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That the stall at or around the 3 week mark, the stall you will inevitably hit is the worst mind screw there is lol And to be ready that the incision they pull the stomach out of, and the abdominal muscles around there, hurt the worst. And that getting my fluids in would be easier if I drank warm fluids and not cold ones.

A lot of it is due to the stress you & your body has been going through. The hair you’re losing is hair you would lose as part of your usual hair loss cycle. It’s just this cycle has been accelerated. You are growing new hair but at it’s usual rate which you normally don’t even notice. The new growth hasn’t been affected which is why taking rogaine, etc. is really an unnecessary expensive. Supplements to supposedly support hair growth again only help your new growth not your existing hair which is dead & is supposed to fall out at some time. It usually last about 3 or 4months & that seems to be about the same for people who take additional supplements, etc. But even knowing about how long it lasts & that it’s part of the process it still can be difficult to accept the clumps in the shower. If your hair is long, cut it shorter so the loss isn’t as noticeable.(Also the clumps won’t look as much with shorter hair than long strands.) It will also take less time for your new growth to catch up & be the same or similar length to your shorter hair.

You may not be ready yet. Some need a little longer on a stage before moving forward. It all depends on how you heal. Did you have the purée stage before soft? Though plans can be different, many of us go through two week cycles of liquids, purée then soft. Also your soft food may not be soft & moist enough. Think slow cooked stews, braises, etc. & foods with lots of sauces & gravies. What you’re experiencing are the early stages of the foamies. They usually occur if you eat too fast, too much or eat something that is too dry or coarse.

I, too, am an educator. Fortunately, my surgery is Aug. 4th and I'll have 3 weeks to recover before heading back to the classroom. I'm nervous for surgery and heading back, but I have faith we'll both be fine. Take it easy and don't overdo it.

2.5 weeks post-op. 3rd day on soft foods. So many people say they have no interest in eating anymore. I am not that person. Still look forward to every meal.

Yay! So glad you’re feeling good. I look forward to this. I took short term disability and have 6 weeks off so at least I’m off work struggling through this

So far I have slowly made changes to 1.)only eating fast food maybe once a week. I would have it 5+ meals a week last year. 2.) reducing most processed foods (nothing is off limits, but if it’s not healthy, be mindful of the portion) 3.) not eating when not hungry 4.) I used to drink a glass of sweet tea a day, dropped that to occasional - drinking water or unsweet tea almost exclusively except for my weekly Margarita:) I am on a diabetic medicine which has helped with the process because it has changed the way my stomach processes food and helped me to make the lifestyle changes now. Thanks to that I have lost 50 already and hoping to loose more by the time for surgery. my next step is to try to do a test run on the pre op diet so I can not have my eating issues complicate matters when time comes (which hopefully will let me loose more) it’s a journey I want to be success at so bad!!

Replying to ByPassingMyPhatAss Jackson is about 3 hours North of us but I would definitely drive it if someone would help him. I haven’t thought about going to UMMC. My dad and step mom lives in Jackson so that would be helpful. Thank you for your advice. I will definitely be talking to my husband about this. 💜

Hello everyone! My liver biopsy came back normal, and the bruising stopped several months ago. My ALP is goes up and down randomly. I feel great, but continue to get my levels checked every six months. I did find out that taking steroids will through my ALP numbers off. It takes 3-4 months for liver enzymes to level out for some people. No new tests are scheduled. It is a wait-and-see thing now.

I had my surgery on June 10th so I'm at about a month also. I feel better overall but I get tired so incredibly easy still. I went to walk around Lowes Home Improvement today and to get some things because my first project post OP today was supposed to be scraping popcorn ceiling in my recently acquired spare bedroom but I haven't managed to even start wetting down the ceiling. It's only 3:40 and I feel like I've done a ton which I haven't. I feel most days like I could take a nap every day (unfortunately I can't because of work) and by the time I get home M-F, I'm ready for bed by 8pm. Before surgery, I was a night owl, even on work days. So I'm with ya! I would love to know where to get some energy from. My eating and drinking is pretty darn good because of the Baritastic app and reminders so I'm not sure why I feel so tired this far out from surgery when I see so many others have tons of energy and they're not far out from their surgery.

They have not suggested this yet but him and I have talked about it and we feel like if they don’t find anything during this next EGD that it may possibly be the next step. I have been doing lots of research on my own and since his surgeon suggested there may be Nerve Damage that’s been a topic that I’ve been really trying to investigate. I have read that there’s a nerve called the Vagus nerve that comes from the base of the brain/brain stem that branches out like a tree and runs to all your major organs. The heart, lungs, stomach, large and small intestines kidneys and liver. I’ve read that depending on where that nerve is damaged would determine what part of the body and organs it would affect. He hurt his back in 2015 and our stupid ER Doctors sent him home saying he had a pulled muscle. We found out after his gastric bypass surgery (last year 2021) by his Surgeon that his back had actually been broken. So I am really wondering if this could have caused damage to the left Vagus Nerve and is what is causing his problems. Even his lung problems because after he injured his back is when all his health problems started. He started having migraines 2015), lung/breathing problems (2017), and the GI problems (2019). His surgeon has stated that he was at a loss with him and wants to send him to a Neurologist; however, Covid had things messed up for a while and now the surgeon has had a change in hours, locations, and staff. He even has a different Nurse so when we’ve called to find out if he’s sent a referral and what’s going on no one seems to know what we are talking about. We’ve yet to see a neurologist. He has spoke to his family doctor and instead of sending to a neurologist he has sent him back to his GI doctor who wants to do another EGD. So now we are in the process of having to get clearances again from his pulmonologist and his heart doctor (he doesn’t even have heart problemS but when he got sick with his lungs he had to start seeing one and has had 4 heart caths since 2017 and all 4 have been clear), now they want to do another stress test, another blood gas, and more blood work to clear him for the EGD. We live an hour and a half away from the pulmonologist and heart doctor. His GI ordered a stomach emptying test which makes the 3rd one and he couldn’t even finish it because he couldn’t hold down the radioactive eggs, since he threw them up the test was incomplete and they sent us home. Waste of time and gas. It makes no sense to me to send someone who can’t hold down a bite a food at all to have a stomach dumping/emptying test done that requires you to eat a small portion of a food. This is a 4-6 hour test and 20 mins in he’s thrown the tablespoon of radioactive eggs back up. Makes no sense at all. He has 12 appointments by the end of the month just to get cleared and have everything done before the EGD. I realize they have to be safe and the clearances are important but my husband is literally starving to death, malnourished, losing hair, teeth are in very poor condition, money is low, gas prices are high and these appointments are an hour and a half away and he needs answers now not 3 weeks from now. I don’t understand why they just keep redoing all the same tests over and over and over again. Instead of getting him in with a neurologist and atleast ruling that out. I feel like I am the only person who’s actually trying to figure this out and the doctors just want more money, more money, more money. My husband is a wonderful man. He’s been my best friend for 30 years but we’ve only been together as a couple for 3 years and only been married 2 years. He’s always been the strongest person I’ve known so to hear him say he doesn’t know how much more he has left in him or how much longer he can survive with no nutrition is unimaginably devastating. I hate even eating in front of him. I hate seeing him eat 4-6 bites of something in an hour time frame and then throwing it with in 5 minutes but most of the time it’s 1 or 2 bites and he’s pushing the food away holding his stomach and running to the bathroom just to throw it up. This is scary and hard and I just want to help him. I want to fix it for him and I can’t. I refuse to give up till I find the answer but I’m no doctor. That’s why I am here trying to find someone else who may have been through the same thing or something similar. I honestly think they probably should have already placed him on a feeding tube but for whatever reason they haven’t. Thank you so much for your reply. I apologize for writing a book in response to you. I guess I needed to vent and cry to someone. I just wish they would have done a more thorough assessment and job and found out what was wrong before they made his stomach the size of a walnut. I also wonder if the part of the stomach that they cut off and left in there is what is causing all this? It still has blood supply and nerves running to it so could that be the whole problem? Thank you for your time, reply, and for listening.

Thanks for your comments. Yes, I've stayed on the straight and narrow for almost a week now. Thanks for the info.

Congratulations! 20 weeks post surgery and am on the tail end of experiencing the worst hairfall episode of my life. I feel like im balding. I dont think I have enough hair to last this part of the journey. I’ve only lost 70lbs. I’ve been quite good with the food, not so much with the daily movement. I’m losing about 2lbs per week on average now. Will be meeting with my surgeon at the end of October. Hopefully I can meet their target and lose another 25lbs by then. what is everyone doing about the loose skin and hair loss? I’ve started scalp treatments, drinking collagen, using firming oils. Not sure if they will work though. Im afraid that it’s a case of too little too late.

@doobie31 Same here but I know I am doing all the right things so I am not going to stress about it. I’ll probably just stay off the scale for a few days and let it ride. I guess my body just needs to catch up with all of the changes in the last few weeks. The image @acopas shared is one I have seen other successful WLS people post. We got this!

I see this image shared often on other support sites about the 2-3 week weight loss.

This doesn't sound like dumping to me. More like your pouch asserting it's finnicky approach to food. There are days when even something that has been on my diet for weeks on end will suddenly just fail. It happens. Eventually you will become aware of the subtle signs (like throwing up) that indicate this meal is going to be a problem. I find my pouch is going to be most finnicky at breakfast. I don't know why particularly but I have theories which I won't delve into. You're welcome. Good luck, Tek

Something I swore to myself before going into surgery (among many other personal goals) was that I'm going to not even try to care about the number and I'm definitely not weighing every day. I figure that if I continue to follow my surgeons and my nutritionists instructions, the weight will come off in due time. I am starting to slow down in weight loss and have started week 5. As a "lifer" to weight loss struggles, I've learned that our bodies know what to do and if it means holding onto a few pounds for a few days for energy or whatever, as long as I am doing what I am supposed to do, my body will work with me and do what it needs to do. I knew the weight loss would slow down after the first couple or few weeks and I'm fine with that. As long as I don't gain a bunch back, I am moving in the right direction. Also keep in mind that if we aren't losing pounds, we are losing inches. Typically we don't lose both at the same time. Additionally, if we are exercising, in a way that builds muscle mass, the pounds may not seem to be coming off when in fact, those pounds are showing up in the form of muscle mass which weighs a lot more than fat. Keep your chin up! You are doing awesome! Don't worry about the dumb scales. If your clothes are getting lose and you feel good, then you are definitely moving in the right direction! 🤗❤️

Hey everyone. So I'm in my fifth week post OP and have been doing extremely well with food choices, slow eating, careful chewing, and sticking within the parameters my nutritionist and my doctor have given me. This morning, I tried eating an over medium egg (cooked whites, soft & runny yolk) over the shakshuka I have been eating all week for breakfast. (It is a pureed form of shakshuka with sausage that I've had zero trouble with over the last week.) I keep seeing that dumping syndrome seems to be only related to too much sugar. Since I'm not a sweets fan, that's not a problem for me. However, after just throwing up most of what I just ate, and it being the first time it's happened the entire post OP time, I'm curious if dumping syndrome can include things that our new tumtums just don't want? I may have eaten too fast. The yolk could have been too undercooked (I've been doing soft but cooked yolk up until this morning), or maybe even it was too much food? It was about and ounce and a half of pureed Shakshuka with a sprinkling of cheddar cheese and an egg cooked over medium, (no frying so no oil..just a small egg sized non stick pan and then a bit of warm water to help cook the whites) and that's it. I started feeling flushed with sharp belly pains (not just where baby tum tum lives) and thought I had to go to the restroom. Once I got to the bathroom, I started getting cold sweats, sharp pains, then that weird tingly feeling I get around my jaw when I'm getting ready to throw up. Now that I have thrown up, I feel fine but I definitely don't want that to become a thing, especially as well as I've been doing after getting through the 2 miserable liquids weeks. I'm curious about other's experiences, if I should be worried, and if this could also be a type of dumping syndrome? Because my baby tum tum absolutely said hell to the no, and dumped that breakfast right out from the top. (Edit: oh yeah, I should probably lay off the red sugar free Gatorade that I love so I don't freak out and think it's blood, right? 😂 I think I'll go back to water with a couple splashes of sugar free cranberry juice for flavor.)

I'm only 2 weeks post-op. I'm not supposed to be stalled already! I'm a daily weigher and have been 395 or 396 since last Saturday. It's actually not bothering me that much. I'm tracking, so I know I'm doing things right and this just happens. I've expected it, just not this soon. But I am ready for some more rapid weight loss. Waiting patiently.

I am 5 months PO and this particular week I aim feeling hungry, like really hungry, I have stayed away from carbs, which have been always my biggest addiction. I gained 2 pounds this week and I am not even eating carbs, I used to feel restriction but is not working as effective these days. I think this is where the real hard work begins.

That’s wonderful news…REAL FOOD again!!! Congratulations 🎉🎈🎉🎈!!!! I am 2 weeks post-op and completely understand how you feel. I have daydreams about pizza and ice cream. I’ve lost 15 pounds since surgery. I couldn’t agree more…I get over the cravings when I see the scale and see my clothes getting looser every day.

That’s awesome! How exciting to get back to regular food! Are you supposed to eat a certain amount of food or just until you aren’t hungry anymore? My doctor keeps her patients on a medicine cup size of food once a day for a month, then you can eat a medicine cup size portion 2-3 times a day for the second month. After that, I believe we can have a 1/2 cup portions. This is to allow the new stomach to heal. Just soft foods the first 2 months. I can’t wait until I reach your stage with real food again! Please let us know how it goes! 😊

Hello! I’m just 5 months post-op and doing fantastic. Everything’s gone so well thus far except for the crazy amounts of hair I’m losing. It started a few weeks ago and hasn’t let up. I knew this would happen and it’s an easy price to pay for how healthy and happy WLS has made me. I’m wondering if anyone knows of a way to combat or at least mitigate the loss? My hairstylist suggested a supplement called Viviscal, and castor oil for my scalp, and shampoo and conditioner that regrow and thicken hair. Has anything worked for you? Thanks in advance!

Hi all! Reporting in! I’m officially down 83lbs since surgery on 2/3/22. Previously size 2XL-3XL and 20, now size Small/Med and size 10. I’ve never felt better or been happier. I’m stoked about what I see in the mirror but am bummed that the excess skin/fat gives me a muffin-top in fitted clothes. Better healthy and saggy though! My hair started falling out a couple weeks ago and it’s a LOT. I knew it would happen but it’s unsettling nonetheless. How is everyone else doing? We’re 5 months past. Can you believe how much life has changed??