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Little update: it’s been a long couple of months, but I am seeing some progress. Most of my challenges have nothing to do with the surgery… I have non-weight related health issues that have been flaring up. About 10.5 weeks out I’m about 34 pounds down since surgery and about 91 pounds down from the beginning of my journey. It feels awesome being in the 200’s after 20+ yrs!! But I still have a long way to go. I’’m looking forward to seeing 100 pounds gone! Which is my second “mini” goal (my first was being under 300). I’m 9 pounds away so I’m hoping soon. I’ve been sick for the last several weeks (sinus issues turned into a full blown sinus infection) - so that’s added a few challenges, I’m sure slowing my progress. I’m having trouble staying hydrated, between being sick and trying to time my eating and drinking (I’m still only able to eat small amounts so I need to eat frequently) The weight on the scales is coming off slowly, but clothes are getting bigger and NSV are definitely apparent. It’s helpful to have the NSV as reminders of what’s going right. My knees are feeling better since weight loss, I’m hoping more weight loss will equal more improvement. My energy has not rebounded like I’ve hoped, but I’ve also been sick for the last couple of weeks - so I’m hoping as I recover from that, I will see some improvement in my energy as well. I had hoped I’d be further along than I am, but I’m trying to be content with my progress so far. The one advantage I’ve seen to the slow progress is the skin on my abdomen seems to be responding nicely with the weight loss… my arms are very flabby but I don’t really mind, I will work on building some muscle when I’m feeling better. My lower legs look pretty good, but from my knees up to my hips… well that area is just refusing to keep up with proportioned loss! That area still looks very heavy and I think is why I’m not noticing as big of a body change (personally). If my thighs, butt and hips ever decide to join in on this progress, then I’ll probably notice more! Now obviously I am loosing in those areas, because I can fit into chairs I previously couldn’t or struggled to sit on, I’m just loosing from there last and that’s where I hold most of my weight. I know we can’t target where we loose with from, but when I’m back on my feet, I’m hoping to be able to do some exercises to tone and strengthen those “problem” areas. In my ideal world I’d like to get into the 150-170 pound range. I’m not sure how “realistic” that is … given my starting weight, surgery & other health issues … but take the process one day at a time knowing that any loss is progress.

Popcorn is a slider food. It’s easy to eat & you generally end up eating way too much which is why many are advised to avoid it in the weight loss phase. Plus the temptation to eat it with flavourings can be even more dangerous. As to eating at the movies, I don’t but then I haven’t in decades. Initially I stopped because the food is so crappy. Then I realised you’re only there for a couple of hours - less than the amount of time between meals & I often went just after I’d eaten anyway. I usually just take in water or if it’s gold class or equivalent & I’m with friends I might take in a glass of wine (& pray I don’t have to do a bathroom run 😉) .

i brought some beef jerky with me during weight loss phase. nowadays i just eat the popcorn from somebody else's bag, lol...its not worth getting a bag for myself. im 4 years out.

I had Gastric Bypass Sept 2016. Started at around 330lb and was able to lose and roughly maintain 100lb weightloss. I also have Hypothyroidism, with new diagnosis of Hashimoto's, and PCOS. My weight has increased MAJORLY since having a Pannilectomy in November 2021. I've tried lowering calories even more, upping protein, engaging in more activity, weightloss medication to suppress appetite. Anything and everything I could think. Ended up consulting with my weight management doctor and we proceeded with a Partial Gastrectomy sinxlce they said there was a TINY sliver of stomach that they could still remove to maintain the pouch integrity. They confirmed my pouch was not stretched. So I had the Partial Gastrectomy on Monday. I didnt have any pain, just mild discomfort due to the laproscopic incisions. My stomach feels absolutely fine. I've not needed any pain medication outside of Tylenol. I've also been put back on the post-op diet. With all that being said... I feel suspicious of my lack of internal discomfort. My ability to handle 2 to 4 oz of fluids with absolute ease. More so that I am STILL getting hunger pains. It truly almost feels like they got in there and decided to not remove anything. My husband said that the status of "Moved to the OR", "Surgery in Progress", and "Moved to Recovery" was 25 to 30 minutes. This is supported by the board they post on and the texts. Just dont know if I am being crazy or not. Is this normal??? Sent from my SM-G975U using BariatricPal mobile app

my surgery is nov 3 and i will start my pre op liquid diet monday (dr told me tuesday but i am a worrier so doing extra to be sure my liver is ready!) BUT i have lost a bunch of weight already dealing with my food issues including binge and emotional eating… i still am learning but haven’t binged for months and feel in control with my food for the first time, well, ever… some tips: journaling helps. having a safe non-food outlet for your emotions. it releases pressure and can get you through tough times. forgiveness. work on forgiving your past choices and remind yourself all the time that you are worth a new, better chapter. it takes a month to start forming a new habit. brains can fight you the whole time. this is a cold turkey hard way, but remind yourself you are making a new set of habits to make you a healthier, happier person who is more in control of life. so glad you reached out for support !! you can PM me anytime at all

Hi, I just got my surgery date yesterday. It will be November 28, 2022. I am having my surgery in my hometown of Las Vegas, NV. Dr. LaDuc at surgical weight control center is performing the surgery. I met with him yesterday and he was awesome, spent a good deal of time talking with me making sure I understood everything. I have another pre-op appointment in his office on 11-22-22, to make sure everything is in order and I have the right proteins and vitamins etc ready to go. This appointment is supposed to take about 3 hours so I think it will thorough and a big help. i have a friend who went to Mexico for her surgery and she is doing great, I can't even remember seeing her overweight. You will do great as well.

Thank you for this post. I am getting ready to start the liquids, my surgery date is 11-28-22. You laid out some of my worst fears, can I do the liquids for two weeks and not cheat especially with thanksgiving smack in the middle! I also relate to your relationship with food. I have also struggled with my weight and overeating most of my life. I talked with my surgeon about all of it. He did tell me that the pre op liquids phase is the hardest. He said that by the time I feel like I can't do it anymore that surgery date will be here, I know i play mind games with myself about it already and I need to focus on what I can do and put the thoughts of the end goal in the forefront of my thoughts. I think we can both do it!!! Like someon said I might just have to "white knuckle" it. I think keeping the end goal of better health in mind will be a big help. I am diabetic and have other medical concerns that 4 different Dr.have said could be lessened or resolved with the surgery so I am committed no matter what it takes. I wish you the best going forward and have faith we can do this!!! P.S. I am very new to this site as well still trying to figure it all out. I can't even figure out how to update my profile or find my ticker so you are doing great.

Ooh if it’s in another state they may not know anyone (but still worth a shot). You could also try a local weight loss surgery clinic that is reputable. I’m guessing they would be willing to share a name if you ask nicely. At least then you will have a couple names of people with experience with the surgery you want and then you can do your research from there.

I don’t have any recommendations for a specific doctor but maybe consider narrowing it down by ones that have a lot of experience working with weight loss patients?? Maybe ask them how many times they have performed that surgery on someone like you?

Same! My program doesn't either. Stress protein and fluids and then a normal balanced diet. I quote my dietician here "Nothing is off limits, you just have learn moderation and a balanced diet" This is exactly why I always gain back my weight. The diets weren't realistic to a life long commitment. No carbs are impossible to maintain for the rest of your life. I lost about 170 lbs eating grilled chicken and a fresh veggie EVERY DAY it got so old I just cracked and ate everything i deprived myself of to loose the weight. Obviously gaining it all back. Some people need low carb, some don't. Some people can't eat dairy, some can. We are all different.

Stalls happen, it sucks. Your body is adjusting constantly through this process, huge changes from a major surgery to your new diet. Just keep chugging along, follow your diet, work with your team/dietician and you will loose the weight. Try to weigh yourself less, measure or look for other non-scale victories to help you during these stalls. This will not be the last one, you got this!

Everyone's diet is different and everyone's body responds to carbs (or any foods) differently. I eat carbs, sometimes 20g and sometimes 150g a day, just depends on the day. I have lost over 150 lbs eating carbs, they do not effect me or my weight loss as they do some people. Everyone needs to find what works for them, with the help of their Dietician.

Oh that sounds rough! I hope you continue to feel better and don't need any other surgeries. I've had some minor issues since my bypass, mostly a stuck feeling in my throat that never goes away and it doesn't matter if I've eaten or not. I have a twisted esophagus, but GI explained at this point there's nothing to worry about since I can get food down. That leads to the 2nd problem, I am never hungry. I know that can happen and usually goes away, but my nutritionist and even neurologist are concerned that I'm losing weight too quickly. I'm also getting so full after taking my necessary medications in the morning (not counting supplements and vitamins) that I don't get to breakfast until 11 AM or so.

Hi all, I am writing this for the >1% of gastric bypass patients who have the unusual complications that I had and, like me, couldn't find any information about it online to ease your mind. I had my gastric bypass surgery on September 7, 2022. I chose gastric bypass over the gastric sleeve specifically after months of research because of the higher rate of successful weight loss, particularly in women. My first week post-op went great, but after day 8 or 9 when I tried progressing my food intake from full-liquids to pureed foods I began vomiting and feeling really nauseous at every meal. I let my surgeon and dietitian know immediately and stepped my food intake back down to full-liquids. Pretty soon, I couldn't even take in full-liquids and was limited to hydrating fluids and chicken broth. I could keep down hydrating fluids and broth about 80% of the time, full-liquids 50% of the time, and everything else came back up. My surgeon was very responsive and had me get an endoscopy. Under general anesthesia, the endoscopy explored my new stomach pouch and roux limb connections that make up my new tummy system. Typically, gastric bypasses can result in constriction of the connection between the stomach pouch and roux limb, and my gastroenterologist was prepared to use a balloon to inflate the area to ease that restriction. In my case, however, that area looked fine, but further down the roux limb there was a stricture that was almost impassable for the narrow scope. This is what was causing my problem. I had an external compression on my roux limb that was making it impossible for anything more viscous than water to pass through. My layman's understanding of what had happened is that my surgeon brought my small intestine / roux limb up to meet my new stomach pouch through the transverse mesocolon. This involved cutting a hole through the transverse mesocolon to put the roux limb through and then stitching it up a little on either side to make sure nothing else will slip through the hole and cause a hernia. Apparently, this is typically sufficient and there is space enough in the hole in the mesocolon for scar tissue to form but still allow the roux limb to operate appropriately. Not in my case! xD My body and over-active immune system saw a hole and decided that hole must. be. fixed! The scar tissue that formed to close the hole closed tight enough on the roux limb and it was tight enough that barely anything could get through. I had a second laparoscopic surgery on October 12, 2022 to remove the scar tissue and loosen the compression on the roux limb. My surgeon decided to remove the small stitches on either side of the hole in the transverse mesocolon to reduce the chance that any new scar tissue will close the hole up as completely again. Immediately after this second laparoscopic surgery, I felt tons better! I stayed overnight in the hospital and was put straight on full-liquids, which I was barely tolerating before! The reason I am writing all of this out is because, in the month-long interim between surgeries, I couldn't find anything in my online research to figure out what was wrong, or what I could try, or what the next steps looked like, or how long, or why this was happening. I went for more than a month on little to no substantial nutrition, and I found so little information on what to expect or how long I would have to live like this. I even looked in these forums to see if anyone had asked about symptoms that are similar to mine and I didn't find very much information. So, I'm writing about my experience and using as many of the keywords I can think of that I've been searching for over the past two months! So! If you had gastric bypass and you start experiencing nausea and vomiting after what seems like typical food progression, please speak to your surgeon. It could be an internal stricture of the roux limb or the connecting bits, or in my case an external compression of some sort. From the very few resources I could find online, my type of external compression of transverse mesocolon on the roux limb seemed to occur in 0.9% of gastric bypass patients and it seems to happen within the first month. My surgeon pretty much immediately knew what was wrong, and her PA said she had seen it before, but not often, and it was new for my insurance caseworker. The inability to eat made it very difficult to complete normal daily tasks like my job, housework, walking the dog, etc. I wasn't in pain, I just couldn't get enough energy to do anything! My doctors moved quickly to get me back in for surgery, but it still took 4-5 weeks from starting to vomit at each meal to waking up from my second surgery feeling much better. I am so thankful that my surgeon was able to fix what was wrong with the scar tissue compressing around the roux limb; it made a world of difference! I'm not out of the woods quite yet, however. Six days after the surgery to repair the hole in the transverse mesocolon, I had a bad food day and nothing stayed down. I immediately reached out to my surgeon's office and today went in for an upper GI in which I intake contrast dye while a doctor observes how it flows through my new gastrointestinal system with an X-ray. That doctor said it looks like the connection between my stomach pouch and roux limb looks stenosed now. I am grateful that they found something and that there is an explanation for why everything I put in my mouth makes me nauseous and that there's a reason why I don't want to eat anything. I will be having another endoscopy in the following couple of weeks and, as ever, I am hopeful that this will be the last surgery that I need for my gastric bypass.

Stalls are the worst. Frustrating & demoralising but also a perfectly normal occurrence. You lost a lot of weight in the first two weeks, your body is likely playing catch-up. Maybe check in with your dietician to review your diet & portion sizes. Also ask for recipe ideas. What carbs are you eating? I was allowed rolled oats from purée but apart from the carbs in dairy, legumes & other vegetables I ate no other carbs: no bread, no rice no pasta. But I ate so little of them it wasn’t a lot of carbs at all. If eat your protein first & then vegetables it’s unlikely you’d be able to eat anything else. While some plans do encourage people to reach 1200 calories quickly, 7 weeks seems too quickly. But check with your team.

To follow up, I did start HRT this summer and instead of gaining, I actually lost 7 lbs and my worse symptoms of menopause subsided but I quickly realized that any further weight loss was going to be really hard. My doctor prescribed Moujaro and is a big fan of it (who knew?). I started it right after I posted this thread and I'm already down 20 lbs. Holy smokes! The appetite suppression and restriction (yes, I do feel it much more now) is crazy. I relate it to the feeling I had about 90 days out from surgery. I can eat what I want but just not very much of it and I'm rarely hungry. I didn't expect to lose so much weight so fast and I really only want to lose another 10 lbs so I doubt I will hit the max Mounjaro dose. I'm currently on 5 mg with no side effects beyond nausea the day after my shot. If this medication had been around when I had surgery, I don't know if I would have needed to have WLS but I am thankful it's here for me now. My doctor loves it to prevent recision surgery and regain in patients who are 36 months or longer out from their past surgery.

Yes. 3 protein shakes and a 4 oz protein meal (steak,chicken, etc) plus veggies. And of course the suger-free jello and popsicles, and a lot of water. Finished Day 4 today with no problems except the first day kind of felt dizzy/tired. To me it is very similiar to the many diets that I have experienced before so it is not that big of a deal for me. I also got pretty good in the past with intermittent fasting so I am holding off on my 1st shake until around noon. As with many of us, we are experts in losing weight but terrible at maintaining that loss. I am more concerned about the initial post-op phase diet so focusing on preparing mentally as well as getting my supplies. I am going into this with optimism. I greatly benefited being prepared and looking forward to the positive results last year when I had my Knee replaced. I am taking that same approach to this surgery. Hoping all have a successful journey!

1. I’ve confirmed with my team that taking laxatives long term is not an issue. 2. Absolutely! I have a “normal” appetite. I can get really hungry but also I can wait to eat better than before surgery so this is a huge improvement. Also there are exciting new medicines on the market (and in trials for weight loss) that targets appetite suppression (wegovy, ozempic and mounjaro) so there’s more hope. 3. Yes. A million times yes. It was hard for me to see the finished product of what I worked for until I had plastic surgery. That route is not *necessary* or even desirable for everyone, but it is a solution for those who want to explore it. Good luck and never give up ❤️

Hi all! Wondering wondering if anyone else has gone through this. I had surgery in September on the 15th I lost 20 lb immediately the first two weeks now I'm on week 7 and have not lost any more weight still just the 20 lb from the first two weeks. I am getting enough protein but am having a hard time not getting in too many carbs with it too I don't like protein shakes and I am lucky enough that nothing I've tried so far has irritated my stomach so I can eat anything. I stay away from greasy and high fatty foods and pop and sugar. But I am still getting around 700 to 1200 calories per day I walk like 30 minutes per day if not more. But I am not losing anything. I am so nervous or should I say worried that because I can eat anything I won't be losing any more weight any ideas from any of you? Anyone else have this long of a stall this soon after surgery ? Sent from my SM-G991B using BariatricPal mobile app

First of all, I'm so sorry you are struggling. Know that you are not alone and that many folks experience some wonderful things after WLS as well as some more difficult things. That is just part of the process; its definitely not always sunshine and roses. 1- Constipation is VERY common. Are you taking an iron supplement? They are notorious for exacerbating constipation. If you're taking any additional iron, it may be worth getting your labs checked - if they are normal, maybe you can drop that? Another option would be to add a prebiotic fiber supplement. I take about 15g of Just Better Fiber daily and it is a HUGE help. Make sure you are well hydrated, especially when taking laxatives, stool softeners, etc. Lastly, are you getting in any fiber in your food? This goes with #2.... 2- The return of hunger is normal and expected. Your body is doing EXACTLY what its supposed to do. It may be helpful to start introducing more fruits & veggies, which will help you feel fuller longer and help with constipation. Also, are you hitting your protein goals? If not, definitely focus on getting that protein in. If you're hitting your goals, adding in nutrient rich fruits & veggies, and STILL feeling uncontrollably hungry, then it may be time to consult with a bariatric dietitian. Hunger is normal, feeling miserable is not. 3- I think a LOT of us struggle with body image before and after surgery. There is a trade off that happens - we lose the weight and are healthy, but it can make the physical effects of a lifetime obesity more obvious to us. Therapy therapy therapy. I can't encourage it strongly enough. Learning to cope with those feelings, learning to be kind to our new bodies, learning to love ourselves well, THAT is the hard work of weight loss and it is truly a lifelong process. Get help, and keep getting help. Outside of that - buy clothes that make you feel good, as much as you can focus on what you LIKE about your body instead of what you don't, if its practical for you, you can always look into plastic surgery, and of course, you could just refrain from looking in the mirror naked. I know, easier said than done, but if its causing your harm emotionally, then maybe hold off for now. You aren't alone and you aren't crazy. WLS is hard work and there is a lot that comes with it that doesn't get talked about much. We are rooting for you.

A year ago, I did gastric sleeve. My weight was originally 230 pounds. Now, it's 117 pounds. I feel pretty ecstatic that my weight has gone down. However, that's where the happy list ends. I'm concerned with the direction my life is heading after the surgery. I suffer from the following problems: Chronic constipation. I must take Dulcolax laxative every day for relief. Miralax powder doesn't work. My GI doctor performed a colonoscopy, but nothing malign was found. It's debilitating not to be able to get the relief I desperately need, and to feel dependent on medications when I thought this would be temporary. Increased appetite. It's becoming more difficult to control my eating habits. I'm constantly hungry. Excess skin and fat. It's impossible to look at myself naked without judging my body. Has anyone else been going through these problems? What has worked well and not so well for you?

Unfortunately, you still need the change in lifestyle/diet habits to make this work long term. I like to think of the sleeve/RNY as being a "do over" rather than a total fix, because it will indeed help get the weight off, and usually faster, than going alone, but there is still the tendency to gain again over time, as one can still "eat around" the surgery. The DS (duodenal switch) is better in the regain resistance area, but that is even greater overkill for a low BMI patient. I decided on the sleeve after my wife had here (much needed) DS and I had lost 50 or so lb of my excess weight, and kept it off for 5-6 years, but couldn't sustainably lose the next 100 that I needed to lose. So I had much of the habit part taken care of ahead of time, and it worked well, though it still takes work to keep it off - most of us long timers have been through periods of gain that we have had to lose again. Regain tends to be slower than without the WLS, but the bias is still there. So, you may well be in this same boat again in 5-10 years. In short, the sleeve will help you with the part that you already can do fairly well - lose when needed - but is only soso on helping you with the part that you struggle with - keeping it off. That's a consideration when trying to match the "personality" of the surgery with your own personality.

People have been mostly supportive, but they definitely do treat me differently since the surgery. A lot of stuff gets said behind your back that doesn't match up to the smiles to your face. It is what it is🤷🏾‍♂️. I did this for my health, not other people's approval. I'm happy. The weight loss shrink they make you see was pretty spot on about this. Just as an aside, I think it's totally different for guys vs. girls. If I fire back at shade thrown my way, it's seen a lot differently than if a woman fired back. Stupid societal norms. The way I see it, it's not normal to let some guy a few years out from losing at beer pong in his fraternity, cut me open and redo my stomach. So, if I can break THAT norm, to heck with the rest of them. I'll just enjoy the new lease on life.

Today makes my 1 year surgery anniversary. SW 235. CW 172. I’m having so many mixed emotions. I know having the surgery has been the key in my weight loss. Im stronger than I’ve ever been. I just ran a 5K nonstop for the first time in my life. And yet I feel like I should be further along. I feel like I’m failing, like I went under the knife and have mediocre results. Anyone else have feelings like this? #isitjustme

I 100% agree, but it's far beyond how badly obese people are treated in the grocery store. I can't speak for other countries, but lots of studies have shown that workplace discrimination against obese people is rampant in the US. Worse, it's not protected by law, unlike discrimination based on race, religion or gender. Those same studies have shown the odds of encountering discrimination is highly correlated to weight. In other words, someone that's merely overweight has a relatively low chance of encountering outright discrimination, while someone that severely obese will almost assuredly encounter it. In short, in the US, if you're obese you can be turned down for a job, denied promotions, or even fired due to your weight and it's perfectly legal. Most companies wouldn't admit to doing this, but if you doubt that it happens, look at the c-suite of any major company. The odds of finding an obese person is virtually nil.