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Haven't been doing well the past 5 weeks..no weight loss. Letting calories sneak in during the day. COVID is driving me nuts especially with a spouse home 24/7 eating carbs and many trigger foods that they used to not eat in front of me. Getting back to business as I still have so much to lose. Down 175 lbs from highest weight ever but lost 60 lbs of that in 3 years doing keto off and on before surgery. My 1 year 'anniversary' was yesterday (7/25) so from the date of surgery I lost 115 lbs. If I had stayed on track, that # could easily have been 10 lbs more but that is not something I can stay hung up on.

13 months post sleeve, lost 50 pounds gained almost 10 back. Feeling frustrated. Please send me some good vibes and any suggestions Thanks

P.S. also, you may not have lost anything the first week out because of the IV fluids they give you in the hospital. Some of us leave the hospital up to 10 lbs heavier than when we went in, and it's because of the fluids. It takes a few days before it works its way out - so you may not have even been back at the weight you were at when you entered the hospital for up to a week after your surgery.

I had bypass on 12/31. I was SO nervous the morning of surgery but overall I had a pretty easy recovery. I made a commitment to myself before going in to the hospital that any time they asked I would walk (and I would ask to walk if they didn't ask at least every 2 hours). I think that really helped keep the gas pains down and set me up for an easier recovery. They had me drinking water & crystal light and eating SF Jello in the hospital (maybe 2 tiny bites is all I could get in with the swelling) and they had me taking my vitamins the next day (I triple checked since that seemed crazy but I had no issues). My program also had us on modified liquids from day 2, so I had a tiny bit of greek yogurt my first day home and it was fine. I took tiny bites, and waited to see how I felt between bites. It's crazy how quickly you get full but makes sense when you think about the size of your new stomach and the swelling. I always had water by my side and sipped pretty much every 10 mins (aside from 30 mins after eating). The first week I walked around the house 5 or 6 times a day and then I moved outside and quickly got up to a mile (I still try to do around 2 most days). I was definitely tired and fatigued the first month or so, but after the first day home I didn't need to nap or anything else - just took it easy aside from my walking. Congratulations and good luck!

Just wanted to let you all know that my doctor wasn’t concerned and I’m approved to move forward! 10 days pre op!! 😊

Brief introduction: got my lap band in 2002. Lost about 60 pounds initially, then started eating around the band. In the intervening years I’ve been up and down, have done WW, lo carb, etc. I just haven’t “used” the band. Last adjustment was maybe 10 years ago. I remember my surgeon’s name but not much else. .I’m now close to my pre-band weight and realizing that the gerd and heartburn, vomiting and waking up every night with reflux is enough. I want the band pit. Has anyone here had their lap band removed in Chicago? Any suggestions for surgeons? Any group practices that are know to be successful? I accept full responsibility for the failure of my band for weight loss...I didn’t follow the rules. But now I’d like it out. Thank you.

I've always taken Centrum (or the generic equivalent from CVS or Walgreens). I started with the chewables and after a few months moved to the regular tablets. I guess you could check with your clinic to see if it's OK for you to move to tablets. I think I was about six months out before I did, but then again, at 10 weeks out I was taking other supplements in tablet form, so maybe ...??

I’m 2 years out and had hit my happy weight but I also jumped on the struggle bus. I live in NYC and with it being the original epicenter the lockdown took a toll. I ordered tons of groceries for the long haul and started eating things that I would never have eaten before all this. It took awhile but I felt my weight slowly start creeping up. I say felt because I was mortified at stepping on a scale. However I couldn’t continue to move in the wrong direction with all the work I had put in. I finally weighed myself and found that there were 9 pounds more of me than the last time I weighed. That was it, that snapped me out of it. I took out my superhero cape and ordered 10 boxes of protein shakes from Costco. I went right back to my pre-op diet. I’ve lost that 9 pounds and feel better already. Even though the restrictions are lifting here, it seems that I will be working from home indefinitely, so protein shakes will be apart of my routine for 1-2 meals from now on.

I’m about 9 almost 10 weeks ago. I have been struggling with vitamins. They had me start with the celebrate tropical twist bariatric vitamins, made me sick no matter when or how I took em. Tried one of the bariatric advantage capsules, makes me sick. Barimelts made me nauseous, what do y’all do for your vitamins???

I only wish I did it 10 years sooner... It has been amazing... Maybe I was unique but I had no Hunger it cravings for months.. I lost weight quickly and consistently with maybe 1 week stall the whole time.. I lost all my excess weight and it only took about 9 months and I've been in maintenance now for over 2.5 months without gaining even though I eat more now than I did in the beginning... I feel the bypass has changed my metabolism and I can eat like a skinny fit person without gaining anything... I've had no complications at all, yes dumping does make you feel sick but you learn what foods will make you feel that way and then try to avoid them.. my BMI is 22.2 and I'm fit and healthy for the first time in 20 years Don't be scared 1000s of people have the bypass every year...

I had a VSG in December 2019 here in Ohio. Waiting on insurance approval to get a revision due to hernia that’s caused severe GERD. I bet you’re super excited for it. It is life changing!

Very interesting... I think the post-op diets may be similarly variable as the pre-op diets. In your case, yogurt is part of the pureed stage, but in my post-op diet staging, yogurt was part of the full liquid phase. I've been eating yogurt and no-sugar-added applesauce since 2 days after surgery without issue. Go figure... I agree that jerky would not be good due to its texture and consistency. Still, regardless of what the "infraction" is, I don't think it's worth feeling guilt over. Perhaps I have a different perspective, in that while I fully intend to comply with the phases of the diet progression, there's also the safety net in that if you proceed too quickly or eat something you shouldn't, your body will let you know pretty darned quickly that you shouldn't have done that. It's like a child and a hot stove... once you burn yourself, you'll know not to touch it again. I've been lucky thus far, in that nothing I've yet ingested post-surgery, whether type of food or amount or pace, has triggered any nausea, let alone vomiting, dumping, etc. The only negative has been if I eat or drink something too quickly, I'll feel a bit of heartburn-like pressure. That's my signal to put on the brakes. Thus far it's passed in about 10-15 seconds. I presume that as I add more food types to my diet, I'm likely to encounter combinations/types that my system will not tolerate, but thus far (knock on wood) I've been lucky in that regard.

10 days out. Still on my liquid diet of protein shakes and chicken broth and sugar free popsicles. I feel ravenous like I could eat everything I don't know if it's eye hunger, or just the deprivation of anything resembling chewing. Tonight I went over to visit my boyfriend and I ended up meeting a small piece of chicken jerky. I chewed it and chewed and chewed it and now that I've eaten it I feel so guilty and I'm waiting for my stomach to explode or something. I needed to confess because I feel like I've done a bad thing anyone else had this happened to them? I'm getting nervous that when I can eat I'm just going to eat everything please somebody tell me that the smaller stomach and the ghrelin reduction will kick in

ASMBS Guidelines/Statements Safer through surgery: American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery statement regarding metabolic and bariatric surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic Executive Council of ASMBS Published: June 05, 2020 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soard.2020.06.003 The surgical treatment of obesity and its complications has been postponed in many parts of the world during the COVID-19 pandemic, similar to the postponements for nonurgent surgical treatment of many other human conditions and disease processes. Many have characterized bariatric and metabolic surgery along with cosmetic plastic surgery as clear-cut examples of elective procedures that must be postponed during COVID-19. Some U.S. states have included these types of procedures in their state-wide order as examples of “elective” surgical procedures that should be the last to be restarted. For those who define “elective” surgery as not necessary or optional, the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) asserts that metabolic and bariatric surgery is NOT elective. Metabolic and bariatric surgery is medically necessary and the best treatment for those with the life-threatening and life-limiting disease of severe obesity. The definition of elective in the Merriam-Webster dictionary is “relating to, being, or involving a non-emergency medical procedure and especially surgery that is planned in advance and is not essential to the survival of the patient.” Metabolic and bariatric surgery is life-saving surgery, with multiple studies confirming the survival benefit for patients treated by surgery over those treated without surgery [1]. Metabolic and bariatric surgery creates long-term changes in metabolism and reduces or eliminates multiple serious obesity-related diseases improving long-term health and quality of life as well as survival. The ASMBS supports the use of the term “medically necessary time-sensitive surgery,” as proposed by Prachand et al. [2], or “medically necessary nonemergent surgery,” as far superior to the term “elective” surgery and what it connotes. Metabolic and bariatric surgery should be restarted when it is safe to do so. The ASMBS disagrees with the concept that bariatric surgery should be postponed until the pandemic is declared over. The global nature of the pandemic, the potential for a second wave or persistent ongoing infection in some parts of the world, along with more traditional risks, such as annual influenza outbreaks, make postponement potentially indefinite. There is clear evidence bariatric surgery improves survival [1] and significantly improves the disease of obesity and several critical obesity-related conditions (including diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular events). Obesity and obesity-related diseases have been identified as independent risk factors for adverse outcomes in COVID-19 infection [3], including need for intubation, ventilatory support, intensive care unit care, and mortality. From a patient-centered and public health standpoint, it is critical to resume metabolic and bariatric surgery. We also understand that obesity and related diseases are the same risk factors that must be taken into consideration for temporarily postponing bariatric surgery in certain higher-risk subsets of patients. The risks and benefits at that particular time for that specific patient need to be carefully considered. Factors to consider in making that decision also include the local prevalence of COVID-19, the availability of testing, the available resources, including hospital beds, ventilators, and personal protection equipment, as well as strategies to protect healthcare workers and patients. However, delay in the life-saving surgical treatment of obesity and its complications for many months or years is not in the best interest of our patients. The ASMBS has advocated for many years that patients suffering from the disease of obesity and its many serious associated diseases should strongly consider metabolic and bariatric surgery as a life-changing intervention that improves health, quality of life, and long-term survival. COVID-19 is the most recent of many diseases in which underlying obesity worsens the prognosis. Before COVID-19 began, it was clear that patients with obesity were “safer through surgery.” In the era of COVID-19, “safer through surgery” for patients with obesity may prove to be even more important than before. PIIS155072892030318X.pdf

American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) calls for safe resumption of bariatric and metabolic surgery before COVID-19 pandemic is declared over Newberry, Fla. — Jun. 23, 2020 — The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), the leading organization of bariatric surgeons and integrated health professionals in the nation, declared metabolic and bariatric surgery "medically necessary and the best treatment for those with the life-threatening and life-limiting disease of severe obesity" and called for the safe and rapid resumption of procedures, which have been largely postponed along with other surgeries deemed elective amid the COVID-19 pandemic. In a new position statement entitled, "Safer Through Surgery," published online in the journal SOARD, the ASMBS strongly rejects classifying metabolic and bariatric surgery as "elective" and prefers the use of the term "Medically Necessary Time-Sensitive Surgery" or "Medically Necessary Non-Emergent Surgery" to better characterize the effectiveness of the intervention and the progressive nature of the many diseases it treats including obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. "COVID-19 may be a factor for quite some time and the longer the treatment of obesity, type 2 diabetes and other related diseases are postponed, the greater the chance they will become worse," said Matthew M. Hutter, MD, MPH, president of the ASMBS and professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School. "Each state, doctor and patient must make a decision as to when conditions for metabolic and bariatric surgery are right, but the sooner it can be safely performed, the more quickly obesity, type 2 diabetes and other diseases can be reduced or resolved." The ASMBS recommends that the precise timing for surgery be carefully considered based on factors including an individual patient’s health status, local prevalence of COVID-19 and the availability of resources including hospital beds, ventilators and personal protective equipment (PPE). The ASMBS statement concludes, "Before COVID-19 began, it was clear that patients with obesity were ‘safer through surgery’. In the era of COVID-19, ‘safer through surgery’ for patients with obesity may prove to be even more important than before." Obesity has been identified as an independent risk factor for adverse outcomes including death among COVID-19 patients. Metabolic/bariatric surgery has been shown to be the most effective and long-lasting treatment for severe obesity. 1 Its safety profile is comparable to some of the safest and most commonly performed surgeries in the U.S. including gallbladder surgery, appendectomy and knee replacement. 2 An estimated 252,000 bariatric surgeries were performed in the United States in 2018, which is approximately less than 1 percent of the population eligible for surgery based on BMI. 3 The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports 42.4 percent of Americans had obesity in 2017-2018. 4 Obesity has been linked to more than 40 diseases including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, stroke, sleep apnea, osteoarthritis and at least 13 different types of cancer. 5,6,7 About the ASMBS The ASMBS is the largest organization for bariatric surgeons in the nation. It is a non-profit organization that works to advance the art and science of bariatric surgery and is committed to educating medical professionals and the lay public about bariatric surgery as an option for the treatment of severe obesity, as well as the associated risks and benefits. It encourages its members to investigate and discover new advances in bariatric surgery, while maintaining a steady exchange of experiences and ideas that may lead to improved surgical outcomes for patients with severe obesity. For more information, visit www.asmbs.org. ### 1 Weiner, R. A., et al. (2010). Indications and principles of metabolic surgery. U.S. National Library of Medicine. 81(4) pp.379-394. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20361370 2 Gastric Bypass is as Safe as Commonly Performed Surgeries. Health Essentials. Cleveland Clinic. Nov. 6, 2014. Accessed October 2017 https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2014/11/gastric-bypass-is-as-safe-as-commonly-performed-surgeries/ 3 https://asmbs.org/resources/estimate-of-bariatric-surgery-numbers 4 https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html 5 The Effectiveness and Risks of Bariatric Surgery: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, 2003-2012. Accessed from: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamasurgery/fullarticle/1790378 6 Steele CB, Thomas CC, Henley SJ, et al. Vital Signs: Trends in Incidence of Cancers Associated with Overweight and Obesity — United States, 2005-2014. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep2017;66:1052-1058. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6639e1 7 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015) The Health Effects of Overweight and Obesity. Accessed from: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/effects/index.html

Hey guys! Thought this would be fun just for us. I'm a personal stylist and its become such a huge inspiration/motivation for me after my sleeve (coming up on 10 years in Sept) that I thought it'd be cool to have an OOTD thread of our own. So gentlemen, shall we?

The title really says it all. All the normal surgical pain is under control but the bloating is so bad I can't even wear a bra without being miserable. Any tips for getting that crap under control?

Starting weight and your height and BMI are all a part of figuring out where you will end up. I started at 5'3"; 54 years old and 320 pounds. After a year, I could never get under 170. But I was really happy with that. I put back about 8 to 10 pounds that second year..... and then.... Experienced a tough few years these past 7 or 8 years and gained back to 220 pounds. (STILL 100 pounds lighter !) Took the last year and attacked it - slowly, and carefully - now I am 64 years old, 5'2" and 181 pounds. I reset my goal as 175. I would be pleased to be between 175 and 180. Age adjusted BMI will be overweight, but both my doctors and I will be pleased with that. And yes, I am saggy and baggy. But I do not think elective surgeries are in my future. Need new knees. Frankly, I am thrilled with myself this year. I will have lost my regain. I will be back to having lost basically 140 pounds. Think about all you have accomplished !!!

10 days ago....

I'm still in hosp post OP. I was on 10 day liquid diet, my surgeon told me I could cheat with little bit lean protein, chicken, beef cheese, etc. But only if I felt I had to. That along with my shakes helped so much. I had lean beef day before surgery & nothing was said to me. But always follow your surgeons orders. You got this! Def no judgements here! Keep us posted

I've never posted before - but your post totally resonated with me! I'm in the same boat - I've spent my whole life learning to accept my body and preaching the importance of self acceptance (and believe me, I 100% still think this is SO important for girls everywhere!). It took me SO LONG (7+ years) to finally make the decision to have surgery. Part of me feels hypocritical ... but after so many years of thinking about it, I know that I'm 100% not doing the surgery to be skinny to or look different in my clothes - I'm doing it for my health. I had a baby 10 months ago and being an obese pregnant person was horrible (for me). I was SO high risk, ended up delivering early, baby spent time in the NICU, recovery was terrible. So at the end of the day, if having surgery and losing weight will in ANY WAY make pregnancy a little easier/safer for me in the future, I know I have to do it. I just finished all my surgery requirements and am waiting for a surgery date. So far, I've only told my husband and my best friend (who is a nurse, I wanted her opinion on the doctor I'd chosen). My mom and sisters know surgery is something I've been considering for years but I don't think I'll tell them until I have a surgery date! I'm excited for you and I can't wait to follow along your journey!

My first post-op was at 6 weeks. I had lost 36 pounds since my before-surgery weight. The other patient who had her surgery two hours before mine had lost the same amount. You should be just eating liquid foods. Breads and such don't start until four months. Foods with skins, seeds, and so forth. You should still be on sugar-free food as well. I was eating around 500 calories a day those first few months. I lost 20 more lbs after 12 weeks then 10 more at 6 months. Carbs and sugars have made me slow down. Your surgery wasn't even two weeks ago. It's probably too early to think pounds yet. I didn't see my doctor until 6 weeks. I was bedridden those months I lost 36 lbs, too.

I had surgery on July 9th and at my first post-op appointment, my surgeon didn't discuss my weight loss numbers at all. I lost 12 pounds since surgery and 10 pounds since my first visit to him. Is this odd? My BMI is 33 but the whole point was weight loss. I guess I could've asked but... Is that normal? Did your surgeon comment at your firt post-op appointment?

My bypass was Feb. 2019. I had labs done at 4 months and 9 months post (Dec. 2019). My surgeon is pretty lax and just mentioned having labs done annually unless there's an issue that needs closer monitoring. In Dec my Vit B was crazy high but I have read that's normal from the high dose vitamins. He had mentioned doing labs again this summer. I take a Pro Care vitamin daily and now they have less Vit B (still crazy high amount) so I am curious if my numbers are closer to a normal range but I am not having any obvious issues and am religious about taking my vitamin. So my question is do I go ahead and have labs done now since it's only been 7 months from the last labs and repeat next summer or do I wait? I really don't want to go into a lab where they have people getting tested for Covid. I don't know if I should just do it now or wait until December when it's been a full year but will still have people getting tested for Covid.

Another month has flown by. I have lost another 3 pounds. 182. it isn't like right after surgery... but 10 years out, I CAN do this. And I am. Minus 37 pounds in 12 months. Looking at that, now, I see a slow steady weight loss of 3 pounds month. I am more than "good" with that. Doing the same thing I have been doing. No radical dieting. Right now, being helped by my wonderful summer vegetable garden. Eating heirloom tomatoes and freshest cucumbers, green beans and squash, eggplant and fresh bell peppers .... So good. Also enjoying treats like ice cream on a hot day. But so nice to know who is in control. ME. As long as we all stay healthy in this crazy time of COVID and uncertainty . Be well. Stay strong.