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If you're only eating 950 calories but you're lifting weights and doing treadmill, it's likely you need to eat more. Or, make sure the food you are eating during the day is high quality and likely to keep you full - protein, fiber, and fat. As long as you're in a calorie deficit, you will lose weight, though the rate varies and there are always stalls, no matter how few calories you eat... and if you eat too few calories, you may slow down your weight loss. The other thing to consider is drinking things like coffee/tea that have caffeine which can reduce hunger. Or milk, which can help you feel full. Raw non-starchy veggies could be a good option when you just want to munch on something.

My current surgeon actually told me that my weight loss probably was more to do with my behavior changes, etc than the actual Lap Band. Lap Band has is well known as an epic failure, doing more harm than good for the majority. So now I'm looking forward to an actual weight loss surgery that is more powerful and one that can get me to the finish line (goal weight). So I guess it all depends on which surgery we choose. I know the DS is a very powerful weight loss surgery. If you compare Lap Band to DS, one is not very powerful and the other is the most powerful, and all other weight loss surgeries fall between those two as far as how powerful they tend to be.

I agree with using all the other tools that helo those of us with weight loss surgery to include a nutritionist and a bariatric therapist. Sometimes I wonder how much of it is that and how much is the actual surgery since most of us do not do those two options until we are forced to in order to get the surgery. They are both VERY big components that contribute to success and they could help you without surgery as well.

All of the ladies above me have made great points. It truly comes down to what will be best for YOU. I have to admit that the night before my scheduled surgery, I had thoughts of backing out. Just thinking that I would never be able to eat a big plate of my favorite foods again, or polish off a bag of potato chips in one sitting, or drinking my beloved Coke, etc...that kind of scared me. It scared me because I am/was an emotional eater and food was like a comfort blanket for me. However, the desire to finally be healthy and no longer being fat was stronger than my fear of losing my "blanket". I had the surgery on January 19th and never looked back. The only regret I have is NOT doing it sooner! I'm down 52 lbs and it has done wonders for my physical, mental and emotional health. I have not had any major issues at all. My main struggle is keeping that multi-vitamin down. That iron kills me! And right now, I'm losing my hair by the handful....but I know this won't last. Read all you can read. These ladies/forums are amazing! I've learned so much from them. Good Luck to you! ♥

True, weight loss surgery isn't for everyone. It's not a one size fits all sort of surgery. But it's better to find out before you have surgery than after. If you're going to give diet and exercise a try again, maybe medical weight loss can be a tool you can use, the same way weight loss surgery is a tool that others use. There's all sorts of newer medical weight loss options now, it's not like the phentermine only options from years ago. There's new drugs like glp 1 agonists (Saxenda, Ozempic, Rybelsus, Wegovy) they're often prescribed to help with appetite suppression. Best wishes!

Hello and welcome in. As @Arabesque says we rarely post when we are having no issues, So plenty of times I have posted when I needed help. I have had a really elongated rough ride. If you look at in context, I never post saying that I have had a good week with lots of weight loss. So its never balanced. Its like taking a grain of rice out of a pan full and saying ' oh its all ruined now, I will have to throw it all away'

Welcome. i’m very glad I had the surgery. I generally eat what I want & it doesn’t restrict me dining out or socialising with friends. There are foods I choose not to eat (sweet things, highly processed foods, etc.) because I want to maintain my weight loss. I know I will always monitor & watch what I eat & how much. Bad eating habits, poor food choices, cravings, etc. will always be there. The surgery doesn’t remove or stop them. It just gives you time to recognise what they are & why you’re experiencing them & find ways to manage them. There are some foods that sit heavily in my tummy & make me feel full sooner like bread, pasta, rice & potato though some eat them without issue. It’s just who we are as individuals. There can be other odd things you may not tolerate temporarily after surgery or less common long term but there are plenty of alternatives for food allergies & intolerances about these days. Personally, I’ve not vomited as such but have regurgitated a couple of times when I ate something too dry or coarse. It passes quickly & I don’t feel sick or have discomfort like after vomiting. I did have nausea from my vitamins & on odd days for no obvious reason except having a sensitive & fussy tummy after surgery & when losing. Don’t have it all now now. The reality is you will be eating a much more nutritious & balanced diet so your health will improve greatly. A gastric sleeve will (Mayo Clinic) reduce your risk of potentially life-threatening weight-related health problems, including: Heart disease High blood pressure High cholesterol Obstructive sleep apnea Type 2 diabetes Stroke Cancer Infertility Sure I have reflux, but I had it before surgery (managed it well with dietary choices). It’s not worse just different now. Had no comorbidities before surgery but they likely were just waiting to start. A lot of my big weight gain in the last few years was tied to being peri menopausal & then menopausal. I’d struggle lose 2 pounds & gain it straight back hard to fight your hormones & your body. You’ll probably find a lot of negative stories here but that’s because they’re likely looking for advice, support, etc. If things are going well, you tend not to post just reply. Having a support system is important whether family &/or friends. As is having a supportive surgeon, GP, dietician & therapist, if you have one. My surgeon, his associates & my GP are great. Still see my surgeon’s associate every three months for follow ups & blood tests. And my GP reviews everything with me whenever I see her. If anything looks unusual, they monitor & investigate further. That would be my only point to consider with seeking out of state or country surgery - the follow ups.

I'd love to be honest about it. The weight loss is nice...but I still have to be VERY DISCICPLINED in what I eat or I REGAIN weight. Also, I woke up from surgery with horrid GERD that has not gone away and HUNGRY. I still get hungry (famished) just like before the surgery. Long term GERD and PPI use have significant health issues associated with them. I have moderate anemia now (10 years post op), and can't seem to absorb enough through food. I may have to have Iron infusions. I have to have an endoscopy to check on things next month. I may have to have a revision to bypass. I hope it's not more serious than needing a revision (Please God, no Barrett's esophagus, or {gulp} cancer). Most times, I am OK and have come to acceptance for the most part...but other times I seriously regret having 85% of my stomach removed (I really didn't have any co-morbidities) and I get a little freaked out about what I have done to myself and what might happen as a result of this serious surgery (no going back). I was so desperate I was to lose weight. I gotta tell you... the biggest problem was a selfish, unloving, critical, abusive husband and my own lack of self-esteem. I was glad to get rid of all 180 pounds of HIM! Now that was the best and healthiest weight loss of all. I wish I had gotten rid of him first, because after he was gone, I started working out, lifting weights and got in shape. That was a game changer. I would encourage everyone to do their own research. Look up the rate of weight regain after the sleeve. Look up the risk of GERD associated with the sleeve. Look up the rate of hunger after surgery. Weigh the pros and cons. This is not a benign surgery. At least that is how I feel about it today

Almost one full year later and I’ve maintained my weight loss from my sleeve. At one point, I was down 116 pounds, but that was too much. I gained 14 of those back and I’m in a good place. Unfortunately, back in January, I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and had to have it removed along with some cancerous lymph nodes. I’m sure that will have some affect on my weight in the future as people who are hypothyroid tend to gain a bit of weight. I’m in a hyperthyroid state right now so my appetite is rather large. I’m still able to maintain though so I’m happy with that.

Which weight loss surgery are you having?

WOW! You all are doing AMAZING and I'm so proud of you all!! Congrats!!! I on the other hand will hit my 1 year anniversary on May 19th and still have at least 50-55lbs MORE to lose! However I HAVE lost about 74 since surgery and about 94 since last March. As most of you know I have been stalled since about October. No real new weight loss since then. So about a week, week and a half ago my doc took me off Metformin totally and onto Rybelssus. Just had my yearly check up with my surgeon yesterday and he agrees with this new change. Despite all of that, my surgeon reminded me that their goal, around the one year mark, for me was to be between 201 and 234. So, I'm not far off from that I guess technically. Just sucks that I've been stagnant for so long despite all the different things I've tried as per my dietician and eating correctly and exercising. Anyway, hoping this Rybelsus kicks me out of this stagnant phase and I too can see numbers under 200! Congrats again!!

No but I researched it myself. It’s from the leftover stomach backing up into the pouch. My leftover stomach was removed so I have a decreased risk (as was yours with the sleeve). If you have concerns I’d say just go with the RNY. I wouldn’t over analyze it bc at the end of the day, YOU control your weight loss and side effects more than which procedure you choose. You can bypass acid/bile reflux by not eating foods that cause it and you can control how much weight you lose by your determination to follow the rules of the surgery. My own father had RNY bypass and gained almost all of it back. Ultimately your determination to get healthy and stick with the program will matter more than which procedure you choose. 😊

I measured every Wednesday and it was one of my favourite pastimes back then, lol. And yeah, nobody noticed (or at least didn’t say so out loud) until I lost about 50-60 lbs. Which was fine because soon after that everyone and their mother would say something or other Every. Single. Time. for the next few months. Which got pretty annoying. Im 3.5 years out now, and me and my weight loss are now old news, thank goodness.

$1 a day is very inexpensive. There are tons of free workout videos but some people need accountability for success. My last go round with a large amount of weight loss I worked with a personal trainer and he whipped my ass right into shape. He kept me motivated more than any time in my life I had tried to do the gym on my own and he made it fun! Then he moved away and I got fat again.. but that is besides the point. haha

Stalls are super frustrating and depressing to be totally honest. I have seen more of them after I passed 6 months post op than I saw before that. My weight loss is down to around 2-3 pounds a month as I get closer to ideal weight. I do get frustrated but I know I have more to lose so I just stay the course and sure enough, it breaks and I get a couple more pounds before the next stall.

If it makes you feel any better, I am currently in a 4 week stall. I'm staying in the right calorie range (that has worked for me and my program espouses), am exercising, and basically doing everything right but I have been just hanging out in the same 2 lbs range the whole time, just shy of my 100 lb loss milestone. So. Frustrating. Just hang in there and keep doing what you know is right and has been successful. Maybe change something up to see if shocks your system a bit, but don't go overboard. This is all a complete head game. Your body will do what it wants... when it wants. I've found looking at other success measures (measurements, non-scale victories) can really help me get through these times. I feel your pain and totally empathize.

Well I think that the good news is that they should be doing labs every three months for the first couple months so even if you do get a little behind it shouldn’t be too far behind I wouldn’t think. But Splenda makes a good point that if it’s Related to an issue that may resolve with weight loss then it may be safer to just take them.

1200 calories should still be a significant calorie deficit for anyone who would qualify for this surgery. You may not lose as fast as someone eating like 800 but you will still lose. And many practices are encouraging closer to what you are eating because they believe that being at the lower calorie intake for too long damages your metabolism. What does your team say about your loss??

I think at this point I started exercising more and it did the trick. When I go into a stall or slowdown I notice I still lost inches due to the exercise then I see step changes in weight loss.

I do not agree with this at all. Exercise to me is critical to getting the weight loss to continue. If I take a few days off I notice it slows down and I get into a stall. Not to mention, you have to exercise for health as well. Finally, by exercising, you are also trimming your body down and losing inches in the right places. I think you Doctor would agree with exercise and no Doctor would say not to exercise...atleast walking.

Just because you CAN eat up to 1200 calories does not mean you SHOULD. If you are hungry after having your protein, you should eat a lot of low calorie, low fat vegetables. Make sure you are drinking a LOT of water and make sure you are exercising more. As you lose weight, it is going to take more exercise to get the same benefit. If you are not exercising, start now. You cannot keep your weight loss going if you are not walking a lot. I walk a total of an hour and 20 minutes minimum every day, in 20 minute spurts to fit into my schedule.

Exercise has very little to do with how much weight you lose, or how quickly. The only exercise I did for nearly a year was walking and my weight loss was very successful. Stalls at about the 12-week mark are very common, as you will see when you read the posts here. It's nothing to worry about. As long as you are sticking with the program recommended by your doctor and nutritionist, the weight loss will come. Just be patient. (Easier said than done, I know.)

So i thought about this and i think for about a year and a bit after weight loss phase, i would feel “fat” every single time i ate something….because you could see the food in my stomach cuz it literally pops out from the food. You could feel it too…my tum is hard/firm when there was food in it. My fam jokes that they can tell when last i ate by looking at my stomach. It aways went away after i digested. Now that i think about it, this may be a contributing reason why i ate very little back then? I dunno, just thinking. Anyway, im 3.5 yrs out now and it doesn’t bother me anymore, its been long enough now that I trust that bit of bloating eventually goes away.

you will be fine as I have said in replies to your posts before and privately ( I have sent you another message a little while back that you may no have seen yet). It gets better it really does. You need to stop regretting and stop the what if's. It's done you cant change it. IT GETS BETTER, I felt exactly like you I started to feel better around the 5 to 6 month mark and now at the 9 month mark I mostly don't have any regrets. Get some counselling to help you through the grieving process remind yourself why you did this and I know you don't care about the weight loss right now I was the same but you will when you start feeling better. I am even at the point of oh no I have stopped losing. you also need to accept that you are not the only one who feels has felt like this, accept what we are telling you. YOU WILL FEEL BETTER. you will feel like yourself again only better. you will be able to eat all the foods you love only in smaller amounts. I can eat way more than I ever thought I would these days so much so I wish my restriction was better. Do you work? have you got friends you can talk to about this? what hobbies do you have? try to do things that you enjoy and take your mind off it. Have a good cry about it, I cried multiple times a day I couldn't even utter the word surgery without crying I wanted it outlawed. now I would happily recommend it to people but I would also tell them the first 6 months are rough. Ask yourself and tell us what exactly is it that makes you think you will never be yourself again what are your fears what is causing the regret ? once you have the answers to those questions you can and we can help you move forward.

I think genetics and your age has everything to do with this, and there's not much beyond eventual plastics if you want to aim for that. I'm 50, have always had good facial skin and still don't have wrinkles. I have started developing the jowl-lines, though. Almost 8 months out, and my face has slimmed down and my cheekbones are back in business, skin clear and redness gone. I've always maintained a good skincare regime, but it's mostly my fortunate genes and shunning of the sun in my twenties and thirties. Where I HAVE aged post-op is my neck. My god. The turkey has landed! The loss of my double-chin and neck fat is a boon, but the skin there has not bounced back. I very much look my age there. So I could either live in turtle-necks and scarves, or embrace it. I'm embracing it. I look happier, and I think that takes years off too. Even my surgeon was startled when I reminded him of my age, and I had a face mask on! Clearly the turkey-neck was outshone by my clear and sparkling eyes!