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Yup, the 3 week stall is real. It varies as to when it strikes you but it seems to get everyone. It is the body recalibrating after surgery to the reduced calories and weight loss. It'll break, sometimes it takes a few weeks to do so, but it will break! Make sure you are all tracking your measurements, often people lose inches but not lbs...

Definity do what your Dr says. I just got cleared to lift 25lbs at my two-week post op and I am allowed to do moderate cardio (walking or elliptical) but not the HIIT program on the elliptical like I used to do before surgery. I was told moderate cardio because my calorie intake is low, not because of healing. I did ask how long it takes for your insides to heal and I was told on average 8 weeks for most weight loss surgeries and with roue en y it is 8 weeks for the main part and 12 weeks for the side because you move that part of your abdomen more. I had roux en y and I was also told I was healing better than most people at this point.

I stopped at 10 months, when I reached my goal weight, but things really slowed down those last couple of months... 1 or 2 pounds a month. I see that your goal weight requires you to lose another 40 lbs. I don't want to be discouraging, but that's going to be hard given the front loaded trajectory of weight loss surgery. Keep going, but there is a limit. It will be increasingly hard to maintain 800-1000 calories... and no matter how low you keep your calories, the body eventually stops cooperating. Congratulations on all of your hard work and tremendous success!

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.

Hi, i'm almost 3 month out, got my Bypass on 1. September 2023, i Had a lot of problems, and a lot of ER Visits, it seems like the Exit of my Pouch narrowed down so much that i couldn't even Drink anymore, they Stretchted it to 1,2cm's the "normal" size should be 3cm, they Already told me i need a Second Surgery and one of my surgeons said that maybe the Doctor who did that did it on purpose so i would "lose weight better!" with a giggle, What an A-Hole. I'm kinda off all things i've read on that Topic, i can't eat any kind of meat or Cheese, it would not sit well and i will Vomit a lot. I Live after 3 Month, Out of Protein Yoghurts and Pudding. I can tolerate Crisp Bread, but again can't do something on it very much, i'm Kinda at a loss Right now, But i Lost in that 3 month's around 40Kilogramms. but i feel pretty bad in General, since i feel like "i will never be able to eat even the Portion sizes i should with bypass".

I wish I knew what they have planned. They are supposed to call me to explain, but so far the only person I've spoken with is the guy who answers the phone, and he probably wasn't supposed to tell me anything. He just said, "unfortunately, the center is closing, so..." The worst part is, I've been a patient there for almost 7 years, doing nutritional and medical weight loss. I love my endocrinologist there, and the nutritionists, the staff. If they are losing their jobs, I will cry. And they are always so busy I don't see how they can afford to close. I am so mad because I had a chance to move my surgery to right before Thanksgiving, but I had to pass because it was too last minute for figuring out the childcare. Now I'm kicking myself. Literally, my insurance approval is in and everything. I have a pantry of protein powders and a bookcase of bariatric cookbooks. I have watched every video on the planet. I just needed my final pre-test, which was supposed to be next week. My mom had booked a hotel in Harvard Square to be close by the night of the surgery and take me home the next day. The kids would be off school for winter break. Now I have no idea where anything stands. I will still have my insurance for January because my husband's job doesn't start until a few days into the month so we'll have paid the premium for January, but as of February it'll have to be the new insurance, and I don't yet know what they cover, or even which insurance company it is. Plus, my deductible starts over on Jan 1, naturally.

Stalls are common & a necessary part of your weight loss. It’s when your body stops & assess the changes you’ve made & resets things like digestive hormones, metabolism, etc. based on your changes & new needs. Think of it as your body taking a breath to understand the stress you’ve been putting it through. Once it understands what you now need, your weight loss will start again. Stick to your plan, don’t stress your body more. Your stall will break when your body is ready. They usually last between 1-3 weeks but it can be longer. Can be difficult to compare what others are doing or achieving at a certain point in time. I was barely eating 900 calories at 6 months. Barely touched a carb except what was in vegetables & fruit & barely any sugar (still average less than 10g added sugar a day often only 5g). Most are eating way more than that. With your calorie intake you will still lose weight but I agree, your dietician is your best help.

I agree with the others. Plus this is the time to really work on healthier eating habits. That's not to say you can never have those things again (because you can, at least occasionally), but really use these first few months when you're not as burdened by hunger to "upgrade" your eating habits. It'll pay off big in the end - plus healthy food choices are good for so many things, not just weight loss.

No more than usual for me. I was and will always be a Klutz. Last month , I had a freak accident with the refrigerator door. Tore my big toenail off while closing it. Stuff like that could only happen to me. LOL You lost alot of weight - our bodies have to readjust to everything . Maybe this is just another adjustment it's making. That's just a guess. If it really starts to bother you , mention it to someone on your team. They can put your mind at ease.

most people with bypass don't have complications- and of those who do, they are usually minor and correctable (or in the case of dumping, preventable). Major complications with bypass are pretty rare. only about 30% of bypass patients dump. I never have, and neither do most of the other bypass patients I know. For those who do dump, it can usually be prevented by not eating a bunch of sugar or fat at one sitting (which none of us should be doing *anyway*). I threw up occasionally the first few weeks after surgery when I ate too much, too fast, or something that my stomach wasn't going to tolerate, but now I throw up about as often as I did pre-surgery - that is, very rarely. And as for food intolerances, most of those are temporary, but some can become permanent. But you'll figure out what your body will and won't tolerate pretty quickly. re: only eating a couple of bites of food. That's only in the first few weeks after surgery. For the last several years, no one would be able to tell I've had bypass surgery by watching me eat. They'd just assume I'm a "light eater", like many of my women friends who've never been obese. When I go to restaurants, if I'm not that hungry, I'll order something like an appetizer, soup, or a salad. If I AM hungry, I'll order an entree, eat half of it, and box up the rest to take home. Most of my women friends do the same thing. you're probably seeing more issues with bypass for two reasons: 1) it's a much, much more common surgery than SADI. As in a LOT more people have bypass than SADI, so of course you'll see more on it. 2). after people get over the first few weeks (which can be tough with either surgery), they usually only post when they're having some issue, because they're looking for advice or support. People who've never had issues (which would include most of us) aren't likely to post that everything is hunky-dory. as far as which to choose, they're both good surgeries. Advantage of SADI is it's a stronger surgery, and you'll likely lose more weight with it. Disadvantage is regular doctors (as opposed to bariatric surgeons) know a lot more about bypass than they do about SADI, so your PCP may not be able to help you if you have issues - they may have to refer you to a bariatric specialist (which, of course, is fine - but just something to keep in mind). Also, if you have GERD, bypass is usually the better choice, since it tends to improve GERD, if not outright cures it. SADI involves a sleeved stomach, which can cause GERD in some people (or make it worse if they already had GERD before surgery). It doesn't happen to everyone, but it IS a risk... good luck with your decision!

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.

March 7th... I'm down 63 and the team would like me to be at a loss of 75-85 at a year, so I hope I can make it. I'm at my lowest adult weight, which is great, but I can eat a wide variety of food, and being home all day makes it tough to not oversnack. But feeling pretty good and thankful most days!

You will do fine. Being anxious is normal. I had the sleeve on 10/27 and had no issues at all. I was never even tired. At times I question whether I even had the surgery (which I have heard from others) because I have had no pain, nada. I was tired and dizzy the first day after surgery, but that is normal. I am losing weight (and following my doctor's recommendations exactly), and I have no hunger (except some head hunger--which I counteract by trying to focus on what is really going on--smells of food being one). Remembering your why is a very good way to deal with head hunger or any other obstacle you might experience. So many people say this, but it really is the choices you make on a daily basis. As to wiping your butt, they want you up and walking ASAP to get rid of the gas--if you can walk, you can wipe your butt. Good luck!!

5.5 Years Out Hi all - I used to be very active on these forums, but as I continue on my journey I have found myself relying less and less on this platform. I do like to check in occasionally to provide insight, encouragement, perspective, and more to those who are about to begin their journey or in the first few chapters. A little about me- I had VSG surgery in May of 2018. My highest weight was about 260 and I was put out on my body and my weight affected all aspects of my life. I lost a total of 140 pounds and have maintained (most) of that weight loss. I am up about 10 pounds in the last year or so, but mostly muscle as I have begun weightlifting so I am not too concerned. I had two plastic surgeries after my VSG to help with loose skin and such. My favorite non-scale victories over the past few years: Being able to walk into any store and find something that works for me Having my boyfriend be able to pick me up as if I weigh nothing Being able to cross my legs when I sit! Feeling cute in my clothes My quality of life is exponentially better My most unexpected experiences: I am ALWAYS cold I quickly pass out if I stand for too long I struggle with iron intake Vitamins can make me feel super sick! I get an upset stomach very easily I suffer from acid reflux (something I never experienced before) My unsolicited advice: Listen to your doctors Get active Drink your water! Eat your protein Having one bad or off day is not an excuse to have a bad week You can still enjoy things in moderation

I am preop and was just reading through the folder my surgeon's office has given me. There's a section called keeping the weight off where they talk about portions after you've gotten past the honeymoon period. They say that a meal should be 3-4 oz of lean protein with 20-25g protein, 1/2 cup of whole grain or starchy vegetables, and then half of the plate is leafy/non-starchy veg and fruit. The most important part for me was where they said: Sometimes portion sizes increase over time. If you feel you are able to eat more at meals, increase the portion of non-starchy vegetables. I would start there, because I think the tendency as appetite increases is to grab a bigger plate and increase everything proportionally. So now you may be eating 5-6 oz protein and 3/4 to 1 cup of starch or grain. And maybe adding in more sauces, more fats, a piece of bread, some alcohol, juice, some sweet treats, a daily snack. My surgeon's plan emphasizes keeping to 3 meals per day without snacking once you're past the first few weeks where you need to supplement with protein shakes just to meet minimum protein goals. But if you can regularly get 20-25g protein at a meal, plus 1/2 cup starch or grain and some veg/fruit, you don't need to eat more than 3 times per day, 4-6 hours apart. This is something that isn't always made clear. When I started this journey, I was certain that gastric bypass would mean having to eat lots of small meals all throughout the day, which is exactly what I'm being told not to do! But you do need to get at least 64oz of water or more all the time, and you can add as much veg and fruit as you need to feel full. I think that is where I would start in your position. Go back to measuring your meals, setting timers to remind you when your meal times are if you need to, eating only food you prepare yourself and/or know exactly what's in it. Check your cupboards for temptations and get rid of them. Pay attention to the urges you have to do something that isn't part of your plan, because that's probably going to show you the problem areas and help you figure out how to change. And most of all, give yourself a little bit of grace, because this isn't easy (no matter what people try to say). Take care of yourself. Get enough sleep. Get fresh air and exercise. Be kind to yourself.

Don't feel bad about 10-20 lb regain. I'm about 11-12 years out from Gastric sleeve surgery. I had it back in 2012, starting at 183 lbs, got down to my lowest of 185 lbs, then from 2016 through 2023 regained back up to 283 lbs. Earlier this year (around march / april of 2023), I was up to 297 lbs. I'm currently hovering around 280-285 lbs pretty consistently, and I'm starting the process to hopefully get the DS surgery. So, take it from me, don't feel bad about the small setback, recognize it and tackle it as soon as possible, because I didn't do that for myself, and I am kicking myself every day. I'm excited, reading these posts, that there are people with DS who eat things like steak and sushi....I love steak; and I love Japanese cuisine (sushi, ramen, hibachi, etc.). Secretly, I've been scared/nervous that I wouldn't be able to eat some of the things I really enjoy ever again after DS. I understand, though, that I'll have to limit my rice intake, and that seems fair enough for weight loss. Lately, I've been enjoying eggs; and I'll take a ribeye anytime and any day I can get my hands on it!

Hey Alex! I’m so glad you took the steps towards a healthier life at 31. I have been struggling with weight for my whole life. I have raised two kids, limited with things I could do with them. Ji feel days I have robbed them of memories that we could have made together. Now here I am at 55 and I ,reading your post, feel everything you’re feeling. I now have two grandchildren and the first time I took them to the fair and I was not able to go on the rides with them. It was a flashback to not being able to do things with my kids. So I took the leap too. My surgery is 12/27. sorry got sidetracked, yes the liquid diet is hard. Don’t be so hard on yourself for a slip of having a piece of cheese. The important part is you didn’t binge! That slip up is in the past. What you do today is what is important. Start over. I have taken a new thought on food. Everything I ate yesterday is done. My choices and decisions today is what is important. Find something to keep you busy. If you feel like “slipping “ take a walk then come back. Take a drink of water, shake, or make a smoothie. I have downloaded some mind games that take a lot of thinking. I will sit and play the game and before I know it time has past and it is either meal time or bedtime. I am focusing on the restrictions are only for 8 weeks. Two pre and 4-6 post. I keep reminding my self it is 8 weeks out of the 8+years I have to enjoy my new life! sorry for rambling. Wishing you the best with your surgery

Thank you all for the kudos. I'm wondering if my dramatic weight loss is partly due to malabsorption; I'm pretty vigilant about taking my supplements and focusing on protein. I'm going to go get tested for SIBO tomorrow- I had it before surgery and it was pretty awful. This time, it isn't quite as acute, but despite my care in diet, I find that food passes through. I did that crazy expensive anti-B the last time-- rifaximin-- not sure I want to spring for that again (cost is over 2k for a bottle of pills with a $700 co-pay-- the retail price for the drug outside of the States). Anyway, I should know the results quickly- the gastro I've been using is very good. And I cannot stress enough getting in some strength training, particularly if you are older. Even though I felt sort of lousy thing morning, working out made me feel better.

That is such a worthy cause for weight loss, I wish you nothing but success!! I haven't had surgery yet so I can't comment on when losing stops. But I do know you need to be careful not to cut your calories too low after surgery. It will trash that newly reset metabolism and make weight loss even harder. I know it is counter intuitive but you have to fight that instinct to go so low. I'd advise a good heart to heart talk with your surgeon and dietitian. There are options to boost your weight loss if it stops (like meds), but if you keep your calories too low your body is going to start thinking it is starving for real and hold on to every pound to protect you. 💚

Hi November 21 guys!!!! Exactly 2 years to the day since my sleeve so I need to post something to mark the date. I've lost exactly half my body weight since my surgery. I can't believe that - way beyond what I ever expected and I know it's just the luck of the draw but I feel so blessed to be in this position. The figures tickle me, LOL. My maintenance calorie intake has settled around 1500. I don't think I'll ever be able to exceed that without regaining. That's fine - a small price to pay. I still track absolutely everything I eat and I think I always will. I can chug about 7 or 8 swallows of a drink (strangely this is the thing that bothered me most NOT to be able to do over the last 2 years). I am running 2 or 3 times a week. Short distances but my aim when I started this process was to get back to that so - win. Please could you share your experiences of the last 2 years? Good or bad.

I weigh more than you so that's not relevant, but I had the DS surgery 3 weeks ago. You want to talk about rewiring your intestines for weight loss?? Yeah, did that. I had a moment of panic after the surgery when it really truly hit me that I'd permanently altered my body and couldn't predict how it would look 30 years down the road. And then I internally slapped myself and reminded myself that how my life was looking pre-surgery in 30 years was death or disability even worse than what I have now, and that NO ONE can say what their life is going to look like in the next 30 years, or even in the next year. Life doesn't work that way. Nothing comes with guarantees. I was very afraid of the complications a DS can have. But I decided complications from diabetes and high blood pressure and high cholesterol were worse. You may not have these now but you may very well have them in the next 10 years. I was perfectly fine until I was 37. I have had no major complications so far, just some nausea. My tastebuds have changed and it turns out avocado no longer tastes good to me and I can't taste sweet spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. I'm told that will balance out in time, its the hormones playing with my tastebuds like a pregnant woman. For two weeks my stomach did these twisty cartwheels inside me every time I drank or ate something, but that eased too, as I knew it would. I had family and friends rather skeptical of doing this surgery, especially because I am that 1% person who always gets the rare complications from things. But turns out so far I've had a rather boring recovery and I hope that continues to be the case, but if it doesn't, I'll deal with it. Because I no longer want to live the yo-yo life of trying desperately to normalize my weight on my own. I have lost 21 lbs in 3 weeks post surgery! I didn't think this would work for me but it is working... Yes, for the first few weeks getting that water in feels like a huge chore. But eventually you find your groove... Same with protein. And as my dietician reminded me today, they are GOALS, not absolutes that have to be perfect on the first day. I couldn't get down protein drinks for the first two weeks. In the end you will do what is right for you at this time. If you don't do the surgery now you will do it later down the road and be one of the people who wishes they'd done it sooner. I wish I'd known about this option in my 20s, I would have lived a very different life.

it's hard to say how much you're actually burning that doesn't include sedentary/resting etc. I think Fitbits (and other trackers) give you a general idea, but they're not super accurate. And how many calories you burn in an hour depend on how much you weigh, your metabolic rate, what you're doing, and your intensity. I've been tracking my calories like a hawk for years, so I think the 300 kcal an hour I seem to be getting from fairly intense cardio is probably in the right ballpark. It takes about 1600 kcal a day for me to maintain my current weight, but if I'm exercising a lot during any given week (about an hour a day), I can eat up to 1900-ish without my weight starting to head up (of course, you have to take into account normal weight fluctuations, too - but at any rate, I do seem to be able to increase my calories by up to 300 or so if I'm doing a lot of cardio). also, the person who said that over the long run, strength training will increase your metabolism is correct. The more muscular you are, the more calories. you'll burn even at rest. So strength training by itself doesn't burn all that many calories, but over time, it'll boost your metabolic rate.

I had my surgery July 4th and the good news is that I am down 60lbs but the bad news is that I ended up between July 3rd and Nov 1st spending 12.5 weeks in hospital with complications following the surgery. I had pancreatitis and then also got infections as the surgery didn't completely close my stomach so I ended up with a small hole. Ended up having a number of gastroscopes, tubes fitted to my stomach and back to drain the infection and now have an internal tube fitted in my stomach, which will eventually (I hope) make its own way out as my stomach heals. Had really bad reflux until about two weeks ago when I started taking tablets with simeticone so it has eased considerably. Still in pain often, feels like my stomach is either bruised or pulled muscles. It is great to have lost the weight, especially as the hospital had me on feeding tubes with nutrients etc., but at the present time I feel like I would not recommend this surgery to anyone unless it was life or death. I lost the last few months of my life basically and know that the trauma is effecting me, can't sleep much (partly due to the pain and partly due to not being able to shift the hours the nurses would wake me), feel exhausted and also feel a bit weepy at times.

BTW this is what BSBCNC said to me. They just seem like they auto deny and don't even check records as we have been so compliant and have plenty of evidence. It sucks because I don't even live in NC - I only have this because I work remoltely for a company in NC and live in CA.. We are gearing up for the peer 2 peer now but here is what was said: Revision of a primary bariatric surgery to a gastric bypass is covered when you meet one of the following scenarios: (1) You have regained weight after your original surgery. In this case, you must continue to meet basic criteria for weight loss surgery, including nutritional and psychological assessments, and you must have documentation of compliance visits (including compliance with nutrition and exercise recommendations) after your previous weight loss surgery (2) You have severe reflux disease that has not been responsive to optimal medical management (maximum medication therapy, diet alteration with the assistance with a nutritionist, and change in activity and positioning). Failure of medical management must be documented, and studies to support persistent untreatable reflux must be submitted. Review of your provided records reveals that you have regained weight after your previous surgery; however, we have not been provided with compliance records from your prior post-surgical visits. Additionally, it does not appear you have undergone optimal medical management for your reflux or that studies show severe signs of reflux.

hi My dr doesnt worry about Protein for the first month.That doesnt sit right with me at all as I know our bodies need the Proteins.Usually when people up their proteins to the 60g minimum we need,they lose weight faster anyhow. Please tell me on day what did you start taking protein after the surgery? Thanks for all the smart advice that always pours in.It is so difficult to be completely objective about stuff at this point. xxo