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you don't have your stats listed, but keep in mind that most of us experience a 10-20 lb rebound weight gain in year 2 or 3. I was really worried about going too low - and for months I was pretty gaunt and bony, but I've put on about 30 lbs since then (I'm almost nine years out). The first 15 was welcome -and expected. I'm not that happy with the last 15, and it's a bear getting anything off. So be careful what you wish for. On the other hand, if you're so low that you're unhealthy, then that's another story. The commenters above have some good tips.

Im on the Pre-op diet now, surgery date is 10/20. Getting nervous, and excited!!

Thank you! I had my surgery 10/11 feel free to message me anytime! And thank you for the response!

It appears I'm also experiencing a 3 week stall. At 2 weeks post op (surgery 1/24/24) I had lost 10 lbs. It's now 3 weeks post op and I'm still the same weight. I sure hope this stall doesn't last a month! I have been discouraged a bit, I think, because any time I've tried to lose weight in the past it has been agonizingly slow and not permanent. I had hoped that I'd lose faster after VSG and I found myself thinking this morning that I did this drastic and permanent thing just to have the same result I have always had - no weight loss for weeks at a time despite my best efforts. Reading about this "infamous" stall gives me a little hope, although I don't understand how I'm not losing weight when I'm consuming 500 calories a day or less, mostly protein and no fats/sugar. I appreciate the topic and the comments, and I'm hoping the stall breaks soon!

I’m having gastric bypass surgery on 10/31. I have found a lot of helpful little tips post surgery from different post surgery patients. Any tips to make this process as smooth as possible? I’m starting to get anxious!!

I also had my sleeve operation on 10/23. I’m trying to make sure I get enough liquids and Protein in. The first two days were pretty difficult, but it’s gotten easier as healing takes it’s course.

i am about 10-15 lbs lighter today than when i first got my engagement and wedding rings, so they are a bit loose, not crazy loose like i've seen others on here... i haven't got them resized though....my engagement ring has a platinum band and i've been told that i need an "expert craftsman" to do it properly. and i don't know any "expert craftsmen" lololzzz. i decided a few years ago that i just want a whole new band/setting design for the diamond but just haven't got around to it. my wedding ring is an eternity band, so again, not the easiest to resize. soooo...until i get around to finding a jewellery i trust to make me new rings, i use ring sizers i picked up on amazon (link below). they aren't the prettiest, but i don't wear my rings everyday anyway so it'll do for now. LINK: https://www.amazon.ca/Adjuster-Invisible-Transparent-Tightener-Connector/dp/B095RGHX4N/ref=sxin_15_pa_sp_search_thematic_sspa?content-id=amzn1.sym.6b94ce8d-9249-4456-acf8-a149db076394%3Aamzn1.sym.6b94ce8d-9249-4456-acf8-a149db076394&crid=2XI9GSWSDBJW7&cv_ct_cx=ring+sizer&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.kLNJn9gNdpqcj-cXDVMYQLz7VYeBR6lL-_z7kIlxdact8cVUYX_zI9gAXG11sGQ6fIq6vXRZ77DtqTIL8IimnA.Bd8eOtQYKs60ybnugdkZl0macAcHrAaTOGIV3aNToyU&dib_tag=se&keywords=ring+sizer&pd_rd_i=B095RGHX4N&pd_rd_r=1f5c08bf-4301-4cbe-8a94-122195d45d2e&pd_rd_w=3ZOET&pd_rd_wg=SqYla&pf_rd_p=6b94ce8d-9249-4456-acf8-a149db076394&pf_rd_r=9JTG0Z064DNYABFAE08Q&qid=1719355031&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sprefix=ring+size%2Caps%2C88&sr=1-2-fce09e81-6c22-4c96-98cd-5f4f4a29a6e7-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9zZWFyY2hfdGhlbWF0aWM&psc=1

I'm only 5.5 months out and 16 more to go until goal. Sw262 size 18 Cw 176 size 10/12 Gw 160

Hi all. I had my gastric sleeve on 28th March, and very quickly realised something was wrong. I couldn't tolerate water at all, and a few days after I developed tonsillitis. It was severe and believed to be Quincy's, which thankfully after a transfer to another hospital to check for this, it wasn't. However I became really really ill - my temperature was at sepsis level, I was completely dehydrated and on an IV for everything. Tried antibiotics but that didn't really work, which then led the doctors and surgeons to believe it would either be a very nasty viral infection, or I'm being followed up to check for an auto-immune disease. I spent 4 weeks in hospital, and now that I'm home, my symptoms are (whilst better from the pain I had a couple of weeks ago) still very uncomfortable. I have a very angry and inflamed liver which is causing me pain, as well as the incisions of the port site resulting in a very large haematoma, again causing discomfort and pain. The most frustrating thing for me is, whatever caused this, has completely wiped my energy and strength. I can't open a bottle, and I struggle to walk for more than 10-15 minutes without feeling tired and fatigued. I have lost 19lbs since surgery (5 during the month in hospital, and another 14 this week), but a part of me is wondering whether it was even worth it given the ordeal it caused. I just feel very alone in terms of my procedure not being straight forward, and it would be good to hear other stories too. x

I didn't have a 3-week stall but I did gain around 10 lbs due to IVs right after surgery, and it took awhile for that to come off. My weight loss pattern is/was like steps, my body likes to hold on to the weight, then drops, hold on to the weight, then drops.

First, don't panic! And don't compare your progress to others, if you can help it. I agree with everything Nickel said -- including the book rec. Kristin Willard's Bariatric Meal Prep is a great resource, and I also really like "The High-Protein Bariatric Cookbook" by Stacey Gulbin and "Fresh Start Bariatric Cookbook" by Sarah Kent. I think a good Bariatric book might help cover some of the information you've been missing from your 'care-team'. Is it possible that you've been focusing extra/too much on calories and not enough on what makes up those calories? My team told me that calories can be important (especially later on) but the first several months it was definitely more about making sure you're getting enough nutrients. 60-80 g protein per day minimum -- my team told me for me personally, she'd actually recommend 70-90g -- and definitely 3 meals a day (+ 1-2 protein-geared snacks). If you have to make them smaller at first since you're used to eating two meals, that should be ok. Maybe while you get back into a regular routine, make one of your meals a protein shake or protein bar? It was suggested to me that both my day (and each meal) should be 50-60% protein, and the rest of my plate should be mostly non-starchy veg -- with any starchy veg or complex carb coming in at 10-15% (20% max). The types of carbohydrates can be really important too. A whole grain/whole wheat item or a starchy but nutritious veg is going to put you in a much better place than a processed corn taco or white tortilla. Are you taking any supplements? Also, maybe check out local nutritionists and see if any of them have experience with bariatric patients.

First of all, can I just tell you that you're beautiful!!! I don't mean anything awkward or inappropriate with that, but I just felt like I wanted to tell you that you are a very beautiful woman To answer your questions: 1. What was the best part of surgery for you? Getting off blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, and anti-inflammatory meds, losing the weight, and gaining mobility back 2. What was the worst part of surgery for you? I had several complications from the sleeve and had to have a revision a year later 3. Did you have any complications (minor or major) during or after your surgery? not during the surgery but about 7-8 months later, complications started showing up. 4 endoscopies, 1 colonoscopy, and massive amounts of PPIs later, had to have the revision 4. How has adjusting to your new life been for you? it's been hard sometimes, but overall, so worth it and rewarding and a huge blessing 5. How long did it take you to feel comfortable eating food? If you stick to the plan, it's a gradual process. By 6-8 weeks, I was nervous but ready to eat food and just made sure to go slow. 6. Is there anything you can’t eat anymore that you used to enjoy? pasta, rice, potatoes, bread (a year or 2 out, some can eat it in small amounts every once in a while, but I'm so sensitive to carbs that I stay far away...but there's alternatives that allow me to not feel like I'm deprived so it's completely ok) 7. What was your recovery like? Any vomiting or dumping syndrome? dumping really only happens with the bypass, not the sleeve. Never had vomiting and very little nausea (in the beginning). Once I had my revision to bypass, I had dumping twice and learned my lesson lol I follow the rules and I'm careful, so I haven't had it again. 8. How long did it take you to feel semi-normal after surgery? about 4 weeks after the sleeve, about a week to 10 days after the revision to bypass (much easier surgery to recover from, for some reason) 9. Did you experience higher energy level post surgery? not right away. I was beyond exhausted the first 2 weeks. Weeks 3 and 4 it started to get better. By week 6, I felt normal, and by 3 months out I had lost a good amount of weight and my energy levels really started to pick up. 10. Did surgery affect your mental health? not in any kind of negative way until I started having the complications. Once I had the revision, every complication went away and I've been beyond happy and thrilled. The only real issue I have now is body dysmorphia sometimes. I have moments where I look in the mirror and still see 421 pound me and not 195 pound me. I'll look in my closet and think someone stole my clothes and replaced them with someone else's (I use to be a size 30/5X and now I'm a size 14/XL). 11. Do you regret it? Would you recommend it? I absolutely do not regret it. The only thing I would go back and change is I would just have the bypass to begin with and skip the sleeve altogether. Now, there are a lot of people really happy with the sleeve. They have zero regrets. I was one of them, until I wasn't. Many of us sleevers have to get a revision to bypass for one reason or another, but just as many, if not more, have the sleeve and never have any issues and love it.

I'm apparently more anal retentive than everyone else who's responded so far, but most are in maintenance so they can and have learned what works for them. My daily intake is very structured because I really don't like cooking or trying to figure out what to eat. Plus, unfortunately I'm a slow loser. Breakfast: Either I have 1/2 cup high protein overnight oats made with Fairlife Core Power milk (42g protein) but only use half of the bottle so 21g for a total number of 30g +- or 2 low fat turkey bacon slices and 1/2 bottle of my fairlife protein milk 30 mins later, either meal with a half cup of coffee 30 mins beforehand. Lunch: 1/2 c homemade turkey chili with 2 tablespoons Fage Greek yogurt 14g+- protein total or Pacifica organic soup 1/2 cup Dinner: Either the turkey chili again with added 1 tablespoon cheese on a low carb high protein tortillas or 3oz chicken (20g protein) cut into cubes with G.Huges chili Thai dipping sauce (low carb - 2 carbs, low calorie - 5) 2 small florets broccoli, 1 tablespoon skim cheese and Fage Greek yogurt on a low carb high protein (7grams) tortilla 32+- total grams protein Snack: 1 no sugar added fudgecicle (40 calories) or 1 tablespoon no sugar added chocolate chips (70 calories) or a fiesta string cheese (70 calories) or Homemade "brownie batter" or "chocolate chip cookie dough" protein balls (neither really taste like the title says, but its what they're calling them on the recipes 😋 This works out to: 80 grams protein 800 calories 50 net carbs 19 grams sugars Fat 16 - 28g Boring I know, but as I said if I think about what I want to eat to much..its not healthy foods or foods I'm allowed to have 6 months in. I'm trying to eat to live not live to eat.. So I keep it regimented so I know where I stand. As far as exercise I was walking 3 miles a day with light weight training..but I'm having hip abductors and hip flexor issues now plus my bum hurts (I never contemplated before surgery losing weight would make sitting/bum hurt) so I'm starting PT on Monday so the exercise has stopped for now.

Hey all you October 27th surgery buddies!! how are you doing? I am here in the hotel anxious for tomorrow. I am supposed to check in at 8:30am and my surgery is scheduled for 10:30am. How about you?

i picked my consults based on before and after photos (their work), and the NUMBER of before and after photos (their volume/experience), and if they had any (unresolved) complaints or sanctions or investigations on their records. (i went to 5 consults) then i shortlisted based on a combination of price, evaluation of aftercare, whether or not they were willing to do all my procedures (3 of them: tummy tuck, breast lift, arm lift) all in one shot...this left me with 2. tie breaker was based on my perceived VIBE of them. One seemed more serious and by-the-book-ish and other was a bit more chill and easier-going. i chose the chill one. i'm sure i would have been perfectly fine with either of them, but i had to choose one, so i just went with someone i was more comfortable being around. p.s. i had my plastics 7 months after reaching goal (14 months post wls) . i would have preferred it done earlier, but he was booked up for almost a year (which i booked), but later he decided to open up a day just for me over the xmas holidays a few months earlier than my almost-year-later-booking. i am thankful he did that because my original PS booking would have fallen on the beginning of COVID and would definitely had been postponed as a non-essential surgery for several months. he had no requirement of maintaining any sort of weight wls or not. nor did the other 4 original consults. in the month or so after plastics, i lost about 5 lbs and hit my lowest weight of 109 lbs. since then i've bounced up and down between generally 115-120 for about 5+ years (so a net gain of about 5-10 lbs depending on the day), and i still look as awesome, if i say so myself.

A little back ground with me. I had gastric sleeve 10 years ago because of my over weight issue I wasn’t getting my period and I wasn’t able to get pregnant. After the sleeve I loss total of 60 lbs, and got pregnant. The first pregnancy ended in miscarriage. I was very depressed about it. So my next 2 pregnancies I made sure I eat and gave enough nutrients for my babies. Also I didn’t keep up with the weight loss after I gave birth. Now after 10 years of the surgery I regained almost all my weight. My issue with pcos such as no having period came back… didn’t have period for like 2 years. Also have other issue like cholesterol, foot pain and Gerd. I thought about having revision for almost 3 years and I took action and had gastric bypass about a week ago. I am feeling some emotional up and down…been crying for the last few days. I feel such a failure of having to have to get the revision when the doctor gave me a chance. My surgery also didn’t go perfect. I was under the anesthesia for over 4-5 hours, (I didn’t get an exact time from the doctor when I came out from surgery. Family was inform about the equipment issue and didn’t see me untill the afternoon) because one of the equipment broke and the medical team had to wait for the replacement. I went into surgery 7am and woke up 4pm. when I woke up they had me take a walk and tried drinking sips of water. I vomited right back with 2 big chunks of clogged blood. And I tried drinking again but kept vomiting dark brown color liquid out, like old blood. ( sorry if it’s too much description) it was quite a lot of it even I didn’t drink so much water. The nurse informed the doctor and they said it’s normal and they did just literally cut my stomach. So some amount of blood is normal, but because I was under the anesthesia for so long maybe I am feeling sick from it. So they told me not to drink anything for the first day and started me on liquid the next day. The next day I was fine and went home. I felt horrible the first day and the pain in my stomach is there everywhere probably gas. The feeling after the revision surgery is completely different than how I felt the first time. I am aware it’s a bigger operation, but I just didn’t expect it to be like that. When I return home my stomach pain was still there, but eventually it did get better, but after a few days my whole stomach was so itchy, I thought the incisions were healing and that why I am feeling this way. The next day all my incisions were swollen red. BTW I had 6 big incision and 2 small needle punctures. When it got swollen, red and itchy it was at night and I waited another day and called my doctor asap in the morning. They told me I am having an allergic reaction to the dermabond. I am just feeling itchy, my incisions are raised and lumpy, it’s been over a week and I lose only 5 lbs. ( comparing to other people who loss 10-20lbs, i think to myself why am I not loss it?) and when I look at scars from the mirror I just broke down and cried. Thinking what did I do to myself…. I know I should stop being so bitter, and stop complaining. But I just feel like such a failure because I failed the first surgery, and I put myself in this journey again and things are not going so great… there are the positive side that I should look at, but I just can’t help it. *note- goal weight 150lbs pre op weight 273lbs started liquid diet 258lbs I had a stall during liquid diet for 1 week. Most people loss 10-15 lbs during liquid diet. I loss 8lbs. I followed everything my nutritionist told me and had 1 lean protein 3oz and 3 oz vegetable for lunch for 2 weeks. i w so hungry that the morning of surgery the nurse told me my blood pressure was actually very low. Surgery day 250lbs 1week post op 245lbs I don’t know what type of response I am waiting to get here. Maybe I am just venting and hoping to feel better.

Need help and info on days post op and foods hi I’m new to the group and have so many questions, I had Roux-en-Y Bypass gastric bypass…. so rule of thumb is followed Weeks 1 and 2: Liquid diet Weeks 3 and 4: Puree diet Weeks 5 to 8: Soft diet After 8 weeks: Regular diet But I’m having issues sticking to this, I need help and advice on what I’m doing and if I’m wrong to do this and I can’t find answers, so I’m day 10 post op now as I had my surgery on the 2nd December 2023, first few days kept to the liquid diet that being said I’m struggling with taking so much fluids, any way I would say day 7 I feel fine no issues or anything when I drink the shakes etc and they are thickish shakes so day 8 post op I tried a chunky soup it was potato and leak I chewed the chunks before swallowing and yeah only managed like 4 spoons and done I’m full….. but today 10 days post op again should only be on liquid but I had mash and beans and again only a few mouth fills filled me and I’m fine no pains or anything….. I know they say people heal at different rates inside etc and I do know I heal quick from surgery’s Iv had in the pact ext…… so my question is am I moving to fast is this safe for me to continue should I slow down and go back to what the plan is supposed to happen because with me only being 10 days post op I’m eating at week 3-4 puree diet and to be honest I think I might be ok moving onto week 5-8 soft diet in a few days…. just any advice of anyone who has had this issues or may know a answer from experience or knowledge. many thanks. Meg. From UK. (Manchester)

Hi everyone, my name is Charlie and I had gastric sleeve on 10/03/23. Prior to surgery I was weighing in at 227. I am 5'6" and have high BP as well as high cholesterol and sleep apnea. I am 6 weeks post op now and weigh 197 and my BP is back to 120/80 today with no meds.

I am 13 years out from surgery, lost and kept 125lb off. I have noticed that I do get more attention but over the last 10 years there has been more acceptance on body type. Currently I am 150lb with a lot of excess skin, Mainly the arms, stomach, and thighs. It's easy to hide in clothes but when it gets down to being naked it's a whole other look. What I think is important is confidence. When I was dating usually the comment I would get is how little I eat and that's a great segway for me to bring my story up. With that said, I have been with the same individual now for several months. What's different is that while I am fluffy and have skin that can be flying in the wind, my partner is a professional MMA fighter who hits the gym everyday and keeps his body in prime shape. We are both in our 40s. At first I was worried about my excess skin. That was very shallow of me to think and a hurdle I had to jump over. While on the inside I am very confident I know I am different looking than most physically (as not many are out there around me with such excess skin). I did have a couple of conversations with him about it and what it boils down to is who you are on the inside. I even brought up that I could have the excess skin removed and he commented on and asked why I would go through so much pain for an image when what matters is my personality. I think that's what partners should focus on. Physical is only temporary.

Hi everyone, I had my sleeve surgery on 10/03/23. I am glad I had the surgery but I'm tired of eating soft foods. Lol. I've had more soup in the last month than I have had my whole life. Do any of you get heartburn and feel like you swallowed a rock?

this is very thought provoking for me! you know, it never even occurred to me that getting wls would/could have re-inforced negative body issue ideas to my daughter at the time i had it. like the other poster above, i just told her point blank (she was 12 or 13 at the time). i think it was along the lines of "i'm having surgery to reduce the size of my stomach to help me lose weight". and i remember her asking me why i wanted to lose weight and me saying that i am fat and i'm getting old and being fat and old will probably stop me from getting older....AND i just wanted to not be fat anymore and surgery will help me alot in achieving this. and that was that. now, my daughter is familiar with the concept of surgeries so maybe that is why she presented as aloof when i told her. when she was 5 or 6 she asked about my breast reduction scar and i told her i had surgery to make my boobs smaller because they were too big before and hurting my back, and now my back doesn't hurt anymore. also when she was younger she asked why she doesn't have younger brothers or sisters and we explained Mr.'s vasectomy. she was 10 when my mom had double bypass surgery and she knew that the doctors took a vein from grandmas leg to put in her chest to help her heart work better. she is also like her father, slim and naturally active and fit, so i dunno if me doing something to my body to "fix" weight would trigger her in any way... BUT i totally see now how WLS in particular may touch on self-image issues and ideas that we may perpetuate or even create about our kids bodies. i'm gonna go ask her about her thoughts later.

lets be honest, after losing a significant amount of weight, we ARE different. not just in appearance, but in attitude, confidence and even how we carry ourselves. we stand up a little straighter, speak a little clearer, smile a little more, hide a little less. for me, i also have a ton more energy to participate in more things, dress better, am unbelievably more patient and calm. i get angry and anxious less. and yes, im way hotter now than i was for about 10-15 years of our 25+ yr relationship. i know my husband loves me. and i also know i look and behave differently now and he will respond and react differently to me as well. i dont hold it against him when he stares at me nekkid (lol) or when he told me he misses my ginormous boobs. i mean, i miss the hair on his balding head, but i still love the guy anyway. and if he magically regrew all his hair back, i'd still love him (while running my fingers through his hair hahahhaha) so long as he shows up every day as my partner in life, i don't care if appreciates my smaller frame better now or not.

I was in the large family that celebrated/soothed everything with food. Sad? Have a cookie you’ll feel better! Good grades? Have some ice cream! Birthday? Don’t forget the cake! Going to a reunion? Make sure you bring the potato salad and pink stuff! Oh someone died? Don’t forget the luncheon and the funeral potatoes and pie. But dinners most week nights were my responsibility after age 10 so we ate a lot of latchkey ability dinners- spaghetti, white people tacos (tortillas, ground beef, shredded cheese, iceberg lettuce and sour cream), and Mac and cheese with peas and tuna mixed in, and potato surprise (mashed potatoes, ground beef, peas, and shredded cheese). Now? I’m still the one cooking even for holidays and such. I don’t regret it but I do make better choices now that I know better…. Most of the time.

Hi all. Glad to hear so many doing well even with little bumps along the way. I overindulged a little in sweets around Christmas but have otherwise been doing good in keeping to the plan. I’ve been tracking weight each week and have had a few stalls but things are in a good direction. I’m down about 70 pounds from the start of the pre-op diet and 40 from surgery. I’m about 100 pounds down from my heaviest ever weight before diabetes meds, etc. It’s been about 8-10 inches in waist size on my pants. I’ve been trying to exercise more but we’ve had so many sicknesses in my house and I can’t really exercise much while coughing. My biggest goal is to get more consistent with my weekly exercise. I got a Bowflex to try to get more toning in at home.

Hi! I’m Emily, new here, so pardon me if this question has been answered more than once, or not in the right category. I swear I’ve looked all over for answers prior to asking. I have my first appt. With the surgeon Monday to begin the 6 month pre op program. I vape, well, stopped yesterday and I’m using patches and gum to wean off before end of July. I was doing well mentally until I learned that quitting almost always causes weight gain. Minimum of 5-10 pounds. I was told by a friend that I cannot gain any weight during the 6 month process but don’t have to lose a certain amount ( she went to the same surgeon I’m seeing) I am also learning how to eat better on top of all of this, and I’m so scared that when I quit nicotine all together, it’s going to inevitably cause weight gain. I don’t want to be kicked out of the program as soon as I start because of this. Would it be better to wait until I absolutely have to quit? Maybe that’s a stupid question. I just need encouraging words, anybody that has been down this path of quitting, whether you instead waited to quit a month or two before surgery, etc. I am so serious about taking my health back, and it’s hard enough to learn to cool and eat right without having to stress about this too. please help 🥺 thank you in advance! ps. Maybe this is trivial, maybe it’s not a big a deal as I’m making it, but even a fraction of a pound I gain could get me kicked out of the program.