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I think your friend makes a perfectly fine point - you are going to want to learn what "full" feels like to you - you're just too early for that. Since she's 6 years out, she probably doesn't really remember very well when/how that happened to her - I really doubt she learned what full feels like at 2.5 weeks out. Right now you are healing. Any stress you put on your stomach could slow the healing process. You don't want to do that. That's why your doctor has given you a strict list of food/amounts, and you should keep to that. Once you do get to the point where you're eating larger amounts and regular foods, you probably won't have to work that hard to find out what too much is. I often found that the "too full" point came near the end of a normal meal. If I finished that last bite or two (despite not feeling hungry all of a sudden), I would get a sharp sudden pain and feel dizzy and need to lie down for 10-20 minutes. Often I would burp, and that would relieve the discomfort. Now that I'm 13 months out, it's more rare to get to that point and the symptoms are milder, but it still happens. It's funny how now I often feel proud of myself for NOT finishing the last bite of my meal.

Hi All, I'm 10 weeks post op, I had surgery 1/31/2021 and I've hit a stall and gained 1 pound....how 😫??I'm not eating so much more or unhealthy it's messing with me, I'm still staying between 2-3 oz of food because that's all I can eat, I've got to the point that I can drink water a lot faster and I was wondering if that's normal because I read and hear from ppl that they still struggle. I struggled at the beginning and a bit on my 7th week again but now I can take big sips....is that bad? Also how many ounces should I really be eating now?

Thank you for taking the time to let me know about the hair loss and the bumpy skin. I was told the hair would come back, but was just surprised how much it was!! The biotin is for when the new hair comes in and was told it will be a lot healthier with taking the biotin. We’ll see. The bumpy skin hormone thing makes sense. Even my face is breaking out some and I’m 69 and have been thru menopause for 19 years! But I know my mom had hot flashes into her 80’s so maybe that I’ll be like her cuz I’ve had more heat flashes recently as well. just knowing these symptoms are “normal” is enough to satisfy me. I’ve dealt with worse, and will probably deal with a lot more before my time is up. But I appreciate your explanation and your time! Thanks so much!

This is almost identical to my situation. I haven’t had anything come up, I feel very blah almost every time after I eat anything but soup and I get the 5-10 min uncomfortable feeling. I guess it’s just early in the process and it will get better as each week goes by.

Thanks for explaining why I am able to have so much more soup in a sitting. part of my problem is i have been given a range of foods to eat but no guidance on quantity. Only the instruction to eat protein before fruits or vegetables. But I can’t imagine when I would ever be able to eat anything but protein. I also have not experienced having food come back up like I hear so many people talk about - not sure if it’s because I have not exceeded my new stomach (hard to believe) or if I just don’t have that reaction (also hard to believe). I do eat all my foods from 1/4 or 1/3 cup measuring bowls. But I have felt a range of tightness from mildly uncomfortable to painful for up to 5-10 minutes which is accompanied by having to burp. I sometimes feel exhausted or just blah after I feel restriction. I will be talking with the nutritionist so hope to get more guidance this week like you said, everything feels so different it has been hard to read my cues yet. But this site has been so helpful in gauging what I am going through. Thanks!

It has been many years since I checked into Bariatricpal. My surgery on 9/1/2011 was at the INDIANA University Medical Center Bariatric Dept. The decision was made for weight loss and diabetic control. Over the years of owning two businesses, raising two sons, getting my husband through dental school then music school, while practicing my own career as an artist, my struggle with healthy eating and controlling diabetes was eventually too much. At the weight of 299 lbs and age of 71 yr and the consistently worsening sugar control, to the point that I was giving myself daily insulin shots, was a wake up call. It isn't an easy decision to jump into a serious surgery, like this if you don't have access to the specialist medical practice like the IU Medical campus. The Department offered lectures and programs to educate people about their obesity and ways to get help. I never felt pressured to sign up for the surgery but after a few appointments with the surgeon and nutritionist, several medical tests reassured me that my basic health was able to handle the surgery, I followed through with the required initial diet and weight loss. I lost 45 lbs in the first 4 months. It was rather easy to do by following the diet prescribed and I even thought about forgoing the surgery, except for the diabetes issue. Going ahead with the recommended RNY and strictly following the diet, I got down to 165 lbs. That was higher than I thought would be ideal but the sight of boney neck, face and arms seemed fine. For anyone who is older like me, I strongly encourage that you research your area for a surgery clinic that is recommended and consider your options. The following advantages that I received: 1. Loads of energy. 2. Longer life, (said my cardiologist) 3. Feeling younger. 4. More interest in going out for travel and exercising. Having recommended it I must say that I don't recommend it for young people who are doing it for vanity alone. Why? 1. You have to follow strict regiment on vitamins and follow up care. 2. You have to absolutely restrict your food intake. You have to be prepared for a complete change of food choices. 3. You have to be psychologically prepared to be successful over all temptations. ISSUES that I have encountered may be due to lack of nutrition. My current medical care is concentrated on low hemoglobin , anemia, kidney function. The good news is that my diabetes is under control and I haven't needed insulin or any medication since surgery. After years of sticking to the rules for eating, I cannot overeat. A couple of bites of protein, tiny veggies, a bite of fruit fills my stomach to the point that I can be in pain. This is one issue that I wonder about and if other long term RNY patients have experienced. You comments are welcome.

The hair loss is a very common & temporary side effect from the shock of the surgery & weight loss. Your natural hair loss cycle has been accelerated. It will stop - usually after about 3 months but some take longer. The hair you’re losing is already dead and would have been shed anyway. It’s just falling out more quickly. Supplements won’t change that - fertiliser can’t save a dead plant. Your new hair is growing but it’s growing at it’s usual rate. Losing hair or losing weight? I’ll take losing the weight everyday. As you’re losing weight a lot of hormones that were stored in your fat are being released into your body. The increase in oestrogen causes a few issues for we women. Many experience heavier, more frequent or more painful periods. My menopausal symptoms disappeared. The pimply bumps on your shoulders could be from the oestrogen surge too. It is temporary & once you’ve stopped losing weight it stops. Oh & too much vitamin B7 - biotin - can cause skin irritations. 10 000 mcg is what B7 deficient people are prescribed. If you are concerned, check with your medical team. Good luck.

I start my PreOp diet tomorrow....surgery on the 23rd. I’ve got 7 days of work left. I’ll go back to work 5/10. I’m nervous and excited...not scared at all. I trust my team. They aren’t just OR staff, they are my friends. The CRNA is one of my most favorite people, last time I had surgery, she knocked my a$$ out. 🤣 Any recommendations on what to take in the hospital bag?

are you afraid you won't lose all your weight if your rate of loss drops? That drop happens to everyone -- and a lot of us have lost a ton of weight. I lost 16 lbs the first month, then about 10 lbs a month from months 2-6, then maybe 5-8 lbs a month until around month 14, and then about 2-3 lbs a month after that. And I ended up losing over 200 lbs. No reason to be concerned if your rate of loss drops - it doesn't mean you won't lose the weight. Plus expecting to lose 20+ lbs a month is unrealistic, other than the first month or two. P.S. I should add that I lost my first 57 lbs via the six-month supervised diet that my insurance required and the two-week pre-op diet the surgeon required - so I was rolled into the OR the morning of surgery weighing 316 lbs

after the first month or two, weight loss rate drops off A LOT. You really get your biggest drop during the first month. I settled into about a 10 lb a month loss from about month 2 to month 6. That's actually pretty typical.

It gets easier everyday. Try slowing down even further. I waited between every bite at that stage. My clinics team said if you think it will take you 10 minutes try to make it take 20. I can’t tell you how much use I am getting out of microwave and learning to tolerate cold food. Slow and steady. You got this.

I am on day 5 of pre-op diet and have lost 10 pounds. I am excited about it even though it's surely just water weight. I have told a few people (who have asked) that I have lost 10 pounds. They keep saying "it's just water weight." I DON'T CARE! 10 pounds is 10 pounds

10 days Post-Op and still on liquid. I notice if I drink more than three swallows of my protein shake or creamy soup I get a discomfort as it goes down or rather settles into my stomach like a sensation that feels like gas build up and the soup or drink is trying to get through and then creates a pressure that pushes it up so I feel this constriction and then need to burp to relieve the pressure is the best way to describe it. I swallow two or three spoonful's of soup as an example then wait about 20 minutes before attempting more. Am I eating too many bites at once? Has anyone else had this feeling and or is it normal and passes with continued healing? Just thinking this will be a miserable existence if this is what I experience for the remainder of my life while trying to take in nutrition at every meal. Anyone?

I notice if I drink more than three swallows of my protein shake I get a discomfort as it goes down. It a sensation that feels like gas build up and trying to get through is the best way to describe it. Has anyone else had this feeling and or is it normal and passes with continued healing. Thank you

Follow your guidelines of course but for me I was cleared to try anything I wanted at four weeks. I found cucumber to REALLY fill me up and it felt like it sat in my stomach for hours. Bought bags of baby cucumbers and would have one with either a dab of cottage cheese or French onion dip.. would be my dinner or lunch for quite some time. But like anything I eat too often I burned out on them. Still have one now and then… my main dinners are usually cold cuts and some cheese, or I’ll have a bite of whatever I make for my kids, so I’ll never have anything pretty to post in the before and after meals thread. I’m fortunate that I still have good restriction and zero hunger (10 months so far) and I’m riding that train as far as it’ll take me. But until I got to that true solid food phase I was in a similar situation and if it wasn’t for the photo of my removed stomach I would have been worried they didn’t really do anything because the mushy stuff just didn’t make me feel full at all.

I only sized down one time, but with working from home I was able to do that by wearing my clothes until they were excessively large. I bought most of my clothes second hand and donated my entire wardrobe. I also shopped at Ross/TJ Maxx for some extra new clothes. My wife is still losing weight and I found a couple of work pants for her at Kohls for only $10 each. She is just at a size 16 down from a 26 and is losing almost daily still. Since they were only $10 I also went down a few more sizes and bought a size 12 for her for when she is at that point. These should hold up during this phase and then we will donate what doesn't fit.

Short version: I'm 45 yo, 6'3", 275. Pre-surgery eight years ago, I was about 440. Weight has plateaued for the last 15 months, whether I eat well or carelessly. A dietitian has recommended that I need significantly more calories and protein than I've been getting, but I'm having a very difficult time getting close to her recommendations though I'm constantly eating throughout the day, while still stopping when I start to get full. Having a very hard time exercising because of debilitating back pain. My questions: 1) What's your opinion on the dietitian's recommendations of 2,700 cal and 220g of protein per day? 2) How do you all (especially guys) get enough calories and protein given our small stomachs? 3) Are there any good resources for long-term post-sleeve eating plans? All I can seem to find on here and elsewhere are focused on the weeks and months after surgery. Long version/background: I'm 7.5 years post-gastric sleeve, and am currently at 275 lbs., close to my lowest post-surgery weight of 267. (I'm 45 years old and 6'3", with, my doctors and massage therapists tell me, a very large, wide frame.) In the nine months to a year after my surgery, I got down to 285, then plateaued there for a while. I have spent most of my time since between 290 and 305, once getting up to 330. In 2017, I nearly died from a massive, undiagnosed liver infection, and after my three-week hospital stay, I was down to 267. I was back up to 310 in Jan. 2019, and since then a year-long progress to 270, and I've been between 270-280 for the last 15 months or so. During those 15 months, I have had a couple of months-long periods of being very careful and planned, logging food and staying under 2,200 calories and over 100g of protein per day. I have also had a couple of extended stretches of not being as careful eating—consuming more junk calories, but being pretty consistent not over-eating and stopping when I'm full. I was confused as to why my weight stayed the same no matter what I did, so I consulted a regular dietitian, someone who is not focused on bariatric patients, but who has worked with several before me. Her opinion was that I wasn't getting enough calories, that I should be aiming for 2,700 calories per day, with macros of 220g protein, 200g carbs, and 110g fats. I have tried doing this, but am finding it very, very difficult to hit those marks. To get even close while stopping when I start to get full, it seems like I am eating all day long every couple of hours. (One more note: I have been getting little to no exercise mainly because of debilitating back pain (from degenerative disc disease and arthritis) that just keeps getting worse and does not respond to any medications or treatments. Hydrocodone, which I'm not taking currently, does nothing, I feel zero effects from it, like they were placebos. Nerve ablation made it worse, and one highly respected back surgeon says all I can do is lose weight.)

I lost 10 pounds in 10 days on my pre-op diet. Calories were 800ish.

Well what a nice surprise! Thank you so much for your nice compliments. I had fun writing the book and it was a magical year of transformation. Not only were we traveling while I was recuperating but then we ended up relocating from Hawaii to Amsterdam where we have lived the last 9 years. It's nice to know people are still reading it! And it looks like we are the same height, and you are on your way as well! Be sure to take lots of photos...it was a very fun first year. I hope you have lots of support and continue the honeymoon period forever! If I decide to write the 10 year after sequel, I will let you know. It might just help me get back on track. I still feel good but must stop the bleeding.

Thanks for your help. I am 42. I did have one bone density test at a career fair years ago but didn’t pay too much attention other than it was in the normal range. I haven’t had any blood tests yet. I have my Second post op appt in 10 days. I am not sure when they start doing labs. I just remembered my mom getting kidney stones when I was young and it was from an excess of some vitamin so I didn’t want to be getting too much of anything.

Hi, I'm new here and I am scheduled for 05/10. I live in Northern Nevada and will have the procedure here. I am excited but I do agree it is more real now that it is scheduled. I was actually scheduled for 05/24/2017, but the day before, while I was at the hospital doing pre-op, the insurance calledy dr and denied the surgery. To say I was devastated is an understatement. I decided then to self pay and have been saving for four years. Now, I am ready. I have been prepping by walking 30-35 minutes for day, working on eating better, talking with my therapist on TalkSpace, and reading, reading, reading. I am 5'4" and weigh 230. I am having the occasional anxious thought but tell myself that this is what I want, will have less pain (back, hips, knees, and ankles), feel better and be healthier. I am also working with my therapist to manage these anxious moments. Jennifer Sent from my SM-N960U using BariatricPal mobile app

Needed to lose weight for insurance consecutively for 3 months in order to get approved. I got approved and went up in weight...my preop appt is next Thursday and the documented weight needs to be the same or less from last appt....I need to drop 6-10 lbs in 2 weeks...any suggestions? I feel like if I do full liquid now I will end up cheating Sent from my SM-G975U using BariatricPal mobile app

I'm so absurdly furious about all these people who are like "yeah I got a procedure and lost 10 pounds immediately." I *hate* how I look. I am adhering so pristinely to this diet after ESG that I could be a monk. And yet, not a single damn pound lost. Not one! THIS IS NOT EVEN FAIR. When do I get to look okay? When do I get results? Do I magically break physics? What the hell is wrong with me?! Am I just one of those magic people like PCOS folks whose bodies can survive on like 500 cal/day and still be fat? Bodies are awful, and I hate mine.

I had a C-section in 2019 so I’m not terribly worried about the incisions either. It’s mostly the anesthesia, honestly I’d rather have surgery awake if that was an option. And I’m worried about recovering with a toddler at home and generally just feeling well and doing well afterwards. I really don’t want to fail. I don’t care much about the idea of loose skin now but maybe that’ll change when it’s a reality.

sorry! i’m new to this! so i was at 183kg (403pounds) before preop, 164kg (361 pounds) on the day of my sleeve and i’ve fluctuated between there and 158kg since my surgery. im 5”10, if that offers any other assistance? thank you for saying it sounds normal though, i need that