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I don't know that I agree that using sugar free creamer is an automatic one-way trip back to Fattown. However, ANYTHING you consume that is a) easy to use much more of than you realize or b) previously didn't consider to be caloric or worth logging, can make you gain weight. Know what your limits and capabilities are, and if it's too much temptation, don't. At the risk of inciting the "I only eat 'real food'" crowd, I drink sugar free creamer every day, but it's measured and logged like anything else. I use 30 calories' worth, and I know that because I measure it. TL;DR I don't think it's the creamer, it could be anything you don't consider to be "food". You could easily make the same mistake with condiments, salad dressing, cooking oil, butter, or anything else. If it has calories, measure and log it.

I too had a lot of UTIs post sleeve! Isn’t that weird? And with the antibiotic restrictions post weight loss surgery they were hard to treat! Post revision I haven’t had one yet so yay! I’m glad I’m not the only one who experienced that with the sleeve…I thought I was just gross 😬

My husband says I need to exercise more too. I walk about 45 minutes to a hour a day and that’s about it. The thing is I lost the weight without doing any more than that so it doesn’t make sense that I am gaining now because of that. The doctors keep blaming my antidepressants and my bipolar I just think that there is more to it. The weight gain did all start around 25 though which is also when the symptoms of my illness began so idk. I don’t need a referral for a specialist though, so I think I am going to see one just to rule it out if nothing else.

An endocrinologist works with pretty much any issue related to the endocrine system, meaning your thyroid, pituitary gland, hypothalamus, adrenal gland, etc. Basically most anything hormone related is something they can help treat. You can always ask you PCP for a referral, but depending on your doc and your insurance, they may be loathe to do so if you don't have anything showing up on your blood tests. If you're insurance does not require a referral to see a specialist, the you can always just make an appointment. There definitely are some hormone imbalances that can slow your metabolism such that your maintenance calories will be pretty low. Alternately, it may not be a hormone imbalance at all. It may just be what's normal for you. One additional thing for you to consider is that exercise, especially strength training, would allow you to eat more without gaining. What's your exercise routine look like right now?

Do you know what all an endocrinologist tests for? It’s not just hypo and hyperthyroidism, right?? I am in maintenance and struggling big time. I feel like the only way to maintain my weight is to be on a diet (and hungry) for the rest of my life cause I add in a few calories and I gain. I feel like there is something going on with my hormones that my primary doc is missing. I see him today and plan to ask a lot of questions. Just wondering what conditions cause weight gain that I should be questioning him about.

Hello, I had found out about my HH during my WLS pre-op process. They saw it in the scope. I had severe GERD for YEARS and never heard of a HH (on 2 prescriptions plus TUMS), my doctor never even looked into WHY I may have acid reflux so bad. I didn't even know it was a thing, he did say my weight doesn't help it though. Anyway, long story short. Major damage to my esophagus and a huge HH. My bariatric surgeon fixed everything during my WLS. I had bypass, I have ZERO regrets and only wish I had done it sooner. My GERD is completely cured, off all GERD medications and have eaten just about everything I would have before surgery as far as "trigger foods". Otherwise I only had slightly high blood pressure and now it is always low, sometimes even too low. So again, ZERO REGRETS! Good luck on your journey!

I too have been struggling with similar issues over the last two weeks. I’ve gotten away from logging my food into the Baritastic App, I’m not drinking enough fluids, and I’m definitely not hitting my protein goals most days. I also have found myself snacking on foods that I would’ve chosen pre-surgery and I really need to nip that in the bud. I think that it’s no coincidence that they harp on fluid and protein intake when you’re in the pre-op phase. I really think those two things are key for successful and sustainable weight loss post surgery.

To add to everyone’s great advice above, don’t forget, your rate of loss slow as you get nearer to your body’s set weight. This is the weight your body is happiest at & will settle at. The surgery resets this from where it was but it may not be the weight you want to be. To get below this weight you will have to consume less & do more. It will be more of a struggle & difficult to maintain that lower weight because you’re fighting your body. Personally I’d put on weight at 1500 but I’m short at 5’3”, not very active, more finely built & 57. But before surgery I couldn’t lose eating 900 calories. But don’t think your weight loss is over yet. You’ll get where you’re supposed to be in your time & there’s nothing wrong with that.

I know this is hard to read and even harder to hear, but one of the worst things you can do is compare yourself to others (I am no different and have been having this problem for the last few weeks myself). You’re the only you and there is no one else like you that has your exact situation, weight, metabolism, etc. Just try to stay focused with your post op and doing the best you can. That’s all any of us can do.

Howdy! I've been so busy enjoying this new freedom called get up and MOVE! I have joined a fun dance group called Body Groove and it is a fantastic way of getting up and get moving with low impact. It's an app you can download on your TV and dance along. Overall I have been able to resume normal eating, but the raw food are still kinda iffy. I think I'll wait awhile before introducing salads. I need to stay focused on protein and hydration. With my morning protein drink (coffee replacement) and adding liquid protein to my water, I haven't had any issues with meeting my protein requirements. I find more than anything is that I'm tired. I was successfully able to give blood and my iron count was 13.5 so I know my nutrients and supplements are absorbing. I go for my 3 month checkup soon and they'll be analyzing my blood labs a bit closer. Constipation is a real issue. even though I take a Dulcolax chew about once a week, I think I'm gonna have to up it to every other day. Suppositories work real well, but I hate when it has had to get that far. I also started drinking a green smoothie most days to get in my trace minerals in wheat grass powder, veggies, and adaptogens from mushrooms. Anyone else try Ka'Chava? I really like it My weight stalled around 207/208 for about three weeks but I dropped a considerable amount of inches. So far I am staying within the healthy weight loss bracket. I'm anxious to post my Onederland scale picture soon!!

(Warning: this is long) tldr; for ME, in MAINTENANCE, carbs consumption makes little difference to my weight. K. My NUT didn’t give me a carb goal/limit per se, but did instruct me to aim for my meals to consist of 25% carbs/starches (with another 25% being protein and the remaining 50% to be low-glycemic veggies). With that said, i did my own thing (and told her so): i ended up doing ultra-low carb, i.e., less than 25g NET carbs per day. Got to goal in 7 months, remained carbophobic, lost a few more pounds and basically still went out of my way to avoid them. I wasn’t ultra-low carb as during weight loss phase, but i was still pretty low. Eventually, i started eating more and nowadays (4 years post), i probably eat as much carbs as a “regular” person. I have remained under goal weight this entire time. These are my takeaways of going low-carb (and this is from MY experience, YMMV) 1) weight loss is rapid. but you need to remain low carb for an extended period. If i carb up on a day, the weight loss slows down or pauses. There is a science to this phenomenon regarding ketosis, the explanation of which is beyond the scope of my post (just google it if ur interested). Also want to say that i was also ultra-low calorie so obvs that contributed! 2) there is a period of a few days that, once passed, my cravings for carbohydrates went away. (Which is why once u start, stick to it because u may have to go thu the “white-knuckle” phase again to alleviate urself of the cravings (see note 1 above) 3) now here is the kicker: during MAINTENANCE (i cant say if this applies to weight loss phase because i didn’t try it)…i discovered that, for ME, it does not matter if my 1800 cals average i eat a day consists of 20g of carbs or 200g. My weight stays the same regardless. What does make a difference is CALORIES. So long as my calories stay at around 1800 (however it is comprised) then im good. 4) carb consumption affects my looks. When i low carb, my body is more defined (which i like) and my face more gaunt (which I don’t like). These days my face is lovely (lol), but my body could be better. Mind u i have also been slacking on the exercise front so that is also a factor, but i digress. In any case, the point is i am still basically the same weight as my low-carb maintenance days. And that concludes my dissertation for this evening lol. P.S. I want to point out also that i am NOT insulin-resitant, nor suffer any other medical conditions that affect my weight, nor take any medications that would either. So this may not be everyone’s experience. P.P.S. Sorry this was so long!

it's hard to say. I would lose weight on 1500 calories (albeit slowly), but some people would gain. I've been in maintenance for several years (and have been hanging out on bariatric boards for about eight years). I know people who can maintain on 2000 calories, and others who can only eat 1200. You can always experiment with different calorie ranges and see at what point you lose, at what point you maintain, and at what point you start gaining. That's really the only way to do it other than the RMR test that someone above mentioned. at any rate, 1500 calories isn't that much. Some people do gain on that, but then, you're pretty tall so I'm guessing you'd either maintain or lose on that much. also, the closer you get to a normal BMI, the slower weight loss becomes. That's just a fact. 1200 calories is super low, unless you're short or have an incredibly low metabolism. Most people can't really sustain that forever. Personally, I'd give up the ghost on that one. As I said, even 1500 is pretty low for most people....sustainable, but low. I wouldn't worry about it unless you're gaining on that. for the record, I can maintain on 1500-1700 calories. If I'm doing some heavy exercise, I can go up to 1800 or so - maybe even higher.

Had the surgery on 9/12. Also had serious doubts having this at 69 yrs. In my case believe it was worthwhile, at least up to this point. BP med no more. Pre diabetic no more. I’ve lost 14lbs since surgery and a total of 30 lbs since pre op diet. My relationship to food has changed, albeit by force. If I can get to my target weight of 185 lbs and stay on it then it’s definitely worth it. Today, I believe it’s achievable.

I’ve gained about 30th lbs from my lowest weight (had just recovered from a bowel resection due to a hernia) and depression eating the past 6 months since my dad passed away. But I’m finally getting back into healthier eating and the depression weight is coming off pretty easy. Depo is definitely dependent on the person. Estrogen based BC made my periods worse (period related anemia) and for me no periods is a godsend.

Do NOT compare yourself to others. Everything will be different from your recovery to fluids to weight loss and stalls. Just trust the process and you will lose weight.

Around 13- 1500 but I am pretty sedentary. My only exercise is walking. I have actually been gaining back a bit which I am gonna ask my dr about tomorrow.

Two months later I feel good! Anyone else happy with their un restricted bladder? Down 46lbs and 33 inches. I have a online food coach, Steph Wagner, she has tips and tricks that have been so useful. The scale didn’t move in today’s weight in but I lost inches.

To add more, I’m worried it’s all starting to unravel and I’ll gain all the weight back.

Like the title says. I’ve lost 110 pounds and have another 20 to go to be a ‘normal’ BMI. 14 months post op. However my calorie intake has shot up as I’m hungry again. Now eating between 1300 to 1500 a day. I’m tall (5ft 9). I guess I’m panicking that the days of 1200 calories and lower are gone and from here on in it’s about slow weight loss and/or maintenance. I feel like I’m heating so much at 1500 calories but logically I know I’m not. But it’s frightening. I work out two to three times a week and walk loads. Am I eating too much now? Did anyone else panic as more calories came into your eating habits.

So I just went to a general surgeon for a clinic visit bc I have a hiatal hernia and he recommended I have gastric bypass. My BMI is 44 and he said he couldn’t repair my hiatal hernia unless I did the weight loss surgery. I’m waiting for their office to call me to tell me if my insurance will cover it. I’m hopeful that I will be able to get it done and lose weight and get healthy. Does anyone have any thoughts on gastric bypass? I downloaded an audiobook about it and the author said he made this website so I joined.

screwed up menstrual cycles seem to be very common in the first few weeks or months after surgery. It's supposedly due to the fact that estrogen is stored in fat cells, and it starts flooding your body during rapid weight loss. It'll stabilize once your weight loss slows way down. a couple of people mentioned Depo-Provera. I don't know about the side effects after WLS as I didn't have WLS until I was post-menopausal, but I was on Depo when I was in my 30s. I gained about 45 lbs on it, and I switched to another birth control method after my ob/gyn couldn't guarantee that the weight gain would eventually stop. It has to do with its effect on hormones.

Sorry for the novel folks, but maybe before getting to tips and tricks, let's talk a bit about what causes plateaus: First, the most common reason for any stall, including the dreaded 3-week stall is simply that you are retaining more water. There are a few reasons this happens, but around the 3-week mark it comes down to the fact that your body is adjusting to a low carb intake after converting from glycogen to ketones for energy. More water is needed to burn glycogen, so you were retaining more water pre-surgery than you are now that you're using primarily ketones for energy. At about the 3-week mark, your body eventually recognizes that the water loss is long term, so other mechanisms have started kicking in to start holding on to more water. This water loss due to the change between glycogen and ketones is the primary reason for "keto flu", and something that increases your risk of dehydration early after surgery. The other "reasons" for plateaus really don't apply as much at the 3 week mark, but will become more important later in the process. Let's cover those too though so you're prepared: As you lose more weight, your overall metabolic rate will slow down. People sometimes think fat is not metabolically active, but that's not true. Less fat means your metabolism slows down, even if you retain the same amount of muscle. As you lose weight, it takes less effort to move, so the amount of calories you burn from activity also drops quite a bit. As you progress, you'll be able to eat more and especially if you're not tracking intake closely by weighing and measuring your food, you can easily be eating a lot more than you think. This one may be TMI for some, but you may simply be retaining more stool. This is going to be hard for some people to hear, but I can tell you one thing it's not, and that's hormones. Yes, various hormonal processes negatively impact weight loss in a myriad of ways, but they don't overcome basic physics: if you eat less than you are burning, you'll lose weight. What these hormones can do if they're out of whack, is not good things like slowing your metabolism, increasing your hunger, screwing with water weight, or even fooling you into thinking you're eating less than you are. So, with all that sciency stuff out of the way, what do we actually do if we're in a stall? Well, I think it depends on when it happens and how long it lasts: If it's early (a.k.a. the 3-week stall), just keep doing what you're doing and you should be fine. I know people don't like that advice, but as I said, it's just water, so don't worry about it. Later on, especially if the stall is lasting longer than 2-3 weeks. that's when I think it's important that you look closely at what you are actually burning, as well as really tracking what you are eating. If you don't know your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate), you should. The closer you are to goal, the harder it is to get the balance right between intake and output to make sure you're not eating too much, so fixing this starts with knowing your BMR and accurate food logging. There's a lot of anecdotal advice thrown around about "ways to break a stall", but there seems to be little scientific evidence for any of it. Most of it certainly won't hurt to try, e.g. breaking up your routine in terms of diet or exercise, but just understand that this change may or may not have had any impact. If it makes you feel better to be proactive, go for it. Longer term, there is one piece of solid advice that's backed up by lots of research: Even if you don't really like working out, do it anyway. Those WLS patients that make a regular habit of exercising for 45 minutes to an hour most days a week are significantly more likely to reach their goal and maintain the weight loss. (One caveat here: significantly changing your exercise routine can make you retain water and possibly even add muscle, so don't freak out if you see a stall or even a gain.) I'll take that exercise advice one step further and say you really should be doing some form of strength training. This is also backed up by lots of studies, but the great thing about strength training is that it makes your burn more calories even at rest (in other words, it increases your metabolic rate). There are lots of other benefits, but the metabolic benefit is the most germaine to the stall question. Those that do strength training are less likely to stall during weight loss.

Aliana I think you are confused and need to reread the ENTIRE thread. I have not lost 21 pounds in a month. I wish!! Surgery Aug 12 wishing that week I was at my family dr who weighed me in at 367. this morning……almost eight weeks later… I WEIGH 364. Sooooo my math says 3 pounds since Aug 19 dr appointment. so I have lost 3 pounds in 2.5 months. It’s very frustrating to me when people say oh well you’ve lost 21 pounds in a month when that’s clearly not the case and like I had mentioned before it was water weight my body likes to hold onto every drop of water. I mean we’re even at the point now we’re doctors and dieticians are saying somethings wrong so it’s not just me being crazy

So, I have seen a lot of people getting the revision from sleeve to bypass due to GERD and I have seen people getting the sleeve to bypass revision due to weight gain years after the original surgery. I am not experiencing either of these issues. I had my surgery in the middle of 2021. I was around 300 pounds then. It is now more than a year later. I have only lost around 70 pounds. I am still losing, but very slowly. I feel like due to my starting weight, I should have lost more than that in this time period. I am not ungrateful for the weight I have lost so far, but I want to lose much more and I am feeling a bit stagnant. I want to truly get down to a normal weight. I feel like it will take me forever to do that with the sleeve, so I want to get the gastric bypass. I feel like getting a revision to bypass would jumpstart the weight loss for me again. But I am wondering if I would even be able to get approved for a revision in my position, since I am not suffering from any other medical conditions and I haven't actually regained any of my weight. Is there anyone else in my position who has gotten a revision from sleeve to bypass so soon after the original surgery with no other medical conditions, just because they felt like they didn't lose enough weight with the original surgery?

Hi all, Just a shout out to the November 2021 guys - how is everyone doing now? I'm exactly 11 months post op now, 5lbs below my original goal of 160. I lost 10lbs last month after losing only 3 the previous month so stalls are clearly still a thing - I thought that was me done but apparently not! My ideal weight (what even is that???) is 147lbs apparently, which is now 8lbs away, so the closer I can get to that the happier I will be, but I'm not setting an official new goal of anything, seems clear the loss will just stop when it stops. Then starts the *really* hard work. I hope everyone is happy with how they are doing. Please check in and let me know - seems like yesterday we were just starting this journey together. 😍