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Like @ms.sss I had problems of skin irritation when I was heavy, I don't have any after the weight loss. I found Caldesene Medicated protecting powder to be a lifesaver. I still use it whenever I get any type of rashes from allergies or heat.

I just got my labs and EKG today. I’m really hoping that’s okay because the lady put four of the little sticky things under one of my boobs. They have always put them on both sides so that was weird. The dr looked though and didn’t say it was bad or anything. I actually just had one like a month ago but they said they wanted the labs to be within a month of the surgery so I said let’s just do it again just in case. I don’t want anything to push my surgery date. Im trying to get back into the habit of taking my vitamins too. It’s really hard to remember them. I take the procare health multi and bariatric advantage calcium chews but i did try the bariatric pal ones and they aren’t bad. I just want to ask the NP about them before I make that switch. I bought the bariatric advantage chewable multi for the first month. That’s awesome to hear about the smoking. I quit a while ago and it’s definitely an accomplishment. I remember it being kinda freeing that it was one less thing I always had to keep track of and worry about. And now I don’t now how I ever was a smoker. I smell it and it takes my breath. It’s so weird. I meet with the NP tomorrow to verify but I think my liver shrink diet is supposed to be a week long. If so, that means next week I will do a low carb diet to prepare. That’s not required but I just don’t want to go from eating like I do now to the LSD. If I’m correct, I will be starting that process this Tuesday. I am trying to tie up all my loose ends by next week. I don’t want to have anything extra to do the week I am on the liver shrink diet. I figure I will take that time to get my house in order. Every surgery I ever had I sit here and look around at what I could be doing if I wasn’t physically restricted so I hope to get it all done this time.

I brought too much. My hospital didn't inventory belongings so nobody complained, but with the post-op fatigue and pain meds, I didn't touch either of my 2 books or tablet. I brought a shawl I didn't need. Go as basic as you can, is my rec. Chapstick will feel like a life saver. My hospital had me bring all my meds just in case they didn't have it, but they ended up supplying everything. Wear loose, comfy clothing there and plan to just wear the same clothes going back. Slip on shoes. Hairbrush or hat, toothbrush and toothpaste. Phone charger and power bank / long charger cord. Ear plugs and or sleep mask if you're a sensitive sleeper -- but I found the painkillers helped me sleep through basically everything lol. I had no energy and no attention span.

Hi, I don't even know where to start. I'm short (5'1") and my highest weight was around 210. I was 180 at the time of my surgery back in January 2013. I did great with my sleeve and my lowest weight was 117 -- too thin honestly. I stayed between 135-150 for many years. In early 2020 (Covid), 7 years after surgery my weight started creeping up. I'm embarrassed to say that I'm 200 lbs now. I've had clothes sized 2 to 18, in the last 11 years which is crazy. I am in my early 50s. I'm pretty sure I've started menopause. I get very hungry and graze way too much. I still don't eat a ton at one sitting, but nothing like the small amounts I used to eat either. The idea of trying to lose all this extra weight is overwhelming to me. Plus my knees and feet kill me now. I can walk for exercise and plan to do that. My insurance does cover WLS revisions now and I'm seriously considering it. I am at a place in my life where I want to be comfortable in my skin and just generally comfortable. I have chub rub again, travelling sucks at thIs size, and I'm generally uncomfortable. I would give anything to be 150 again. I would love feedback from others that have been where I am. Any advice or help would be appreciated. I'm also going to post this in the revision forum. Thanks in advance.

My week has been decent, school for the kids is almost starting so that is exciting, I have a son who is going into 7th grade, daughter who is going into 2nd grade and a 2.5 rambunctious crazy toddler boy. So school shopping and haircuts are in our future next week! I finished my last final for my bachelors degree on Saturday so I will be getting that degree soon! Cannot wait!!! Probably the funniest thing that happened this week is that I went to F45 and my pants split right in the booty crack LOL!! So I ended up tucking in my top to continue my workout. I looked so silly but meh! still got a good workout in. My eating is not as strict as I was before but still tracking and maintaining a good caloric input and getting in around 120-150g of protein a day. Need to work on water more. Working on my food relationship and how its okay to have things in moderation is okay and healthy! Lately, I been having some accepting my new body issues, I went from a DD to A bra size and I am just not coping well LOL I officially am no longer wearing a bra because bralettes or pasties is all I need. The skin that is wrinkly and saggy regardless of how much I work out, its a reminder of how long I put my body through physical abuse and how there will always be remnants of it. I did however put a down payment on a surgeon for breast augmentation for Jan. Which I know I know I should wait longer but that will be a year and if I need them redone or fixed I'll pay for it. Plastics and my sleeve surgeon told me to wait the year. I will wait another year or 2 for my tummy tuck or 360 lift. My department lost 3 people within a month, 2 of which were tenured so this stings. My workload just got A WHOLE LOT BIGGER. Its going to be more stressful- so going to work with all my tools and make sure I don't eat my stress away. This week is my *spa week* Today- tanning & Brows, Monday- getting my hair did, Wednesday- Nails, so this is my week of treating myself for all my accomplishments thus far. I figure I should treat myself with something other than food. Anyways I needed this outlet more than I thought. LOL Thanks for reading if you did!

Did another closet purge over the weekend and cleared out 5 huge bags of clothes. It's a nice feeling to let the old stuff go, and happily, thanks to a few shopping trips, a bin of smaller clothing I had saved from a few years ago, and some hand me downs from a friend, I have plenty to get me through the warm weather. Once winter arrives, I will definitely need to buy clothing because I've gotten rid of about 90% of my long sleeve clothes and sweaters! Is anyone noticing what you prefer to wear is changing? I was really favoring loose, flowing items that hid my extra weight before. Especially those wraps or kimonos you can find so many places that you wear over a tunic, partly because they are one-size so I could buy them even when the store didn't carry my size in anything else. But the other day, I actually tucked a t-shirt into the waistband of a denim skirt and wore it out with nothing over it! And I'm loving sundresses with a belted waist. Obviously right now I'm not spending too much and trying to stick with basics just to get me through, but I'm really curious what I'll end up buying when I get to my final weight. If I could reach a US size 12, I can't even imagine how it would feel. Right now, I'm wearing between a 16 to 18, depending where it's from and the cut. That's down from probably a size 22. I say probably because I started going for stretchy stuff and would buy a 2x or 3x so I didn't have a lot of stuff that was an actual numerical size.

Good morning! I had gastric bypass on 4/12/21. My highest ever was 293. I had surgery at 262. My lowest at my year mark was 135. Found out I was pregnant extremely fast after hitting my lowest and cannot budge out of the 150-155 range and I’m getting discouraged. I'm eating between 66 to 120 g of protein depending on the day. My fat intake I think is too high at around 70g, my net carbs range greatly between low 30’s to 100 g depending. My calories also vary between 800’s to 1200’s and I need to find the best range for losing weight while exercising now I started working out with the treadmill while concentrating on strength training and core workouts to help tummy skin shrinkage. I still have my restriction and often cannot even eat more than 4-6 oz a meal. I eat what I can of some fruit and veggies but mainly I’ll eat protein snacks like Catalina crunch, some small stuff from Atkins, Kodiak cake snacks sometimes. To name a few. I also drink a protein shake once a day which is either of the brand Ryze or Iso100 with 12oz of Fairlife low fat milk. Just to paint a picture. I work in corrections on night shift so there isn’t much moving around at night. But…I’m here to ask for advice and recommendations to help kickstart weight loss again. I’m miserable!!! please help if you can.

Ooh okay this is so interesting to read, actually! It is nice to hear it from an honest and upfront perspective, so thank you for sharing your experiences I definitely know that surgery will be the only way to actually get rid of any potential loose skin, and I am already saving up for that eventuality, as I know you shouldn't really get surgery to remove that skin until your weight has plateaued, so probably around 2 years I imagine! I think one of the main things for me at the moment is just preparing myself mentally too - I am trying to cut down on the amount of snacks I am eating, upping my water and protein intake, and making healthier choices. I just want my body and mind to be a bit more prepared for being hungry and healthy!

I actually had virgin sleeve/SADI surgery nearly 4 years ago now. I don't think SADI is an option for the "my surgery" part of the profile on this site so I listed DS as the closest. Honestly, I had a pretty easy surgery and recovery. Of course there is soreness and healing like there would be with any other surgery but I felt well enough to go back to (extremely sedentary) work in a week. Really, the worst thing for me was a sore throat from being intubated. My doctors gave me a three week eating plan to follow one week each of clear liquids, any liquids, soft solids before eating a regular diet. I followed this faithfully even though I felt like I could eat more and was a little hungry at times. Now, I eat pretty much exactly the same things that I ate before surgery, just smaller amounts. If I have a lot of sugar or simple carbohydrates, I will get gas and loose stools. It's not painful though, it's just . . . happening. Still, I usually try to avoid it but treat myself now and then. My iron got very low about two years out from surgery. I was getting lightheaded and they ran some labs to find out my iron/hemoglobin was tanking. I had to get a series of IV infusions and then take extra iron supplements. Almost two years after that now and I am able to keep my levels in the low-normal range with just the supplements. I take three doses of an adult multivitamin per day, no special bariatric formula (don't tell the admins!). Be prepared to explain your surgery to any non-bariatric doctors you deal with. Unless they are bariatric specialists, they will NOT be familiar with the different kinds of surgery and they will likely have no idea what SADI is. A lot of them generically call any weight loss surgery "bypass" (e.g. the hematologist I see for my iron tests). Get a big plastic tote and put it on the floor of your closet. When a piece of clothing is too big, take it off, put it in the tote, and don't think about it again. When the tote is full, bring it to your local women's shelter or similar. If you can, get one new piece of clothing for every two you put in the tote. Build your new wardrobe thoughtfully. My only regret is that I didn't do it 15 years earlier.

Thank you @Shanna NYC for your kind words. I broke my stall (slightly) this morning and am feeling much better for it ... I also know that I need to work on my coping mechanisms and be kinder to myself. Up until 2019 I'd never weighed more than 115 pounds for my whole adult life ... and then I gained nearly 100 pounds in just over a year and have spent the last 3 years desperatly unhappy and going through cycles of loosing and gaining the same 20 pounds and you are right ...25lbs is more than I've lost on any of the crazy diets I've tried... So I'm on the right track! Merci Encore (as we say in French!)

Yes, I had back pain due to reasons the above posters said. I went to yoga for a year to help with the transition. I needed to tuck my but under my spine more and drop my shoulders down and back. I noticed the swing of my arms and legs changed. All of it was building new muscles and increasing range of motion. The floppy skin was even moving to a different tempo than the rest of me and I had to learn how to accommodate that! Side note; when I had Covid they x-rayed my lungs to check for pneumonia. They then told me I have significant arthritis in my spine. The pain there reduced significantly with stretching and strengthening exercises.

I started taking my bariatric vitamins back when I got my original surgery date, in October, I think. I take the Celebrate One 45 chewable bariatric vitamin and 3 Celebrate calcium chews (fruit flavored, delicious!) per days, as well as lutein and omega 3 supplements that were recommended by my eye doctor (not weight related), and half a biotin chew because it can't hurt, right? I started early strictly to get into the routine. My memory is shite and I wanted to have it be second nature by the time I truly needed it. I do also add a scoop of collagen powder to my tea in the morning and I use retinol body and face creams, but that's more an anti-aging thing as opposed to loose skin prevention. As everyone has said, the loose skin and hair shedding is kind of unavoidable. The supplements, at best, are hopefully to ensure the new hair growth is as healthy as can be. I wouldn't go with expensive "miracle" products because they probably won't live up to the hype or the cost, but if it's in the budget to get a few things that make you feel better, it also can't hurt. I mean, peppermint and rosemary just sounds lovely. Even if it doesn't do a lot, it smells like heaven!

Thank you very much! Congratulations to you as well for your successful journey. It's amazing to finally be free of the fat and, more importantly for me, the addiction to food and the total control/power I have over food now. It's seriously my lifelong dream at 55 so staying motivated was baked in.. Thank you again. I am sure I didn't elaborate or explain my reasons enough but actually I am concerned about slowing down the weight loss. I still eat very small portions and am worried it would be hard to sustain on just protein, without carbs. I like my body running more ketogenic than carbed up with the ups and downs of carbs. Without adding fat, and with our malabsorption aspect of the surgery, I am wondering if its possible or not so much..If I am being honest, at 240lbs, I started eating dirtier with carbs to try and stabilize at 240 until I got my knee surgeries, but then just dropped another 20+ within a month and a half or so. My steps and activity increased, small by normal people standards, but a lot for where I have been, after I got another Cortisone shot to the knees. This just illustrates my concern once I reach goal weight and I am rucking, hiking, and lifting. Those three things will be lifelong for longevity and mobility going forward. Obviously everyone is different as far genetically and such, but I have been extremely low calorie, plenty of short fasts up to three days, and have plateaued at certain points during my weight loss, and after doing a refeed with carbs and basically whatever I want to eat, I recharged my metabolism for another huge run of weight loss. The refeed was usually only a couple days to a few days but less than a week. Now with this approach remember I am lifting weights. I mean hard as I can weight lifting 4 days a week. It sucks! Low energy lifting is not fun but the recomp.. I really believe the built-in calorie burn from lean muscle mass is the most efficient way to permanently stay in shape. Male or female doesn't matter. IMHO if your metabolism is slow and you are struggling with the last few pounds, I mean the literally like 5-10 pounds from goal BF, man or woman, start lifting weights. The body recomp will floor you. And that weight or really I think just your body composition after significant weight loss without adding lean muscle mass leaves you looking(Sometimes) like a no muscle bag of skin. Flat. It's not fun but the results.. Anyways thank you for the reply and just to make clear if any of the vets care to weigh in, the WLS gave me the tool, the only tool I will ever need again to lose weight. It's so powerful for me that I need to think about slowing down my weight loss combined with, if possible, being low carb and more ketogenic as a lifestyle choice I prefer. I just don't know if low carb is sustainable without the fat calories. that specifically is what I am looking for. Does anyone prefer low carb/ketogenic after surgery and is it possible? I already realize that fats can be problematic, is anyone doing carnivore after DS Sadi. Not my preference but the only option it seems for low carb without the keto fat plan. Thanks in advance for any tips.

Could you find the motivation to even start with a few small steps, like finding a way to get your protein up even by way of including it in water and that way two steps covered in one? Your body needs the protein and if you are not getting enough it could be contributing to your mood/fog. So what if you haven't gone to the gym, I don't go, but I have made an effort to find a couple of fitness things I like to do. I know I could do more but hey I am doing more than I did pre-op so its a win win as far as I am concerned. I am not going to put unrealistic pressure on myself as I know I will fail, maybe that is the same for you? For the alcohol you don't say how much or often you have a drink but if you can't go cold turkey could you even cut back or opt for a lighter drink? I have a drink (or three) when out with friends, its not the end of the world but I am realistic that it will probably impact the weight loss for a few days and I restrict myself to only when out, certainly not at home as that is a bad habit that I am trying to make sure I don't bring back. Could you start writing a daily positivity list/journal of all the positives you are finding from the loss you have had so far? I started to do it to help me with the PTSD I am suffering from my surgery, I note just random things such as; was able to jog to catch bus and not be mortified / was able to get through turnstile without turning sideways / so and so told me I was looking great / sun is shining and I feel energised / had to tighten jeans belt again Small steps could help you out of the funk and get you on track as there was a reason you would have had the surgery and you don't want to get back there. It takes work but you have already made good progress but it will get harder to loose the lbs and you could end up with other health problems if you continue as you are. Does your doctor have a support team that you can reach out to? I think an honest conversation with them is needed and will help you, they can hopefully provide tools to get you in the mindset needed to continue. Don't feel ashamed to talk to them as I am sure you are not the only one how feels like you do.

Wow. Every cell in my body is telling me that this new regime is so wrong. I have no idea why anyone would want you on such a low calorie diet. It seems to me she wants you to diet the weight off rather than have the surgery. Did you ask why ? You are on the lower weight for the surgery. Loose much more and you may be too low to meet the criteria. My maintenance diet has me on 1500 calories and I don't exercise. If I worked and exercised as I did in my younger days, I would be on about 2200 - 2500 cals a day. You need to be fit and healthy for your surgery. Such a low calorie diet is too restrictive. Why is the diet not more future proofed, for learning new habits, like less carbonation, less sugar and less carbs. These seem to be the goals that are set by others who have to do a pre op diet rather than a pre op liver shrink diet. I hope others will wade in and help you here because to me its madness

It's hard to understand. When my girlfriend lost a lot of weight, her skin and breasts changed significantly, you know, and she was very hesitant to undress completely for a long time, not to mention being in the light. I tried to convince her for a long time that it didn't matter. Now that I've gained weight myself, I don't know if I should feel self-conscious; I just don't feel as calm anymore. And she says everything is fine, but you never really know how you're perceived. I'm confused.

oddly enough, my skin folds & skin rubbing bothered me more when i was overweight vs. AFTER the weight loss. my issues were all centred around sweat and moisture, so for me, it was all about keeping dry. i used non-talc baby powder (the johnson and johnson cornstarch baby powder is whar i used most) in my "problem" areas: between my thighs and my under boobs. worked great so long ad i was vigilant about it (if i wasn't, i'd get itchy and rashes, and worst case, i'd get open sores). but like i said, as i lost weight it actually got better so i ditched the powder.

Nice!! Congratulations! I've changed my goal twice. I have 4 lbs to go to get to my current goal and I'm 9 months out as well. I don't think I want to loose any more than that. It's been a heck of a ride I'm so glad I got on. My life has changed so much

Great points. I don't have a lot of extra skin, so this doesn't really apply. I'd say, if I removed all that I have 2 or 3 lbs max. At my 1 year mark, in May, they will do a body composition test; so I'll know more then as to my muscle mass. My last test in November, I was right where they wanted me and hadn't lost any muscle since my 3 months test. I definitely don't have much fat left, just a bit on my thighs. This is why I'm concerned. My goal was 140. I've gotten down to 135, and bounced back to 136-137. I was concerned because I lost 4 lbs in a week after I started upping my calories to stop losing. Maybe my body was excited for the increase and lost more fat 🤷‍♀️

Did you go with a company/ nhs hospital in the UK ? I am surprised to hear you are getting no help if that's the case. If your surgery was abroad then you need to tell them if they don't respond to your questions then you will be leaving them a truthful bad review. People are really searching these sites for honest feedback and will take note of yours. If its a UK company you need to email the hospital director and ask why you are getting no help. No one can do this without the help of a team, its a huge change for all of us to master, both body and mind. I am maintaining now on 1500 calories a day which I log every meal. I lost weight on anything around 1200 - 1400 calories a day building in 60 grams of protein a day. To loose now you may struggle because your hunger is back. I would imagine that it will be hard to go back to protein and vegetables when you are hungry, leaving the filling carbs off your plate. Keep us posted, you are not alone.

Some things I’ve learnt. I am cynical so be warned. Save your money on any supplements or creams to save your hair or tone your skin or reduce skin laxity. Of course any general body care & self care is always a good thing. My cynical self says just don’t put your faith & heart into believing all the miracle cure alls. The hair you lose is hair that you would have shed anyway - your natural shedding cycle is just accelerated for a couple of months. It’s dead hair & you can’t save that no matter how many supplements you take. Those that say it helped don’t know how much hair they would have lost & they still lose for the same 3 or so months as those who didn’t take anything or use special shampoo. Remember too your new growth hair is still growing just at it’s a usual rate. You & your stylist are probably the only ones who’ll notice your loss & in a year or so it will be as it was. How much loose skin you end up with depends on many factors - age, how long you were at your highest weight, how long you carried weight, how much weight you lose, genetics. The loose skin is skin that has been stretched too far & can’t retract any more like elastic in old knickers or an old well used hair band. Only way to get rid of it is through surgery. I’ll be honest. I weakened & bowed to social media & bought that Maey’s B cream range: see results in a month. Well 6 months later & no change. My skin was softer but any cream would have done that. Still had sagging skin & cellulite. Should have saved the $200+. Also did collagen powder & silica for months too. Any change? Nope. Best thing I did for my facial laxity was micro needling/RF. Not a miracle cure but I can see improvement. Did 4 monthly sessions a year ago & two maintenance sessions for this year. (Lipstick bleeding almost gone, acne scarring more shallow, jowls tighter, more defined jawline in general, don’t have to distort my face to see my cheekbones, skin velvet soft, …) See there are things I believe in - LOL!!! As for general vitamins before surgery, have a blood test first & find out what nutrients you may be lacking in & supplement those so you are in a healthier place before surgery. No point taking vitamins you don’t need yet. Many of them you simply pee out what your body doesn’t need. The better, more nutrient dense, balanced diet, being generally healthier, probably did me the most good. My skin isn’t dry anymore (even my feet), don’t have those little bumps on my arms, my nails aren’t as ridged, sleep better, etc. All the best - exciting times ahead for you,

I looked at my journal from my 6th month time. My weight loss slowed significantly. I kept loosing but I was lucky if it was 4 lbs every other month. Stalls and plateaus were more common than actual WL. I just kept to my original plan and weight kept coming off even past the 2year mark. Instead of my scale obsession, I started measuring inches/centimeters and thrifting highly structured clothing made out of thick denim and leather to see my progress. A stiff pair of jeans with no stretch can show true WL because they get too big. I find they keep me honest with myself in maintenance too ; j

Maybe check with your care team regarding your liquids too? I'm wondering if you're flushing the protein shakes out too quickly if you're drinking that much water. I know all programs are different, but for the first week my team told me to aim for at least 32oz clear fluid (including water but also any sugar free clear liquids like broth, jello or gatorade), and at least one shake per day, slowly increasing it as I felt able. By the end of the second week they were 'hoping' for around 48oz clear liquids and two shakes per day, but they were happy I was averaging 1.5. Are you drinking your fluids slowly? Part of they reason they ask is because we're dealing with a smaller stomach all of a sudden, and getting us to train ourselves to eat slower and more mindfully, etc blah blah -- but part of it is also to slowly re-train our bodies / nerves / etc to recognize what our 'new full' feels like, the sensations as our stomach fills up, etc. I have to admit I had a lot of trouble with that -- still do -- because I still have barely gotten those sensations back. (I have the opposite problem -- I can't feel when I'm hungry or when I'm full yet, so I have to rely solely on portion sizes at the moment) I guess the third thing to maybe bring up with your care team: how is your body digesting the protein shakes? Some people are suddenly lactose intolerant, or suddenly can't process certain sweeteners the same way, etc. If you find that it's moving through you really quickly (urine or loose stool), it may be that your body is just dumping it out. It might be worthwhile to try a different protein powder/shake brand, or one with a different protein base. I know whey is supposed to be one of the best, but whey is a dairy product and maybe you'd have better luck with collagen, pea protein, etc. Good luck! I hope it gets easier for you soon!

This is a really great place to start. Start making small changes which are much easier to adopt & adapt to. And yes the head work is incredibly important & it is also the hardest thing so starting now is a good idea too. If you do decide to go down the skin removal path, waiting until you’ve stabilised your weight for a few months is a good idea. I haven’t gone that route as I don’t have a lot of loose skin - two finger pinches so not worth the surgery. It doesn’t limit me in any way & like @catwoman7 I can hide it easily under clothes. I even wear body con clothes without shape wear. I was fortunate as I hadn’t carried my highest weight for long & didn’t have as much to lose comparatively. I certainly had my age against me but maybe good genes helped too 😉.

So during my online readings and searches I’ve pondered the thought of adding B-12 injections. My levels are low and lately I’ve just been sluggish and tired….all the time. Like consistent since my last bout of Covid about 6mo ago. anywho….I’ve come across this B12 + mic injections because if I can feel less sluggish and loose a few pounds, then why not. As a side note I’ve gained a few pounds from my lowest weight. Currently 147 @ 5’5….I’ve tried to convince myself it’s due to muscle gain 😂 but summer is coming and I’m being honest with myself. My workout schedule has gone from easily 6 days a week to maybe 4 on a good week. my work schedule has been crazy. also still have the lapband….if it was a relationship I’d list it as “it’s complicated” because I love and hate it 😂 enough rambling- let me know if you’ve tried it and your thoughts! also these are self administered once approved by the dr.