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Happy friday all - I am scheduled for surgery next Wed and the MD wants me to lose between 10-20 lbs. I have been adhering to the 3 protein drinks, 2 cups of veg and 2(1/2)c of broth each day. I have been on it for 7 days and only lost 7 lbs. Any ideas/tips? I'm hardly eatting anything and it should be falling off me. Thanks!

People all calculate differently. My surgeon and nutritionist both use the weight from my first consultation visit when assessing progress, so it includes the weight gained or lost while in the program leading up to date of surgery. In my case, the starting weight of 383.4 is from June of 2019. I was 337 on my surgery date in mid-July of 2020. However, my all-time highest weight is probably from 2016 when I weighed approximately 410. 410... 383.4... 337... it ends up being semantics IMO. The only thing that really matters is that the weight now is well below all three.

I was just revised from the sleeve to the bypass on the 23rd and my pain is minimal. Doing my best to get fluids in. I gained 10 pounds during my hospital stay so hoping that will come off pretty fast. I haven't had any incidences of reflux so I'm super happy about that.

I’m 4/16 after being rescheduled from 2/19 and then 3/19.

Greetings everyone. I have had a long journey, I've been overweight and obese most of my life. I was 6ft1 and over 300lbs in my late teens and successfully dropped down into the 190's. Eventually I got older, got married and started working night shifts...here I am again! No health issues, but I want it to stay that way, the funny thing is, I look down and move around and still feel that I'm thin, opposite of most, pictures tell another story, haha! I joined a paid, doctor lead weight loss program in 2019 that went alright, I didn't lose much though and easily gained it back. One of the recommendations coming out of that was surgery. Where I live there is a long process for that (but it is funded). Most people only are covered for bypass though, including me. Long story short I decided to go with the Sleeve out of my own pocket. I can afford it and the bypass seemed a little too extreme to me, for my personal situation. My family had been aware of my journey and supportive until my surgery was actually booked recently after doing orientation, reading (and sharing) materials, etc. Now I have literally all my immediate family telling not to do it. My wife is upset as we have two young children and I'll be out of commission for a bit and she's extremely anxious after reading something saying 80% of people end up divorced after this, she feels she doesn't know enough too and that ones understandable. One family member told me I'm being selfish, I still don't understand that one. Another said I don't understand what I'm getting and I should get more info and see a therapist. I get that therapy brings value, but I'm always legitimately happy and in both my weight loss program and the intake for surgery the doctors said I didn't need to see a therapist (and they had them on staff). It was a little disorienting as I first stated I was looking into this a year ago and decided to go ahead with it in October to universal support. I told one colleague only and they said they didn't see why I would need that. I'm really, really, really glad I'm not on the fence about this, otherwise I might be deterred, but is it common? Have others dealt with the people around them getting the cold feet? It's funny, because I'm getting surgery, but now I find myself wondering how I can support everyone else about it April 19 is my surgery day and that's not going to change unless I'm told so by the medical practice.

@Rosie_flips I was nervous to have it done outpatient, but honestly it has gone really smoothly. My surgical team set me up with IV hydration at my house the day after surgery, thank god because that first 24-48 hrs I was really struggling to get fluids in. I ended up scheduling another hydration appointment with that nurse the next day just to be proactive, and I think that was a good decision because the next day when I woke up I felt I had really turned a corner (day 3 post op) They also were very proactive with nausea meds and I never had any nausea that I can remember. Apparently I vomited in post-op but I don't remember. Here's how my outpatient surgery went- Checked into the hospital @3p Pre-op stuff 3-5p Surgery at 5:30p Post-Op 6:30p ish to 10:30p ish. They kept me several hours with IV fluids, got me up and walking, tried to get me to pee, but I couldn't. Discharged with orders to come back to the hospital if I hadn't peed in 6 hours. which didn't end up being an issue. Home and in bed by 11:30p. I didn't think I would be able to sleep in my bed, but I did just fine, propped up on pillows a bit. Hope this helps with anyone who is looking at having outpatient surgery. My insurance required it due to COVID, and I was nervous- but 8 days post op I'm doing really well.

I also had the revision for GERD, Gastritis and Esophagitis and I'm very happy that all that has been resolved. But I'm also very happy with the weight loss. As you can see below, I gained almost all my initial weight that I had lost after the sleeve. I felt like a complete failure and a fool for having thrown away my chance at a normal weight. I know this revision is my second chance to do it right and learn from my mistakes. Here are my stats over my 6 year journey. Highest weight May 2012 - 222 lbs. Gastric sleeve surgery weight November 2014 - 212 lbs. Lowest weight post sleeve May 2015 - 151 post op 6 months (61 lbs. lost) Highest weight prior to revision surgery January 2019 - 205 lbs. (54 lbs. gained) Weight day of revision surgery October 2020 - 185 lbs. Current weight March 2021 (5 months post op) - 138 lbs. (47 lbs. lost) I hope that I never have to add a line that says I've gained weight back again!!!! Good luck on your journey!!!!

Looks like we have same stats and I totally get it. When my weight is 165-170 I dont have as many wrinkles on my arms and face. I staying right at 158 ish and can tell the difference in those 10 lbs when it comes to skin and wrinkles being worse. I wear size 8 to 10 depending on the brand and you are right those BMI calculators are not one size fits all. My bariactric team says that even though I may be a 25 BMI you have to figure in the extra skin considering I lost over 150 lbs.

My surgery is 4/10 and I am really scared. Apart from two friends of mine, i have no other suppose system except this forum. I decided not to tell my friends because they will surely discourage me and my health is failing. This is a life saving decision for me but I feel my friends will not understand. This forum made me book my surgery date. Very supportive group here. I just want to say thank you to everyone for their contribution and advice. I have been here for months reading stories and different advices. Today i decided to make a profile and join. Very happy to be here. I will be asking a lot of questions before my surgery and after, please remain kind.

Dr Texeira and Dr Jawad did my friend’s duodenal switch in 2019 and she has done wonderfully well!

Lots of different choices available to readjust your situation. You can easily restart tracking your food. It will be helpful in several ways because you will have to write down exactly what you eat and how many calories, carbs, sugars, fats, etc. you take in. Be kind to yourself if you find that initially you are logging "bad" foods -- sugary treats, etc. Focus on hitting and not surpassing your maximum daily caloric intake. Little by little, modify your diet so that you are back on track with your protein and carb goals. Remind yourself that you are not on a fast train to disaster. You have identified a problem before it is out of hand and you are immediately taking steps to remedy it. As for exercise, lots of us falter, particularly during these COVID times. When I stopped exercising like you did during 2020 COVID (because I quit the gym), I was nagged by family members, sent articles about fitness, and finally was encouraged to take small steps to reintroduce the exercise I needed. I began viewing the Leslie Sansone "Walk at Home" videos on YouTube and walked along to them every day. At first, I would fast walk just 10 minutes three times a day with the videos and eventually I shifted to one 30 minute a day fast walk accompanied by video. She offers scores of different videos so I can do new ones every day for variation. So I think actually you are in a great situation to regain control of your life. You haven't regained. You are very aware of your shortcomings. And you are motivated to change. Take small steps towards each goal and you will get back on track. Best wishes.

Surgery went well. I don’t know what I said or did while I was out of it, but everyone was all like “ohhhhh. I know YOU!” Do you remember me?!”🤨 My check in was 7:45, I don’t know what time surgery was because my phone was out away the whole time and I had no glasses on. But I finally got my phone back in recovery about 1:00. im not doing too good on liquids/protein though. I got home at 5 pm and I have only gotten down about 10 ounces today. I pretty much passed out as soon as I got home so I have pretty much been asleep all day 🤷🏼‍♀️

I do that too. Order a glass of wine on arrival. Sip until about 10 minutes after my order is taken so I have a window before my meal arrives. I leave another window until after my plate is removed & finish the glass when the others are having their dessert or coffee. I can’t drink a lot before dinner unless I can guarantee at least 20 odd minutes before I eat. I never seem to finish the whole glass though but found it’s easier if a bottle is ordered for the table. I can just have a small amount before my meal & have another after & the wine is kept cold in the ice bucket.

Hello all! 3/1/2003 I got my lapband and it was my 2nd BEST EVER decision. I was at 318 now I'm at 160 and healthy as a horse! I'm glad I took it slow. I started serious working out in the last 5 years. Other than a saggy belly and some fat around my knees and thighs I am ECSTATIC with my results! Oct 2019 I had a new band because the old port gave me trouble and fluid wouldn't stay in. Before that I would get "tuneups" at nyu...takeout all fluid and refill with new fluid. My before 2003 and after 2020 attached And no, at my age 58, (5'7"), I would never consider getting plastic surgery.

Best advice I've heard came from a bariatric surgeon: "You/we don't know your goal weight yet; you won't choose your goal weight- it will choose you and you'll know it when you find it. " I'm 183 today & have more to lose but I literally could not be the 119 I was in high school now. At this weight I'm a size 12, sometimes a 10 & a L legging, sometimes a medium. I'd look sickly at 119 today. Everyone needs to live in their bodies, not just display them so what society says "looks good" & what's healthy are not the same thing. Lots of love and empowering vibes to everyone 💜

So I was a companion on 3/18-21 to my best friend (38f) while she had her sleeve thru Baja medical with Dr. A (Dr A's Iron Sleevers group is a great resource on FB) I've been considering the surgery myself but am still actively losing weight & maintaining my loss (we both had lost 50lbs since October of 2020) and I'm not quite ready to commit to the sleeve just yet. So here's what I'd tell future Tijuana (or any) bariatric patients. Buy a good variety of broth packets & cubes as well as electrolyte packets because what tasted good before may not after surgery. I cannot stress this enough- do not ALLOW yourself to get medically dehydrated. They kind of skimp on the IV fluids so it won't take long after surgery to become dehydrated & once that dry heaving begins it's a short trip to kidney strain and needing the hospital. Two girls (different surgeons than our group but same hospital) ended up needing IV fluids after being discharged. Bring an extension cord & heating pad- that heating pad was my friends favorite thing while down there. Take the preop diet very seriously, including caffeine, it will ensure you're body is burning fat stores before you have surgery which you'll be grateful for when you're only getting 150-300 calories a day the first few days home. Try to learn a few Spanish phrases or bring a decent translation dictionary because the service industry down there caters mostly to other Mexican tourists and don't speak much English- this is super helpful for uber, ordering food or even just going to sbux. Bring a small thermos that you can take anywhere. 10 oz is ideal and you won't be drinking even that much in a sitting before coming home. Buy Miralax & use it the day you get home (surgeon said this was fine) because the constipation struggle IS REAL after general anesthesia & you DO NOT want to be straining your abdominal muscles after surgery! Buy everything you need for bariatric smoothies & soups before you go- you won't want to be hunting down ingredients two days after getting home. Chobani now makes a bottled yogurt drink with 25g protein, chicory root fiber & monk fruit with no chunks- very post OP friendly & you'll be SUPER sick of protein shakes by the 1 week mark. Most importantly- be your own advocate; if your nurse is overly busy & blows you off (hospital is crazy busy down there right now b/c stimulus + tax returns) then ask to speak to your dr. and make yourself heard. Lastly, if you have a hotel day try & visit Avenida Revolucion (10 minute Uber from the hotels)- we went with some other sleevers & it was an awesome distraction, great place to walk & the Hotel Caesar (birthplace of the caesar salad!) makes a French onion soup that if you as for "just jus'" or "suave', liquido colado (strained liquid) they'll give you a crock of just the rich broth! Be safe everyone, my friend is 6 days post OP & getting stronger each day!

Scheduled for 4/10 and begin preop on Saturday. Excited for you this new beginning

I had someone say “Don’t you want to do better than that?” when I said my goal was to be back to a size 10/12. 😑 I am almost 5’10 & 55 years old. I also KNOW I look and feel really good & healthy at this size. I guess double digits=HUGE to her but...whatever!

I used this recipe (but I only baked them for 1 hour and 15 minutes): https://thesugarfreediva.com/how-to-make-sugar-free-meringue-cookies/ And this sweetener (I've seen a lot of recipes that call for powdered Swerve, but that's pretty expensive): https://www.walmart.com/ip/Great-Value-Granulated-No-Calorie-Sweetener-Value-Pack-19-4-oz/37415080 I made this batch with egg whites from a carton, and I only used the equivalent of 3 egg whites because I have found that the carton's idea of one egg white is more than an egg white from a whole egg. Also, I have a Kitchenaid stand mixer and it is too powerful to use on high for this recipe. I only turn it up to 6 -- any higher than that and the egg whites will be over-beaten and collapse in the oven.

Hello Everyone! Not sure if I am posting in the right place or not. Tomorrow is my very first appointment to begin my weight loss journey. I live in the Metro Detroit area and will be going through the Beaumont Weight Control Center. I am excited and nervous at the same time. Food has been a comfort, but I need help. I think I have tried everything out there. I understand this will not be easy, but honestly I cannot continue on my current path. I will be 49 in July and I am having my 2nd knee replacement next month. I swear I have the joints of a 90 year old! I also am being treated for Psoriatic Arthritis, high blood pressure and I have been using a CPAP machine since 2019. I'm 5'4 and my current BMI is 41.7 (243lbs). Insurance wise, I do not believe I qualify to be fast track....I think my BMI needs to be over 50. I am just hoping for the best and that I can be approved. My joints are in constant pain and exercise right now with my knee is almost impossible. Has anyone ever had the 6 month supervised medical waived with a BMI under 50? Anyway, I look forward to making some new friends here and absorbing the wealth of knowledge on this forum.

Sugar-free meringue cookies -- egg whites, cream of tartar, zero-calorie sweetener, and flavoring (this batch is vanilla marshmallow). Ready to bake: Out of the oven: The number of cookies depends on how big you make them; I got 64 out of this batch and split it into 4 servings of 16 cookies. 19 calories for this whole plate:

Yes maybe I won’t have that much excess skin but I don’t really think I will anyway. I haven’t been overweight my whole life just for the past 10 years and it’s been up and down. Maybe slow weight loss is good. Slow and steady wins the race.

Same here - I lost 15 pounds that first month and never more than 10 any month after that. But it kept going and going and I lost all my excess weight! Hang in there @Hopefulin2021!

have you tried this guy's? He does walking workouts like Leslie does, but I think he's more fun. Plus I like it when his cats walk across the room. His videos are all of different lengths, so if I'm really not in the mood to exercise - or don't have time - I'll pick some 10- or 15-minute one to do (most of his are walking workouts - but he does some other types, too. I just do the walking ones). I may have heard about him here on BP, but I don't remember - it's been a month or so. But someone recommended it and I really like him. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3lEhUBNqIrFMatB9Zgxo0g