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Hi! I was wondering if anyone who is 5+ years since surgery is still experiencing any issues? I find that when I eat certain foods, much like when I was about a year or so out, that I have a feeling of being too full and can’t keep the food down. It isnt all the time. And it isnt really if I eat too much or too fast. I still eat pretty small meals at any given time and typically just eat 6 or so very small meals. An example would be if I eat pasta, maybe 1/3 to 1/2 a cup may feel unbearable and too full and can’t keep the pasta down. It could be something random like a handful of jelly belly jelly beans. I would say it happens maybe 1 a week? Just curious if anyone else has this issue. I have done well at keeping the weight off since the surgery and have hovered around 130-140 for the past 2 years. I am fairly active 50’s, 5’5 female. Thanks!!

I agree with everyone else. Some hair loss and loss skin is pretty much part and parcel with weight loss surgery, especially if you have a lot to lose. Fortunately, for many of us, we're the only ones who really notice it. I had minimal hair loss so I'm sure no one besides me noticed it - and my loose skin was easy to hide in clothes. I eventually had it removed because it was driving me nuts, but here I am before I had it removed. I can assure you that I had a TON of loose skin, but no one knew It was there except me and my husband.

Hey K, just resigned up to write you this post! I used to frequent this site when I was gearing up for Bariatric surgery years ago. And now I have just completed my first round of plastics where I was told I have little to no body fat. Was a great feeling! (2 more to come In the next year) But i also felt it was coming off so soooo slowly in the first month or so and really struggled with the fact I still felt hunger and I lost 97% of my excess weight In the first year. Most of that in the first 6months. I was huge.. when I started 399lbs and lost 6st pre surgery and 10st post surgery.. And have kept it off.. keep going! you will do this!! eyes on the prize.. before you know it you will be a year out those first few months feel like a slog as you just want it gone. My biggest recommendations are cut as many carbs as you can. I ate little to zero sugar, crisps and chocolate in my first year. I focused on carbs from vegetables only, very little pasta, rice etc maybe a spoonful max.. I focused on cauliflower rice, broccoli, air fried courgettes etc mainly protein.. look up the boos ridiculous brownie’s!! Protein based baked goods!! But They got me through for my sweet tooth it’s about finding compromises.. I froze sugar free jelly (orange) with sugar free angel delight (choc) on top into mini ice cube trays and would have a couple of these after dinner. and I did a lot of exercise, minimum 1hr 20mins a day walking.. 8-10k steps and on the weekend I did more and added a 40-1hr swim.. for me it gave less time to focus on food and build better habits you have got this hun keep going.. xx

You will lose the weight. I’m fearful of old habits that got me here in the first place sneaking back in. I hope to really change myself.

Oh I’m so excited for you to have gotten your authorization. I asked my Dr yesterday about the Colace since I was there and he say I could go ahead and start it too. I don’t remember constipation being an issue last time but maybe it’s something in the protein shakes that can cause it when you have so many in the day? If you mean your bariatric vitamin I would definitely call. My book says to START them with the LSD. I’m obviously already on them because I had the sleeve but the book is for the general audience who hasn’t been on them for years. 😆 OMG the pincushion thing happens to me too. I wonder if our veins are harder to see because of our weight and that will get better. I have started to actually get a little anxious when I go because it’s always such an ordeal. They usually do a butterfly needle in my hand and then the girl always complains because it just dripping and sticks me again. This time I was like idk how long it takes veins to recover but I have surgery soon and they are gonna need a vein so please let it drip. It will fill up eventually. A friend of mine said they always have a hard time at drs offices and she has much better luck at stand-alone labs. Kinda makes sense since they do nothing but draw blood all day whereas a nurse only does it when a patient needs it. I assume you are allowed protein shakes. If so take your meds immediately as you finish one of those. I take my bariatric multi that way and it makes me nauseated without enough in my stomach but with a FULL shake I am fine. I tried to get in a hurry one time and took it when I had only finished half so I could get out the door and it came right back up but I have taken it forever with the full one and it’s fine. The protein in the shakes is actually quite satiating physically. It’s the head hunger that will get you and the jello does help with that. So do the sugar free popsicles if you are allowed those. It just feels good to sorta chew after a while. As long as you are conscious of the fact that you may be a little testy because of your diet you should be okay. You could tell your family ahead of time to tell you if they feel like you are not yourself if you think that would help. I am on day two and as long as I keep busy it’s really not THAT bad. Now ask me Again on day 16 and it may be a different story.

Surgon told me to do a liquid diet for a week & then make sure I measure my food. I’m 5 years out & still measure my food to not go over 3.5 oz. It took me 2 years to meet my goal, then I put back on 15lbs but this is where my body seems happy at. I got down to my goal weight with The Fast Metabolism Diet. Check it out.

I switched electrolyte powders to LMNT which has a ton of sodium in it and I swear I gained 5 lbs in 3 days. Right before my first post surgery weigh in. I'm so mad! Needless to say I've decided NOT to continue taking it. But you might try that to put on a few lbs to tick your BMI over. Or like others have said, go eat out a few restaurant meals, they have enough sodium to bloat you too!

I also can't speak to co-morbidities other than some arthritis in my hips and knees. That's definitely better now but it wasn't my main motivation to have my surgery. I wanted not to become diabetic or develop any other weight-related disease. There's a definite risk of developing reflux after a gastric sleeve whereas that risk isn't there with bypass so you need to take that into consideration. We all react to surgery in different ways and it can be impossible to predict accurately in advance so do discuss bypass with your surgeon too. They'll have up to date stats about the likely relative effects on your diabetes for sure. The sleeve has been everything I wanted and more. My only regret, as we often say here, is not having it done 20 years earlier. I hope your surgeon can help you decide whether it's best for you.

Hello all! I’m scared for my surgery on Monday because I have had grade 4 EE , hernia & weight stall etc. I’m very nervous this time around because… the odds / number of procedures. Has anyone else ,here, had so many revisions? 😔😔😔 any words of encouragement or advice? THANK YOU!

Tonight I went to the required education session that my NHS Trust has as a non-negotiable requirement of being accepted for surgery. I will be honest and say I was left feeling completely underwhelmed with it. There was about 16 of us, all pre-op but at different stages of the required tests etc plus some family members (hubby went with me) There was also a Bariatric nurse, a dietitian and a former patient who had had the bypass in 2022. She explained her journey but it seemed very…I don’t know, sterile? Wrong word I know but I don’t know how else to explain her approach. She’s obviously happy with how it all turned out for her but it all seemed very whitewashed, which I found odd. She only mentioned one case of dumping syndrome but everything else was a walk in the park, which had me internally questioning things. She said she was currently in a months long stall but again, everything was hunky-dory. Someone asked about a typical days eating and it seemed really carb-heavy - toast for breakfast, sandwich for lunch, cheese and crackers for a snack, sausage and chips or mash for dinner etc etc. I asked about what additional protein she had - didn’t/couldn’t answer, asked about exercise - some walking and that’s about it. She mentioned hair loss being an issue but that it all grew back and was great. I know I’m being picky but I honestly wanted a more rounded discussion about of lots of different challenges that we could face with WLS and living the life post-op. I’d say out of the group that was there, maybe 5 had done any wider reading or research. I did find out that the hospitals approach to caffeine post-op is you can have a couple of cups of tea/coffee a day but they would rather patients filled up on foods/drinks that added protein, especially at the beginning. I also found out about the vitamins they give you and that they put the timings on the boxes to aid patients with timings etc, which was useful. Something that was bothering me was if my BMI dipped below 40, would I still be considered for surgery as I don’t have any co-morbidities like diabetes, heart issues etc. I need to get it below 40 before I will be considered for knee surgery, and I’m hoping that will happen end of Oct/beginning of Nov all being well. I was reassured about that, saying that they go off the booking weight reported by the GP when referred initially 🙂 I will be completely honest and say that, apart from some very specific questions I had of my hospital, I actually find this forum of much more use and beneficial to me personally. I have found out so much information from people who are further along in their own WLS journey, plus I know I’ve felt really supported by lots of very lovely and helpful users. There is such a wealth of experience on here that I know that if I have a question, someone will be along to answer it! Roll on the dietitian appointment next week 🤞

I bet you get standing ovations Today I would attempt this song, although I usually just watch karaoke. I'm a big introvert but finding my social anxiety is getting better as I lose the weight and feel better

I'm right there with you. I've been 178-180 since September. I wonder if we stay at a certain weight. I exercise and lift daily. But I went from a size 24 to a 12, 3xl to a medium so I think I'm good. The scale really messes with my head Sent from my SM-G975U using BariatricPal mobile app

I'm right there with you. I've been 178-180 since September. I wonder if we stay at a certain weight. I exercise and lift daily. But I went from a size 24 to a 12, 3xl to a medium so I think I'm good. The scale really messes with my head Sent from my SM-G975U using BariatricPal mobile app

Oh my gosh!! The foamies! One of my friends thought I was crazy when k said I was foaming then started vomiting. My starting weight was 210lbs and my b/p was out of control. As of now I’m still on b/p meds but when I went in last week it was lower than it had been in over a year. I had the pre-op diet and dropped down 10lbs. When I came out of surgery I was puffy and weighed 203 again. Right now I am at 189lbs which has been the lowest number I’ve seen in years. I was told to get 64oz of water and 90 grams of protein a day yes 90! I’m struggling with it. The water intake I’ve done well except one day and nausea hit me soooooo fast. The protein has been hard for me. Sweets nauseate me and it seems most protein shakes and stuff are sweet. It is so nice to have someone experiencing the same things so I don’t feel so alone. I would love to hear where you’re finding the easiest protein sources? I think at most I hit 60-70 grams and that’s not every day. It’s a work in progress and definitely hit and miss.

I'm going to say this as gently as I can: stop feeling guilty. You are not on a diet. You are living a new post surgery life. A life that sometimes has room for half a tuna sandwich. And even some chips. They didn't make you sick, so that's great news. You got lots of good protein. You enjoyed them. You've lost 43 pounds. Stalls happen. Weight fluctuates. Follow the guidelines as best you can and embrace a life where you can make sensible choices (like half a tuna sandwich, I mean, it wasn't a triple cheeseburger and extra large fries) and not have to feel scared about it. I would bet the head hunger and the guilt are all connected somewhere deep in your psyche. (They usually are for me, anyway). Maybe spend some time reflecting on why you are craving what you are, and why at that exact moment, and what might make you feel the urge to self-sabotage by making choices you believe you will regret. Those would be good questions to get to the bottom of. But when you do make a choice you don't like, just chalk it up to experience and try to do better with the next choice. It'll be okay! Remember, this is a life journey, not a crash diet.

This is such a great piece of advice, @BigSue! My background is in costume design and I love clothing, both historical and modern, but it's been years since I could really indulge in stylish clothing in the way I wanted to. Right now, I tend to favor a lot of wraps and kimonos. I have heavier ones for winter and silky ones for summer, with tunics and leggings. I was talking to a friend recently about needing to replace my wardrobe and she said something along the lines of at least I would still have all my wraps, since those are one-size. But I realized when she said it that I might not want to wear those so much in the future, or might choose differently. I admit I choose what I do to hide my figure. I have no idea what I'll like if that isn't a necessity anymore. But, like @Arabesque, I think at a smaller size I will feel like I'm drowning in fabric with some of what I wear now. I will say that going through my closet now, I have too many clothes, none of which I love. I'll be happy to see most of them go. For the next year, I'm going to do my best to take it easy with my wardrobe buying. Easier said than done, I know! But it feels like a good time to enjoy having a lot less, and make the most of the seven thousand or so scarves and necklaces I have to achieve different looks until I can settle into a maintenance weight and really think about how I want to dress. I'm tempted to do the Wool& 100 day challenge this summer, where you choose one of their dresses and document yourself wearing it for 100 days in a row and get a $100 gift card toward buying a new one when you complete the challenge. The variety of looks people achieve with accessories is amazing, and wool jersey is a surprisingly good fabric for all seasons, including summer. I figure by June my rapid weight loss will have slowed a bit (surgery is tomorrow!!!!!) and by the end of 3 months, I'll be ready for a new dress size anyway, so win win! Besides, I love me a good dress in the summertime.

I'm supposed to have my surgery on Dec 27th at Mt Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, MA, with pre-op tests scheduled for next week. Today, I get an automated message from my hospital to check MyChart. I did, and it showed my pre-test appointment as canceled. My surgery date is also gone from my upcoming visits. No explanation. Meanwhile, my insurance approval appears to have gone through. I called the weight management center's office and the receptionist mumbled something about surgeries being canceled and someone would call to explain. No one has called all day. I emailed, too, but nothing. Now the office is closed for the day and I'm so worked up over this, I won't get a wink of sleep. It wouldn't be such a big deal if it had to be delayed, except I am currently on an insurance plan through the healthcare marketplace as I am self-employed and my husband has been unemployed for a bit. But he starts a new job in January and I have no idea what the health insurance situation is going to be in terms of coverage. I am so stressed right now I could cry.

Hi there! I’m sorry about the CPAP disappointment. I think it’s so easy, as pre-op people, to be looking ahead and anticipating the wins we will soon (hopefully!) see, so having to get on CPAP again must feel like a step backwards. I’d say just keep looking forward and get excited about how much will potentially change for the better very soon. I use a CPAP too and I was hoping I might be able to ditch it once I start losing weight (maaaaybe it’s just weight related??) but my doctor said I will probably have to stay on it for a year after surgery and then we will see. So let’s just look forward together and think of all the positive changes we will eventually see! I’m excited for that, for all of us on this forum.

I had the lap band for a long time, and there were definitely days that food would go down much easier. Then I had days I couldn't eat but a few bites, and other days that it felt like there was no restriction at all. Many times, it depended on what type of food I was eating. I don't think you need a fill unless your weight loss has completely stalled, and even then, a common problem is being too aggressive and getting too many fills and ending up causing serious long term side effects with the esophagus. As long as you are still in the general ballpark of say, your calorie goals, I wouldn't worry about the day to day fluctuations. You can get a barium swallow and see if you pouch has stretch or not, I did that yearly to make sure the band didn't slip and/or if I stretch the pouch above the band. Sometimes that can cause people to be able to eat a lot more when they have the band.

my SO does not have weight issues and when he met me I was about 20lbs smaller than I am now. So I worry if he just wont be attracted to me like he is now. If that would hurt our relationship. Time will tell I am doing this for my health.

Hi Alex. Allow yourself grace. Yes easier said then done but your mind and body are all adapting to this new rapid change. No one is perfect! And you made the most important decision you could and decided you wanted to take back your life. And are giving yourself a great gift of adding years to live. I don't know if this will help but remember one minute at a time or moment at a time. We are human and mistakes are okay and you realized that and moved on. MLC3409- well said and I feel you both one all of that year robbing. I am 35 and have a 7,4,and 1.5 yr old and feel this as well. Especially the yoyo weight loss effort I took with the 7 and 4 year old. Robber time from them when I just ended up back at my regular weight again. But now we move forward with a better choice to keep this weight loss and enjoy life more. We are all here for support. Keep in touch!

You and I are about the same stats!! I’m 5’1. My heaviest was 234 but I lost a fair amount then started gaining again and at 213 I decided it was time! With my 2 week pre-op liquid diet I weighed in at 197 this morning. 5 more days until my surgery. Scared but eager to see where this takes us!! We got this!! Let me tell you!! I’m really noticing my habits around food now that I can’t eat anything… and I’ve been having dreams of eating food and ruining my pre op plan for surgery. I just have to laugh at myself for that though. Because I know I want this.

I've personally been on both Saxenda and Wegovy. With Saxenda, I lost 20 pounds and my blood sugar and cholesterol improved, but high blood pressure was unchanged. I stopped because the insurance price went from $50 a month to over $200, and my weight loss plateaued so $2400 a year to keep off 20 lbs seemed a bit steep. As soon as I stopped, the weight came back, the A1Cs went up, and the cholesterol went higher than before I started. With Wegovy, I was only ever able to get the first two months of doses before shortages made it impossible. After that, I switched insurance and lost coverage of Wegovy completely, meaning over $1k per month out of pocket if I wanted to continue. I wasn't on it long enough to see how my labs would have been. From everything I've seen, surgery is the only durable option. In my case, the copay is less than a single month of Wegovy, with the possibility of it lasting a lifetime, and the ability to add the GLP-1 drugs down the road if needed. Only you can decide what is right for you, but I think for most people who are at the point of qualifying for surgery, the drugs alone will not be enough, and if you lose access to them, you will most likely go back to square one with weight. Or in my case, square one plus 10 pounds.

I was for a lot of years. I tracked everything. My weight, my diet, my bodyfat % and my exercise. I realized just how much when I cleaned house this past fall and found tons of my recorded "data." I kept a few things and threw the rest out. So much effort and in the end none of it was sustainable until WLS. I started logging food again during my pre-op diet up until surgery using the Bariastic app. My nutritionist was quite pleased with my choices and progress. I followed everything religiously up until the date of my surgery and thereafter except for the food logging. I was done with the diet mindset and that was part of it for me. As long as I know what to eat and how much I'm good. I realize everyone's needs are different. Just do you as long as the end result helps you reach your goals. GL

It is very common and normal to feel regret in the early post-op days. This is probably the most difficult part of the WLS process because your diet is very limited, you're still adjusting physically and emotionally to your post-op life, but you're not seeing the benefits of the weight loss yet. In other words, this is the time when you have the most drawbacks and the fewest benefits, but as time goes by, it will become the opposite -- you'll be able to eat more normally and you'll experience many scale and non-scale victories. It's hard to see that now when you're in it, but when you look back on this time a year from now, it will seem like an insignificant blip on your journey.