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I was the same way the last six months or so of my weight loss phase. It took FOREVER, but the weight did eventually come off!

Different insurances have different rules mine required working with a bariatric doctor for weight loss. Mini me in TN required her to work with her primary care doctor( she’s on YouTube).

Just converted from sleeve to bypass 2 days ago and already losing my mind. The first time wasn't as difficult because it was for weight loss and I was pumped, this time is for GERD relief. I HATE sweets. I could go an entire lifetime without sweets but all the protein drinks are sweet. To combat that does anyone have any suggestions of some soups they ate during phase 2? I was thinking strained chicken noodle soup, strained top ramen, or strained minestrone because regular fat free low sodium broth made me vomit. My doctor just said clear liquids but did not specify or give me ideas. Tyia

I just decided I want to get the surgery and I know for my insurance it says a 6 month program is required, so wondering if the past well over 6 months working with a primary care dr on weight loss will count, or if I have to start over? I'm in Wisconsin and I'm on state health care but only because of the pandemic. So as soon as the governor decides to kick us off who are over the income limit, I will not have insurance, so I'm very concerned about having to wait 6 months.

Some people are fast losers, others are slow losers. You’ll lose at your own pace which is right for you. Three pounds is fine. Don’t expect to be losing 30+ pounds a month like they do on My 600lb Life cause you know they weighed 609+lbs to begin & you didn’t. Follow your weight loss trend not just what you lose every day. Fluctuations are common. Some days you’ll lose nothing then lose 1/2 pound the next. Or you’ll stall & lose nothing. Sometimes for a week sometimes for three weeks. You may be constipated or retaining fluid which can account for a pound or so too. Don’t forget your body is experiencing shock after your surgery too. Give it a chance to come to terms with all the changes & heal. Keep following your plan. Good luck.

they say weight loss is 80% diet and 20% exercise. What's a typical menu for you?

Hi everyone following drastic weight loss I’m in desperate need of a body lift plus BBL. unfortunately bbl procedure has been banned in the United Kingdom for the foreseeable future. I don’t mind travelling. Can anyone recommend a surgeon that’s experienced in both these procedures? I’m quite concerned about the safety of bbl and from my research it seems that the EVL lipofilling is the safest way so looking for a surgeon who uses this technique. thank you! Xxx

So the stall out will last 3 weeks then a drop will happen? Because I have not dropped since my first post op one week after surgery and I’m going to be 6 weeks post op on Tuesday. I too refuse to step on scale for 2 weeks and to just live in the moment and not stress, as we know, stress will prevent weight loss too

My surgery date was 5/5. On that day I weighed 260; today, 5/14, I weigh 257. So in nine days I have only lost 3 pounds. I am drinking 4 protein drinks per day for a total of 600 calories, adding in 60 ounces of water. So I am feeling discouraged. Is this normal?

Hello everyone I had my sleeve done June of last year and I afraid that I have failed to loss this weight because of my disability. My starting weight was 320 pounds and now my weight 283.4 . I walk everyday as much as I can but my doctor wants me to do more walking but my feet won't allow me to walk long periods of time and I can't afford a gym membership so I feel stuck and upset any suggestions please I have 3 months to get down to 200 pounds my doctor said. Sent from my BE2015 using BariatricPal mobile app

Wow! Lucky!! I wish mine stayed after weight loss. My deflated like a balloon! You look great!

This has been... just a whole crazy crazy adventure. Highest weight 402, currently around 200-210. Had my surgery at 325lbs 2018-01-22, will have my TT on 2021-06-04 over 3 long years. I am happy I am stable (weight shifting a bit up and down but never too major) and i was approved for a panni. But with my weight loss and how my skin hangs, the surgeon suggested a fleur de lys since my upper stomach have what I call my second set of boobs. I am excited and scared of this new adventure but I will say my self confidence took a big hit with how my body now is first two is the current me, and the last one probably at my highest. I hate showing my stomach now, even to my partner. When i bought my bikini, they had a hard time to find a bottom that I was asking for to cover the whole stomach. While the skin on my arms bothers me, it will most likely never be done. My legs will be as they are covered but should be in a year from now I assume.

Hernias can be repaired alongside a revision (or separate). It’s up to the surgeon if they believe it’s worth repairing at the same time as it may prolong the surgical time. IMHO choose a surgeon that has done plenty of complex cases with great outcomes. I’ve gone from sleeve to bypass albeit for GERD. Outcomes can vary greatly but discussing optimal roux limb length for the best weightloss possible with your surgeon may help. It’s entirely possible to maintain or even gain after revision to RNY. Some revision patients also experience a loss of VSG restriction because the pyloric sphincter is bypassed. Food might feel like it goes right through you if you are used to the strong restriction of VSG. Another option to inquire about is a revision to SIPS or Duodenal Switch especially if you don’t have GERD and have a significant amount to lose. Good Luck!

@tamirn your weight loss has really brought out your features! Beautiful! Everyone here looks great.

My husband isn't all on board about this surgery for me. He's not worried about me dying or having complications -- he's worried about the loss of food enjoyment in our lives! 🙄😆 Seriously. He got teary when he was admitting this to me. We very much enjoy going out to eat, trying new restaurants, having craft beers, my love for cooking for our family... etc. and because it's a fun part of our relationship, he can't envision what it would be like without it. To the point that he mentioned how many couples get divorced after surgery. Have any of you been big "foodies" pre-surgery (with or without a significant other)? How did that shape your post-surgery life?

I've been battling my weight since I was 6 years old. I've been big for as far back as I can remember. I did just about every diet there was and not a single one worked. Eventually I just gave up. I had looked briefly into WLS in my 20's but I didn't think I'd be able to change my eating habits so drastically. I didn't think I had that kind of willpower. Plus, potential complications scared me and the permanence scared me. So I stopped looking into it. When I was 21 in May of 2009 my eldest niece was born. I was still in pretty good health despite being over 300 pounds. So I didn't really have the determination to go through with WLS. However, when her sister was born in February 2019 my health was very bad. I was 389 pounds, I have two permanent back injuries (one caused by my osteoarthritis), high blood pressure, tachycardia, hypothyroidism, the aforementioned osteoarthritis, I was pre-diabetic, have EoE (an autoimmune disorder), and I'd had brain surgery in May 2017 for my trigeminal neuralgia. When I held my new niece I was hit with the realization that if something didn't change, if I didn't find a way to get myself healthier and lose weight, then I likely wouldn't be around to watch her grow up. I cried, because watching my eldest niece grow up has been my greatest joy. It broke my heart that I may not be around to watch her sister grow up. That made things more real for me, I suppose. It pushed me into making that change and taking it seriously. I was referred to a bariatric surgeon and had to do a 6 months of monitored weigh-in's per my insurance. I didn't actually have to LOSE weight. I was just told not to GAIN weight. But, I took the initiative to try and make myself as successful as possible by using that time to prepare myself for a new way of eating. I used the first month to cut out seconds and cut my portion sizes down. The second month I cut out soda. The third month I cut out rice. The fourth month I cut out pasta. The fifth month I cut out bread. The six month I cut out potatoes and beans. The last two months before my surgery (they were overscheduled and pushed me back) I just maintained that diet and on my surgery date I was 321 pounds, meaning I'd lost 68 pounds on my own. I'm still very proud of myself for that. For me, the final push was my family. My family is my strength. They are what pulled me through the absolute worst time in my life (August 2016-May2017 when I had a 10 month TN flare that led to my brain surgery) when I KNOW I would have given up without them. Since my weight loss surgery? I have a new niece (from my brother and his wife) and my first and only nephew (from my sister and her husband). Now that I've lost over 200 pounds I don't worry so much that I won't be there to watch them grow up. And when I see my 2 year old niece light up when she see's me I know I made the right choice, the best choice, to have this surgery because now I get to watch her and her brother grow up just like I've got to watch her 12 year old sister grow up and just as I'll get to see her cousins grow up. Everyone has a different reason for why they do this. Sometimes it's for family, like myself. And sometimes it's personal. Every person who goes through this has a different journey, different experiences, and a different story to tell. And I wish you the very best on your own journey.

Hi! I'm revised Bypass to Bypass. I would only recommend a revision if your surgeon is 100% knowledgeable about bariatrics. As I understand it there are some unique challenges to a revision surgery - but maybe that is more in my case since I had a Bypass already. When they do a sleeve, do they distallize any of the connection to your intestines? In any case, if you do have the revision - weight loss appears (8 weeks out) to go much slower than before, but steady. I feel better this time around - and as you say, I'm treating it like a do-over as I'm older and wiser now - and much better able to keep up with the costs of vitamins and proteins. And - there are a million bypass friendly things on the market now - so many more shake choices - high protein snacks and things. I suspect the hernia can be repaired at the same time if your insurance will approve the bypass - that's the trickier part. Good Luck!

How much loose skin you have depends on a number of factors like age, genetics, how many years you’ve been overweight, how much excess weight you carried, ... Think of your skin as an elastic hair band - ain’t nothing can unstretch a well used, old elastic hair tie. Unfortunately, the only way to really reduce sagging skin is surgery. I don’t have a lot of excess skin - pinches not handfuls & I decided not to have surgery. I scar & decided loose skin was better than scars. It doesn’t bother me that much - I’m way past showing a lot of skin. LOL! I’d rather have some saggy skin than the fat. I added collagen & silica to my diet but don’t believe it did anything really. What helped me was I had bounced around 60 - 75kgs for most of my adult life, gained 16kgs over about 3 yrs & only sat at that weight for not quite 2 yrs before I had surgery. When I hit my 60kg goal I had hardly any loose skin at all but when I lost the extra 10 odd kilos there was noticeably more. A friend did weights to help ‘fill in’ her loose skin but while she gained some muscle, she still has all the loose skin on her tummy, under her arms & between her thighs that she had to begin. Moisturising is likely only going to help the texture of your skin which is always good.

I received a gastric sleeve back in June of 2016 so I'm coming up on my 5 year anniversary. I at one time weighed nearly 500 pounds and got the surgery at 380 as I lost 120 pounds on my own prior to surgery. I was down all the way to 160 pounds. My doctor even said I could stand to gain a few pounds. Problem is, I gained more than a few. I currently weigh about 330 pounds now. I have developed a hernia that will probably need to be surgically repaired. Given that, I'm considering a revision. Can a hernia be repaired while doing a revision? Has anyone gone from a sleeve to bypass? What are the differences you experienced with a sleeve vs bypass? I will also add I'm in the process of seeing a psychiatrist. I've learned I have social anxiety and the weight loss wasn't a cure for that anxiety. I'm almost looking at it as a do over and continuing therapy after surgery. Anybody have success doing a revision?

After my 1-2 weeks of liquids, the post op diet I’ve been given by doctor for Stage 3 is 1-2 oz puréed (mushy) soft, high protein meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. NO red meats, chicken breast or eggs. This seems to be different from everyone else’s plan, as I see so many have eggs and chicken. But I’m gonna follow what he’s given me. That being said, any suggestions of what puréed foods you recommend. I will not eat puréed, mushy fish. I’m at a loss.

check out "The World According to Eggface" blog. She had weight loss surgery several years ago and loves cooking (she's also very active in the bariatric community - including on the board of the Obesity Action Committee). She's got recipes for all stages on here: http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/

I don’t think damage is done by not divulging my method of weight loss. It’s not like there is not a ton of information available to anyone regarding weight loss surgery. I’ve been mostly hidden from friends and coworkers due to Covid. Those I do not wish to tell, Ill probably just say “I worked really hard to lose it”!

I'm only here (pre-op for VSG) because a colleague, who had dropped a bunch of weight, told me she had weight loss surgery after I commented on how great she looked. I wouldn't have considered it otherwise as my doctor had never mentioned it, and in my head it was this crazy dangerous thing where 10% of people died in the first five years (no clue where I got that stat in my head). So I'm grateful she told me. But, I don't feel as brave. I'm embarrassed to be at this point - and worried I'll fail and regain weight and it will be even more awful because people knew I had surgery. But I'm dreading people commenting on my weight loss. I'm still teleworking fulltime due to COVID, and I'm hoping I can drop a bunch of weight before I have to go back to the office so people (who I haven't seen in 18 months at this point) will think it was something that happened over a longer period.

Well dang I don’t remember signing on to become a lifelong bariatric surgery counselor when I got surgery. I’m a private person and I don’t discuss my medical issues with people I’m not very close with. There’s a huge difference between me just living my life and not sharing my personal medical information and someone positioning themselves as a weight loss expert/influencer and not disclosing it. I’ve had some comments on how great my skin looks at my age as well, and for some people I offer a thanks, and for others I offer information on my Botox provider. It’s almost like I’m an adult who doesn’t owe every human I meet my life story. Do you think I should put a sign on my door that outlines my various surgeries and medical procedures on the off chance it influences someone? Oh maybe I should also list any marital/child rearing difficulties I’ve ever had and information on my bowel habits too. Or do I maybe have the right to decide who I share what information with? Let people live their lives and worry about yourself and your own decisions.

I'm so sorry for your loss. I agree with others who suggested counseling, but if that's not something you want to do, maybe meditation, doing a charity walk for a cause related to their death (If applicable), channeling your grief into making some physical object that reminds you of them, taking up a new exercise program, joining a grief support group, listening to music, journaling... I hope you find something that can help you in your grief.