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Wow. Surgical regimes are so different. I had to inject blood thinners for a month even if I was running miles by then (I wasn't!) because of the serious risk of clots after bariatric surgery. I was prescribed a PPI for 4 weeks. I took it although I knew I was done with reflux within a few weeks of my sleeve, because my weight loss reduced my reflux symptoms so soon.

Yay, its finally real enough and close enough to fill out, congrats! I'm with you and I have no idea what a good goal for things like neck size is lol. I guess you can google average sizes and then I would be generous and aim on the high side. I've never taken any of those measurements of myself before but I do think it's an important part of this weight loss journey since sometimes the scale might not move but then a measurement will change and that can keep the positive thoughts going. I'm even having trouble thinking of goals for the next page. Just saying weight loss and exercise more don't seem specific enough. If you have goals you are willing to share for that next page, I would love to hear them so that I can come up with some better ones. I haven't started my journal yet but its coming up fast.

I have issues (digestive) when it comes to artificial sweeteners. I don’t particularly love the taste of most either. I knew going in I would have issues with the artificial sweetener in the pre-op liquid and post liquid stage when options are limited. Most times my sweet tooth is satisfied by fruits - but sometimes I want something more and try to use moderation. I have found built bars (especially the puffs), which do contain erythritol and were recommended by my nutritionist, more than satisfied my sweet tooth (and offer a nice protein boost) when I was eating solids. (That was pre-op… right now I’m a week out from being sleeved). Those were an occasional thing to tide me over on the go and keep me from getting to hungry and over eating. The Fairlife shakes, in moderation didn’t bother me, but when they were my primary source of nutrition - I struggled. I also have a milk allergy so I need to watch how much dairy I consume. I’m ok with a little - but too much and I get stomach cramps and digestive distress. When I called my nutritionist Monday because of the artificial sweetener causing some digestive irritation - she suggested moderation. One of the yogurts she suggested I try had cane sugar & fruit pectin. It was lower in sugar than regular, and had a bump of protein. I had two days to get through until purees, where I could add in real food and transition away from the shakes… so it was getting through. I try to make healthy choices, fresh fruit or no sugar added in general. Occasionally I have some things with artificial sweetener, but keep it limited because past experience has proven it will irritate and inflame my digestive system. I am working towards a balanced approach. My PCP (whose been my Dr for about 44 yrs now) has always told me he’d much rather I have less sugar in moderation than artificial sweetener as a rule. So I am trying to stay within my program guidelines and follow a balanced approach. It takes some creativity, but so far I am making it work. I have more to loose than you do, but I’m pleased with the progress I have made so far. Since I started my weight-loss journey I have lost about 75 pounds so far (50 leading up to my pre-op, 10 in the pre-op liquid phase & 15 since being sleeved last week). I might have had even better progress had I gone strictly sugar free … but I’m striving for maintainable, steady progress - something I can do forever not just a short term “diet”. Moderation seems to be working for me, but I will keep reassessing and working with my team and make adjustments as I go.

eczema ? sometimes during body stress like rapid weight loss the immune system can trigger eczema or atypical dermatitis… i have used oatmeal powdered in a food processor and mixed with shaved ivory soap (reformed into bars with a little water) for relief before when i have gotten patches

Three months after recovering from Covid I had hair loss and I took Folexin to bring it back so I know it works. I am 3 months post op right now and dreading the whole hair loss thing AGAIN! But I have my supply of Folexin ready.

Have a look at Dr Matthew Weiner’s Pound of Cure book & his you tube videos. He’s a bariatric surgeon who supports a low animal protein diet. It may not be anything all that new but may make you more comfortable about how to manage your weight loss post surgery. A good dietician should help you devise a way of eating that is best for you, your health requirements & your eating preferences. The biggest ficus post surgery is your prirein intake (& fluids) but I’ve never heard anyone say they were restricted to getting their protein only from animal sources. Plenty of plant based protein shakes & powders, yoghurts, milk, etc. as you know you can eat to meet the goals you’ll be given. Initially after the surgery you will be on a staged return to eating diet. This is support your healing tummy & not put undue stress on your digestive system. There are some foods we’re not advised to eat during this period. But again a good dietician should be able to advise you of alternatives. Mind you many have refried beans on their list of recommended foods during the staged return to eating stages. While I was on keto for my pre surgery diet, I was not encouraged to follow it long term by my dietician: good for kickstarting a diet but not long term she advised. I had my own doubts about it so I was glad. Many of us use the weight loss stage to devise a way of eating that best suits our needs & preferences & don’t follow any specific ‘diet’. I mean if there was a diet that worked for everyone none of us would have been obese & needed surgery. Personally I’m a low fat, low carb (2 serves of whole/multigrain carbs a day), low sugar & high protein (absorption issue). Many vegetarians successfully have surgery so your eating preferences should not be a deterrent to you either once you find a supportive surgeon & dietician.

all surgeons are different. If it becomes an issue you can get prescribed it after surgery. I dont know what surgery you are having but one other medication i was prescribed after surgery was a medication called Ursodiol for 1 year after surgery. It dissolves gall stones which many (not all) get after rapid weight loss. other than that i got hydrocodone in liquid form, The PPI medication for 1 month (they refused to renew it but i didnt need it anymore) Anti nausea medication that was a green liquid, constipation medication (only needed that for a week or so) and that was it.

That sounds like a strong and healthy rate of loss. Supposedly if we eat a soup with lots of sodium that an really impact the water weight we see. I'm thinking of not weighing myself every day because I'll mentally torture myself. I want to focus on how strong do I feel today? Can I sit up better today? What can I do today that was a challenge yesterday? 😊

Ouch, I hope not! Ten years ago, the accepted opinion was the whey protein was superior for supporting weight loss and preventing muscle catabolism. More recent research supports that a combination of both whey and casein is superior. I specifically picked the 2 brands I did (Premier Protein and Fairlife), because they were both milk protein instead of just whey. I don't know if this will work, but I'm going to try and post some links to research that supports this view: https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.94.26.14930 https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/1743-7075-10-46 https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2021/FO/D0FO01960G https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajpendo.00106.2012 https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/effects-of-hydrolysed-casein-intact-casein-and-intact-whey-protein-on-energy-expenditure-and-appetite-regulation-a-randomised-controlled-crossover-study/C90335661B4E43ACA05E7C80032D951F

Ditto what others have said - I had really bad hair loss and unfortunately, it just took time. Like others, I cut it short and that helped the appearance a TON.

For me, a huge factor in making the hair loss appear worse was the fact that my hair was extremely dry and dehydrated and needed some advanced treatments to restore that moisture (as a result of chemical color and heat processing). Once I got the moisture back in there, my hair didn’t appear as frail as it previously had. food for thought.

I would talk to other surgeons. My surgeon is a major vegetable and fruit fan. As soon as I could fit it in my diet, his goal for me was 7 to 14 servings of vegetable/fruits a day. "No matter what. Just make it happen." It is great for weight loss and health. He isn't specific about the type of protein, just as long as I get 65 to 100g a day.

I know this might be a stretch but has anyone undergone weight loss surgery who had PPPD also know as Persistent Postural Perceptual Dizziness pre surgery??

Well, I'm sorta happy so far. Weight loss has slowed to a crawl; but I was tired of dieting, too. Physically, it's hard to eat too much. I generally don't get hungry, so I'm happy. I still lose, but so slowly. It's all such a personal thing! I know all I have to do is cut back a little more and I would lose more quickly. i guess if I started gaining, I would jump back on the strict bandwagon..

I wouldn't worry about it. I've looked for, but have not found a "definitive" guide as published by the ASMBS. To some extent I think these guidelines develop over time as the doctors adjust to their own preconceived ideas, as well as what their patients are telling them about their experiences. Some doctors (like mine), are very conservative in this regard, and others have looser standards based on what they've seen in their practice. In the end, I think they all work to accomplish the goal of shrinking your liver for surgery. Post-op is the same. Some plans are much more conservative than others, but long term loss shouldn't really be impacted by how soon you eat solids, for example. .

It is, and I'm not disregarding my overall weight loss. My post-surgery loss just has me discouraged at this point. 21 days in and I was hoping for more. The 2nd-week early stall was sooooo frustrating. I also compare myself hard by nature. I am also taking a family trip to Disney World at the end of September, just hoping to be closer to that 200lb mark. I am looking forward to having the ok from my doctor to start working out again, walking every day and not being able to really switch up my routine has me a little crazy.

The weight loss feel so slow for me. However, when I step back and think about it, it's a lot faster than I could lose on my own. I'm post op day 15 and I've lost 12 pounds since surgery.

You've lost 41 pounds in all. That is a lot. You're still losing, so you shouldn't feel bad. Our bodies try to hold on to the weight, so the weight will come off in spurts and sometimes there will be stalls as well. The human body is complicated and I know how you feel. I panicked on that one day post surgery when I gained weight, and when I was the same weight the day after as I'd been two days before, I wondered if I had stopped losing weight already, but then it started again. A good night's sleep is essential in weight loss, so you should try not to obsess over the numbers.

I did not have to stop my reflux meds, ( thank goodness, as I was on 4). Quite frankly, a barium swallow will also tell them if you have Reflux, though it’s not always 100% accurate (but if your GERD is bad enough and the tech and radiologist is good it should show) and it not nearly as bad a test. If you appeal, definitely add in the poor quality of life, how much medication you are taking, and reiterate that it’s not for weight loss. If your dr is willing to do a peer to peer with the insurance company, that also helps. I included that my GI suggested surgery and told me there were no more medical management options available left to me, therefore, undergoing more tests to prove what we already knew undermined his professional opinion as well as that of the surgeon who agreed with him. I also insisted that a GI Dr review my case not any dr (insurance companies will use any dr available and I’ve had podiatrists and ob-gyn’s deny me because they are going by a list of requirements as opposed to knowing a disease condition) These are things that helped me get approved. Best to you and hope all goes well..

Biotin is more for the quality and health of the hair itself. It really does nothing for the scalp and roots. It doesn't slow or prevent hair loss (no matter what the interwebs say lol ) The best thing to do is just wait it out. Honestly. I know it sucks (my hair always shed more because of pcos but now it's SHEDDING and it's bothersome, but I know it's normal and it'll stop, so I'm just riding it out) but meeting your protein goals is the most important. Hair needs protein to grow, but it can't produce it. Without protein, your hair will shed and not be able to come back in. For me, I'm staying at the top of the protein requirement (80-90g per day) just to make sure my hair will have what it needs. I use hair masks and all that, but it's mostly because I like my hair soft, shiny, and not frizzy (I have hair that will poof out like a poodle if I don't keep it under control). They don't help with regrowth, but I like the routine of self care, and I like how my hair looks and feels after.

Ride it out. Keep hitting calorie and protein goals and just be patient. I had really long hair. I cut it shorter at about 6 months out, and even by then, I was getting regrowth at the roots. The shorter cut (and not pixie short, just to roughly my shoulders) made it much less noticeable. To me, at least. I'm not sure anyone other than me, my husband and my hair stylist even noticed.

As arabesque says. Its upsetting and worrying for sure. My hair has just about stopped shedding at 9 months out. I have had very long hair all my life and it went at the front of my head the worst. It looked to me to be scalp without hair, very scary. I took the leap and had a short cut and then a pixie cut. If I say so myself it looks good. So quick and easy to style every morning too.

I did a VSG (sleeve) in July 2012. weighed around 175 kgs then. reduced it to 120 kgs and then with further intensive training and diet, it came down to as low as 110 kgs. After that, it went up to 120 kgs which became my normal weight for years.. 10 years later, did a revisional MGB 3 weeks ago in July 2022, weighed 160 kgs on day of surgery. 148 kgs now. I had no choice. All attempts at weight loss failed miserably. It was a constant tug of war between me and weight. breathing in air seemed to increase my weight. Investment in health is the best that you can do, even if you have failed in the past. On the other side, you are more experienced now and know what went wrong the first time around.

So a 'normal' BMI (24.9) would be 159 pounds for me. I was 392 pounds which means I had 233 pounds of excess weight. My lowest weight was 175, but my maintenance weight was 178-182 pounds (though due to anti-convulsant medication for my Trigeminal Neuralgia I gained 18 pounds and got up to 196, but am now weaning myself off of the med that made me gain weight and hopefully the other one I'm on won't do the same thing as I've gotten myself down to 186-191 and am struggling to lose back to my maintenance weight, but I'm also two and half years out so maybe that's the couple pounds they say you gain back... IDK). So today I'm 187 which means I've lost 205 pounds of the 233 excess weight as of right now which I think is roughly 88% of excess weight loss (if I can lose that extra 10 pounds again then it'd be about 92%). My BMI right now is 29 so I'm 'overweight' rather than a normal weight, but I'm just glad that I'm not in the obese category. I cried when my weight went up to 196 because it was 1. too close to 200 hundred and 2. I was briefly obese again and I couldn't get off the med without the approval of my neurologist because I needed a different med regimen due to the flare and he was the only one who could change the meds. So yeah. 88-92% depending on how you count it. I was in the 92% weight loss for 10 months before I was put on the med that made me gain weight and I'm in thee 88% right now.

It happens to almost everyone. Just have to ride it out until your natural hair loss cycle returns to it’s usual rate. The accelerated rate of loss is a stress response to all the changes you’re putting your body under. The hair you’re losing is dead & would have fallen out anyway - it’s just happening faster. Your new hair is still growing just at it’s usual rate. Some will swear by supplements like biotin but their hair loss slows in about the same 3 or 4 months time frame as those who don’t take or do anything. Save your money I say. Keep meeting your goals & relax - don’t add more stress. Many of us with long hair cut our hair shorter so the new growth didn’t have as much to grow to catch to the length of the remaining hair.