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I started my weight loss journey of August 1, 2019 it has been a year I was losing weight for a while now all of a sudden I stopped I don't if it is because I stopped the slim fast at breakfast and lunch metancil 3 times a day with a 8 oz glass water 3 teaspoons of metancil I went from a big plate and a big bowl to a small bowl and I cut my portions I may have 3 snacks day any suggestions let me know The pictures of me now with a blue shirt the one silky black white was a year ago Sent from my moto e6 using BariatricPal mobile app

I’ve been thinking about having wls for years but only started pursuing it in the last few months. I was approved yesterday for a gastric sleeve! I’m paying out of pocket so it was easier for me to qualify but I didn’t expect this process to be so quick. I was originally hoping to get it done this summer but my doctor was shocked I wanted to wait so long and we decided to have it done spring break (I’m a teacher so I wanted a time I wouldn’t have to take any sick days). The nurse is supposed to call me this week for sure to book it and set up the payment plan. It’s kind of scary that it’s going so fast. I was expecting at least a 6 month process between asking my doctor and getting it done but it’s zipping on by. Sorry for the rant, I’m excited and nervous!

I am scheduled for Feb 10. It’s been crazy fast. I met with the surgeon online for the first time Tuesday and my surgery is in two weeks so I ate my last solid food for 5 weeks yesterday and start my 2 week liquid pre surgery diet today.

the first couple of weeks are usually rough until you get more comfortable with the adjustment. Often drinking too fast, sometimes cold bothers people, sometimes hot bothers people etc. Your body will slowly adjust. I promise, It will not always be like this. There will also be another adjustment when you go back to eating also. Eventually it does get better as both your habits and your body adjust. Hang in there it will get better and be worth it. Hugs!

Full disclosure: I haven’t had surgery yet. I am cleared to go and just waiting for them to open up elective surgeries. I am 38 and my dr first asked me about weight loss surgery YEARS ago. I didn’t have any problems except for one genetic quirk and that had been around since high school. I have stayed relatively the same size since high school. in my opinion: I wish I had done it a long time ago. I started having issues in 2016. my ankles were in pain. They gave me a leg brace. It is a PAIN to wear. It’s very uncomfortable. Then my knees started hurting..... then my back because I couldn’t walk correctly. In the space of only a couple years I went from being okay to not being able to walk at all. X rays indicated massive osteoarthritis which just snuck on me and would not be an issue at a lower weight. I am now finally getting it done (I’m 38 but my dr first mentioned it when I was 28). It seems crazy to me now that I waited so long. The drs were all telling me that my weight would cause problems, but I figured I wasn’t there yet. All those problems really snowballed fast for me and I could have saved myself a lot of pain in the long run if I had just trusted them and done it when I had the insurance before. another issue for me has been insurance: I got laid off as a result of declining health issues and then was stuck without any medical care because we couldn’t afford premiums. I couldn’t get rehired because my health was terrible. It was a vicious cycle. I’ve been trying to get rehired as a teacher since 2016 when my issues first popped up and I was laid off.....and it has been a very hurtful ongoing joke that I get pulled in for interviews and they ALWAYS choose the “skinny girl” with zero experience when I have over 20 years of experience in education. In 2020 my husband got laid off as well due to covid. We were able to get on Medicaid and my dr suggested I get it done ASAP. So now I’m waiting for them to open up surgeries. the benefit far outweighs any discomfort you would feel and please don’t be me and let it go until it’s “too late”. I will have issues with my joints for the rest of my life thanks to waiting until my weight was a problem.

...or too fast? Try slowing waaaaayyyy down and see if that helps

I really am sorry that you are going through this. Your feelings are definitely validated and it was such a traumatic experience for you, for us. You most definitely are not alone, I ended up going through a similar experience last month, ended up being hospitalized after being given 3 surgeries (within 72 hours) and than was told I too may need to have the bypass. It was just a horrible experience and I felt/feel so shamed and guilty to even share it with anyone. fast forward to 6week post op got my crying down to about 3x a week...it was almost everyday. I still think about the risk I went through, and the tears rolling down my husbands face as he drove me to the ER and had to leave me there alone due to covid. It almost feels like grief, and I know this too shall pass. The surgery place I went to has no aftercare post op support other than a FB page, I have been very blessed to be able to follow up with my primary doctor, attend weekly support groups, and access to bariatric medical staff all through my provider. I would encourage you to try to get into a self care regime (things you did before) to help the “good feelings”.

I settled in at around 1100 within the first month, which was comfortable and worked well with my guy metabolism - I had been stable before surgery at 2500+ so I had confidence about having a decent caloric deficit for continued weight loss and maintained that level throughout my loss phase. YMMV. I am somewhat suspicious of programs that ramp up calories on a schedule over time, as our natural inclination is for weight loss to decline over time as we get lighter - we naturally burn fewer calories as we have less weight we are moving around 24/7. I recognize that there are multiple hypotheses about metabolisms and weight loss, but there also seems to be little strong consensus on it, either. I have seen good overall good results from many on these forums over the years doing programs in the 6-800 calorie range, and there are many who seem to stall or go into maintenance early on 1200+ calorie programs. Yet we also see some success at higher levels, or reports of that breaking stalls. Take these under consideration while trying to understand how your body is working, but my inclination would be to keep things on the lower side. At my six month follow up with our RN program director, she was wanting me to cut back my exercise as she felt I was losing too fast (which I wasn't going to do as I was basically working at my semi-normal activity levels,) but by the end of that month (it was November,) I was within ten pounds of my goal weight, and losing a consistent ten pounds per month, so I started ramping up my calories to slow things down (I basically let the holidays happen...) which stretched those last ten over two months instead. I never controlled carbohydrates, net or otherwise, or fats, but sought to get the best overall nutrition from the non-protein side of my diet, but in those later months carbs typically ran in the 100-120 range; I had selectively increased my complex carb intake at around four months for energy management purposes (I was running out of gas in the pool after an hour) which did the trick without any effect on loss rate.

they will, but your body needs the protein. You need to drink the shakes. You'll get sick pretty fast if your body doesn't have enough protein.

I’m considering a revision but am doing intermittent fasting for a few months and returning to the eat Protein first basics before I decide. Fasting worked well with my sleeve until Covid, antidepressants and menopause did a triple wammy regain-wise. Very frustrating since I’m 10 years out. I plan to use fasting for maintenance regardless, just thinking that greater restriction would be nice to have. Interesting to hear what others are considering.

Really good but it was a lot of whirlwind action. I am concerned about one thing that could be a biggie. I had to have an ECG and they detected a sinus rhythm which made for an abnormal result. Am anxiously waiting for someone to let me know what this means and if I need a cardiology visit before surgery. I only have to do two days of liquid only which I was really surprised about. And will need another COVID test done on next Sunday. So I’m nervous but moving ahead like everything will be ok. How are you? Your surgery is coming up fast!

I didn't have any issues with throwing up after surgery. I am four months out now and do occasionally after eating too much or too fast, which is entirely under my control or I know the cause. I think the first time I threw out was when I tried to eat hamburger earlier than I was supposed to. Everyone is different, but the nice thing about the sleeve is that it gives you immediate feedback when you need to make a change in what you're doing. You'll learn to recognize that feeling and stop eating before it becomes a problem.

Change up your calorie intake. Take a couple of days to add more calories. If your intake is too low your body enters starvation mode and it is hard to lose weight. You can also try intermittent fasting. I did 8:16 IF and that worked well for me. Also try looking up calorie confusion dieting. Make sure you meet or exceed your protein and water goals too.

I Had my sleeve surgery on nov 23 2020 and I have GERD. my doctor doesn’t understand what I’m going through. He only told me to take gaviscon which didn’t help at all because every time I take it I throw it up in like half an hour. the reason why he doesn’t understand me it’s because I’m only 17 and he thinks I’m overreacting. It’s been 2 months now and my GERD is not getting any better. i throw up almost anything I eat or drink everyday. I used to be on Nexium 40 2x a day but it turns out I’m allergic to one of the ingredients. I really need help because it came to the point where I literally fast everyday.

Friends, I had my surgery back in Nov of 2013. It was a huge decision for me at the time and I anguished over it. All the information on this website was super helpful, both before and after the surgery. One thing weighed heavily on me was the long term effects of the surgery, so I committed to giving annual updates on my experience back to this forum. This is my seven year update. Posted below is my last update, with the previous nested within. I weigh about 205 right now and my weight continues to fluctuate within about 10 pounds. I would really like to weigh 190, so like most normal people I'm working on losing a few pounds. With that said, back in 2013 I weighted 275 and was headed for 300+ quickly. I have zero doubt that without having the surgery, I would be in very, very bad shape today and have no regrets about the decision. Positives: I've been able to enjoy a "normal" weight life style for the last seven straight years. I'm off all meds. I fit comfortably in coach seats on the airplane. I shop for clothes in regular stores and it's easy to find a size that fits. I'm between a L and XL for shirts and have a 36 waist. My bones and joints don't ache. I can exercise, play golf, ski, etc. comfortably and enjoyably. I happily and naturally eat "normal" size portions and have no "trouble" foods. My meal (whatever it is) basically fills on a salad plate. Two eggs and a piece of toast is a full breakfast. Lunch could be a regular sandwich with nothing else or a half sandwich and a small side. Dinner could be a tiny 5 oz steak and a small portion of potatoes and veg. Importantly, these are all full portions for me and totally satisfying. I love food and definitely look forward to eating (head hunger) but I rarely experience physical (stomach growling) hunger. I used to take omeprazole daily for heartburn, but it's unnecessary now. Occasionally, I'll take a Tums but only a few times a month. Since 7 years have gone by, none of my real old friends even remember me as a big person or ask about my weight. Anyone that I've met since wouldn't even know to ask -- they just view me as a normal weight person. When I tell them I used to weigh 275 the reaction is always "no way!" Occasionally, the old pictures come out and everyone gets a chuckle. I don't see myself as a fat person. Negatives: I'd still like to loose 15 pounds. Even with the gift of not being able to eat much, my ideal weight of 190 requires more work. Reducing snacking, sweets and more exercise is what's required and WLS does nothing to help on those fronts. I'd say WLS solves 80% of the challenge but the last 20% goes back to the basics we've heard all of our lives. If I overeat or eat way too fast, I will need to throw it up. This happens about once a month. It typically occurs when I eat something that's really good and I gobble it down too quickly. About 2 minutes later, I will feel pretty uncomfortable. I can wait it out and eventually it will go away. But more often than not, I just head to the bathroom and get it out. It's kind of gross to be honest. I have always liked to drink alcohol -- beer, wine, whiskey, mixed drinks and so on. IMO, drinking doesn't have any increased impact as a result of WLS -- I'm not more of a "light weight" than I used to be. But, as a practical matter, I do believe that it's easier to over drink following WLS. If I'm out to dinner with friends, they have starter courses, main courses, desert and so on. It's pretty easy for me to pour another glass of wine or order another scotch, while they eat through the evening. I would caution folks that like to drink to pay extra attention to this tendency following WLS. (BTW, I'm doing "dry January" right now:) That's about it. In sum, the sleeve was the best decision of my life. I hope this helps folks that are wondering about how things play out way down the line. If you have questions, you can DM me and I'd be happy to share thoughts. Good luck and look for another report from me next year.

Sorry you're having these problems. I'm glad you posted your story here because I think it's important for people to go into this surgery with their eyes wide open, knowing the potential pros and cons. Before my surgery, I looked for people who regretted it because I wanted to be fully aware of the worst-case scenario. I had a lot of trouble finding people who regretted it -- even most people who had horrible complications said they would do it all over again! I think this is partly because the people who are glad they had the surgery are the ones who post about it and make videos about it (and of course the fact that the vast majority of people who have the surgery are happy with it). I hope that your problems improve. I've read that a lot of WLS patients have menstrual changes because estrogen and other hormones are stored in fat, and fast weight loss results in the release of these hormones into the bloodstream. I'm not a doctor, of course, but I would guess there's a good chance that this problem will go away eventually. I definitely think it's worth talking to your OB/GYN if you haven't already. As for the preoccupation with your weight and eating, I think that's something that will lessen over time as you get used to your new body and your new life, but if not, maybe you could look into counseling. I'll be interested to see how you feel a year from now. I certainly hope it gets better and you come to be happy with your decision to get the surgery.

For me was fast 💨 is all how you prepare before surgery and complete all required and tha it

It won’t strech you just have to be careful you may get a pain in your chest from drinking to fast it hurts so bad

I’m 17 years out and have had issues in wanting certain things like candy and fast food but Soda I truly used to drink it all day long after surgery not once did I crave it or want it I thought I would have problems with wanting soda as well @Dadorf5 but truly mind over matter try not to think about it yes it’s hard but you can do it

Hey all, how's everybody doing? I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season. Mine was nice and relaxed - and I ate quite a few Christmas cookies! So I had my six-month checkup with my new bariatrician, along with a bunch of labs. Good news: almost all of my labs were normal, so even though I'm not as diligent about my calcium, iron, etc. as I should be, apparently I'm doing OK. I'm not pre-diabetic anymore! So that's a big win. I only had two abnormal labs. Elevated B12: bariatrician said not to worry about this one, since B12 is water soluble and I'll pee out any excess. I attribute this to all the vitamins I'm taking, including a Prenatal & DHA gummy that I decided to try to see if it helped with my thin, weak nails. It has quite a bit of B12 in it on top of my multi. Elevated Serum Ferritin: this is a little more worrisome. It can be due to a bunch of things, including inflammation, and I am still recovering from a frozen shoulder. So maybe that's it? In any case, she suggested talking to my PCP about it (I have an appointment next week) and repeating the test in a few weeks. I'm trying not to worry too much. In general I feel really good, in fact, more energetic than I have in a long time. I don't need a daily nap anymore! My food tolerance has improved, though my stomach is still tiny as hell, so I can't eat very much. My weight loss has slowed a bit but that's fine, it was super fast for the first few months. I'm really close to my initial goal, way before the one year mark, so I'm not really very worried about slowing a bit, hitting plateaus, etc. I'm doing much better on my fluid intake by focusing less on water and more on drinking other things: unsweetened iced tea, coffee, milk, no-sugar-added juice (sometimes watered down), and lattes that I make myself with my new milk foamer (totally worth it). Protein is still low, but I eat as much as I can and do have the occasional protein shake. Also buying other high-protein foods now that I've figured out a little bit of sugar doesn't bother me, like Kodiak Cakes pancake-in-a-cup things. They are delicious. And drinking milk helps too. Anyway, just checking in. Anyone else had lab results that were unexpected?

I would make sure your protein intake is where it should be. That was my doctor's main recommendation. My surgeon's PA did say my body was probably getting comfy at my current weight. I just didn't realize I needed to up my protein after post surgery by 20 grams. I do try to look at the bright side of my mistake. Fast fat loss means sagging skin and my face has already aged from the loss I've had so far. And I'm not that old.

Hi all! 26yr old male here. I was sleeved 01/07/2021. Pre op diet weight was 296lbs, surgery day weight was 282 lbs, and I’m currently at 262 lbs. I knew this would be hard but I didn’t know it would be THIS hard...I am struggling so bad emotionally - I never realized what a terrible relationship I had with food. I miss stuffing my face so much - and feel so lost without a constant supply of food to stuff in my face. I feel like I’m in a phase right now of “what have I done???”...I weigh myself and I’m happy with the results but then the day goes along and I find myself getting depressed that I can’t eat as I want...then I have to remind myself why I did this and that eating as I wanted is what got me to almost 300 lbs to begin with. I am also struggling with slowing down when I eat. I have always been a fast eater and am constantly having to remind myself to slow down. Looking forward to talking with and learning from all of you. :)

I hope you feel better soon and that your infection clears up fast . Congratulations on the start of your journey. The first few weeks are ruff they will get better and a few months from now you will forget about the pain it started with. I am six months out and I have very bad hips n arthritis along with a lot of herniated disc’s. I feel your pain. Hopefully you will feel better soon. Give yourself some grace n you will see tomorrow is another day into this very long journey 🙂🎉

Hi there - I had the same issue and am just coming off the revision from sleeve (11/2017), which we did due to the fact that I had terrible GERD. I had my surgery on 1/12/2021, and I’m struggling with nausea. My physician says I have to figure out my new anatomy and not drink too fast, but I’m so crazy thirsty its so hard not to constantly obsess about my next sip of water. I pray every day that my swelling goes down and my body will allow me to intake these fluids, however it’s been rough. I’m interested to watch your journey, as it seems similar to mine.

Wow! 7 days went by fast. How is sleeping in the recliner going?