Search the Community

yes - hunger comes back for almost all of us sometime during the first year. Mine came roaring back at five months out. I know it sounds weird, but enjoy it while it lasts. Although I was weirded out by it at first, I soon found it very liberating to never be hungry. By the end I wish it had never ended - it was so much easier to lose weight when I was never hungry and didn't give a flip about food! p.s. are you still supposed to drink protein shakes? The RD at my clinic said we could give them up once we were able to get all of our protein requirements in from food.

Really, why would you trust your Doc? Am I right? I'm willing to say it is a stall, but I'm not a Doctor, but as a stranger on the internet my opinion obviously carries more weight. Is it not so? Good luck, Tek

Thx everyone. I’ll just keep doing what I am doing and hope the weight loss will kick in again in a week or two

A little input as I am a bariatric patient and a personal trainer. If you are new to weight lifting you have more capacity to gain lean mass at first. Women are still not going to get huge muscles because we do not have enough testosterone. The women that you see with huge big muscle have been lifting really heavy for many years and are probably taking some 'supplementation' to assist. Lifting weights increases your metabolic rate for up to 48 hours after a session. In addition to the test issue most of use cannot eat enough calories to get into a surplus to gain lost of muscle. It you have stopped losing weight on the scale you might start checking other ways like using a tape measure or how are your pants fitting. If you are sore after a workout your body uses water to help heal those muscles . I can be up 3 lbs. after a good leg workout but I know it isn't fat, it's just a muscle pump.

I am taking Biote but since I started this switch in HRT I seem to have stopped my weight loss progress - I am giving it two more months and then start looking at other options. I switched to this form because they are better about testing but there are more supplements and I was actually trying to get away from more pills - I have enough of those to take already

Two things I did to help with hair thinning after my surgery - Shorten it a bit and perhaps add some layers so it reduces the weight. Add some highlights - The color helps thicken the hair a bit. I also have dark hair and a fair scale so it helps with the contrast. I am doing Nioxin right now because I am way post op and think my current thinning is either post COVID or menopausal.

That is irritating for sure... I'm pretty sure you can get around the 1 year of weight loss meds with your doctor's advocacy, though. I also was advised not to take any weight loss drugs that were on the market at the time because I have a pretty severe anxiety disorder and some stimulants can make that worse (oddly enough a low dose of Adderall relaxes me though?) Im also thinking this is not an uncommon issue- for example, stimulants are not advised in patients with certain heart conditions. You know what is significantly associated with heart conditions? Obesity. Which would made better by surgery! I hope you get it sorted out. Again I'm pretty confident that working alongside your doctor they can waive that requirement, but the process may be unpleasant.

Yeah, once I stopped the liquid diet at about 3 weeks I stalled too. The nutritionist told me that it was my body balancing things out adjusting water weight and things like that. I kept losing inches even though the scale wasn't moving for about 2 weeks.

So sorry to hear it , but stick with it. Your surgeon wouldn’t have done all this work with you if you didn’t need it, (or he/she didn’t think they would be paid for it). My surgeon had to have a phone conference with the insurance doctor, then it got approved. Keep up your good habits because the surgery will act as a sort of lock on your pre-surgery weight loss (not scientifically proven but I chose to believe it.)

Hi everyone! I am on my way to the hospital this morning February 2, 2023 to have a revision done. My doctor will remove my band and revise it to a sleeve. I am really excited about this journey and cannot wait to move forward in my weight loss journey!

Yeah that's extremely frustrating. I needed both failed weight loss attempts w my Dr AND comorbidities to get approved. I'm sorry this is so difficult for you. Keep fighting it!

I’m 21 days post op and have lost 16-18 lbs (depends on the day) but I’ve been kinda hanging at that weight for about 5 days. My doc said they was normal but I’m wondering as this is a revision if I’ll keep losing or is that it? I’m down 36-38 lbs from before I started the 2 week pre-op Optifast diet. Never intended this for more weight loss just to stop the GERD but now that I’ve had some I want more. I’m at about 750 calories a day now on the purée phase. Just short walks around the neighborhood. I get pretty tired during the day and nap at least once a day. Water and protein are on target. Thanks for any insight?

So this happened! I was denied by my insurance because I did not do a year of a weight loss medication first. I cannot take them because my Dr said there isn’t one that won’t interact with my anti depressants so I will fight that. Insurance also said they have no records of having co morbidities that are made worse by obesity. I have a brain disease that puts me at high risk of stroke if I don’t get the weight off as well as GERD and osteoporosis through out my body. I guess the girl handling my pre approval didn’t find out what was needed to get me approved and get the right documentation, now I am trying to get everything for her to turn in with the appeal. I’m a little irritated but I will fight this, getting approved is the only thing left to do, I have come too far

So this happened! I was denied by my insurance because I did not do a year of a weight loss medication first. I cannot take them because my Dr said there isn’t one that won’t interact with my anti depressants so I will fight that. Insurance also said they have no records of having co morbidities that are made worse by obesity. I have a brain disease that puts me at high risk of stroke if I don’t get the weight off as well as GERD and osteoporosis through out my body. I guess the girl handling my pre approval didn’t find out what was needed to get me approved and get the right documentation, now I am trying to get everything for her to turn in with the appeal. I’m a little irritated but I will fight this, getting approved is the only thing left to do, I have come too far

Stalls in weight loss after bariatric surgery are common and can occur for a variety of reasons, including changes in diet, hormonal imbalances, or the body adapting to the weight loss. It's important to consult with your surgeon and/or dietitian to determine the cause and address it appropriately. They may suggest adjusting your diet or increasing physical activity. Additionally, it's important to remember that weight loss is not always linear and can fluctuate over time. Keep track of other health markers, such as body measurements, energy levels, and overall health, to gauge progress and ensure that you are on track.

Don't be surprised if your weight stalls when you start strength training. I started at the beginning of the year 3x/week and my weight stalled for a little more than two weeks but it finally started dropping again a few days ago once my body adjusted.

I feel like I have not hit a stall neither and I'm about 10 weeks, granted I do not weight myself daily, more of once a week to keep me on track. I would not worry about a 2-pound gain, it can be the new food you are trying or retaining water, which is usually my case.

Hello, how are the November people doing? I have been doing good, did not see much weight loss last week since I was on vacation and did eat carbs and had a margarita, but did not gain. I started to walk 30 to 1 hr 5 times a week and will start strength training soon just not the stomach portion since sometimes I do have some small numbness there still.

Hello, how are the November people doing? I have been doing good, did not see much weight loss last week since I was on vacation and did eat carbs and had a margarita, but did not gain. I started to walk 30 to 1 hr 5 times a week and will start strength training soon just not the stomach portion since sometimes I do have some small numbness there still.

I never experienced a stall. The secret is to get off the scale. I was too large for a home scale for at least the first year, so I only knew my weight at my monthly follow-ups with my surgeon. Eventually I was able to fit on a home scale, which I weighed on several times a day for a couple weeks, then I returned to only weighing at monthly follow-ups. It certainly made for a lot less stress over weight loss. I still only weigh at medical appointments, usually my annual physical. One does not need a scale to follow one's plan. Good luck, Tek

I am also a guy. I was about 43 when I had surgery, about 64 now. I needed to lose a few more pounds than you, but it's not a competition. I'm honestly shocked that you are allowed surgery with 40 pounds to lose. Generally it's a minimum of 100 (give or take) pounds to qualify for surgery. I'm not sure if your lucky or un, but I guess time will tell. The current paradigm is 2 weeks of liquid diet pre-op, then 2 to 6 weeks post-op, then about 2 to 6 weeks of puree, then on to solid foods. Difficulty at any of the steps is very individual, but you will find a way to manage it. My plan was 6 weeks of pureed from day of surgery. I never had to do a liquid diet. Not being a quitter are fighten' words around here. You are apparently at 40 excess pounds. If this is the worst case situation then if you think you can lose weight via diet and exercise it may be worthwhile for you to try. Surgery is a harsh solution. If you are down to 40 pounds overweight after having been 100 or more overweight then surgery may be your best long term solution. You know your situation better than us. Most people do manage to eat what would be considered a normal meal size after a few months. Your current view of 'normal' may not measure up. Further, most post-ops can eat just about anything eventually, which can bring with it the hazard of falling into old habits that caused you to gain weight in the first place. With a little bit of restraint most people will be fine. Personally, since you asked, I eat more than a few bites more often than not. My typical meal size is still 4oz protein, 1 or so ounces of veggies. I can finish this meal 4 of 7 times, the other times my stomach says to take a break. I enjoy good food. You must have considered all these things previously. Just review why you made your decision in the first place and you will be solid. Good luck, Tek

Just replied! Also, here is the Mexico/self-pay board: https://www.bariatricpal.com/forum/486-mexico-self-pay-weight-loss-surgery/

Everyone is progressing well. my stall has broken this week. FINALY. I didn’t meet my first goal. Only just 2 kilos shy. But I’m just glad I’m feeling alive. And loosing weight. I was given the green light to exercise again but limit the walking and weights. Soi mainly walk in the pool. I saw the dr again today. still have issues and now they are talking surgery 4 and mesh walls. When dr fixed the hiatus he tightened it to good and it’s been most of the issue I have with vomiting and not tolerating solids/soft foods. I have a new found love for Carrot and Apple smoothie. Sounds weird. But it’s so yum. I was told by the dr that our food hormones were cut away. And over the next 4 years they will grow back. But by then we should have stabilised a good eating pattern.

You are correct. I have receipts for the current medical policy. Click this link to the BCBSM website, or google bcbsm bariatric surgery medical policy MEDICAL POLICY - BARIATRIC SURGERY (GASTRIC SURGERY FOR MORBID OBESITY) Once the pdf opens, press Ctrl+F on your keyboard. Type 4/20/21 in the search bar. “Updated the policy to say 4 years for both BCBSM and BCN as per the JUMP’s recommendation and eliminated the 6 months waiting period statements” I also called Blue Cross Complete @ 800 228 8554. I spoke with a very helpful rep who informed me that there is no waiting period for Blue Cross Complete (Medicaid) Only documented medical weight loss program within 4 years of surgery request. Doctors determine the length of their weight loss programs. I’d give them a call and maybe do a three-way with your office manager.

You’ll only need to take the strong pain meds for a few days - I took my last one on day 4 but probably didn’t need it. Some find over the counter enough in a couple of days. We all handle pain differently. The shakes can taste disgusting after the surgery because our taste buds can temporarily change. Have a couple of different brands & flavours on hand. I forced myself to have a shake in the morning (doubled the water to dilute the flavour) & then had diluted soups (broths, consommés) the rest of the day. Ask your dietican for other protein rich fluids you can try. It’s really only for a short time. Water can be sort of hard to swallow - heavy. Try drinking other liquids as well. I drank green tea, thinned yoghurt drinks, electrolyte drinks as well as the diluted shakes & soups.. Warm drinks are often easier to drink - more soothing. As the months pass you will be able & encouraged to eat more. I was advised to start with 1/4 - 1/3 cup from purées slowly increasing to about a cup at goal (at 6 months for me). Check with your surgeon & dietician for their recommendations for portion size, maybe calories & any other nutrient goals like protein. Yours will be different to mine simply because you’re male. Same with when you progress through the restricted return to eating stages to support your healing. I was on 2 weeks cycles: liquids, purées, soft before solid which is pretty common. Having the surgery is not being a quitter. The truth is you will still be doing the work & it is hard work. You can’t rely on the surgery alone to be successful. People can & do eat around their surgery. The loss of appetite & hunger don’t last & some don’t lose them at all. I worked harder after my surgery than on any other diet simply because I wanted this to work & be as permanent as possible. The head work, understanding why you eat, your cravings, habits, etc. is probably the hardest aspect. I also did a lot of reading to work out a way of eating (not a diet - they’re temporary) that worked for me & could be sustainable. This was a huge difference. I could always lose weight (until the last gain I had) but I could also put it all back on again because I went straight back to what I did before. I was a quitter then because I didn’t stick to any exercise plan or change of eating style. I still watch my portions, monitor my protein & fluid intake, randomly check my calorie intake, & carefully read the nutrition panel on the few food stuffs I buy - I tend to cook most of my own food from scratch. All the best whatever you choose to do.