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Exactly. Everyone is different in terms of loss. The important thing is how you feel and that the trend is down. We will all get there eventually.

"lot of people don't know that most diabetics of color have dark rings around the neck called acanthosis". White people also have this sign/symptom of insulin resistance. Mine disappeared along with my weight loss too! Although, I was prediabetic.

Excellent thread - thank you @JamieLogical! I got sleeved almost 3 years ago. I hit my goal weight well within my first year. I lost another 10lbs very slowly in my second year to reach a BMI of 20. I was absolutely thrilled - I had lost just over half my body weight and was well beyond wildest dreams territory after a lifetime of obesity. But I started to regain this year. Initially I thought it was just the classic '3rd year regain' of the 10 - 20 lbs that so many people seem to experience. I asked lots of questions here and was reassured by the answers. I hadn't really drifted *that* much off the path (I thought). However, I continued to regain with no let up and was getting really worried. I eventually reached 16lbs over my lowest weight a month or so ago. Finally, I decided to go back to absolute basics and see whether that might reverse the regain. Carbs had crept in a bit (NOT A LOT, honestly) so I started every meal with protein, ate veg next, and stopped all bread, rice, pasta, potatoes etc. Just as I would have 2-3 years ago. Guess what? I have lost 9lbs of that regain in just over a month. My current diet is pretty much strict keto and not hard at all. I totally agree that the tool is there, we just have to use it and not eat around it. I'm so happy that I caught myself before I regained much more, but I can also totally see how I might have undone much more hard work. I wish you all the very very best with your new loss. I suspect you'll greet every milestone with just as much joy as you did originally.

It never ceases to amaze me how some people seem to feel completely at ease commenting freely on other people's weight (or, honestly, entitled to comment) in a way they would not about other things - e.g. to comment on other aspects of a person's physical appearance or behaviour. I suspect they give little to no thought to the effect that might have on the person they're commenting on - positive or negative. It's just something they feel entitled to say. And, yes, when it's commenting on a significant weight loss, the expectation is that we will welcome those comments because we were fat and now we're not. People seem to feel sometimes that we are churlish not to welcome these unsolicited remarks with open arms. I do think people are mostly trying to be nice and supportive and complimentary. They don't think too much further than that. I'm with you as someone who struggled with those remarks sometimes. The only consolation I can give is that it all settles down. Nobody has called me a skinny minny for years, LOL. I'm sorry you're having a rubbish time and I really hope that's behind you soon OP.

Have you talked to your team about your fitness and your macros. I was actually eating too little for my level of activity. It was really scary to be adding carbs but I trusted the NP and I’m still losing. You’re definitely not over reacting though. I was upset about not losing as much as I have been and I made an appointment to talk to my team about my loss. They reassured me that I was doing what I should be doing. I recommend that you do that if you can. It can be so upsetting and sometimes even makes people less motivated to exercise and make poor food choices if they feel like it’s not working for them and I’m sure it will feel much better to hear from them whether you are on track for what they expect for you.

Nausea, vomiting, foamies, difficulty eating aren’t that uncommon after surgery. Your tummy is pretty sensitive and while it usually take about 6 or so weeks to heal some take longer. But it is always best to rule out anything else. Please tell me your doctor gave you something for the nausea & is sending you for tests. If not, I’d ask (demand) an endoscope to rule out a stricture and an ultrasound to check your gall and rule out anything else (appendix, pancreas). I only had one symptom with my gall (I had a stone) and that was pain. Very strong, writhing on the bed pain upper right abdomen & around to my back. Nothing before that. I know my sister in law used to get crampy pain and nausea when she ate fatty foods or a large heavy meal with her gall. You’re certainly not eating fatty or rich heavy meals at the moment. If it is a stricture, they’re easy to fix. If you do have gall stones it would mean another surgery. Gall issues after surgery aren’t uncommon. Rapid weight loss can cause stones to grow but usually not that soon out. (Mine was 2 years and one month later.) Or you may have had them already but they’re making themselves known now.

Not that uncommon and comparatively not more strict. There are variations between surgeons and surgeries with many of these things. Sometimes it’s also related to you, your health, how much weight you have to lose, your relationship with food, etc, Not being allowed carbonated drinks is common. The differences arise in length of time of this avoidance and then whether you can tolerate it. Also you may be allowed sparkling water that you let go flat a bit but not sodas. Same with alcohol avoidance but there are three main reasons often behind this. One is concern for addiction transfer which can occur after weight loss surgery. Secondly, alcohol is calorie dense and offers no nutrients which are vital while we are losing and eating small portions and lastly it will slow your metabolism & dehydrate you. Again some surgeons just put a time frame on it but it does depend on your surgery too. Caffeine is another thing that is allowed by some surgeons and not by others and again there can be differences in for how long you should avoid it. Deconstructing meals is not a forever thing. Certainly while losing, focussing on eating the protein component of your meal first is very important. If you are able after you’ve eaten the protein in your meal. you then can eat your vegetables then any carbs you are allowed. (There were many times I could only eat my protein at a meal and nothing else.) This is because of the small portions we can eat initially & the necessity of getting that protein in to meet your protein goals. It does make tracking your food much easier too. When you near your goal, and are eating larger portions, it’s not as important to eat your protein first but you must continue to hit your protein goals forever so it will be something of which you are aware when you’re eating. In saying that I often ate soups, stews & casserole type dishes, omelettes, etc. which combined protein & vegetables while losing but not every meal and not every day. Actually not allowing protein shakes is also not uncommon. For example, in the UK, many aren’t allowed protein shakes in the pre surgery diet (they drink milk instead). Protein shakes aren’t the sole source of protein & nutrients in that first stage after surgery. Bone broths, consommés and cream soups are also options. Thank goodness too because after surgery those protein shakes can be disgusting. I found them unpleasantly grainy and crazy sweet & struggled to drink one a day. Best advice is to follow your plan while you are losing.However, if you find it difficult to tolerate your food options or to reach your goals ask for alternatives that will allow you to still meet protein goals & other nutrient requirements within any calorie guidelines you are given. How and what you eat once your weight has stabilised is up to you, what you’ve learnt about your eating and relationship with food and if it allows you to maintain a lower and healthier weight & lifestyle.

Sleevetobypass2023- Yes they did the sleeve at a surgical center (very common in Florida) they have private staff to keep you over night but at 10:15pm when it was time for me to walk again I was dizzy and my BP was low so they called my husband and told to drive me to the hospital that my surgeon text him the info for. By the time I arrived at the hospital I had already loss 2000cc of blood and looked 9 months pregnant. As far as the surgeon he said he is sorry, these things happen and there is nothing he can do. He won’t even help have the hospital correct the billing codes. BCBS told me they don’t cover any WLS or complications from it but they paid to remove my lap and 3 years ago.

I think it takes our minds some time to catch up to the changes in our bodies, especially when the change has been so quick and you have been distracted by all the new eating rules and weight loss. You also had your holiday to focus on too. Now there are no real distractions and the changes have hit you. I know when I lost weight previously, it didn’t feel ‘real’ - ?? I felt like I was observing someone else from afar. I know it doesn’t make sense - I was the one dieting, I was the one working out, I was the one weighing and measuring but it’s honestly how I felt. I certainly didn’t feel that, once I had hit target, that I would stay thinner and that would be that. I was just waiting for the other shoe to drop, as they say! Comments from others can add to the problem, especially when your mind is playing tricks on you and you’re struggling to come to terms with a different ‘you’. I hate the backhanded ‘compliment’ because it just strikes me as bitchy when there is no need. It generally means that the person giving it is jealous or miffed at what you have achieved. Well screw them, that’s their problem, not yours. You certainly don’t owe anyone an explanation of how and why. 💜

How are your iron levels? Are they low? If they’re low, then you may need a supplement but if they’re okay, you don’t need anything. My iron levels were great & still are so I never took any iron after my surgery. Many people, women especially of all ages, experience anemia and it seems there are many more cases now days than years ago. For some its lifestyle and dietary choices, for others there can be medical reasons behind it. If you are anaemic, ensure your doctor rules out any medical cause first. If there isn’t any medical reason, check your dietary intake. Ensure you’re eating a lot of iron rich red meats, green leafy vegetables, etc. Avoid caffeine when consuming food especially iron rich foods. Caffeine reduces your body’s ability to absorb iron by 60+%. Also your body doesn’t absorb iron from fortified foods (like breads, cereals, oat milks & other milk alternatives., etc.) as well either. Iron supplements can cause constipation. Don’t take your iron supplements with calcium or iron with zinc. Your body can’t absorb these in combination so take say the calcium and zinc in the morning and your iron at night. Remember too, excess iron isn’t good for you so avoid taking iron supplements if you don’t need them. Haemochromatosis can damage your liver, heart, pancreas & joints. Symptoms can include lethargy, weight loss, mood swings, depression, brain fog, irregular or no periods & joint pain. Interestingly, many of these symptoms are the same as with anaemia.

As @ynotiniowa, said the time it takes for your head to catch up with the reality of your actual size contributes a lot to the dysmorphia for us: we can only see how we used to look because our size dominated & limited so much in our lives. It also affects friends and family who struggle to see the real you with your weight loss. For some family and friends it’s behind those ‘you’ve lost too much’ & ‘it’s time you stop losing’ comments they make. Personally, I found those skinny mini comments most upsetting (that specific phrase was most upsetting too) especially when I knew I still had weight to lose and I was no where near my goal. I knew, in most cases, it was people acknowledging my weight loss and congratulating me. I knew I should use it as motivation but I saw it more as them really saying you were huge before. It took a while after my weight stabilised for me to be comfortable and actually take pleasure in the you’re slim or small comments. Honestly, I still enjoy them today. I tell myself it’s because I worked hard to lose the weight and continue to work hard to maintain it & I’ve earnt the recognition. The reality is I’ve become a lot more vain than I was before and enjoy the attention. Lol!

Our fruit and veg is cheap over here especially if we shop in season and at a good market. They have jumped up in price since Covid and Brexit so it does pay to shop around. Since retirement and weight loss I have made it my mission to find the best bargains. I get plenty of fresh air and exercise this way. Its a win win. BTW, I love your posts

Hey bari family ❤️ I know body dysmorphia is something that is really common in this community, and I did expect it of course, but I am really feeling it at the moment. To preface my feelings I am about to describe, I am PMS-ing so I know a lot of this is probably exacerbated by that! Either way, I have had such a noticable influx of people complimenting me on my weight loss at work this week - it seemed that there was no one mentioning it at all, and now every day this week I have had people come up to me and say/ask things like: "what is your big secret?", "you look amazing", "you're a skinny minny" etc. It hasn't been anything that I have taken offence to at all, but it has come during a week where I have felt so down about my appearance. I'd say this is the first time post-surgery where I have been looking in the mirror and just seen the 'old' me - I genuinely cannot see any loss, even though the scales & my clothes are telling me different. It is so saddening, normal, but sad. Anyway, that is my little reflection done with! What sorts of things did others do to get past this?

Well I took the advice or the veterans who did or do yoga now and ordered some smaller legging because mine were rolling down. I thought I was maybe getting close to being near the next size but apparently I was already there. They looked so small that I thought there was no way but I tried this and they fit (comfortably). Also today I told a friend that I am planning to check out a craft show that is near her this weekend and asked if she wants to go for a while. Well it’s going to be hot and we are planning to meet up and do lunch first so since can’t get away with bike shorts and them and leggings are all I have right now I was on Amazon looking for shorts. Well I found some that looked good and apparently I thought that before too because it said I purchased them in 2023. So I looked In my drawer and sure enough I had two pairs of them brand new and would you believe they fit perfectly. Good thing too because I was ordering a size bigger and wouldn’t have had time to exchange them. So I guess I am reaching the stage where I can shop in my closet for a while. Ooh and my brain definitely hasn’t caught up with my weight loss because the shorts and the leggings both looked like they were going to be way too small.

this is actually a good point that i want to add on to. during weight loss phase, so long as your LABS are good and you FEEL good, i have the opinion that there is really no need to force yourself to eat if you just aren't feeling it. but ONLY of your labs are good! DISCLAIMER: i am NOT a medical professional and am only expressing what worked for me. feel free to take or discard anything i say! FOR BACKGROUND PURPOSES: i lost 110 lbs in 7 months to reach goal weight. i am now 6 years post op and have maintained BELOW goal weight this entire time. AND my labs have been "satisfactory" at every check up (the last one being Oct 2023...i have one coming up in a couple weeks and im going to assume it will also be uneventful cuz i feel great)

I actually did tell my GP it was actually his idea. I am 440 pounds and was 435 ish when he recommended the gastric sleeve surgery. He did make my next evaluation in Janurary because he's expecting my weight loss surgeon to do the surgery sometime in November if I pass my evaluation. I'm all the way ready and just have the evaluation left to do hopefully all goes well this afternoon! Still a little nervous but I'm feeling MUCH better than i was several days ago. But anyway my GP did mention that if i got the surgery in November that I'd need to get labs done for Janurary. So I'm assuming he's going to adjust my meds then and my psychiatrist knows I'm getting surgery too although I told him I was getting it done in Spring because that was the plan then. I moved it back to November because my GP recommended i do so. I'm still gaining weight so he wants me to have the surgery as soon as possible.

Absolutely. I had the sleeve four years ago and now the revision and you definitely want to make sure that you’re in a good place with your mental health because it takes just as much mental energy as it does physical to deal with all the changes you will be going through. It’s like a whole new lifestyle post surgery if you’re doing it right. They are really great changes, but it is still alot in short time. Be honest and trust their judgment- they have done this a lot of times and they just want to make sure that you’re in the right headspace when they do it so that you can be most successful immediately post surgery to keep you safe but also long term so that you will be successful in your weight loss. One thing I did too was to ask my team if it would be okay for me to just check in with them a little more often than they typically require. They agreed to that and it has made the process a lot less stressful this time. I just get super anxious about everything and medical stuff is even worse so stuff like this creates a million questions and it’s hard when you call the front desk and they don’t know about your mental health for them to not be annoyed when you call a bunch of times. This time I just go in and have a chat with the NP about all my concerns and she reassures me everything is fine and I’m on my way. Also, you will want to let your prescribing Dr know about your surgery at some point if you haven’t already. They will want to check in with you a couple of times post op because sometimes with the absorption changes in the body your medication doses may need to be adjusted a bit. And keep posting on here. There are so many people who have been through anything you may have a question or fear about or if you just want to vent about a stall. People are so wonderful here and eager to help. Staying active on here and the in person support groups has really helped me. Im excited for you. It’s a pretty incredible journey and you will get there soon enough.

Hi all, I had revision from sleeve to bypass on August 26th (5 weeks ago), the surgery itself went well, no complications or issues (so far - touch wood!), but I do have a few side effects that I'm concerned about. I had the revision to fix the severe acid reflux/GERD that I was dealing with from the sleeve and to repair a hiatal hernia - the acid is gone!! (I'm so happy about that!) - but, in its place I am now dealing with constipation (with crippling pain), constant stomach cramping (and gurgling, so much gurgling!), and terrible nausea (making it hard to consume anything, but especially hard to drink any protein drinks or zero sugar drinks). Per my surgeon I am taking a stool softener 3 times per day, plus drinking Smooth Move tea at night before bed, and they have me on Zofran to help with the nausea. TMI - my stools went from an olive green, almost clay-like consistency, to a pale beige that floats (in a matter of a few days - keep in mind that in the last 5 weeks I've had maybe 4 or 5 bowel movements). I can eat some food (I'm on week 2 of the soft portion of the post-op diet) without needing Zofran, but if I want to have any protein drinks I HAVE to have the Zofran. I feel so disheartened. I feel like I traded one problem for another, even though I know in my heart and my head that things will get better and I will find a good balance, I'm really struggling. I started back to work yesterday and I find myself disinterested in being out in the workforce anymore (I'm 53, way too early to retire), I just want to be at home in my bed cuddling my pets in an almost constant state of near-crying. I am on antidepressants, I don't feel like the surgery has affected the medications in anyway, overall I feel good mentally, I'm just not used to struggling this much physically and I'm at a loss as to what to do. I've been in near-daily contact with the surgeon's office and they are super supportive and have been trying to work with me, but I don't want to become "that patient" that sucks up all of their time and patience because "my tummy doesn't feel good". LOL You know what I mean? Anyway - not sure if I'm just looking to vent or looking for suggestions or what, I think I just needed to be able to say it all out loud because I can't have these convos with my family or friends without sounding like a constant whiner. LOL Thanks, Christine

Good for you, that LBT workout sounds like it’s would KICK MY BUM!! I’m quickly learning in the fitness world that is considered a good thing, lol. I have a flier for a group fitness class that I was warned as a beginner would kick my butt too but the instructor said I’m welcome to come and do what I can. I still have that darn blister so I’ve stuck to my walking and yoga for this week because I know that sneakers will just aggravate it. I love that your instructor was able to give you modifications. That’s awesome. i feel the same way with the yoga. I told my husband that right now I’m not very good at all but I can already tell that it is going to help me tremendously and I can’t wait until I am able to do a bit more of the poses and be a little less clumsy going from one to the next. We will get there. The important thing for now is that whether we are in step with the rest of them or how, we are moving our bodies. Just moving is good for weight loss and cardio. If I had to guess I would say that the period thing is related to your surgery. It makes a lot of changes and hormones are not left out but if it’s possible you’re pregnant, I would do a test just in case. The surgery and the weight loss do also cause you to be more likely to get pregnant. There are a handful of women on here who got pregnant pretty early out. Well, I really hope you do get to try your water aerobics class today, that sounds like alot of fun.

Hey everyone! I wanted to share a few updates as I approach my 2-month post-op milestone. I missed my period in September, but I think it’s finally here today. It’s still a bit uncertain, but I’m starting to wonder if this is connected to my weight loss journey. Yesterday, I did my first aerobics class—LBT (legs, bum, and tums)! It was a fantastic workout, even though I was the slowest in the class. The trainer was super supportive, giving me different modifications to make things manageable. My knees were definitely feeling it, but I can't wait for the day I can work out without pain. Today, I'm planning to try aqua aerobics unless my period decides to make a dramatic appearance (fingers crossed it doesn’t!). I’m really excited for my 2-month post-op appointment at the obesity center. I’ve been taking pictures of all my meals, and I’m looking forward to getting some feedback on my food choices and progress. Thanks for reading, and let’s keep pushing forward! 😊

I was going to say some of the same things @Justarwaxx said! I watched a reel on - I think maybe Facebook? - that addressed the notion that some people have on a Monday after having a couple of cheat meals over the weekend and suddenly the scale says they gained 5 lbs - and the fact that thinking like that isn't realistic. You don't gain 5 lbs in 48 hours unless you are eating something like 4500 calories per day and not moving AT ALL. There is a LOT of wiggle room in what the scale reads. When it comes to weight loss, the goal is to create a calorie deficiency so if you are burning more calories than you are putting into your body consistently you're GOING to lose weight. A lot of factors are at play with what the 'scale' reads, including digestion, fluid retention, even hormonal changes. Plus, yes, with the extra exercise you're doing I bet your body is simply trying to find it's consistent expectation so it knows how much energy you need, how many calories it can expect, and how much fat to break down to keep you running like a well maintained machine! Plateaus are GOING to happen throughout this process. It's a marathon, not a sprint, too -- keep in mind that you're going to be losing weight for the next 18+ months more than likely. Just keep at it, and try not to weight yourself too often. I know it's hard, because we want to see those RESULTS, NOW! (At least *I* do ) but... be patient. We're only a couple of months out from our surgeries!

Hi there! While there are not many things you can control, there are a few you can. Tracking your lifestyle choices will help you figure out how they may affect your weight loss. Try logging/tracking everything (food, activities, mood, etc.) until you follow up visit with your team. This can help because this study (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6887647/) supported that adherence to multidisciplinary team follow-up was an independent factor for increased weight loss at 1 year, but not in type of endoscopic procedures. Also try tracking your eating length (how much time you take to eat start to stop) these two things could be significant to your progress because these studies (https://www.cghjournal.org/article/S1542-3565(15)01714-0/fulltext https://www.soard.org/article/S1550-7289(17)30865-1/abstract) show that ESG increased gastric emptying T½ by 90 minutes and delayed gastric emptying for solids. The retention of food after ESG led to early meal termination in 11 minutes and reduced food intake…changes in gastric emptying and time to satiation are some of the plausible mechanisms that lead to beneficial effects of ESG. So your surgeon is giving you great information that the restriction *should* kick in with solids. Please keep us updated ❤️

Good morning, good night for me teehee! First off, I totally get how frustrating this can be. It’s tough when you’re doing everything right and the scale isn’t moving as fast as you’d like. But trust me, this is completely normal after surgery. Our bodies go through phases of quick weight loss, then slow down a bit to adjust. You’re putting in so much effort—walking extra hours, doing yoga, eating super clean—and that’s amazing. Even though 1.5 to 2 pounds a week might feel slow right now, it's still progress, and it’s the kind that sticks! Remember, slow and steady weight loss is healthier and more sustainable in the long run. Also, don’t forget that with all the extra exercise, you’re probably building muscle, and that can make the scale misleading. Plus, little things like water retention or digestion can hide the weight loss for a bit, but that doesn’t mean your hard work isn’t paying off. As for carbs, since you’re following what the nurse suggested, I wouldn’t stress too much about changing it just yet. Carbs are important for fueling your body, especially with all the activity you’re doing. But if you're really worried, it never hurts to check in with your provider to make sure you're on the right track. You’ve come so far, and I know it feels like it’s slowing down, but your body is still adjusting, and this is just a phase. You’re doing all the right things, so trust the process and focus on how great you’re feeling. You’ve got this!

Good Mornong everyone. I know I have been the one to say trust the process and we are all different and all of that so far but today I need the reassurance. I have been exercising quite a bit. Walking at minimum two extra hours a day and also including yoga now and more movement in general throughout the day. The way I figure it, with the added exercise alone I should be losing like pound a week but last week I lost only 2 pounds and it’s been five days now and I haven’t lost anything so far this week. I have not had ONE thing that was not from the fresh sections of the supermarket other than the occasional brown rice and zero carb wrap. I am tracking every thing that goes into my mouth even my calcium chews which are four carbs and I log and my fiber powder too. I measure and weigh everything I onclide in my calorie count for the day. I am doing exactly what the nurse practitioner says I should be doing but I’m getting scared that if my weight loss has slowed to one and a half or 2 pounds a week already with this level of activity that I’m in trouble. I mean, physically I feel like I could keep this level of exercise up forever but timewise, I don’t know that I can work it in ever day forever. I figured I would get to maintenance and gradually cut it back to maybe yoga or aerobics or one hour of the walking but not necessarily two or three hours every day. I know that I’m at least losing and that’s better than any other diet. That’s what I would tell one of you, but it just feels like I shouldn’t be slowing down this much this soon. I’m wondering if I should maybe decrease my carbs I increase them when the nurse practitioner told me too based on my activity and I was losing more before I did that.

I am sure it varies for everyone depending on the approach of the psychiatrist and the medical programme but from what I remember I was asked about why I believed I put the weight on, what I had done in the past for weight loss, did I suffer from depression, did I have an eating disorder, how my weight impacted my life, did I have a supporting family and friends group etc. Then I was asked about what I wanted from the operation, he made sure to explain that the op is not the treatment alone and I would have to put in the work on myself and my body, how the op was a tool to help me and I would have to make changes and choices for the rest of my life. He also then asked would I be happy with the changes to my body such as saggy skin as that is what a lot of people are left with. We discussed my weight journey over the years, how I am an organised person so if I am given a set of rules (with a few bendy grey areas 😉) I felt I could follow the changes that would be required without much of an issue and that while I would love to not have saggy skin I knew that would be impossible but that being a healthy weight with less risk of health issues was more important. If you already put down about being schizoaffective on your medical forms and they considered it an automatic fail I would hope that that they would have already told you.