Search the Community

Spent the afternoon cooking my lockdown woes away and made the fam a homemade Dim Sum feast: 40 Sui Mai (steamed shrimp & pork dumplings), 10 Char Sui Cheung Fun (BBQ Pork Rice Noodle Rolls), and a large pile Yam Tempura. I had to take a phone call, and by the time I came back, this was all that was left. I swear, these people are vacuum cleaners. I had 2 of the Sui Mai and the solitary Yam w/ a tsp of dipping sauce: 168 calories

My doctor wanted 10% weight loss through medically supervised diet before he'd approve you. For me that was 27 pounds. My insurance wanted 5 months of medically supervised weight loss....so that's what I did, and lost 40 pounds by cutting back calories, learning about better nutrition, making better choices. After surgery, my doctor wanted us eating 1200 calories a day by the 3-4th week. We avoid refined carbs, but eat LOTS of whole carbs....potatoes, whole grains, etc. (no refined sugar or white flour products) We ate 1200 calories a day like that until goal....then gradually upped calories to maintenance. I maintain well at 1600 calories a day. I eat pretty much everything, but am careful with refined foods.

I was 234 at heaviest 118 at lightest and am now (4 and a quarter years post op) 149. Yes - lockdown but more than that it’s sugar addiction. At 114 I had no bum or tits or shape and people said I looked gaunt and old but I LOVED being skinny. I’m now a size 8-10 uk - up from a low 6 and definitely not fat or even really overweight. My bmi is maybe a tad over but I’ve always been solid - short legs long back- great build for a hod carrier an ex once told me!!! so I need to deal but it’s sugar I need to deal with. I go in and off IF and Keto but constantly relapse with sugar. I’m weaning off just now and am going to aim for IF on work days (my tummy is v hair trigger so that helps avoid leaving a classroom mid lesson. the struggle is real. I’m a recovering alcoholic and sugar hits the same button. I’m depressed, sedentary, lonely but I’m not giving up. It’s great to hear from people who’ve kept weight off and I’d like too to hear how you get it off again befor it’s all back... on a positive note I have boobs and a bum again!

I had my surgery on March 19 (bypass). I have depression and ADHD. I used to take Concerta (XR Methylphenidate) 36 mg per day, and 75 mg Zoloft. My Zoloft has stayed the same since this is not an extended release formula, and I have not noticed any change in my mood in the 3 weeks since surgery. My doctor changed my methylphenidate rx from Concerta to regular old, instant release Ritalin, 20 mg/day (one tablet with breakfast and one with lunch). So far, this is working...OK. The dosage will probably need to be increased as I feel that it doesn't control my symptoms as well, but it's close I'd say. It also wears off sooner, but for me having my symptoms managed during the workday is the most important, so I'm OK with that. My family doctor said she'd like to refer me to a psychiatrist to discuss how to manage the ADHD going forward. For now the Ritalin is a good stopgap.

Thanks so much the reply. I really appreciate all the information and support. If I didn't feel so horrible I could live with it. But I honestly feel worse now than I did at 223 lbs. I feel super heavy, bloated, and its messing with me emotionally in a different way than it did when I was morbidly obese. I think getting back to 135 may not be doable, but I know I would just feel better if I could lose 10 lbs. And I did the same thing as you when slightly overweight people would complain...I had zero compassion. Now I know.

actually, a 10-20 lb gain after hitting your lowest weight is VERY common, especially in year 2 or 3 - so you were lucky you held out for so long. Your gain is pretty minimal for being 10 years out - a lot of people fail to get a handle on that 10-20 lb bounce back and it starts to get really out of control. Losing 10-20 lbs is tough but do-able - way easier than the 50+ that some people gain (and unfortunately, some people end up gaining most (or all) of their weight back if they're not careful). I gained 10 lbs in year 3 and have gained another 10 this year (thanks to COVID). I don't want to get back down to my lowest weight as it was too low for me, but I'd love to get rid of the 10 pounds I put on this year. Although it's been tough. It doesn't seem to want to budge much. Although for normal weight or slightly overweight people, losing weight is really hard, even for those who've never been obese. I remember being at Weight Watchers meetings years ago and rolling my eyes at these slightly overweight women who'd groan and complain about how hard it was to lose 10 lbs. Yea right (I'd think...) - try lose 100+ lbs! But now I totally get it!! all you can really do is either cut calories or bump up your exercise - or both - and know that it's going to be tough slog since you're at a normal (or maybe slightly above?) a normal BMI. But....some people do manage to do it! Congrats on your loss and on your ability to keep it off for so long. And be grateful that you've only put on 20 lbs in 10 years. That'd still be considered a very successful result - and it's manageable - with some hard work, you should be able to get rid of that (that is, if you want to!)

given your starting weight, 30 lbs a month is unrealistic. Most of us lose somewhere in the 15-25 lb range the first month (of course there are exceptions to that, but...they're exceptions), and with your low starting weight, I'd expect you to be on the lower end of that. Plus that's just the first month. After the first month, rate of weight loss drops quite a bit. Most of us have a big drop the first month (or maybe two months for some of us), and after that it's around 10 lbs a month. So you're fine. And your surgeon is being very unrealistic. Maybe he's used to patients who start out much heavier than you? I'm not sure, but his expectations are way off. I'm glad they'll be starting you on prilosec. Actually, many surgeons prescribe it for the first 3-6 months after surgery (mine prescribed it for the first year, but that was a few years ago before all the potential side effects of PPIs were known - I wouldn't be surprised if he's reduced it to 3-6 months at this point). At any rate, that might help. And if not, yes - gall bladder could be the culprit. keep us posted...

TY catwoman7 and Arabesque ok i am horrible at figuring how much i lost i think i meant 10 a month..lol i stated at 223 and yesterday i weighed in at 187 an its week 12 so whatever that turns out to be. he did say it should be 30 a month. so i am friggin failing evidently lol i have landed in the hospital 2 times to get iv fluids. i have expressed my concern and issues to the doc but he keeps saying to be patient and it takes time and everyone is different. blah blah.. and reiterates what to do again. doc says 3 pieces of anything is all i am suppose to eat. i dont think a body can survive on that. hence my issues. at yesterdays apt FINALLY they said to try prilosec and the anti-nausea med once a day and see if that helps - if not they are gonna look into my gallbladder. i agree my gut feeling is there is something odd gong on.. this cant be. i have another apt next week - and if not more normal by then i am gonna insist on an x-ray or something. thank you both for you comments.

It is true that diet plans are so different! One guy in my group of July 2020 sleevers didn't have solid food for months after surgery! He reached goal very quickly, but NO food! UGH! My doctor's plan seems to be fairly normal and although I'm losing pretty slowly (I have 19 pounds to go to be the lowest I have been in 25 years), I am happy with my plan. I don't think it has anything to do with where the surgeon is from, it's probably more how conservative they are or how quickly they want you to be successful. I am personally a "slow and steady wins the race" vs. "speed to the finish line"...although I may have to change things up to get these last 20 pounds off!!

Hello everyone...I'm back. Most of you don't know me because I haven't been on the forum for about 5 years, but I was on it almost every day from the time I had the sleeve in October 2011 at 57 years old. First, having the surgery was a dream come true because I had been heavy all my life. I lost 88 lbs in the first year (I wrote a weekly blog which I turned into a book and interestingly, I reached my goal at EXACTLY one year). At 135 I FELT SO FREE!!!! Yes, I looked a lot better, and Yes, I was healthier and Yes, I was happier. But the freedom of it was the best part. I felt like a normal person and not the fattest person in the room (or worse, in Amsterdam where I had moved....trust me, there are no fat people here!). I felt free from food. I don't think I have to explain that hold that food has on us to most of us.... My look, my health, my happiness and the freedom lasted for 5 fantastic years. I couldn't believe I was living the most extraordinary life in my late 50's and 60's. I had a breast reduction in 2013 and it was THE BEST!!! (I have 22 year old boobs instead of sag wagons) ..love them!) Then in April 2016 I had a tummy tuck and it all started going wrong. First, I couldn't exercise for 2-3 months, after faithfully exercising for years. So a few lbs went on. Then, over the next 4 years, a few lbs went on every year. My clothes still fit but they were getting tighter. I tried to get the weight off but I didn't try hard enough and I started making bad choices again. Now I have that dreaded section in my closet called 'WHEN I LOSE 10LBS I CAN WEAR THESE AGAIN....) So, do the math....3-4 lbs a year for 5 years and here I am now 20 lbs overweight and MISERABLE. In fact, it's so interesting that I feel more uncomfortable now, heavier now, more self-conscious now, than I did at 223 lbs. So here is my advice: If you are in your first year, ENJOY that honeymoon period where your restriction is still there....learn good habits and stick with them. Stop drinking soda. Seriously. It's so bad for you. I drank it for 40 years and gave it up. I took a sip a few years ago and gagged. Why drink your calories anyway? Weigh yourself regularly. If the scale starts to go up a lb, 2 lbs, then do what you need to do to get it off before it becomes 4-5 lbs. Oh how I wish I would have done that 4 years ago. Because I was relatively early with the sleeve, and because I was in Europe and traveling for a year, I had no post surgery support; but if you have that, stick with it or come back here because it really does help. If you have major surgery that keeps you from moving, talk to your doctor about what you can do and when. I really think that was the start of my downfall. Having said that, please don't let me scare any of you that are considering this surgery....it was hands down the best decision of my life. And just so you know, I'm not happy with my weight gain but I'm not beating myself up either. Be kind to yourself. This is hard. I would really be interested in hearing advice from other veterans and particularly interested in connecting with any European veterans. Queen of Crop

Well I am probably the only one that is 10 years out! Just wanted to comment on the soda issue. I drank coca-cola and Diet Coke every day from the time I was in High school to my 50's. I then saw an experiment where they used coke to clean a car battery and that pretty much did it for me. So I quit before I had my surgery (at age 57). Like most things, the first week or so (or when I had popcorn) I missed it. But then it was out of my life forever. I moved to Europe when I was 57 (had my sleeve done here) and soda isn't a big deal here (nor is ice!). At some point I flew to the US and at the Chicago airport it was hot and they had some Diet Coke on ice so I bought one (this was 2 years post surgery). I gagged on the first sip....OMG, it was horrible; so sweet and fizzy, I hated it. So my suggestion, try something else. I drink Crystal light now; still. not great for you, but much better than soda. BTW, I lost 83 lbs and managed to keep most of it off until a few years ago. Have gained almost 20 back over the past few years, which is why I am back on here now. So, for all of you who still have restriction...enjoy it! It's really hard to lose once you start gaining again. But I refuse to go back to the BEFORE PHOTO! Queen of Crop

It appears to be resolved! I fought with appeals for 10 months to get approved for my surgery, the big hurdle was weight loss surgery wasn't included in my coverage. I won my final appeal because the surgery was my only viable option to properly repair my hiatal hernia. I called insurance, they told me it was automatically rejected based on my coverage, they will process it again and it should be fine.

10 lbs a week is slow? Did you mean to say 10 lbs a month? Ten lbs a month is pretty normal. 10 lbs a week would be what I would expect for someone the size of the people on "My 600 lb Life". If you/he meant month, then even 10 lbs a month is not slow, especially given you're what we call a "light weight". After the first month, I lost about 10 lbs a month, and I started out WAY heavier than you. P.S. As I said on your other post, what you're experiencing (vomiting, not being able to eat more than 2 T of food, etc) is NOT normal for someone 12 weeks out. Call your clinic. There's something going on.

I'm almost six years out, but there are people on here who are further out than I am. No regrets at all. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Yes, I've regained about 20 lbs. A 10-20 lb regain after hitting bottom is unfortunately very common. It seems to happen most often in year 2 or 3. I've worked on trying to get 10 of it off (I don't want to get down to my lowest weight again - it was too low for me), but it's a bear. But losing 10 lbs when you're normal weight (or slightly overweight) is a bear for people who've never been obese, too. Plus I'm post-menopausal, which doesn't help.

I am 12 weeks out Post Op for Gastric Sleeve and ready to LOOSE IT! Can't eat squat without getting very nauseous and vomiting up what I ate. I feel nauseous from the moment I wake up... with the feeling of wanting to hurl without even eating a thing yet. I can't drink the stupid protein drinks or water without getting sick.. so I don't. YES... I have had small bites and chewed the hell out of it and yet still... this is like a living hell. I feel thirsty yet cant keep stuff down.. and weak and dizzy. I don't feel right at all and there seems to be no end in sight for this madness. At week 12 my life should be more normal by now. My weight loss is about 10 lbs a week which Doc says is slower than he would like.. So I was wondering am I the only one out here in this boat to hell???

For my visit, I talked on the phone to a nurse and after met virtually with the physician's assistant and dietitian. I can post about my dietitian's visit later if anyone is interested. First, I spoke with the nurse over the phone for about 15 minutes. She asked the following questions: What type of surgery or intervention are you interested in? What is your current weight? What is your blood pressure? Tell me about any prior surgeries? Next, I met with the physicians assistant (PA-C), for about 50 minutes. She asked the following questions: What is your weight history? How long have you struggled with weight? What do you think is the cause of weight gain? What are your lifestyle habits? Have you taken weight loss medication? Did the weight loss medication work for you? How much weight have you gained in the last year? What is motivating you to lose weight? What type of exercise are you doing? What's your living situation like? Do you eat out? Who does the cooking in the household? Do you eat three meals a day? Do you snack? What are you snacking on? Do you struggle with emotional eating? Have you been diagnosed with a kidney stone? Do you have an irregular heart rhythm? Have you had an EKG? Any bleeding disorders or blood clots? Have you been diagnosed with an eating disorder? Have you met with a therapist? Do you have heartburn? Do you have a stomach ulcer? Do you use your CPAP? Multiple family planning questions. Next, we discussed my medical history. She gave a general overview of: Obesity Metabolic processes Emotional health Coping skills Lifestyle changes Weight loss medications Expectations The differences in surgery, benefits, and risks associated with the sleeve and RNY were discussed. She made a surgical recommendation. There is a 2-form of contraception requirement. I was given an outline of tasks to complete. Those were: scheduling a blood draw and contacting my sleep center to request my CPAP usage download. A scheduler will call to schedule a psychological assessment, physical therapy, and an appointment with the nurse clinician who'll act as my contact throughout the process. It was also encouraged that I attend the support group for bariatric and weight management patients. Lastly, I was given the clinic's late policy and the reminder that if I gain 10 pounds before surgery, I will be re-evaluated to be sure I'm a good surgical candidate. I had the blood draw and eight tubes were taken. I was tested for vitamin deficiencies including B1, B6, D. Also, calcium, iron, prediabetes, cholesterol, creatinine for kidney function, parathyroid hormone, and others. Hope this helps anyone curious about the first visit.

Here is a good reference that I like to use - You don't need to follow his dietary guidelines, but I do find that his progression on meal volume over time is consistent with my experience. In short, some increase in volume capacity is to be expected and is normal. Call it stretching, adaptive growth (the body will adapt to the changes that surgery has imposed upon it, like it or not) or a more varied diet that includes more slippery foods that move through rather than stay in the stomach, or more likely, a combination of all three. On the volume vs. weight issue - a basic physics lesson to start with. When measuring water, an ounce of volume weighs an ounce - that is a definition and is the basis of our measurement system (similarly, a ml or cc of water weighs a gram in the metric/SI system. Most of our food is mostly water (as indeed, we are,) so on average, an ounce of food by volume will weigh about an ounce, give or take maybe 20%, and over the different components of a meal meat, fruit, veg, starch, etc. - should about average out to about one for one. Another consideration is that the important thing to your stomach is what the volume is when it hits your stomach, not when you put it into your mouth before you chew it and soak it in saliva. Once that is done, you have a blob (bolus) hitting your stomach that will be about, wait for it..... and ounce of volume that weighs about an ounce. This really saves you from agonizing over how to measure a cup of spinach - how big a leaf, chopped or whole leaf, how finely chopped, how densely packed into the cup...? Dr Weiner in the video above notes that we ultimately, on average, will be able to consume in a meal about half of what we could before surgery which is consistent with my experience ten years out, and in looking at others whom we dine with in our support group (pre Covid) who are all in the 10-20 year out range, and most every one is taking something home or leaving it on their plate, so some increased volume is normal. The tricky part is keeping your caloric intake steady as this volume increases over time - you still need to keep it at 1200,1500, 2000 calories - whatever level keeps your weight stable.

Hi Steph, I was sleeved on the 31st too, yesterday was the first time I met my liquid goal. Some things to look out for with dehydration are the colour and smell of your pee. Clear and light coloured with no distinct odour is good, but if it’s dark in colour and has a strong smell, that’s not great. Another thing to try is the pinch test, if you pinch the skin on the back of your hand it should spring back to shape within a few seconds. Defs call your team if you think you need extra fluids/support. I found that setting a 5 or 10 minute timer and portioning out 1oz of water (in a medicine cup) really helped me focus on getting the fluids in. And I added chunks of cucumber to my water for flavour (I’m pretty sick of sweetness) but of course I don’t eat them! Wishing you luck and I hope it gets easier for you.

Hello, I am new here and don't know where or how to post things to ask the Dietician - but here is my story and I need help please. I had Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy August 6th, 2019. My surgeon and nutritionist said being almost 2 years out of surgery, my stomach should be able to hold 8 ounces in volume or 1 cup of food at a time (but obviously if I get full, don’t eat the whole thing) When I first started this journey, I had the Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy on August 6th, 2019, they said only eat 4 ounces of food for a meal three times a day. I did that and weighed my food at 4 ounces on my kitchen scale. Then a year and a half out they tell me no, I need to go by VOLUME and not by weight or else I will stretch my stomach! I feel like I am limited in what I can eat now because how do I make a sandwich fit in a measuring cup or a piece of pizza (which I no isn’t nutritious..) but just using those as an example for size. In addition to the whole volume thing, what about foods that expand like breads and crackers and pasta? How do I measure their volume? If I figure out the volume of something like that should I take away some of the food item that will expand, so I do not go over the volume? For example: If I make a sandwich that is a perfect half cup in volume, should I remove some of the bread because if it expands it will be more that that half of cup? I hope that makes sense. I have lost 230lbs since August 2019. Now I have to learn how to reeat again, because I don’t know how to measure volume without putting it into a measuring cup. I find conversion calculators online, but they give me different answers. I thought, well if my kitchen scale says 4oz in weight am I able to find the fl oz of that without smushing it? I don’t know what is accurate? Weighing was so much easier, but now I am told volume and that it has to fit into a measuring cup, but how do you put a meal in a measuring cup? Right now, I eat 3 meals a day at 1/3 cup volume measuring cup per meal and with 1 – 2 protein shakes for the day in between my meals. I eat a meal at around 6am, 12 – 1pm, and around 6 – 6:30pm. I get full on only a few bites of my 1/3 cup food or what I think fullness is so I don’t always finish even that. My hunger signals and fullness signals are all screwed up. And I don't know if it is all in my head? Thank you so much for your time. I truly appreciate it. I try asking my nutritionist and surgeon these things and they say they don’t know how to answer them – just make sure you don’t stretch your sleeve and go over the volume! I try to stay at 1/3cup volume per meal, because I am afraid of stretching my stomach out now. Maybe one day I can go up to 8 ounces in volume I hope because my meal choices have become really restricted because I can’t mush them into a measuring cup and what I can doesn’t seem worth it because If I wanted to enjoy a little something sweet, it barely fits in the 1/3cup – so why bother. Then that makes me sad. I originally weighed 352lbs and now I am 119lbs. I also spoke to someone who said that after I lose all of my weight that it doesn’t matter if I overeat and stretch my stomach back out any more just as long as I stay within 1,200 calories, 120 carbs, and 90g of protein? Is that true? My hunger and fullness signals are really difficult for me to tell apart and I have a severe anxiety over stretching my stomach (that I am trying to seek help for). But if the whole “It doesn’t matter if your stomach stretches back to normal” is fine and I watch my nutrition, is that ok? I feel like that would be giving up and taking the easy way out because I “like food more than blah, blah, blah, and just want to eat..” I am afraid of going back to old habits because I love bread and sweets. It scares me to gain any of my weight back because I don’t want to be one of those where people say, look at her – you can’t even tell she had weight loss surgery because she gained it all back! I made this big decision, this massive life change and accomplished a great weight loss, but now am I giving it all up? All because I miss food and want to eat in between meals. Right now I am so hungry or head hungry, but not physically hungry, but head hungry enough I think I want to eat something. I need help tp get on track and figure some things out please? I don’t know what else to do and I am so utterly lost. My surgeon tells me to ask my dietician these questions because he doesn’t know how to answer them – he just preforms the surgery. My dietician told me to go by weight, then volume and now she’s telling me not to weigh or measure at all just to go by how I am feeling? Well sometimes I feel I can eat a lot. I am not getting the support from them I need and I just need someone to have patience and understanding and who is kind to work with me please. I am sorry if this is a lot of information to take in. I don’t mean to go on a rant. I am just so confused. I am going to see a therapist, but the whole stretching my stomach thing is a real fear. I also had complications after surgery with bleeding that I am told may have given me PTDS..

These questions may help - some are targatted for surgeons, but there are questions in there that are relevant to your dietician https://njbariatricsurgeons.com/10-questions-to-ask-your-bariatric-surgeon/ Some of these may be relevant to you: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000259.htm

I was sleeved on March 10. Weight loss for the first three weeks was 10, 4.5, 3.5 lbs. During this (fourth) week, I have lost half a pound, although I am keeping track of what I eat and stay well hydrated. Anyone else experience this weight loss slowdown?

I'm self pay too and going to Mexico also for a VSG. My date is 5/10! This is my first post on this forum but have been reading for a few weeks since I scheduled. It's been such a lifeline! This time next year, our lives are going to be so much better - emotionally and physically!

I had my surgery 4/1 i currently have lost 10 pounds including the water diet. Im not even 1 week post op.

Had my surgery on 3/10/21, this getting my denial overturned on 3rd appeal. I am now getting a bill for the full cost of anesthesia that states "we do not offer coverage for this type of sedation" . . .WHAT!? I don't even know where to go from here, how can this be something new?

Today was my first follow up from surgery on March 1st. I lost 20lbs before surgery from January 25-March 1. Today I was down 20lbs from March 1st surgery. Dr was pleased and said average is about 10-20 lbs. Prior to surgery, I took BP medicine, metformin, diabetic medication and acid reflux medicine. Today I am now only on my reflux medicine, diabetic medication (farxiga) has been reduced to 5mg, calcium and multi vitamin. My PCP expects I will be off all diabetic medication in a few weeks. 40lbs gone is awesome. Eating is getting better. Sleep is interesting as some nights are great and others are full of insomnia. I am able to get in my protein & fluid even thought some days, it is mostly through liquid. I no longer regret the surgery at all. I actually wish I had done it much sooner. I need some easy protein ideas to carry in my cooler bag to lunch. I still have not been able to add vegetables to my meals, only protein. How are the rest of you doing?