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I don't drink diet drinks per se but I love Bubly Grapefruit sparkling water. It’s a refreshing and tangy drink that combines the crisp taste of natural grapefruit with the effervescence of sparkling water. It contains no artificial sweeteners, no calories, and nothing unnatural. It helps keeps me hydrated. I'm kind of the paranoid type when it comes to artificial sweeteners because of the multiple studies showing despite being calorie-free, have shown that they can still interfere with weight management. So I prefer to stick with natural options.

I've had a very up-and-down sort of week, mentally/emotionally (and weight-wise too, I guess). It started in that I'd finally gotten out of a stall, and everything stayed good for 10 days or so? And then a week with absolutely no weightloss. On the back of a stall, it just crushed my spirit. I said fine, by next week it'll be better, stay off the scale... and instead I hopped back on 2 days later to a 1.4lb gain. I think I went into a sort of zombie-state. I was still doing what I needed to (work-wise, diet-wise, exercise-wise) but it was like some kind of emotional shock: I was functioning but apathetic about pretty much everything. My brain and heart just couldn't take it, and shut down. Then the physical side. I'm sure it will surprise nobody here, but when you're behaving kind of like an automaton you don't pay enough attention to things like time, or specifically eating slowly. Cue the foamies and vomitting. I think four times in the past week. Luckily, most of the time I caught it early enough to prevent anything too intense, but yeah. I'd thought I was smart enough / experienced enough at this point to learn from my mistakes, but that one I just kept making. Afterwards, the lingering nausea kept me from eating enough -- so the protein goals were not met for five days in a row. (Until I found Greek Yogurt Cheesecake Pudding which turned things around so I was exceeding my goals) I'm doing better-ish, now? I still feel mildly dissociated, but the past couple days it's been like... life & energy slowly returning and my mood improving. The universe waited for me to be in a better mental place, and all of a sudden knocked 4 lbs off the scale this morning. Sunday, I had a great NSV that I didn't feel hit me until today -- I'm wearing a 1X for the first time in over a decade. (Top and bottom, which is another NSV because ever since my late 20s, my bottom has always required me to go one size up from whatever shirt size I was wearing) But even this NSV, I'm able to acknowledge it and told a couple people about it because I knew they'd be happy for me, but it still just all feels pretty superficial. I only seem to be able to get excited and enthused about other peoples' good news, lol.

I wanted to respond to you on the telling people thing. That's a hard one for me! I told a few close friends but I've been weirdly hesitant to bring it up more publicly and I don't know why. A few others in my circle have had their own variations of this surgery in the past few years but I just ... I don't know. I maybe still feel a bit of worry that people will think I'm going the "easy route" or maybe they won't think my weight loss is valid if they know I had surgery? I don't know why I even care what anyone else thinks since I'm doing it for myself and my health. Maybe a part of me wants that wow moment when they see the thing we version of me after not seeing me for a while. I know I felt little green envy surges seeing others lose weight - maybe I'm afraid of that. Just feeling odd about who I share this part of my journey with. I can't imagine working in a public sector and being even more subjected to others' reactions. My surgery (SADI) was the 5th.

Hmm, that is true actually! It feels as though we have skipped Summer here 😅 I shall hold off from buying anything just yet, as I am conscious of how fast the weight loss is right now! I think I am suffering a bit from imposter syndrome right now - I feel like a fraud if I were to buy smaller sizes if that makes sense! Like my body won't actually ever fit into them (which I know is insane, given that I am and have lost weight) but my brain hasn't caught up yet. I have heard nothing but good things about M&S - I may create a holiday wishlist on there! I admit I have never even worn those kinds of trousers before! But I think that was just due to me not feeling like they'd suit my shape!

Thank you!!! I guess I'll just ride it out and see where it takes me. I honestly didn't think about the regain later on, so maybe it's not a bad thing if I go 10 or even 12 pounds below my goal weight. Thanks for the advice and suggestions!!! Much appreciated

This situation is a catch 22 because no one knows exactly what the insurance requirements are and no one will tell us. The dieticians job is to help you lose weight, period. Whether that’s in your best interest or not is where it gets tricky. On one hand If you are in a supervised weight loss program (the six month requirement by a lot of insurances) they are trying to see if you can lose the weight on your own before they approve it. So in theory if you lose too much they could deem you not a good candidate for surgery. On the other hand, every pound you lose the heathy way should make you that much more fit for the operation (not if you malnourished though). Plus, if you really can lose it without surgery obviously not putting your body through surgery would be ideal. if the dieticians way is something you have never tried before and when you try it you feel like you can do it, losing weight without surgery is obviously preferred. BUT, just because the insurance company sees progress and decides that you should be able to lose it based on the trend doesn’t mean they are right (they are not doctors and should not be making these decisions IMO). I know myself I have probably lost 1000 pounds in my life but that’s because I have always lost a few and gained them back but never got near a healthy weight. Whether you have tried everything, including the dieticians way, only you know. I had sleeve three years ago and my high weight was 235 and I’m taller than you. So I was lower BMI as well. On surgery day I was 220ish and I was fine but I did not start losing until my pre op diet began. During my 6 month supervised diet I did follow the diet they set out for me to the best of my ability BUT the cheat days basically offset my progress so I didn’t really lose anything. Now I am considering revision and there is not any weight requirements as far as I know but I started at like 245 this time anyways so I’m not as afraid to lose a little. I asked him what I should do and he said to keep my Carbs below 40 for now (I am most likely having the SADI so carbs are gonna be most important post surgery). Well I am losing but less than a pound a week so no one is raising any eyebrows at my loss. Anyways If I was in your position I would reduce my calories by like 100 at a time and see how I felt after a week adjusting to that. (Mayne you can get to 1200 with the dieticians help and maybe you decide that you want to try it once the dieticians way before you decide). On days like you four hour swim I would ask the doctor their opinion because 1200 calories does not seem enough for that level of activity. I think if it was me, I would stick to eating healthy choices for now. Try out new, healthy recipes and get used to the food you will need to eat post surgery. I would try to get to the 1200 because they are the dietician but portion wise I would cut my calories slowly to get there and see how my body reacted at each stage. (Just be honest with yourself about whether you really need or just want the calories) if I was really losing more than ever before and it seemed like something I could sustain, I would then re-evaluate whether I should be jumping into major surgery just yet. But if I decided that i couldn’t do it on my own and for sure wanted surgery i would talk to my doctor about how much they would like to see me lose to be fit for surgery.

Welcome to the forum. In order to offer meaningful advice, folks need to know details of your eating plan (if any), exercise plan (if any), your compliance, what you feel are your problem areas, height, weight at surgery, and any other information you believe may be useful. Also, what has you surgeon to say? The folks here are tremendously helpful and will go out of their ways to try to help. Good luck, Tek

I think everyone does in some form. Doesn’t mean it will happen though. Yes, a bounce back regain of 10-20lbs is a real possibility but it doesn’t happen to everyone. Whether you regain or not I think depends on a number of factors. Some you can control & manage & some you can’t. Complacency - letting the new good eating habits slide. Not dealing with emotional & psychological issues behind your eating habits. Health & medications - some medications are renown for increasing your appetite or a health situation may arise that limits you in some way. Unsustainable way of eating to maintain - too restrictive & stops you from enjoying & living your life as you want. Life - sometimes throws crap at you & good intentions are the first to go. Commitment - accepting the changes you make have to be forever. I had 40 years of losing & gaining weight. Every diet, dieticians, medications, exercise plans, you name it I did it. I’d stick to it, lose weight & as soon as I stopped I would start regaining again almost immediately. Simply because I went back to eating the exact same way as I did before. I had a low & a high weight I bounced between until the last 4 or so years & my weight exploded. Nothing worked then so surgery was my only solution. Am nearing 5 years & have basically maintained my initial stabilised low weight. Never have been able to keep weight off like this ever. I had a medication glitch but we sorted that & I lost the 5ish lbs I’d gained without doing anything. I work at it every day. I established a way of eating that was sustainable & works for me, my needs & my life. Same with my activity. Don’t exercise as such just do four x 5 minute sessions of resistance bands & stretches 6 days a week - wouldn't burn 20 calories. I’m okay with that because it works for me & I’m happy to do it You have to be mentally ready for this because that’s where a lot of the battle is. Sure the surgery gives you some tools, but for me, the time it gave me while those tools were at their most effective was the biggest win. It was when I examined my relationship with food (the why, what & when I ate) & worked out what I needed to do make be the most successful. I wouldn’t stress about something that may happen because it simply may not. Just be aware of it. You never know what the future will bring & you’ll have built a wealth of knowledge & strategies & have a support team (doctor, dietician, therapist) to help you get on top of it. All the best.

I had gastric sleeve surgery now I noticed I’m depressed I haven’t been happy since I got the surgery I went from 382 to 269 I’m 6’0 feet tall. I recently got diagnosed with bipolar 2 I’m not sure if it came from gastric sleeve. If anyone is struggling with depression since your weight loss surgery tell me how tall handle it?.

You are not a failure, obesity is a complex disease. It often requires many tools to tame. There’s no shame in that. As a person who has had both VSG and RNY, I can tell you first hand that If you are relying on further restrictions to help you *may* not get that. Almost always the pylorus is bypassed so no there will sphincter holding food in your sleeve creating that classic VSG full sensation. However there are a lot of behind the scenes biological changes that *may* happen but you won’t know how you will respond until after surgery. The new class of obesity med may help immediately (if you can afford them). They are spectacular. In the time it will take you to go through referrals, appointments, testing and waiting for a date, you may lose the weight. They work that fast. Of course there are risks, some who cannot tolerate them or are very slow responders but the beauty is you can decide week by week if it’s worth it. If not, nothing permanent has been done. That’s the other issue. These are permanent use meds just like HRT or TRT. Maintenance doses are still being fiddled with by individuals so what permanent use looks like may not be weekly. Do a ton of research and ask your Bari/weight management team (if you still have one) what they think. Good Luck!

The distal gastric bypass can indeed lead to more significant weight loss since it bypasses a larger portion of the intestine, but it can also come with an increased risk of nutritional deficiencies and other complications. It's crucial to discuss all potential risks and benefits with your medical team and possibly connect with others who have had the procedure to hear about their experiences. Good luck with your decision, and make sure you get all the information you need to feel confident moving forward!

Have you had any answers about why you’re not losing weight? I have a similar start weight and haven’t lost since two weeks post op as well. I’m nearly two months in so not as far along but I feel like I can eat more than I should be able to so I make sure to count calories but still not losing any weight

Does anyone have a detailed I guess EOB regarding weight loss surgery approval and denial from Tricare (more specifically Tricare East/Humana). I know what their website says, but it doesn’t give much info at all. Thanks!

Sometimes we have the best ideas at 3am 🤣 Very much the case - I know I am guilty of not realising just how much work goes into this post-surgery, even with being well informed. There is a difference between reading about it, and living it! It is so strange to me now to look back on how I was, even though I am not too far out yet - I was binge eating on a massive scale, and my weight was just rising so quickly. I think back to that little 12 year old girl I used to be, who struggled with her weight back then, and I genuinely feel grief for her. This surgery has given me the ability to not be controlled by food - yes, it is still important, but I don't think about it 24/7, I don't have to crave sugar and I feel so much better already. And you guys on this site have all contributed to me just biting the bullet and going for it with the surgery!

I am an overthinker too, so I totally get what you're saying and feeling. A few thing I've learned in this very short journey: 1. Your body will tell you when its done losing weight, don't fight it and don't work extra hard to lose either, follow your plan and whatever weight you lose you lose. If you work extra hard to shed pounds then it's not a sustainable plan for you and you will have to work extremely hard to maintain that loss, you want your lifestyle to be sustainable for you, some people understand that they can't cut out carbs and fat completely and they know the trade off would be a slightly higher stabilized weight and they are comfortable with that. Evaluate your priorities and lifestyle and what you can comfortably maintain. Also, if your body is not done losing weight, don't fight it, it's trying to reach its new set point. 2. If you're seriously working out, try to maintain a 250-300 calorie deficit only, this way your metabolism doesn't get affected by a whole lot and it allows you to lose fat but also perform in your workouts. 3. Balance and Moderation. I know this has been said to death but moderation is truly key. If you strongly feel like eating something, eat it in a portion that allows you to enjoy but stay on track. 100 calories from ice cream or from chicken breast are the same 100 calories, yes chicken will keep you fuller but ice cream is good for the soul lol! If you have a couple of hundred calories to spare, have something you enjoy AS LONG AS THAT'S NOT A SLIPPERY SLOPE. This is something I struggled with when I was overweight (the all or nothing mindset) but I am relearning how to eat and enjoy in smaller quantities and not eating for the sake of eating. 4. Having good habits will make up for slip ups. That means tracking, working out, being active, being mindful of portions and listening to your body (including adequate rest and sleep). If you do all that and end up eating a little more here and there, having a few bites of dessert/things that are not so good, it will absolutely not hinder your results. It is a mindset adjustment as much as it's a physical adjustment, if you have a strong mind, your body will follow suit. Cut the guilt, comparison to others and the overthinking. You absolutely got this!

I think I'm lucky in that I never actually added protein *powders* to anything - I met most of my protein goals with meat and pulses. It did take a bit of planning and monitoring and spacing things out. In the first six months I had some protein shakes and protein yoghurts as supplements but not that many. If you can meet your goals with pea protein surely stick to that. Your horizons will widen as time goes on. Looks like you're doing absolutely great weight loss wise.

Oh that is absolutely normal and actually still a great loss streak! The weight loss path is not a straight path down. It will slow and even stall as your body is adjusting. Weight training can add to it, but honestly your body will adjust throughout. And yes the smaller you get, the slower it gets. I lost about 30lbs in the first month and a half (including the pre-op diet) and yet it's taken me nearly 4 months to lose 12lbs. You are still early on since surgery and have done fantastic. We started about the same weight. We are in this for life so keep doing what you're doing and let everything else speak for itself - the way you feel, take pictures and measurements. The scale is just one factor.

This is my first post, however I have been following this forum for years. I was banded by betancourt ( h/s is 20/20:sad0:) a few years back. After 2 surgeries, slippage and then erosion ( i lost 100lb) the band was removed. Guess what, I gained it all back. If I had known then what I know now, I would have never had the band. My ins has a WLS exclusion policy, so I am most likely going to be self payfor future- which i will do the sleeve. I will find out in 4 weeks if I qualify for medicaid. Ironically, they cover this surgery and DS. I would prefer to have DS = I think, due to long term WL sustainability. however I am a little sure of the malabsorbtion issues and "odors" if you know what I mean. If I don't get approved for medicaid I will be self pay. I am so scik of this weight and now it is Summer, I am thinking of just self paying and biting the bullet. However I only have about 10K to spend and all of the Dr i have contacted want more because it is a revision, US side about 13.5K. Including Aceves_12.5K Is it safe going to mex with the revision issue?So I am thinking about Jose Rodriguez or Ungson. I need some help here. Guidance please!

I share this story in hopes that it may help someone to never pick up a drink after VSG or to at least be hyper-vigilant about the dangers of drinking post weight loss surgery. I was sleeved in August of 2015 @ 310 lbs. Quickly lost most of the weight needed and began running 5k. Not really setting the world on fire, but it was really good for me. Prior to surgery, I had always enjoyed drinking with friends. Typical guy stuff - couple beers @ a football game or watching the game on Sunday, meeting for drinks after work, etc. Never an issue or problem. Never anything that i had to have. My doctor warned me against alcohol, sodas, and transfer addictions, but I thought "never me". WOW, was I wrong. I remember the first couple times I had a beer after the surgery (I waited 6 months), it was very fizzy and uncomfortable. I convinced myself that it would get easier, and unfortunately it did. Next came the rum and coke zero. Wow, that tastes great, and I get a buzz very quickly. That fast buzz turned into getting very drunk, very quickly. Our new bodies absorb the alcohol in 1/2 the time that a normal internal system would. Over the last couple yeaars there have been many episodes of drinking way to much, blacking out, and not remembering what happened. I have had to apologize for my behavior more than once after a night of drinking. I even started drinking every day. I would make a drink as soon as I got home each day. 1 turns into 2 or 3. Just like lays potato chips you can not have just 1. Alcohol consumed my every thought. When can I have a drink? How can I make sure I can get a drink? It amazed me how I was able to justify that if creamer was good in my morning coffee, how great would Rumchatta be (it's damn good, by the way). I am living proof that transfer addiction is a real thing. I am now in counseling for my alcohol addiction. Transfer addiction is definitely a real thing. Prior to VSG surgery I was over 300 pounds because I had an addiction to food, and all the wrong kinds of food. My new addiction is alcohol and it's best friend is food addiction. what goes with beer = chicken wings, or nuts and pretzels, what goes with a margarita = tacos, etc. Alcohol also makes it impossible to lose weight. So if you are really dedicated to clean eating but you drink, your weight may stay the same, but it surely will not go down. I have packed on 60 lbs of the 120 that I lost. And, I am slowly changing behaviors to get back to where I want to be. It is a journey,, but I am worth it. I will overcome. Addiction is sacrificing everything for that one thing ! Recovery is sacrificing that 1 thing to have everything !

there have been a few Europeans on here who've had weight loss surgery in Turkey. As long as you do your research, you should be OK. As is true anywhere, there are good surgeons in Turkey and likely some not-so-good ones. Read reviews, check with people who've had it done there, etc. And make sure your GP is willing to do your follow-ups (regular blood tests, etc)

Hi guys. Start weight before surgery - 21.9 stone lowest weight after surgery - 17 stone current weight - 19 stone I was sleeved on 02/02/22, restriction was doing it’s thing, I caught covid back end of March. Completely lost my appetite for a week, then after that it felt asif I was never sleeved. I worked from home which did not involve a lot of steps a day, come the beginning of may my weight loss had stalled and stuck at 17 stone all the way up until around March 2023. since March 2023 I gained 1 stone 13 pounds through no fault of my own eating what I wanted no calorie counting etc. I started calorie counting the beginning of this week. I am on 1800 calories by working this out as my deficit through the TDEE website. I know this website does not take into consideration my smaller stomach due to surgery however I have no restriction at all and can eat 1800 calories a day no problem and still hungry most days. 5 days on a deficit and I’ve actually gained a pound, I was 18.13 on Monday now 19 stone. Has anyone else who has been sleeved going through the same thing? Didn’t really lose much weight after surgery and tried calorie counting a couple years post op and the scale just did not move, or even go up? Looking to shift 4 stone but feel deflated as doing everything I should be and scales are going up? I calorie counted years before my sleeve surgery and lost 5 stone in 5 months. Shouldn’t it be even easier now I’ve been sleeved? It seems so much harder! Yes I am tracking everything correctly and I weigh out everything that passes my lips.

I’m so sorry to hear this. I wish I had some words of wisdom for you, but honestly, I don’t. During these days of the stall, are you still noticing that your clothes are fitting looser? I was told not to be so dependent on the scale but more on noticing the weight coming off as far as how I feel in clothes. I don’t recall if you have a dietitian or someone that you check in with? If you do, you may wanna contact them or contact your doctor and talk this over with them. I don’t doubt that more weight is going to come off, I’m more concerned about your mental state. No giving up, OK??

They reduced both my pouch size and the size of the opening during the revision. That's why I'm very puzzled by his comment that you wouldn't lose significant weight after the revision. It just makes no sense to me.

Bra sizing has been an irritating area for me. This is one of the main reasons PS (breast reduction) has been on my radar for a long time. Prior to becoming obese finding a bra in local stores was impossible because my ribcage size to cup size is not what makers/stores think is average. Stores rarely ever sold 30/32F. I had to settle for a larger band then alter the bra. Add in the weight gain and loss (empty breast are definitely real) I'm waiting to see where I end up. Definitely need a lift.

Have you been to your family dr to make sure that they tested for everything they should have? The biggest part of me thinks that your body just wants to be at a little lower weight than you want it to and that you will get settled at a new set point soon but if you truly feel like something isn’t right, maybe it doesn’t have to do with the surgery. It seems like something would pop up in the normal labs but maybe there is something that your surgeon is missing that needs a specific test. It may end up being fruitless but it’s just a thought.