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Is stalling every 2 weeks normal? I know stalls are normal, and I do expect it, but this much? It's super frustrating. I get a good rhythm of weight loss, then BOOM, nothing. This is my second stall since my May 1st surgery.

Congrats on your successes! I've totally been MIA as life and work have consumed me. I'm almost down 85 pounds. The weight loss has slowed down significantly. I find that I get tired more easily even though I have more energy. I was able to keep my hair, I didn't have a lot of loss. But I definitely have saghing skin all over me. My feet too have gone down in sizes. I started as a size 3x at Maurices and now I wear a large. Even though I still want to lose another 40 pounds, my body is exciting to look in refections and mirrors again. I'm dalling in love with me again 😊

Part of the dumbbell thing is because your core is not fully healed. You lose a lot of core strength. I would imagine your strict press is also way off. And sit-ups are probably not your friend, nor toes-to-rig. I’m 1y9m post op and it took probably a year before I started to feel strong again. I may never hit my old PRs, my days of deadlifting 545 for reps are probably gone, but my mile time went from 14:48 to 9:33, I can do rope climbs, I can bust out V-ups and the occasional strict pull-up, and I’m a hell of a lot healthier. We did strict press for the first time in a while, sets of 2. My previous 1RM was 195 and my previous 2RM was 175. I did 155 today for 2 and that was after a 12-minute AMRAP of double unders (another thing I can do now) and toes to bar (close but no cigar). I noticed I’m more sore after grueling workouts. (I’m almost 47, so read into that what you will.) It does come back. I lost a lot of muscle mass (yay for DEXA scans) during my weight loss phase. I’ve put on about 17 lbs since my low and 9 of them were muscle per the latest DEXA.

Hi all, I’m about 7 weeks post RNY surgery and have been getting some sharp shots of pain in certain areas of my body as I’m losing weight. The pain is mostly around the armpits down to the upper breast- burning pain shooting for a few seconds when I lean forward or twist a certain way. Another new place is the back of both arms and now a new place, near my groin. They don’t last long but they reoccur pretty regularly. I’ll definitely talk with my doctor about it but wonder if it’s a result of quick weight loss ( I’m down 50 lbs from my pre-op weight) and if anyone else has experienced something similar. I haven’t started weight training but I’m walking a fiendish amount. Thanks for any thoughts on this…

I can’t believe you had to go back. I had 6/7 too and I spent today resting. All I could do is shower and wash my hair. Kudos to you girl! Let us know how your entire day went.

i had a serious (and extended) case of food aversion. still get it every once in a while now at 4.5+ years out. during those/these times i don't actually feel hungry though...its more like "i should probably eat something", but don't want to cuz i had/have the icks. so i don't. i'm of the (minority) mind that i won't force myself to eat if it will lead to an unpleasant experience. i just didn't/don't want to have that kind of relationship with food (or anything really) with that said there where periods where i ate very little..,but i would always get a window eventually when i did want to eat. and did. with so little calories i did feel very weak and tired, plus my blood pressure went way low, and would get woozy if i moved too fast. this happened regularly for about 3 months and by month 4-5 it was much better, probably because i was eating more and moving around much more. one thing my doc did suggest, which i think did help with the wooziness was increase my sodium intake. which was fine by me cuz i love salty things lol. as for throwing out shaker bottles and never having soup/broths again...never say never: things are always changing and will continue to change no matter what. if you can accept and make peace (sans angst!) with whatever comes and goes, as part and parcel of ur weight loss (of life, really), then the ride will be alot smoother. Good Luck! ❤️

it gets A LOT easier! The first few weeks are tough. But you'll gradually have fewer and fewer food restrictions and at some point will be able to eat more normal amounts (still small compared to pre-surgery, but something that looks more like "light eating" than "I just had weight loss surgery" small). So hang in there! as far as what you're eating, crackers are not a good choice - not only do they have little nutritional value, but it's way too early to be eating them. Some of us are able to eat mashed potatoes when we get to the pureed stage (unless we're on an ultra-low carb plan, which some clinics push), but they have little (maybe nothing?) in the way of protein. WIth as little as you'll be taking in the first few weeks, you need to focus on protein. try to make yourself stick to liquids for now, if that's what your clinic wants you to do. You'll soon be able to move on to purees, where you'll be able to add other things, mostly protein-rich, like Greek yogurt, fat-free refried beans, hummus, cottage cheese (you may have to whip this in a blender first - can't remember), sugar free protein pudding, etc. Protein fills you up more (simple carbs like crackers tend to make people hungrier by spiking their blood sugar, which then drops an hour or two later, which means you just get hungry again). Plus your body needs the protein to heal. And since you're only taking in a few hundred calories/day the first few weeks (and maybe the first few MONTHS, depending on your plan), that needs to be your main focus.

Hi RickM, Congratulations on your weight reduction, what a fantastic result! I had BPD & DS way back in 2008 and found excellent results on the pre-surgery weight loss program through use of the OPTIFAST VLCD Shakes, bars, and soups. These products were recommended for me to take for ~2 months before surgery "to reduce fatty deposits around the liver" if my memory serves me right. 🥸👌

I'm not hungry but my 🤬 is thinking about food. I had a dream about it. Lol. The gastric bypass is supposed to be the "gold standard" for weight loss surgery. Apparently you lose more weight and keep it off.

Wow lucky you D&S!! We've been together on our weight loss journey for the last 19 months. I can't afford any tidying up procedures but I'm so happy that you can! I hope everything goes smoothly for you. Please may we have some before and after photos?? Lots of folks here will be able to give you proper advice.

milk and yogurt both contain lactose, which is a sugar - but it's not ADDED sugar (unless you're eating sugar-sweetened yogurt). I never worry about lactose. It's not a "bad" sugar, and the amount of protein in milk and yogurt offsets any negative. yellow stools (or any weird color, for that matter) aren't usual the first month or two after surgery. The digestive system has changed and it takes a couple of months for everything to settle down. I think mine looked normal again after 4-6 weeks (it's been a few years so I don't remember exactly) weight loss is usually slower with revisions. And if you're still on liquids or purees, no, you're not going to feel restriction. Those go through you pretty quickly (or in the case of fluids, they go right through you). Plus you've likely had nerves cut that'll take a few weeks to regenerate. You should start feeling restriction about the time you move to solid food.

low/no energy is pretty common the first few weeks after surgery. Your body went through a lot of trauma, and it's getting very few calories now to boot. I think I was about where you are when I started feeling like myself again, so you may be close... as far as no interest in food (or being repulsed by food), I know this sounds really weird at this point, but enjoy it while it lasts - or at least take full advantage of it. Hunger eventually comes back for almost all of us sometime during the first year (mine came roaring back at five months out), and the going gets a lot tougher then. Even though never being hungry and not giving a flip about food was pretty weird for me to get used to, I honestly wish I would have been one of those lucky few whose hunger never came back. I'm eight years out and although I've maintained most of my loss, it's a challenge every day.

Hey all, Tomorrow's the d-day for Abdominoplasty and brachioplasty. Looking forward to Abdominoplasty for sure given my abdominal area didn't flatten out with the weight loss. So LiPo plus reconstructive surgery will do decent job not to mention tighten up some of the loose skin. Not sure how I feel about brachioplasty for now. Scars definitely make me a bit uneasy. Plus it takes time to heal and scars to lighten and flatten out. But hopefully down the road, I'll be happy with the final result. Anyhow, do advise me how to look after myself and post-op recovery. First week will be the hardest I feel. Any suggestions?

Hi all, Im 37 and injust got my MGB revision 20 days ago. I was sleeved 10 years ago and never reached my goal weight. After babies and hormonal BC i gained a lot back. I feel surprised now tho. I feel i havent loose much these days. I just started Phase 3 and where i live (Middle east) is very hard to find sugar free, fat free products and im wondering if is the greek yogurt (flavored) and the protein drink the ones that arent helping. Both say they dont have added sugar but have sugars at the end. Also i dont feel there is really a restriction in my stomach. Im still hungry, i can eat half cup of food, i can drink a whole glass of water with no issues... such a different experience than the sleeve. Im scared of failure. Im passing very light yellow stools i dont know why and is so painful. Sometimes i wonder if there was a surgery after all. Any ideas of why this weight loss is so slow?

congratulations on ur upcoming wedding! the back pain seems to be a pretty common occurrence soon after surgery/weight loss. i already had back and foot pain pre-surgery, but about 1-2 months post op a NEW back pain showed up. as well as NEW foot pain and hip pain (the hip pain actually was the most annoying). like your doctor, mine also said it was due to weight loss (i had lost about 50 lbs by month 2, including the 2wk pre-op diet), and that my musculature was built over years to support my weight so need to adjust to support my changing weight. if i remember correctly it all went away by month 3 or 4. i didn't take any pain medication (but i probably should have), but i did start doing yoga and core exercises in month 3, but im not sure if that contributed to the pain going away or it was just my body finally adjusted. in any case hope all your appts lined up get you up an at em by your big day!

The staged return to eating is too protect & support your healing tummy. Remember all those sutures & staples holding your tummy together. There’s about 12inches of them - imagine if it was your arm or leg & how you would treat, care & manage that wound. Eating off plan in these weeks can stress, strain or damage your tummy & compromise your recovery. While a temporary loss of hunger & appetite after surgery is most common, there are some who don’t experience it. You may not be bored or craving a specific food but you turned to chips & chicken instead of a shake or soup. I think you are craving - salt & textures (something to chew or crunch). You have been through a stressful surgery, your hormones are all messed up, your life has been considerably changed, you have had restrictions placed upon you about what you can eat & do. What may be driving your hunger is a subconscious desire to comfort yourself, look for some normalacy in your life, take back some control, etc. Worth a conversation with the therapist you saw pre surgery or if you didn't have to see one, ask your team for a referral. Many seek the support of therapy & find it very beneficial as they work through the changes & their relationship with food. The first weeks aren’t the easiest because of the changes, your recovery & worry about whether what you’re doing & experiencing is right. But it does get easier & in a few months you’ll look back & think it was actually only for a few weeks, it was okay & I managed it. All the best.

yes - all of the above. It's pretty common to have high liver enzymes the first year or so after surgery. Rapid weight loss is pretty hard on livers. They'll usually stabilize when your weight loss slows way down - usually during the 2nd or sometimes the 3rd year (mine stabilized the third year). We hear about that every couple of months on here, it seems. When my PCP noticed my liver enzymes, she freaked - but the bariatric clinic knew what was going on. And they were right - they did stabilize and have been normal ever since. My ferritin level is usually in the 200s, which is definitely higher than normal, but it's always been met with a shrug. I don't know about levels like 600 or 1022. If there's nothing else going on with you, they may just assume it's the supplements and have you cut way down on them for awhile. I wouldn't freak out yet, though. It may or may not turn out to be anything serious.

This made me smile today because I love nature. I even got a job at a nature camp this summer which I would not have been able to do without WLS. Funny could be off during weight loss faze if the hormones are really out of wack, maybe? You’re still you after surgery lumps and all, just less physical lumps!

Hello All, I'm pretty scared, so bear with me on this. I am now 7 months post op RYGB and at my 3 month post op, my liver enzymes were mildly elevated but my ferritin was around 600, at 6 months now, my enzymes are AST 96, ALT 105, Ferritin 1022. I am with a doctor now and watching them every 2 weeks, I'm also getting a liver biopsy on Monday, and to say the least, what I read on the internet is scary as heck, about liver failure. I had a rough first 6 months with a lot of nausea and was not able to get as much protein as I wanted and I lost on the high end of the weight loss curve. I know I had fatty liver before the surgery for some time, but again, liver enzymes were upper end of normal. Can you all let me know if any of you have had this experience? I heard they can be elvevated for some time due to the rapid weight loss, but mine are not coming down as of yet. Thanks. Laura

What’s normal? One thing I’ve learnt since my surgery is there is no normal or only one right or wrong way about our recovery, weight loss, food & eating just what is right or wrong for you. There will be similarities & there will be differences too because we’re not the same. And yes it will be different from what was right or wrong or usual for you before surgery because simply what we did before did us no favours. Will it get easier? Yes. Does it take time to meet all your goals? Yes. As long as you’re making an effort & getting closer it’s okay. Will you have good days & bad days? Yes. Will your tummy be sensitive & fussy about certain foods for a while? Yes but that’s the healing process. Will it take time to learn new eating habits? Yes. Will you learn all your signals for real hunger, fullness/satiety or feel your restriction? Yes. Nerves were cut during surgery & they have to heal. Your signals take time to register & they may be different than before surgery. Will you be able to drink more than sips? Yes though how much & when is individual. Will you be able to reduce the amount of time before & after eating to drink? Yes but again when & how long is individual. Will you eat your old favourites again? Yes, once your weight has stabilised. Though it won’t be in exactly the same way. You’ll work out variations, & how much & how often is right for you. I’ve made quite a few changes to what & how I eat. Like I don’t skip meals anymore & there are certain foods I don’t or rarely eat. Some are my choice & others because they don’t sit well in my smaller tummy. I don’t feel I’m missing out on anything I chose not to or can’t eat. It did take time to work out what was right for me - food choices, calories, nutrients, portions, frequency of eating. Once I reached maintenance I slowly added new foods, recipes, adjusted portions, etc. to see how I’d go & made modifications for probably a good year after I reached goal. I did keep losing for about 11 months after goal while working it out but have basically maintained since then. I’m four years out from surgery. I’ll make further adjustments as I need - lifestyle changes, age, health issues, etc. PS There is an exception to the no one right way to eat & that’s in the first weeks when you’re following your staged return to eating. That plan supports & protects your healing tummy (remember all those sutures & staples holding it together). Check your plan on what you’re allowed to eat. Yes, plans can be different but being allowed eggs & peanut paste three days out from surgery sounds highly unusual. All because you managed it doesn’t mean you can do it again or it didn’t impact your recovery in some way. Be careful.

Hi Everyone! I am new here, I am having my surgery on 12th June so only 2 days out! Very excited for the weight loss, I know its going to be a big lifestyle change but I'm ready to get fit and enjoy the rest of my life!

if there is one single piece of advice i could dile out to the newly wls-ed, it would be not to sweat what u can or can't do first couple weeks. you just had major surgery and recovering from it, try to to expect to go running straight out of the gate, it'll come eventually. i didn't meet my water goals for the first two weeks. i didn't make my protein goals until well after a month or two post op. in fact, i couldn't even reach my DAILY protein goal amount in an entire WEEK of eating the first 2-3 weeks. like u, i also had serious food aversion and just didn't want to eat anything. at all. it was really bad the first couple months but still persisted on and off throughout weight loss phase. even now, at over 4.5 years post op, i still turn up my nose to eating every now and then. not as often as before, but still. despite all that, all my labs came back just fine (and still do) and i lost all the weight i wanted, and did NOT end up underweight nor mal-nourished. as for when i started eating "normal" food, it was probably after maintenance...and not because i couldn't, it was a conscious choice cuz i was prioritizing weight loss. speaking of "normal"...others would probably see how i eat and think its NOT normal (volume and amount-wise), but its a (new) normal for me. so yeah, many of us went through what u are going through now and turned out just fine. hang in there and know this is not forever, and u'll be alright ❤️

I take collagen (all 5 types), biotin, and hyaluronic acid. Helps with skin, hair, nails, joints, and muscles. I lost 116 pounds in a year and have A LOT of loose skin. Trick is to keep that skin as healthy and hydrated as possible so there's no issues when getting eventual skin surgery (I'll be having that once I hit my goal weight). Not sure there's really anything to prevent the loose skin. Just do what you can to keep it healthy.

Hi there!!! I just got my revision surgery date today. It's June 28th. My hospital pre-op appt is June 12th and my pre-op appt with my surgeon is the 13th. Super excited to finally get back to my life!!! I actually loved my sleeve, but the horrible GERD, esophagitis, and gastritis it caused pretty much brought my health, weight loss, working out, and overall happiness to a screeching halt. BUT....now that I have my surgery date, I'm super excited to get my life back and finish my weight loss journey!!! Happy June surgeries everyone!!!!