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I think if you could get back to tracking asap that might be helpful. Also - could you revert to your immediate post-op diet plan and always go for protein first, veg second, carbs last (or not at all)? That seems to help some people reset. I am sorry that you have so much guilt about what you eat. Get all of the carbs out of your house (especially sugar)? It's really hard to stick to weight loss plans with or without surgery to give us a hand. Please be kind to yourself. You're doing the best you can xxx Your side bar is saying lap band 2009 and I'm thinking you've clearly had something else in the last year so if you could update your stats that would be really helpful to target advice/support better 🤩

Good to know- I'm in Oregon and I'm on Medicaid. The big thing I have been told that has to be done is six months of a medically supervised diet where I either lose or don't gain (the surgeon requires weight loss).

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

WHOOOO! I needed a "formal" dress for a Charity event. I walked in, saw a dress I liked, grabbed a size. Tried it on an BAM! DONE!!!! Never in a million years would this happen. Normally it would be 45 stores, 2 weeks of looking and basically finding something I hate but fits.. WHOOOOO HOOO Also- I HIT MY FIRST "ORIGINAL" GOAL THIS WEEK! This was what my surgeon and myself agreed on from my initial appointment and I am perfectly fine here.. but my "updated" goal is just there to be able to say I lost half of my original body weight!

WHOOOO! I needed a "formal" dress for a Charity event. I walked in, saw a dress I liked, grabbed a size. Tried it on an BAM! DONE!!!! Never in a million years would this happen. Normally it would be 45 stores, 2 weeks of looking and basically finding something I hate but fits.. WHOOOOO HOOO Also- I HIT MY FIRST "ORIGINAL" GOAL THIS WEEK! This was what my surgeon and myself agreed on from my initial appointment and I am perfectly fine here.. but my "updated" goal is just there to be able to say I lost half of my original body weight!

I am a stubborn b**ch so I used that strength to get me through on the days I knew what was going on but a lot of the time I had no idea how sick I was. It was only afterwards I found out how bad I was and how worried all my family and friends were. I didn't mention it above but I also had a blood infection and then an allergic reaction to one of the medications - basically anything that could go wrong/happen did. They couldn't do the feeding tube via my arms as my arms got infected and the veins collapsed, I think I had 8 different IVs in my ams over the months, they just kept switching from left to right until all veins had collapsed. I ended up having to have blood draws from my foot at one point and had my IV in my neck. I actually thought I was going to be physically ill when the first told me they had to put the IV in my neck and had to be given a xanex to calm down and go to the the procedure room but it was actually ok then afterwards and so much easier than my arms. I know what you mean about the health anxiety side of things, I was worried about everything when I came home finally, it was a shock to my system to suddenly be without the constant checks from nurses and doctors and not know if a little twinge or cough etc was a bad sign or just normal. I had to take my blood pressure during the day and do temperature checks to make sure I was at a normal range. I was also afraid to go for a walk of a few minutes in case I then didn't have the strength to get back home so I just walked the bus route on my road as figured if I could walk to the end of the road and get stuck I would just get the bus back. Now I can do 1.5km or so around the block at a steady pace. I am not sure where you are in the food reintroduction phase but once you are able to eat more protein it should also help with the energy levels but I do think rest is key. Once I got into a decent sleeping pattern again, took a few months at home after the nurses rounds at 11pm 4am 7am etc., I really saw the improvements in my energy. That is great that you got the appointment for next week. Just keep asking them to check everything and be honest with them about your fears so they can discuss with you. Just give it time and let your body recover, it has been through a shock to the system with the weight loss and then the infection on top. I figure my horror show can only help others to not feel as bad if they are struggling a bit. It has taken me a long time to start to feel better and more positive but I think I have turned a corner in the last couple of weeks.

Yes, I was told 64oz, yet I'm honestly only getting +-48oz. I KNOW I should be getting more, but I'm just not thirsty and I get busy/sidetracked and forget because I'm not thirsty so I don't get my required in. So much f I'm not getting close to my goal how could I be over hydrated? I know its silly to worry since I have my appointment this week..but I still wonder. I'm a need to know person, A laboratory manager ..so its just who I am..researcher! "I honestly don't think I've ever had my hydration level tested, so I have no clue about that one! Have you been eating any high sodium foods? Or started doing strength-training recently? Both can cause some Water retention. Other than that...??? high WBC usually means you're fighting an infection - although I just googled albuterol, and you're right - it can increase white blood cell count. That could be what's going on. I would imagine that if you were early out of surgery and your body was trying to heal, that could cause an increase as well - but since you're six months out, then no - probably not that. More likely water retention or the albuterol. Let us know what they think...I'm curious." - Catwoman7 No, I don't ever add sodium and my diet is low in sodium, so its not edema. This is why I'm worried - if it was a diet with excessive sodium I'd not worry. No on strength training "lately".. just light hand weights which I've been doing for months. Regarding the high WBC count, I don't have a known illness/cold/sick.. Thank you for your questions and potential reasons. I guess I'll know soon enough and I'll PST the doctors answers.

I'm another 40 pounds down or so and it's... bad. I don't have to stretch or flex, you can just count my ribs all the way down, except for where there's a fold of loose skin (I think these are technically called breasts?). This isn't "I'm so used to my obese self I don't understand what healthy is" type skinny, this is "I can play the xylophone if I wear a low-cut shirt", tabloid speculation about drugs and anorexia type skinny. On some level, I'm stoked, my ED self is absolutely thrilled to be able to see every bone, but I just don't understand how I can have so much hanging fat on my lower body and look like a skeleton on top. I do have a small frame by wrist size, but my rib cage apparently did not get that memo. Because, again, I'm still overweight. My bodyfat percentage was assessed at over 30 a few weeks ago. Where the #%@! is it? My weight loss also hasn't plateaued, or even significantly slowed. I'm still losing around 1.5-2% of my bodyweight per week. I am absolutely not following the diet plan given to me, eating much larger portions of much more calorie dense food but I continue to diminish. On one level I'm thrilled, but on another I'm worried this won't stop and I'm going to have to wear turtlenecks to stop birds from nesting inside my torso.

I went that exact route and the bypass was the easiest recovery for me and with no side effects except constipation which is easy to treat. I take miralax (a tsp a day) is perfect for me. But I have to add the common "everyone is different" so this is my story. I had to go from band to vsg due to serious complications of the band, and then I had to go from vsg to rny due to developing severe gerd.I really think the band created that environment by damaging my esophagus before the sleeve. The best way for me to describe the rny revision is... Finally a feeling of normality. I feel so good and normal now, pre-any weight loss surgery normal except I can't eat as much. No severe gerd, no side effects, no hassle anything except taking daily vitamins which I always did anyway pre WLS.I hope this helps.

Hey! Thank you for your comment! You are right in that it is a disease - I don't think many people actually understand and appreciate that. Like, if it were as easy as just having the willpower to lose 10 stone all by myself, I'd do it and I wouldn't need surgery! Rudeness seems far too commonplace! I also have PCOS! I was diagnosed at 21 (I am 27 now), and I always wondered why I wasn't losing weight with ease, despite exercising constantly and eating healthily! It is so refreshing to hear how you have changed your mentality and how you love yourself regardless, as you should. It is insane to me that I can barely look at myself in the mirror, but when I see someone who is 'bigger'/has the same body type as me, I think they are beautiful! Body dysmorphia is a real thing I guess haha! The hair loss is something that I am dreading! I am sure you know that with PCOS the hair loss is already a thing, so I am trying to take all the steps I can to avoid it as much as possible! I am also really happy to hear you have had such a positive response Thank you for sharing your story, I'll be honest it definitely made me giggle a bit haha. I think I will have to use that phrase myself...

Hello @MelP1970 and welcome into the forum. You are in a very strange and bewildering time in your recovery. You might be regretting your surgery, lots of us do. The fat cells that you are shedding so quickly at this point, contain your hormones. Fast weight loss means so many are coursing through your body now. Its like puberty all over again. I was so emotional and could not understand why. A kind soul on here put me right. It is a massive learning curve right now for you. Just relearning to drink is a full time job . You are lucky, like me, no hunger pangs. I also love to cook. Once I was physically able to cook again, I restarted feeding my family. I make my portion separately from theirs. For instance, If I make Lasagne for the fam, mine has no pasta and I use sliced baked aubergine instead. Having a wide knowledge of recipes has really helped me vary my food choices. I am 2+ years out and do not feel any loss issues because I can eat almost all the foods I could before surgery. I still have a few issues with certain foods that I adored pre surgery. For instance, I detest cooked salmon but make my own Gravadlax and it tastes divine to me. I hated eggs and now I find them delicious ! If I have carbs, its only a few spoons. I make own wholemeal, seeded bread. This means I can eat a sandwich. Its not the same as regular shop bought stodge which sits heavily in my stomach for hours and then gives me the foamies. I still enjoy eating but now a tiny amount suffices. Being thin feels better than eating huge meals. Long ago, I read that Parisienne women ate this way, a few forkfuls and they leave the rest. My immediate family are used to me eating what I can and putting the remainder in the fridge for a later snack. I have a friend that I eat out with once a week. It was hard in the beginning to find things I could eat on a menu but now I usually have a salad which to me is a joy. I love the variety and crunch. This forum has members all over the world. People post pictures in the ' Food before and after' page. I find things I have never heard of before. This leads to new recipes to cook and taste. TBH my menu has expanded now, my food is more nutrient dense and much better quality. Give yourself time to accept the changes and challenges. You will feel your normal self quite soon.

Yaaaaay!! As a fellow diabetic I am cheering you on!! Mine normalized after surgery too, I had the DS. Looking at those normal numbers feels way better than any food tasted. Such a relief. And wow on the weight loss! I don't know how much you have to lose but that's a massive chunk. Try to update your sidebar stats so we can see how far you've come!!

Why is that. I heard the bigger you are the more weight you lose but how and why. I thank God I got help before I hit even 400. I knew my weight was out of control even starting at 373 before my journey. I do pray for anyone at 600 to get help. I stress about my weight because of the health issues it has cost me and a lot of friends and family who judge and critized me for it.

Stalls are perfectly normal & are an important part of your weight loss as the others have said. The first one usually begins around week 3but can be before or after this time like yours. They generally last 1-3 weeks & again they can last longer or even only for fewer days. The numbers are based on averages & so just give you an idea what might happen when. Yes they are frustrating but it’s best to let them ride out. The stall will break when your body is ready to move forward again. Don’t stress it out by making more changes other than those required by your plan so stick to it. Reduce how often you’re on the scales & try taking body measurements. Many notice that while the scale doesn’t move, their clothing fits differently. Also, if you would like more precise information about portion sizes, macros, etc, ask for them from your dietician. It’s about feeling comfortable & confident about what you’re doing, For example did they say when you should be up to a cup of food? I was told 6 months for a cup but that was what I was told for me.

If I'm calculating right, you are about 6 months out. You lost all that weight in 6 months?! Take some time to be fiercely proud of yourself and your body! At 6 months out you are probably not done losing, but you are in the realm of stalls for sure. Are you keeping track of your body measurements? Sometimes when the scale doesn't move the inches do. Your body has a lot of reorganizing to do as you drop weight, sometimes it needs a time out to make sure everything is going to continue working! Losing weight this fast is actually pretty hard on the body. I wouldn't stress it by changing up a bunch of things trying to force the scale to move, it'll just take your body that much longer to recalibrate. Honestly, this is probably just a stall and will take TIME. The body will not let go before it is ready to, no matter how much you punish it... Surgery is rough and I swear the majority of the struggle is with our head game. If your mind isn't right with these things, you will experience it all as a suffering and be angry at your body for not cooperating. I think most of us have spent chunks of our lives hating our bodies. This surgery and weight loss is an opportunity to heal that, but only if you take it. Let go of the diet mentality. Show yourself some kindness. Celebrate how far you have come in such a short period of time. And trust things will move when they are ready to move. I'm talking to myself as much as I'm talking to you, I have to remind myself of this EVERY DAY. ❤️

I really appreciate the response! I was asking because my blood pressure hasn't lowered and my pre-diabetes has gotten worse since losing weight. Also, I'm looking to increase brain/blood O2 saturation levels. I've done my research on beet roots (only scientific research papers/studies) and they've found significant improvements in some of the reasons I'm looking at adding it to my vitamin regimen. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4425174/ (from the library of medicine) one of numerous I've read. I'm sorry about you son in laws uncle, I haven't seen any conclusive research studies on beet roots curing cancer. I was thinking the powder, only pure non GMO no additives only dehydrated then powdered put into my water would be a good option because we have to drink water anyways. Plus, with stomach size and my need for more proteins with very very low carbs (no fruit etc) due to my hypersensitivity to carbs (why they're looking at pre-diabetes hypersensitivity) it would be a good option for me. I'll take your advise and just wait for my 6 month check up next month and ask them. I just thought I'd put it out here on the forums to ask those who've actually taken it for their input! Thanks!

first off, @newbegining2024, you will have zero complaints from me, food porn is my favourite kind of porn, ha! re: food funerals, like @Arabesque, i didn't really have time (or thought) to have one. i had postponed my surgery twice in the year and a half prior deciding to finally (again) go through with it. I called my surgeon to say, lets do it in early to mid september 2018, and he booked me in for surgery in a little over a month later for October 2018. I got into tunnel-vision like mode of like, "Lets GOOOO!" while i didn't do any specific diet prior to the 2 week liquid diet before surgery, i DID make conscious efforts NOT to stuff myself or eat mindlessly. i did this for about 2-3 weeks, and didn't lose any weight, interestingly enough. then it was time for my 2 week liquid pre-diet of 3 protein shakes a day. and since i'm a self-proclaimed over-achiever😂, by the end of week 1 i was doing 2 shakes a day, and by mid week 2 i was down to 1 shake a day. yes, i know i was NOT supposed to do this, but i just wanted to prove to myself that i could for some reason (i blame the tunnel vision). again, interestingly enough, i lost 11 lbs. fast forward 5 and half years and life is good, i'm skinny, healthy, happy, and full of energy. i also eat whatever i want...in fractions of amounts i used to, of course. and we aren't just talking salads (though i do LOVE salads!), and boiled fish. i will order items displayed in that awesome spread that @newbegining2024 shared. i eat bread and pasta and fatty steaks, deep fried whatever, chips, bacon, pizza, cheese, alcohol and yes, even desserts. JUST IN VERY SMALL PORTIONS (and yes, i also eat steamed vegetables, grilled lean meats, greek yogurt, and a ton of water). i guess what i'm trying to say is that you don't have to say good bye to your fave foods forever. good luck! ❤️

I keep trying to eat in the morning because it's supposed to be better to spread the meals out over the day but I keep getting reminded why that doesn't work for me. I usually end up hungry again in 2 hours then need a nap, doesn't matter what I eat. I figure as long as I have the energy I need to fuel my day and continue losing weight, then I'm doing fine. I have gastroparesis and my stomach doesn't play nice in the morning and I usually have milk in my decaf coffee but no solid food until after I do my work out. I think if you feel good and have the energy to do what you normally do then you're doing it right for you.

I told everyone I had the surgery. Most of my friends and family have watched me struggle for decades and have been supportive along the way, so I wanted them to be able to celebrate with me! NONE of them think I took the easy way out because I'm very transparent about how HARD this is. I wanted to be able to encourage open dialogue about the surgery and reduce the stigma around it. Even people I don't know very well have been really accepting and encouraging and curious.... It has been interesting for me to experience. Sometimes people judge us less than we think they do. I have had a hard time most of my life dealing with other people's judgments of me. But I decided a few years ago that was a THEM problem, not a ME problem. I have a few choice phrases for people who judge me to my face. Those that do it behind my back have issues and I really don't need to know about them... That said, I tend to live most of my life as an open book so people are used to it. LOL Every person's journey is their own and I support people who keep it completely secret the same way I support people who shout it from the rooftops! You do you. It is perfectly okay to keep it to yourself, it is your body. You do not owe anyone an explanation for how you've lost weight. Just smile, say thank you, and change the subject. If they keep asking you can give one of the suggestions here or just say it is something you are still working out and you don't really care to talk about it. People need to learn to respect boundaries! I may be considered rather blunt (or a b***h) by some but I try to be kind about it. It has taken me years to eradicate the people pleasing side of my personality and I don't really want her back. 🤣

Have you recently weighed in a little higher, like at your doctor's office for a physical? That may be good enough. When I was still in the nonsurgical program at my hospital, I weighed in at a BMI of just over 40. At that point, my doctor suggested I look into surgery. I was pretty shaken by hitting that number and I immediately made some changes, so 2 weeks later when I came back for my first appointment on the surgical side, I was around 39.8. They said it was fine, that they go by the highest weight for qualifying. And yes, I wore my heaviest shoes that time, just in case! I know that usually they will deduct a couple pounds for clothing, but they didn't for that highest weight, I think just to be safe. I do have a comorbidity, though, so I would qualify anyway. You might try a few days of salty foods before your next appointment, too.

Yeah, that sounds 100% within the normal range of early post-op calorie consumption. I am having gastric bypass in 3 weeks, and my program suggests 3 meals and 3 protein supplements per day for the first several weeks. In the beginning, the word "meal" is used very loosely. This is basically limited to yogurt, cream soup, cream of wheat, pudding, and applesauce. The expectation is you can maybe have a few bites. All the protein is coming from those 3 shakes (20-25g per shake). Calories are pretty much irrelevant, at least for now. Your entire metabolism has been rewired. If you follow what you're told to do, you will lose weight on a wide spectrum of calorie intakes. My program suggests no more than 200 calories per protein shake serving, with a limit of 5 grams of sugar and at least 20g protein each. So, if I had the recommended 3 shakes and went with the max calories, I would consume 600 calories in those daily supplements, plus another maybe 100-200 in "meals" depending how much of the yogurt/cream of wheat/pudding I manage to swallow. My shakes actually only have 90 calories each (23g protein), so during my pre-op liquid diet, I won't feel at all guilty if I drink 4 or 5 of them, or even 6 if needed. Post-op, I doubt that will be possible, but even then, I wouldn't see an issue with having that many if I could physically manage it. All of which is a longwinded way of saying you're doing fine! Congratulations!

I agree with summerseeker. I was already post-menopausal when I had my surgery so the period changes didn't affect me, but I read on here all the time about screwed up periods and mood swings during the first few weeks or months after surgery. It eventually all settles back down and regulates. But yes - it's supposedly due to the estrogen in your fat cells being released during the rapid weight loss phase. I had very little hair loss (not enough for anyone to notice) which occurred during months 5-9. It does happen to most of us. It can range from none at all to lots of shedding - although not like it does to chemo patients. It may or may not be noticeable to others. I almost never hear about people having to get wigs. At most, those with noticeable loss usually get short cuts so it's not as noticeable. Although again, you may not lose any at all or lose very little. And there's really nothing you can do about it. As mentioned above, it's already dead, and the shock of surgery (plus the fact we take in very few calories the first few weeks and months) is just speeding up the normal growth/shedding cycle. your weight loss is going to naturally slow as you get closer and closer to your goal. In fact, those last few pounds can be a BEAR to get off. For some of us, the loss stops naturally. But if you're wanting yours to stop and it doesn't seem to be doing it on its own, you can always increase your calorie intake to stop it. Keep in mind that it's very common to gain 10-20 lbs after hitting your lowest weight, so you might want to factor that in. I intentionally went below my goal a bit to account for that. And also, it's more common to not quite reach your goal than to lose too much, so stopping the loss usually isn't an issue for many of us. But again - if you're in the situation where you need to stop it, it's just a matter of increasing your calorie intake.

That is really good to know. My particular situation is I had a baby eariler this year and gained 80lbs from pregnany. I"m 6months post partum and still breastfeeding so that makes me super nervous but docs say I should get the revision.

How is taking the easy way wrong? On almost anything else you would be harassed for NOT taking the easy way. Why is the hard way so much better? Because it will build character? Thanks but we have plenty of character from all the previous hard ways we've tried and failed. Over and over. WLS looks like the easy way because it works, and it works faster than most diets. Having said this, it's a waste of time arguing with people about the easy or hard ways, or whether or not you need surgery. They don't care about how you lose weight, they care that you want to. As I said in another thread recently and as others have pointed out already, you are changing the status quo. You are changing your relationships. Some may change for the better, others for the worse. Everyone is used to you as you are and WLS will change that. Things will change for better and worse. Or not. Everyone is different. Good luck, Tek

What did the doctors say it was last time? I'd put my money on a back issue. Loss of weight put different stresses on the back, especially damaged areas. But, sadly, you need to see a doctor or two to get a diagnosis and a fix or other mitigation of the issue. Good luck, Tek