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My surgery was May 10th. Gastric sleeve and hiatal hernia repair. I’m one week post op today. I’ve been able to drink 48oz of propel and at least an additional 50oz of water. It’s been an absolute miserable chore, but I keep telling myself it’s better than ending up dehydrated and back in the hospital. Over the weekend I had a total of 3 SF popsicles and 9oz (4.5/day SF jello). Today I had horrible diarrhea, so I may just go back to water, propel and chicken broth like I did the first five days. I’ve been very down. The soreness pain I felt getting up and sitting or laying down has significantly improved but internally I feel like my organs are churning all the time and my incisions will sting and hurt often. This has been far harder mentally and physically than any other surgery I’ve been through. I’ve had an appendectomy for acute appendicitis that burst on the operating table. I’ve had bunionectomy surgeries on both feet and multiple bone spurs removed from one foot. This is obviously a far more extensive surgery, but man, I keep having to fight off regret and depression. My weight right before surgery was 207 and today I’m 199. The loss feels great, but honestly, I’m so miserable right now that getting out of the 200s doesn’t even feel that joyful.

I'm at 7 weeks. I stalled at 3 weeks, but then lost for 1 week. Now, 14 days no weight loss. Frustrating as heck!!!

yes - a lot of women report having mood swings and screwed-up menstrual cycles the first few weeks or months after surgery. It's supposedly due to estrogen being released from fat cells due to the rapid weight loss. It eventually stabilizes. as far as weight loss, if you follow your program, you WILL lose weight.

Morning, For those of you who have been medically cleared by your surgeons to workout in the gym, what exercises are you doing in the gym? How frequently do you go, which exercises, and for how much time? I walk for cardio 5 days a week for approx 30 mins during the day while at work. Sometimes its a little more and sometimes a little less. With my little calorie intake, that's good for me right now. But, I am concerned about muscle loss. So, I think I want to do some strength exercise and toning work. Any suggestions? Thanks!

I'm EXTREMELY nervous about beginning to date again. I'm 48 now, 5 ft 4". I have one child 24 yrs old that lives with me as well as My amazing 80 yr old Mother. I am bisexual, I don't smoke & rarely drink (only a teeny amt & only on very, very special occasions). I married the wrong guy, back in 2009, Divorced in 2017 & due to my severe back issues I had R&Y on Aug 24th 2020. I've struggled with my weight throughout my life, reaching my heaviest in May 2020 at 313, I weigh 196 now, I'm VERY proudofmyself (insert high five). I have approx 30-40 lbs left to reach my tentative goal of 155-165. I honestly just don't know where to start with dating again, I used to be soooo great with dating etc and had tons of confidence but now I'm going through all these changes with the weightloss process. Plus my thinning & graying hair, YES apparently increased "graying" is a possibility after wls ugh lol.. I'm also in the process of waiting to get my final upper denture plate as You can't get the final fitting while losing weight, it was news to me that you lose weight in your gums too! So that definitely puts the pause button in effect for me where dating is concerned. I also don't want to sound 😕 discriminatory by saying this but I don't want to date anyone of any significant overweight status, low activity levels or crappy eating as a habit. These are all simply triggers for me as a recovering binge eater so I wouldn't want to invite that into my future. I need to date someone who will encourage my more active lifestyle, share these activities with Me & enjoy getting/being as healthy as possible throughout our lives. I was dying & basically immobile a year ago, I have 3 spinal diseases so the 115 lbs I've lost so far was definitely killing me in more ways than one. I never want to go back to that life & maintaining my healthy lifestyle is key to keeping my mobility and the much improved mental health that goes with it. I just don't feel the confidence yet or quite know where to start lol. Annapolis Md is a busy but beautiful and diverse city so there's lots of amazing single ppl here, I'm just not sure where to begin or when to begin either lol.. Thank you for reading my story. - I don't have any "new" before/after body pics to share so here's an older one comparing 313 & 216 AND a brand new one of my hands at 313 & 196. Lol Kelly H.

First of all welcome to the journey!! I had VSG. I am currently 4 weeks post op! I am 5’2 and started out also with a 40 BMI and at 231lbs. I am now currently 200. The 31lb weight loss is noticeable in my face and you can definitely tell with the way my shirts fit now. Everything is slimming in a downward motion - my face, neck and bust line were noticeably smaller in week 2. My torso is very short, so my stomach is slimmer, but the skin flap is still there. I’m just now returning to work this week and will also be hitting the gym as well. So I’m hoping to tighten up this skin. Im so excited for you! Good luck!!

When did you have your surgery? Congrats on the loss!!

I have been very open with everyone about my surgery. I agree with what someone said about about their being a big difference between not telling people and flat out lying. I've heard of some "influencers" who had surgery but lie about it to their followers to shill some scam weight loss product they claim worked for them. It's one thing to just not tell people and keep it to yourself. That doesn't hurt anyone. But when you're out there lying to other obese people who want to lose weight about how you did it and convincing them to try some crash diet or waste money on a products its just wrong.

I haven’t seen this addressed so I’m going to ask, as I’m sure many of us have this problem. What do you do for constipation? I’m still doing my pre-op liquid diet and have been constipated pretty much the whole time. I was told to drink milk of magnesia but it doesn’t work. Any advice? Congrats on your loss!!!

There is sharing with people who "need to know" - and sharing with those you feel will be supportive - and there is telling everyone you know and people who don't even want to know... really.... it's just something for them to talk about. I look at it this way. I was married for almost 20 years. Both my (now) ex and I worked in the same field in the same town. In the mental health field. He came to me about 6 months after we separated and were almost divorced. He told me that "everyone" tells him that I say the same thing when people ask which was/is " He is a great________. If you have the opportunity to work with him, I would take it, but I just would not marry him if I were you." Truth. Conversation stopper every time. I have lost a lot of weight - something I did a few years after that divorce. I only told the "need to knows" - When people ask me how I lost weight, I tell them " Less food, healthier lifestyle choices and working closely with my doctors. " Truth. Also conversation stopper. Then I compliment something about them. "Love your hair, adorable shirt, beautiful earrings...." Done.

This could not have been said any better. Weight loss is different for everyone.

I meant to post back in March but been busy with life. I hope all of you are doing well and staying safe. For those who got sick with the virus or lost loved ones, I offer my deepest thoughts and sympathies. I was part of the group who got the by-pass done just before everything went on lockdown last year. It's been quite the journey. I've been fortunate to have been able to work from home all of this time, although I do expect to return to the office sometime later this year. To date, I have lost 92 lbs. since the start of my bariatric journey and 104 lbs. from my highest weight. I had the surgery at 62 years of age and I was pre-diabetic, with high blood pressure and a BMI of over 44 and Stage 2 kidney disease. My highest dress size was 24 and I had severe acid reflux, back, knee and feet problems. At present, I can likely get into a size 18 and my bust size has gone from DDD to DD. I absolutely have no regrets getting the surgery -- it likely saved my life in many ways. Pre surgery I did a lot of reading on here as I wanted to know as much as I could about what to expect and I appreciated those who were 6-12 months out from surgery coming back to talk about their experiences, so I wanted to pay it forward. I will begin by breaking this into 4 sections: How I feel, What I think about myself, What I appreciate about myself now, and My work in progress. How I Feel: Physically I feel great and I consider that a blessing. I still have problems with my feet but that is mainly due my falling arches more than anything (although I did strain my ankle a few weeks ago attempting to do HIIT exercises -- don't ask). I've been most frustrated not being able to go to the gym to workout so my main exercise is walking long distances and doing online sculpturing classes. I do plan to return to the gym soon to step up the weight training. Walking up a flight of stairs without gasping for air is just simply divine! Having blood pressure that avg. 117/75? Lovely! I do still have to sleep somewhat elevated as I do have occasional bouts of reflux but nothing like before the surgery and I can't sleep on my right side for too long. But I can now sleep on my back without having severe back pain (the draw back is that my mouth is always open when I do). My blood work for the most part shows most areas in the normal ranges and my kidneys are functioning well. What I think about myself: When I was still in my 20s, I managed to lose 80 pounds and I gained it all back and then some. What is different about me now vs. then is that I still saw myself as fat, even though at that time, I was 16 pounds away from my goal weight. When I look at the pictures of me then, I couldn't see what I see of myself now. Even if I never lose another pound, I am so very cool with me being at this size right now. We are all different, especially us women, but yet we compare our bodies to an image that is not necessarily natural or realistic for most of us. Now I look in the mirror and I 'see' skinny and that's only because I'm tall and can carry more weight without 'looking' fat. That's also why the bottom line for me will always be the numbers on the scale, the volume of food I eat and the calories I ingest because the numbers don't lie. But poor body imagery can screw your mind up every time. What I appreciate about myself now: I think that it's so important to note the things that most folk who are thinner often take for granted. I try to keep a mental list of the things I can do now vs. before: Crossing my legs! I so love doing this! I can cross my legs without needing to hold my leg in place with my hand. I can keep my legs crossed for long periods of time without leg cramps; I can get a 4.5 mile walk in within 1 hr, 15 min vs. the 1 hr. 45 mins. in the past. I was able to work up to 10 miles in one session last year; Love having a resting heart rate in the 50s-60s; I can actually go to Costcos and buy some clothes! I haven't yet done so, but I will be able to start shopping for clothes in the non plus size section (that will still feel weird though); I like the fact that it can take me 2-3 days to finish a meal that I would normally eat in one meal. Volume control is a major game changer for me. I can't believe that I don't miss ice cream! My Work in Progress: The weight loss is slooooooooooooooooooooow now. I'm so close to that major milestone of onederland that I can taste it! Drinking enough water is still a struggle; Yes, sometimes I do overeat (and yeah, I pay for that!) Some foods that I like I can't really eat that much of anymore. I have to remind myself to make sure I get in enough protein. The protein drinks really helps even now. I still feel somewhat guilty when I have to throw food away because I'm full. I still snack a lot and I will on occasion, have that one sweet item that I want. I don't crave sweets and I'm so very grateful about that. Interesting that I want more savory things now. Being consistent is what I have to constantly work on. So ask me anything and I will check in from time to time to answer your questions. I would love to hear from others who had the surgery just prior to the great shutdown of 2020. Whatever you do, stay true and focus on your journey. It doesn't matter when you get there, only that you do in your time.

Lying or choosing just not to tell others? My life, my body, my choice. I am not a poster child for bariatric surgery. The reactions - It's like telling someone you're vegetarian. They think they have to go out of their way to accommodate you. No, just cook what you normally cook and I'll choose what I want to eat and how much I want to eat. Then there's the doubters. "Do you really think that's necessary, can't you just diet? Such a drastic thing to do! You're putting yourself at risk going under anesthesia!" Blah, blah, blah! At a business dinner one time a coworker told the waiter, "I've had bariatric surgery so I can't eat much. The table dinner conversation following was all about her and the surgery. She kept the conversation going even though the rest of the table was well done talking about it which was real quick. This is a business dinner not an all about me and my bariatric surgery dinner. Well, she gained all the weight back she had lost plus a few more. Maybe she should have kept that information about her bariatric surgery to herself? Now, if I want to tell and talk about it with a friend or acquaintance who seems could benefit and it comes up in conversation I will tell them and talk about it and ask for their confidentiality. Long term weight loss is not guaranteed so let's not sugar coat it. Some people fail. A lot, well most of us have eating disorders. Or relationship with food is the problem. It's like a drug it calms and sooths us until after we're done eating too much. We don't listen to our bodies. You can't necessarily fix a mental problem with a physical solution. So, you be you and let others be them.

So sorry for your loss. Be careful with alcohol. I was revised almost a year ago and I rarely drank but it has developed into something else. It is not the same as before. The bypass has changed the way alcohol effects me and its more or less instant relaxation/gratification? I really cant explain it but I can tell you its no good. I do realize that some bypassers will still have no issues but I am not one of those. I start therapy soon. I had to reach out before something terrible happens. Good luck to you

Very sorry for your loss. I would take the advice of the others and seek some counseling/therapy. Be very careful not to start drinking alcohol especially at this stage.

Good Morning fellow Feb bypassers I hope everyone is doing good. I have to say i am really happy with my results so far. The weight loss has been great (78lbs), As the time goes by I notice the little things that I can do now that I struggled with before. I cut the grass yesterday, before I would be winded and have to take some breaks and sweat my ass off, Yesterday was great, no breaks, no sweating and I could breath. I have a Jeep, I use to have to grab something to help me get in, i don’t now. I could go on on about the little things I’ve noticed. I still have 40Lbs+ to go and am looking forward to finding out what more I can do.. Mike

I am 65 years old. I started my journey at 55 years old. I weighed 320 when I started pre surgery weight loss. I have lost 145 and maintained a weight loss of 100 pounds, then a couple years ago I got back my mojo and relost the 45. I am still overweight. But I am HEALTHY. I move. I work full time. I eat healthfully and yes... I DO have skin hanging in places, and my belly could sure use it. But no more surgeries that are not medically necessary for me. Yes, a personal choice. And yes, if I had my arms done, I would probably lose 5 lbs off of each one !!! But no. I have had a few major surgeries in addition to my VSG and surgery is too hard on my body. And it is not covered by my health insurance. Absolutely not in the budget, now or ever. And I am kinda proud of the jiggling - reminds me how far I have come. To those who decide they want to, and understand that there are risks involved in every major surgery, can afford the expense, time off, have post op care options and have made an informed decision - great ! But not for this "senior".

If you haven't already checked those frozen meals for sodium levels, you might want to check that. I've seen many of them advertised as healthy but they have a ton of sodium. Just a thought. I use 2 ounce plastic containers from the Dollar Tree. I just fill them and leave them in the fridge since it's just for a few days. I have 4 ounce glass containers if I have bigger batches that I then break down into the 2 ounce containers. I'm still eating just over 2 ounces per meal so the small containers still work great for me. And they are easy to take out with me. Like I took a meat and veggie with me to the hair salon today since my appointment was during lunch. LoL. Ate lunch while sitting under the hair dryer, lol. Good luck!

I am so sorry for your loss.. In my experience not many people can stop at 1/2 a glass..so I would be careful about that..(me I'm that person😅)...Also I am about 7 weeks out from a revision surgery and have had lots of similar thoughts...they will pass if you distract yourself long enough or drink a ton of water... Try talking with friends, family or a medical professional about your thoughts. But remember your pouch is still healing and you will be grieving and healing...transfer addiction is a slippery slope and you have been through a lot and need to take care of yourself.

I went through a lot of those same feelings. I was especially sad about not being able to drink sparkling water, and have water with my meals because I've always been a huge water drinker. Having to eat so much protein was hard at first, because I have a goal of being a vegetarian at some point in my life, but I did this so I would have a chance to live a healthy life, and I was willing to do anything. I still miss being able to eat all the veggies I used to, because I'm a huge veggie lover, but I can eat more than I did.at first now. I'm still in the weight loss phase, but I do have a treat once in a while, and for the most part I'm still enjoying the foods I loved before. I've tolerated pretty much everything I've eaten so that helps. I just make sure to get my protein first always and if I have room I enjoy the other stuff. I have definitely had to give up some things, but I have gained SO much more. Every aspect of my life is better now that I've lost almost 150. I don't spend time thinking of food much anymore, so I really don't miss eating like I used to. Sometimes it will hit me, like last night we went out for sushi at a place that has all you can eat sushi. Well, all I can eat is about 4 pieces now, so I just have to order off the menu instead of all you can eat. I miss being able to try all the different kinds, but I fill up so fast that I don't really care once I'm full. It is definitely a lot of change, but I'm so happy I did it. For me, the feeling of getting full is the best thing in the world. I never really felt satisfied when I ate before, no matter how much I ate. I know I'm getting long winded here, but I'm just trying to say that it has all been worth it. There is a mourning period, but it was brief for me, and I'm not sorry about any of the changes I've had to make. It's so worth it for the way I feel and the life I'm living now. Sent from my Nokia 7.2 using BariatricPal mobile app

Congrats on your surgery and your weight loss so far.

I'm so very sorry to hear about friend's family loss after 18 years. Devastating, indeed! They are a handsome breed.

This thread is really old but some new folks say they are having similar issues so I will reply. The three week stall is so common. It can honestly happen before or after but usually it’s right around three weeks. If you do a search on this site you will see how often it is talked about. Rest assured. The weight loss will pick back up. Just stick to your plan.

Two weeks post op. 12 lbs net loss ( I have 180 lbs to approach a healthy weight). Yesterday I ate a small bag of chips at work. It took about an hour. Later, I had small pieces of chocolate. Altogether, probably 400 calories over what I should eat. I feel like such a failure. I didn't have any pain stopping me... My hunger was out of control. I don't know how to deal with it... Advice? Sent from my moto g play (2021) using BariatricPal mobile app

Hello all, Great reading your posts and thanks for responding to my questions. So far, I only really have space for a snack maybe once in a while, like maybe 2 days a week. Those times are usually like once in the afternoon while I'm at work. I eat a cheese stick. I dont usually desire any snacks in the evening at home. Most evenings, I'm too busy trying to finish up my water goals for the day. Hahaha. I get so distracted at work some days that I don't meet my water goal while at work. Its annoying because then at night I'm trying to make up which is hard and I stay up late sipping on water. It's a day by day process of trying to make sure I take care of me while at work and meet my intake goals while there. Need help with that. I'm excited to share that I walk at work every single day! Usually around 30 minutes. I even walked twice Wednesday. Once during work and then at the end of the day for a few minutes. After work, I drove to an empty parking lot at work and did some speed walking laps around the lot for just 15 minutes. I don't speed walk during the work day because I don't want to get sweaty or anything like that and have to go back to work. I'm really digging walking now. Feel more energy to do it and the weather has been great. I think it's about me liking being outside and liking that I can walk without feeling tired most days now. That's progress for sure. Tuesday I will be 6 weeks post-op and can move to normal food that's of course low cal, low sugar, low fat, low sodium, low carb, etc. So far, I have not cheated at all. No cravings so far. I do feel some hunger at times, but that's usually my fault because I'm past the due time for a protein shake or a 2.5 - 3 ounce meal which is still my capacity limit. I think Thursday I had some thoughts about wanting to eat out, but I squashed that. First, I can hardly eat any volume so eating out is wasteful, even if I take leftovers home. Second, I don't want to open a slippery slope of eating out once and then wanting to do it again and again and getting off track with my plan. I'm not willing to risk that so early in this process. I also don't want to introduce something that will trigger a craving. So, I got past that. I still food prep. Man, since surgery, I have saved so much money on food. I used to spend a lot more on dining out and groceries. Now with only eating like a max of 3 ounces per meal and just drinking water the rest of the day, I save a ton of money. Protein shakes and vitamins are bigger expenses than food I guess. I see my WLS Team in two more weeks for my 2 month follow up. I am meeting a friend for a weekend mountains getaway to celebrate my two month surgerversary. He is the only person who knows that I had this surgery other than my medical team. We talk all the time about how it's going which helps. Since no one else knows, I don't get to talk with anyone else about my experience during this process. I have one possible challenge coming up. My family is getting together for Memorial Day wknd. That's the weekend before my 2 month mark. That will be the first time that they will see me since my surgery. I live states away from my family so they don't see me all the time. Plus, with COVID the past year, we have gotten together less than usual for family gatherings which usually include siblings, parents, aunt, uncles, nieces and nephews, and cousins. So, a nice size group of people. My parents saw me Easter weekend which was the week before surgery. I had lost some weight pre-surgery, but I don't think they noticed. Now its noticable. So, I've created a couple options for responses to questions about my weight loss since I don't plan to disclose that I had WLS. And I have a plan for what to eat since the family is cooking out. I should be in the clear for a few months after that in regards to any other family gatherings. I'm content with how I feel now and my progress. I do weigh on the scale, but I'm not overly focused on numbers. I noticed that a few of my summer dresses fit better. You can see weight loss in my face. So, I value the non-scale victories. Sorry for the long post. I'm really glad to be a part of this community. It has been very helpful during this process. Have a great Saturday everyone 🙂