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That’s correct, sleeve surgery removes around 75-80% of your tummy but gastric bypass creates a much smaller tummy from your tummy & attaches it to your rerouted intestines. Your remaining tummy is still there after bypass but no food can enter it. Further conversations with your surgeon may be needed to help you understand the differences in the surgeries, how they impact your body & which may be best for your needs. It may help ease some of your nerves too. (Nerves before surgery are very common - fear of the unknown, uncertainty, etc.) With both surgeries your ability to consume large portions is reduced. Initially after either surgery when you start consuming purées you will only be able to eat 1/4 - 1/3 cup of food. This slowly increases. (By 6 months I could eat about a cup of food & now I eat about the recommended serving size or a little less.) And it is possible for you to eventually eat around your smaller tummy which of course results in weight gain & something to be aware of. Changing your eating habits, your relationship with food, understanding the nutritional benefits of food, etc. are vital aspects of losing your weight & maintaining the loss. This is the work you have to do & has nothing to do with the surgery. Many find the temporary changes to our sense taste & sometimes smell after surgery is an opportunity to try different & healthier foods. I have some food sensitivities so I recognise you may as well but are they legitimate food sensitivities or just you don’t like to eat certain foods (taste, texture, etc.)? A dietician can help with this as well. Often working with a therapist is very helpful to work through your relationship ship with find & what is behind your eating habits., as well as your hunger (distinguishing between head hunger & real hunger). Focus on eating your protein first at every meal. Then eat your vegetables. Finally if you are able eat any carbs. This will be the same advice you will be given after surgery & when your able to eat solid foods. There were many meals I only ate my protein & couldn’t or didn’t want to eat anything else. ( I still have days like this almost 4 years out.) Start tracking your food (portion sizes, calories, protein & other macros). There are some great apps you can use. You can be successful with either surgery but after the honeymoon stage when things like your appetite returns, most of your success depends upon you. You have to be ready for the surgery & the changes it brings & the changes you have to make. Surgery was the best thing I ever did. All the best whatever you decide to do.

I am a 67 year old woman. I had surgery over a dozen years ago, and quite frankly... I have a lot of sagging, baggy, skin. And I am dammed proud of it. I have had to have enough surgeries in my lifetime that I am not going to put myself through any plastic surgery. I am lucky enough that my belly doesn't really hang, and I am not physically challenged from any hanging skin. Do I look like "saggy baggy the elephant" naked ? Yep. Do i still wear sleeveless shirts that show my hanging skin on my upper arms ? Yes I do. I wear shorts that cover the drooping skin on my thighs. But once, a long time ago, I was visiting a National Park and saw an older woman in hiking shorts, and a tank top. She was tanned and looked so healthy... and I realized that she had saggy skin, and had lost a LOT of weight. I was very obese. I looked at that woman and knew what I wanted to be when I was old (well.... at 30 something, 60 something looked really old !) and you know what ? I AM that woman. Whoever she was/is. She was a silent inspiration to my eventual weight loss. Now, when I am walking a trail in that same National Park, I recall her influence and thank her.

Those are pretty over whelming diagnoses. I would start with one of your doctors and ask for advice, and for an appointment with a nutritionist who is knowledgable about people who have had a gastric sleeve. Your nutritional needs have changed as your diagnoses have caused havoc on your body. The Hashimotos especially. You probably need to have a CBC and have levels taken for vitamins and minerals and keep track of your where your Thyroid levels are at. Then come up with a plan that you feel comfortable with. I am more than a dozen years out and had significant regain, and then have re-lost my gains and more. I too had some medical issues to overcome, and still do. But I made the re-losing at MY OWN pace. Which was comparatively SLOW to losing after surgery. I took a few years to lose the first 45 pounds I had put on, and then look another couple years to get where I am now. But I took long breaks after losing each 10 pounds at first to make sure I could maintain that loss. I purposely stopped losing and did maintenance for a few months. Then made a goal of losing another 10. Then did the same thing. The last year or so my goals were even smaller. Because it WAS harder. But I am at a healthy place and myself and my doctors are very pleased. I have to have blood work done every few months to make sure I am maintaining certain values, so there is that. But I work with my GP who has been wonderfully supportive.

Absolutely, the lower your starting BMI the less pounds you are going to loose. In the end the percentage % should be similar but actual pounds/kilos and speed will all vary greatly. I am going through the same questioning and doubting myself and my approach at 7 was post op. I have been in the hospital 15 days total since surgery (2 readmittance with 5 days stays each time and 5 days at time of sleeve) and am still on IV fluids daily through a PICC line at home. Needless to say I have had a few complications due to a chronic, genetic disease I have which is slowing EVERYTHING down. I have only lost 10lbs according to the scale since surgery but have lost 14 inches. My Dr is not even concerned about my weight loss because how much fluids I am taking and says inches are always more telling than weight due to water retention or dehydration but also muscle gain as fat weighs less than muscle so if you are putting on muscle while loosing fat you could actually show an increase on the scale... don't worry. If you are doing everything you are supposed to and following your program, the weight WILL come off. This is a lifelong marathon not a sprint! 💞 Learn to love yourself by caring for your body. You will be transformed!

Please talk to your family doctor or a mental health professional (licensed therapist, psychologist or psychiatrist) After and during weight loss and after surgery our bodies can take a beating and we think we are doing ourselves such a great and healthy thing... and then we feel like crap. Have I had this ? Not depression, but I had panic attacks start after a year after surgery. NOT FUN. Still have them. Take meds for that. I am also a mental health professional and I think that folks who have WLS or undergo dieting or major life changes should all consult their doctors about mental health changes that can come up with all these changes happening to our bodies. Have you had blood levels drawn ? vitamin and mineral numbers done ? A FULL blood panel including all your thyroid counts and numbers ? Please do that too. Rapid weight loss can throw our hormones and our physiological balance way out of whack. And our brains are part of our bodies. Hence, our brain chemistry can change and BAM - Depression, Bi-Polar and all sorts of stuff can come up. Talk to your doctor, get a referral for Psych consult. IF you feel like you might hurt yourself or start drinking/using drugs get yourself to a mental health professional right away !

I was going to write that six weeks was a long time for an early stall and to double-check your calories, etc - but then I noticed that you're about 35 lbs from your goal weight. Weight loss really slows the closer you get to your goal. When I was only about 20 or 30 lbs from goal, there were some months when I only lost like two pounds, despite really working at it. I would for sure double-check my food intake, though, and make sure you're following your plan to a "T". But aside from that, you may just be in that stretch when weight loss becomes harder and harder... you've probably read that weight loss is due to about 90% food intake and 10% exercise - so although exercise does make a difference, it's pretty slight. It's more effective at maintaining weight than at losing weight (since it takes A LOT of exercise to burn up a significant amount of calories). It's also great for your health, regardless of your weight.

I got bypass for standard weight-loss purposes, but my insurance company denied coverage initially. I had the doctor call the insurance company directly to explain the medical necessity of the surgery. That did the trick and I was approved. Perhaps it would be worth a try in your case.

I’m 9 mo out GS. Slow weight loss, achy n tired. One gym run I’m done for the day. Blood work showed one part of thyroid test low. I read that with sleeve should crush your pill. I on genetic Synthroid . Called the Dr for instructions, not heard back. By next week calling a endocrinologist for an appointment. Very disappointed. So much can do, retired, and have time and place, just no energy 😭 any tricks ?

Perfectly said @The Greater Fool. Using food to numb ourselves from emotional pain, depression, anxiety, stress, etc. is very common especially with people here. It’s the same as those who use drugs & alcohol to mask their pain & become addicted. Eating, regardless of how much is consumed, never stops the pain because it’s still there. So yes, you are experiencing withdrawals & grieving your inability to eat the same volume of food & food choices. Seeking support to understand & learn how manage the emotional or mental pain will be helpful. All because you can’t have your whisky now doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a glass in the future. As long as you’re aware of addiction transfer & your greater susceptibility to it, having a glass on a Saturday night will be okay again. Congratulations on your weight loss so far & the life you are regaining. So much to celebrate & be joyful about.

About 3 months out for me. I already have fine hair, so the thinning out did make me a bit paranoid. I always wore a cap outside and was close to buying some chemo/alopecia scarves. I instead got my hairdresser to give me a short platinum blonde pixie cut and that made all the difference. It grew back, but it took a few months to do so, and I was and still am meticulous with hair and skin vitamin supplements and collagen support, which may have lessened the severity, but certainly didn't stop it from noticeably thinning. It's just part of the process. I couldn't say if my hair regrowth is the same as it once was, however, as I've kept my hair platinum and super short because I like it.

Welcome to the forums and congratulations on your success. Many of us used food as a coping mechanism or self medication to deal with issues. If this is true for you then having WLS may have taken a key coping mechanism away. It's likely time to talk with a therapist or behavioralist to learn new, better, healthier coping mechanisms. Many of us also had unrealistic expectations on how WLS magically change our lives. I've mentioned elsewhere that I'm an introvert and I'd long accepted it, but I still had visions of becoming a social butterfly when I lost my weight. Everything that my weight prevented I would be able to do again better than ever. Predictably, that's not how it turned out. A common meme is "we had surgery on our stomachs not our brains." Just because we lost weight doesn't mean we will automatically change. Losing our weight wasn't easy and took a rather drastic help. Changing other aspects of our lives may likewise take effort. WLS and rapid weight loss can upset your life. You are changing the status quo. Your relationships may change because your roles in them change. Work can be impacted. Even the way you perceive yourself may change, or not change quick enough, or become totally unrealistic. You may get more wanted or unwanted attention and be unsure of your response. Be sure to keep lines of communication open with your spouse, friends, and associates. Especially your spouse. You may eventually have your Saturday night whiskey. Two things here: First, be aware and careful of transfer addiction. Now that you don't have food to use as a coping mechanism many of us have turned to other often worse things like alcohol, drugs, or stand up comedy. Second, if not having your Saturday night whiskey makes you this sad then perhaps it's something you need to discuss with a therapist. To sum up find someone to help you. Heck, find a team. Your spouse can be a huge support. A close, trustworthy friend or family member could help. Forums like this can help. A therapist would be a great choice because they have the experience and resources to help build new tools. Good luck, Tek

Could they be varicose veins? They may be more visible because of your weight loss so far. Do they ache or bulge more if you’ve been standing for a while? I have lots very visible veins on my hands now which can look quite ropey at times. It’s fascinating discovering what our fat hid. May be best to see your doctor & find out what’s going on.

I’m 3.5 months post sleeve surgery and my hair shedding started right at 3 months! I always take my Bariatric daily Vitamins and also collagen Protein Powder daily. It is nerve racking when it happens but I know it will grow back. Just part of the process and patience is key!

Hey! I haven't logged on in so long and was also curious how everyone is doing too. Here's an update on my life over a year post op. Here is a photo of me way before my bypass, I think I wasn't at my heaviest yet but definitely pushing 320 lbs vs me last month while on vacation. I've lost about 130 lbs so far and am working on losing the last 9-10 lbs. I am finding this is when things are getting real. The honeymoon phase everyone talked about it over and I didn't even realize it until it was gone haha! It's not a bad thing, it just means that you can never give up, even after weight loss. Half of the battle is over, now it's a new battle and I think it will last for the rest of my life because I have to work hard every day to fight my obesity. I can eat pretty normally now. I aim for 1600-1700 cals a day but some days I might even get 1900 depending on how calorie dense my food is, then I tend to eat less calories the next day if that does happen. I walk 3-4 miles most days, gym 1-2 times a week and try to do some kind of outdoor activity on the weekend, usually hiking. I have been going slowly but I'm not unhappy with my progress. I'm just trying to watch my weight and enjoy how far I've come because I feel like a completely different person I can't even explain it... I am also able to eat more than 60 grams of protein a day now which is great because I lost a lot of muscle mass while losing all the weight after surgery. I eat 80-100 grams of protein a day. I am working on building my muscles back up, especially the muscles around my knees to help with my mobility (my being 340 lbs wrecked my knees). I am in physical therapy for my knees and do strength training with my boyfriend twice a week now. The thing I struggle with the most is tracking water but now that the summer is coming, I think it'll be easier to get in enough fluids since it's so hot where I live. I don't get food stuck anymore, very rarely if I've eaten too fast or food that is too hot will get stuck. I can still eat naughty foods in moderation too, too much sugar and fat makes me dump. Dumping for me means rapid heartbeat, dizzy, frequent urination, yawning, and nausea. I have been out of therapy for a while and would like to go back, especially as my ability to eat larger portions returns. I still actively have to think and fight using food as a coping mechanism but I am pretty hopeful and just keep reminding myself not to give up. How is everyone's vitamin levels and blood work? Anyone deficient in anything/have advice on what to get checked? I have gotten colds way more frequently but it's only been in the last 3 months, could just be the seasons but historically I rarely got sick.

Thanks so much for all your replies. I did try the phentermine but that didn’t work because I mainly snack at night and it wears off before then. And unfortunately with my other meds that’s the only one I was able to try so now she has me trying sleeping pills thinking if I can sleep through the night I won’t get up and snack but I think I need a stronger MG cause they don’t work. Another dr told me I can try taking like one and a half but I haven’t tried it yet cause I also read that it’s not good to take this medicine every night so I want to talk to her about that. I talked to a surgeon and he was very surprised that I am able to eat a whole 6 inch sandwich now at only two years out. That was his way of knowing how much my stomach can hold I guess was to ask how many inches of that I could eat if we went to a sandwich shop. I told him that I have been able to eat more than expected at every given stage from day one but when the hunger was gone I was able to eat what I was expected to. But after hunger returned it’s like I had no help without the restriction. I definitely couldn’t get my moneys worth at an all you can eat buffet anymore after surgery BUT, I could eat a normal serving pretty early out if I chose to. He said that I definitely need a smaller pouch which they can do with the bypass so that sounded promising that maybe it could be different?? I just wonder if like others have mentioned if all or part of the work needs to be done in my head. I am by no means opposed to trying therapy. I keep trying to find a therapist and even put a call in to see if the surgeon has any pull with one because in my area they are just not accepting new patients other than for the evaluations for surgery. He’s hasn’t called back yet but I am getting another opinion about whether going with bypass will be okay with my psyc meds since they advised against it the first time around so I will also ask him if he knows anyone that he can get me into. i have read on here that the revision weight loss is slower. I forgot about that. I hope it will still be as much though if I’m patient. I guess I am wondering if my hunger will go away the second time?? I just don’t want to yo yo down then right back up again like I did this time. I already know I sorta let everyone else down along with myself that was rooting me on and it has been very embarrassing to publicly fail at this. I almost think it would be easier to stay heavy than to fail at this again.

I am about 4 months post surgery and my hair is shedding like crazy. Started about 2 weeks ago. I can def see a difference along my hairline. I have salt and pepper hair and where I have a streak of salt, my scalp looks bald. I am going to try baby powder there so that my scalp doesn't shine in the sun. lol I'm not freaking out much. If it gets too much thinner, I'll cut it all off. I'm trusting that it will grow back some after things stabilize.

My hair loss started at about 3-3.5 months and slowed at about 6-7 months. But the amount of hair loss is crazy. I luckily had very thick hair, so while most people didn't notice, I definitely did. The amount of hair left in my shower after one wash, was what I used to lose in almost two weeks of washing. It's alarming to see. I almost shaved it all off to be honest.... but it is temporary, and worth it.

I lost hair from months 5-9, but it wasn't much and it wasn't noticeable. I noticed about double the amount of strands in my comb every time I combed my hair out after washing it, but looking at my hair in the mirror, no, I couldn't tell - so no one else would have been able to tell, either. I didn't take anything extra since most people claim taking whatever didn't help, so I didn't bother - but I did make sure to keep on top of my protein and vitamins to keep it from getting any worse than it otherwise would - but again, my hair loss was very minimal.

I agree with Arabesque. Letting old habits slip back in is what causes weight gain. If you let that happen again after bypass, then yes, you'll gain weight again. So you'll need to really monitor yourself this time around. Even at almost eight years out, I have to watch myself like a hawk or my weight will start heading north. Arabesque is also right when she says that weight loss is almost always slower after revision - BUT...you can lose the weight again if you really work at it!!

I had my surgery in September 2021, and my hair started falling out pretty bad around Christmas of that year. I do want to add that I got REALLY stick in late November and was really struggling with keeping mysel fed the first few months. I lost probably 50-75% of my hair, and I am a fair-skinned brunette so it was VERY noticeable. I ended up cutting it extremely short (think Winona Ryder in Girl, Interrupted) to save my plumbing and vacuum. It started growing back around March 2022. I supplemented with collagen and extra-strength biotin gummies. Before my surgery, my hair was thinning anyway due to probable PCOS and it is actually much thicker and healthier than it was before it all fell out. It's already past my shoulders again!

Will a revision help you to lose weight again? Yes but your weight loss will likely be at a slower rate than after your initial surgery. Will it help you keep the weight off in the future? Well, like your first surgery, that depends on you. The revision will offer more physical restrictions though many of these fade like your appetite returns & you’re able to eat larger portions. What the revision surgery, like your initial surgery, won’t do is anything about changing your head & your thinking about food, your eating habits, food choices, etc. That’s the work you have to do: establish a new relationship with food & a new sustainable way of eating that supports you maintaining a lower weight without hindering or limiting how you want to live your life. The one thing we all have in common is that our old way of eating & how we looked at food did us no favours. It led to us all being obese & affected our health. Many find a therapist helpful in understanding your eating habits & relationship with food. Your surgeon or their team should be able to recommend someone if this is a path you’d like to try.

It started at about month 3 or 4 & lasted about three months. This tends to be pretty common in terms of starting & finishing times regardless of taking supplements or additional ‘hair growing’ vitamins. I didn’t lose so much it was noticeable to others (beside my mother & hairdresser) but I had lots of hair to begin. I cut my hair to just above my shoulders so that it wouldn’t take the new growth as long to reach the length of my hair. (Remember your new growth is still growing g at it’s usual rate while your shedding cycle has been accelerated.) I did notice a slight change in texture from the anaesthetic (can contribute to your hair loss too). It eventually grew out. I lost hair in the past after a stressful time like you too and this time seemed pretty similar… except I didn’t freak out as I knew what to expect.

From about 3 1/2 months out through 9 1/2 months, I saw my hair thin out A LOT. It was noticeable and I had to change up how I wore it to try and hide that you could see my scalp. I also cut my hair shorter and started using volumizing hair care products to try and hide it. It finally slowed down and 9 1/2 months and now and just over a week away from 1 year out, it's starting to regrow.

I'm only two and a half months out, but I've noticed its gotten a bit thinner. Nothing serious, but I make sure to hit my protein goals as my dietician and doctors said that would be the best way to help prevent more major hair loss. Either way I think it's normal to experience it to some degree as our body is going through some major changes and recovery. From what I've seen on this forum and with the people that I know personally who've gone through the surgery, its not permanent and tapers off. Everyone is different.

Hi - Could you tell about your hair loss experience after surgery- when/how much/ and when it tapered off? Also, did it all come back eventually? I’ve lost hair in the past after a stressful time and it came back in a few months so wonder if that will be similar. Thanks for your replies!