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Thank you all! It helps put things in perspective! I wasn't ever planning to really use it to compare numbers, I was just looking for possible weight loss with the surgery. So like the potential that could be lost. I know it is different for each person. I was just planning on using it for the days where a plateau hits and beat myself up, I can be like "well you have lost x% of your excess body fat in x amounr of time, you are still doing great!" Just to help keep me motivated and not lose sight.

As a recent sleeve to bypass patient - specifically to resolve the terrible GERD, Gastritis and Esophagitis caused by chronic acid reflux - I can so relate to your comments. I had acid reflux disease before I even had the sleeve, and my surgeon never told me that GERD could be a complication following sleeve surgery. In all fairness, I think that this has really only come to the surface over the past 5 years. Now surgeons, and GI doctors, seem to be more versed in GERD following sleeve surgery and more prone to advise patients to choose the bypass. On a positive note, I've had ZERO acid reflux since my bypass surgery October 2020. I stopped taking any PPI, and my primary care doctor is thrilled. Long term use of PPI's can also lead to bone loss in women. Best decision I made was choosing the revision surgery.

wowza! That's only a 3 week difference?!? There is definitely a noticeable difference. Congrats on the weight loss ❤️

Yeah, I would think that if one is looking for data on weight loss with the surgery, then surgery weight should be used. If you are looking for overall weight loss for a program, then use the weight at the start of your program. Counting the weight loss prior to surgery would skew the statistics. With that said, my surgeon used the weight at the start of my 2 week pre-op diet (235). But *I* use the weight that I was on the morning of surgery. Further, the baseline for goal weight was/is what my weight would be at a BMI of 25. I have read others use a different data point, like a personal goal weight (which could be either above or below a BMI 25 baseline for their height). So yeah, just another unreliable statistic if one is comparing oneself to others...

Like alot of others (and unlike probably the same amount of others, lol), I step on the scale every morning, naked, and after I pee. Been doing this now for 2.5 years. During weight loss phase, I use to weigh myself before and after a good poop just for funsies. Once someone mentioned they weighed themselves before and after a shower to find out how much their wet hair weighed...got excited at the thought and tried it out, but whomp whomp...my wet hair made no diff. 🤣 Now if you are the type to get anxious/frustrated/agitated at the natural fluctuations, then I'd suggest limit the frequency of your weighs...for those that are unruffled by it, weigh away! Plus if you weigh everyday and record it, you can make fun graphs and marvel at it in your spare time. Here's mine:

I am a few days away from a month after my gastric bypass surgery , I have been doing everything my surgeon told me to do . I can't believe i lost 65 lbs in 27 days !!! I'm finally feeling happy , lighter, and healthier today. If you are not extremely strong, physically but mostly mentally . This journey is not for you. In my first month I overcame 2 major issues, on top of and including my surgery recovery. Alcohol free " reversing a large fatty liver" and testosterone infections free too I'm proud of myself . natural test levels are not back yet but feeling better everyday. my energy level is increasing everyday. i do 2, 20 minute walks per day. I really have no appetite, but i get my vitamins and protein shakes in everyday. and water . my next diet stage is real soft food again, but i hate the full feeling so i rather just drink fluids. thanks for all the advice on my previous posts i took them with a grain of salt. But everyone helped me find light at the end of the depression tunnel. I will not try anything without dr. approval. Anyone interested in healthy living and fatty liver issues, look up Dr. Berg on youtube and subscribe !!!! he's extremely helpful !!!

Do you mean for trying to figure out how much weight you "should" be able to lose after surgery? I would think you'd use your surgery weight for that. Anything beforehand wouldn't be because of the tool so I wouldn't think it'd count towards your "expected" weight loss from surgery.

I used the weight I was at my first appointment to begin the process. Coincidently, it also was the highest weight I’ve ever been. I started cutting back from that appointment myself & saw the dietician the following week to begin the pre surgery diet. To me the first appointment was the beginning of my weight loss journey & when I started to lose my excess weight.

Congrats on your weight loss so far . You are doing great. It will happen i sat there a long time same place. I swear I psychologically was holding rhat up toocaomehow

Hey yall! I have an appointment with my surgeon on April 2nd and I was just wondering if anyone has good tips and tricks before and after to either help me lose weight at a good pace or to make recovery easier. My goal weight loss total is a little over 100 pounds

I agree with ShoppGirl, that you need your wife to fully support you in this journey and as long as your marriage is very good now it will stay that way. Maybe have her watch some videos from the Bariatric Doctors on Youtube that have lots of helpful information as well. That is how I started out when we started to go to the surgeon so that I was fully prepared for the changes that were coming. Seeing a therapist will help with the mental hunger/stress eating or overall poor eating habits that led to our weight being so high. I have Binge Eating Disorder and see a therapist for that and this has helped me on my weight loss journey. I, like you had UPs and DOWNs with my weight. I went from 220 to 175 back to 220 and then all the way down to 145 before going all the way up to 280. The surgery has helped me so far lose 90 lbs and I am just shy of 5 months out. My wife and I both had the surgery on the same day and for us this made sense and has helped us to maintain our relationship. It also helped us with our meals as we eat the same thing together now. Even my 11 year old daughter eats the same as us and we have seen her health improve as well. Right after the surgery the only real limitation that I had was lifting weight for 6 weeks. Taking care of your children, minus lifting them, should be doable after a few days of rest after surgery. One possible option is to hire some help if your wife is concerned about this aspect as well.

Greetings everyone. I have had a long journey, I've been overweight and obese most of my life. I was 6ft1 and over 300lbs in my late teens and successfully dropped down into the 190's. Eventually I got older, got married and started working night shifts...here I am again! No health issues, but I want it to stay that way, the funny thing is, I look down and move around and still feel that I'm thin, opposite of most, pictures tell another story, haha! I joined a paid, doctor lead weight loss program in 2019 that went alright, I didn't lose much though and easily gained it back. One of the recommendations coming out of that was surgery. Where I live there is a long process for that (but it is funded). Most people only are covered for bypass though, including me. Long story short I decided to go with the Sleeve out of my own pocket. I can afford it and the bypass seemed a little too extreme to me, for my personal situation. My family had been aware of my journey and supportive until my surgery was actually booked recently after doing orientation, reading (and sharing) materials, etc. Now I have literally all my immediate family telling not to do it. My wife is upset as we have two young children and I'll be out of commission for a bit and she's extremely anxious after reading something saying 80% of people end up divorced after this, she feels she doesn't know enough too and that ones understandable. One family member told me I'm being selfish, I still don't understand that one. Another said I don't understand what I'm getting and I should get more info and see a therapist. I get that therapy brings value, but I'm always legitimately happy and in both my weight loss program and the intake for surgery the doctors said I didn't need to see a therapist (and they had them on staff). It was a little disorienting as I first stated I was looking into this a year ago and decided to go ahead with it in October to universal support. I told one colleague only and they said they didn't see why I would need that. I'm really, really, really glad I'm not on the fence about this, otherwise I might be deterred, but is it common? Have others dealt with the people around them getting the cold feet? It's funny, because I'm getting surgery, but now I find myself wondering how I can support everyone else about it April 19 is my surgery day and that's not going to change unless I'm told so by the medical practice.

I was finally able to get some clarification regarding my coverage. Knowing what to expect puts me at ease. Gastric Bypass Surgery (Bariatric Surgery) is covered only if specific medical criteria are met:  Bariatric surgery may be indicated for patients 18 to 60 years of age. Requests for bariatric surgery for patients less than 18 years of age should include documentation that the primary care physician has addressed the risk of surgery on future growth, the patient's maturity level and the patient’s ability to understand the procedure and comply with postoperative instructions, as well as the adequacy of family support. Patients above 60 years of age may be considered if it is documented in the medical record that the patient’s physiologic age and co-morbid condition(s) result in a positive risk/benefit ratio. • The patient has been clinically evaluated by an MD or DO. The physician has documented failure of non-surgical management including a structured, professionally supervised (physician or non-physician) weight loss program for a minimum of six consecutive months within the last four years prior to the recommendation for bariatric surgery. The six consecutive month weight loss program listed above is waived for super morbidly obese individuals who have a BMI ≥50. Documentation should include periodic weights, dietary therapy and physical exercise, as well as behavioral therapy, counseling and pharmacotherapy, as indicated. • Documentation that the PCP and the patient have a good understanding of the risks involved and reasonable expectations that the patient will be compliant with all postsurgical requirements. • A psychological evaluation must be performed as a pre-surgical assessment by a contracted mental health professional in order to establish the patient’s emotional stability, ability to comprehend the risk of surgery and to give informed consent, and ability to cope with expected post-surgical lifestyle changes and limitations. Such psychological consultations may include one unit total of psychological testing for purposes of personality assessment (e.g., the MMPI-2 or adolescent version, the MMPI-A). • The physician needs to be aware and follow-up with individuals who have had gastric surgery for any long-term complications. • In cases where a revision of the original procedure is planned, documentation of all of the following is required: - Date and type of previous procedure - The factor(s) that precipitated failure - Any complications from the previous procedure that mandate (necessitate) the takedown - If the indication for the revision is a failure of the patient to lose a desired amount of 51 weight then the patient must meet all of the initial preoperative criteria. Note: The following surgical procedures are considered experimental/investigational because their safety and/or effectiveness have not been proven: • Loop gastric bypass gastroplasty - also known as mini-gastric bypass • Stomach stapling Endoscopic procedures to treat weight gain after bariatric surgery to remedy large gastric stoma or large gastric pouches are considered experimental/investigational.

I also had the revision for GERD, Gastritis and Esophagitis and I'm very happy that all that has been resolved. But I'm also very happy with the weight loss. As you can see below, I gained almost all my initial weight that I had lost after the sleeve. I felt like a complete failure and a fool for having thrown away my chance at a normal weight. I know this revision is my second chance to do it right and learn from my mistakes. Here are my stats over my 6 year journey. Highest weight May 2012 - 222 lbs. Gastric sleeve surgery weight November 2014 - 212 lbs. Lowest weight post sleeve May 2015 - 151 post op 6 months (61 lbs. lost) Highest weight prior to revision surgery January 2019 - 205 lbs. (54 lbs. gained) Weight day of revision surgery October 2020 - 185 lbs. Current weight March 2021 (5 months post op) - 138 lbs. (47 lbs. lost) I hope that I never have to add a line that says I've gained weight back again!!!! Good luck on your journey!!!!

Haven’t been able to eat much, not much of an appetite but I know I’ll eventually have one. My blood sugars slowly came down last night which is good. Still dealing with some gas discomfort but I’m going to walk it off. I did notice I had some swelling around the incisions and was wondering if anyone else had the same. Also if you guys can let me know what I’m looking for as far as weight loss in the first month. Currently 247 Thanks

Just to put minds at ease my surgeon said you can't stretch your pouch with water. I was able to drink a lot quite quickly. He told me not to, should practice on being more mindful but its not going to hurt your weight loss/do any damage. As far as I can tell the sooner I drink water post eating the quicker I get hungrier, might be water pushing food out of system quicker?

Ruthpets I’m also 5’10 and seriously people do not understand how different heights of people affect clothing size. When I was in those sizes I looked great. It’s the same people who think that anything over 150 for a woman is inconceivable. I will have you all know that my goal is my birth weight- 9 lbs 6 oz or bust!! I’m gonna fit into that duck onesie again and I’ll just be the ultimate weight loss winner for life. 🎉

Does your blood work show you are lacking in any vitamins, etc. What’s your kidney & liver function like? Your sugar levels? A post nasal drip will often make you feel nauseous. I suffer from postural low blood pressure so suffer regularly from head spins & loss of vision. My energy levels aren’t great either & have had a few hypoglycaemic episodes - cold sweats, drop in blood pressure, drop in energy, vision narrowing, nose running, etc. I had these before I lost weight but just experience them more often now. But I’m no expert. I encourage you to get some detailed work ups from your medical team sooner than later. Good luck.

So I was a companion on 3/18-21 to my best friend (38f) while she had her sleeve thru Baja medical with Dr. A (Dr A's Iron Sleevers group is a great resource on FB) I've been considering the surgery myself but am still actively losing weight & maintaining my loss (we both had lost 50lbs since October of 2020) and I'm not quite ready to commit to the sleeve just yet. So here's what I'd tell future Tijuana (or any) bariatric patients. Buy a good variety of broth packets & cubes as well as electrolyte packets because what tasted good before may not after surgery. I cannot stress this enough- do not ALLOW yourself to get medically dehydrated. They kind of skimp on the IV fluids so it won't take long after surgery to become dehydrated & once that dry heaving begins it's a short trip to kidney strain and needing the hospital. Two girls (different surgeons than our group but same hospital) ended up needing IV fluids after being discharged. Bring an extension cord & heating pad- that heating pad was my friends favorite thing while down there. Take the preop diet very seriously, including caffeine, it will ensure you're body is burning fat stores before you have surgery which you'll be grateful for when you're only getting 150-300 calories a day the first few days home. Try to learn a few Spanish phrases or bring a decent translation dictionary because the service industry down there caters mostly to other Mexican tourists and don't speak much English- this is super helpful for uber, ordering food or even just going to sbux. Bring a small thermos that you can take anywhere. 10 oz is ideal and you won't be drinking even that much in a sitting before coming home. Buy Miralax & use it the day you get home (surgeon said this was fine) because the constipation struggle IS REAL after general anesthesia & you DO NOT want to be straining your abdominal muscles after surgery! Buy everything you need for bariatric smoothies & soups before you go- you won't want to be hunting down ingredients two days after getting home. Chobani now makes a bottled yogurt drink with 25g protein, chicory root fiber & monk fruit with no chunks- very post OP friendly & you'll be SUPER sick of protein shakes by the 1 week mark. Most importantly- be your own advocate; if your nurse is overly busy & blows you off (hospital is crazy busy down there right now b/c stimulus + tax returns) then ask to speak to your dr. and make yourself heard. Lastly, if you have a hotel day try & visit Avenida Revolucion (10 minute Uber from the hotels)- we went with some other sleevers & it was an awesome distraction, great place to walk & the Hotel Caesar (birthplace of the caesar salad!) makes a French onion soup that if you as for "just jus'" or "suave', liquido colado (strained liquid) they'll give you a crock of just the rich broth! Be safe everyone, my friend is 6 days post OP & getting stronger each day!

I am I year out. I am doing well I can anything. In tiny amounts. I went from a size 18 to a size 6. I still weigh 144 pounds. Want to be 125. The wt loss has stopped. But that is my fault I am not exercising I need to get moving

most insurance policies that cover bariatric surgery require a BMI of 40 if you have no comorbidities, and a BMI of 35 if you have two or more co-morbidities. So you should qualify - you have both. I don't know what they mean by "fast track" - that must be something specific to your insurance company. From what I can tell from hanging out here for the last six years, most of us do have to do the six-month supervised diet, regardless of BMI. Even though at first I though it was a stupid hoop that we had to jump through, I'm glad it was required. I think it really prepared me for how life was going to be after weight loss surgery. Otherwise, the change would have been REALLY drastic...(all the changes are drastic enough as it is - but at least you spend six months gradually changing your eating habits so you kind of know the drill beforehand...)

Hello Everyone! Not sure if I am posting in the right place or not. Tomorrow is my very first appointment to begin my weight loss journey. I live in the Metro Detroit area and will be going through the Beaumont Weight Control Center. I am excited and nervous at the same time. Food has been a comfort, but I need help. I think I have tried everything out there. I understand this will not be easy, but honestly I cannot continue on my current path. I will be 49 in July and I am having my 2nd knee replacement next month. I swear I have the joints of a 90 year old! I also am being treated for Psoriatic Arthritis, high blood pressure and I have been using a CPAP machine since 2019. I'm 5'4 and my current BMI is 41.7 (243lbs). Insurance wise, I do not believe I qualify to be fast track....I think my BMI needs to be over 50. I am just hoping for the best and that I can be approved. My joints are in constant pain and exercise right now with my knee is almost impossible. Has anyone ever had the 6 month supervised medical waived with a BMI under 50? Anyway, I look forward to making some new friends here and absorbing the wealth of knowledge on this forum.

Same thing I said. I don't understand why anyone would think they even have standing to have an opinion about someone else's weight loss goal?

I'm at nearly 4 week stall now. Yesterday the body composition scale I bought from Amazon arrived so that I can get a new baseline and track what is actually happening. I met with a nutritionist who had full access to my fitness pal records. The only helpful advice she gave me was to cut down on fat calories and increase carbs, protein and daily calories to 800. It wasn't like my fat calories were way out of whack, just coming in over 25% some days. She told me in 12 years she'd never seen anyone fail to lose significant weight, but that she hadn't seen a stall this long before. The only things I can think of now are that my daily thyroid meds aren't being absorbed or that my extremely low protein values shown by the new scale (3.6%) are also causing problems with weight loss. I was definitely eating 60g+ of protein a day, so I don't know why I'm not absorbing it. I bought protein water, it tastes disgusting, but at least I can boost protein without many calories and get water intake to boot. But yeah, I've been stuck at 25 lb loss for 4 weeks with the only minor ups and downs related to my fluid intake. It would be a gross understatement to say my mental health has taken a nose-dive. I can't believe I did this to my body only to have it not work.

Yes maybe I won’t have that much excess skin but I don’t really think I will anyway. I haven’t been overweight my whole life just for the past 10 years and it’s been up and down. Maybe slow weight loss is good. Slow and steady wins the race.