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Things absolutely do slow down, for the reasons the others have said. I lost almost 10 stones with my sleeve, half my starting weight. 9 stones of that was in the first year post op (with many stalls towards the end that made me think I was done) and 1 stone was in the subsequent 9 or 10 months. In the last few months I was honestly losing half a pound a month or less. It's fascinating looking back. The concept I am most happy to have learned on this board is that of a new set point. Once I knew that our bodies can decide early after surgery what weight it now wants to maintain, I felt less like the driver and more like a passenger who could sit back and just enjoy the ride. No actually - not quite sit back - follow the rules strictly to enable the smooth journey to my new set point. Mine ended up a bit lower than my 'goal' (plucked out of thin air) weight. Lots of people's seem to end up much higher. All of this is fine if we can make our peace with it. I get the feeling you have much more to squeeze out of your procedure @Bypass2Freedom. I do understand the frustration when you're following the rules to the letter but not losing. It's steps and stairs always - never a linear loss (well not for me). You're doing this.

This is a new video Dr. Weiner (bariatric surgeon in Tucson) put out through his podcast this week. He is one of the best resources out there for reliable information on bariatric surgery and the science of weight loss. This 55-minute video is all the most up to date information to get you started with all the basic questions you might have (and if you want more in-depth information, he has hundreds of other videos that dive deeper). He talks about nutrition, exercise, surgery, and GLP-1 meds.

Well if you’re only eating one salad every two days and buying another on the third you are probably eating too little calories and your body is in starvation mode which sometimes you can actually gain. BUT, if you were to eat THAT same salad a couple of times a day and had breakfast too you would probably be eating too many calories to lose. Salad is very deceiving. They can actually have more calories than a bacon cheeseburger meal if you just add the good tasting stuff without measuring and counting and nutrition wise you aren’t getting a whole lot of what you need in a tiny portion of one salad as prepared. If I was you I would talk to a dietician about what choices are healthier options and how much protein you need. What you’re eating even though it’s a salad which sounds good is not the most nutritious option. First start by measuring and tracking what you’re having in an app. You would be surprised what you learn about what you eat by doing that. Most prepared salads have more than a serving of things like full fat cheese and croutons and the dressing packets they give you is far more than one serving as well. it sounds kinda silly but if you bring home your favorite salad and take the time to deconstruct it just once you can measure each thing and figure out exactly what’s in it (assuming they make it the same way each time). It’s always best to make your salad at home if possible so you can use lean or reduced fat protein and lower calorie dressings and choose healthier toppings but if you have to get it while your out you can use less of the dressing and ask for them to go light on the cheese and skip the croutons. Also, opt for grilled chicken and if possible ask for an extra fillet of chicken or two and add that to your leftover lettuce for your next meals. I do that at chic fila all the time. I make two meals out of a salad by getting a second fillet of chicken and making a grilled chicken Cesar salad with my leftover lettuce. But your focus will always need to be protein first since you do have a tiny stomach. Ask your doctor your personal goal but You should get probably be getting around 3-4oz of lean protein a meal and then fruit and veggies and then the lettuce is a filler if you have room. I prefer to bring my salad home so I can take off all the toppings and add just a tiny bit of lettuce and put that into a container. I prefer the toppings to the lettuce anyways. Also a good way to use less dressing is to mix any salad in a bowl like you would do ceaser salad and you get a bit on all the lettuce using less than you would if you just pour it over. And try to avoid the sodas like mentioned above. If you must eat and don’t enjoy water, try to find a drink mix that you like and keep a box of drink packets in your car to grab when you go in. Order water and mix in your drink packet. It’s way less calories and it’s cheaper. Note that the drink packets do have artificial sweeteners and there is evidence they aren’t the best for you either so plain water is best but they do have some made with stevia which my dietician says is the best option if I must have them. Tru lemon is one of the better ones. So many of us think we are making good choices when we are eating a salad or soup but they are not all created equal. And just eating a tiny portion of a less nutritious food isn’t the best option because you may lose weight this way but you’re not getting all the vitamins and protein your body needs. If you don’t get enough protein you may actually just be losing muscle mass and as we get older that is really hard to build back up. If you aren’t doing strength training this can be really bad. Measuring and putting things Into the Baritastic app and really looking at how much protein is In something and how much fat and carbs are in there as well as added sugars has really helped me to learn what foods are more nutritious choices. I think my protein goal with my sleeve was 60 grams minimum and with the SADI revision it is 90 grams. I was told that protein was the very most important thing but you also need to get fruits and veggies for the vitamins. And check your labs regularly to make sure you are getting what you need. I hope this helps.

One thing I forgot to mention is that I also decided to just tell the women at my yoga class a vague version of what I am going through. Not because I am seeking attention or pity as some people may believe but because the doctors told me that with the first phase of chemo I need that I would no doubt be losing my hair and not to even torture myself trying cold caps because they wouldn’t work for me. I didn’t want to have to miss any days trying to hide that when it was inevitable that they would find out anyways. I can’t wear a wig to yoga without dying of heat stroke even if I can find one that doesn’t irritate my head and won’t fall off doing downward dog. Also, I have to wear a mask until class starts and I’m at my mat and far enough away from people. Also, with the chemo i do get a little dizzy at times and physically I have to take a tiny break once in a while which doesn’t go unnoticed I’m sure. I just decided that I have no clue what is going to happen with my body in days to come but I’m going when I can and doing as much as I can. I’m not missing something that is good for my health, weight loss journey and that I really enjoy just to try and keep something a secret. I have spent enough of my life hiding because of my weight and I have finally broken free of that. I’m not going back in that dark place ever again. I am usually a pretty private person so it was a big choice for me with sharing about the bariatric surgery and now with the cancer, but so far I am happy with my decisions for both. I just told them that I don’t want them to make a big deal about it that we are there to relax and do yoga, but I just didn’t want to feel awkward wondering what they must be thinking so I was just getting it out there. It was partly because I did the same with my revision surgery and it has worked out positively for me. With the sleeve I didn’t tell anyone outside of my best friends and that wasn’t successful so with the SADI i decided to try something different. I told the women in my crochet group and the one craft group because I have known them almost two years now (but not the one I joined more recently). They do ask how I’m doing or congratulate me on my weight-loss and ask what I’m eating and about my exercise, I briefly answer but then I will say enough about me we are here to craft and ask what they are working on today and that seems to work pretty well. So with yoga, now, I hope I can just walk in with my hat or wig and take it off before class begins and do my thing and when I take more an more breaks they will just ignore me. I’m sure it will feel really weird for me the first time when I’m bald because it was when i had to go really short and I was thinning with a head band covering most of the bald spots but everyone already knows about the elephant in the room now and hopefully we can just focus on YOGA. Food for thought for those with the decision about cancer and for those on the fence about whether to tell about their bariatric journey as well because people who see you once or twice a week notice things and they are probably wondering. It has worked for me to just rip off the bandaid and move on.

Stalls are normal, and I believe 1 month is very reasonable. While I didn't stall during weight loss, I stabilized at 9.5 months only to lose weight again 3 months later! Now I believe that I was probably in a weight stall for 3 months (I was more than happy to stabilize and stop losing weight, but the point is that it was probably a stall). The best thing to do is to stick to your plan, eat well, walk your steps (8-10k a day), get your protein in and introduce some sort of exercise you enjoy. It will come off

LOL! Mine are mostly grey now as well & have to get them dyed every 4 weeks too. I supposedly have a little scar tissue on the inner of my brows - deep, can’t see or feel anything. That’s the only ‘issue’ I’ve had and it doesn’t hinder the annual touchups I get. Find a reputable technician. I had a 30 min consultation where she went over everything, asked about allergies, experiences with other dyes, etc. & then I made the appointment to proceed after that. I’m given an antiseptic cream to apply twice daily for a week after. It dues bring tears to my eyes when I have it done even with a prescription strength topical anaesthetic.

This sounds so frustrating. Could you track everything you eat, even for one week (on my fitness pal or similar) and get a handle on what you're actually taking in? Do be careful about drinking calories - so easy to do with sweet tea etc. Totally empty. I do that with alcohol sometimes 😟 NickelChip is absolutely right - it might be really helpful to eat more whole and freshly prepared foods. Protein first (it really honestly does fill your sleeve up), veg second and carbs (including coating on chicken, etc) a very long way behind.

Oh, I forgot to mention for breast cancer if someone is considering reconstruction afterwards, which I am, the cosmetic surgeon said there is no rush for his part. They are going to put in expanders during my mastectomy and they can stay in a pretty long time safely. This means that I can wait until I reach my goal weight to do the cosmetic part. The way it works. Is they put in the expanders in and they are like deflated balloons that are sewn to the chest wall and slowly inflate them a little bit at a time each week until you find a size that suits your body. But if I’m still actively losing, that may be too big so they can also deflate it if I want to until I find a size that is comfortable for me and my body is settled and then schedule the surgery. Since that’s just the cosmetic part, the cancer will already be gone. Well, I know that when I lost weight with the sleeve, I had bounced back weight. So I think I’m going to stick with the expanders for a while and just make sure that my body doesn’t change before I commit to something in a surgery. They did say that if you gain a significant or lose a significant amount of weight and the implant shifts or whatever that they will do surgery again, but of course that’s costly and painful and I’m already just about sick of doctors so I’m sure by then I won’t want to do that. Anyways, that is an option someone else may want to consider as well. Some doctors tried to push doing both parts of the surgery in one, skipping the expanders and just putting the implants in right away, but my doctor did not recommend that for my situation.

I wasn’t going to discuss this on these boards since I don’t want to turn the discussion away from weight loss. I figured I would talk cancer at the cancer support group and weight related stuff here, but I am quickly realizing that it’s very much intertwined. I had my revision surgery to SADI on 8/7/2024 and I felt something on my breast in the shower in September. I went to gyno, got sent to get a diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound and then biopsies and it came back as cancer 11/6/2024 (about 4 months post op). A few days later I was with the breast surgeon and was told it was triple negative and it’s very aggressive so the process is a little different for me in that it’s all very fast moving but it’s pretty much the same collection of treatments for most cancer I believe. I am currently two rounds into chemotherapy and just started immunotherapy and also doing appointments for all kinds of scans and imaging as well as meeting the rest of my doctors and setting up my future treatments which will be double mastectomy, then radiation and then maybe oral chemo. Basically I have not sat down since I learned the diagnosis and I have had to learn a tremendous amount very fast to make some pretty heavy decisions very quickly to keep the ball rolling. It’s been a whirlwind From a bariatric standpoint things have been incredibly challenging. For one my appointments are all over Florida. I have a medical oncologist, a breast surgeon, a cosmetic breast surgeon, a radiation oncologist, and a second opinion oncologist and now a gynocologist in the mix but that’s pretty specific to me. So far and I have had to have imaging done at 3 different places as well since it’s all been so rushed it’s just about who can get me in the soonest and then since these places aren’t connected I have to wait around for records and discs and carry them all to each of my appointment to make sure everyone has everything I have been traveling non stop with little time to prepare things so prioritizing my nutrition and exercise has been a huge challenge just in terms of time. There are just not enough hours in the day!! Then there is the chemo, the shot that builds up your white blood cells, and the immunotherapy infusion which also take time (2-3 different appointments depending on how it works out that week) but also all of this effects my cravings and energy. First there is the fact that I have to be on steroids which we all know are the enemy of weight loss but also the fact that eating is different. I consider myself very fortunate that food doesn’t taste bad to me and nausea is not an issue like it is for so many but it’s still not the same. I crave something very specific. I taste it and it’s good but I eat three bites and don’t want it anymore. My refrigerator is a leftover graveyard lol. In terms of energy I am on the strongest treatment regimen the oncologist says so fatigue sorta goes with the territory. I have been walking everyday still except for the biopsy day and my chemo port surgery day and I have done my yoga when my schedule permits but I have not done my cardio class because I think I sweat too much considering how dehydrating the chemo already is. Also I can’t touch community stuff for 24 hours after chemo without possibly exposing others to the chemo drug and we use balls, bars, discs, etc. Also more recently there is the fact that I have lost about 85% of my hair and I get too hot to wear a hat. I think once I’m bald it will actually look better and I am going to try really hard to just get over that but right now I don’t look like I have cancer. It just looks like a botched hair cut to me so I’m living in hats. The good news is it’s going very fast. It started falling out last week and it’s almost gone already so by next week I think I will just be bald. Well, yesterday I did totally forget to exercise with all that I had going on and I’m feeling guilty today now that I remembered but I know that’s silly. I am just hoping that as treatment goes on I am able to keep up my exercise. All the doctors say it’s good to keep pushing myself just not too hard. Exercise and good nutrition are going to make this alot easier on me. Back to food again. Not sure if it’s just the stress of the whole situation or the fact that chemo puts you into early menopause but Thursday was a particularly bad day. My moods were erratic to say the least and I had a bunch of blood drawn after having nothing but a protein shake all day so at 7pm I was pretty much famished by the time we stopped to eat. Olive Garden was the most convenient option and I planned soup and salad but when I got in there that went out the window. I went totally off plan. Again I feel guilty but these darn steroids and all the crazy emotions are making it so much harder to make the better choices when it’s staring at me tempting me I did still get my protein for the day though if there is any good in that What’s really hard about this is that even with the pasta and bread I am actually still losing weight so for my previously obese brain it’s tempting to not just enjoy that while it lasts. But I know that the processed crap is not good for my body, especially right now. I don’t feel as good since I have not been exercising as much and I’ve been eating off plan. I don’t sleep as well at night and I seem to crave more and more junk as well as have less energy throughout the day. thankfully my program has provided to me free of charge an oncology dietician, but I am her first patient who is actively still in weight loss phase undergoing chemo. She had agreed to check in with me once a week since this is new for both of us and she seems amazing so far. She suggested that I do not lose more than two to three pounds a week which was my average before the chemo. Because the chemo has apparently sped up my metabolism she says that I need to increase calories but to add healthy ones which is extremely difficult because adding calories goes against all we just learned and over 2000 calories of healthy food is a very large volume of food that my body is just not wanting right now (I was eating around 900-1000 before this and already felt like I was eating all day. And remember that most of these meals are on the road these days so I have to eat what I can fit in a cooler or stop somewhere on the side of the highway most times. Not easy to find clean healthy food on the road. Enough stating the obvious that it’s tough, here’s what I actually have to offer so far in terms of advice. First thing when I wake up in the morning I have a protein shake which is a really good head start to the day and if I am lucky enough to still be around a couple of hours later I have a second breakfast instead of waiting until there’s time to eat on whatever adventure the day brings. That helps with the protein if I don’t have time to stop at all. Although recently the shakes haven’t gone down so well so I just wake up and have scrambled eggs with 2% cheese and whatever leftover veggies are on hand.. If I know I won’t have time for that I also have some boiled eggs In the fridge that I can eat real fast or slice up with some cheese and take on the go. I carry in my cooler a high protein yogurt drink, chomps pepperoni flavored turkey jerky and baby bell light or mozzarella sticks. It helps to put the ice pack in a ziplock with these items if you live where it gets hot. I also carry a bag with high protein snacks quest protein chips, kind minis, cliff minis, pistachio nuts, nut butter packets, quest cheddar cheese crackers, granola to add to yogurt, etc Freezer meals!! Omg. I was doing these before my diagnosis and they were super convenient then and have been a lifesaver now. I have tex med chili, chicken chili, turkey meatballs, turkey taco meat, grilled chicken, meatloaf, etc in the freezer and it’s all measured and weighed out so that I can pop in the fridge the night before or even jet defrost in microwave if need be. When I have time to cook I do double batches so I can keep my freezer stock replenished. I have a note in my phone notes that it titled In freezer and I just keep adding to it what I freeze and how many portions are in there so if I’m not home I can check my freezer stock. I also do a version of meal prep with chick fila as well I like their market and southwest salads (I get the market one without the blue cheese) I buy one of each with two extra chicken fillets and take them home and I make four salads out of that. I take off all the toppings with a bit of lettuce and put into a smaller container to make a market salad and do the same with the southwest. Then I put the leftover lettuce with the chicken into another container and I have fresh shredded Parmesan in snack ziplocks and ceaser dressing also in ziplocks (sorta less pleasant looking but I figure less risk if bacteria than them tiny containers which are hard to get really clean since I am immunocompromised and infection is so dangerous right now) i cut off a corner and squeeze it out like an icing bag. I just use half of the packets of dressing with the market and southwest salads and then toss the rest. I have the ziplock containers that have the twist top lids and these are easy to toss into the cooler when they do not open at all I still log my macros in Baritastic this has really been helpful for me to be honest about what I’m eating with my oncology dietician so she can keep me on track . It also lets you log your activity, weight, inches lost and set notifications for vitamins and stuff. I added a reminder to put on my fitness watch and to take my regular meds too I also carry my water with me and I set alarms again to drink. You have to wear a mask and for me that seems to make me drink like a quarter as much as I do without one so I have to have reminders again. Vitamins need alarms too. Chemo brain is a real thing and when your days is never the same it’s hard to have a routine anyways so I actually have alarms for just about everything in life right now. I made different tones for water, vitamins and appointments and I have a checklist to go over before I leave the house to make sure I did and packed everything. My friend and family also have reminders for me in their phones for the real important stuff and they call or text to make sure I haven’t forgotten. I just found out that two of the programs I belong too offer virtual yoga sessions. I haven’t tried it yet because they are at set times as well but I added them to my calendar as recurring appts just like the live one so I can attend whichever one I have time for. Someone else suggested you tube for videos but I haven’t tried that either. Yoga by the way is my only sense of calm throughout all of this so I HIGHLY recommend it. That and meditation I know that both of these sound a little fruity before you give them a good fair try and meditation takes a lot of practice before it really Did anything for me but I swear my mind runs non stop with anxiety and worry and for that one hour I’m in yoga or the few minutes I’m meditating it is at peace. It’s amazing!! So I am a little over a month into this and I’ve got a good year and a half to go if all goes well so I’m sure I will have more to add to this but I just wanted to pop In and share what my experience has been juggling a new cancer diagnosis while pretty early out from bariatric surgery. I hope this helps someone. Even if it’s less advice and more to let you know that you are not alone in the struggle.

Same on the tweezing to get fine brows! My left side is coming in decently but my right is very bare in spots. However, after about 8 weeks, I am starting to see tiny dots, like stubble, coming in. I find I have to dye mine once a month to be able to see them since so much is turning grey/white. I'm tempted by microblading but I keep reading horror stories that make me hesitate.

Unfortunately you can stall many times while you are losing. Each time it is just as frustrating, They will break. I wonder if you are making too many changes and just need to stay your coarse for a while. Remember a stall occurs when your body needs to take reassess and take stock of your current needs in regards to metabolic rate, digestive hormones, etc. The weight loss and duet is quite stressful to your body and it too needs to take a time out, shut the door, and take a breath much like we need to do mentally in stressful times. Certainly getting your iron levels and any other deficiencies sorted is important. It may help as the deficiencies might be adding to the stress your body is under. All the best.

Yes, it could be the beginning of a stall but remember all the weight loss rates you read about and weekly/monthly weight loss goal you may be given are all based on averages @eJean. For everyone who meets those averages there’s someone who exceeds it and someone who doesn’t meet it and that’s okay. There’s nothing wrong with having lost 16.5lbs in your first month. Don’t ‘only’ it. You’ve lost more than a stone in a month. Amazing! I remember my weight loss slowed so much around months 5 & 6 I was losing grams/ounces a week @Bypass2Freedom. I never thought I would hit my goal - it was hellish frustrating to be so close yet so far in my mind. Yet I did and then continued to lose 11kgs more for another 11 months at various rates. So don’t give up. Do remember though that if you reduce your calorie intake to reduce your weight more you will have to continue to eat less than you are now to maintain the lower weight. You never know the weight you will stabilise at and you can maintain. You can stay your oath or make some adjustments and see what happens. Oh, and don’t forget you can still experience stalks along the way nit just at the beginning. PS Check out a basal metabolic rate calculator. They’re not perfect much like a BMI calculator but might give you an idea of whether you are eating less than you need to maintain your current weight & the activity you are doing. If you are consuming less than they say you need you should keep losing.

I’ve still got my fingers crossed for my brows. Have a few coming in but they seem finer. I’m patchy. Lost some of my brows from a combination of following those micro fine brows of the 80s & then a skin infection. Get my brows micro bladed which is great (about 5 years ago) but I’d still like some more of my own brow hairs as well. The hair loss with the weight loss is an acceleration of your natural hair loss cycle not a permanent loss. So you’re just shedding hair you would usually be shedding in your normal cycle more quickly. People lose different amounts, some more than others for about 3 or so months from around months 3 or 4. Doesn’t seem to differ if people take supplements or not. Certainly won’t hurt @Mskmartin & it may make your new growth stronger.

Semaglutide (and other various GLP-1 agonists) effectiveness can be dose dependent. 4 weeks is likely not long enough to see changes especially if you are still at the starting dose. Here’s a link with some decent easy to understand info: https://www.richlandmd.com/cosmetic/semaglutide-dose-for-weight-loss/ Also these meds are used in conjunction with lifestyle modifications. According to a meta analysis reviewing multiple trials “We observed that aside from the administration of semaglutide, reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity were also part of the intervention. Hence, semaglutide alone probably will not be able to achieve an 11.85% weight loss” https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9758543/ Take a look at your early post op diet plan and give that a try again. If you didn’t have one, I can share that mine was protein forward (80g minimum) with minimal carbs (under 50 g and mostly complex) and low fat (20g) and almost no calories from drinks unless they are protein shakes. *edited to add: These meds can cause constipation so any weight gain could be due to that You really should consider checking in with the prescribing/administering physician to ask about your progress. Best of luck!

Yes, @Trish662 , I had the exact same situation only I’m 5’4”. I was 53 yrs old when I had surgery in August, and had a long stall in December and bloodwork came back iron anemia. It took a month of faithful iron supplements with vitamin C during my lunchtime (coffee, milk products, PPT, magnesium supplements all make taking iron at other times cancel out absorption). You will have to find a 4 hr window (nothing 2 hrs before and nothing 2 hrs after) that works for your absorption. I ate meatloaf, meatballs and ground grass fed beef with a small amount of marinara or mild salsa for lunch meals as well. At the time I could only eat 3 oz of protein due to restriction (dietitian still pushing for 4oz per meal even now). I get my 60-80 grams of protein per day in easily now! After that grueling iron work I did start loosing weight much more regularly 3-4 lbs a month and kept loosing weight until 2 years and 4 months. I had RNY so I need to stay on top of the iron absorption issue regularly. If I forget to take the iron with C for a week, I feel sluggish and 4-5 lbs shows up quickly. It takes about another week to get the weight and iron back on track (says the bloodwork and doc). You’ll feel better soon and your stall will end quickly. I take Centrum Women’s 50+ tablets in the morning with Calcuim and D3, then additional Nature Made Iron 65mg with Trader Joe Vitamin C complex at lunchtime. I found my magnesium low too so I take that at night with a probiotic, Trader Joe’s is the cheapest that doesn’t hurt my stomach or pocketbook but you will probably find something you like better. I don’t count carbs, but I find if I eat any simpler carbs like an apple or oatmeal I dump. I also throw off all my electrolytes and get wicked muscle spasms. Gatorade Zero or similar products help me stay balanced, and I stayed away from most carbs except veggies during the loosing phase. I can eat the same or more calories in fat and loose, but if it’s carbs, stall, stall, stall. You will find your sweet spot, pun intended.

I made a post about being on semaglutide shots. There aren't working as I weighed at the weight doc's. and I gained 4 pounds since last month. I don't know what to do. But I will be honest. I have eaten nothing but a crispy chicken salad from the Publix which last me for 3 days since I still the restriction with the shots and surgery. I am over year out from surgery. My salad had peppers, cucumber, cheese and tenders with ranch. Only sugar drink I drink is sweet tea no sodas. What am I doing wrong? What should be eating. Dietician aren't helping.

6 months out and losing 3-4 lb / month also starting to feel hungrier

This sounds like the three week stall. Totally normal! Your body burns glycogen for energy, and during extreme calorie restriction, you burn a lot of it. Glycogen is stored in the body along with water, so each gram of glycogen you burn for fuel also releases 3 grams of water, which you flush out. This is why you lose weight so quickly the first few weeks, not because you are burning all of that weight just from fat stores. After the first few weeks, you start to be able to eat some solid foods along with your protein shakes. This gives your body a chance to replenish the glycogen you burned, which is vital for survival. But it means that for every gram of glycogen you store, you also store about 3 grams of water. Your body is continuing to burn fat during this time, but you won't see it on the scale because it kind of zeroes out with the whole glycogen/water storage thing going on. After a week or two, your body will be back to normal in terms of glycogen reserves and you should start to see your weight decrease again at a moderate pace. I really wish doctors would explain this to patients before surgery because it's just basic science, and people totally freak out when they are eating nothing and not seeing the number on the scale go down. I think doctors forget that their patients have failed at about a million attempts at weight loss prior to surgery and we are naturally prone to believing we are failing again. But you're not! Also, counting calories at this stage is pointless. You're in a massive calorie deficit. It's impossible not to be unless you are doing something terribly wrong against every bit of medical advice. Focus on protein and water but don't stress over calories until you get to a point many motnhs from surgery where there may be a legitimate possibility that you are overeating.

I can speak to minoxidil for eyebrows because I had almost no eyebrows left after years of thyroid issues and I started using it a few months ago on my brows and I'm slowly getting my eyebrows back! I also have some chronic thinning hair issues on the top and a patch at the back of my head. With the surgery hair loss, it's gotten so much worse that I wear a hat all the time. I decided to go ahead and use minoxidil for that, too. I'm okay with having to use it every day forever since I know it was not great pre-surgery, anyway, so it's something I might as well address now. I'm at almost 10 months post-op and the hair loss has completely stopped and the new growth is visible. If I had been pleased with my hair thickness pre-surgery, I would have just waited it out without using anything. My guess is by summertime it will look a lot better. In the meantime, hats and big headbands are my go-to. For reference, I use a 5% foam on my brows (Rogaine brand) and a 5% liquid spray on my head (If you are in USA, the brand is Dabida and I buy it on Amazon in a 3-bottle pack for about $40). One container of foam will last at least 6 months or more since I use the tiniest bit on the brows. The spray is 60mL per bottle and I use 4 sprays daily, which is supposed to be equal to 1 mL, so a 3-pack should last about 6 months. You could use the liquid on brows but the foam is easier to manage. I put it on brows and head at night before bed. It does seem to dry my hair a bit, so I bought a really good hair masque to use weekly for deep conditioning.

I’m right there with you. I’m 1 month post-op and I’ve only lost 16.5lbs. 14 were in the first 11 days. I’ve only lost 2.5 lbs in the last two weeks. I’ve been on soft foods and trying to count the calories along with measuring, as I only am able to eat about 1/4 cup of food per meal. I don’t know what’s causing the slow. I barely get 600 calories. I’ve been moving quite a bit since we’re trying to move into our new home. I’m still under the target weight loss the doc gave me. Just discouraged.

Thanks for this! I'm only 2 months post op and I'm struggling with holiday snacks and sweets. It's helpful to know I'm not alone in this struggle and it's sometimes not easier even a few more months out. I think i've been a slow loser after the first two weeks, but knowing it will keep going even if it's slowly is easier to deal with. I'm currently at 209 lbs (94.8kg) and I just wanted to get under 200lbs by the new year, but I don't think that's going to happen yet. But by the end of January, I hope so.

Oh, yes. I'm just a bit ahead of you surgery-wise at nearly 10 months post-op, and I've noticed a few things as time has gone on. First, the number of pounds I'm losing in a month has slowed. Early on, I was losing 10+ lbs in a month. Two months ago, I lost 6lbs in a month. Now, I'm losing more like 2lbs in a month. Second, there's more noticeable daily fluctuation now. (I like to weigh myself every morning right when I get up, just to have a record.) In the past, I would bounce up or down a few ounces over a few days and then continue my downward progress. Now, I see half a pound or more difference, and I might bounce around for a week or two before reaching a new low weight. I'm currently about 12 lbs away from a "normal" BMI, so that has a big impact on how quickly weight changes. My smart scale also tells me I have higher than average muscle and bone (taken with a grain of salt since I know they're not completely accurate). One thing I notice now is that some of what I see on my body as "areas for improvement" are no longer simply "would look better if less fat." Now it's more like "would look better if more toned." As for staying on plan with nutrition, I'm not going to lie. This time of year is a challenge. There are sweets everywhere, and sadly, I can eat them with far too few side effects. I'm not going crazy like I would have pre-surgery, but I would say it's pretty easy to not be in much of a calorie deficit, either. Plus more eating out at restaurants, more holiday parties, etc. Nutrition is something I will tackle again in January.

I am a little over 3 months post op sleeve. I have been stuck at the same weight for over a month now. I have tried everything the dr has recommended however I am unable to break the stall. My bloodwork came back and I noticed a trend that points toward iron deficiency. Has anyone ever been stalled like this started iron supplements and started losing again? I am concerned my body is broke and this is all I will be able to lose. I am hitting all of my goals protein calories water exercise and carbs. I just can’t lose anymore. Any help is appreciated!

I know that things slow down, and I am not necessarily feeing low about this, but I just wanted to see what others experiences were with when their weight loss started to slow down & then stop. I am 7 months post-op tomorrow, and I am still losing, but it is definitely at a slower rate than the first 3-4 months (which is of course to be expected). My surgeon said you can keep losing weight anywhere up until 16-18 months post-op: does this resonate with anyone?

ok here's a weird one lol. went to yoga, pilates, nail appt, botox appt, then grocery shopping this morning/afternoon. i didn't eat before i left (which is normal), then came home around 3:30pm still on an empty stomach (not so normal)...and only realized i was STARVING when i finally got home omg. it was slim pickings in the fridge/pantry and was too hungry to order out, so just threw together what was available: 1 avocado, 3 tbsp of 4-day old cannedtuna with mayo (yikes), chilli oil & ginger-scallion sauce. 511 cals for it all. spoiler alert: it wasn't very appetizing. ate like 2/3? (basically until i wasn't hungry anymore). and was done. kinda wish i just waited and ordered something yummier. feels/felt like such a waste of stomach real estate, ugh. oh well. at least im not starving anymore.