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Now that I understand your time frame that is a bit odd. I am on week four of the sleeve, but I average about 600 calories a day, some days I get up to 800, but it is rare. I am losing slower now but I have lost every week, except second, I gained a few, then took it off and more. Make sure to track all of your food if you aren't already and show the doctors you are working with. I have heard of some others that have struggled as well.

I have lost nothing.m since week one. That’s seven weeks of no loss. Or I should say one pound. my surgeon and dietician in Mexico literally gave me no information so I had to get a dietician here and see my doctors here in canada. So I’m following what my dietician in canada says. And she was the one that said the 1200 cals a day. I also have to be mindful on the amount of protein because it does affect my kidneys I’ve already been into the hospital for a week two as mentioned above and at this point it’s NOT normal according to my doctor and my dietician….which is what I expected them to say considering three other siblings had it and have a completely different experience than mine. I went for a CT scan last night so now we wait for results sometime this week. absolutely stalls are normal but not from the beginning and not seven weeks at the very beginning of no loss. As mentioned in this post thread my initial weight loss was most likely all water. I do hope everything start sorting itself out soon because I’m kind of thinking if I’m not getting any results after all of this hard work I might as well just eat what I want since I’m not loosing anyways.

I was just tired of being fat. At 69, the weight does not leave as easily. It was creeping up, little by little. I started having issues with my blood pressure. NO family history, so I was pretty sure the weight was causing it. So I am off that med. The idea all started when I was looking through what Medicare would cover, and it covers that! Then I found that Tricare did too! It took about 6 months to satisfy all the requirements, but I am glad I did!

I gained like 10 lbs by post op day 3. lol but I expected it though, I had to get of my bp meds for a couple of days before my surgery (diuretic) and they really pumped me full of liquids (IV).

As funny as it sounds it really sucks that I have lost my butt! It hurts bad! Sitting down for some time hurts. Getting up after sitting for a bit hurts… any tips? Anyone have a cushion that helps them with this? Will it get less painful when I loose more weight up top? Literally my only complaint of this process…

SAY IT TO THE PEOPLE IN THE BACK!!! That is true! I also see that @SpartanMaker said that as well. I can loose the weight BUT keeping it off and staying healthy the entire time??? Not so much.

Personally I notice as I loose weight my POTS symptoms worsen, and my EDS gets better so I am hoping to find balance between the two. Did you struggle with sodium intake or hydration after surgery?

Good for you. I'm hopeful and wish you good health and success in your weight loss journey.

Hi, New here! What has made me decide and move forward with a consultation for WLS is the realization that I have been putting things on hold for 3 years because I was trying to lose weight on my own. I decided is time to own up and accept that I can't do it and need all the help I can get.

Yea. Something is definitely not right. Looking at carbs and stuff in the mean time may not be a bad idea if you aren’t already considering them (if nothing else but to learn how while you have the nutritionist available to teach you) but I admit I didn’t pay too much attention to them since my diet was protein focused and I still lost the majority of my weight by just reducing calories. Now I wish I had learned a bit more about the specifics now that I am on maintenance since I am learning that calories are definitely not created equal. I am going to go back to the nutritionist before I gain too much back.

i hate to ask, but since it was Mexico and they rushed you out… can you get an endoscopy to make sure that they did the correct procedure? a cup seems like a lot only a couple weeks out from surgery (i am pre op so don’t know from actual experience just reading up on it) … i have heard of issues with dental work in mexico not being as described- i would fear the same with surgery… also, from my experience maybe you need to look at macros… i reduced calorie count but didn’t really start big weight changes until i went low carb. it did not change my calorie count much (around 500 less) but severely reducing carbs made weight start to fall off… (41 lbs in 7 months just calories, 36 lbs in less than 10 weeks of carb watching)… different diets work with different body styles, and that may be something to consider and discuss with your nutritionalist. glad you are having doctors help you figure it out. please let us know when you have updates…

I track everything I put in my mouth into the bariatric app. I weight everything that is not pre measured. i am on the treadmill or swimming laps at the pool daily. I tried the do nothing method and was gaining so that doesn’t work for my body. i have a Apple Watch I wear 24:7 except when it’s charging that keeps track of everything including my steps, calories burned, caloric intake, etc. my dietitian is the one that said I should be walking or swimming. Things I find so weird when reading about others sleeve surgery: - dumping, I have not thrown up once or felt I was going to. My stomach hates eggs now but it’s just a really uncomfortable feeling I get - everyone has fast weight loss. Me ALMOST nothing. Dr thinks my intial weight loss week one was fluid. We are two months post op. And seven weeks from when I got back and was weighed at my dr. - I can eat more than a cup of food at a time if I wanted to. I don’t. But I can easily polish off a Greek yogurt cup and still be very hungry.

Hello and welcome. I have heard of many people on here who have gone to Mexico and been very happy with their results. Like kcuster83 mentioned some people do run into issues with getting follow up care though so I would ask my family Dr about their take on that to make sure they are on board to do your labs and stuff each year at the very least. Also know if you need a revision or something you may have to go back to Mexico which I assume means you would have to self pay again. You may also consider Las Vegas or one of the others places in the states where it is Not quite as cheap as Mexico but you won’t have the same concerns with follow up. From what I understand if it is an emergency they have to help you here regardless of where you had surgery but I would probably want to hear that from a doctor or maybe the ER just to be sure. This surgery is by no means cheating. You still have to put in every bit of the work and make the same changes as anyone who is dieting and exercising to lose weight. People act like we get to sit there eating pizza and donuts while the fat just melts off or something. We still have to be disciplined and make all the good choices most of us just get to do it without our body screaming out at us that we are starving for once in our lives. It’s a tool that makes it a little easier and in every other aspect of our lives we pride ourselves In choosing the best tools to get the job done so why not use it. If someone uses the dishwasher or a drill instead of doing it by hand we don’t say they are cheating? and if someone creates a spreadsheet to complete a task in half the work we literally praise them for their idea. Or what if someone uses patch or a pill to make quitting smoking a little easier? I don’t know about you but I would encourage it, not treat them like a failure because they aren’t suffering as much as going cold Turkey. I think as a society to many of us believe that obesity is a moral failure and struggling with it is our punishment to which we are sentenced to life without parole or death by preventable medical issues. Don’t get me wrong though. I felt the same way as you pre surgery. I just realized that it couldn’t be further from the truth throughout this process.

greetings, those of you post op: what surprised you after surgery? what happened that you didn’t expect or think of? (gas issues, rate of weight loss, tiredness issues, food intolerances, other people reaction, or whatever else you were not prepared for)

Hello everyone! I'm planning gastric bypass surgery for mid-May 2023. My insurance doesn't cover it so I've been looking at Mexico. Which of course is causing my family to freak out, because "scary Mexico"! I think I have decided on Oasis of Hope. I like that you stay in the hospital the whole time instead of a hotel and my husband can stay right there with me. I'm terrified I won't be able to stick to the diet afterward and I'll lose weight and then gain it all back. I've done so many diets and every year I'm just a little bit bigger. So tired of being tired and uncomfortable. I saw a post of NSV's and about cried when one person said they fit a regular size towel around themself! I can't even remember the last time I could do that! Or fitting behind the steering wheel without it occasionally rubbing on my belly. Anyways, I thought I'd break the ice and post here. Remind myself that many many people do this and it isn't cheating and I'm not alone!

I had the sleeve and I did not lose as much as I had hoped. I often wonder if I would have done better with the bypass. I went with sleeve for a reason though (I’m on psyc meds that sometimes tend to not absorb as well with bypass) and I was also warned that I may not lose all my weight because of my meds so it’s really hard to say if I would’ve been better off with bypass. Guess I’ll never know. I think that they both very good surgeries that can get you down to a healthy weight even if it’s not the exact weight we would dream of.

I am so jealous. I am over a year and a half out and pretty sure I have lost all I am going to. I sweat. Alot!! and really hoped this would get better as I lost weight but it hasn’t. At first I typed this big long message to tell you guys how much it suck’s to sweat all the time but it felt like it belonged In the rants and raves forum so I deleted it, lol. I guess I really can’t say for sure but I honestly think I would prefer being cold to being hot all the time. Maybe it’s a grass is always greener type thing.

You must be doing some intense workouts to burn that many calories are you sure you should be doing that this early after major surgery? Burning almost the same as your in take is not a great idea. If your figures are correct you should be loosing weight fast. Can I ask how you are measuring your calorie intake and what you are burning during exercise?

Hello and welcome! Same here, I have lost 100+ lbs multiple times. 170lbs last time! and every single time said "I WILL NEVER GAIN IT BACK" yet, every time I did and more. ( I even had skin removal after my 170lb loss and still gained it back) I keep talking myself out of WLS because "I know how to loose weight, I have done it many times". Which, is in fact TRUE, VERY TRUE! I do know how to loose weight, but I do not know how to maintain it! Ever... at all! This is what pushed me to have WLS. I hope this is the help I need to maintain. I am scared to death to get to that stage because of my massive failure history but I am focused and have an entire team on my side! This (and other forums) can be very helpful and inspiring. I read for months while I went through the pre-surgery process. I wanted to know everything, the good, bad and ugly. And, oh boy did I. Read everything, google everything ask all the questions. You will then be as prepared as possible. I wish you the best on your journey!

The weight loss your surgeon gives you are based on state and/or country wide AVERAGES. So, it is exactly that and average. Some less, some more. Not one person is the same with anything let alone weight loss. You have had HUGE success, loosing 120 lbs in a year is astronomical! Good for you, be proud of that. The closer you get to goal weight, the slower the weigh drops because you have less of a calorie deficit. If you want to keep loosing, keep pushing. Track all of your foods and if possible, cut a few ore calories. Get those fluids! Regardless of WLS they are SO important to overall well being. I have always been a huge water drinker, so I have been exceeding my fluids goals since about 2 weeks after surgery and never have an issue. But, seriously I drink all day long. I still wait 30 before and after meals but I only eat 3 times a day so that is easier than when eating 5 meals a day. Find a schedule that works for you and run with it. I have the same routine all week at work, and then a slightly modified weekend routine. Best of luck to you, keep swimming!

So sorry you are feeling this way @miamiman86 and I’m really glad you are seeking help. You actually raised some important points about weight loss surgery. It is not the easy way. It’s hard. Harder than just going on a diet or exercising. It will get easier but I know I will always have to watch what I eat & why I’m eating. The surgery removed part of my tummy but not the part of my brain that was behind my eating. That’s always with me. The decision to have the surgery has to be yours & yours alone. You alone are the one who has to do the work & live the experience. Your wife may have thought it would help you (& there are many health benefits) but if you’re not ready or unsure about having the surgery don’t have it. You need a lot of mental & emotional strength & if your head & heart aren’t ready & willing the surgery isn’t for you (at least not until you are ready). I’m glad you are doing well so far despite your regret. I will add, in time you will enjoy food as much as you did before. These early days are restrictive but it does change & improve. How you manage your maintenance, when you get where you want to be, is really up to you. You make the choices that allow you to live & enjoy your life & maintain your health & mental, physical & emotional well being. In time you may choose to eat differently. For example you may still eat old favourite foods but swap out ingredients or use different different cooking methods that offer better nutrition. You may choose to still enjoy certain ‘less healthy’ foods but you eat them less frequently in smaller portions. All the best.

Congratulations on your weight loss so far. You may not be at your goal but what you have done is a great achievement. The truth is not everyone reaches their goal. This may be the weight your body is happiest at - your new set point. Or your rate of loss could have just slowed right down. Ensuring you get in all your protein, water & other nutrients is vital & not doing so maybe compromising your loss. You just have to establish those better habits around eating & drinking to meet your goals. If you eat your protein first you should meet your goal without too much difficulty. Protein first, then vegetables & then only carbs if you are able. Sometimes all I’d eat was the protein component. Still do sometimes. And make any snacks you eat protein rich too. Keep fluids by your side all the time. I drink during the night, in the car as I’m driving, etc. I have habits like get in the car drink. Get out of the car drink. Red light drink. You can do this if you use public transport too. Remember all fluids count not just water. This far along you probably don’t need to be waiting 30 minutes between eating & drinking. Reduce the time you wait to a time frame you feel comfortable with & doesn’t compromise being able to consume the food you need. In my second year I only needed to wait about 10/15 minutes. Now I wait about 5 but can only take one large mouthful at a time - 2 swallows - any more is uncomfortable.

Perfectly natural side effect which most of us experience. Your natural hair loss cycle has been accelerated so the hair you’re losing you were going to lose anyway. It’s just happening more quickly than it usually does. The stress of reduced calories, the surgery & restricted diet, the hormonal flush & changes all contribute to the acceleration. Remember your body has more important things to use the food & nourishment you’re consuming for than protecting your hair at the moment. It usually only lasts about 3 months +/-. Don’t worry, your new hair is still regrowing but at its usual rate. Any vitamins, supplements you take to try to stop your hair falling may only benefit your new growth. The hair on your head is actually dead. Can’t save that. I know it can be frustrating & upsetting but the best thing you can do is just let it do what it’s doing. You don’t need the added stress of worrying about it. Some temporary hair loss is really unimportant compared to the weight loss & improvements to your health & welll being. PS - Many of us cut our hair if it was long so it doesn’t look as noticeable & it takes less time for the new growth to catch up & be the same length. You can always grow it again if you want.

Welcome! I think many of us have had similar experiences with yo-yo dieting. As I tell people, losing weight is not a problem. By now I'm an expert, considering I've lost the same pounds many many times now. 😁 What I suck it is maintaining! This is one of the key reasons I finally decided on WLS. FYI, there's a wealth of knowledge here on the site in terms of what to expect as you progress through the stages and on past surgery. If you run into anything that you don't see answered, feel free to ask. There's likely someone that can help. That said, one of my biggest pieces of advice would be that it's always best to ask medical questions of your medical team, not the folks here.

I do regret it. I’m 36 years old, 5’7’, and before surgery I was weighing 248 lbs. I actually was unhappy with my weight, specially with my belly, because I couldn’t wear t shirts without seeing my belly pop out and the rest of the body out of proportion. But my wife thought losing weight would help, and since she had friends that already done this, she said would be the fastest and easiest way to get it done. I wanted to see a nutritionist or get more activity in, but I also let laziness get the best way of me. It’s really my fault and not hers because I should’ve put my foot down. We went to Ecuador to get the procedure done, since they don’t require for you to be over 300 lbs to get the surgery, as long as you have the money, which I did. Even when I went into the ER, I wanted to get up the bed and run back out but I couldn’t because I felt I was going to disappoint my wife. Now I feel a bit like a chump, but I ended disappointing me. After the surgery, is when I realized these doctors down there are only doing it for the money. At least three patients I saw where 40 pounds lighter than me and got the surgery done. That’s just criminal to me, but it’s their money. Right now, it’s been about a month since the surgery was done (gastric sleeve). I’ve lost 35 pounds and moved on to the semi solid food. I’m actually doing great progress, not rejecting any food, haven’t thrown up at all and I can even hold a bit better than the diet says… but I’m even unhappier than before. I felt up to the moment of the surgery than I didn’t needed to do it, I could’ve dieted and do exercise but no, went the “easy” route which is not really easy. Since the surgery and coming back home, I’ve gone out 3 times, with all times just being mentally fucked and coming back home before time to just get drained emotionally in my bed. My wife says nothing, maybe because she understand what I’m going through. I loved eating. I loved tasting. I know I will be back to that soon, but I don’t know if it will be the same. It would kill me inside. I’m posting this because I know everyone here (majority) is happy they got the procedure done, but I didn’t needed it. And now that I regret, I dread everything that it will bring. My advice to you is: don’t think once, don’t think twice… really think you want to do this, and if you’re not too overweight, do not do it. Look for alternative ways before you resort to get this procedure. If you really need it, by all means, but think it over very well. I’m actually looking for professional help right now, and got an appointment set, because I’ve had some dark thoughts and I know if I don’t take care of my mental health, I won’t be here in 3 more months. I wanted to vent and let everyone know that this is not for everybody. I do hope not get to the day I don’t regret this, but today it isn’t that day. Thank you.