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For about the last 1-2 months I have been suffering from worsening night sweats. Sometimes as many as three times per night I am waking up drenched in sweat. I had a partial hysterectomy about 10 years ago (uterus removed, kept ovaries), so I have no idea what my “cycles” are like. I am 47 years old and 8 months post-op. I am guessing the weight loss has sped up menopause for me, but due to my lack of a uterus, it is really difficult to tell what is going on. I am wondering if the rapid weight loss has launched menopause symptoms for anyone else. I do plan to see my PCP in the next month, but thought I would try to get some words of wisdom from the community. Also, does anyone have a supplement or idea to help with this symptom? It is really disruptive to my sleep. Thanks!

Make sure you guys are getting ferritin levels checked, and not just depending on your RBCs and hemoglobin to make sure your iron is ok. Mine were on the edge, but still normal when my doctor ran ferritin levels and my iron was VERY low. This can cause fatigue and a host of other symptoms. And yep, I take my iron like I'm supposed to.....but managed to get iron deficiency without anemia anyway... because I donate blood a lot, still menstruate, and eat a mostly vegan diet. Anyone suffereing low BP, fatigue, lack of stamina....get the full iron panel. Since I've been taking more iron and watching my diet, quit donating so much blood....my stamina is off the chart...terrific energy...and my hair is amazing.

Another vote for journaling food and keeping track of calories instead of the crash diet. I, too, think the crash diets are ineffective. Here's what happens. You've been eating carbs for a while (which isn't a bad thing), so you have a certain amount of glucose stored in your liver with water...which isn't a bad idea...biology built us with these reserves to get us through a crisis/illness/injury. (The problem happens when we continue to add a ton of sugar and calories after we have a nice reserve..carbs are not the problem, too many calories are the problem) When you do your crash diet...you eliminate a lot of carbs and your body starts to use up it's emergency glucose reserves...which also releases the water it's stored in. Net result....you do this "crash diet" and see a sudden 2-4 pound weight loss as your liver shrinks and think you've been magically doing something right....when in fact you've just mostly lost some water and stripped out your emergency glucose reserve. That's why those 2-4 super easy to lose pounds....are also super easy to gain right back. Food journaling and calorie counting is my least favorite thing on Earth. I hate it and resent that I have to do it. But I'm a food addict....so I have to. Feels unfair, I resist it like a cage....but at the end of the day it's honestly the only way forward for me. (and it works. for me, anywho)

So far gastric sleeve is the best decision I’ve ever made. I was 340 on 1/28 as of today I’m sitting at 293. The weight loss in the first month or so especially is DRASTIC. First month is also the hardest there’s a lot of adapting to do accompanied by some frustration. It does get better I promise. broth, Jello, and even Water may irritate you for the first week or so (at least they did with me) but in time you’ll be fine don’t stress

You're doing great! 6 kg in 2 weeks is almost 1 pound per day. That's excellent, especially considering that most people temporarily gain weight in the hospital from all the IV fluids. A lot of people have unrealistic expectations for weight loss. You didn't gain the weight overnight and you're not going to lose it overnight. Most people lose 15-25 pounds in the first month, so you're well on your way. It's too soon right now to worry about your rate of weight loss. You need to focus on getting your fluids and protein. Stick with your plan and the weight will come off.

After 14 days just 6kg.. Feeling bad Sent from my CPH1923 using BariatricPal mobile app

I am two years out and am struggling with nausea and serious g.i. tract issues that began after surgery and so far, despite numerous tests, blood work, scans, etc., cannot be diagnosed or treated. When I was young, I suffered from something very similar (described as "visceral hypersensitivity") which ultimately was successfully treated through SSRI's. For ten years I was pain- and symptom-free. But apparently the surgery somehow re-triggered it and I've unfortunately had to reject the doctor's only proposed remedy -- Elavil -- because when I took Elavil 17 years ago, I gained 15 pounds within a few months. The SSRI I take now (Wellbutrin) stopped the symptoms for ten years, but it no longer works post-surgery. So until other options arise, I have to live with these unfortunate symptoms. Xanax helps occasionally, though. And post-surgery, I've also had increased dental issues, too. I undertook RNY because I have three friends who underwent RNY ten years ago. All had different outcomes. One friend just regained 40 pounds and has no other health problems except dental issues (tooth loss). A second has lupus, which of course is unrelated to the surgery, but because of her illness, limitations, and medications, regained all of her weight. My third friend is now 75 and was diagnosed a few years ago with spinal stenosis which has caused her to live in severe pain, have numb arms and hands, and serious balance issues (she has broken bones and had concussions from several falls). Is it from the surgery? We'll never know. She religiously takes her supplements and undergoes blood work. She also has serious dental issues (tooth loss). But she is 75 so age may be a big factor. The other two women are in their mid sixties. (I am 61). I am still extremely glad I had the surgery and probably would have opted for it even knowing in advance that I would have to deal with the repeated onset of all these gastrointestinal symptoms, which at times can be disabling. It may be very difficult for researchers to track WLS patients over decades and observe myriad health issues that arise with time and age, and be able to determine which are due to the surgery and which have arisen independently. I would suspect that if clusters of symptoms (e.g., osteoporosis, iron deficiency) arose in large percentages, then they could make such assertions. There are so many medical advances these days that I am remaining positive that our symptoms, whatever they be, will soon be able to be better diagnosed and treated.

13 days out from surgery 10 lbs down... I haven't been eating. Eating is a hassle. When I do eat I either give up or don't eat the right thing. I don't put me or my staples in danger of course. I'm just not meeting protein requirements in the slightest. I'm writing this post because I know there are a lot of other who feel like they've just been getting it wrong since Week 1 of surgery, and I just want to say that its never too late to turn it around. This isn't like all the other times! I'm not looking for motivation, encouragement, a lecture or anything else. I'm just calling myself out for bad behaviour because I'm a big know-it-all who is miserable, tired, and losing hair. I'm re-commiting myself to toughing it out this week and the coming weeks because I've been on this forum long enough to know that it all passes.

Typically a process where the post op phases are undertaken in a much shorter time frame eg over a week, 10 days or a fortnight. I assume it is to help with not just weight loss but help reset someone's mindframe.

That is exactly what has happened to me, just wondering if this is forever or an issue for people who recently had the bypass.. yes the weight loss is great but this is too much

Metformin is one of them. It’s a diabetes drug but it helps with weight loss.

So I am 39 years old, I’m down almost 110 from high weight, and I still have 66 lbs to go to hit goal which is in a healthy BMI range. Almost 4 months post op. At this point I don’t have much in the way of loose skin and I’ve not noticed my face looking “older” than it did prior to weight loss. It looks a lot more angular, but that’s to be expected. I had forehead wrinkles prior to weight loss- and I say “had” because 20 units of Botox every 4 months or so have taken care of these before and after surgery. Overall, make sure you wear sunscreen every day, moisturize, and take care of your skin. If wrinkles appear anyway after surgery and they bother you, get filler or Botox.

Me too! Exactly Word for Word. I’ve had severe Gerd, esophageal spasms, large hiatal hernia, and food acid reflux at night despite being on some sort of anti-acid/PPI since I was 20. Being overweight I did not qualify for the fundilplication which was the standard surgical procedure. I work at Mayo and when they suggested the gastric bypass I really was not interested. It took me 7 Months to finally make the decision and get it done. The reflux is gone, and the weight loss is a win-win. My surgery was 2/24/2021

I'm 9 months out from VSG, saw the bariatric clinic follow up staff, and am so GRR now. I never had that "I'm never hungry" feeling once I recovered from the surgery but shrugged it off. I could drink 2 oz. fluids at once literally the day of surgery so I was like... OK, cool. Weight loss was slow despite being diet compliant and exercising, stopped at 25 pounds after 3 months, then gained 10 back after a foot injury (off again since getting back to my daily 5k jog). I've been having reflux for ages despite avoiding trigger foods/drinks and I get hiccups 20+ times a day regardless of how I'm eating, drinking, or not doing either. So they referred me back to the surgeon's office. Last week I had an upper GI study. The radiology report says I have mild decreased lower esophageal motility and mild outpouching at the fundus... um, I shouldn't HAVE a fundus after gastric sleeve. The weakened esophageal muscles explains the fluid that backs up when I drink sometimes, especially if not sitting straight up or standing, and the chest lock I feel when eating dryer foods or meats. I'm confused about the fundus. Is the radiologist mistaken and unfamiliar with VSG anatomy? Did the surgeon leave part of my fundus? The surgeon's office is awful at communicating so I'm in limbo. They didn't even call me before ordering the upper GI, they just had the radiology department call to schedule me without notice. All I can think about is where I go from here. Meds for the reflux and live with the hiccups? Revision surgery for the reflux and basically start over (the big GRR)? Anyone else have anything similar like a retained fundus, outpouching, or GERD with esophageal motility disorders like weakened muscles after VSG surgery?

Your hair cut is lovely @Lynda486 I’m jealous. I’d love to have those gorgeous waves of yours. I have to sleep in plaits or twists like Ms.SSS did to get any kinks in mine. Sigh. Lookin’ hot @JMJames92. Spent two days Mother of the Bride dress shopping with a a girlfriend whose daughter is getting married in about 8 weeks. (The wedding was postponed from September last year - thanks COVID.) Oh my God. So difficult to find something that’s not boringly conservative or too young, shirt or revealing that still has a soft beach’s vibe. It’s a beach wedding on a island resort of the coast of Queensland. Think @MarvelGirl25 is on to the right idea with eloping. I haven’t offered to go shoe shopping with my friend though I did find some pretty sandals with brushed gold & silver straps with a touch of fuschia online that might work with the dress. We ended up choosing this dress. I think we did pretty well.

Yep, when I was younger and thinner I had a non-issue neck. Then I gained weight and I suppose any aging/slackening of the skin in that area was camouflaged by the excess fat. Fast forward to after weight loss and my neck was actually the first thing (after an arm lift) that I realllllllyyyyyy wanted to get done. Didn't end up getting it done as it didn't bother me as much after a while, but now I think it looks odd. Its not so very flappy nor droopy (but it is definitely NOT firm), and I have these weird vertical lines of skin that makes it look like I have a giant hole in my neck (see 1st pic below), and it gets more prominent when I'm smiling. Weird. Depending on your age/genes/amount of weight lost, the degree of sag will vary. You won't really know how your neck will fare until you get to your desired weight. Of course there is always face/neck lifts. I've also recently read that botox is injectable into the neck muscles (I didn't know this!) that results in a firming look. Will be asking about this at my consult next week. See second pic below of a before/after pic I lifted from a random site. So there is hope...(I hope!) P.S. I'm 50 this year.

Thanks, Just knowing it gets better means there is light ahead ... I was just so tired of protein drinks and soft puréed food I wanted to use my teeth again!, but my weight loss has been great

Thank you so much Christina! That was very encouraging and gives me confirmation I’m stepping in the right direction. Same here, my PCP is great, but she herself has said she struggles with weight and tries every on/off label medication out there for weight loss. So a nutritionist definitely makes me feel more comfortable. My nutritionist will also be bariatric oriented. I’m so happy to hear your success! Thanks again for your support 😊

I’ve lost 175 pounds and my face definitely looks different, but I think much better. I was a little concerned about looking older because I have seen some info saying that massive weight loss makes you look older, but honestly, that was among the least of my concerns. I think I lucked out in the chin department — I had big-time double-chin at my highest weight, and I can see some slight sagging now, but not nearly as bad as I feared. And I am almost 40, so it was probably going to happen soon, anyway. It is weird to me to see my face in the mirror because I feel like I don’t look like myself. My face used to be so big and round, and now it is so angular because my jawline is so prominent. And when I smile, I have dimples that I didn’t used to have. It’s hard to say if that makes me look older, or just different. I’ve always had dark circles under my eyes (even as a kid), and they’ve gotten worse since surgery, but that might be temporary. I don’t have a ton of sagging skin or wrinkles on my face, though (my body is a different story...).

Ooooo hair edition 🤩 such a cute classic 90’s style

I've seen a lot of articles and YouTube videos about eating at restaurants after weight loss surgery. I would suggest googling something like "restaurants after weight loss surgery" for tips. Something to keep in mind, though, is that most of these articles are about going out to eat on rare occasions, not eating all of your meals from restaurants. It's hard to lose weight if you're always eating at restaurants because (1) you don't really know what's in the food, so you can't track your intake accurately, and (2) the food is loaded with extra fat and sugar. In terms of tracking your intake, chain restaurants are probably easier because you can find the nutrition information online, and the food is usually pre-packaged and just heated up at the restaurant, so they're probably not adding a bunch of extra butter or anything. You can also find a lot of articles about the healthiest foods at various chain restaurants. Salads with grilled meat are usually a safe bet, but you have to watch the dressing. Always get dressing on the side, and maybe use your own light dressing instead. Trader Joe's has some amazing super-low-calorie dressings (green goddess and spicy cashew). A sandwich without the bun is another option (some places will even make you a lettuce wrap instead of a sandwich). A lot of restaurants have dishes that are basically meat plus sides, and you can order veggies as the sides. Just watch out for the sauces (ask for sauces on the side to be safe). Regarding portion size, why can't you take a measuring cup with you to a restaurant? It doesn't necessarily have to be a measuring cup, but you can carry a 4-ounce plastic container with a lid in your purse and use it to measure half a cup. Of course, once you get some practice, you will probably be able to eyeball the correct portion size pretty well. A lot of people recommend asking for a box when you get your meal and putting some of the food in the box to bring home so you don't over-eat (I've seen this recommended just for general dieting purposes, not just for WLS patients). You could measure out a potion to leave on your plate and put the rest in the box. Yeah, it might look weird, but I guarantee you won't be the first person who does that. Finally, when you say you don't cook, are you open to heating up prepared foods? Like frozen meals? Unfortunately, most frozen meals aren't very bariatric-friendly because they usually have rice and pasta, but there are some decent ones with cauliflower rice or just meat and veggies, or they have the rice in a separate compartment so you can leave it out. How about semi-homemade? It's not difficult to heat up some frozen veggies and pre-packaged meat. One of my go-to meals consists of frozen cauliflower rice + canned black beans + salsa from a jar + chicken + shredded cheese (I usually make my own taco meat chicken in the Instant Pot, but frozen grilled chicken works, too). It only takes a couple of minutes to throw all that stuff in a bowl and stick it in the microwave. Another easy option is bagged salad mix + meat + light dressing from a bottle. I'm 7 months post-op and I can count on one hand the number of times I've eaten restaurant food since my surgery. I've found that I don't really enjoy it anymore because I can't eat the foods that I used to order at restaurants, I can only eat tiny portions, and it seems like a waste to spend so much money on a restaurant meal when it's pretty much the same as what I would make for myself at home.

Lopping off inches of hair can be quite traumatic, no? This style flatters your face shape and makes you neck look long...plus it puts your fab clavicles on display! P.S. If you tell me your hair is naturally that curly I will cry self-centred tears.

I also cut my hair off on my sons birthday, just needed a change to get me through it. I took 7 inches off. It looks much better now that I learned to style it.

I'm having the same problems, iron, hair, etc etc, I've had 4 blood transfusions and still need to go for another one soon