Search the Community

2020 330#, Noom 2021 310#, Presurgery 309#, 10 weeks post op #265.

After the second stall, 10 weeks post op, see a 4-5# loss afterwards. So am learning patience and making good decisions. Just got to eat all foods and was nervous at first but realize it is still ensured portion control and after a year of Noom, preoperative, will eat good 80% of time, 20% can be higher fat. Still obtaining from anything not zero sugar.

I'm 2 months post op and starting the gym this week. Starting 2-3 times a week to start. Thinking of joining a weight loss team. Does uiur nutritionist know you are drinking so much Poweraide and Gatorade daily. I was told 1 a day. But with the amount of exercise you are doing it is okay.

Going on 3, maybe 4 yrs post-op. Wow, never thought there'd come a day when I didn't remember. For past 2 yrs I've endured right sided pain. At first I thought it was ovarian but got that checked (was fine) and was a bit high for ovarian. During scans of ovaries/abdomen, it was consistently noted my gallbladder was 'distended'. Sometimes I'd have attacks of pain that would last for hours. I was always stunned when scans would say no 'sludge, no stones, nada' so I thought great, another medical mystery. Finally when I ended up in ER over Christmas 'sludge' and stones were finally noted so they decided to remove it. I was in so much pain that even getting to ER is a blur (husband drove). I do know surgeon said that while gallbladder removal surgery was technically not a big surgery, the fact that I had gastric bypass did mean surgery may take a bit longer as they had less room to maneuver since abdominal area was 'segmented'. That I remember. I came to, according to my husband, hours later and I wondered wow, why did it take so long? Has anyone had gallbladder removal post weight loss surgery and experience same thing (procedure took longer, etc.) MAIN reason I'm back here after few yrs of absence is there are no other people I can go to that can give me at least comparative experiences (i.e. they've not had weight loss surgery so we are anatomically "different"). Honestly, my gastric bypass was a CAKEWALK compared to getting gallbladder out. Is this normal or have I become a weenie in 3 yrs? It literally still HURTS. I am now roughly 21 days post op and I still have right sided pain almost like my gallbladder was never removed. I mean, I know it has been but WHY does it feel like something is still just 'not right'? I figured I was just having a slow recovery and going to hospital/ER is never fun, especially during holidays. Maybe I should have gone back by now as no urgent care place will see me on this. Primary dr not available until tomorrow but what is he going to do besides refer me? Kind of kicking myself for not going back to ER but am always dreading that 'we don't see anything wrong' type conversations...although about 70% of the times I've gone to an ER, there has literally been a legit issue. My right side hurts...and honestly one area feels like it is burning/on fire. I have no fever. No yellowing of the eyes or skin...so I'm just sitting here in wait mode trying to decide what makes the most sense. Symptoms I am having besides ongoing pain and the burning sensation, is hot flashes/heat waves like NO TOMORROW! (is that from the anesthesia??)...clammy all the time...cold sweats throughout the day, nausea...sometimes brief chills..when I walk I'm having to do the same compression/pain compensation that I had after bypass surgery (although honestly I don't recall constantly feeling like I had to hold my abdomen after bypass surgery. I've done cold packs, heating pads, etc. trying to find some home remedies. I've used up the entire prescription of the muscle relaxer which was the one thing, more than the Tramadol which seemed to give some very very brief relief. Sometimes I feel like my insides are tying themselves in a knot. Only thing I can think of is I'm having abdominal spasming and that..it will abate at some point? I can't keep having this interfere with work which is another whole issue. When you tell your workplace you are having issues after gallbladder surgery...well, you know how you get that feeling especially from others who have had something like gallbladder removed where it truly was no big deal and they are wondering...why are you struggling? Some know I had gastric bypass surgery but I really don't want to have to spell it out for others..ya know? Curious to know if anyone else had similar struggles, did it go away...what did you do? Am I an idiot for not already going back to ER to get checked out instead of just continuing to be in pain or does it indeed just take us longer to recover. Interesting side note, if you ever get online access to your medical records from a hospital/doctor, sign up as I was able to read my freaking surgical notes!! Oooh, another sore point - they noted in my surgical notes my gallbladder or some part of it had grown into/adhered to something else it shouldn't have so they had to 'cut it away'...and they also noted a bile leakage they wanted to fix but could not do the preferred 'solution' as they could not maneuver so they went with a Plan 'B' (my wording). I mean...how about you tell me this stuff after the surgery so I don't have to read about it? My husband said I was gone for literal hours - longer than my bypass surgery by far. Any input even if you sailed through your gallbladder removal is welcome.

That is good to know! I was on steroids for about 2 years for an autoimmune disease, so not nearly as long as you but damage was done. I was able to find a psychologist that is licensed in my state but does them via telehealth and is a specialist in eating disorders and bariatrics. I have an appointment a few months out, but it was for when I wanted to schedule, they did have openings much earlier even within a few weeks of when I first inquired.

It's been just over 3 years since I had my RNY (12/31/19). I am so glad I made the decision to do this. It's not easy and there are challenges, but I feel so much better in my own skin. Stats: 5'10; 44 years old Starting Weight: 336 Surgery weight: 292 Lowest weight: 155 Current weight: 172 Wins in 2022: Last year I really wanted to focus on strength and stamina. I set a bucket list goal of climbing Kilimanjaro (I did it in June!) and spent the first half of the year getting in shape for that. That included regular hikes, but also yoga and strength training classes to build muscle and flexibility. I also did a lot of time on the treadmill at incline (I hate the treadmill - but it served it's purpose). In the second half of the year I wanted to keep growing strength, stamina and flexibility but in a way I enjoy so I started HIIT classes. They are a great workout, give me cardio and strength in one which is a huge win. I also still do yoga once a week and try to hike when I can. At the end of the year I am the strongest and healthiest I can ever recall being. I also did a TON of traveling in 2022 which was great for my mental health. I got to see Equador, the Galapagos, Costa Rice, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Alaska, Victoria CA, Little Cayman, and other places in the US West. It's been amazing. Goals for 2023: In addition to continuing to grow on my physical fitness gains from 2022, this year I need to work on my relationship with food. In general I eat much healthier than I did pre-surgery (I was a total carb addict and rarely ate protein or vegetables), however I still struggle with emotional eating and moderation for trigger foods. I am very consciously NOT dieting. There will be times I eat pasta or sweets but I don't want to eat because I'm bored or <insert any emotion here>. I also want to be aware of the scale, I really want to stay between my low weight and where I am now, but not ruled by it. I'm not sure exactly what this will look like, but will figure it it. I also start a new job in a couple of weeks. I'm super excited about the role and the challenge it will present. It will mean a lot less time to travel, but I'm ready to take on something new. My goal (aside from doing well at the job) is to find a way to balance work and life in a more sustainable way that I have in the past. I hope all of you have an amazing 2023 and good luck in your journey's! Lori

I’ve been on a stall since week 2 of post op. I’ll be 4 weeks post op on Wednesday 😭. Scale is not moving at all

Im working with Mt Auburn in Cambridge MA. They said i could have one cup of coffee if I wanted, so i started with just 2 oz on day 3, then 4 oz. 4 oz seems enough right now to be satisfying, and I drink either black with miralax or mix with 4 oz fairlife elite protein shake (the 46g protein per bottle variety). Im keeping careful notes on everything, looks like Im getting 600-750 calories per day. (Im 5’6”, 254 lb). Soups- i have the broccoli, bacon cheddar, mushroom and cream of chicken. They are all nice and savory and satisfying. Im putting them through seive at this point to not have any little “bits”. The bacon one was great yesterday when my teen was making pepperoni pizza. OMG the smell!!

Hi, I am new to this and I think my Doctor is as well. I saw my DR. and we discussed weight loss surgery. He told me to contact my insurance (Molina) and find out which clinic(s) I can go through. I did that. I then went to a meeting with the clinic closest to where I live. I filled out all of their info only to be told I needed to have my DR. send a certain paper, they attached it to an email and sent it to me. I gave my DR. the paperwork, and I followed up to make sure he sent it in. Essentially that paper was step 1 so I could get approval for step 2. ( Step 2 is connecting with the dietician and doing the weigh-ins for the next 6 months) Step 3 is the actual surgery. I wanted to know, how will I know if I am approved for step 2? will my insurance send me a letter? do I need to talk to my DR. again? Thank You for any help.

I packed light— 1. Cellphone charger/kindle 2. toiletries—Toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, soap, comb/brush 3. Pajama pants 4. Undies 5. Slippers 6. Loose clothes (dress, light weight pants) 7. Got abdominal binder from hospit

Yes, this was the most miserable part for me. I didn't hurt near as bad in any of my other incisions from the surgery, but that one hurt like hell and the pain did not go away for several weeks. It made standing up for any period of time uncomfortable from the tugging at the incision and the general discomfort. It does eventually go away though.. but mine took a lot of time (I think it's even worse if you carry most of your weight in your stomach imo)

I'm still on clear liquids so I am mostly either making my own broths (made Japanese Clear Onion soup yesterday) or using the boxed bone broths, adding unflavored protein to whatever I am eating at the time. I have only approximated my calories and not thought about fats at all. My doc told me to only think about 3 goals this first week: 1- fluids 2-protein 3-vitamins, in that order. I finally started hitting my fluid goal yesterday. I have discovered Hint water, which has helped me increase my intake. I used to love plain water but it isn't the same right now. I'm still down on proteins. I had maybe 45 g of protein today. Vitamins have been easy for me, so far. I am worried about my calorie intake, a little. My approximation is that I am only at about 300ish or less calories a day. Tomorrow is my last day of clear liquids and then I move to full liquid. My calorie intake should increase some at that point, I guess.

I stalled early (week two was my first), and I stalled often - and 14 months later, I hit my goal. I know (TRUST me I know) how irritating and frustrating stalling is, but stick to the program because it is absolutely working.

I gained weight after surgery & stalled at the 2nd week mark. It's extremely frustrating, especially when youre following all of your doctors orders but you WILL break out of it! I'm 3mos out & I think I've dealt with 3 big stalls already. I promise if u keep going you will see results.

Glad to hear you are home! I use the bariatric pal instant soups, 15 g protein each. I was told week one full liquids to get 45-64 oz fluid, 40-60 g protein, meals should last 30-60 minutes. Keep sugar <10g per serving, fat<5g per serving. i like all the soups, straining them with seive before eating at this stage. i mixed my miralax with 4oz coffee this morning. At least it hid the taste. Hope all goes well here onwards for you.

it's probably the infamous "three week stall"; you're just getting it a little early. Most of us experience our first stall within the first 4-6 weeks after surgery - it's usually the third week, hence the name. Mine was weeks 2 and 3. It broke during week 4 and I dropped like 6-8 lbs within a couple of days. Just stick to your program and it'll break - they can last 1-3 weeks, but they WILL break as long as you stick to your plan. And as others have said, this will likely be the first among several - occasional stalls are very normal during weight loss. Stay off the scale for a few days if it's playing with your head too much - and keep in mind that it WILL break, and you'll be on your way again.

Stalls happen. They’re your body’s reaction to the stress of weight loss, reduced food intake, etc. plus as @Hop_Scotch mentioned your surgery. You’ll likely experience more stalls while you’re losing but this perfectly normal. Most last 1-3 weeks. Your weight loss will never be a continuous straight downward line. It will zig & zag, go up & down & not move at all. Stick to your plan & the scale will start to move again. Some people find that while the scale doesn’t move they notice a change in their clothing. Try taking body measurements & comparing changes that way too.

I had surgical pain that I thought was hunger. It went away. The hunger did return though, a few weeks after my surgery.

Hi, checking in on this thread for the first time. I had my VSG on November 14th. The holidays have been tough. But my third-week stall is finally over. Yay 😁 Now back on track!

Well. I have had the most traumatic experience and I need to vent. I am almost 2 years post op RNY. December 15 I went to work as usual, by 230pm was in the ER with excruciating abdominal pain. That evening had emergency open abdominal surgery for the dreaded internal hernia / small bowel obstruction. Spent 5 nights in the hospital. Happy to be home for Christmas - but just a week later landed back in hospital for another partial small bowel obstruction! Thank god it resolved on it’s own. But now I am PARANOID to say the least. On blenderized food for 2 weeks… praying this is a one time deal. Looks like this happens in 8-10% of patients (lucky me). Any advice? Has this happened to anyone else?

I definitely couldn’t identify hunger until at least 3 weeks post-op. It’s still a challenge though and tomorrow is 7 weeks since my surgery.

A ROBE!! I read it on a post somewhere and it was the best thing I brought. When walking the halls immediately after surgery you’re not just going around in your gown. Got a cheap one for $15 on Amazon and it was perfect. I lived in that for 3 days in the hospital. Besides that-phone charger, comfortable clothing to go home in (I wore home what I wore in), toothbrush. That’s it. You’re not going to use anything else. Best of luck!!

I was sleeved on 12/21 and my weight has stayed the same since day 4 PO. I am following Dr.s orders. I had a 3 week LRD with no actual food - so I figure this is my 3 week stall. Just keep doing what you are supposed to and the weight will come off.