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it's not at all uncommon for menstrual cycles to be affected by WLS. Lots of women report changes in their cycles - or have mood swings - the first few weeks after surgery. Estrogen is stored in fat cells, and this is supposedly due to estrogen being released during the rapid weight loss period. It'll eventually stabilize when your weight loss slows down.

you might be able to eat that much - as I said, it's a lot of trial & error to figure out what your maintenance level is - although since those of us who've been obese usually have to eat fewer calories to maintain the same weight as someone who's never been obese has to, you may not be able to get that high. Although then again, if you're really active, you might. You'll just have to experiment once you're at your goal.

I'm sorry you regained, that is so frustrating! 80 lbs in 3 months is a lot, I'd talk to your doctor about checking your thyroid and your fasting glucose level... Most of us gained weight during Covid due to less physical activity, comfort eating, and more time and accessibility to snacks. Snacking is notorious for gaining weight back after surgery. The hard thing is we don't feel like we've changed anything big in our eating habits but unless you are tracking literally everything you put in your mouth you really won't notice how much extra you are eating. Changing drinks from water to other things is a big culprit too and easier when we are at home next to the fridge. And tasting things/snacking while cooking. There is no shame in regain IMO, life happens in unpredictable ways. Covid was a huge hit for most of us and caused a lot of changes in living habits just to get through! I haven't had surgery yet but I gained about 50 lbs in the years around Covid, I'm immune compromised so was on strict lockdown for forever. Converting to a DS can help with more weight loss and maintaining weight loss better, it has the highest statistics for total excess weight loss and weight maintenance. However since it is a conversion for you (not a virgin surgery) the weight loss will be slower than it was with the initial sleeve surgery. You will still lose weight with it if you are diligent, you can still get the weight off if you got it off before, but in order to do that you need to figure out what is causing you to gain weight so you can correct it and help the surgery work. Revisions can be game changers for some, but they aren't miracle workers, they still require hard work and effectively using your tool.

I too had a stall (RNY) and was shocked because my food consumption was almost nothing. I checked with the surgery NP and was told this is quite common because my body was focused on healing not losing weight at this point. Once I started eating more and after about 5 weeks post surgery I started losing ~ 2 lbs a week. Seems slow but I'll take it. I Just keep plugging along and we will get there. I was so hoping for new knees by Christmas but at this rate (I still have 40 lbs to lose to be at required BMI) I guess it'll be by early Spring, hopefully.

I’m a non traditional exerciser like @summerseeker. I lost all my weight & more too. (Exercise only contributes to about 10% of any weight you want to lose.) Not that I can’t go to the gym or go running or whatever, I simply don’t enjoy it. I upped my general activities like parking further away from where I was going, did multiple trips up & down my stairs to bring things up, etc. As you start to lose weight you’ll find these things or other activities easier to do. It just will take time especially as you’re really staring from scratch with your fitness. Can I suggest buying some resistance bands. I got mine from Kmart. I started using them about 10 months or so ago to do some stretches & also do wall push-ups to support my back to maintain my flexibility. Most are on the floor. I do short burst of a couple of minutes about 4 times a day (called exercise snacking). You should see my arms & knees. Not bulging muscles but nice definition which I prefer. It’s a matter of finding what works for you & you enjoy & it may change as you progress. All the best.

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.

If it's a surgeon's requirement, could you find another surgeon who doesn't have this requirement? If it's an insurance requirement, then there isn't really a workaround. I wasn't required to lose any weight or stay at my pre-surgery weight beforehand. Just a thought.

I'm going to try and keep this from being too long, but there's so much to say!!! First I'll start with my newest NSVs. I'm officially in a size 18 clothes (from my original size 30), size 10 shoes (from my original size 11), size 6 1/2 ring (from my original size 10), 18" chain on a necklace (from my original 24" chain), and 2x jacket (from my original 4-5x). I can now comfortably fit on a massage table without fear of it creaking or breaking. I can now ride a bike because I'm within the weight limit. I now am able to hit my favorite thrift stores and walk out with seriously cute clothes that look nice, sit well on me, and actually fit comfortably!! My asthma is almost completely gone (I only have it when I get super sick now instead of all the time). My blood work came back and my hormone levels are almost in the normal range (I have PCOS) and my cysts that completely COVERED both ovaries are totally gone (without having taken any meds or done any hormone therapies!!) I did a 6 mile hike this past weekend with my son. I am completely pain free and am able to go full on beast mode with my workouts again. I can go up 5 flights of stairs before I need to stop and rest. Now for my new chapter in life and old dreams becoming new again. So years ago, I wanted to become a nurse. I completed all of the academics with a 4.0, aced all the labs, but couldn't do any of the clinicals because I couldn't do all the walking, I was 400 pounds, and my health/joints/back were way too bad. So I gave up on it. Then about 2 years later, I thought "well, maybe I can be a medical assistant. Surely THAT'S not as hard" and once again, I couldn't do the externship because I couldn't do the physical stuff. So I went into other areas for work, ballooned up to 421 pounds, worked remotely, and made good money. I loved what i did, but there was always a part of me that regretted not being able to go into the medical field. That was my heart's desire. So fast forward to now. I'm between jobs and miserable. I had to stop working because of all my complications from my first surgery. Now that I've been cleared, I can't get hired anywhere. So I decided that now is a great time to go back to my dream of working in the medical field. So on Sept 5th, I start school to become a certified pediatric oncology medical assistant. Most of my previous credits transfer over, so I only have about 6 months of academics to do and then the externship. Then I sit for my certification exam and then I get to finally FINALLY do what I've always wanted to do. By my 46th birthday next June, I should be right where I want to be, doing what I want to do, and hopefully at my goal weight. I'm sitting here in tears as I type this, because I thought this was something I would never see happen. I resigned myself to being morbidly obese, extremely unhealthy, and needing a cane to get around. I may not be at my goal weight (the weight comes off a lot slower with a revision, and also as your bmi gets smaller and you get closer to your goal) but I believe eventually I'll get there. But the things this surgery is giving to me, the dreams I can live out, the health and wellness and years of my life I'm getting back..... it was all worth it. The complications, the uncertainty, the pain and healing and stalls.... all completely worth it. We all start this journey wanting the numbers on the scale to go down. But there's SO MUCH MORE this surgery gives you. I will never, ever regret my decision. Never.

Oooh I hope this is going to be a fascinating thread - what is 'it's gone too far' - is it in the eye of the beholder?? We might all have our own idea of that. Thanks for the chance to discuss this OP!! I get asked pretty regularly now whether or not I am well (I SO AM) and whether or not I planned to lose this much weight (I SOOOOO DID). The inference being - you at best look thin of face and body, or at worst look really unwell (in that person's eye). I filter/ignore those comments depending on how much I trust/want to hear about that person's eye! I think allowing people to do what they want to and need to with their bodies for their own reasons without judgement is probably a good thing on a general and totally generic level. I know it can be difficult when people go beyond what we ourselves are comfortable with, and then that it goes up another level if they do things well outside our norms AND societal norms. If they are not hurting anybody then fantastic. Honestly you do you - if you want to have a skeletal face (and get paparazzi to follow you and your daughter for a day of "shopping") and it feels good to you then dooooooo it! And make your money out of it if you need that too. Absolutely ready for a big old discussion on this one. 😍

I am new to this site. My RNY is scheduled for June 28th and I have kind of been obsessing lately. Scouring the web for articles and success stories---it is how I manage my nerves. It is nice to finally find a user friendly and active site for support and help. Looking forward to getting to know everyone. I'm 36 yrs old and a mother of three. (Ages 7, 9, and 15) I've been heavy all my life except for about 6 years through most of high school and part of college when I was running track and very involved in gymnastics. Those days are over now. Weight loss is my ultimate goal but I also suffer from sever acid reflux. The doctors assure me that the RNY will cure or at the very least greatly improve the condition. To me that is as much of a motivator as the mirror has ever been. At the moment I am trying out different Protein shake recipes and dieting to prep for surgery. Anybody else doing this?

I had stalls thru out my journey. One stall was 5 months. After that stall I lost a huge amount of weight very quickly. If you noticed how your body is acting with carbs cut the carbs.

well i actually wasn't trying, really. i recently quit smoking (going on 2 months now, yay me!) and i was worried that i would gain weight trying to quit, so i've been extra vigilant about what i eat and i ended up losing those lbs. i guess i was surprised that 3 lbs were even noticeable, even more so that people seem still feel like they have a say in my weight. le sigh.

Any over 50 sleevers? Did you find the weight after surgery came off faster/slower than someone younger?

I agree. It's all trial and error. I stay in and around 2000, and I have been maintaining since December. When I started maintenance, I tried to stay below 1600, but that wasn't enough. I ended every day too hungry. More than anything, listen to your body. It will tell you when it needs more food (or needs less). Post-op, most of my head hunger is gone. My body does a good job of telling me when its hungry. I watch my weight like a hawk, weigh every morning. I know some people advise against it, but it works for me.

I have a friend who got roux-en-y in our mid-20s. She lost a lot of weight, I have known her since childhood and she had always been heavy, gaining rapidly in high school. After high school, she had 1 child. She then married someone, got weight-loss surgery, got breast implants and a panniculectomy then proceeded to have a set of twins and two more kids. She managed to lose all of her pregnancy weight, by not gaining excess weight while pregnant and she did not re-stretch her skin. I think you should go for it. In my opinion, you should live in the present. Life has no guarantees, and you want to be comfortable and happy now. You may or may not have children in the future, but don't let the hope of something, hinder your happiness now. The best way to keep a handle on how much your skin might stretch during pregnancy is to monitor yourself, and not gain more than recommended. A couple of scenarios- 1. You meet someone, are not comfortable in your skin and let it hold you back. 2. You meet someone, have children, and are so busy with family life that getting the skin removal surgery is put off for several more years. 3. You have the surgery, you meet someone, have kids and your stomach does not stretch. 4. You have the surgery, meet someone, have kids, your stomach stretches just a little bit you decide it's no big deal or you just have another surgery.

Hi everyone. I was given a referral to the Options Program, but wasn't given any information on surgical options, just the shakes and meals. When I asked the Staff, they said my Dr needs to give me a specific referral before I can talk to anyone in the program. I asked my Dr, he said the referral he gave me should have covered it. What do I need to tell him to do? It took me 4 Dr switches to get one that would even have a discussion on weight loss, most of the Dr's in the past have just said stop eating cookes and drinking soda. When I would tell them I don't eat or drink either, they would then tell me I need to calorie count. We all know where that leads. I am a bit nervous, I have tried just about everything under the sun, done nothing but yoyo, so I am looking to explore the surgical options. I am open advice, the thought of surgery is a bit unnerving. Thank you.

Ooh yours is just a day after mine! I'm scheduled on the 16th for gastric bypass for which I have to be at the hospital at 5:30 am 😴 FINALLY. I first met with my surgeon in November 2021, and after a lot of ups and downs, I have finally made it! I started Ozempic in March this year and have lost 53 lbs, and a total of 68 lbs from my high weight of 276. Today is my last dose, as my surgery is in just over 2 weeks. Feels so weird to say that. Today I had my endoscopy and the doctor told me that I'm cleared. Plus, I found out the other day that my insurance gave their approval, so I'm all set to go! As far as pre-op diet, starting one month before surgery, I've been limited to 45g carbs/day. One week before surgery, I have to do a full liquid diet with a max of 35 carbs/day. Good luck everyone!!!

I agree about the nutritionist visits being a waste of time (imo)...most, not all, of us have researched, dieted and know what we should and how we should eat for years as we have fought the weight...its whether we actually do it. Mine consisted of 5 mins of you doing this, you doing that..."yes" ok..see you next time. Its all insurance hoops!

Lol 5 years of my fitness pal . Me too! it’s crazy to see the fluctuations thru the years.. goal weight of 115. . Went down to 90 lbs. then went back to 110. And 115. I hover around 110. This scares me. is this a stall waiting to come for another big weightloss

ALSO, what kind of exercising are you doing? If you aren't, definitely start. Either water exercises, or walks, or basic floor and chair exercises (lots of beginner workouts for free on youtube). You are FOR SURE going to have to exercise after the surgery, so you want to start that now, as well. And again, it will help you lose the weight you need to qualify for the surgery.

I’ve been worried these past few weeks, since I went on a work trip and felt I messed up with my eating plans. I honestly think I have hit a stall because of this. I’m not seeing or feeling any changes in the way my clothes fit. HOWEVER.... I just had my yearly OB check up, and for the first time in over 20 years... there weren’t any cysts on my ovaries!!! I have been diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) since I was about 17-18, when I was still a healthy weight. It’s something that wouldn’t go away with diets, medicine, or anything else. NOW, 8 months after my WLS, still weighing about 50 lbs (23Kgs) more than I did as a teenager, I’m PCOS-free, with no meds!!! And chatting about it with my medical team, they reminded me that the changes are not only on the scale.. but the overall improvement of our health. And not to let a little bump on the way (trip) or a stall to negate all the progress that I’ve made.

Hey there veterans! I'm 18 months post-op, in maintenance for 9 months. My weight has remained rock solid stable with maybe a 1 lbs. regain. I'm very pleasantly surprised... and... I don't want to be lulled into complacency. For those of you who have had significant regain, when did your regain start? What do you think led to the regain? Thank you for your insight.

Yes, I do currently I have a nose piercing, 3 dermals in my neck, a conch, a triple ear lobe, and then two more on one lobe so it makes a triangle shape. I also think the little titanium clip the Dr. put inside my right breast should count lol I used to have a double conch, but I took one out and it closed up before I replaced the jewelry. I also used to have a Monroe, labret, tongue, auricle, and double cartilage, I also had my septum done twice but I no longer have it. After surgery, I am going to do my auricle again as well as some other ear designing. I want to also get one more nose piercing next to my current one and another on the other side. After I am happy with my weight I am going to get my belly button done, I never did it when I was younger because I was a kid and only "preppy girls" got that. I personally feel like a hoop is the best jewelry choice for the nose because it is easier/less annoying to take care of and heals better.

Mine is a PA. The key differences between the role of a PA vs. an MD come to light when complex issues arise. MDs have knowledge about complicated conditions that many PAs may not possess. I was not happy to leave my family doc of many years for her to begin with. But my insurance changed with work, and he was no longer considered in network, sadly enough. My company has their own doctors and pharmacy, and the coverage is amazing, but the choice of doctors there are limited. Yes, before ever considering WLS, I wanted to find an internist to sort out all the meds I was on. Some I knew were necessary, some were preventative and some questionable. To be told that I will be on all of them the rest of my life after my bariatric team told me otherwise was disappointing to hear and questionable. She's always been quick to prescribe meds. I didn't see her often but when I did, I always walked away with one or two more. She prescribed Ozempic to me years ago before it became a thing. I didn't take it long, after reading it caused tumors/cancer in mice plus it made me feel horrible every day. Then recently, when I saw her to get a release for WLS, she wanted to put me back on it. I declined. Ironically, we had a discussion about Ozempic face at that time. She told me if I lose too much weight in my face after surgery, to look her up and she will fix it. She owns a business that does fillers. botox etc. So she lives in that world. I guess I've always felt that since she is a PA, she may not be as knowledgeable as an MD when it comes to medication. But I will wait to see what the bariatric team tells me first before deciding anything. Like assuming I would change doctors based solely on her looks? I recently had 3 of her patients tell me they already changed doctors for some of the very reasons mentioned here. So nothing "snap" about it. If anything, I'm biding my time and giving her the benefit of the doubt. For now. Agree... I'm more holistically minded and need a doc who's likeminded. Not someone that hands meds out like candy. I'm not working this hard to be told I can never reverse the need for them. I realize it will take time and I may not be able to eliminate all of them but just never tell me never. Not yet anyway.

I am absolutely terrified today after seeing my consultant. I had gastric sleeve surgery 26/07/2022 not for weight loss but to remove a stomach tumour. January this year I started getting stabbing pains under my left rib but wasn't really having any nausea, sickness or difficulty eating and drinking. After a CT scan in May and an endoscopy in August they found my stomach is strictured/stenosis. Today my consultant has told me the only option is to remove my stomach fully and sew my esophagus to my bowel. He said stretching it is not an option. I have an odd feeling (numerous reasons why) that they botched my operation and are trying to skirt around it. My consultant and surgeon keep changing the story. Like only an insignificant amount of stomach was removed. Then it was a full gastric sleeve performed. Then only a tiny amount removed again. Then the tumour was a GIST (sarcoma cancer). Then its just a benign tumour caused by pancreas cells. I've never known such confusing, arrogant, unsympathetic and clueless consultants and surgeons before - they're very worrying. Especially considering my surgeon is also doing private work for Spire. I'm absolutely broken. Any advice or anyone that has had a similar experience would be appreciated. As a side note this hospital in Liverpool has now given me a fear of hospitals. I was put on an oncology ward which I've been in before in a different hospital. I've always been a regular at hospitals over the last 20 years with pulmonary embolisms, 2 cancer scares, chronic illnesses etc and its always been a pleasant stay (even after surgeries) and a bit of a break and a chance to get some rest as I have 3 children. While in this new hospital after surgery it was like a third world hospital. I was lay in someone elses stale urine for a week before they agreed to change my putrid mattress. I caught scabies on my arm and oral thrush that spread to my esophagus and lungs. There was no shower so I had to wash myself daily in the sink. Finally they allowed me to use the mens shower as there was no womens shower which was literally just a shower cubicle with a door leading onto the corridor, nowhere to hang your towel or clothing and due to a blocked drain the floor/tray was flooded so my feet were in stagnant water along with my towel and clothing on a carrier bag on the floor/tray. By the end of my shower everything was soaking wet so I had to "get dry" with a wet towel and put on wet pyjamas before going to my bed and putting the curtain around to get properly dry and changed again. I had pneumothoraxes under my diaphragm and collar bone but was given the wrong and tiniest amount of pain relief. I was left to withdraw from my daily medication that I've taken for 5 years and left writhing in agony with the gas pain, pneumothoraxes, parasthesia and an intense burning sensation through my veins along with a massive headache, vomiting and aversion to light. No one would listen to me to help me to get my pain level under control and I could go on and on about the lack of care and the feeling of death and impending doom on this ward.