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Those are pretty over whelming diagnoses. I would start with one of your doctors and ask for advice, and for an appointment with a nutritionist who is knowledgable about people who have had a gastric sleeve. Your nutritional needs have changed as your diagnoses have caused havoc on your body. The Hashimotos especially. You probably need to have a CBC and have levels taken for vitamins and minerals and keep track of your where your Thyroid levels are at. Then come up with a plan that you feel comfortable with. I am more than a dozen years out and had significant regain, and then have re-lost my gains and more. I too had some medical issues to overcome, and still do. But I made the re-losing at MY OWN pace. Which was comparatively SLOW to losing after surgery. I took a few years to lose the first 45 pounds I had put on, and then look another couple years to get where I am now. But I took long breaks after losing each 10 pounds at first to make sure I could maintain that loss. I purposely stopped losing and did maintenance for a few months. Then made a goal of losing another 10. Then did the same thing. The last year or so my goals were even smaller. Because it WAS harder. But I am at a healthy place and myself and my doctors are very pleased. I have to have blood work done every few months to make sure I am maintaining certain values, so there is that. But I work with my GP who has been wonderfully supportive.

Hello everyone! I had the gastric sleeve done in 2016. I lost a total of 140 lbs. I hit a stall and managed to keep myself at that amount. Fast forward to 2020. I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Hashimotos Thyroiditis, and had to have my thyroid removed due to large nodules. With all that occurring and being prescribed new meds I started to gain the weight back. As of today I have gained most of the weight back-120 lbs. I am wanting to get back on track and try to lose it back and then some. Any tips or recommendations? Is it even possible to lose all of it back?

Absolutely, the lower your starting BMI the less pounds you are going to loose. In the end the percentage % should be similar but actual pounds/kilos and speed will all vary greatly. I am going through the same questioning and doubting myself and my approach at 7 was post op. I have been in the hospital 15 days total since surgery (2 readmittance with 5 days stays each time and 5 days at time of sleeve) and am still on IV fluids daily through a PICC line at home. Needless to say I have had a few complications due to a chronic, genetic disease I have which is slowing EVERYTHING down. I have only lost 10lbs according to the scale since surgery but have lost 14 inches. My Dr is not even concerned about my weight loss because how much fluids I am taking and says inches are always more telling than weight due to water retention or dehydration but also muscle gain as fat weighs less than muscle so if you are putting on muscle while loosing fat you could actually show an increase on the scale... don't worry. If you are doing everything you are supposed to and following your program, the weight WILL come off. This is a lifelong marathon not a sprint! 💞 Learn to love yourself by caring for your body. You will be transformed!

Please talk to your family doctor or a mental health professional (licensed therapist, psychologist or psychiatrist) After and during weight loss and after surgery our bodies can take a beating and we think we are doing ourselves such a great and healthy thing... and then we feel like crap. Have I had this ? Not depression, but I had panic attacks start after a year after surgery. NOT FUN. Still have them. Take meds for that. I am also a mental health professional and I think that folks who have WLS or undergo dieting or major life changes should all consult their doctors about mental health changes that can come up with all these changes happening to our bodies. Have you had blood levels drawn ? vitamin and mineral numbers done ? A FULL blood panel including all your thyroid counts and numbers ? Please do that too. Rapid weight loss can throw our hormones and our physiological balance way out of whack. And our brains are part of our bodies. Hence, our brain chemistry can change and BAM - Depression, Bi-Polar and all sorts of stuff can come up. Talk to your doctor, get a referral for Psych consult. IF you feel like you might hurt yourself or start drinking/using drugs get yourself to a mental health professional right away !

Hi there, I had a sleeve back in 2016, and over lockdown etc manged to regain most of the weight, so I'm having a revision to a mini gastric bypass in August, I'll heading to Prague for mine. Good luck with your surgery

I was going to write that six weeks was a long time for an early stall and to double-check your calories, etc - but then I noticed that you're about 35 lbs from your goal weight. Weight loss really slows the closer you get to your goal. When I was only about 20 or 30 lbs from goal, there were some months when I only lost like two pounds, despite really working at it. I would for sure double-check my food intake, though, and make sure you're following your plan to a "T". But aside from that, you may just be in that stretch when weight loss becomes harder and harder... you've probably read that weight loss is due to about 90% food intake and 10% exercise - so although exercise does make a difference, it's pretty slight. It's more effective at maintaining weight than at losing weight (since it takes A LOT of exercise to burn up a significant amount of calories). It's also great for your health, regardless of your weight.

I’m three weeks post op from Gastric Sleeve. Only my husband and older kids know I’ve had the op. I’m a very private person and don’t like talking about myself or drawing attention to myself. I’ve been on annual leave since the op and go back to work next week. Unfortunately, I work with 200 mostly females and there will be a fair few who won’t be able to stop themselves asking me how I lost weight (12 kgs down so far) and I know this because 5 years ago I lost 20 kgs and they did the same… not sure how I will handle the questions this time and honestly I feel really nervous going back because of it.

I got bypass for standard weight-loss purposes, but my insurance company denied coverage initially. I had the doctor call the insurance company directly to explain the medical necessity of the surgery. That did the trick and I was approved. Perhaps it would be worth a try in your case.

Yikes. It's not the surgery itself that's experimental - it's for this particular purpose. I know the surgery is good for diabetes, too - regardless of weight - but that's also probably considered "experimental" when done only for that purpose. I'm not sure what to say - I'm sure this is heartbreaking!

I’m 9 mo out GS. Slow weight loss, achy n tired. One gym run I’m done for the day. Blood work showed one part of thyroid test low. I read that with sleeve should crush your pill. I on genetic Synthroid . Called the Dr for instructions, not heard back. By next week calling a endocrinologist for an appointment. Very disappointed. So much can do, retired, and have time and place, just no energy 😭 any tricks ?

Absolutely see your frustration. I had lost 194lbs before my revision revision (my original being ruined by a bad pregnancy, hemorrhaged ovaries that had to be removed. A diagnosis of Hypothyroidism and then PCOS) and when I was a smaller more ‘normal human sized’, my concerned were actually taken into account when I spoke to my health professional versus when I weight 365 before hand and have gained 100lb back and an chubby now, the doctor basically blames EVERYTHING you complain about on the fact that you’re fat or you’re not working out enough and assumed you’re eating cookies and candy all day to get so big so then comes the nutritionist recommendations instead of a cardiologist appoint or what have you. This is all learned and considered acceptable behavior largely do to social conditioning and it’s sad. Proud of you for doing so happy in your year though. You’re doing amazing!

Hello everyone! I had the gastric sleeve done in 2016. I lost a total of 140 lbs. I hit a stall and managed to keep myself at that amount. Fast forward to 2020. I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Hashimotos Thyroiditis, and had to have my thyroid removed due to large nodules. With all that occurring and being prescribed new meds I started to gain the weight back. As of today I have gained most of the weight back-120 lbs. I am wanting to get back on track and try to lose it back and then some. Any tips or recommendations? Is it even possible to lose all of it back?

Perfectly said @The Greater Fool. Using food to numb ourselves from emotional pain, depression, anxiety, stress, etc. is very common especially with people here. It’s the same as those who use drugs & alcohol to mask their pain & become addicted. Eating, regardless of how much is consumed, never stops the pain because it’s still there. So yes, you are experiencing withdrawals & grieving your inability to eat the same volume of food & food choices. Seeking support to understand & learn how manage the emotional or mental pain will be helpful. All because you can’t have your whisky now doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a glass in the future. As long as you’re aware of addiction transfer & your greater susceptibility to it, having a glass on a Saturday night will be okay again. Congratulations on your weight loss so far & the life you are regaining. So much to celebrate & be joyful about.

I'm scheduled for my RNY on 5/18. This morning I found out that UnitedHealthcare has denied my surgery as experimental. I've filed an appeal but have been told it's unlikely to be approved. My reason for surgery is not weight - I have gastroparesis. I need this surgery. It's the only viable fix for me, but because my insurance plan says no bariatric procedure, that's it, or so I'm told. Amy recommendations? I need this surgery. I've gone through all the testing because the first time my Dr's office called the insurance they were told yes, go ahead, I'm covered. Now surgery is denied. I'm sick to my stomach, heartbroken, nervous. I hate this. I just want the surgery.

You mention that you're struggling financially to buy healthy groceries, so apply for food stamps if you can. With that said, bc your stomach is smaller and you're eating less calories, you can make more expensive nutrient dense foods last longer/more meals. It says you live in CA, so try Food 4 Less, the 99 cent stores, Aldi's and Trader Joe's, they all have good prices. You don't mention your age or height or level of activity or the amount of fluids you're drinking, but here's my experience: I'm 5'4 (female) and 35 years old. I had surgery on 1/11/23. started at 252 and I'm now 211.... 42 lbs down and down 6 inches on my waist. Fluids: at LEAST 32oz + 12oz protein shake, so 44... I try so hard to drink more water but cold & room temp liquids make me super nauseous since the surgery. Activity: Since and including the day after surgery I've strived to walk a MINIMUM of 5,000 steps a day. I live in a tiny apartment, and for the first 3 weeks after surgery I was still able to hit this goal simply by walking back and forth in my small apt for 5-10 minutes every hour. For the past 3-4 weeks, I've made it a priority to go to the gym and do cardio for 30-60 minutes 3-4/week. Some days I don't have time but will still force myself to do at least 10 minutes of incline walking on the treadmill. If you can't afford a gym, go walking, preferably somewhere with hills or stairs. (Walking flat is great but it doesn't get your heart rate up high enough). If you can't find/drive to hills, throw a backpack on and load it up with books (or weights) to add weight to your flat walks. Diet: 800-1300 calories (the 1300 end is if I workout really hard and my body needs to refuel) .. I am LAZY (I like cooking but hate dishes), but also a busy non-traditional college student with lots to do. So simple, quick, easy foods have been essential to my success thus far. I'm still basically eating the same as I was when I was on the soft foods diet but now I eat chicken and beef here and there. My go to food staples are: Cottage cheese 1%, OWYN - elite pro 32g protein shake, Simple Mills Almond flour crackers, soft/hard boiled eggs, small omelet, whole grain toast with avocado on it, refried beans, homemade turkey chili with beans, shrimp, turkey bacon, Sargento reduced fat string cheese (it had the lowest fat compared to the other string cheeses in my store). Example of my day: Every morning I have either 1-2 eggs, or 1/2 cup-1 cup of cottage cheese, then mid-morning/lunch I have the protein shake, then lunch/mid-afternoon I have 2-3 string cheese sticks, then for mid-afternoon/dinner I either have cottage cheese again, or 1 slice toast with tuna or chicken salad (I use either mayo or avocado mashed up), or shrimp and avocado slices, or rotisserie chicken and carrots/brussels/string beans. After dinner if I'm still hungry I have crackers. If I'm hitting my protein and still hungry, then I know I need more dense carbs and I'll have 1/4 cup-1/2 cup of sweet potatoes/mashed potatoes, etc. I don't SNACK anymore. I eat if I'm hungry. If I'm not hungry then I don't eat just to eat and have a snack bc I want to, that's what got me fat in the first place. If you're not physically hungry-don't eat. If you haven't already, learning the difference between physical hunger, thirst, and mental hunger/boredom/filling a void is essential to success. On Easter I had like 8 snack-sized kit-kat bars as a meal lol... I'm not advising it, but I've still lost weight since then. Don't beat yourself up over 1 day or 1 meal, it's not gonna completely kill your progress. Just make sure it's not every day or even every week. A lot of this journey is learning what YOUR body needs, not just what is written on a diet plan.

Full disclosure I haven't had surgery yet. But. I deal with depression and other mental illnesses. I want to echo that therapy is huge. Talking out how you feel, what's bothering you, and getting healthy coping skills is vital. And, there is no shame in it. Something else, if you're open to it, is medication to help ease the symptoms of depression that help you gain some head space to process what you're feeling. Personally, I can not function well without mine. I also lean heavily on my faith. Treatment doesn't have to be forever, but it may be necessary to get through this chapter of life.

Welcome to the forums and congratulations on your success. Many of us used food as a coping mechanism or self medication to deal with issues. If this is true for you then having WLS may have taken a key coping mechanism away. It's likely time to talk with a therapist or behavioralist to learn new, better, healthier coping mechanisms. Many of us also had unrealistic expectations on how WLS magically change our lives. I've mentioned elsewhere that I'm an introvert and I'd long accepted it, but I still had visions of becoming a social butterfly when I lost my weight. Everything that my weight prevented I would be able to do again better than ever. Predictably, that's not how it turned out. A common meme is "we had surgery on our stomachs not our brains." Just because we lost weight doesn't mean we will automatically change. Losing our weight wasn't easy and took a rather drastic help. Changing other aspects of our lives may likewise take effort. WLS and rapid weight loss can upset your life. You are changing the status quo. Your relationships may change because your roles in them change. Work can be impacted. Even the way you perceive yourself may change, or not change quick enough, or become totally unrealistic. You may get more wanted or unwanted attention and be unsure of your response. Be sure to keep lines of communication open with your spouse, friends, and associates. Especially your spouse. You may eventually have your Saturday night whiskey. Two things here: First, be aware and careful of transfer addiction. Now that you don't have food to use as a coping mechanism many of us have turned to other often worse things like alcohol, drugs, or stand up comedy. Second, if not having your Saturday night whiskey makes you this sad then perhaps it's something you need to discuss with a therapist. To sum up find someone to help you. Heck, find a team. Your spouse can be a huge support. A close, trustworthy friend or family member could help. Forums like this can help. A therapist would be a great choice because they have the experience and resources to help build new tools. Good luck, Tek

All the talk of support systems is spot on. I hope you all have them. I am in a lot of groups on FB. My husband has been an amazing support, he's been to every appointment with me. I have 2 daughters, 17 and 18, who are great too. My youngest doesn't talk about it much, my 18yo does. She's just worried something will go wrong during surgery. She's a stresshead in general so I just reassure her it will be fine. She's watching what she eats atm too and is losing weight at the same rate as me. She's got a bit to lose and is doing amazing so far. I'm so excited for those of you having surgery NEXT WEEK!

Could they be varicose veins? They may be more visible because of your weight loss so far. Do they ache or bulge more if you’ve been standing for a while? I have lots very visible veins on my hands now which can look quite ropey at times. It’s fascinating discovering what our fat hid. May be best to see your doctor & find out what’s going on.

The first three months are key. Many people lose 50% (or more) of their eventual total during the first three months. Take full advantage of this "honeymoon" period by strictly adhering to your diet. The weight drops off quickly during the first three months and then slows progressively each month following. You get one "honeymoon" period, and that's it.

Do you track actual food intake? It’s easy to exceed calories and not knowing exactly what you put in when snacking can add up in a hurry. I weigh everything I eat, even at work, and use Baritastic app to log calories and this way you know exactly what goes in. I actually lose too much weight while working because the food they serve doesn’t fit into my new diet. 5 months and 3 weeks post surgery and I’m down 135lbs. Follow the plan and you’ll do great.

Follow the plan your team has to a tee. I follow it religiously and my weight has dropped like a rock. Start weight 323lbs, exactly 5 months and 3 weeks later I’m down to 188.0lbs. Only a single stall that lasted 1 week but again I have not cheated a single time, tracking everything I put in and energy out. Just my personal experience but I have watched the people who think they can cheat with no consequences. Use the tool you’ve been given and you will be successful. Best of luck, speedy recovery.

Hey! I haven't logged on in so long and was also curious how everyone is doing too. Here's an update on my life over a year post op. Here is a photo of me way before my bypass, I think I wasn't at my heaviest yet but definitely pushing 320 lbs vs me last month while on vacation. I've lost about 130 lbs so far and am working on losing the last 9-10 lbs. I am finding this is when things are getting real. The honeymoon phase everyone talked about it over and I didn't even realize it until it was gone haha! It's not a bad thing, it just means that you can never give up, even after weight loss. Half of the battle is over, now it's a new battle and I think it will last for the rest of my life because I have to work hard every day to fight my obesity. I can eat pretty normally now. I aim for 1600-1700 cals a day but some days I might even get 1900 depending on how calorie dense my food is, then I tend to eat less calories the next day if that does happen. I walk 3-4 miles most days, gym 1-2 times a week and try to do some kind of outdoor activity on the weekend, usually hiking. I have been going slowly but I'm not unhappy with my progress. I'm just trying to watch my weight and enjoy how far I've come because I feel like a completely different person I can't even explain it... I am also able to eat more than 60 grams of protein a day now which is great because I lost a lot of muscle mass while losing all the weight after surgery. I eat 80-100 grams of protein a day. I am working on building my muscles back up, especially the muscles around my knees to help with my mobility (my being 340 lbs wrecked my knees). I am in physical therapy for my knees and do strength training with my boyfriend twice a week now. The thing I struggle with the most is tracking water but now that the summer is coming, I think it'll be easier to get in enough fluids since it's so hot where I live. I don't get food stuck anymore, very rarely if I've eaten too fast or food that is too hot will get stuck. I can still eat naughty foods in moderation too, too much sugar and fat makes me dump. Dumping for me means rapid heartbeat, dizzy, frequent urination, yawning, and nausea. I have been out of therapy for a while and would like to go back, especially as my ability to eat larger portions returns. I still actively have to think and fight using food as a coping mechanism but I am pretty hopeful and just keep reminding myself not to give up. How is everyone's vitamin levels and blood work? Anyone deficient in anything/have advice on what to get checked? I have gotten colds way more frequently but it's only been in the last 3 months, could just be the seasons but historically I rarely got sick.

I know it's easier said than done but if you're doing the right things, eating below your BMR, then you're going to be okay and you're going to keep losing weight. I stalled a lot on my journey, especially around the 5th-month mark. Your body is going through a lot but keep doing what your treatment team advises and the weight will go down, I swear!

Thanks so much for all your replies. I did try the phentermine but that didn’t work because I mainly snack at night and it wears off before then. And unfortunately with my other meds that’s the only one I was able to try so now she has me trying sleeping pills thinking if I can sleep through the night I won’t get up and snack but I think I need a stronger MG cause they don’t work. Another dr told me I can try taking like one and a half but I haven’t tried it yet cause I also read that it’s not good to take this medicine every night so I want to talk to her about that. I talked to a surgeon and he was very surprised that I am able to eat a whole 6 inch sandwich now at only two years out. That was his way of knowing how much my stomach can hold I guess was to ask how many inches of that I could eat if we went to a sandwich shop. I told him that I have been able to eat more than expected at every given stage from day one but when the hunger was gone I was able to eat what I was expected to. But after hunger returned it’s like I had no help without the restriction. I definitely couldn’t get my moneys worth at an all you can eat buffet anymore after surgery BUT, I could eat a normal serving pretty early out if I chose to. He said that I definitely need a smaller pouch which they can do with the bypass so that sounded promising that maybe it could be different?? I just wonder if like others have mentioned if all or part of the work needs to be done in my head. I am by no means opposed to trying therapy. I keep trying to find a therapist and even put a call in to see if the surgeon has any pull with one because in my area they are just not accepting new patients other than for the evaluations for surgery. He’s hasn’t called back yet but I am getting another opinion about whether going with bypass will be okay with my psyc meds since they advised against it the first time around so I will also ask him if he knows anyone that he can get me into. i have read on here that the revision weight loss is slower. I forgot about that. I hope it will still be as much though if I’m patient. I guess I am wondering if my hunger will go away the second time?? I just don’t want to yo yo down then right back up again like I did this time. I already know I sorta let everyone else down along with myself that was rooting me on and it has been very embarrassing to publicly fail at this. I almost think it would be easier to stay heavy than to fail at this again.