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Hi, I'm new here. Let me give you a bit of my history. I'm 43, weigh 290 pounds, and have diabetes. On November 24, I experienced stabbing pain on the right side below my rib cage. I went to the ER, where the doctor gave me pain medication and an ultrasound, which revealed gallbladder stones. He scheduled a visit with a surgeon for mid-December. I had another gallbladder attack before the appointment, but luckily, apple cider vinegar (ACV) and Aleve helped relieve the pain. On the appointment day, the surgeon suggested I consider getting sleeve gastrectomy along with gallbladder removal. I was shocked to hear that and, in a panic, declined the VSG. However, after researching, I found it's a potential solution for weight loss and reversing diabetes. Now, with only three days left before my surgery, I'm trying to add VSG to the gallbladder removal. I'm unsure if it will work out with the surgeon, and it might be too late to make changes. I don't want to go through another laparoscopic procedure and double the cost. I'm feeling nervous about how this week will go.

Well done! You have achieved (and continue to achieve) so much 👏👏👏 It’s such a kick when you start shopping for YOU and not just because it fits. It can feel strange because you’re also finding out your style, your likes and dislikes, what suits you and what doesn’t. I would love to book a personal shopper/stylist at some point once my weight is off, just to have someone else’s perspective 🙂 Enjoy every moment - you have worked for this and definitely earned it!

Another factor is insurance. For example, I know my insurance would happily (as happily as they do anything) cover sleeve or bypass. Meet the requirements and you could have either one of those, no questions asked. Everything else was considered "experimental" and was not covered. Based on my brother's experience of significant regain after sleeve, plus not wanting to risk GERD and the possibility of a revision, I opted for bypass right out of the gate. I felt like that would be a one-and-done surgery, and I have zero regrets. A few key differences to consider are bypass is a stronger metabolic surgery, so you tend to get more durable weight loss if you look at 5-10 years post-op. But weight regain after sleeve can be managed with GLP-1 meds (if you have coverage or can pay out of pocket). If you have reflux or diabetes/pre-diabetes, seriously consider a bypass as this surgery is great for reducing or eliminating these conditions. If you smoke or require a lot of pain meds, seriously consider sleeve because your risk of ulcers with bypass is elevated by smoking and NSAID use, and the ulcers are very hard to cure. Dumping can be unpleasant but managed through dietary choices. I have had a couple very minor instances of dumping. Once after eating too much sugar (I absolutely knew better when I did it), and once after a few bites of a very rich, very fat-filled Thanksgiving side dish (this one surprised me). In both cases, my heart raced for about 15 minutes to the point my Fitbit thought I was exercising and awarded me "zone minutes." For me, that was the extent of it and nothing I couldn't handle. I'll just avoid that green bean dish next time. Some people do get worse responses. A lot of people never dump at all. One thing to consider if choosing a less-known surgery in the US is your doctors outside the surgeon who performs it may not be very familiar with it. Everyone should know what a bypass or a sleeve is. Hospitals or EMTs might not know much about your anatomy with a MGB or a DS, and that could cause delays in treatment, which in an emergency might become an issue. Not to say don't get those if they're right for you, but you may have to spend more time educating yourself and your healthcare team if you do.

If there is a discord, I'll join it. So, I'm staying between 225-228 lbs. I dropped to 221 a couple days ago. Only because I had a colonscopy and I was on a liquid diet for nearly 36 hrs. Otherwise, my weight hasn't moved in more than a month. Edit* Hit the send to fast 😃 To finish what I was writing, I shouldn't be at a maintenance weight, which is what it feels like since ive been in this weight range for 6 weeks or more. If I ate less than I do now, I don't think it would be sustainable. I have my 6 month post op appointments next month. Hopefully by then the scale moves a bit more. I was hoping to be at 200 lbs. Or less by the time I have knee surgery in October.

I agree with @NickelChip that you are looking great. Well I’m glad that you have finally stabilized. I would like to think if you just do strength training that you wouldn’t lose too much since you should be building muscle which weighs more than the fat you would be burning as I’m sure you know. Maybe just some wrist and ankle weights around the house on occasion would help you to build a bit of strength without too much energy drain. I’m sure the low iron is a huge factor in that, hopefully they can get you on a good regiment if that is a chronic thing. Have they also been monitoring your B-12 levels? That’s another thing that can zap your energy when it is low.

Congee would be too thick (dense) & textured to be considered suitable for the fluid stage. It will be fine for the purée stage though. Liquids have to pour like water. No lumps, chunks or fibrous bits even tiny soft ones like in congee. Water can feel almost heavy to some plus because your taste buds may be temporarily ‘off’ it can taste odd. Have you tried adding a little lemon or lime to your water? I was allowed green or herbal teas which were a bid send to break the water. Don’t forget your shakes & the consommés, broths you are allowed in the liquid stage count towards your fluid intake for the day. I often added additional water to my soups to thin them out more and to the shakes to dilute the taste which was awful to me after surgery. A lot of people also drink protein water and crystal light too as a break from plain water. Congrats on your surgery & your weight loss so far.

Congratulations on your loss. It’s not nothing, every bit you lose makes you that much healthier so try not to think of it as ONLY 70 pounds. Take it from someone who thought like you did and stopped trying. I ended up gaining it all back because I was ashamed and felt like a failure. Obesity is complex. You are not a failure. You just need more help. If you haven’t already, make an appointment with your surgeon. They should have some tools to help get you back on track. If they have a live support group you may find that helpful as well as posting here.

Welcome @draikaina8503! I'm on in 3 days!? How is this sneaking up on me? Breathe, breathe... @Hiddenroses - Congratulations on your surgery! What you're dealing with in telling others sounds perfectly normal to me. This is not the easy path. The process is rough, but no matter what and no matter who reacts, we're going to come out of this stronger. I'm still going to be me, with or without the weight. Unfortunately, I've always been treated differently because of my weight - Heavy friends with a "one of us" mentality, slimmer people that want to look better next to me, others that just discount me. I'll be alienating them all. It shouldn't matter, but I was raised to please others. Another bad habit I am fixing. If random people question me, I guess I'll just refer them to the weight loss clinic that I went to that started me on this path - they do everything from diet and exercise to bariatric referrals. Other than that, it's no one's business what I do with my body. But I still have to figure out the social food thing. @Mandalynne, I am so ready to be done. So many nerves, so sick of worrying. So tired of the LSD and hunger. Whatever happens is going to happen, let's just get it done already, haha. @ShoppGirl and @Greekmom4, I'm so sorry that the surgery was rough and that you are in so much pain. I hope things lessen up soon and you can start thriving. The fact that we can even do this is amazing to me. Our lives and our health will have a fresh start! When I hit my weight goal, I'm going to travel, and not worry about fitting on the plane. What are your plans for your new life?

Not sure who needs to know, but both me and my sister are well, no complications so far (to be honest I don't even remember that I have gone through that sometimes) I feel completely fine but it's just that I can eat a lot still and haven't lost much weight 15kg(33lbs) in last 7 months (my sister's the same) and not much inch loss as well Is this common, did anyone feel the same????

...but how do you FEEL? (it sounds like your med team is not so very concerned..?) put aside outside (non-medical-professional) comments and opinions, and even your own assessment of what you see in the mirror... do you FEEL good? do you have energy? can you go about your day physically unhindered or diminished? if yes, you are probably best served by working on the mental self work vs the physical stuff. easy to say, i know. you've done awesome, and in my insignificant opinion, you don't look sickly nor bony to me in your (clothed) pics. but i just suggested to block out others comments so ignore me! lol good luck! p.s. again, in my insignificant (non-medical) opinion: for someone your current height, weight, and reported activity level, 1600-18000 cals at 35g of carbs is weight loss level cals/macros. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Ive been following your story. I think i dont fully realize the extent of how much this is out of our control. Im 3 months post and im already close to my goal. My fear is that after a year ill be down further than i want and ill look sick😔😖. One can only hope that itll stop at a decent weight

Not that uncommon and comparatively not more strict. There are variations between surgeons and surgeries with many of these things. Sometimes it’s also related to you, your health, how much weight you have to lose, your relationship with food, etc, Not being allowed carbonated drinks is common. The differences arise in length of time of this avoidance and then whether you can tolerate it. Also you may be allowed sparkling water that you let go flat a bit but not sodas. Same with alcohol avoidance but there are three main reasons often behind this. One is concern for addiction transfer which can occur after weight loss surgery. Secondly, alcohol is calorie dense and offers no nutrients which are vital while we are losing and eating small portions and lastly it will slow your metabolism & dehydrate you. Again some surgeons just put a time frame on it but it does depend on your surgery too. Caffeine is another thing that is allowed by some surgeons and not by others and again there can be differences in for how long you should avoid it. Deconstructing meals is not a forever thing. Certainly while losing, focussing on eating the protein component of your meal first is very important. If you are able after you’ve eaten the protein in your meal. you then can eat your vegetables then any carbs you are allowed. (There were many times I could only eat my protein at a meal and nothing else.) This is because of the small portions we can eat initially & the necessity of getting that protein in to meet your protein goals. It does make tracking your food much easier too. When you near your goal, and are eating larger portions, it’s not as important to eat your protein first but you must continue to hit your protein goals forever so it will be something of which you are aware when you’re eating. In saying that I often ate soups, stews & casserole type dishes, omelettes, etc. which combined protein & vegetables while losing but not every meal and not every day. Actually not allowing protein shakes is also not uncommon. For example, in the UK, many aren’t allowed protein shakes in the pre surgery diet (they drink milk instead). Protein shakes aren’t the sole source of protein & nutrients in that first stage after surgery. Bone broths, consommés and cream soups are also options. Thank goodness too because after surgery those protein shakes can be disgusting. I found them unpleasantly grainy and crazy sweet & struggled to drink one a day. Best advice is to follow your plan while you are losing.However, if you find it difficult to tolerate your food options or to reach your goals ask for alternatives that will allow you to still meet protein goals & other nutrient requirements within any calorie guidelines you are given. How and what you eat once your weight has stabilised is up to you, what you’ve learnt about your eating and relationship with food and if it allows you to maintain a lower and healthier weight & lifestyle.

Great advice from @SpartanMakeras usual. 😁 I say the surgery gave me time. Time to reflect on my eating habits and food choices & change my relationship with food. Time to make changes to those things. Time to discover what my real hunger and full signals were versus which were head hunger signals. Time to discover & establish an activity routine I actually enjoy and do. Time to work out the strategies and behaviours that help me manage head hunger, and poor eating behaviours, maintain my weight, etc. that work for me. And of course the progress you make losing is a great motivator. In time your hunger comes back, you’re able to eat more, life throws crap at you, and so on which is why taking advantage of the time to do those things I mentioned above is important …well it was to me. Never be afraid to ask for help and guidance from your new team (surgeon, their support staff, dietician) or from people here. We’ve all fought battles of some sort, made mistakes or slipped and can understand where you’ve been and what you may face after this next surgery. And yes, therapy can be very helpful too. All the best.

You have to start walking right away, before you even leave the hospital. For the first 3 weeks, the walking is plenty. It's about increasing the amount you can walk. Around week 4, I started doing the treadmill on a lower incline (not completely flat but a lower incline) and a normal walking speed. I also started doing arm workouts (without weights). I started doing mild step ups, and increased walking even more. At 6 weeks, I started increasing the incline on the treadmill, added low weights to my arm work outs, and added the exercise bike. At week 10, I increased the weights and started doing more strenuous workouts and small hikes. At 12 weeks, I started core work and increased the workouts more. i also do beginner pilates, but I only just started that.

I would like to end 2025 at approximately the weight I start it. Not because I am hung up on a certain figure but because it's where I feel best. And where all my new clothes fit best. I did achieve that goal this year, but only after regaining a goodly chunk and then actively having to diet to get it off again. I don't like dieting and I feel like I shouldn't need to any more - if I use my sleeve properly. It still does its thing as soon as I let it. I know where I went wrong - I stopped tracking and then stopped weighing myself when the stopping tracking resulted in regain. I also allowed myself more alcohol than I needed (drinking empty calories is completely idiotic). I've nipped that right in the bud. I'd like to eat well, keep tracking, and MAINTAIN (ish) this year. Good luck to everyone with their goals and I love the reframing from resolutions, where so many of us have set ourselves up to fail for years.

Oh. @BlueParis you look wonderful and gorgeous! 😁 I know you need to lose more for your health/mobility issues but just crossing my fingers over here that I can one day be like you ( minus the boobs, cause that would take alottttttt of plastic surgery for me! 🤣) After losing and gaining weight for over 30 yrs, mine pretty much look like deflated pancakes! Sorry for the visuals 😝

I love that they gave you daily goals. I feel like the drs only gave me a protein goal and it’s 114 grams… and I’m still in the purée stage to needless to say, I am failing that every day. But everything I eat has high protein and I probably am getting about 60 grams a day, so your post made me feel better! I feel like my weight loss is super slow but at least it’s in the right direction and happening! I can’t wait to start getting rid of clothes that don’t fit!

i actually thought i was in menopause at the time of my surgery...i hadn't had a period for almost two years just prior to that. about 2 weeks after surgery, i got a period, omg. and lasted for like 8-10 days. which is weird, cuz when i was regular, my periods lasted 4-5 days tops. and this one was HEAVY. after that, i got my period like clockwork, every 4 weeks, lasting 4-5 days again. guess i wasn't in menopause after all, i was just fat. which sucked (the period part not the fat part) cuz i really hate getting periods. then about 4 years later, i truly went into menopause. and haven't had a regular period since 2022. yay! but yeah, i as i understand it, hormones are stored in some level of fat, so when there is rapid weight/fat loss, your hormones are released back into your body (bloodstream?), and you are effected by it. so if hormones are the cause of your spotting, this could be why. but to be safe, pls have a visit with your doc or gyno. don't mess with reproductive health: if you can catch something early, catch it early. good luck! ❤️

Ooh, thanks for this @FifiLux🥰 It links to my Apple Watch/iphone, which links with my Nutracheck app so I’ve ordered the pretty purple and red one which should be here tomorrow 🥳 I’ve given the tape measure and skipping rope a miss for now but they are bookmarked for future reference. @AmberFLI guess it will be like the grand unveiling won’t it, come revealing my weight when hitting target! Hubby doesn’t really equate a weight with anything really, he works off clothing sizes (more visual obviously) so he asked me yesterday what clothing size I was aiming for and I said 14/16 (UK sizing) and he understood that. @catwoman7I think, from reading what others have said, your body pretty much chooses where it wants to be so I will be guided by that in the short term. I previously got down to around 165lbs and I still cannot envisage me weighing that now! I’m still in shock from how small the Billabong shorts I rescued look, never mind to think that, once upon a time, my fat arse fit in to them 😂 @Arabesquesorry, I didn’t explain myself very well - the Drs surgery called me for my updated weight when the Dr was putting in the referral. I had to show willing right at the start and try the Slimming World programme before I could be referred. When I started the programme I weighed 130.5kg but this actually went up (unlimited pasta and potatoes huh?? Really??) and I duly reported 135kgs which somehow ended up as 130kg on the referral letter 😮 Can only think that the second weight report got missed somehow 🤷‍♀️ My home scales always weighed me 2lbs heavier than the scales in the Rheumatology Department at the hospital but I didn’t mind that as it gave me a little breathing space. I did tell the dietitian that obviously I weigh myself in the buff etc and she just laughed and said it was fine.

The problem is they don't have smaller stomachs like we do. The medication makes them not hungry, so they can't tolerate eating much. But once they're not on the meds anymore, all the head hunger, real hunger, and not being full or even satisfied with small meals comes back. If we didn't have this surgery, would we be able to sustain all the changes we made after the surgery? No. If we could, we wouldn't need the surgery. Same with them. If they could sustain the healthy lifestyle, smaller meals, and not giving in to head hunger without the meds, they would do it. But they can't. Which is why they gain it all back and then some. Same that we would if our stomachs just randomly started to stretch out over time (as a hypothetical, meaning not eating around the surgery but it just being something that wasn't permanent but could undo itself).

Hi March Buddies, How is everyone doing? I can’t believe it’s been 5 months post op. Had a huge milestone met this morning on the scale after a period of stagnant weight loss. A weight that I haven’t seen in over 30 years. I’m still in shock and very grateful I’m on this journey. Still more work to be done, but, these moments help to reassure me I’m on the right path. Hope my surgery buddies are all healed and doing well. I’m having an incisional hernia repair in a couple weeks, not from the gastric surgery, from gallbladder removal 10 years ago! Hopefully this will be the end of surgeries for a long time! Would love to hear what people have found to keep their protein levels up. And what activities are you able to enjoy now? I was thrilled to ride some amusement rides with my kids this summer!

Hurray!!! Gains have gone plus another 1.8lbs on top 🥳🥳🥳 Did a very happy bathroom dance this morning 💃 @ShoppGirlI knew exactly what you meant! It’s why I’m not too fussed if I have to complete the LRD over Christmas because it does away with the temptations for me. I think sometimes we eat more of things we shouldn’t over Christmas because it’s almost like it’s expected or excused? Or is that just me? @FifiLuxHow maddening for you 😡 It could be water retention though, especially if you have been eating foods prepared by someone else? My body does complain and take a couple of days to settle down after travelling so hopefully yours will be back to showing target (or below) on your scales in the next few days 🤞🤞 Half portion pancakes? Is there such a thing?? 😉 Off to the hospital to have my eyes checked in a bit. Hopefully this will be the last time as I’m no longer on the meds that can cause eye problems. Had bloods yesterday and the LFT is still high. Oh well, just have them done again in 3 weeks. I’m not worried about it now, covid and antivirals have quite probably contributed to my levels. I did try to explain to the Rheumatology nurse who rang but she didn’t seem to grasp what was trying to explain 🤷‍♀️ I’m sure if it was a massive issue, I would be in to see the Consultant 🙂 TFI Friday eh?

Yes the doctor wants me to lose 10% of my weight before the surgery. Being on the national health service, I guess they want to take extra precautions to make the surgery approved by their boards and directors. 12 weeks seems a really long time, but I've had weight problems for over 30 years so in the grand scheme of things, it's no time at all. Thanks for the suggestion about ways to celebrate my birthday! I've made plans to get my nails done with a friend so that will be great!

In the 1st 6 months I lost a little weight after my RNY (45 lbs). Have not lost since that and that was about a year ago Anyone else have this problem and anything that worked (from the ppl who had this issue)

We should be proud. Even though some ignorant people don't realize how much work goes into losing the weight after WLS. If they even know we had it. At first, I told everyone. I didn't care who knew. But now, like Catwoman, I only share with those I feel can benefit from my experience. The comments were hard for me to take at first too. I even had someone tell me I need to learn to take a compliment. I took that advice and simply say thank you and smile. But if anything negative or passive aggressive is said, all bets are off. LOL