Search the Community

Hello folks! Just wanted to check in to see how everyone is doing. I’ve been hovering at the same weight for a few weeks now BUT am 1.2 pounds away from the Obese 1 category to Overweight. I know BMI isn’t actually a very useful measure of individual health, but still feels like an important milestone! Also, if anyone else was struggling like me to buy new clothes fast enough to keep up with weight loss, I highly recommend Vinted. You can get lots of nice high street brands for like a fiver, and even some designer stuff for shockingly cheap. I genuinely got a whole new wardrobe for £100. Plus you can sell on the clothes that don’t fit (or just donate to charity shops if you’re lazy like me) and the whole system helps to keep fast fashion out of landfills for longer. Win win!

We all lose at our own rate & no rate is right or wrong. But your loss so far is not a slow weight loss. It’s around what many of us lose that first month. Not sure what weight you started at, but unless you weighed in excess of 600lbs (like on the tv show) you are not going to lose large amounts of weight to begin (& even their rate of loss slows as they get smaller). And stalls are very common & almost everyone experiences them. Does your surgeon say you are losing slowly? Are they concerned? Maybe speak with your dietician to review your food choices & calories. But remember you are early out & your body is still healing. Your restricted diet is to support your healing & yes it can limit aspects of your lifestyle to begin. You will be eating more & a wider variety of food in a few weeks. I didn’t feel like I was missing out while I was losing. I went to a 60 birthday 2 weeks after surgery (took my own shake & sipped that), a 40th 6 weeks after surgery, reunions, social gatherings, dinners at restaurants, children’s birthdays, sporting events, travelled, etc. I just made careful food choices. I lost all my weight & more & have maintained +/- a kilo or two (am almost 4 years post surgery). I’ve never been able to do that. My lifestyle still isn’t compromised by how I chose to eat now. Exercise only contributes to about 10% of any weight you want to lose. Want to lose 50lbs, exercising will contribute to 5lbs of that. Of course there are many other benefits to exercising. Personally I didn’t exercise. Got on my treadmill a couple of times but was so tired I almost fell, off it so never got back on. Even now all I do is some stretches, a few resistance band exercises & some sit ups. I wouldn’t burn 30 calories.

Congratulations are your weight loss. Whoo hoo! Unfortunately, you can’t do anything to get rid of that loose skin except surgery. It’s been stretched out & won’t go back to what it was. I describe it as being like a well used hair band or a elastic in well worn old knickers. Once the snap is gone it’s gone. Working out won’t help as it’s loose skin not loose muscle. You’ll build & refine the muscles behind the skin but not the skin itself. And those creams that supposedly tighten skin don’t work either or at the very least don’t help with the excess skin we usually have after weight loss. (They’ll make your skin feel nice & soft though.) There is shape wear available that has been designed for men which will help control your muffin top & abdomen.. You could give that a try see how it goes. Apart from the upper arms, inner thighs & my butt (which has oozed down my thighs) I have a little tummy pooch but find full briefs are usually enough to keep it under control even under close fitting clothing. I do find good posture does help. Slouching when sitting or standing makes that pooch more obvious, I weakened & bought some you beaut fancy & certainly not cheap cream that was supposed to tighten skin & lighten stretch marks. See results in a month. Well it’s been two months. No change to my stretch marks or my skin. At the very least I’d hoped for maybe a little improvement in the creepiness but no. Should have saved my money.

I had surgery at 55 years old. That was 12 years ago. I only told a very small handful of people. My boss at work, who had wls 2 years before I did, and was my weight loss/surgery mentor; and three other trusted people.. I lived 53 years of my life being fat, being called names, and put down for my weight. I was NOT going to share this journey with just anyone. I "hugged" it to myself. It was my gift to me. To health, to longevity and not to impress anyone or anything else. I needed a tool, a way to be successful. And my gastric sleeve was it. I have almost lost half of me. From a size 30 to a size 14 petite. And 12 years later I have more energy now at 67 then I did in my 40's and 50s. When asked how I lost so much weight, I admit to "the sin of omission". My answer is that I eat less and move more. That I eat protein and vegetables and fruit and less carbs. All true. If a very obese person asks, and at some point, I feel like I can trust them, I will share. But it is not my idiot cousin's business nor is it my nosey neighbors. I like wearing normal size clothing. I love fitting in every chair. I don't just tell people about my medical procedures - why would I start with this one ? You do not owe anyone any explanations. It is like asking someone who has blue and pink hair .... "Did you dye your hair ?" "Did you lose weight ??" "yes, thank you for noticing. I love your sweater" they forget they asked, and tell you about their sweater.

I lost about 16 lbs my first month. If you want to call my weight loss slow at 16 lbs my first month, then yes, I hit my goal of 140 lbs and then lost an additional 30+ lbs. I don't think 16 lbs nor 19 lbs a month is a slow loss at all though.

We are such individuals! I heard Dr. Yeo yesterday (Cambridge University weight loss specialist) explain that there are over 200 genes involved in obesity, so we all loose differently. I am loosing slowly and still loosing 18 months out. I am loosing differently than how I lost pre surgery. Lol, I’m not gaining it back like I used to do. It really is a different way of living and checking my feelings. There’s no magic weight elevator down. Weight loss does take sustained effort over time. I’ve had to really dig deep and get therapy and do the work. You have made great progress. If you’re still hungry, talk with your doctor. Get to the bottom of it. Is it your head hunger and need a therapist or do you have a medical issue like needing metformin? Does your center have ongoing support groups? Are you working through dropping other medications? There’s so much going on, you’re doing awesome weight wise!

( I had gastric bypass surgery on January 23,2023. Right after my surgery I was able to walk the halls of the hospital and get a thousand steps in at a time. When I got home reality hit and I felt exhausted! I know I had pain meds during my overnight stay- but- when I got home, I’d sleep all night, wake around 8 am, and then nap from noon to 3. This was my first week home. I barely was awake enough to drink my protein shakes, and sincerely considered trips to the bathroom or to fill my water bottle exercise. The second week I walked almost everyday- one trip around my pond- 1,080 steps. When I’d get inside, I collapsed into my recliner to warm up and rest. But- I still felt tired and not peppy, nor did I see massive weight loss. I am at the end of week 3- beginning of week 4- I’ve lost 20 pounds, am getting my protein requirement I, and 60 plus ounces of water a day, I take my vitamins- but, honestly, I still don’t feel energetic. Oh, I also had a 5 cm hiatal hernia fixed at the time of gastric bypass surgery. I am letting my body sleep when it needs too, respecting that I must exercise , feed and hydrate my body and am just…allowing this journey to unfold at its own pace. I want to be thin, healthy and active, but at this stage- I respect that my body must heal from the trauma of surgery- which is a big deal. I am just grateful to be on this side of surgery, grateful that I had the opportunity to go through it and looking forward to the wonderful life ahead, being healthier, enjoying my family and experiences without unhealthy co morbidities that haunted me before gastric bypass. These are just my thoughts!

19 pounds in one month is in no way slow. If you’re comparing your weight loss to others’, (a) don’t and (b) they probably had a higher starting weight and therefore more to lose. The more excess weight you have, the faster you can lose it, but as you get smaller, it slows down. Each pound is harder to lose than the last. Be patient. You didn’t gain all the weight in a month, and you won’t lose it all in a month. There are many factors that affect your rate of weight loss, and 19 pounds in the first month is excellent.

First of all, give yourself a break; being 2 1/2 years out and having maintained most of your weight loss is a win, so give yourself credit for that. You said yourself you're under a tremendous amount of stress. Any of the options you mentioned (your surgeon, your PCP and your OBGYN) would be good options just to rule out anything that could be contributing (menopause, stress levels, or even just taking a good hard look at where you can make do-able changes that would help). Maybe even all 3. I know you occasionally hear of people doing what they call a "pouch reset" where they follow an abbreviated version of their initial post-surgery diet (i.e. doing only liquids for a few days, then moving on to purees, etc), but I haven't done it and can't speak from experience how well it works. There's information out there on Google if that's something you'd like to read more about.

Starting weight: 262lbs Height 5ft Hi all, I'm just over 1 month post-op (Mini bypass). I lost 14lbs on LRD (2 weeks), and since surgery I've lost 19lbs. I've pretty much had stalls throughout this month and I'm so disheartened that the scales aren't shifting much. Literally everyone else I know that's had surgery lost at a fast rate in their first month and meanwhile I'm chugging behind. I healed extremely fast, tolerate anything I'm cleared to eat and drinking as much fluid as I can. I'm also walking more with my dogs and soon to be cleared to go to the gym. I feel hunger still as well, and to be honest drinking water makes it worse for me. I didn't expect this to be a quick fix but if I have to work out 5 days a week to even go near my target, then surgery was a big waste of money as that just isn't suitable for my lifestyle. The reason I'm saying 19lbs is slow is because before surgery I could easily lose 2st in less than a month, obviously would gain it back but that was the norm for me. Has anyone got a similar story to mine where they started off slow but still hit their target? Thanks

You will do great, remember the preop diet is not for weight loss but for liver shrinkage. Try not to weight yourself so often and you will see the weight fall off.

I gained 100lbs in recovery for an bulimia so I mean this just isn’t true.  You speak about weight gain, and consumption as a compulsion and love affair as if they are inherently the same things and they just aren’t. No one calls alcoholism a love affair with booze, nor is a love affair with food is not inherently the same thing as binge eating disorder or the compulsive eating, addictive behaviors you describe. That’s not love that’s disordered eating and to many people who experience it it feels more like a prison than a romance. Further there are plenty of reasons people gain weight or struggle to lose not limited to medical issues or life long yo-yo dieting socialized in people since childhood resulting in an insurmountably low bmr. It also ignores the idea of a body’s set weight which numerous medical studies have pointed to as a valid hypothesis and part of why wls is one of the only weight loss tools with long term sustainable success. Let’s try to be sensitive that everyone’s story and struggle respect their own personal reflections of it.

P.S. weight loss does slow down a lot the further out you get from surgery. After i hit the year mark, my weight loss slowed down to a crawl - some months I'd lose like a whopping 2 lbs. But I kept at it, and it did eventually come off. The issue is, the smaller you get, the fewer calories your body needs to function. If at your previous weight your body required say, 3000 kcal/day to function, and you were only eating 1000, you're going to lose weight fairly quickly. But if at a lesser weight it only takes 1600 to maintain that weight and you're eating 1000, you're still going to lose weight, but it's going to come off slower.

I cant read that but I have cigna open access plus and it was covered, minus meeting your deductible and all. It will of course depend on your specific plan (not all are the same) and I know that we have EXCEPTIONAL insurance. With my plan, you have to have a BMI over 40 or if under 40 but over 35, at least one comorbidity. In my case, the arthritis in my back and hip was my comorbidity (BMI was 39). I dont have high BP or diabetes, or any of the common ones. My plan did not require a period of attempted weight loss, but did require a letter from my PCP stating I had multiple attempts to lose and would not lose or lose/regain.

I decided to buy myself new scales that included fat/bone/water mass etc, and found out that my water percentage is 35%, meaning I’m incredibly dehydrated. I don’t know if it is water weight I’m holding onto, as my water weight is so low already. I’ve always found it incredibly difficult to consume liquids, especially water as my stomach can only hold so much - even before the surgery. At the moment it takes me about 10-12 hours to drink a litre at most and I’ve tried things like fruit juices and teas etc…I just feel like I’m constantly forcing myself - on top of forcing myself to have protein shakes and soups and all the purées, I spend most of my time having to think about food and drink - planning my days around it - this was the opposite of what I wanted out of my surgery. Anyway, today I hit the 3 week mark and excluding the weight loss from the liver shrinking diet, I’ve lost a grand total of….. 1.1lb. Thank you all for your kind messages of support, but I think it’s safe to say that maybe this sleeve has failed me. I guess it won’t work for everyone, and I’m annoyed at how much money I’ve wasted on this procedure that could have gone towards a house deposit. Apologies for the negativity, I’m just incredibly frustrated and disappointed in myself.

Over the past year, I have truly enjoyed BariatricPal Ready To Shake Instant 15g Protein Drink. They have assisted me with my 75lb weight loss. My question is why are there sometimes clumps of powder in my shakes? I insist that I am doing the same prep every time but not every shake comes out clump free. Anyone have any suggestions?

I had Gastric Bypass. I did it for the malabsorption and the dumping. Never had GERD, never cared about GERD, don't have GERD now. But I did have more than 1/4 ton to lose. The only consideration is what one surgery could give me the best chance of success. I didn't want a do over. In fact my surgeon made it clear, no do overs. Malabsorption is one of those things you don't know if you have any or too much until you get blood work done. Generally my labs are great, aside from some anemia that comes and goes, but nothing that can't be dealt with. I take plenty of serious meds that my medical team were not worried about in the slightest. They knew they could adjust whatever would be needed whether from malabsorption or weight loss. Fortunately, when it comes do dumping I lucked out. I dump like, well, a big dumping dump truck on sugars and fats. It's amazing how few times you need to dump to learn to stay away from certain foods. And stay away. For 20 years, so far. I've also maintained my weight loss for 20 years. Not a single regret about my surgery choice. Having said the above, my choice fit my priorities. Make sure your choices fit yours. Good luck, Tek

Hello, So, I just called, and they stated that they didn't require the weightless medical plan, nor does where I am getting my surgery done. I am nervous! Just waiting on my EDG to get sent over.... I'm hearing from people that the policy plan for weight-loss surgery states they don't need weight-loss diet plans, and are finding out last minute even if they actually need one..

Welcome! You have some very good questions, and the fact that you are thinking about these things is great. Weight loss surgery isn't for everyone, and I think it's really important to make the decision with your eyes wide open and be prepared for the good, the bad, and the ugly. This forum is a great place to read about other people's experiences with WLS so you can know what to expect. Pay particular attention to catwoman7's posts -- she is a great example of a WLS success story, who lost all of her excess weight and has kept it off long-term (and she is a true bariatric guru with lots of excellent advice and insight). Just about all of us have had many failed weight loss attempts in the past. Most insurance companies require evidence of failed weight loss attempts before they'll pay for surgery, because surgery is a pretty drastic solution and few people would want to go through it if they could lose and maintain weight loss without surgery. But many of us who have failed so many times before have been successful with WLS. It is true that some people gain back some or all of the weight (or don't lose as much weight as they need to) after WLS because, as you've figured out, WLS isn't magic. It still takes a lot of work and commitment and (as much as I hate the term) lifestyle changes. I get the impression that in the early years of WLS, the emphasis was on the restriction (and, to some extent, malabsorption) of surgery -- the physical limitations that made it impossible to overeat and/or that made the patient ill from eating too much fat or sugar. Patients mainly relied on eating smaller quantities to lose weight. This works in the short term, but the restriction loosens up over time (so you can eventually eat more in one sitting), and if you continue eating high-calorie foods and/or get in the habit of eating around your surgery by eating smaller portions more frequently, you can easily increase your calorie consumption back to the point of regaining weight. For me (and many others), WLS made the initial weight loss much easier than dieting alone because I had no hunger for several months after surgery, but I do get hungry now and it's a challenge to stick to my plan. I think that these days, most WLS clinics have a more comprehensive approach and provide more guidance on dietary changes. After WLS, you pretty much reboot your eating patterns, almost like a baby. You go back to consuming only liquids, then pureed and mushy foods, and tiny bites of soft foods before you get back to eating like an adult. I think this process is the turning point for your long-term path after WLS. You can either take advantage of this opportunity to get into good habits of eating nutritious food, or you can get back into your old eating habits once you are physically able to eat normal foods again (which can ultimately lead to regain). As far as how WLS affects mental health, that is very dependent on the individual and not necessarily predictable. I think it's safe to say that most people's mental health benefits greatly from weight loss because living with obesity is incredibly difficult, but of course there are instances of unexpected negative results. If you have a history of mental health issues, that's something to discuss with your provider as part of your decision (and most insurance companies and clinics require a psychological consultation to make sure you are mentally/emotionally prepared for surgery). I did my surgery completely alone. I'm 2.5 years post-op and haven't told any family, friends, or coworkers about my surgery. I live alone and had no help after my surgery. I was fortunate to have a pretty easy recovery, so I had no problems taking care of myself (although I later developed bradycardia due to the rapid weight loss and had to get a pacemaker). In a way, I think living alone makes the post-op life easier because I have complete control over the food purchasing and preparation in my house. I simply don't buy foods that don't fit in my plan, so it is easy to avoid temptation. I encourage you to continue to research WLS and read about other people's experiences as you make your decision. Good luck!

Hi all, I had my VSG surgery in April. I started off at 410lbs and am currently 300.9. I just weighed in today, last week I was 296.3lbs. But I will say that for this last week it was my husbands birthday and I didn’t go to the gym so I wasn’t exercising or eating well. So I expected some weight gain. But I’m really worried about the way I gain weight back so quickly. Just one week off and I gained 4.6 lbs back. Is this normal? And will I have to deal with this the rest of my life? I’m already slightly disappointed because in the beginning I was losing so well but for this past few months I can barely lose 5lbs a month if that! I know weight loss slows over time and that I’m literally a month and a few weeks away from making my year…but somehow I feel like I’m not doing something right and should have lost way more weight by now. And that my weight gain comes back so quickly! I go back to the doctor on April 19th…my goal weight for then is 280lbs. I’m praying I can make that, if I don’t I feel like my doctor will be disappointed. Better yet I feel like I’ll be disappointed in myself.. I just hope it’s enough.

My surgery date is tomorrow too! We got this! Surprisingly I’m not scared yet.. more-so anxious and ready to get it over with to start the next phase! This sounds crazy BUT my biggest fear is that it won’t work! I know that sounds crazy but it’s a real fear I have. Foe the pre-op all liquid diet I have not cheated, did everything by the book and my weight loss has stalled. I haven’t kiss weight in the past 3 days. So now I have the “what if this doesn’t work” thoughts…. Much luck you tomorrow! Would love to have a buddy and we can check in and support each other since we’re surg twins!

Therapy & ‘doing the head work’ is a very important part of not just the weight loss but maintaining. You need to ne mentally & emotionally ready for this surgery. Many of the benefits of the surgery are temporary or become weaker. If you haven’t done the head work, it is extremely easy to return to your old habits & regain your weight. The desire to eat can become so strong again it is possible to eat around your surgery. Remember the surgery changes your body not your head. The surgery affords us the time to change our relationship with food. Well it did for me. For years I skipped meals to control my intake & all it did was screw up my metabolism & I was still fat. I’ve stuck to diets & lost weight many, many times but I always regained the weight. While I was losing I looked at how, why, when & what I ate & realised what I did didn’t work for me. I needed a new way. I worked out a way of eating, not a diet, that worked for me. I haven’t been this size since I was about 12years old & have never maintained a weight loss like this ever. I have a different attitude about food & eating. It’s been sustainable, It doesn’t rely on my will power to control my eating. It doesn’t limit me or hinder me in enjoying my life as I want. Sure there are certain foods I avoid or eat very rarely because I’m careful about what I eat & it’s been my choice to do so. I feel better for it & I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything. I still love food, enjoy what I eat & regular dine out. You’ll work out a way of eating to complement your lifestyle & meet your needs too in time. Join that art class now. Don’t wait until you move again to look for a class. Great way to meet people with similar interests.

I completely understand the hair loss as I have thinned ALOT! My biggest thing is I didn't even think about it happening until it did. I was focused on other things, so it came as a surprise. Every time I plateau I start to get it back, only to lose it when I start losing weight again. I'm hoping that it comes back better when I'm done and only maintaining. Sent from my SM-F926U using BariatricPal mobile app

Hello, all I just submitted all of my required documents for surgery. I have a BMI over 40 with no comorbidities. Insurance list they need this documentation: a description of the proposed procedure(s)  documentation of failure of weight loss by medical management  unequivocal clearance for bariatric surgery by a mental health provider  a nutritional evaluation by a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner or registered dietician I did all but I am a little confused, because many people are stating they have to do a diet for 6 months etc. Is "documentation of failure of weight loss by medical management". Does this mean they need a diet or just a letter from a PCP, because my doctor sent letter to PCP that stated, "the patient has made multiple weightless attempts and has been unsuccessful". PCP signed it and that was sent over to the insurance company with all other documentation. Just nervous and wanting to be reinsured I don't need a diet program to be approved.

I love that analogy so very much. It’s like a form of self parenting. I am going to journal about this and make a little sign for my surgery /weight loss success self care box. 💜