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I feel you. I’m scared to do the bypass. I was doing really well and also working with a therapist. Then things got really stressful for me and I fell into depression. I only gave 40 lbs to lose but I got injured almost a year ago and I’m still not able to exercise so I just keep gaining. I’m vegan now but u eat way too many starches. I wonder if esg cuts hunger. That’s what I want.

I'm taking stock of everything I do, and don't do, every day to see what might need to be tweaked a bit. I already write what I eat everyday. I track my calories, carbs, protein, and fat. My doctor asked me if I wanted to try Metformin for a bit to see if that helps, and if it doesn't, I could try one of those weight loss shots. But I really don't want to do that. I know I can get my body to cooperate, I just have to figure it out. If I need the shot to lose the weight, my body will depend on it, and once I stop, the weight will come roaring back. I know there's a way to get this last 50 pounds off, I just have to figure it out.

Last pounds are difficult and the maintenance isn't really better, if not worse. It is a constant grind and long battle to maintain and not gain 5 lbs that can lead to 20, 30... etc. This is our reality, no matter whether it's the band, the sleeve, the bypass and any of the revisions... And it bites. I was thinking the other day that after all this time, I just want to eat everything I want for a week lol but then, I know if I go that route, I'm feeding my emotions not my body and it would be near impossible to take it off again like in my honeymoon stage. So I put that out of my head since being thin is a priority. So big Hugs, hang in there, you have come such a long way. We have all come a long way. Let us count the blessings that we made it this far and we have major improvements in our lives. [emoji3059]

Ugghhh I am 18 months out and have gained back 12 lbs since May… help!!!

goodness me I should take my own advice!!!!! UGH having bread and hot chips way to often these days, it's a slippery slope people stay away from "indulgent foods" as long as you can. I am battling the steady weigh gain train now

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).

No, the SASI slims the excess of the stomach from the sleeve and meets the upper and lower intestines. I was quoted $18,900 for that at IBI Healthcare in Buckhead in Atlanta. The bypass is $14k. I think I’m going to go with the Bypass. My goal is to really stop eating bread and cheese. I am almost a vegan as I’ve cut out every meat, and all sugars. I want this tool to trigger dumping so I can really stop. My weight gain recently is due to starch and stress. And, I also stopped going to my therapist and my nutritionist. I’m restarting my therapy right now. Unfortunately, I’m back at my starting weight from back in 2017 which is 240. So, I’m a bit defeated by the recent weight gain. I’m hoping to start again with the process this week or next week. Since my goal is to lose 90 lbs, I don’t think the ESG would work for me.

I'm so right there with you. When we way a lower amount, our bodies just don't want to let the weight go. But it's GOTTA GO!!!

CartyGirl98 you're not doing anything wrong. I just saw my surgeons PA yesterday and was told that in the first 2 weeks you will lose from 7-15 pounds. Sounds like you are right on track. I am just finishing up my last day of pureed foods. At the beginning of starting it, I gained 2 pounds. I am down a total of 13 pounds since surgery on 9/22/23. Hang in there. When is your follow up?

I'm guessing it could be a stall, but when I do lose, it's soooo little and it takes soooo long. I can tell you this.....my body might like this weight, but I sure don't. There has to be a way to force my body past this point so I can lose the rest. No way do I want to stop 50 pounds away from my goal weight. No way, no how.

@summerseeker summed it up well. It does get better & easier. Allow your body to take the time it needs to recover & get used to the changes - it has been through a lot. It will take the time it needs & you can’t control that. And same with your head. Remember too you’re likely experiencing a wash of hormones which are messing with your emotions (all the estrogen stored in your fat being released as you lose weight) - it can be a roller coaster. There may be days you feel you’re going nowhere or even going backwards but you’ll have fewer of those days & they’ll happen less often. I didn’t hit my protein & fluids for a while & my surgeon was okay with it because I was making an effort & slowly getting closer. I still drink all night too. I found warm drinks easier to tolerate. Are you allowed green or herbal teas? Ginger tea may help with your nausea. Try spreading out when you take your vitamins to reduce the nausea taking them can cause - I took half in the am & half in the pm. All the best.

The last pounds are the hardest to lose. A real b*tch. But could you be experiencing a stall. I recall you were prone to them with your sleeve. Also don’t forget your new set point. Could this be the weight your body is happiest at?? How long has it been since you lost anything? For those who are interested, Dr Matt Weiner posted a video about set point (metabolic thermostat) a couple of days ago. Others, like Dr John Pilcher, will likely have good videos too.

I would never have believed I’d ever be able to eat 1500 calories and not only maintain my weight but also not gain. I’d gain weight eating 1200 calories before surgery. It took me a good 2 months to barely lose 4kgs (about 8lbs) eating less than 500 calories with the last diet I tried! The boost to your metabolism the surgery gives you is amazing. You’ll have a new norm. How much of a boost is unknown. But the calculator will give you an idea of how much you may be able to consume - it’s still just statistics based on a narrow range of factors. Then it just depends on your body/metabolism, medications, genetics, etc. Use it as a guide & see how you go in practice.

Oh that BMR calculator made me laugh... It estimates around 2,000 calories at my current weight and about 1,600 at my goal weight! Both are actually higher than my norm. I average around 1,200 to 1,400 calories a day (yes, tracking EVERYTHING, even drinks and junk). I've averaged that for the last 10+ years and still managed to gain about 100 lbs. But medications and health conditions helped with that gain... Still, if I actually end up at around 1,600 a day with no exercise and no gains I'll be one happy bunny! I guess it really is a matter of perspective and what we are used to. I've always thought the 2,000 calories a day thing was a load of garbage. Caloric needs vary widely depending on body composition, activity level, health issues, etc... I'd hate to see what weight I'd be at if I was actually eating those 2,000 calories it thinks I need right now.

It's driving me completely crazy. Nothing I do is getting it off. Working out...no. Changing up what I do on my workouts....no. Sticking to my diet.....no. Being even more strict with my diet.....no. Easing up my diet a bit.....no. Doing easier workouts.....no. Carb blockers...no. Appetite suppressants....no. Supplements to speed up metabolism.....no. I absolutely REFUSE to stay at this weight, but I truly don't know what else to do......I'm LITERALLY going out of my mind. I need to lose these last 50 pounds, and absolutely nothing is helping. Just needed to vent about it and get it out of my system.

Well done you Fred. You (YOU) have lost loads of weight after your surgery and I'm so glad you're now seeing the benefits! 😍 As an atheist I have absolutely no idea how and why you would want to attribute all your hard work and your loss to some deity or other but - yunno - absolutely good on you if you need to do that! We all get though our surgery and lose our weight in whatever way we can. I don't do that but kudos to anyone who needs to and does. Onwards and downwards.

Just did my 3 month check up yesterday (my actual 3 full months is on October 10th) ... I've lost 60 lbs since surgery day on July 10th... I've actually gained more muscle also (I've been lifting weights while on this journey. I had a goal to lose 100lbs in the first 4 months but I'm satisfied with the path I'm on now.

I’m getting to the 1 year post operative point and just to slow my weight loss my minimum calorie intake was set to 2300 calories, very hard to do and follow my desire to only eat whole non processed food, so they have asked me to stop exercising until I can get 2300 a day and stay at a steady weight. It’s actually really hard to consume that whole foods to hit that 2300 calorie goal. Anyone else have similar problems?

(Also my status update, btw) It's finally here!! My last day with a "normal" digestive system. Tomorrow morning I go in at 10:15am to check in, go through all the pre-flight checks (IV, vitals, sign consents, talk to anesthesia and my surgeon, etc), then into the OR I go! This process has taken what seems like forever. Way back in April of 2022, I saw a general surgeon to have a Nissen Fundoplication to deal with my (horrible!!) reflux and repair my hiatal hernia. Problem was....my weight made it so there would be a high risk of both failure after a couple years and potential complications. He then suggested I see a bariatric surgeon (which was the first time anyone had ever made that suggestion. So off I went to see bariatrics. From the first appointment, Dr. Beekley was nothing but supportive. He never once belittled me over my weight, or made me feel like I was making excuses for my health. The entire team has been awesome. They keep up with me in myChart, letting me know what Pre-op clearances I needed, or if anything extra was needed from other providers (which, given all my health issues, there was always something extra that was needed lol). But all that hoop jumping was worth it. Now I'm packing my bag and getting ready to have my life completely changed for the better. While I may be increasingly nervous the closer I get to that OR, I'm also excited beyond belief. I've been stuck in this messed up body for entirely too long, and I can't wait to start leaving it behind and meet the woman I know is inside.

Hi there, Generally doing okay but have had a couple of bad days where I’ve struggled with cramps and bloating. Drinking water going well but some foods still upset my tummy. Weight loss has been steady. Lost 26kg ( 57.2 lbs) since my surgery on the 17th of July. Have my 3 month check up soon.

Hi there, Generally doing okay but have had a couple of bad days where I’ve struggled with cramps and bloating. Drinking water going well but some foods still upset my tummy. Weight loss has been steady. Lost 26kg ( 57.2 lbs) since my surgery on the 17th of July. Have my 3 month check up soon.

Going in for surgery on Monday for the exact same thing, I have Hiatal Hernia and severe GERD/Acid Reflux. I also gained back a bit of weight, so I'm definitely looking forward to having another chance at this.

It’s an interesting issue. I do understand the questions it might raise when your health professional makes a decision about their life you don’t understand such as feeling she did not think she really had a weight issue that would necessitate her taking Ozempic. I had questions & worried about my injectables nurse (not as serious as with your Dr). I liked her & how she treated me. She was cautious. She was a friend of a friend’s daughter & they both saw her. Then one day I went for my appointment & her face was deformed (well it was in my eyes). Overdone the fillers I thought. I couldn’t understand why she did as she was very attractive without it & questioned how cautious she really was in her treatments with me & others if she did that to herself. I commented upon it with my friend expressing my concern. Turned out she was pregnant & was having a terrible time with morning sickness, fluid retention & other issues which caused the ‘deformed’ look. So yes, I think the questions & doubts that arise are a pretty natural reaction. Usually we don’t know the real story behind why someone choses to do something or what they are experiencing & we never may. Doesn’t mean their care for us is any less. But it is your decision how you manage it. You have to feel comfortable & secure with them, their recommendations & treatments. The over prescribing issues is a whole other debate. I’d hope as your health improves & your blood work & other tests show you don’t need all your current meds she will stop prescribing those you don’t need any more. I’ve been fortunate with my doctors & I’ve been with my current GP for about 25 yrs but I worry about the day she retires. She initially had her own practice but joined one of those big chain medical clinics a couple of years ago. I dislike the impersonal nature of the staff but thankfully she is the same. My 83yr old mother is struggling to find a new GP after hers decided to specialise in skin cancers. She is finding establishing a new relationship, trust & respect difficult as well as having to go over 83 yrs of medical history with each one she has tried. They probably will start to think she is shopping different doctors to get additional drugs except they’ve all been at the same clinic so far. PS - Many of us experience our faces looking gaunt as we near our lowest weight. Remember my uncle telling me I looked like death (not to my face but to my mum). It settles over a few months as we know. Sure I look older than before (I am 58 not 21 so I should) but I look like real me. I don’t have fat distorting my features anymore. I love having a chin & jawline now, my hooded eyelids have practically vanished, my neck is thinner & longer & I have freakin’ cheekbones.

What about adding a higher calorie shake like the Ensure Complete Nutrition, which has 350 calories in a 10 oz serving? It's generally considered too high in calories for using if you're trying to lose weight, but if you had three of those per day, you'd be getting 1050 calories and 90g protein right there before even having soft foods. You should be able to manage that amount capacity-wise with no problem. They have 8g fat and 15g added sugar, which might cause some risk of dumping, but I would think it would be worth a try. It seems like you'll need to hit about 1400 calories per day minimum to stop losing weight, whereas in the early days the guidelines you get from the doctor that are intended for weight loss may put you well under 1000.