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I was also converted from VSG to RNY because of GERD (and other things) but not for additional weight loss. 2+ yrs later GERD is still gone which is a major win!

So happy to see everyone doing so well! I had my sleeve on June 16. I am down approximately 33 lbs. My weight loss has slowed to a crawl but I am 5'1" and alot older than most people so for me, this is good. I have been experiencing excruciating hunger pains for some time. The first 6 - 8 weeks was the worst. Has anyone else experienced this? I feel like I'm going through some sort of "withdrawal" symptoms. Definitely not fun!

My hair loss was significant and noticeable. It start month 4 and ran through month 9. I hope it grows back, too. When I researched Nioxin, a salon owner says this works by creating split ends and gives illusion of thicker hair/hair growth. So I decided against it. I’m using castor oil and vitamin E oil and hoping I see growth again.

Hi all! Did anyone have their gallbladder removed prior to their weight loss surgery? Prior to considering weight loss surgery, I was doing Jenny Craig for a bit in 2020, but dropped it after about 6 months for a number of reasons. Prior to that, I never had any issues with my digestive tract. Over the last year, about once a month, I was getting what I found out were gallstone attacks. It got really bad the week of Labor Day and I went in for emergency surgery by the end of the week (Sept 10). Also over the last year, I was researching options for weight loss surgery. My insurance does not cover any weight loss anything, but I found out that the options out there were actually affordable for me self-pay. Once my gallbladder came out (baby's first surgery), I knew it was time. I'm already having to change the way I eat- why not go all in? My surgeons from both sides agreed they could be done fairly close together. I had virtually no real pain in recovery for the gallbladder removal and both surgeons have told me VSG will be a similar pain level, up a notch, for post-op recovery. Since my last surgery was pretty much forced upon me, I didn't have time to consider options or worry for weeks about surgery... I'm finding myself now post-consult with a surgery date in-hand (October 13th) and feeling pretty confident about getting the procedure itself. I know gallbladder removal is pretty common post-op, but did anyone have it done pre-op? How did the pain compare to your WLS? How long were you between surgeries? What are some things that got easier or more difficult pairing the two removals? I look forward to hearing about your experiences!

I started out at 373 lbs. I am in my 60s (had surgery 6+ years ago while still in my 50s). I was overweight my whole life, and morbidly (and for a few years, super morbidly) obese since my 30s. I tried program after program after program. On my more successful attempts, I'd lose 50-60 lbs (and on my less successful, 10-20 lbs), keep it off for awhile, and then the weight would come piling back on. Happened over and over and over again. I finally got to the point where I realized this wasn't working for me. I had over 200 lbs to lose, and I couldn't even lose 50 and keep it off for more than a couple of months. The truth is, fewer than 5% of people can lose a lot of weight and keep it off. I proved to myself that I was not one of those lucky 5%. It could be that you are - I don't know. But weight loss surgery was the only thing that actually "worked" for me. My efforts paid off. I lost over 200 lbs. I've gained back 20 of it over the intervening years, but a 10-20 lb rebound is common after hitting your lowest weight. I've managed to stay there (after stabilizing at 20 lbs above my lowest weight) for a few years now. I'm not saying to do it or not do it. If you're one of the people who can successfully lose a ton of weight and keep it off (and there are a few people out there who CAN), then you're very fortunate and may not need to do this. But I couldn't. I finally decided to go through with the surgery. and I'm so very glad I did. I should have done this YEARS ago!

happens to most people after weight loss surgery. It's actually a potential side effect of ANY major surgery, but I think it occurs more often after weight loss surgery than some of the others because in addition to the surgery itself (surgery causes a lot of stress and trauma to the body), we're also taking in very few calories those first few months. some people swear by supplements like Biotin, but others say it does absolutely nothing. So the jury is out on that. The best thing you can do is keep on top of your protein and vitamins so it doesn't get any worse than it will anyway. But know that for most of us, even though WE notice it, others don't, and it'll stop falling out after a couple of months and will grow back in. It's very unusual for it to fall out in noticeable clumps (happens to some - but again, very unusual). More often, it's just a lot of "shedding" and isn't really noticeable to others. I lost hair between months 5-8. No one else noticed it - and it all grew back.

Hi, sorta same thing for me. Sorta. I was immediately taken off cholesterol meds by my 1 week follow up. At my 1 month & 3 month follow ups, the levels remained acceptable. But at my 6 month, it shot up again and my doc understood it was due to weight loss so didn't re-prescribe me anything. By my 9th month it was lower, by my 1st year it was normal again.

You went from 249 to 180's...you did not FAIL. Don't dismiss what you have achieved because of a setback. Maybe you didn't reach your doctor's expectations, but this is a process that may have many bumps in the road. Maybe your doctor or nutritionist can give you some ideas to help restart losing weight. If you are not already, maybe start tracking food, protein & water again to see if there are slight changes you can make there. There are also "pouch" reset plans that might help get the scale moving again. If you are carrying a lot of weight in your chest, maybe that isn't factored into your doctor's expected weight loss. I hope your 2 year appointment goes well & you are able to get to where you feel happy & comfortable with your weight. Don't forget how far you've come! 🤩

Hello September 2021 VSG team! I had my procedure 14 Sept 2021 and have regrets thus far. I’m 9 days post op and we’ll on my way to recovery with little to no adverse complications to report. Weight loss 9 days post op 14 pds. I have found this app/form immensely informative and appreciate each and every tidbit of the individuals experience included in this shared journey. Be well.

Hair loss is normal in weight loss. It sucks. I remember mine started around 4 or 5 months out. It stops after a few months. Also, it looks like a lot to YOU, but people around you won't even notice. At least in my own experience, anyway.

A nutritionist/dietitian and a therapist are extremely helpful in a weight loss journey. The nutritionist/dietitian helps set you up with a diet plan and helps get you into better eating habits prior to surgery so it's not such a drastic change once you actually HAVE the surgery. The therapist helps you work through if you have disordered eating (such as binging) or if you're going through some other stuff in your life such as depression, stress, anxiety, etc (which are known to add to weight gain). Weight loss is never easy and one of the most difficult things is finding support in those you live with. You'll be on a special diet and it'll be easier on YOU if those you live with aren't bringing in the things you used to eat which would tempt to cheat on your diet. Try and talk it out with them and stress how important to you it is that they don't bring junk food into the house. Willpower is such a difficult thing. I admit, that if I hadn't developed a wheat allergy after surgery what would have ruined me is the junk food that my family brings into the house. Because of my wheat allergy, I can't eat that food. Nor can I get fast food (of which they eat a LOT). So the wheat allergy is a blessing. A sucky as hell blessing, but a blessing none the less lol (there is only a 3% chance of developing a wheat allergy or Celiac's Disease after your surgery. So chances are you'll be fine. My luck just sucks. Well, maybe not, because I really do consider the allergy a blessing in disguise as it keeps me on track and stops me from cheating as I, quite literally, have to keep track of every little thing I eat and the ingredients in what I put into my mouth).

Hair loss is fairly normal after a weight loss procedure. Some say various products help and they may do for some people, but its probably coincidental to timing. https://www.dallasweightloss.com/understanding-hair-loss-after-bariatric-surgery/ https://emergesurgical.com.au/why-am-i-losing-my-hair-after-bariatric-surgery/

Has anyone experienced hair loss? I’m 4 months out from ESG down 50 pounds and my hair started falling out in the last 2 weeks and it’s so depressing. I luckily have thick hair already but I can’t even run my hand through my hair without ending up with a handful of hair. I got some zinc I read that was good for hair loss and I take a hair nails and skin supplement. I’m just so sad losing this much hair is concerning. Thoughts? Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Congrats on what you have achieved so far. Fantastic. I’m very glad I did the surgery. Like a lot of us, I’d tried many, many diets over the years. The two things they had in common was that if they worked I’d lose some weight & then put it on again (start gaining again a couple of weeks later). With the surgery I’ve been able to maintain my weight for about a year. I know I’m a newbie when it comes to maintaining but it’s been pretty astounding that I’ve been able to do for this long so far. The surgery afforded me the opportunity to reassess how I ate, what I ate & why I ate & I’m way more mindful of these now. The physicality of the surgery also helps me to keep to smaller portion sizes & the restriction reminds me very quickly if I eat too fast or too much. It also boosted my metabolism which I had killed through decades of not eating in an attempt to maintain my weight. I did quite a bit of reading too & worked out a way of eating that works for me. I wanted to ensure the changes I made to how I ate (I don’t like using the word diet much - too negative) was practical, sustainable & didn’t compromise how I wanted to live & enjoy my life. The surgery doesn’t stop me going out to restaurants, socialising with friends & family, etc. I don’t miss out on events. Honestly, my long term sensitivity to spice & chilli is much more restrictive on what & where I can eat than the surgery. Personally, I chose the sleeve because it altered my digestive system the least & had fewer possible restrictions & requirements (less chance of dumping, less absorption issues, etc.). Life has the unfortunate habit of throwing a heaping pile of crap at us at times, so we don’t know where we will be in 5 years. But even if in 5 years, you’ve settled at the average weight loss of 65% of the weight you had to lose, that’s still better than where you are now. You’ll be healthier, eating better & enjoying life more. That’s my thinking anyway. Good luck whatever you decide to do.

I weigh over 600 lbs what advice you give me statred my weight loss jounery

I weigh over 600 lbs what advice you give me statred my weight loss jounery

I am a 50-year-old man who struggled with my weight most of my life, starting with being an overweight kid. No diet or exercise program produced tangible, good results. At my annual physical in March I weighed in at 405 pounds. I take no meds, and up to this point, my most serious health issue has been sleep apnea that I was trying to handle with CPAP (mostly unsuccessfully). Given my alarmingly high weight, my doctor recommended that I look into the bariatric surgery option. I eagerly started the process, looking at it as a once-in-a-lifetime chance for getting back to normal body weight and gaining a quality of life I have not enjoyed for a long time. The bariatric program I joined requires that patients lose 10% of their weight before even being scheduled for surgery. Insurance also requires at least 3 months of engagement with a managed weight loss program. I was determined that despite my past struggles with diets, I will do whatever it takes to make the cut. I met with the program's nutritionist and had a very nice discussion with her. Then I went home, and threw out the materials she gave me (calorie counting book, etc), and ignored all her directions and advice. I dove into reading and research and started implementing a diet largely based on Matthew Weiner's A Pound of Cure vegetable-focused program. I had immediate success, losing 20 lbs in the first month (guaranteed, a lot of that may have been water weight held onto by insulin). I kept reading and experimenting, incorporating advice from Sten Ekberg (Master Your Health), Eric Berg, Dave Asprey (Bulletproof Diet), Jason Fung (fasting strategies), and many others. At this point, I am three months into my pre-op personally directed diet. I have lost a total of 70 pounds have a current weight loss rate of 1 lb / day feeling great COMPLETE resolution of my sleep apnea issues 120/80 blood pressure (was somewhat high at the beginning of the program) went from a size 4XL to wearing 2XL (depending on cut of clothing) 48 inch waist to 42 inch waist not counting calories no hunger or craving issues I am just starting to discover the research (a recent Nobel Prize-winning one) regarding Autophagy and its related health benefits brought about by intermittent fasting, and many other possibilities. Next week I am scheduled to meet with the bariatric program's PA, do my weigh-in, and (pending insurance approval) schedule the surgery. I am torn and in doubt. The last few months have been some of the most exhilarating experiences in my life. Gaining control of my body and my overall health in the way I have done in such a short period of time is amazing. The bariatric surgery option, which just a short while ago seemed like a Holy Grail lifesaver to me, seems full of pitfalls and restrictions on the methods I can do to manage my body weight and health. I was looking forward to trying out possibilities with time-restricted eating, and using longer fasts (triggering autophagy) to eliminate loose, hanging skin that might come about otherwise with significant weight loss. On the other hand, I still weigh 335 pounds and am nowhere near my goal of a healthy 200. What if my weight loss stalls out well short of that goal? The sensible answer might be to simply wait, see what happens, and re-engage with the program if it seems necessary to keep pushing past a stall point. However, for reasons I do not want to detail, I might not have this option after this year. Under these circumstances, if this was your only chance to move ahead with a Gastric Sleeve operation, would you do it? Any other thoughts? Your help is greatly appreciated.

I had my VSG on 5/10/21. In my first few months, I had the rapid weight loss that is pretty typical, but in the last month or so, I have lost very little. I know that stalls are normal so I am not really stressed about that, but I have noticed some old habits starting to creep back in as my weight loss has slowed. I am doing less tracking, more grazing, eating bigger portions than I should, and making worse choices in general than I was a few months ago. So, I am here now looking for someone that is in a similar stage in their journey to connect with and possibly help me get back on track and keep me accountable. As I am sure many of you experience, my family is very supportive but it isn't the same as talking to someone that is one the same journey. BB

It does depend on your hair and how you want it styled. I don't like to put products in it so I just spend about ten seconds (maybe less) brushing it and let it air dry. I make it clear to my hair dresser that I'm NOT willing to spend time on it. The short hair bed head thing is real, but I can take a 3 minute shower in the morning and it's fine. My whole morning routine takes less than 15 minutes (at least it did prior to VSG.... now it will take longer to eat and drink breakfast).

Hi everyone, I guess i can say im doing good. But there's always room for progress. Im thankful that i am not experiencing any hair loss.🙏 Im still trying to get use to taking the horse pills everyday 😩...One thing I can say is it feels good to say "NO MORE PLUS SIZE FOR ME". Currently i can wear a size 11/12 in fashion nova jeans. 😄 I haven't been in this size since since the age of 26 yrs😁. One thing I hate is that my farts smell awful @ times🙈. Also I hate the fact that my ass which I mean literally has shrunk.😩and I want it back. Hopefully, I dnt lose anymore.

Morning, new here to the app I like being able to read everyone’s stories. I am going for gastric sleeve October 5 at Alabama weight loss by Dr. Schmitt - anyone else have their procedure there?

Would think still losing more hair that exceeds your natural hair loss cycle into your second year or later is the exception. Sorry this is happening to you @brenda.vandruff@yahoo.com but yes, not meeting your recommended protein each day may be contributing. (My goal is still 60g a day.) There could also be hormonal issues at play or you’re not consuming a balanced diet. When did you last have a blood test to check your levels? Ask for your hormones (all not just female hormones) levels to be checked too.

There are many, many plans about with different recommendations & expectations. The best advice is stick to your plan unless it’s not working then develop a new plan with your medical team. We have different needs. Our bodies absorb, processes & burns nutrients/calories differently so one plan does not fit all. Discovering what works for you is important not just while losing but also into the future when maintaining. I wasn’t given a calorie goal just protein (60g) & portion size recommendations (1/4 - 1/3 cup slowly increasing as I was able). I was advised low carb but not given any amount to meet or stay below. I did occasional calories checks out of my own curiosity. By goal I was eating just under a cup & less than 900 calories a day but now (28 months) I eat just under recommended serving size of most foods. I maintain my weight eating about 1200/1300 calories. I don’t exercise. I was encouraged to add snacks a couple of months out & still snack (nutrient dense foods) about 4 times a day to get my protein & essential nutrients in. I remember at my first appointment with my surgeon, he drew a picture of a plate & marked a section as protein & another as vegetables & said that’s how much you’ll be eating in maintenance. It stuck with me & he was right. Scales & measuring cups are vital tools during the weight loss stage. It’s so easy to under or over estimate portions when just eyeballing as you seemed to have discovered. Don’t worry we’ve all been caught by this at some time. I don’t weigh or measure frequently anymore - just random checks & when I introduce something new to my diet. And I study the nutrition panels very carefully of any food stuff I buy pre prepared though I generally make a lot of what I eat from scratch. Hopefully your nutritionalist will be of help. Ask that she sit down with you & go through a week or two of what you’re eating. Ask what is missing from your diet, what you could reduce or drop from your diet, what you need to add & alternative foods you could include. Make sure she understands your lifestyle as well not like the one who gave my pescatarians a diet full of meat as the protein source! Good luck.

I lost alot. Then after time, I could see short hairs above my forehead. My combs and brushes still grab a lot. I have used shampoos and supplements that are supposed to help. I'm probably not getting enough protein again. Lack of protein is the cause. I am almost 2yrs post-sleeve-op. Sent from my moto g fast using BariatricPal mobile app

I'm doing the nature's truth hair, skin and nails gummies 2500 Mcg of biotin. Hair still falling out but not a lot at time now