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I don't think Bariatric surgeons tells what to except in terms of detailed weight loss. They went you to come in every couple of months and will ask a couple of question and will how he sees your progress. I hate going to the doctor and Covid19 didn't help. So, I asked a surgeon friend of mine(not bariatric surgeon) what to except in terms of weight loss in first year and he said if you stick to your diet and calorie intake on average except to lose 1 month: 10% of your weight 3 months: 20% of your weight 6 months: 30% of your weight 12 months: 40% of your weight and my weight loss fits exactly with this except for the 40% weight loss mark which I reached by 10 Months due to higher exercise intensity and really watching what I ate 6 months after surgery. My BMI was around 40 and I had no Pre-OP diet requirement, so I didn't lose any weight before surgery.

You need to look at the statistics from large research studies and not base it on what you see on the boards. Long time vets who are still hanging out here after several years post-op are likely to be patients who were very successful. And it could be that for many if us, staying active in the bariatric community might be one factor in our success. The statistics show that the average RNY patient loses about 70% of their excess weight, and the average VSG patient loses about 65%. Most patients end up somewhere around that peecentage. Of course you will always find people who end up above or below the average, and some WAY above or below that. The percentages get smaller the further you get away from the average. A 100% loss is a couple standard deviations from the mean, so you're not going to find a ton of people who end up there. My surgeon discouraged me from my goal of 100% loss, saying that only about 10% of his patients make it the far. But, i did it. And so did a few others from my clinic. But we're not the norm. I've checked the research. Studies show that about 10-15% make it to a normal BMI. Most end up overweight or class I obese (both of which are infinitely better than weighing 300+ lbs). But some of us do make it. But it takes some serious commitment and hard work. You can do it.. but it'll take a lot of dedication and effort.

Have you guys heard anything about when they will resume surgeries at Kaiser... I had an appointment Friday and the nurse made it sound like it wasnt going to be anytime soon...that whole apt was bizarre i met with a doctor from the bariatric program but it wasn't the surgeon ... he referred me to the surgeon... my apt with the surgeon is next week... i still haven't heard anything about a psych test.

I think a lot of people base their expectations on shows like "My 600 lb Life", because we get a lot people who post about being disappointed when they "only" lost 15 or 20 or 25 lbs the first month, when that's actually pretty normal. You have to keep in mind that the people on those shows start out MUCH heavier than the average bariatric patient - and generally speaking, the higher your starting BMI, the faster you'll lose - at least for the first few months, anyway. You're doing just fine!

The bypass and sleeve are very similar. I’ve seen you comment about people who’ve gotten back their weight, but my girlfriend and her mom did the sleeve 5 years ago and they have kept all their weight off. I have friends who’ve done the sleeve 2-3 years backs and they are still in great shape(no weight gain after 2-3 years). People who gain weight years after are people who start eating unhealthy and don’t follow the plan their Bariatric team has given them. My friend was 298 and in 9 months lost 150 pounds. She exercised and followed her diet. Simple. What is this myth you talk about? 18 month window? You’re always going to keep losing until you start eating to maintain your ideal weight. There is no window that magically stops you from losing. Who is giving you this information?

Hi everyone I will be Starting the process of my weight loss surgery on the 26th of this month I have first choice health insurance through the state of South Carolina I am going with the prisma bariatric institute in Greenville South Carolina and I would like to know if anybody else has went with them and use the same insurance I am using thank you in advance

Do you still have access to your postop dietary plan that was provided to you by your team? How much in quantity do they expect you to eat at three months postop? Most plans are asking people to eat no more than 1 cup by volume or 4ozs by weight for quite a bit of time post op. Some things to consider: Are you allowed to eat bread by this point? If yes, Was the sandwich mostly bread? Or vegetables? Was it mostly meats or cheeses? If you really want that sandwich experience, you may have to make your own where you can control the portions and macros using Bariatric friendly substitutes, like lettuce wraps. But please ask your team about food stages, amounts, etc, first.

All the information you need is here on this forum. You may not know many people in real life who have been through this surgery, but everybody here is in some stage of the process of weight loss surgery. If you haven't already, I would strongly recommend that you spend some time looking through the archives of this forum -- it's a gold mine! YouTube is also a great resource -- there are quite a few YouTubers who make videos about their WLS experience. I was pretty well prepared for surgery because I spent months reading this forum and watching YouTube videos about WLS. It seems like the most common questions that come up include: Stalls - Almost everyone has a weight loss stall within the first two months after surgery (commonly called the "three week stall" but it can happen earlier or later). Do not be alarmed. You didn't do anything wrong. The surgery didn't fail. Stick to your plan and you will start losing again. Weight gain from surgery - Many people weigh more when they come home from the hospital after surgery than they did before surgery. That's temporary and it's because they pump you full of IV fluids in the hospital. You're better off not even weighing yourself for the first couple of weeks after surgery because it is honestly meaningless. Fluid & protein goals - It's almost impossible to meet your fluid and protein goals in the first couple of weeks. Most surgeons tell you to get at least 60 ounces of fluids and 60 grams of protein per day. It sounds easy but it's not at the beginning. Do your best and don't worry if you can't quite get there. Dehydration is a serious thing that can land you back in the hospital, so you do need to sip as much as you can, but it's not the end of the world if you can't get 60 ounces. Pro tip: try warm fluids (tea, broth, protein hot cocoa) if cold drinks are difficult. Hair loss - Most people start losing hair around 3 months after surgery (it's a phenomenon called telogen effluvium), and there's not a whole lot you can do to avoid it. Protein and iron deficiencies can contribute to hair loss, and some people say that biotin can help to prevent hair loss, but you will almost certainly have some hair loss no matter what you do. It will grow back. Vitamins - Your surgeon should have given you a list of vitamins that you will need to take. This varies a bit from one surgeon to the next, but most say to take a bariatric multivitamin (or a double dose of a drugstore vitamin), iron (which can be included in the multivitamin), calcium citrate (most drugstore calcium supplements are calcium carbonate, so make sure to check the ingredients and buy calcium citrate), and B-12 (sublingual, injection, or nasal spray). You'll have to take chewable vitamins for at least the first month or two. Vitamins come in different forms (chewable, melt-in-your-mouth, capsules, liquid, patches), so if you have issues with one form, try something else. The BariatricPal store has a great selection of vitamins and they frequently have sales. I purchase most of my vitamins from there (BariatricPal brand). Constipation - Nobody likes to talk about toilet stuff, but constipation is no joke. A lot of surgeons recommend taking Miralax daily (note: Amazon has a generic brand that is much cheaper). Don't wait until you get constipated to take something. Prevention is easier than treatment. Other than that, the one thing you should do today if you haven't already is take your "before" pictures and measurements! Most of us have very few "before" pictures because we didn't like the way we looked before weight loss and avoided being in photos. You will want to have some pictures for comparison when you reach your goal weight. You will want to have your starting measurements so you can see how far you've come. Good luck! Stick around and let us know how it goes!

Try sugar-free items to kill the cravings. This site's store has A LOT of options for "fake treats," IE, treats that are both pre-portioned and don't contain sugar or anything to harm you (in fact, a lot contain vitamins and protein). I don't crave sweets near as much as I did pre-op, but when I do want something sweet, I find a sugar-free, bariatric-friendly product works well. Russell Stover's also makes VERY good sugar-free chocolate. Just a piece is enough to satisfy me and it's inexpensive. There's also Breyer's Carb Smart ice cream and Smucker's sugar-free hot fudge if you have a hankering for something of the ice cream nature. Their SF hot fudge I KID YOU NOT tastes EXACTLY like the real thing! I top my coffee with it and SF Cool Whip if I want a "mocha."

Yes, these were. and you're right, that's just what the bariatric nurse said. My body is basically trying to readjust to complex carbs and fiber. The good news is that taking a probiotic seems to be helping some.

I spoke to the bariatric nurse and It's looking like it's my body getting used to complex carbs and fiber again. I meet with my surgeon this week and I'll know more, but based on what she said, it looks like that's the issue. She told me to try a probiotic and it has provided with some relief.

Hey guys ive had the sleeve done roughly 10 years ago when i was 21 years of age, did well lost all of my weight was in the best shape of my life and in the last 3 years now at 32 years of age I have suffered from extreme gerd 2 hital hernias repaies and now on my 3rd hital hernia and have gained 35 lbs back . Intermittent shoulder and left under armpit/rib pain I have seen a new bariatric doctor who seems very understanding and knowledgeable and has offered me to options. 1 revise to gastric bypass Or 2 repair the hital hernia and put in a linx magnet system to help with gerd. I really don't know what to do here. I have regained some of my weight and in the last 3 years have been in pain with shoulder and chest due to what I belive is my hital hernias and Gerd. I wanted to get with the community and ask you guys/gals first hand what you recommend and why. One topic that came up was ulcers with the bypass and medications that i take such as meloxicam. Which i can switch to something else. I currently take omeperazole, temazpam,meloxicam and duloxetine. A big part of me wants to get the bypass just becuase I have regained the weight but he kind of scared me with complications that some people can have with bypass. I dont see much talk her about the linx system for sleevers is this something new that most people just don't know about or doctors just performing for bariatric patients? Please give me your thoughts

Thank you! I have Medicaid so I know the preppy requirements will be different. I’m just feeling like I should have a million questions but I don’t. I guess that could be because I have two family members who underwent bariatric surgery.

Stalls happens to nearly everyone. Personally I suspect that the people who do not hit stalls also find valuable antiques at garage sales, win free cruises and never get traffic tickets. I stalled from week 3-7 (but did not know because I did not weigh myself except at the doctor), then I suspect I stalled multiple times after that too. I still made it to where I needed to be. Bariatric teams usually stress the importance of hydration over food at this point post surgery. There is usually more concern from the complications of dehydration vs low calorie intake - we are trying to use the excess stored fat after all. Ask your team if it is okay to only eat the amount you are comfortable with and at the frequency that works for you. The extended eating time frame is usually for when we start solids. Most of the time If we hold up our end of the bargain (mentally), our bodies will do the same. It will all come together eventually and life after WLS will not always feel like a chore. Good Luck!

Yes. I had a phone appointment for my 3 month and 9 month post op appointment. And... since my bariatric doctor is an hour and a half away I've had nothing but issues trying to get them to order my labs for my 1 year follow up post op appointment which is supposed to be next week. I finally gave up and called my PCP and am going to have her order the labs (she's on vacation so I have to wait until next week) so I have to reschedule my 1 year follow up because Covid has apparently sapped the bariatric clinic of their ability to do their job (I called them 7 TIMES and was told they would send my labs three of those times... guess what, I called the outpatient lab and they got NOTHING from them! The other four times I got their damned answering service and they never returned any of my calls... -_-")

Hello! Im just curious if anyone else has had a port placed in an odd spot? I had lapband in 2013 and my doc put my port right above my belly button. My new bariatric doctor has been perplexed as to why my previous doctor did that. I honestly don’t remember for what reason my original doctor did it for. My sister had gotten lapband about 2 years before me with the same doctor who did mine and hers was placed in a typical spot (upper side quadrant of the abdomen is how I can best describe it). My new doctor struggled to even feel for the port as it has seemed to migrate some and the first time he tried to check the fluid, he had to go into my bellybutton to get to the port. He expressed frustration as the bellybutton is difficult to anesthetize and just odd placement in general. I feel like this placement has caused me different issues. Anyone else have a port that was placed in a spot like mine?

Yep. I had the Loop Duodenal Switch (a.k.a SIPS a.k.a SADI-S) on January 23 2020. My stats: HT: 5'7 HW: 389 SW: 321 CW: 203. I went into the hospital wearing a 6xl (34-36) in tops and a size 32 in womens pants and right now I'm a large (12-14) in shirts and a 14 in womens pants. I'm currently irritated by a two week stall but... it happens. I technically AM still losing (I lost 0.2 pounds in the last week and 0.2 pounds the week before, so I don't really know whether to call this a stall or not, but I still count it personally. Two weeks ago I was 203.6 and I'm currently 203.2). My biggest advice is to stay on top of your vitamins and your protein and you'll be fine. Well, and hydrate yourself (I'm generally bad at that, but I try). Constipation can happen with SIPS, just be aware of that. Also the opposite happens. SIPS does interesting things to your bowel system... your body may take a while to adjust to a 'routine' but it'll likely level itself out (mine did). Vitamin deficiencies DO happen. Maybe not to everyone, but it's fairly common with this surgery. I had a potassium deficiency appear in my 3 month labs then disappear in my six month labs only to reappear in my 9 month labs and next week I take my 12 month labs so we'll see how that goes. I also had a Vitamin A deficiency in my 6 month labs and have been taking extra Vitamin A ever since. I take less iron then I started with as my iron levels are elevated (I only take 1 iron bariatric multi a day and two bariatric NON-iron multi's) and since my calcium levels are also elevated I take only 2 calcium citrate as opposed to the 3-4 that most take. I'm not sure what other advice to give you, but if you have any questions then don't hesitate to ask and I'll try my best to answer any questions that you have. Congrats on your upcoming surgery, and I wish you the best in your journey!

I don’t know if this is helpful or not, but I used to do swallowing with acute care and inpatient rehab patients as an SLP, and we saw strictures all the time with non-Bariatric patients (they were usually esophageal strictures). It might not be related to your surgery if it is this far out. Have you seen a GI? I do think that having an upper GI (barium ex-ray) would tell a lot. Hope everything turns out ok!

I have BCBSIL and they wanted updates to make sure I was actively participating in all the pre-op stuff and that it was working (they wanted photos to prove weight loss). I was at 43 BMI at my first appointment and at 38 when I went in for surgery (I think). The Bariatric coordinator said that losing weight once you start the program shows the insurance company that you are ready for the lifestyle changes that come after surgery and that they always go from the weight/BMI of your first appointment. Hope that helps!

whoever said some of the traditional advice on vitamins goes out the window when it comes to bariatric patients is right. Especially with RNY, since we malabsorb some nutrients. I'd go by your bloodwork and adjust as necessary. Going for three months at a dosage level that's a bit higher than "normal" (we're not talking 2-3 x more than normal - we're talking a few milligrams) shouldn't be toxic - they'd catch it before it became a problem. I have a similar issue with calcium. I evidently absorb it much better than most bariatric patients, because my endocrinologist noticed I was excreting gobs of it in my urine. She said I was at a huge risk for developing kidney stones at that rate. She had me cut my dosage in half, and then had me cut out calcium supplements altogether. I was a little freaked out about this because I have osteoporosis, but my levels on everything are fine. Balancing chemicals in bodies are an endrocrinologist's bailiwick, so yours should know what he/she is doing. And like mine, yours tests again after three or so months, so they can tell pretty quickly if the change is causing problems. and yes - different forms of iron are absorbed differently. Sounds like you're good at this point!

Meal plans post op vary depending on surgeon and bariatric team but i figured id post my team's plan in case that helps u[emoji6] Weeks 0-4: 1-2oz liquids every 15-30mins Weeks 5-8: 3 tablespoons(1.5oz) puree..no red meat no veggies..cottage cheese consistensy. Very moist very soft Weeks 9-6mos: 2-3oz (limit 1 oz fruit and veggies) ground beef okay now. No other red meat or starchy veggies (corn, peas, potatoes). 6months+: 4-6oz (1/2-2/3 of meal should be protein). All meat and veggies okay now. Limit starches to 1 oz. Sent from my SM-N960U using BariatricPal mobile app

hey hey! Sorry I missed you! I don't get on the computer often to check this site and for some reason I do not get notifications on my app of people responding to me. I am officially 175.8 lbs today and it is day 168 since surgery:) I see you still have not had surgery yet. I just wanted to encourage you. The fears of loose skin, complications, failing to reach goal, and wondering if bariatric is best for you are all very common emotions and concerns preop. There are truly no words though to explain how amazing this journey of self love is! I am not only losing physical weight at an incredible pace but I swear I am being healed from emotional baggage that has weighed me down for years at that same incredible rate as well. There's no way to fathom exactly what I am talking about until you experience it, but I hope you give yourself this opportunity because you deserve it! No more back pain, no more hip pain, no more sweating profusely, no more FUPA stickin out like an awning over my vag, no more getting creative about how the hell I'm gonna reach my hand to my butthole to wipe... LOLOL...seriously, I could go on but I may be a little too transparent for some folks lol. I have been the happiest that I have ever been in my life since surgery though so please update us when you have it and I hope to see the update at that time! I am cheering for you and am excited for you to experience this journey!

SAMMC Bariatric Clinic: Weight-loss Surgery, Nutrition and Hair Loss (whmcbariatric.blogspot.com Weight-loss Surgery, Nutrition and Hair Loss by Jacqueline Jacques, ND Original content: http://www.obesityaction.org/magazine/ywm22/wlsandhairloss.php Typically, about 90 percent of hairs are anagen (in a growth phase) and 10 percent are telogen (in a dormant or resting phase) at any given time, meaning you are usually losing a lot less hair than you are growing so you don't have noticeable hair loss. But sometimes this can change. A common fear and complaint of bariatric surgery patients is post-operative hair loss. While for most of us as people, our hair is an important part of our self-image and body image, it is not very important to our bodies. For this reason, nutrition can have a great impact on hair health because when forced to make a choice, the body will shift nutritional stores to vital organs like your brain and heart and away from your hair. Hair loss has many causes. The most common type of hair loss after weight-loss surgery is a diffuse loss known medically as telogen effluvium, which can have both nutritional and non-nutritional causes. Growing and Losing Hair Whether you are aware of it or not, for most of your life you are always in the process of both growing and losing hair. Human hair follicles have two states; anagen, a growth phase, and telogen, a dormant or resting phase. All hairs begin their life in the anagen phase, grow for some period of time, and then shift into the telogen phase which lasts for about 100 to 120 days. Following this, the hair will fall out. Specific types of stress can result in a shift of a much greater percentage of hairs into the telogen phase. The stressors known to result in this shift, or telogen effluvium, include: High fever Severe infection Major surgery Acute physical trauma Chronic debilitating illness (such as cancer or end-stage liver disease) Hormonal disruption (such as pregnancy, childbirth or discontinuation of estrogen therapy) Acute weight-loss Crash dieting Anorexia Low protein intake Iron or zinc deficiency Heavy metal toxicity Some medications (such as beta-blockers, anticoagulants, retinoids and immunizations) Weight-loss Surgery and Hair Loss Nutritional issues aside, bariatric surgery patients already have two major risks of major surgery and rapid weight-loss. These alone are likely to account for much of the hair loss seen after surgery. In the absence of a nutritional issue, hair loss will continue until all hairs that have shifted into the telogen phase have fallen out. There is no way of switching them back to the anagen phase. Hair loss rarely lasts for more than six months in the absence of a dietary cause. Because hair follicles are not damaged in telogen effluvium, hair should then regrow. For this reason, most doctors can assure their weight-loss surgery patients that with time and patience, and keeping up good nutritional intake, their hair will grow back. Discrete nutritional deficiencies are known to cause and contribute to telogen effluvium. One would be more suspicious of a nutritional contribution to post-bariatric surgery hair loss if: Hair loss continued more than one year after surgery Hair loss started more than six months after surgery Patient has had difficulty eating and/or has not complied with supplementation Patient has demonstrated low values of ferritin, zinc or protein Patient has had more rapid than expected weight-loss Other symptoms of deficiency are present Nutrition Iron Iron is the single nutrient most highly correlated with hair loss. The correlation between non-anemic iron deficiency and hair loss was first described in the early 1960s, although little to no follow-up research was conducted until this decade. While new research is conflicted as to the significance of ferritin as a diagnostic tool in hair loss, it has still been found that a significant number of people with telogen effluvium respond to iron therapy. Optimal iron levels for hair health have not been established, although there is some good evidence that a ferritin level below 40ug/L is highly associated with hair loss in women.1 It is worth noting that this is well above the level that is considered to be anemia, so doctors would not be expected to see this as a deficiency. Zinc Zinc deficiency has been tied to hair loss in both animal studies and human cases. There is data linking zinc deficiency in humans to both telogen effluvium and immune-mediated hair loss. Zinc deficiency is a well-recognized problem after bileopancreatic diversion/duodenal switch, and there is some indication that it may occur with other procedures such as gastric bypass and adjustable gastric banding. In 1996, a group of researchers chose to study high dose zinc supplementation as a therapeutic agent for related hair loss2 in patients with vertical banded gastroplasty. The study administered 200 mg of zinc sulfate (45mg elemental zinc) three times daily to post-operative patients with hair loss. This was in addition to the multivitamin and iron supplements that patients were already taking. No labs for zinc or other nutrients were conducted. Researchers found that in patients taking the zinc, 100 percent had cessation of hair loss after six months. They then stopped the zinc. In five patients, hair loss resumed after zinc was stopped, and was arrested again with renewed supplementation. It is important to note that in telogen effluvium of non-nutritional origin, hair loss would be expected to stop normally within six months. Since the researchers conducted no laboratory studies, and there was no control group, the only patients of interest here are those who began to lose hair again after stopping zinc. Thus we cannot say that zinc would prevent hair loss after weight-loss surgery, and further study would definitely be needed to make this connection. A further note: The Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for zinc is set at 40mg in adults. This study utilized a daily dose of more than three times that level. Not only can these levels cause gastrointestinal distress, but chronic toxicity (mostly associated with copper depletion) can start at levels of 60 mg/day. Information related to this study has made its way to many a support group and chat room – even to doctor's offices – with the message of "high dose zinc will prevent hair loss after weight-loss surgery." Patients should be advised that high dose zinc therapy is unproven and should only be done under supervision due to the associated risks of toxicity. A lab test to check for zinc deficiency would be best before giving a high dose such as this. Protein Low protein intake is associated with hair loss. Protein malnutrition has been reported with duodenal switch, and in gastric bypass to a much lesser degree. Little is known about incidence, as only around eight percent of surgeons track labs such as total protein, albumen or prealbumen. Limited studies suggest that patients with the most rapid or greatest amounts of weight-loss are at greatest risk.3 With surgical reduction of the stomach, hydrochloric acid,4 pepsinogen5 and normal churning are all significantly reduced or eliminated. Furthermore, pancreatic enzymes that would also aid in protein digestion are redirected to a lower part of the small intestine. It is thus likely that maldigestion, rather than malabsorption, is responsible for most cases. Some studies have also implicated low protein intake.6 Research also indicates that low levels of the amino acid l-lysine can contribute to hair loss and that repletion of lysine stores may both improve iron status and hair regrowth. In a study of anemic patients with hair loss who were supplemented with 1.5 to 2 grams of l-lysine in addition to their iron therapy, ferritin levels increased more substantially over iron therapy alone.1 Many individuals believe that supplementing with or topically applying the nutrient biotin will either help to prevent hair loss or will improve hair regrowth. To date, there is no science that would support either of these presumptions. While biotin deficiency can cause dermatitis, hair loss is only known to occur in experimentally induced states in animal models or in extreme cases of prolonged diets composed exclusively of egg whites.7 Other Other nutrients associated with hair health include vitamin A, inositol, folate, B-6 and essential fatty acids. Hair loss can also be caused by systemic diseases, including thyroid disease and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and is influenced by genetics. Conclusion Hair loss can be distressing to bariatric surgery patients and many will try nutrition themselves to see if they can prevent it. Unfortunately, there is little evidence that early hair loss is preventable because it is mostly likely caused by surgery and rapid weight-loss. Later hair loss, however, can be indicative of a nutritional problem, especially iron deficiency, and may be a clinically useful sign. Educating patients about the potential for hair loss and possible underlying causes can help them to make informed choices and avoid wasting money on gimmicks that may have little real value. About the Author: Jacqueline Jacques, ND, is a Naturopathic Doctor with more than a decade of expertise in medical nutrition. She is the Chief Science Officer for Catalina Lifesciences LLC, a company dedicated to providing the best of nutritional care to weight-loss surgery patients. Her greatest love is empowering patients to better their own health. Dr. Jacques is a member of the OAC National Board of Directors.

This is the only WLS group I participate in here on the Bariatric Pal forum, so I have no other experience with it.

I find that the "corn" chips are way better than the "potato" chips. I can't wait to try these. I ordered a sample pack off of Bariatric Pal.