Search the Community

Addiction transfer is not uncommon after weight loss surgery. When your addiction to food can’t be satisfied, you seek an alternative. Alcohol is a big concern as it’s often the easiest to slip into. Then smoking and sexual addictions. So I think @shoppgirl could be right in her suggestion as to what you may be experiencing. It’s also a control issue. Aspects of your life seem out of control because of all the changes you are making so you try to control at least one thing. In your case ignoring your hunger which then spirals into you overeating. Yes, many swear by the help of a therapist to navigate these challenges. I’m glad you recognise some of what you’re battling & you are open to seeking a therapist to support you. That alone puts you ahead. PS - try adding a more substantial protein for lunch than just hummus. Try chicken or turkey tenders, fish or other seafood, etc. To me hummus & capsicum is more like a snack. Is the protein snack a snack or part of your breakfast? If it’s part of your breakfast, you may need something more textually substantial (which can be more satisfying than just a shake) at breakfast as it could be why you have the snack as well. (Remember a shake is equivalent to a meal.) Try scrambled eggs or an omelette with cheese, bacon/turkey/chicken, & some vegetables like spinach, celery, mushrooms, etc. (cook the vegetables first) or rolled oats made on milk with seeds.

Thanks for the replys guys I am getting Gastric sleeve for weight loss and has nothing to do with my gastric reflux, I do drink a lot off coffee which I will cut out that causes acid in the stomach , thanks again for the replys Sent from my LE2123 using BariatricPal mobile app

Hello all, It’s been a long time since I’ve posted. I had my surgery in 2014, lost over 120 pounds, gained back roughly 15. So far, so good. But I am having difficulties now that I never expected and I don’t know where else to turn. In the last 4 years or so, I have fallen completely out of love with my husband. There is NO physical desire whatsoever, and I am bored and nearly emotionally indifferent - I say “nearly” because of course I care about him, want the best for him always, wish him no ill will in any way, etc… But I feel as if my surgery/weight loss created not just a new body but a new PERSON. Has ANYONE else experienced or even HEARD of such a thing happening to gastric bypass patients? I feel lost. Trapped. Scared. I have been fighting how I feel for years, hoping it would improve. Any insight is greatly, GREATLY appreciated. Thank you. 💔

I joyfully kissed all my shakes away on day one week three. It was always my goal to rely on real food to get all my nutrients in & not depend upon supplements or meal replacements. My surgeon was also okay if I was not hitting my protein goal while going through the first stages as long as I was making an effort so that took off some pressure. But as @ShoppGirl said it does depend upon how much you can eat. (I wasn’t able to eat much but usually hit 40-50g of my 60g protein goal.) I found a good high protein yoghurt (15-20g) & a yoghurt smoothie (22-30g) to keep my protein closer to goal. I also did things like make my scrambled eggs & rolled oats extra milky to get in a little more protein. But being lactose intolerant I realise this isn’t quite as easy for you. Were you given a caloric goal or a recommended carb intake or limit? How many extra carbs or calories are you getting in by consuming lactose free/dairy alternative products? Because we eat so little it would take a lot to really have a negative impact on your weight loss. I drink a lactose free milk because I can’t drink a lot of ordinary milk. (No issue with other dairy though.) And even though it has about double the calories, it didn’t have an impact on my weight loss. Milk alternatives can actually have fewer calories than cows milk (per 100mls): Full cream cow’s milk – 281 kilojoules (67 calories) Rice milk – 255 kilojoules (61 calories) Regular soy milk – 241 kilojoules (58 calories) Oat milk – 213 kilojoules (51 calories) Reduced-fat cow’s milk – 191 kilojoules (46 calories) Reduced-fat soy milk – 153 kilojoules (37 calories) Skim cow’s milk – 142 kilojoules (34 calories) Sweetened almond milk – 123 kilojoules (29 calories) Sweetened cashew milk – 123 kilojoules (29 calories) Coconut milk – 95 kilojoules (23 calories) Unsweetened cashew milk – 73 kilojoules (18 calories) Unsweetened almond milk – 69 kilojoules (16 calories) Same with carb content. Macadamia milk: 1 gram of carbs/cup Hemp milk: 1.3 grams of carbs/cup Soy milk: 1.6 grams of carbs/cup Almond milk: 1.99 grams of carbs/cup Flax milk: 2 grams of carbs/cup Coconut milk: 3.38 grams of carbs/cup Oat milk: 9 grams of carbs/cup cows milk: 12grams of carbs/cup Have a chat with your dietician. They should be able to recommend lower calorie or lower carb alternatives if your intake is excessive for you to try. PS - Stalls rarely have anything to do with the calories or carbs you are consuming but are a natural part of your weight loss journey. Your rate of loss is never constant but zigs & zags, ups & downs & plateaus. Your body stalls or takes a pause (as I heard a surgeon say recently) to catch up with the changes - surgery, weight loss, change in diet or activity, etc. Think of it as your body is stressed & it needs time to recover & accept the changes. Just like you do if emotionally or mentally stressed.

As an addendum to my above post. Went to dinner with a friend & fellow sleever that night & guess what our bathroom conversation was about?? Yep, pooping! We were laughing about her constipation solution: she gets dressed in all her cycling gear & a couple of minutes later she has to peel all her Lycra off to poop. We also were joking about how you can weigh more after breaking a constipation streak. The loss doesn’t show until the next day. Neither of us could understand why that happens.

After wls, it took 10 days till i pooped. After plastics is took 13 (a record which in recently tied during and just a little after going on vacay) Pooping regularly is a lot different for me post wls. Before i used to go 2-3 A DAY, post its more like once EVERY 2-3 days. During weight loss phase, i took Benifibre every day with my morning protein shake nowadays (3.5+ years post), i just go with it sans the fibre. But generally if i haven’t gone after 4 days (unless im on vacay), then i’ll take a dose or Miralax; and if that doesn’t work in a day or two, its time for a glycerine suppository. I almost always go after the first suppository. Twice, though it took 2 days of suppositories before i got to see any poop. In any case, from what ive read constipation is just an reality after wls we need to learn how to deal with in our own ways. Good Luck! ❤️

So you sound like me. I lost 30 pounds in 2 weeks (yes, you read that right....2 weeks) and then hit the mother of all stalls. I gained 5 pounds and it lasted 2 weeks and I was MISERABLE. I vented a lot on here, I changed up my work out (longer walking, more frequently), I really watched what I was consuming (stall started at the very end of my liquid diet and then during my soft food stage). Once it broke, it BROKE. I lost 6 pounds lol Now I lose at a much slower rate (about 4-6 pounds a week on average) but I'm seeing changes in my body. Stalls, for me anyway, are the WORST part of the surgery. And my surgeon said the more you lose pre-stall, the slower you'll lost post-stall (and he was right!!). Now I'm 2 months out and have lost 43 pounds (so an average of 21.5 pounds per month) and I'll take that all day long. You'll get on the other side of this and when you see the scale move again, you'll be so happy lol It's hard because I know you're used to seeing huge weight loss every day/week. And while it'll be slower, it'll be steady and manageable. Just keep yourself busy. Distract yourself. Don't weigh yourself every day. Stick to your bariatric diet and keep exercising. And look for non-scale victories. Those will really make a big difference.

My hair loss started late unlike many who gets hair loss right away. My blood tests came out perfect so my surgeon said it wasn't vitamin deficiency. I was losing so much hair that I got desperate lol. I started taking viviscal. I thought of rogaine for women but I felt the 2 pills a day would be easier than applying the stuff on my hair. Those are the two things that were suggested to me. I had read it worked for some and others it doesn't. So far, it is working for me. Thank goodness. I just don't know when I can stop it though. If I do stop will it fall out again? I wonder.

First of all, you have done amazing in your weight loss, and you're only 29 lbs. away from goal. The closer the goal, the longer the "stalls". As long as you're eating at a calorie deficit, be assured that you are losing weight, it just isn't showing up on your scale yet. You are 6 ft. tall, and I don't believe 1300 calories is even close to your maintenance required calories so your stall will break and you'll get a big drop. For some reason, my body is somewhat like this. For myself, I don't lose for 3 weeks almost every month but then I get a big drop. One of the ways that I get comfort is looking over my food log, the amount of calories I had day by day, week to week... Etc. and I have to remind myself that there is no way that I could stay the same or gain weight on the amount of calories I'm consuming. Our minds love playing those games on us.

Totally agree with Arabesque and Catwoman. You've lost 38lbs in 2 months. This is already astounding weight loss. You are ON THIS. Stick to your programme, don't stress about mixing things up just for the sake of it, and you will totally smash this. 800-1000 calories sounds spot on for this stage of your journey.

Gotcha, wow, that's rough. But it should definitely let your tummy heal very well. Enjoy your liquids! I was so happy to be able to have soup. That lasted about a week. Now I'm counting down the days to soft foods! 😂 I'd imagine your weight loss is off to a fantastic start!

During weight loss phase I chose to keep them out of my diet despite being “allowed” to eat them as per my NUT. I didn’t start eating them until a few months into maintenance, but if/when I do, it almost always just for taste (1-3 bites) because they tend to fill me up quite quickly…and i’d rather fill my tum with something more delicious. If i’m having soups or stews or curries with potatoes, I generally finish my meal with (almost) all the potato bits still in the bowl, if i didn’t already fish them out earlier.

I dont eat more than 4 oz other than my yogurt I finish the container. its 5.6 oz.... my calories before this... I couldn't say... That's how I got to this in the first place.... Not caring about my calories before weight-loss journey....

Be sure you are getting your protein and taking your vitamins. I take biotin and extra zinc along with my multivitamin with iron. It helps if you get vitamins that are specific to bariatric patients since they are formulated better for us. I order Barimelts and they are chewable so easier to take. I’ve been taking my vitamins religiously every day and even though I’ve still had some hair loss it hasn’t been too bad. Just know that the hair loss will slow once your body adjusts after surgery. Hang in there! 💕

I took hair vitamins and collagen support supplements well before surgery to try to prevent hair loss and meticulously hit my protein and water goals, but HELLO it happened anyway. Perhaps not as badly if I wasn't supplement-strict, but I'll never know because I don't have a clone of me who isn't taking them to compare! I already have fine hair, and it started coming out around month 4. Joy! But it stops. And I got my hair cut into a short pixie and am loving it. It hasn't grown back yet, but it will at some point, but until then the pixie cut rules.

Congrats on your weight loss. That’s fantastic. I’m a real food person too. I didn’t touch another shake or protein supplement powder from the start of purées in week three. I got all my protein & nutrients from the real food I made which was always my intention - to start establishing my new eating habits, food preferences, etc. & develop a sustainable way of eating from as early on as I could. We can not live on supplements & shakes alone. It worked as by month 8 I was totally off my multivitamins & I continued to lose. Just watched my portions, met my protein goal & ensured I included a variety of vegetables, whole/multi grains, dairy & fruit in my diet. Still do. I snack on yoghurt, nuts, multi grain crackers, hummus, protein bar (my exception as I developed a protein malabsorption issue post gall removal & the bar helps me ensure I meet my now higher protein goal), fruit, peanut paste. I have a couple of purchased snacks in my cupboard which I eat occasionally (baked chick peas/fava beans, freeze dried mango, nut clusters) like once a month when I stay with my mum or if travelling. You’ll find what works best for you & if that’s including shakes or protein powders in your diet that’s fine.

My initial consult with the surgeon was in person. I've only talked to him one time since, and that was to do an EGD. My initial consult with the nutritionist was in person. We've been meeting on Zoom every month. My final visit with her will be in August, and it will be in person. I meet - in person - with the medical weight loss gal, about every 6 weeks. She's prescribing me some medications to help me lose weight before the surgery. They have one of those scales that scans your body mass and gives you a cool little printout with your fat percentage and stuff. I like it. My psych eval was on Zoom and it was 2 visits and a phone call for feedback. My surgeon's office has monthly support group that meets on Zoom, as well. These are interesting times that we're living in!

I’m currently taking THC gummies to help with insomnia. I researched the effects of THC and CBD on Bariatric patients before I started and studies show it has no negative effects on weight loss. I originally tried CBD gummies and they made me feel super alert, like I drank coffee. I was up until 5:00am! The THC gummies are Delta 8 strain, 20 mg per gummy. I take one and it works within one hour and helps me relax and sleep deeply. I don’t like how I feel afterwards, kinda zombie brained. I only take it about twice per week.

It’s just one of those frustrating things that are part of the weight loss journey. Mine started at around 4 months. Most people notice the hair loss persists for about three months +/- regardless of taking supplements like biotin. The hair on your head is already dead & you can’t save dead hair. The thing to remember is the hair you are losing is hair you would have lost anyway as part of your natural shedding cycle - it was destined to fall out. It’s just that this cycle has been temporarily accelerated. You still have new hair growing but it’s at it’s usual rate. Supplements may benefit this new growth. Best thing to do is not stress, take your recommended vitamins & meet your protein goals. I remember my surgeon told me my body had better things to do with the nutrients I was eating then save my hair. A bit harsh but true. When I hit my goal & was eating more & a wider variety of food the rate of the hair loss slowed until it was like it was pre surgery so at about month 7. I took no additional supplements. A lot of us cut our hair so the loss isn’t as noticeable & it takes less time for the new growth to catch up & be the same length. I cut mine from almost my waist to just above my shoulders. The shorter length of hair doesn’t look as bad in the bottom of the shower either 😁😁.

@Sleeve me alone! is correct. Stalls are just part of the journey. Your body becomes stressed from all the changes, weight loss, diet, activity, etc. It’s the equivalent of how you may shut the door & pull the covers over your head when you’re stressed or anxious. Let your body take the time it needs to come to terms with the changes & face the world again. It may need a week or even 3 or 4 weeks. There are no rules just averages or ‘generally’ with stalls just as with your rate of loss. There’s no right or wrong just how your body works & reacts. Stick to your plan & you’ll notice the scales moving again.

Stalls happen. They’re part of the weight loss journey. I wish surgeons & medical teams would explain this to people so they don’t think they’re failing like you are. You’re not! The first stall (yes first - you can experience a couple) often occurs around the third week but you can have them at any time. They usually last 1-3 weeks. I always thought of them as my body needing to take a breath to get used to all the changes, weight loss, diet, activity, etc., that have been stressing your body. Just like when you’re stressed & you may just want to shut the door & hide under the covers. Generally you don’t have to do anything. Why stress your body more?? If the stall persists 4 weeks or more, you may benefit from talking with your dietician. A small tweak to your diet or activity may be needed. But you won’t be in maintenance consuming 800-1000 calories. Some are encouraged to eat a lot more that that while losing. Your weight loss is never a straight line. It goes up & down, zig zagging about & plateauing. As long as the general trend is downwards, you’re golden. Congrats on your weight loss so far.

Did you still lose hair? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Get a flattering haircut, check out YouTube videos on flattering for you styles. Use a tinted matte eye shadow to disguise any scalp shine if necessary. Then wait it out. My hair loss started around 5 months and ended at 10 months. It doesn’t last forever!

It's so hard to say what is a stall and what is the end of the line for weight loss, isn't it? Are you sticking to your program? If you are I suspect it might be one of those horribly long stalls and I really hope it ends soon. NOW in fact! I have a year in my head too to reach my goal but there are lads of people who keep losing at a lower rate well into the second year.

Unfortunately, I think having a revision does seem to make a difference even though I had weight loss success with the band. I always vomited with the band but I was twelve years out before the vomiting was happening during the night while I was sleeping. That is very scary and the main reason I chose to have it removed.