered milk. I pick mine up at Target. The skim milk is 80 cals for 8ozs and 13g of protein. I will either make my morning coffee with just that and add some collagen for an extra boost or use it to mix my protein powder in for an extra dose of protein. (I typically make coffee protein and use Chike and have currently tried the Javy Instant Coffee Protein.) I can't help too much with protein brands as I'm still looking around for a decent powder. Personally I love the Fairlife Nutrition Plan ready made protein shakes, but they can get difficult to find or pricey. I enjoy them with my coffee either cold or hot. The chocolate one also just makes a great hot chocolate warmed up and 30g of protein.

Had my sleeve done on Nov 3. Almost at the puree stage. Protein shakes, Popsicles and water. I'm down about 35lbs since my HW 2 months back. Feeling great!

I am 3 months PO, and I am around 600-800 calories a day. My dietician claims by 6 months I should be around 1000/day. I do have some days where I am below 300/400 calories. I avg 80+ g protein a day. I still need to drink a protein shake every day.

400 does seem a bit low to me as well. How much protein are you getting in? Though i know it can be difficult to get in your exact targets, I find that may not be enough to keep up with energy levels and overall nutrition. I'm on avg about 900-1000 calories a day and I'm 7 months out. Typically avg bet 80-90g protein. Some days are a struggle and others are easier. Sometimes I still need a protein shake because I can't eat enough solids.

I second what everyone has said so far. Unless you started in excess of 400 or 500lbs you’re doing fine. If the number in the scale is bothering you (&it can do a number in some people’s heads), maybe reduce how often you weigh yourself - you don’t have to do it every day. Weight loss is never one straight downward line on a graph. It zigs & zags, goes up & down, & plateaus. Our bodies have different needs each day, we don’t eat & drink the exact same things every day, our activity is different day to day so our weight loss won’t be exactly the same day to day. We may be retaining fluid (hormonal or diet related), constipated, have diarrhoea, etc. as well which will affect the number on the scale. Also don’t forget you can include your shakes & soups in your fluid intake for the day so you may be closer to your fluid goal than you think. My plan was also no bread, pasta, rice like most are. I still don’t eat them as like @Spinoza they sit heavily in my tummy and limit what else I can eat & I’m 4.5 years out. I still follow the eat my protein first, then vegetables. (I only have two serves of carbs a day & they’re whole/multi grains - complex carbs - not the more highly processed simple carbs.) If you are concerned speak with your team. I always told myself if my surgeon & dietician were happy with my weight loss I should be too. All the best.

Oh yes I get the comparing yourself to others. That is REALLY HARD. I say celebrate the 18lbs in 2 weeks (when have you ever lost even close to that on any diet?), get to know how the three week stall hits almost all of us (and can last a few weeks) and then settle into your programme and enjoy the big losses to come. 3lbs gain in a month is nothing to worry about - honestly. I am really surprised that you're allowed bread at such an early stage. My plan was protein then veg and no carbs for many months. When I did start earing bread it sat in my stomach like a lump of lead - so did pasta and rice. Less so 2 years on but I honestly only use them like a weapon in certain situations - not for daily consumption even now. I wish you all the best

You would have to log onto your account on a computer as it doesn’t work on a mobile phone or tablet but it’s called a ticker. They have many cute little options to customize it for you.