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I don't know that I've seen insomnia as a common thing. For me, I think it was basically because I wasn't taking part in my regular routines at that point. As for the other question, exit point lol -- not fun. Yes, I would 100% still have the surgery knowing everything that I do now. 2 months post op and I feel amazing, both physically and mentally. I've never had so much energy before. My weight loss since day of surgery is only 21 lbs, but my inches lost is a much better measurement imo. 4 inches off my waist in 2 months. My smart watch used to be on the 2nd hole and is now on the 5th. I'm in 3 different weekly exercise classes and actually ENJOY going, even when the sweat is dripping into my eyeballs. I can see a future for myself again, when there were several years that I was convinced I'd be dead by 40. This whole process has turned my life around 180 degrees and it is the best thing that I have ever done for myself. 10/10 would recommend.

My question to you is why would you want too? The whole point of having WLS is to make us healthier by losing the weight AND keeping it off! What's to keep people from going down that slippery slope once again if we could eat as much as we once did? Enjoy the portion restrictions as a way to maintain a healthier lifestyle!

Exactly @Spinoza. It’s there all the time. Sometimes just a faint little voice whispering in the distance and sometimes shouting at you. Mine has been shouting a lot lately, Had to give myself a kick in the pants and getting it off my chest here has been a help. Always a such a supportive community here. Was actually thinking about asking my GP for a referral to a menopause specialist. She’s been great right from the start about prescribing HRT and putting me on alternatives when issues arose but I have been thinking I need some extra help. I reduced my estrogen a little last week (3 pumps down to 2.5) because of the bloating and sore breasts but now the daily headaches are back. Sigh! I see my bariatric follow up doctor later this month so I’ll what she says as yes, micro dosing had crossed my mind too. The man I was most surprised by with his bone loss was my cousin @SpartanMaker. He was a walker. Walked for miles, twice a day, up & down hills with his dog when he permanently retired. Still don’t understand that but he had a sedentary job which I think probably contributed and probably does for lots of men and women too these days. My dad was a farmer (horticulturalist) on his feet and lifting things every day. His bones were so hard that when he’d have his bone marrow tests for his multiple myeloma, the doctor would stand on the bed or kneel over my dad to put his weight behind the needle to get it into the bone Yikes!

@ms.sss 😂😂😂 yasss the clearance section I miss it 😩😩😩! That is definitely a win! Thanks 4 tha compliments! Crazy how sometimes the face changes drastically after weight loss. Before my poor cheeks looked like a puffer fish 😂. Meh life

I wouldn’t even listen to that surgeon if you feel good and you’re still losing and you’re doing your activity honestly he’s just putting you in as if you’re a statistic. I really hate it when doctors do that. It’s like either. They think you’re lying about what you’re eating or they just assume that one thing works for everyone at the exact same rate. i’m doing OK I posted in another thread that I do have some medical stuff going on. I was recently diagnosed with breast cancer so I have been juggling my weight loss and fitness along with a whole lot of doctors appointments and scans and chemo. Surprisingly I think that it is my yoga and my walking that have kept me sane. I did stop doing my cardio class because they told me that the chemotherapy is extremely dehydrating and it was important to not get myself to warm like to avoid being out in the sun for a long time or anything like that and as I already mentioned on here before I sweat quite a bit When I work out. I am fighting the urge to have carbs since Thanksgiving, but part of that I believe is the steroids I get with my chemo. They told me it wouldn’t be an issue because I would be nauseous anyways and I wouldn’t be able to eat much but I haven’t been nauseous one day so far knock on wood. The chemotherapy actually seems to have increased my metabolism to wear, even though I am eating little things off plan and exercising a bit less I am still losing weight. They assigned me an oncology dietitian who told me that she does not want me to lose more than I was losing before the chemo, which is about 2 to 3 pounds a week. At first I dropped like 6 pounds and we were pretty worried but I honestly think it was just water weight or something. anyways, it’s been a challenge as I’m sure it has been for everyone to juggle whatever life events. Everyone else is dealing with, but I’m getting through it. My habits of packing food like turkey, jerky and cheese sticks and protein shakes or yogurt smoothies, and taking with me and freezing things have been my lifesavers. I don’t always exactly want to eat that and I’m giving myself a little bit of grace right now because of my circumstance but trying not to be too forgiving at the same time. I am actually doing my walk right now because I was out of town for a doctors appointment today and then I went and did a wig fitting because I’ve lost my hair for most of it anyways and I literally just walked in the door and ate my salad that I picked up on the way home for my dinner. I’ve got to get this done and get to bed early because I have yoga first thing in the morning. I am honestly just so thankful that I started this weight loss journey when I did and that my nutrition and fitness are in such a better place because I really truly feel like that is helping me already and it will continue to help me get through all of this anyways, I really hope everyone else is doing OK as well. It’s a crazy roller coaster for sure but we’ve got this!!

Here is some info: https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/semaglutide-weight-loss-what-you-need-know#:~:text=After 68 weeks%2C half of,nearly a third lost 20%. https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2032183 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-024-02996-7 You should know rather quickly (a month or so) if it’s working for you. Speak with your specialist about all of your concerns.

I post here for advice, encouragement and always get such uplifting/helpful comments. I just need this to get out to my bari-fam! I am 15months post op. I have done well, got down to my goal weight fairly quickly, made leaps on my fitness journey and just pretty proud of how far I have come. Lately, body dysmorphia is really rearing its ugly head and I am not dealing with it well. I am punishing myself with binge eating...All of April has just sucked a$$ for me. I am maintaining, continuing my workouts, my days are great then I go home at night, I grab a few chips, leads to some sweets, leads to some bread and butter, ect....do I eat a ton of it? No but I don't feel good when I eat it. Last week, I went on a week long drinking fiasco- I used to drink...a lot pre-surgery- Last night I ate Jack in the box tacos.. you know those disgusting delicious mini tacos and my feel like garbage today! I am letting my emotional eating get the best of me and I am struggling to get back. I woke up at 5 walked on my treadmill at 10incline 3.8speed but at the end of the day you cannot exercise a shitty diet. I wake up every single day and tell myself okay new day lets get back on track. And every single day I just cannot seem to get my ish together when I am at home. I am getting rid of all the bad snacks and getting everyone on the healthy train. I am trying and I am so terrified that I will get back to 300lbs again. Looking at the mirror, I see how big I am, I see the tummy, I see the hanging skin, I see everything negative when in reality I probably look fine. Not sure what I am looking for outta this post, but I needed to get it out and not hide my food struggles because I did that and it lead to me hiding food and getting up to 300lbs.

Learn2cook I am a nurse so I work a busy job as well. I have many goals such as becoming financially free, living a more sustainable life and finding a life partner at some point to name a few. As far as my health and fitness goals, I want to be strong. I want to be able to hike, and raft rivers and adventure. I dont want to be hindered by my weight anymore. I dont need to be skinny but i do what to be somewhat a normal weight. Before surgery I did try waygovy and was working out a lot so I was pretty optimized prior to surgery however i didnt lose a ton of weight with waygovy despite tracking and trying to be really mindful. My bariatric surgeon basically told me the indicator of my success is how much i can shed in the first year so i am determined. I am just hoping to get some feedback for people who have had a band before and went for revision. Thanks for your sincere reply Brittany

Reporting my win for the week: Since surgery on 4/11/24 i have remained with steady weight loss about 2 to 2.5 pounds per week. I do not own a scale and went to my parents to visit this weekend and stepped on their scale im down another 13 pounds from last month. I think my walking about 5 miles daily also helps if not helping with weight management definitely helps with my mental health. I feel so good after working out! 🏋️‍♀️. Let's us all win for the future weeks ahead!

Good job! I'm not going to say the hardest part is over, because it's not addiction for a lot of people is a continual struggle. What I will say is that alcohol is a depressant, so by giving it up it could effect your life in so many ways for the better. Less depression means more happiness, more willingness to interact with people, more ability to workout and want to take care of yourself. All things to help in your sobriety and with your weight loss journey. Good luck to you in this time of change; change is never easy, but it's worth it.

I’m right there with you. I’m 1 month post-op and I’ve only lost 16.5lbs. 14 were in the first 11 days. I’ve only lost 2.5 lbs in the last two weeks. I’ve been on soft foods and trying to count the calories along with measuring, as I only am able to eat about 1/4 cup of food per meal. I don’t know what’s causing the slow. I barely get 600 calories. I’ve been moving quite a bit since we’re trying to move into our new home. I’m still under the target weight loss the doc gave me. Just discouraged.

Hair is primarily protein, so protein intake does affect hair and hair loss as well. I know I will lose some hair. I used to have super thick, long hair, but PCOS thinned a LOT of it out for me. Fortunately, it is still pretty thick, but I am still trying to limit what I will lose as much as I can. Muscle wasting is a concern for me. I do have a decent amount of muscle, I work as a bedside nurse and, before I had some lower body issues, lifted pretty regularly. Didn't touch the scale or take any inches off, but at least I was flexible and stronger. Today marks the end of my lift restrictions, so I am hoping I can go back to doing some weight training soon!

Well not sure I am getting anything yet but in my email to the clinic I asked for the appointment to discuss "cosmetic surgery following significant weight loss, in particular breast surgery" so will see what the dr says. If I do get anything I would only be doing what is covered by the national health coverage, not paying out of my own pocket. I would love a legs and arms as they are what I am most self conscious of but I know that they are painful and after all the post sleeve complications I had I am hesitant (verging on scared) to do anything.

Just want to let people know I finally broke this horrible 2-3 months stall. I was so desperate and nutritionist said my weight was stabilizing and ask me to add starch…. It made it worse. So what did was cut going to the gym from 3-4 hours a week to 2 hour a week. Exercise too much also made me hungry all the time. Then I also went back to basic and have only protein and slowly adding vegetables and fruit. I dropped 10 lbs in 2 week. Today I am no longer in the obese category and now have BMI 29.9. I am just so very excited.

Can you spread your morning meds out so you’re not taking them at the same time? Even spreading them out over 30 minutes may help so you’re not taking large mouthfuls too close together. I can do two mouthfuls to swallow meds but not a third. Struggled to take a Serc tablet one morning for my meniere’s vertigo. Just couldn’t swallow it as it was sticking in my mouth. Finally after 4 mouthfuls I got it down. Then I swear I took 3 steps to go back to bed and up all the water came (& the med 😩). Are any of the meds multi vitamins? Vitamins are renown for making you feel blah or nauseous. Can you split when you take them like I used to take one in the morning and the second one at night. PS Congrats on your weight loss so far. Fantastic!

Today's win! Went to the park with my 3 year old and didn't complain about being tired even once! I felt stronger and I actually played with him! I feel so much lighter 🥹 can't wait till I lose more weight and grow stronger!

@SpartanMaker situational depression sounds about right. I've never had depression, so what you said makes sense. Thank you so much for what you said, and for the tips. @BlondePatriotInCDA and @NickelChip, thank you so much for your posts. It helps knowing others feel this way and I'm not going crazy lol I knew posting here would help. When I tried to explain this to people in real life, they always say "what are you bummed about, you lost all the weight, you look great, and your career is on track. Why be upset about the funding? Just go along to get along." And it's SO frustrating. I want to move up in my career SO BAD and I hate that funding is stopping me. I want to tone up and build up my lean muscle, but it's frustrating that feeling upset about my inability to move forward professionally is potentially stopping me from caring about doing what I need to do healthwise. UGH.....

I ran out of my lansoprazole (PPI) medication and while there was a shortage at my local pharmacy, I couldn't take it. All in, I was off it for about 8-9 days. Now that I'm back on it, I feel hungry all the time. To the point where I've just eaten my recommended portion size and still feel hungry and so I eat more. My weight has started to creep back up (about .5kg//1lb) and the only thing I've been doing differently is taking this medication again. Is this a common side effect when one resumes taking this or is there something else going on? I'm also 2 and a half months post op so I just wonder if this is also the return of my appetite?

Welcome to ONEDERLAND 🙌🎉 Our starting weight is v similar. Getting into the one hundreds was a big thing for me since I hung out so much here. In UK and Ireland we don't do things so much in pounds as in stones sometimes! Anyway, enjoy every milestone on the way down. It's a crazy ride.

Yes, @Trish662 , I had the exact same situation only I’m 5’4”. I was 53 yrs old when I had surgery in August, and had a long stall in December and bloodwork came back iron anemia. It took a month of faithful iron supplements with vitamin C during my lunchtime (coffee, milk products, PPT, magnesium supplements all make taking iron at other times cancel out absorption). You will have to find a 4 hr window (nothing 2 hrs before and nothing 2 hrs after) that works for your absorption. I ate meatloaf, meatballs and ground grass fed beef with a small amount of marinara or mild salsa for lunch meals as well. At the time I could only eat 3 oz of protein due to restriction (dietitian still pushing for 4oz per meal even now). I get my 60-80 grams of protein per day in easily now! After that grueling iron work I did start loosing weight much more regularly 3-4 lbs a month and kept loosing weight until 2 years and 4 months. I had RNY so I need to stay on top of the iron absorption issue regularly. If I forget to take the iron with C for a week, I feel sluggish and 4-5 lbs shows up quickly. It takes about another week to get the weight and iron back on track (says the bloodwork and doc). You’ll feel better soon and your stall will end quickly. I take Centrum Women’s 50+ tablets in the morning with Calcuim and D3, then additional Nature Made Iron 65mg with Trader Joe Vitamin C complex at lunchtime. I found my magnesium low too so I take that at night with a probiotic, Trader Joe’s is the cheapest that doesn’t hurt my stomach or pocketbook but you will probably find something you like better. I don’t count carbs, but I find if I eat any simpler carbs like an apple or oatmeal I dump. I also throw off all my electrolytes and get wicked muscle spasms. Gatorade Zero or similar products help me stay balanced, and I stayed away from most carbs except veggies during the loosing phase. I can eat the same or more calories in fat and loose, but if it’s carbs, stall, stall, stall. You will find your sweet spot, pun intended.

@AmberFL I must have missed that you are recovering from surgery. While I probably wouldn't recommend a significant fat loss diet while healing, I'd also be a bit cautious about using Google AI recommendations. The idea that you need 15-20 calories per pound of current body weight to heal just doesn't pass the smell test. If this were true, none of us would have properly healed from our bariatric surgery. Keep in mind that 15-20 pounds for you right now would be roughly 2500 to 3400 calories. At your starting weight, that would have been about 4500 to almost 6000 calories a day! Looking through the scientific literature, I couldn't find a single reference that this level of calories was needed to promote healing after surgery. There were some references to additional calories being helpful in the event of significant wounds, thus your calorie needs may be somewhat higher for more involved surgeries vs simple ones. I apologise, but I have no idea what "PS surgery" is, so that doesn't really help narrow things down. I think my recommendation would be to base this more on feel. If you are feeling really rundown, that's probably a good indication you may need to up your calories. You're always going to feel somewhat tired after any major surgery, so I'm talking about feeling excessively tired. If you do feel the need to add more, my recommendations above regarding macros still stand. We do know that wound healing requires adequate protein (thus 1.6g/kg is a good minimum target). We also want to make sure you're getting adequate essential fats, so shooting for a minimum of 50g is still good advice. If you are more like 70 to 80g, especially when not on a fat loss diet, that's just fine. I wouldn't necessarily recommend going much higher that that on fats because if you do, if will mean you would likely be subtracting calories from carbs. Good whole food sources of carbs like whole grains, vegetables and fruit have tons of nutritive value that you really shouldn't be skipping right now. In short, protein first, essential fats next, and carbs for the rest of the diet.

I appreciate your post, its an opportunity to understand human nature and the constant struggles we have fighting the basic life requirement to eat. That being said, I would like to ask fellow forum members the following questions if they too have had/have their other half going down the same paths... seeing your wife having weight/health issues and what others do/say/handle that situation. My husband eats like a 12 year old boy. He knows it, he told his doctor the same thing (his doctor laughed and said he eats the same way). His BMI (I know its not a great metric but its the easiest and most ppl understand it) is 29.98. I've explained obese is 30.00. He says he gets "plenty of exercise" because he walks 12 miles a day, which he does (mail carrier). I say that's moving NOT exercise since its nothing more than a long stroll, not getting his heart rate up. So, my question like what Spartan says how do you help someone see the light? Yes, I realize its like everything else each person has to come to the realization on their own, but how can we help the process along, after all time doesn't stand still and no one is getting younger. I try to get him to eat the meals I prepare, but its not what he "likes": cereals, processed foods i.e. hot dogs, fast food, candy and soda. He has tried dieting, it lasts less than a day or he only "eats a half bowl of sugary cereal until I point out that a serving is 1/4 cup and his half a bowl is 4 servings...etc. What have you tried, done said etc., on your journey to bring your other half kicking and screaming into a healthier lifestyle that worked? I don't want anger or alienate my husband, but do you just stand back and continue to let someone you love keep pulling the trigger?

"Unfortunately, so many people think they have a right to comment on our bodies" I think that's the take home message here. Some people are well-meaning, some people aren't. Either way it doesn't give them the right to say whatever is in their heads about us without considering what the effect of hearing that might be. I have been beaten into a corner by those both when I was obese and now that I'm not. The furthest I go with commenting on the appearance of people in my life is to tell them they're looking good. And that doesn't relate at all to their weight. They're almost always looking good to me 🤩

Calories snd weight loss aside, I was warned that immediately post op that you may physically be able to eat more than you should and you really need to measure to avoid injuring yourself by eating too much until your insides are healed. Those portions they put in your book are not just a suggestion. They are really important. Once things heal you should start to feel your restriction better but you do still need to eat slowly and to pay attention to it or you will overfill yourself. The difference between okay and stuffed can be just one or two bites for most people. That being said, I could’ve eaten more than expected with every single stage post op and I could eat more than most when I was healed as well. I still can’t eat a lot but more than most sleevers. I still lost a pretty significant amount with the sleeve and then I revised to SADI recently in which my dr didn’t touch my sleeve and I have lost a pretty big chunk of weight again. If you choose healthy foods you won’t really be consuming that much more calorie wise with an extra quarter or half cup of food, honestly. I’m talking about like broccoli or salad greens. Stuff like that. If you do your protein first and do fruits and veggies after that you still probably wont have room for much else even with a slightly larger pouch. I know that I don’t. Sometimes when I’m exercising pretty intense I do add a third cup of brown rice but I have to cut the veggies to do so.

So glad to know you did talk to your surgeon! One of the reasons people responded to your post the way we did is because we see way too many people on this board who ask people here for advise when they have a medical issue after surgery. The reality is even if someone here had a similar issue, that does not mean you are having the same issue. While most people here are really grateful they had bariatric surgery, the risks of complications can be high. We're not doctor's here and we just want people to be safe. As to your multivitamin, It's likely there is potassium in it, since almost all of them I've seen have potassium iodide as an ingredient. If yours does not, then it might be a good idea to switch to one that does have that in it. Just because it's combined with iodide, does not mean that the potassium is not bioavailable. Certainly follow your doctor's advice regarding your hydration and magnesium supplementation needs. I did want to point out that 70 oz of water per day sounds a bit low to me, especially since you live at altitude. All patients at my bariatric clinic are told to try to hit 100 oz and we're down on the plains at roughly 1000 ft. I also wanted to mention that magnesium is a common sleep aid, so while the effects of a lotion may be different for you, higher doses of magnesium might make you sleepy, so are typically best taken later in the evening. I agree with @Arabesque that an electrolyte drink might not be a bad idea. I started taking one pretty early after surgery and still use them quite a bit now that my exercise routine is quite strenuous. Just keep in mind, the point in your case is to help you retain water, not really replace lost electrolytes. This means your sodium levels will rise above normal and if you're not used to them, they can cause some weight retention. (It's just water, which is what you want.) If it freaks you out because the scale stops moving for a while, keep this in mind. I should also caution you that if you have edema, upping your sodium intake might not be a good idea, so it would be best to check with your doctor first. Best of luck! I hope you get it figured out.