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So I go see my surgeon at the begininng of January after having to reschedule my 6 month follow up, so this will more of an 8 month followup. A little back story, highest weight was 412 in 2017, lowest since is right now at 298. I had surgery in may and my losing has been slow going but I am dropping inches like no tomorrow. With that being said, while I am dropping band size ( a 56 to a 48 as of 11/29/2024) , my cup size (ddd/f) seems to be remaining the same and the more weight I drop the bigger they feel to me. When I was 14 I was already a a38DD so as you can tell I should have had this done a long time ago. I have already talked to my gyno, who suggested it first, then my primary said she would refer me when the time was right, my gyno suggested as soon as possible while my thought process is weight until I am close to goal weight. But with the numbers not moving, its hard to want to wait. My back hurts all the time, I got new, 100% supportive bras today and I put one on and I feel like imma tip over, and I wonder why I like my old bras that are stretched out a bit, Geesh. Anyways, ramble aside, if you have had surgery, or thought of having it, what was your timeline like?

I think you have to first understand what these medicines do. They stimulate insulin production. This may or may not be important to you depending on if you are diabetic. They slow gastric emptying, meaning you'll feel full longer They may suppress hunger signals. Interestingly, researchers don't fully understand why all of this occurs. My personal take in your case is that if you are still steadily losing and are not feeling overly hungry yet (most people don't feel a lot of hunger 4 months post op), then I personally don't see the need to use this medication. I doubt it will do a ton, and might even make it hard to get adequate protein intake. If on the other hand, you are already feeling a lot of hunger and are struggling, then these might help. A few other things to think about: For most people in the US, these medicines can be VERY expensive, even if you have good insurance. If you don't have good insurance, then I hope you're independently wealthy because they can be several thousand dollars a month. Most of the pharmaceutical companies that sell these drugs do have some sort of savings card to make them SIGNIFICANTLY more affordable. Keep in mind that most of those are only good for up to one year. That means you could be back to looking at thousands of dollars a month to continue the medication after the savings card runs out. There are companies that are selling compounded versions of many of the GLP-1 agonists and they sell these for a lot less (typically hundreds of dollars a month rather than thousands). Bariatric Pal is even doing this. These companies can do this because the FDA has special rules for drugs in short supply that allows companies to make them to help fill demand. The issue is that you may or may not be getting what you think. See this link for more info: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/fdas-concerns-unapproved-glp-1-drugs-used-weight-loss While some companies are certainly reputable and selling you what they say they are, others just are not. It's a little like the wild west right now when it comes to compounded GLP-1 agonists. There is a percentage of people that don't seem to respond to these medications. It's about 15% for semaglutide and a bit less for some of the others. I mention this since some people get really disappointed when this happens, so it would be good to be aware of this possibility ahead of time. These drugs (like most any drug), can have side effects that make then not worth taking for some people. There's really no way to know ahead of time if you will have this sort of problem. Generally speaking, most people that stop using these medicines tend to gain weight back pretty quickly, since the hunger will kick back in. As such, most doctors and pharmacists recommend staying on these for life. It's best to be prepared for this now, vs. thinking you're going to get away with just taking it temporarily.

I am 8 years out from my sugery. I had great results, went from 280 to 135. But i am having trouble holding my weight, have lost about 5 lbs over the past month. Im trying to cut back on fat and sugar. Trying to avoid pancreatic enzymes, any suggestions?

I don’t know about weird, but definitely a win for me. I grew a little a booty!! My booty was such a signature one back in the day LMAO, it went completely flat after VSG. I have been hitting legs HEAVY twice to three times a week and man do I feel the difference. My weight is pretty much the same (although my running average has gone down a bit to the lower end of my stabilized weight). But I am 100% sure my body fat has significantly dropped and muscle mass has gone up (wishful thinking, indulge me).

on january 10 it will be 1 year since my surgery i have lost 148 lbs but i sitll have 54 more to (my goal weight is 180) i signed up for a gym in late december and i want to start it soon but i need a good workout plan. what would you suggest to someone a year off from surgery?

I set my goal at "healthy" BMI. (60kg or 132lbs) I realise BMI isn't really the best indicator of overall health or even healthy weight, but it's a good starting point. But to be honest, I never even really believed that I would lose any weight at all, it was just a Hail Mary pass that I thought I would talk to my GP about and to my amazement, it's working! I was a size 24UK (US 20) 7 months ago and just thought I was going to keep getting bigger. 7 months later, I'm a size 16UK (US 12) and went from 122 kg (270lbs) to 87kg (193 lbs) I never though this would be possible. I've hit so many goals I never even set! I still have that arbitrary number goal because my GP seems to have BMI tattooed on his brain and the number matters to him, but I'm just going to go along for the ride and see where I end up and where my body is comfortable maintaining!

I went seven days and actually gained a pound but then I lost two and I thought well at least I ended up going down one but two days later I dropped two more right away which brought it back almost to my average just a little less I think our bodies just get really panicked that we are trying to kill them and they start doing that fighter flight thing they fight for their lives Lol

You discussed loads of other things there @catwoman7 in your ‘model patient’ session, which, IMHO was missing from last nights session. It’s just that everything was glossed over and it really didn’t get to the bones of things I guess. And you definitely hit the nail on the head about people not knowing what questions to ask, so not asking them. I think things like taking measurements and photos for example, would be useful, what to take to hospital, explaining changes in tastebuds, foods to eat for those first couple of stages, etc. I know, I know, I AM being so very picky, I know it. I guess I was just disappointed and left feeling a bit sad for those who are just relying solely on the hospital sessions because I don’t think it was a proper representation. We all hope that surgery goes well and that we have no complications or issues or need additional help. I also think hospitals have to be honest with the things that can go wrong because it’s generally the negative things in life that impacts our weight and generally leads to weight gain. But, it’s done now so 🤷‍♀️

I so feel this! the wonderful thing about this surgery is that its a great tool! I am up about 5lbs from my "comfy" weight and I am a grazer. I could graze all day and be happy but that is what got me obese so I cannot do that. you have been inspiring and continue to do so, thank you for sharing and being vulnerable. Its good for us to hear that everyone can slip up but we need to hear that

It is weird but I always come back from vacay having lost weight or pretty much stayed the same. I think it's because I don't weight train (lose a little muscle mass) and the insane amount of walking one usually does on vacations.

stalls will happen no matter what. You can't avoid or prevent them. Now if you start to gain weight back, then re-evaluate what you're eating, how much, and how often. personally, I stay away from potatoes (especially in the beginning), grits, pasta, rice, breads, etc... The first 6 months is when you lose the most the fastest. Eating things that slow down that process during that time is counter-productive. At least to me. I would wait until you're MUCH further out before you start eating those kinds of foods.

as usual, I agree with everything Arabesque said. A 10-20 lb bounce back regain is very common after you hit your lowest weight. It's your body settling in to where it's comfortable. You can always lose it again if you really work at it - although if that new weight IS your body's new "set point". it'll be a challenge to get back down there and stay there - but it's not impossible.

Well as you all know I had my procedure on sept 6 and now here it is Oct 20 and I haven’t lost in fact I think ive gained Ive been doing cardio and i go back to regular diet in 4 days and I am so so scared. I couldn’t even come on here and post because i got so depressed about having this revision procedure.. I have a appointment with my nutritionist on Tuesday and I’m just gonna put it out there . He felt like part of it could be constipation so I am trying ducolax and see if it’s just blockage idk

I had my sleeve procedure on Jan. 21st, I feel as if I have conquered some areas - cruising along through gas pain, learning how to eat/drink, and my vitamins!!! BUT I notice I have high anxiety regarding my protein intake, my exercise, food variety and my weight loss and feeling hungry an hour or so after meals as well as some constipation/diarrhea. I stress about not getting enough protein when it seems like I am getting enough in protein shakes (at least 2 shakes w/ 25 or 30 grams) and food (20g w/ yogurt), right now I'm only walking but very slow paced with upper body, and now on phase 3 that's leaving me clueless on getting again enough protein and variety where I should be avoiding high fats, sugars, carbs, high cal....I know the stress will surely limit my weight loss... I'm down 24lbs, I feel like I'm sabotaging myself with worrying - any advice/suggestions!

Contact your surgeon's office for advice. For your peace of mind you need to know whats, what. I don't know nothing about balloon weight loss but some bariatric patients have hunger from the outset and some need secondary surgery. Some people feel hunger when they need some form of stomach medication to cope with the ammount of acid in their stomach. Excess acid can make you feel hungry

I'm almost a year and a half since my RNY (November). I've lost about 135 give or take (I bounce between 125-130lbs). I haven't lost any fat free body mass since month 3, and have actually gained 5lbs of fat free mass since May. At my 1 year, in May, my body composition said I was at 18.1% body fat which is on the low end of "lean" I did another one last week because I was feeling off (tired, muscle cramps, brittle nails, headaches) My body fat percentage was at 12.3% which translated into roughly 16 pounds of my overall weight (130 at the time of the test) being fat. Anything under 15% is "at risk". I eat, what seems like all day long, I get my calories, protein, healthy fats, fiber. I take all my supplements. All my blood work I've had this year for random things and specifically for post surgery, has been normal. Nothing, other than feeling off, pointed to this. I do have an appointment with nutrition and my bariatric team this week. But wanted to see if anyone has gone through this, heard of this... Anything? My initial thought is how my body is absorbing nutrients, but again, my labs have been normal.

Congrats on the weight loss and the anniversary! The most important thing is to find something you enjoy because the likelihood you will continue to workout will go up tremendously. As such, I'd actually recommend trying a lot of different things. From a health perspective, I'd strongly recommend at least 3 days (though 4 or 5 would be better!), of some sort of aerobic activity (a.k.a. cardio). This can be walking, running, elliptical, biking, hiking, rucking, as well as group classes. Really anything that gets your heart rate up and keeps it there during the exercise is fair game. Start with where you are on this. If you can only do 5 minutes right now, that's fine, but do try to increase that over time to about an hour per session. I also recommend at least 2 days a week of strength training. That again would be a minimum, because just like for the cardio, more days would be even better. Just be careful that you give yourself enough time in between training to let your muscles recover. My number one suggestion would be to enlist the help of a GOOD Certified Personal Trainer to assist you with program design. Note that there are some really good CPTs and unfortunately some really bad ones. You might want to ask around your network to see if anyone has a recommendation? There are just too many variables involved in developing a good strength training plan to provide a recommendation here. At a minimum, a plan has to consider exercise selection, exercise form, effort level, volume, intensity, frequency, and tempo. Some of these variables are highly dependent on things like your current gender, age, strength level, mobility, trainability, as well as any physical limitations you may have. The point is that program design should be tailored specifically to YOU, and that's really not something I could do via a forum like this. Also, in my many years of experience in the gym as a competitive powerlifter, I've seen way too many beginners make horrible mistakes that could have been avoided with some guidance. These are generally mistakes a good personal trainer can help you avoid. Some of those mistakes will just lead to poor results, but some can end up really hurting you. If a personal trainer is just not in the cards at this point, I would caution you to avoid weight machines or free weights for now. As a beginner, you can make tremendous gains just doing bodyweight exercises and there is a lot less risk of injury taking that approach. Feel free to Google bodyweight beginner routines, just keep in mind that some (just like the CPTs), are really good and some are really bad. At a minimum, I'd want a program that has all of the following: Bodyweight squats of some sort A lunge movement of some sort (I'm partial to front foot elevated rear lunges, but the actual type is not really that important at this point.) If lunges are painful for you, an okay alternative might be a bridge exercise A pressing exercise (probably pushups, but if you can't yet do regular pushups, start with elevated pushups) A pulling exercise (Ideally, this would be pullups, but I recognize these are hard for most beginners, thus an inverted row might be a good alternative Some sort of core exercise. A lot of programs have people doing planks, but I'm personally not a huge fan of planks in any form. I'd much prefer to see something more dynamic like a mountain climber, dead bugs, or hanging knee or leg raises. Best of luck!

I have similar experience. I had the sleeve in 2019. Last 5 years have been memorable with a ton of gerd and pain. Tomorrow I’m having the Rouen y bypass and looking forward to it. I’ve been struggling with massive daily cramping for years and lots of dumping. I was 339 6’1 before sleeve. I was 190 until this year when I gained 10 pounds back. I’m doing the bypass because of severe gerd and want my life back. I’ve been on cannabis gummy’s and opioids for the past 5 years and it’s been miserable. I’m hoping it goes well and I can get back to a normal life. I also started liquid diet again and Italian no sugar added frozen ice and Campbells chicken noodle broth only have been my two go tos which I hope my new bypass stomach will tolerate and quality of life will improve and I can stop the cannabis and stop using opioids. Using both for pain mgmt is a blessing and a curse but I’m ready to get off of both become “normal “ I haven’t been able to eat anything less than 2 bites causes pain at a level 10 like I have a kidney stone in my stomach and I’ve had kidney stones before.

I believe it’s only supposed to maybe beneficial to your immune system (bovine colostrum for adults vs how human mother’s colostrum benefits a human baby). Nothing about consuming it for weight loss. Out of curiosity I wonder what the nutritional value is?

Im not interested in hair medicines just yet. I know the rapid weight loss can contribute to this hair loss. So far its just worrying to see how thin its getting but Im not in panic mode yet lol. Im hoping it slows a bit but if not I guess Ill have to deal with it until the journey is over. Thanks for your input very informational

my husband met me when i was a smokin' hot, 120lb-23 year old, married me at a decent sized 130lb-30 yr old, was by my side as i worked my way up to a morbidly obese, 235lb-45 yr old, and is surprisingly still around as i am now a 105lb-52 yr old (smokin' hot again, if i say so myself, lol). i say "surprisingly" cuz i'm ALOT. and i know it, lol. the man has the patience of a SAINT for effs sakes (i'm very lucky). while i can't say if my weight loss/gain changed his attraction to me (i mean he'd NEVER say so, and apparently his want for sexy times has not increased nor diminished this entire time...if anything, MY OWN want for sexy times is directly proportional to my weight....the heavier i got, the less interested i was, you know? now i'm like energizer bunny again like my younger days, which i guess Mr. is pleased about, but i digress.) as for attention from others (male and/or female), yes, i know it is also proportional to my weight/looks. but i mean, lets be honest, i get more attention when i'm fitter, because...well, i'm fitter. i am not one of those that get offended because the same person that hit on me now when thin again, didn't when i was fat. that person is psychically attracted to a certain type. and i may or may not fit that bill depending at what point in time you get me. yes, i have a stunning personality, but if i am not physically attractive to you, you may never get to discover that. oh well, that's just how it goes. truth be told, i am much more physically attracted to fit, muscular men (case in point: my Mr. has been a literal FIT SPECIMEN then entire time i've known him). BUT...once that initial attraction is cemented, if a dude turns out to be an un-funny, un-intelligent, boring, DUD, then, well, next. luckily, Mr. has the brain to match the body (I WIN! lol) if a sandwich looked unappealing? would you eat it? most would not. i think the physical attraction is what hooks people, but its the personality/vibe that brings them in. so i guess what i'm saying is that people are people, and we don't need to hang on to perceived offences if it does us no good. accept the compliment, bask in your awesomeness, and move on. (or stay if you want a little fun, ha!)

I wish I could say from experience but I never made it to the maintenance phase with my sleeve and I’m early out from my revision. From being on the boards though it seems what most people do is to add like 100 healthy calories at a time and wait and see if that makes them gain and keep upping it until they find what their body is happy with. Of course if you level of activity or type of calories changes you may have to adjust so I think if you don’t choose to log your food daily you may want to at least spot check it like once a week just so you can see if your habits change gradually and keep on track for what works for your body. Congratulations on nearing maintenance!!

Hello everyone! I discovered this forum a couple of weeks ago and have found it really helpful (so thank you!) but this is my first time posting. I’m scheduled to have a gastric bypass on September 12, and I’m really anxious and somewhat doubtful. I’m half way through my 2 week pre-op diet (2 shakes, 2 snacks, 1 meal, no carbs); I started 2 days late but still, I haven’t lost a thing. Anyone else experience this? what if it’s the same after the surgery? What if my body’s just broken from gaining and losing so many times? a little context: I’m female, 39 years old, and weigh 266.4 lbs. it’s the biggest I’ve ever been. I have three children, but after my second son passed away at birth in 2020, I was put on antidepressants which I take religiously. Early this year I was also diagnosed with ADHD and put on meds, and the loss of appetite and focus cut my food intake in half— still did not lose any weight.

If there have only been a few reports of patients experiencing this, then that is far below the level that would normally raise any concerns. Coincidences not causality? Worth tracking, of course, but it doesn’t raise any alarm bells for me. And, of course, a high number of those of us who struggle with their weight are likely already going to have other issues around self-esteem etc. Some may be more prone to negative emotions.

Hi everyone. I started my journey to surgery 4 months ago. I am down 30 pounds since I started. I went into it knowing I wanted the RNY. My doctor tends to do a lot of sleeves. He said when you look at the weight loss in a 5 year period, they end up having very similar results. She sleeve is slower, but evens out by 5 years. His reasoning for thinking I should do the sleeve is because I currently use NSAIDS. My hope is that after weight loss, I won't need them any more. He ultimately said the decision is mine and he's ok with either one. He is going to retire before my surgery and I will see his partner on March 3 when I have to make the final decision. His partner also tends to do more sleeves than RNY. I'm looking for people who've had surgery. Which did you pick, why and are you happy with your results? Thanks in advance!