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August Surgery buddies
ShoppGirl replied to Averdra's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
@AndreaJD Yea. I woke up with an abdominal binder after surgery and I had to go home with meds too after my sleeve. The binder is just a fabric thing that Velcro’s around you. Warning. Once you take it off. You will most likely need someone else to help you get it back on as snug as them had it if your still in pain. I didn’t really want mine back on though. They told me it was just a matter of personal preference whether I wore it. The meds I went home with were a PPI and pain meds of course and it seems like I got an antibiotic too.this time they told me I will also be on something that is supposed to prevent the hall stones that are common with quick weight loss. Omg. The before pictures. I need to have my husband take them too. I am the same way with photos. I see an entirely different person 😩. If you can, take pictures like every month or so and look at them side by side. It can be just as hard to see the loss iN the mirror but side by side photos really help to see them. Measurements help too, anything to keep you motivated when the scale doesn’t move for a few days and you’re getting discouraged. Ooh yea. The spirometer. I had one too @Greekmom4 after my sleeve. It’s just a little device you blow into that has a little ball or something to let you know you hard you are blowing that you try to get to a certain place and keep trying to get it higher for anyone who’s never had one. -
February 2024 Surgery Buddies?
gracesmommy2 replied to NickelChip's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
@Noelle74 @Briss72 @RonHall908 @BlueParis Yay on the scale moving front! And Noelle74 I agree with ev1, you look great! And so do your legs BlueParis. And awesome pics! Glad your loan stuff got worked out Briss72! I literally started shedding hair pretty heavily right after I told @LisaCaryl I was good ( figures 😂) but not a lot I can do at this point except hope it stops soon. We’re doing great I think guys! 😉 -
I am scheduled to have the same revision in 12 days and I am seriously stating to freak about whether the bypass would actually be better for me. I am concerned about the post op diet like you but I suppose I can tough it out if I’m allowed 3 shakes a day plus the tiny meals they suggest for the virgin surgery. Please let me know how you are doing. Whether you felt the weight loss was adequate. How much torture was the post op diet while still having your hunger hormone? Do you wish you had done bypass instead?!
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Ache or pain months AFTER surgery and...
SleeveToBypass2023 replied to BlondePatriotInCDA's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I'm noticing more aches and pains since I've dropped so much weight. I thought it was weird, too, so I asked my doctor and he said it can be normal with bariatric patients. Particularly those who lose a substantial amount of weight. I may go back and ask for additional testing, just to be sure. But being hyper focused on hitting or not hitting the goal number on the scale you set can really do a number on you mentally and emotionally. I'm very goal oriented when it comes to work and school, but I had to learn to let some of that go when it came to my personal life. Specifically weight loss. It took a while, but I realized that the NSVs were way more important than the number on the scale. Once I figured that out and took some of the pressure off myself, the scale actually started to move more in the direction I wanted it to lol -
I am scheduled to have the same revision in 12 days and I am seriously stating to freak about whether the bypass would actually be better for me. I am concerned about the post op diet like you but I suppose I can tough it out if I’m allowed 3 shakes a day plus the tiny meals they suggest for the virgin surgery. Please let me know how you are doing. Whether you felt the weight loss was adequate. How much torture was the post op diet while still having your hunger hormone? Do you wish you had done bypass instead?!
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Had an appt with my Dietician and I am so peeved!
Lilia_90 replied to AmberFL's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
The first time I saw my nutritionist was a few days post op and I knew then and there that I won't be seeing her again. She wasn't bad and didn't say anything that was discouraging, but it was obvious I had much more knowledge about health and diet than her ( I am a certified nutritionist and personal trainer). I managed my diet and actually visited my surgeon quite often to address the rapid weight loss and he had a lot of wisdom and great advise to share. Nobody will know your body like you, you could be eating 200 grams of carbs a day and still lose weight, you could also eat 60 grams and not lose much. No two people are the same, and looking at how successful you have been so far and how you have built good habits for yourself, I am more than sure that you will continue to be successful in the long run. -
Am I behind?
Bypass2Freedom replied to Scaredloser's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
That is honestly an amazing loss! I think the key thing to remember here (as others have said) is that we are all different - our bodies all have their own individual quirks, different metabolic set points & needs, so one persons weight loss may be +/- than yours, and that is normal! I have been speaking to this lovely person who had the same surgery as me, same surgeon, PCOS & everything, just the day before me. Her start weight was a little lower so I fully expected to lose weight at a quicker rate than her, but it was the opposite way around! I remember feeling a little upset that I wasn't keeping up with my peers, but I really had to check myself to remind myself that 1) it isn't a competition, and 2) my body is losing at the rate it needs to. You are doing amazingly, be proud of yourself! Celebrate every win, no matter how small -
I'm curious if anyone else decided to hold off on dating until after their weight loss surgery. I've decided to wait six months post-op before I start dating again. I feel like I need to focus on my weight loss journey and ensure I'm in a good place physically and mentally before diving back into the dating scene.
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Should I Consider A Revision?
NickelChip replied to GataAnime's topic in Revision Weight Loss Surgery Forums (NEW!)
I'm not sure where you found the 50% body weight number, but I had my 6-month appointment with my surgeon today and was told that losing 20% of your starting weight and keeping it off is the definition of "success" from a medical perspective. So, if you started at 252, that would be a 50 lb loss. Prior to gaining weight, you were at 65lbs lost, making your initial results within the successful range and if you are currently at 205, you're just slightly out of that range for longterm success. I think you may have confused the percentages of "body weight" and "excess body weight." To determine your excess body weight for a woman, you start with 100 lbs and add 5 lbs for each inch over 5 feet tall. So for you, that would be 120 lbs. (That's not a goal weight, but rather an "ideal" for a person your height who has never been overweight.) You would then subtract that from your starting weight, giving you 132 lbs of "excess" body weight. 50% of that is 66 lbs, which is essentially what you lost after surgery. Current research is showing that gastric sleeve surgery is not as durable for weight loss for some people. The Pound of Cure podcast has a lot of episodes that address this (you can find it on Youtube). It's certainly worth talking to your doctor about your options, which may include revision or GLP-1 medications. You'll want to find out your insurance coverage options, too. Of course, the first thing you'll want to do is make sure you are following your nutrition plan and exercise guidelines and cutting out bad habits to see if that helps you reverse some of the gain. If you haven't had a physical lately, definitely go in for that as any number of things can crop up, especially during perimenopause, that can cause weight gain. Wishing you luck! I'm 50 and I'm definitely nervous about reaching my goals and keeping the weight off at this age. -
I need ideas for "Challenges" for a WLS FB board that I admin on? Need help thinking of things to do....
MrsFitz replied to marfar7's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
Maybe a 7 day breakfast/lunch/dinner challenge (pick one) where participants have to have a different breakfast etc every day for 7 days, posting pics and recipes (if applicable) I find I can get in to a rut when trying to eat healthier, eating the same things over and over again. This would challenge users and also give others new ideas to try. Also a ‘wear something different’ challenge when you have to wear something outside of your normal comfort zone, say a skirt instead of trousers, or a different colour to your usual palette, different hair, make-up etc etc. Users can post a pic of their usual look and then their different look. Getting supportive feedback from others can be a great help in boosting confidence. Again, it’s trying to get people to try something different to open up their choices. -
Weight stabilizing so quick?
BigSue replied to newbegining2024's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
How many calories are you eating? "5-8 oz" is not a meaningful measure of the number of calories you're eating. 5-8 ounces of peanut butter is a lot more calories than 5-8 ounces of cauliflower. If your weight is stable over a long period of time, you're eating a maintenance level of calories. The smaller you are, the fewer calories you burn just to operate and move your body, so if you're eating the same number of calories at 195 pounds as you were eating at 273 pounds, you're not going to lose weight as quickly, and maybe not at all. If you want to keep losing weight, you will have to reduce your calorie intake. Calorie intake is much more important for weight loss than exercise. Exercise is certainly beneficial, but as you have noticed, it makes you hungrier, and it's very easy to eat more extra calories than what you burn from exercise -- especially if you're not monitoring your calorie intake. Also, don't get too hung up on the number on the scale. There's no magic in reaching your goal weight. You might need to reevaluate your expectations. It's quite possible that your goal weight will be too low for your body, especially if you are building muscle. And don't be in such a rush to get plastic surgery, either. Your body will redistribute itself over time, so some parts of your body that you don't like now may improve on their own without plastic surgery. You may still want to get plastic surgery eventually, but there's a reason most surgeons want you to have a stable weight for a while before you get it. -
I realized this might help others post - surgery
Bypass2Freedom replied to SleeveToBypass2023's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Definitely try and get some sleep! 😂 This is definitely the case! I know myself that I need to focus a little bit more on my water intake - then hopefully I shall feel a bit more energy! I have been back to the gym in the last week and started walking more, and I will be having a personal trainer come the 1st August so I know I am going to be putting my weight loss & health first! Which is surprisingly exciting haha. -
Share Your Keys To Success! How did you maintain your weight loss (Stay In Maintenance). Come on spill your secrets!
Lilia_90 replied to Mspretty86's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
Sorry to butt in as I'm only a little over 10 months post GS but I feel I can share a little of what I'm doing to maintain. I reached my initial goal 3 months post op and continued to lose until about 9 months post op, went much below goal weight and stabilized (I think as I've been the same weight with one +- 1KG fluctuation for 1.5 months). I lost weight very rapidly and the weird thing is, during weight loss I never tracked, I would only check my calorie intake once every 2-3 weeks to see where I'm sitting at but the whole theme was barely eating to survive and insane restriction. Now that I've stabilized I track my intake 3-4 times a week to know where I am at and what daily average intake is. There are non hungry days where I don't bother to track (plus weekends) and days where I'm ravenous and I make sure I track to know. I have also picked up the habit of weighing myself at least a few times a week, sometimes daily or twice a day (during weight loss I weighed once a week only), now at maintenance I weigh more often and only because I never did pre WLS and my weight kept creeping up and I refused to face reality (if I didn't know then it didn't happen). I also believe that what gets measured gets managed. I cook most of my food and eat out about twice a week, I prioritize protein 90% of the time and eat fairly well. I get in at least 140 grams of protein a day but I also don't deprive myself of anything. I eat bread, rice, pasta ,dessert and everything else really, just not in substantial portions and usually after I've gotten my protein in. I workout a lot. Always have and always will and I believe this has been a huge factor in my success so far. I built back all the muscle I lost and I believe my muscles are allowing me to eat much more without worrying about weight gain (I eat between 1500-1900 calories a day, depending on how hungry I am). I walk between 8k-10k steps a day too. Lastly, I have worked out a wriggle room for myself, If I do gain a little of weight then it is no big deal, it does not distress me and I will deal with it when/if it happens. I try my best everyday and I accept that I am not perfect nor do I set unrealistic standards for myself. I also believe maintenance is a mindset shift as much as it's a physical adjustment. Portion control, constant check-ins, daily movement are great habits to build, but also liberating ourselves of food fear and relinquishing the all or nothing sentiment. -
Should I Consider A Revision?
GataAnime posted a topic in Revision Weight Loss Surgery Forums (NEW!)
Hi, I just had a four year surgiversary yesterday. In the first two years I made it down to 185-187 from 252. I did the calculations, and that was only about 25%-26% of my body weight lost. Doing the research, I've found that anything less than a 50% weight loss in the first two is generally considered failure. I maintained around 185-190 for over a year, and then gained 20 pounds seemingly overnight without changing much--we all have our lapses, but this was not enough to explain a 20-pound weight gain. Also, I am approaching The Change, so maybe this is part of that. All I know is I'm frustrated, and I'm not even sure that my initial surgery was successful. I guess I'm asking what other members of The Order Of The Sleeve who got sleeved at late 40s-early 50s have experienced. I plan to talk to my PCP, but what do you think? Should I consider revision based on the initial results? Would it even be worth doing at this point? -
Wanted to share my experience and echo the other commenters here. I am 9 weeks out of my gastric bypass and I am right where you are almost exactly weight loss wise- Pre surgery and liquid diet I was 260lb (117kg) After liquid diet in surgery day I was 244lb (110kg) Now after 9 weeks I am 99kg. I haven’t weighed in a few days so I may be a pound or two more but I’m trying to limit myself to only weighing every few days so I don’t hyperfixate. I definitely feel like I’m losing slow- but last week in my bariatric programs’ support group on zoom, almost EVERY patient had that same feeling. It was very validating and most of us were feeling disappointed and impatient. After hearing that it made me feel a lot better. I keep reminding myself that I haven’t even been this weight in a long time and that it’s going to keep going down on its own schedule, when it’s right for my body. Keep fighting the good fight and showing love and kindness to your body and we will all get there.
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Advice for VSG, dispelling anxiety and fear, pre-op
FifiLux replied to kotopolish's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
I was the opposite in a way, I blindly went into the operation having being told the standard bit about possible complications but was confident in the team and was excited to start a new life so didn't over think it it all. Then suffered severe post op complications, spending months in hospital and having numerous procedures and only finished treatments 10 months after original op date BUT all of that said if your medical team are happy you are a suitable candidate I think it is worth it. You have done good work already to get to where you are and you sound like you could reach the 65lb loss yourself over time but the surgery would be a boost to that and if you work with the tool correctly over the years you should be able to maintain. That is how I looked at it, I had no problem being strict and loosing weight but it would just go back on and I would be on a yo-yo cycle. Plus who is to say what will be in a year, maybe your surgical team will change and you have to start the process again, maybe insurance coverage changes..... Travel wise I haven't had any issues, been to the US and other EU countries in the last few months and usually been able to find something suitable to eat though I always carry a few protein bars and powdered protein coffee with me just to be sure I meet my goals. A bonus on the travel is that I now fit comfortably in my plane seats and can do a little sprint through the airports if running late With regards to waiting for your wife to conceive, not sure about that one but recovery time is only a few weeks for 'strenuous' activities and wouldn't it be great to be over the surgery and well on the road to a fitter healthier you when she becomes pregnant so you can help her out more? -
Slowing Down 😶🌫️
NickelChip replied to Bypass2Freedom's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
This sounds like the three week stall. Totally normal! Your body burns glycogen for energy, and during extreme calorie restriction, you burn a lot of it. Glycogen is stored in the body along with water, so each gram of glycogen you burn for fuel also releases 3 grams of water, which you flush out. This is why you lose weight so quickly the first few weeks, not because you are burning all of that weight just from fat stores. After the first few weeks, you start to be able to eat some solid foods along with your protein shakes. This gives your body a chance to replenish the glycogen you burned, which is vital for survival. But it means that for every gram of glycogen you store, you also store about 3 grams of water. Your body is continuing to burn fat during this time, but you won't see it on the scale because it kind of zeroes out with the whole glycogen/water storage thing going on. After a week or two, your body will be back to normal in terms of glycogen reserves and you should start to see your weight decrease again at a moderate pace. I really wish doctors would explain this to patients before surgery because it's just basic science, and people totally freak out when they are eating nothing and not seeing the number on the scale go down. I think doctors forget that their patients have failed at about a million attempts at weight loss prior to surgery and we are naturally prone to believing we are failing again. But you're not! Also, counting calories at this stage is pointless. You're in a massive calorie deficit. It's impossible not to be unless you are doing something terribly wrong against every bit of medical advice. Focus on protein and water but don't stress over calories until you get to a point many motnhs from surgery where there may be a legitimate possibility that you are overeating. -
It sort of makes sense? A nutritionist I saw years back (not program related) told me that she often starts people on higher calorie counts and then as the weight loss slows down, that's when she restricts them further to keep the momentum going. These days, I take it all with a grain (or seven) of salt because everyone reacts differently to foods / calories / etc. Different strokes.
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it's common - but not inevitable - for women of child-bearing age. It's because estrogen is stored in fat cells, and it's released during fast weight loss. People report mood swings and screwed up menstrual cycles because of it. But it's temporary.
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March 2024 Surgery Buddies!
Emeraude replied to Pines's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Hi March Buddies, How is everyone doing? I can’t believe it’s been 5 months post op. Had a huge milestone met this morning on the scale after a period of stagnant weight loss. A weight that I haven’t seen in over 30 years. I’m still in shock and very grateful I’m on this journey. Still more work to be done, but, these moments help to reassure me I’m on the right path. Hope my surgery buddies are all healed and doing well. I’m having an incisional hernia repair in a couple weeks, not from the gastric surgery, from gallbladder removal 10 years ago! Hopefully this will be the end of surgeries for a long time! Would love to hear what people have found to keep their protein levels up. And what activities are you able to enjoy now? I was thrilled to ride some amusement rides with my kids this summer! -
When did you start indulge or give yourself a "cheat meal"
ms.sss replied to AmberFL's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
same. and "anything i want" includes chocolate and chips and fried foods and sauces/gravvies and high-fat things and desserts and pizzas and bread, etc. etc. BUT not in copious amounts (for the most part). BUT i also eat salads and veggies and lean meats and cottage cheese and tofu and fruits, also not in copious amounts (for the most part). mind you my weight loss phase days are long behind me, but even during weight loss phase, i would occasionally have foods that were "off plan". like mentioned above, i was closer to maybe eating "what i was supposed to be eating" maybe 75-80% of the time. though my total average calories were always low regardless of what i was eating. -
Post OP pain in ankles and knees
Arabesque replied to Patrick Donald's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
Have you spoken to your surgeon about this? As you lose weight lots of things that are stored in your fat are released into your blood stream: hormones, toxins & uric acid. The more rapid weight loss we experience in the beginning can trigger gout attacks so it may be gout you are experiencing. But do give your surgeon a call. -
Gastric sleeve stricture or gallbladder problems
Arabesque replied to caseyash30's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
Nausea, vomiting, foamies, difficulty eating aren’t that uncommon after surgery. Your tummy is pretty sensitive and while it usually take about 6 or so weeks to heal some take longer. But it is always best to rule out anything else. Please tell me your doctor gave you something for the nausea & is sending you for tests. If not, I’d ask (demand) an endoscope to rule out a stricture and an ultrasound to check your gall and rule out anything else (appendix, pancreas). I only had one symptom with my gall (I had a stone) and that was pain. Very strong, writhing on the bed pain upper right abdomen & around to my back. Nothing before that. I know my sister in law used to get crampy pain and nausea when she ate fatty foods or a large heavy meal with her gall. You’re certainly not eating fatty or rich heavy meals at the moment. If it is a stricture, they’re easy to fix. If you do have gall stones it would mean another surgery. Gall issues after surgery aren’t uncommon. Rapid weight loss can cause stones to grow but usually not that soon out. (Mine was 2 years and one month later.) Or you may have had them already but they’re making themselves known now. -
Absolutely normal to experience stalls after surgery OP. We all have them - and I mean ALL. What matters is how we react to them. They can be demoralising, demotivating, de-everything!! I do see that you have included the words zombie, dissociated, automaton, emotional shock, shut down, apathetic, superficial and others - in just one post about a stall. I totally understand that this might result from an in depth knowledge of the psychology of weight loss, or just psychology generally. I do hope that you can focus on how well you have done (and will do!) and are having lots of support from wherever you can get it.
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Weight loss calmed down this week - 1.5lbs. No complaints though after the losses of the week before 🙂 Feeling tired today. Visited family yesterday, 6 hours all together sat in a van and my knees are so unhappy with me. It was our first time to our son’s new home which is a longer drive than his previous place. Will try and be better prepared next time. At least we spent time with the grandkids, which is always wonderful. A NSV yesterday…I bought some (non-stretchy) 3/4 cropped jeans a couple of years ago for £5, telling my daughter-in-law that I would fit in to them eventually. I broke them out yesterday, took the tags off and they fit perfectly!! 🥳🥳 The only downside was that it was far too hot for denim but the point was made 🙃 However DIL recognised them yesterday and was really pleased for me. Hubby has been a bit weird lately. Don’t get me wrong, still as massively supportive as ever but the ‘you will probably leave me when you lose weight’ comments have popped out more than a couple of times. Why do blokes always use this?? I did remind him that I didn’t leave him when I lost weight previously so why would I now? Do they think we’re only with them because we’re too fat to bother looking elsewhere? Jeez, I haven’t got the energy for anyone new, never mind all the stuff you generally do at the beginning of a relationship like shaving my legs or wearing matching underwear 🙄 Anyway, physio for knees tomorrow and Bariatric support group at the hospital on Wednesday. Have remembered to dig out my food diary to complete this week, ready for the dietitians appointment next week. Have a slimmer week everyone, we deserve it 🥰 Onwards and downwards!
