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Report Your WINS ..What is your today's win??🥇
Hiddenroses replied to Mspretty86's topic in Rants & Raves
Wins -- Well, I let myself have a few more carbs yesterday, bringing my net carbs up closer to 30 when they have been running in the teens or single digits the past eight weeks (one other time in the 30s on a day I had chili) and seems to be so far so good. I started spacing out my three meals to having more like 4-5 meals per day every three hours and find that works SO much better for me. It also helped me get past my 3.5 week stall that lasted about a week. I went out walking a couple of times this past week and also started using my exercise bike. Noticed that walking around is not leaving me as sore and my stamina is increasing. I also had a couple of NSV - I had to scoot up my car seat a bit, was able to wear a pair of jeans that were WAY too tight before my surgery, and I tried on a shirt yesterday that used to be tight in the arms and across the shoulders and found it fit comfortably! I'm starting to get comments on the weight loss being visible, so that's nice. Portion sizes remain very small - I don't dare eat more than 1/2 - 3/4 of a cup of combined foods per meal. I did add in a few bites of things that aren't just protein based, and that has been a nice switch. -
APRIL SURGERY BUDDIESS?
wendy4energyrenewal replied to KortGBP's topic in Gastric Bypass Surgery Forums
Thank you, longhaul68! I read about hair loss and was hoping it was a rare side effect. It sounds like it does get better when nutrition picks up?? Did you tell everybody you had weight loss surgery? My friends know, as they are my support system. I have not told anyone at work. I told my boss I'm having surgery. I told my families (I work with kids) that I'm going to be out for 2 weeks (BTW is 2 weeks enough??). It's not that I'm ashamed of the surgery, I don't think. I'm not sure why I haven't told everyone in my life. They'll think I'm sick when I start the weight loss! What have others said to people? -
February 2024 Surgery Buddies?
LisaCaryl replied to NickelChip's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I'm sorry so many of you are having struggles. I, too, was told that the first 4 months or so will be filled with ups and downs. I guess I'm in more of an up place right now. The nausea has subsided, it's almost gone. I don't feel good when I eat, but that's about it. My energy is way up from where it was when my bp was low and I was dehydrated. And the scale had been going down... 3 pounds this week. I almost feel guilty telling you all this. I do struggle with getting enough protein. I get between 30 and 60 grams a day, and I'm trying to add protein powder to anything I can. I can't eat enough food to get it in. I'm pretty much off protein shakes and bars. I can sometimes tolerate half a protein bar. Right now, I have a shake sitting here next to me. I get gaggy thinking about drinking it, but I'm going to try! Is anyone experiencing hair loss? I heard it usually starts around the 4-month mark. I cut my very short to prepare for it... but am hoping it doesn't happen. At least it will be during the summer months! Have to look on the bright side -
That's fantastic progress, congratulations on your 7.5lb loss this week! It's great to hear you're noticing positive changes and feeling motivated. The idea of "shopping in your wardrobe" sounds like a fun and rewarding way to track your progress. Best of luck with your upcoming appointments and navigating the dietary changes. For decaf tea, Yorkshire Tea and PG Tips both do good decaf versions in the UK. Keep up the great work and stay positive—you're doing amazing! For natural supplements thenaturemeds is guarantee solution to all health problem.
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Same dress, different girl
BabySpoons replied to Dchonlee's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Agree with Summer. I went thru sizes so fast there were some items of clothing I barely had a chance to wear before having to bag it up and take to Goodwill. This is probably one of the funnest parts of my weight loss journey for me. Buying smaller sizes, then being able to fit into them in a few short weeks. Also, not having to hang dry clothes so they wouldn't shrink up on me to intentionally putting them in the dryer so they would shrink up for me. So I could wear them longer. LOL -
February 2024 Surgery Buddies?
gracesmommy2 replied to NickelChip's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Congrats on all your losses! Hope you get some energy back soon, I’m sure that sucks! -
I went through similar for the first few months and couldn't keep them down. In the end my surgeon agreed that I could take 'normal' vitamins for a month, which I had been taking pre-op, and then to go on to a different format of the bariatric vitamins once my stomach was ready to accept them. I had been taking the hard ones that were so big, dry and tasted disgusting and couldn't keep them down, even the smell of them turned my stomach. Now I can take the capsule format as there is no taste or smell. I also tried a different brand of bariatric capsules but they were cherry tasting (hate) and couldn't keep them down and even putting into a smoothie turned the the taste of the smoothie vile. For the calcium I have to just buy generic ones on Amazon as the special bariatric ones I can get here can only be sold as a package with the horrible cherry capsules. I also had to take a daily dose of iron for a month or so when my levels got too low as I have pernicious anemia. Picture attached of the daily vitamin one I take. I also took their special hair capsule one in addition for three months to help when I was losing so much hair.
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*drum roll please* The Dreaded STALL 😰
NickelChip replied to Bypass2Freedom's topic in Rants & Raves
Oh, yes. It really is so disheartening, and knowing it's normal/expected doesn't make it feel any better! To give you an idea of how my weight loss has fluctuated, here are my monthly totals so far: February: -16.4 lbs (2 week pre-op diet plus surgery on 2/21) March: -11.6 lbs April: -7.6 lbs May: -2.8 lbs June: -11.2 lbs July: -1.6 lbs August: -8.4 lbs And so far in September I'm at a whopping -0.4 lbs for the month. Let me tell you, May and July both sucked, and I honestly don't think I did anything differently in June or August to explain the variation. It just is what it is. I'd say stay off the scale, but personally, I enjoy having the daily number because I'm obsessed with having a record to look back on, so I get having to do it every morning. I'm sure you're far from done losing, even if you're at a slow point right now. Just for fun, I'm attaching a side by side comparison that I made of myself yesterday. It's a photo of me from last summer at my highest weight alongside a pic of me from my walk yesterday. When the scale stalls, making something like this cheers me up and helps me see beyond the numbers on the scale. -
Another factor is insurance. For example, I know my insurance would happily (as happily as they do anything) cover sleeve or bypass. Meet the requirements and you could have either one of those, no questions asked. Everything else was considered "experimental" and was not covered. Based on my brother's experience of significant regain after sleeve, plus not wanting to risk GERD and the possibility of a revision, I opted for bypass right out of the gate. I felt like that would be a one-and-done surgery, and I have zero regrets. A few key differences to consider are bypass is a stronger metabolic surgery, so you tend to get more durable weight loss if you look at 5-10 years post-op. But weight regain after sleeve can be managed with GLP-1 meds (if you have coverage or can pay out of pocket). If you have reflux or diabetes/pre-diabetes, seriously consider a bypass as this surgery is great for reducing or eliminating these conditions. If you smoke or require a lot of pain meds, seriously consider sleeve because your risk of ulcers with bypass is elevated by smoking and NSAID use, and the ulcers are very hard to cure. Dumping can be unpleasant but managed through dietary choices. I have had a couple very minor instances of dumping. Once after eating too much sugar (I absolutely knew better when I did it), and once after a few bites of a very rich, very fat-filled Thanksgiving side dish (this one surprised me). In both cases, my heart raced for about 15 minutes to the point my Fitbit thought I was exercising and awarded me "zone minutes." For me, that was the extent of it and nothing I couldn't handle. I'll just avoid that green bean dish next time. Some people do get worse responses. A lot of people never dump at all. One thing to consider if choosing a less-known surgery in the US is your doctors outside the surgeon who performs it may not be very familiar with it. Everyone should know what a bypass or a sleeve is. Hospitals or EMTs might not know much about your anatomy with a MGB or a DS, and that could cause delays in treatment, which in an emergency might become an issue. Not to say don't get those if they're right for you, but you may have to spend more time educating yourself and your healthcare team if you do.
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Today marks 6 months since my gastric bypass surgery! It's also almost exactly one year since I attended the orientation class at the weight loss center that was the first step in beginning the surgical program. I came home after the class and took a "before" photo. I had just weighed in at my highest weight ever. I was on blood pressure meds and my A1c put me in the prediabetic danger zone. My joints ached every morning. My 50th birthday was looming and I felt so old. The day after that photo, I started making changes to my diet. I lost 13 lbs from August until early February. I lost an additional 13 lbs on my 2-week liquid diet. I had my surgery on February 21 and since then, I've lost another 45lbs, for a total of 71 lbs down! My blood pressure is normal, and so is my A1c. The aches and pains are gone, and I'm hitting my 10k step goal several days each week. I'm nowhere near perfect, but I'm improving steadily. I honestly couldn't tell you the last time I was this weight. It had to have been when I was around 22 years old. Like pretty much everyone says, my only regret is not doing this sooner.
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August Surgery buddies
ShoppGirl replied to Averdra's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Congratulations on your loss. I was a savory girl Lee bariatric world and post sleeve I became a sweet girl too. Then post SAFI that went away but has started to come back. I think MAYBE it’s just our bodies wanting carbs and sweet food is usually the absolute highest in carbs so the quickest way to get them. I did not have the bypass but I don’t think your friend is correct about eating whatever you want. I know that was for sure not true for the me with the sleeve. I started at 235, lost down to 168 then gained it all back plus some to 258 and was still gaining when I started the preop diet for my revision. I have also heard plenty of regain stories on here about the bypass. Now, does it malabsorb some of your food, absolutely. So if you were like 900 pounds before it’s possible you would stay a bit smaller just because you pretty much already ate all you wanted volume and calories wise before and the malabsorption would in theory make you weight a bit less if you ate the same exact food, but it would only be a bit less anyways and who of us wants that. . As far as a more common starting weight I really don’t think so because even at our high weights we still weren’t eating absolutely all we would have liked to or we could have and if we ate any and everything we wanted, even with some calories not absorbing that’s still probably giving our bodies more than we were eating before. I do know from experience that what fuel I put into my body changed how I feel, though, so even if I could get away with eating anything I wanted cosmetically, I know that I wouldn’t feel as good as I do when I eat a balanced diet and keep up my activity. That processed junk that most of us used to eat all the time is not good for us and it doesn’t give your bodies what it needs to run efficiently. Another thing to keep in mind is that we are still pretty early out to be relaxing too much. Most people have a 10–15 pound bounce back even if they keep working at it. I don’t know about you but I’ve still got more that I want to lost. I definitely don’t want to be bouncing back!! for the sweet cravings try the sugar free popsicles again. They can trick my brain sometimes and others i Have fruit. I figure calorie wise they may be more calories but at least it’s not added sugar. I try to avoid that as much as possible because that makes me have more cravings the next day and for like a week. -
February 2024 Surgery Buddies?
gracesmommy2 replied to NickelChip's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I’ve slowed wayyyy down weight loss wise. I’ve only lost about 6 LBs in the last month which doesn’t thrill me. Since I rarely eat 800-1000 cal a day on average I guess I’m going to have to start exercising (which I despise 😂) but i know it’s better for me. -
Looking for Inspiring Stories - Gastric Bypass Journeys!
AmberFL replied to Justarwaxx's topic in Gastric Bypass Surgery Forums
Congrats on how well you have been doing!! I had the gastric sleeve and would love to share my story The good: I had my surgery on January 24, 2024, and I am now almost one year post-op. I reached my goal weight about seven months after the surgery and have been maintaining it within a +/- 3-pound range. Once I started weightlifting, I noticed a significant transformation in my body, which has kept me motivated because I am starting to love what I see in the mirror. I have gone from a size 2/3X top to an XS/S top, and from size 18 pants to size 4. I never imagined my body could look and feel this good. My health has vastly improved, and I have so much energy. I am happier, and that positivity radiates from me. The bad/challenges: I still experience episodes of binge eating, although it is not as severe as it was before. However, when I'm not being mindful, I tend to grab chips and eat too many, or take mini candies and other snacks that I shouldn't have. I am aware of my actions, but for some reason, I don't seem to care in the moment. It has happened maybe two to three times, and each time, I feel really angry with myself. I recognize that this is something I need to work on, and I'm conscious of it. I understand that this will be a lifelong challenge for me, but I am actively working on it and taking it one day at a time. I tend to be hard on myself because I am so afraid of going back to my old habits. This is a second chance at life and I want to make the most of this! Everyone has their own journey. We will all face challenges and struggles, but for the most part, this is an amazing tool! Make the most of it in the first 12 to 18 months. Take advantage of the rapid weight loss, work out, and engage in activities that intimidated you when you weighed more. Take risks, because I promise you will be so happy that you did! -
Introducing BariatricPal PeptideComfort™: Your Daily GLP-1 Support Vitamin for Nausea Relief, Energy, & Metabolic Health Hi everyone! I’m excited to announce the launch of our newest product, BariatricPal PeptideComfort™, designed specifically for those taking GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro. We understand that while these medications can be a game-changer for weight loss, they sometimes come with uncomfortable side effects—particularly nausea and fatigue. PeptideComfort™ was created to support you in managing these side effects so you can stay on track with your health goals. Here’s how PeptideComfort™ helps: Nausea Relief: Packed with ginger and other natural ingredients known to help ease nausea. Boost Energy Levels: Key vitamins like B12 and iron help you fight fatigue and boost energy. Support Metabolic Health: Formulated to complement the benefits of your GLP-1 treatment by supporting your overall metabolism and nutrient absorption. We’re offering a Satisfaction Guarantee, so if you're not satisfied, we've got you covered. If you've struggled with nausea or low energy on GLP-1s, this might be just what you need. Check it out here: BariatricPal PeptideComfort™. Feel free to ask any questions, and I’d love to hear from anyone who gives it a try! -
Struggling 😔
NickelChip replied to Bypass2Freedom's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
Weight loss success is roughly 80% or more about your nutrition and 20% or less about exercise. No gym required! So if you don't like the gym or can't fit it into your schedule, really hone in on the nutrition for now and add whatever body movement you CAN manage every day. Meet yourself where you are, not where you think you should be. If you only walk 1500 steps a day, set a goal for 5,000 a day and don't expect yourself to be running a marathon next month. If you're already good about walking, kick it up by putting on some ankle and wrist weights while you do a 15 minute dance video on YouTube to get your heart rate up and build some strength. Or buy a set of resistance bands and do those a few times per week. Culturally, I think we've become convinced you have to "go to the gym" to see results, and it's really not true. And if you only have the energy to focus on one thing in these early days, start with nutrition because that's where you will see the most lasting results. You're still healing right now and your body is not ready for grueling workouts at this stage. -
February 2024 Surgery Buddies?
BlueParis replied to NickelChip's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
@Briss72 So happy you got your insurance/loan sorted. And wow that’s an amazing loss, you must be feeling so much better allready! Also it’s such a nice number 22.2! Go you! Congratulations. -
Ask him about the statistics of long-term success with the sleeve. The sleeve is great for many people don’t get me wrong, but I believe it was 26% of sleeves that need to be revised. If I’m not mistaken, this included because of Gerd as well, but also inadequate weight loss to begin with or weight regain, which was more common with sleeve than with the other surgeries. When I talk to my surgeon about revision, I wanted assurances that I wasn’t just wasting my time going to lose all of my weight. Only to turn around and gain it back and he said the sleeve does not have the same metabolic changes that the SADI or Bypass offer. While the. Sleeve is enough of a change for many people it’s just not enough for some. In my case when I lost my weight, I was basically on a diet with the sleeve which was a little bit easier because I wasn’t hungry, but once the hunger came back, so did the weight for me so this may be different for you because you did keep it off for a while, but I would ask what the statistics are in terms of people who gain it back down the road with sleeve is that more common than with the other surgeries? I guess one kind of pro for doing the sleeve would be that if you did regain the option for a revision would probably be a lot easier. Not trying to say that you want to think of that before you even start but it is a possibility for all of us I guess. It’s a lot of questions and a lot of information when you start weighing more than two options especially but just be thorough and ask all your questions you will know which option is best for you once you feel educated about them all. Best of Luck.
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Just checking you had your surgery in May so you’re 8 months out? Mmmm 800 may be a little low for you given your height and gender though that is a conversation to be had with your dietician with consideration of your needs and activity. I’m a lot shorter than you, female, likely older & wasn’t very active when losing and I was eating about 900 at 6 months and at my goal & I kept losing. Even now I maintain at my weight eating about 1600 calories. Though if you’re not hungry do you need more calories at this time?? I do disagree with your dietician saying if you increase your intake you will gain as you will continue to lose weight eating more calories if you’re still in a deficit (i.e. eating fewer calories than your body needs to function). It may slow down your rate of loss though. Yes, this time of year can be difficult with so much food and so many treats. It really does come down to making the best choices you can when you have little or no control of the food available. Consider portion size. Can you swap out anything? Try to balance your intake across all your meals during the day. Keep focus on your protein first then vegetables. Avoid carbs and limit what sweet treats you may indulge in. And if you’re not hungry you don’t have to eat because everyone else is. If you’re contributing a dish, make something you can eat without compromising your plan. Remember this is not everyday but just this time of the year so don’t beat yourself up if you do go off plan though try to get back to your regular eating style/plan as soon as possible. I’m 5.6 yrs out and I still follow these guidelines in these types of situations. After four Christmas gatherings with full on meals over a couple of days, food to prepare & leftovers to eat, I am glad to be back in my own home, with my own food choices and my own eating routines. I weighed myself this morning and I only put on 300g (0.6lb) over Christmas & being away a week so the guidelines do help to keep things under control. PS What are the shots you mentioned?
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Do I have a revision
ShoppGirl replied to indianlight's topic in Revision Weight Loss Surgery Forums (NEW!)
The SADI is a modified version of the DS where when they bypass a portion of the bowels they only need “Single Anastmosis,” which means connection and is the first two letters of the acronym SADI, instead of two anastomosis that the DS uses. They are both almost a combination or the sleeve and bypass to simplify it. They combine the sleeved stomach for restriction with the bypassed intestine for malabsorption. In terms of least to most aggressive it’s sleeve, bypass, SADI, then DS. The SADI is fairly new and is considered to be a relatively safe option with that single connection lessening the risk for leaks by at least half and overall risks are less than the DS considering the weight loss is not a lot less. Like the DS it can be done in one surgery or in two steps beginning with a sleeve first and then completing the bypass portion In a second operation later (often after a patient loses enough weight to make the bypass portion safe or as in my case if they do not lose adequate weight or experience regain after the sleeve). You may also see the SADI referred to as the modified switch or SIPS surgery. And the -S in SADI-S just means with sleeve as in when the two components are done at the same time in one operation. -
Slowing Down 😶🌫️
NickelChip replied to Bypass2Freedom's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
One thing I've learned through experience is that it's hard to predict what will happen next. My weight loss slowed significantly in July but then I dropped a lot in August and September, but slowed again in October and even more in November. A lot of it not really because of any major changes in my behavior, either. There's a lot going on that you can't really see throughout this whole process. I notice, for example, that my body shape changes when my weight is steady. I do try to be honest with myself. Sometimes, I know for certain I have been doing everything correctly and am not losing. That's fine. Sometimes, I lose weight and I know I did so despite making some poor choices. I try to be aware of that because it will not be as easy as time goes on (it already isn't for me!). I know that if I have things in the house, I will be tempted by them, but I rarely would leave the house to go buy something I didn't already have just because it sounded good. If I buy cookies, I may end up eating four of them instead of the two I said I would eat. If I don't buy them, I will eat zero. So, after the holidays, not buying or making the stuff is my main strategy. For me, it's all about figuring out how I want to live. I want to be healthy, but I don't want to be miserable. I'm working on being more intentional with what I eat and how I exercise. My goal now that my appetite and capacity have kind of settled into a fairly predictable pattern, is to strengthen my routines around food prepping and setting regular meal times. If I can stick to that most of the time, have a solid list of things I make on a regular basis and keep in the house ready to go in an instant, and things I do NOT keep anywhere near me, I won't feel like I need to worry about the occasional indulgences. Because skipping all holiday snacks or treats, or never ordering a dessert or a special cocktail, isn't a way I want to live! But I also don't want to lose track and let myself indulge all year because I forgot to set limits. -
How very amazing! Honestly, 6 months after surgery it's very likely you will lose much more OP. Is there any reason that you wouldn't want to? I am a firm believer in our body selecting its own goal weight after WLS. Loads of us here want to get to a randomly selected end point that we'd be happy with, but find that either we can't make it, or alternatively that we overshoot it. I was one of the latter people. I have regained 8 lbs in the last 8 months (which is common in the third year) but I've levelled out now and I am so glad that I stuck to my programme and kept losing those few extra pounds rather than taking my foot off the gas when I got to my (arbitrary) goal. Welcome to your new life. In a couple of years you'll be glad you used your weight loss tool to the max while it's in its honeymoon phase!
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Yea. I checked and I don’t have any coverage for them either so to get the real deal I would be looking at a considerable amount out of pocket like you. I didn’t mind the suggestion though, some insurance companies are actually covering them for weight loss now and when they do they are much more affordable. I have a friend who just got on Wegovy for weight loss and her copay is only $25 a month!!! If I had that coverage I would for sure be asking more questions. A lot of companies are also making compounded ones that are like $2-300 but it’s not really clear if they are as effective and/or safe quite yet. . My primary provider said they were working on getting the compounded ones in their office so I assume those would be safe but still I question the effectiveness and they are only beginning to work on it now so who knows when it will actually happen. My primary said if it was her she wouldn’t wait for that option to become affordable since my numbers are creeping up. Anyways, your surgery is getting really close. Are you excited? Nervous? I am already a little of both. Mine is Aug 7. I keep on questioning if I am crazy to go with the newest option just because there isn’t as much help out there for me post op. At least I haven’t found it yet. I already spoke with two nutritionists and both of them claimed to know beforehand about the procedure then both of them pushed the same information on me as they would for a bypass. Total waste of money. I have an appt soon with the NP at my office, though. I’m hoping to get some answers about the regular diet and the supplements that are specific to the SADI. Have you started your pre op diet yet??
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i had my surgery in january 10, 2024 after catching covid and being hospitalized for a week the weight loss began i was impressed. i was 280 lbs by march. it just kept going down but then it stopped at 256 which it has been for a month now. what can i do to make it start going down again? what can i eat for lunch and dinner? what foods should i cut out? i already cut out rice and potatoes despite being told its safe to eat. all i got access to here is a pool, will swimming help?
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Made my decision, how to get started?
NickelChip replied to Alisa_S's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
In my case, I was referred by my primary care doctor to the weight management center that is affiliated with the hospital and everything else was done through them. But I know it can be different depending where you are. In my case, my surgeon, dietician, and behavioral therapist were all in one office and I went to the hospital to have my labs drawn and my barium swallow and EKG. I did not have to do a sleep test or endoscopy based on whatever criteria they use for that. My insurance required a certain number of visits with the dietician and surgeon, but I'm not sure now what the requirement was because I had been going to the center for a long time on medically supervised weight loss before switching to surgical, so I had long since met those requirements. -
Down 127 lbs. since October 2023
Arabesque replied to RonHall908's topic in Weight Loss Surgery Success Stories
Congratulations. You’re doing so well. Your weight loss is certainly noticeable. Sometimes the scales don’t move but the numbers on the tape measure gets smaller or our clothes get bigger. I think our body makes small adjustments to the location of our fat as we lose. It certainly goes through a noticeable resettling after maintenance begins & our weight loss stops - we look less gaunt, our body shape changes, etc. It’s why those of us who’ve been here a little while often suggest taking body measurements instead of weighing yourself during a stall. Looking forward to seeing what their next months bring you.
