Search the Community

In the early days of the surgery the scale has no relation to your body's reality. My advice - ignore it for a bit. While you are on liquids and basically minimal calories, you are losing weight. Nothing more you can do. For reasons I cant explain (and it seems no one else really can either) weight loss is not linear at all. Days will pass where the scale doesnt move - then one day three pounds disappear. We all go through the same anxiety from time to time (I am in the midst of another stall now). Other than having this group tell you its all going to be alright, there is nothing to do but be patient, and know that its just a matter of time. Wishing you good luck!

Hey all - So like many of you, I am still trying to figure out what normal means, six months post surgery. First off, I am so happy I did the VSG - no complaints, I feel great, surgeon was fantastic, their office is responsive and follows up and I am down from an all-time high of 305, 261 on Surgery Day, and 195 Today. Hoping to get to 185. That's where my difficulty is: In the past 10 weeks, I have lost maybe 5 pounds. I find my weight fluctuates daily +/- 5 pounds, so I only track the lows as benchmarks. (IDK: water retention, lack of BM, salt...). My low was 194, today 196, the other day 200 (which is a number I hate!). I think I am spoiled by the rapidity of weight loss early on and feeling a little discouraged now that things are slower. More than that though, my fear is that my portion size is starting to feel almost normal person normal... not my pre VSG by any stretch, but not terribly restricted. I also am getting hungry again... and craving things like sweets again. After a filling dinner at 6, by 9 I think about dessert - and sometimes succumb. Thus far, I havent done anything too terrible, but the idea of making a batch of chocolate chip cookies has been on my mind for weeks. I feel like I could fall off the wagon at any time. And now that I can eat almost normal amounts again, its not like the little cheats along the way that didnt matter due to space restrictions - I COULD DO DAMAGE! (BTW- still dont understand the "2nd stomach" when it comes to dessert. If I think about having another piece of grilled chicken, I know I am full, but a bowl of iced cream, suddenly I am starving!) With slow weight loss, which I understand is normal as I am getting close to goal weight, and growing portions (8-10 oz at a time), cravings for sweets, and inter-meal hunger, I am terrified that I am a few months from seeing an uptick on the scale. Ten pounds from the finish line - which I might hit, but for how long? So, for my version of the "is this normal" questions: 1. 5 lbs in 10 weeks? 2. 8-10 oz portions 6 months out? 3. How long till 8-10oz becomes, 12, 14... 4. Is this in my control (am I stretching), or is this healing and normal? 5. Why am I hungry - is it psychological bad habits or physical healing and ok? 6. I have no problem getting enough protein, but are carbs still the enemy, or calories, or fat? 7. Macros, Keto, Calorie counting - academically I understand them all. I cant reconcile the conflicting info. Even my Doc and my nutritionist seems to differ (though they obfuscate to be respectful of one another). Anyone in a similar phase of this process with insight on this part? And tips: 1. Least harmful desserts that have worked for you? Mathing things our has been getting me a little crazy. I have gotten back to espresso/lattes lately, which I find to be a filling snack, but even with skim milk: 100 calories x 2/day x 7 days per week = 1400 calories = almost half a pound a week. Same with the 100 calorie dessert. Thus, if the I'm doing the math right: I am basically eating a neutral calorie amount at this point - evidenced by lack of meaningful weight loss. Avg 1/2 a pound a week for the past 10 = 1750 calorie deficit per week = 250 calorie deficit per day. Does that mean I am a skim milk latte and an apple a way from not losing weight. Then any excess is gain!?!? I think all I have left in my arsenal is more exercise, which frankly, doesnt seem that probable. If I liked the treadmill, I would be on this forum now would I? Welcome thoughts & feedback! Thanks all!

Hello All, I'm anxious and pretty excited about my upcoming surgery! 🙂Counting down the days...Just 9 days left! I can't believe it's almost here! When I went in for my final dietician appointment today she told me that my BMI was in close range that I may have been able to forego the 5 day liquid diet but it didn't happen. I still have to do it. No worries...I am prepared for it. For those that have gone before me...Any tips or suggestions to make it easier or more tolerable? I assume preparation is the key! Any tips and for day of or post op surgery pain relief? Praying that everyone has great success with their surgery and weight loss!❤️

This is so true. My surgery date is 3/2/22 and it has been a long journey getting here. I have all of these feelings as our weight loss may change relationships. I have been in much prayer that all will go well. Be blessed.

I was "fortunate" that I was too large to fit on a home scale (or most doctors scales) so I could only weigh at my Doc's office at follow-ups. As a result I didn't see any stalls or phantom weight gains, so the scale never messed with me, so I was never tempted to "change things up" to get the scale moving. I just stayed on plan. Eventually, when I could weigh at home, I did it for a couple weeks until the novelty wore off, then I went back to only weighing at follow-ups then only annual physicals. You don't necessarily need a scale for success. My weight ruled my life for so long that I resolved after surgery I would stay on plan and let my weight take care of itself. Good luck, Tek

It's not about your scale, it's about your body. A woman's body often undergoes abrupt changes that are sometimes difficult to explain. It is in such cases, I am very helped by my smart scale https://www.amazon.com/Vont-Smart-Body-Scale-Black/dp/B08XYX8RDR/, it allows me to track changes in my weight as quickly as possible. I understand that it's sad to lose weight when you've gained muscle mass. Treat it as a feature of the female body, because at the time of ovulation and menstruation in our body changes.

Good morning, in pre-op. Made it through the 2 weeks of clear liquids. Went from 270 to 255 during the time. Look forward to getting my pre-weight before weight loss become a problem. So glad to be part of this group. I know I’m not alone. May God bless us all.

It's very early days, your body is still in recovery, weight is going to be all over the place. It's only been three days since you've lost some scale weight, you are not going to lose weight every single day and three days doesn't make a stall. Give yourself a break from the scales, don't weigh yourself for another few weeks.

Hi guys had my surgery 02/02, start weight was 21.9. I got down to 20.9 before my op on the LRD. first week weigh in after surgery was a loss of 8 pounds and this morning week 2 I’ve lost 3.5 pounds. However I got on the scale Sunday and it showed a 3.5 pound loss then, so in 3 days the scale hasn’t moved and I’m still on liquids? what do we reckon, I’m going to be a slow loser? Or I’ve hit the dreaded 3 week stall early? thankyou.

Yeah, honestly many people are less observant than we give them credit for 😂. I told a few very select people after surgery, a few months out. Every one of them was shocked, and believed I’d just been losing weight because they saw me exercising a lot and being mindful of what I ate. Like…yeah, that’s me doing my part to make the surgery successful. At this point I’m at a stable goal weight and lost a bit more than 175 lbs over the past few years. I’m still glad I limited who I told.

I had the same thoughts today, now I have lost it how do I keep it off and how do I stop worrying about regaining. I am having a hungry day today and I haven't even got to my goal weight yet

Unfortunately their dad is the only one who should be watching them since any friends and family would be going with me to the spa 😂. I will get there eventually. The clothes thing is kind of crazy. I just pulled on a size 10 day for the first time ever (down from a size 28). They were a tad tight but the 12s I have are too loose. The tens fit 🤷🏼‍♀️ My mom was a bit concerned that I need to watch myself that I’m not loosing “too much weight”. i have my one year appointment next month and I cant wait to tell my surgeon how much I weigh. I feel so much better now and it is amazing how clothes fit so differently (in a better/more comfortable way).

Your surgeon could mean tablespoons. 3 level tablespoons is 1/4 cup. I was advised 1/4 to 1/3 cup to begin slowly increasing as I was able. I could eat barely eat a cup by goal at 6 months. Maybe they were referring to the losing weight phase? I do eat more now: the recommended serving size or a little less depending what I’m eating. I eat more vegetables though: 1-1.5 cups steamed vegetables, 2 cups shredded lettuce. My soft food stage ended at 6 weeks so you’re plan could be similar. I was still able to eat yoghurt & ‘soft’ foods like eggs, casseroles, soups etc. but introduced more solid food as I was able. I was low carb but that generally came from rolled oats as a low processed, whole grain & then incidental carbs like in vegetables. I wouldn’t have reached my protein goals without yoghurt every day (I gave up shakes once at the purée stage). The no crystal light or other flavours could be because your surgeon wants you off artificial sweeteners as well as sugar. Artificial sweeteners still feed your craving for sugar & many cause irritation & allergies. I’m just trying to suggest what your surgeon may be thinking but the best answers are going to come from them. Explain you’re confused because what the dietician is telling you is different & you’d like to know their reasons for the recommendations they’ve given so you understand.

Congrats on 100+ pound weight loss. How are you doing maintaining progress?

I'm rooting for you. Hopefully you'll see some movement soon in those last 45 pounds. How does it feel to have lost the weight that you have so far? Im hoping that you've celebrated that progress.

I have a half cup of sugar free chocolate jello pudding each day. I mix in protein powder and use fairlife milk so that it’s 15g of protein. It doesn’t mess with my weight loss and helps me get closer to eating enough.

Our surgery center said not to worry TOO much about some added fat, like cheese sauces, right away, because we are eating so little. On the other hand, we shouldn't eat high amounts of fat like in Keto because that can increase the risk of galbladder issues as you are rapidly losing weight. I eat cheese and sour cream and butter sauces on things I eat at restaurants and I have to eat out a lot for work. I also can't eat tomato sauce because it upsets my stomach (my whole life, not related to surgery). But try different things to see what works for you.

Welcome and Good luck! These boards are AWESOME! I joined when I was about 6 months before surgery. I learned so much. But remember, your results may vary, and people have different experiences. And, always ask your surgery center for medical concerns. I would recommend start tracking your progress now - take pictures of yourself in a doorway, take your measurements, etc. You'll want to look back on these "before" and "during" pictures as you go along. Sometimes you will get frustrated when the weight loss is going slowly and it's so nice to see that you've made a lot of progress. Its' great that you've already lost 11 lbs! Any weight you lose now is weight you won't have to lose after surgery. I lost 50 lbs before surgery (although I got a bit stalled by food funerals towards the end, which is very common). Keep us posted!

I had my surgery 2/7. I am on liquids right now but since surgery I’ve gained 7lbs. How is this possible? Anyone gain weight immediately after surgery?

Its is terrible that this surgery is done without giving the patient adequate information, I am guessing the constipation is from lack of fibre in your diet. Currently I have a poop every 2-3 days or so as I am not eating that much, I guess that's the reason maybe that's why for you too when I add things like benefit it tends to make me have runny poops so I avoid it. if your schedule was working for you before I would stick to it as long as your blood work comes back good and you are getting your protein and water in its ok. Just because your family member never seen anyone have a schedule doesn't mean its not right .Most people who watch their weight eat to a schedule even if they haven't had surgery. I use my fitness pal to get an idea of how many calories how much protien etc i am getting each day it helps to give you an idea of what portion sizes should be too. Its very easy to use at first you might need to weigh stuff etc but it has loads of already pre added foods in there for example if i am making a snack i will search cruskits, sliced cheese, sliced tomato and find the right one and add it lots of stuff you just scan the bar code its so easy. its has options for 3 meals , snacks and water intake and breaks it down into calories, protein, carbs, fat etc. say if you eat something regularly you can save it too as a meal or snack so it makes it quicker to add it. The amount of calories you should be consuming varies on who you talk to and how much you want to loose per week. I sit around the 1200-1400 per day mark and I am loosing about half a kilo a week sometimes more as some days I might eat less some days a little more. Hope this helps

My pre-op appointments have begun! I had my pre-op physical with my GP today. She was super happy for me, which was so nice to experience since the GP I had when I had the sleeve 7 years ago wasn't happy for me at all. My current GP made sure everything was ready to go and even asked if I had post-op food ready. I'm not expecting a ton of weight loss but I know I'll have some just because of the food restriction the first couple of months. My surgeon has her patients see their GP 2 weeks after surgery for a general wellness check. I always enjoy seeing my GP because she's so good and her nurses are awesome too. Next up is fasting labs at 7:10am this Thursday morning. ugggg, I am not very nice at that time of the morning. LOL I see my therapist at 9am so no real chance to go back to bed. I'll be taking myself out for steak and eggs, the one meal I've been craving for ages. More like 2 or 3 since I won't be able to eat it all at once. No pre-op liver shrinking diet for me. I'm not going crazy with food. I'm eating up the food in my fridge and freezer, which is mostly healthy anyhow. I may order a small pizza from a local pizza place, but that's it as far as anything special. Next Thursday I see my surgeon's nurse for 1 hour then I'll see my surgeon for 1 hour. I hope I get to enjoy these long appointments this time. When I had them 7 years ago my homecare client who I was VERY VERY close to died that morning so I was beyond sad. I have zero anxiety about surgery day. The pre and post op nurses and anesthesia are WONDERFUL. I'm not looking forward to waking up after being knocked out for several hours, but after I finally wake up it's usually smooth sailing for me. I'll be in the hospital for a day or two then get to go home to my 2 kitty nurses.

I am cold all the time with the bariatric weight loss RNY Sent from my octopus using BariatricPal mobile app

If you can not tell anyone....... GO THAT ROUTE!!!! I had the lapband in 2009 and everyone knew... of course, everyone also had an opinion on what they thought I SHOULD DO. I got the "lap band is the easy way out".... or "someone they knew, knew someone who died"... "it won't work".... blah blah blah. It did work and I lost 89lbs. So when it had to be removed....... again, I told everyone it was gone. Here's where it changed..... from 2017-2019 I put back 30lbs of what i lost. I had divorced (26 years of marriage), moved states, changed jobs, got into a new relationship (married 2019). No one here knows I at one time had WLS..... So when I told them I was going on a diet for my upcoming wedding and I was working out.... No one gave it a second thought. So about 3 months before Sleeve I told everyone I developed a "hernia" and needed SX to fix it. Day of SX comes (Wednesday, back to work on Monday), and Dr goes in, does the sleeve and fixed an actual HH that I didn't know I had........ Slam dunk. So the first year of weight loss was explained this way. After losing weight for the wedding I just decided to keep going. No one ever asks further questions after............. I had HH SX. I'm now 50lbs lighter and so happy. So tell no one and I guarantee you will be happier for it. But, remember if you tell even one person outside your home (even family)........ everyone will know. People love to gossip and when you start to lose, there will be that one jealous person that will say something.

I agree with the hernia repair. My immediate family knows (husband and kids) and a few select others. I told work that I was having digestive issues and needed a hernia repair...which I do so not a lie just an omission. I work from home and have for several years so I won't need to explain rapid weight loss. To everyone else I know, I just changed my eating habits and started exercising. Which will be true as well 😉

I have suffered from GERD for years, some times bad some times terrible, I have also been in ER many times thinking I have a heart attack because of chest pains. I love spicy food and sometimes I had to choose between eating and sleeping. After the bypass, it has been gone, but it may be because I am only in the liquids phase. I had another issue, pain in my legs, like chronic, I have not lost that much of weight, I think what I have lost is mostly water but those pains are gone, I was worried I was not going to be able to take Ibuprofen ( which I know contributed to my GERD) but I am surprised I have not need any during the last 2 weeks. I am having problems to eat slowly, to recognize when I am full and stop before over eating, That hurts and makes me feel sick but each meal is a chance for a new test. I can't get out of my mind to eat all that is in the plate. ( Mommy did a good job on me ) I have some pain still in 2 of the incisions but it gets better. It is a good exchange for GERD and legs and back pain.