Search the Community

I had the full bypass last month. The pain when I woke up wasn't that bad, for me it was a max of 6 on a scale of 10 and as soon as you tell your nurse you're in pain they're very quick to make you more comfortable. I won't lie, I got an IV. Thats of course to be expected, however it was entirely painless. I literally didn't feel it at all, when it comes time just look the other way and talk to someone or watch tv or look at your phone. Distract yourself and it'll be over in seconds. Even when they put me under, they gave me gas first and I just gently fell asleep. It was all in all not a bad experience, but I understand your anxiety. Its totally normal!

First the average weight loss statistic for sleeve or bypass is about 65% of the weight you have to lose to put you in a healthier range. Of course some lose more & some lose less. Now the why. The surgery will reset your body’s set point. This is the weight your body is happiest at & is easiest to maintain. Your set point could end up higher or lower than you’d prefer. Life. It can throw crap at you & make it more difficult to lose or maintain your weight (stress, emotions). Health conditions & medications. Some meds are notorious for increasing your appetite & causing weight gain & some health conditions limit your ability to lose all the weight you want e.g, restrict mobility. Personal choice. Some feel happier at a higher weight. Or they make food choices that better complement their life & how they want to live their life. Your body reaches a lower weight but resettles a bit heavier. A bounce back regain of 10+/- lbs can occur. And so on. I understand your fear of regaining. I mean we all have a lifetime of experiencing weight loss & the inevitable regain. This is the first time in my life (was almost 54 when I had my surgery) I have ever maintained my weight after losing for longer than a couple of months. The difference is I did not go back to eating in the sane way as I always did. I worked out a way of eating that I’m comfortable with, doesn’t make me feel like I’m missing out or making sacrifices, allows me to live my life as I want, is sustainable (very important) & works for me & my body. I changed my relationship with food. My choices may not work for you or others & some may think it too restrictive. I din consider it a die but just how I eat. I avoid as much sugar, sugar alternatives & artificial sweeteners as I can so no sodas & sweets only a couple of times a year (e.g. Christmas). If I want/need sweet I eat fruit. I prep & cook most of what I eat - mostly lots of whole foods & low processed ingredients. I rarely have takeaway & haven’t had fast food since before my surgery. I keep my carbs lowish & choose whole & multi grains more complex carbs. No bread or similar products pasta or rice (choice & also sit heavily in my tummy). I also chose not to exercise. I didn’t want to have to spend hours in a gym or run or cycle miles every week to maintain my weight. I’m happy with the stretches, resistance band exercises & sit ups I do. (Takes a total of about 25 minutes over a couple of sessions a day & wouldn’t burn 30 calories - LOL!). It works for me & my body seems happy at this weight (set point). I’ve basically maintained my weight since my surgery. Chat with your surgeon about a realistic goal weight after surgery & what you might experience & your dietician about how your future of eating might look. Research & avoid trendy diets - if they worked & were sustainable no one would have weight issues. You may find this video informative. You may find this video informative. Dr John Pilcher has many great videos on a variety of topics. Dr Matt Weiner is very good too.

I am hoping to have either a Gastric bypass or Gastric Sleeve in the near future. I had a gastric band approx 10 years ago. I have 2 questions that I really hope some kind souls may be able to advise me with or share an opinion. Question 1: Which in your opinion is the best option Gastric Bypass or Gastic sleeve.? Question 2: As I've had a gastric band before are both of these options avaiilable to me. Many thanks in advance for any help or support. I really appreciate it. Lou

exercise is only about 10% of weight loss. 90% is due to food intake (or the lack thereof). So being active does help a bit, but most of loss or gain is due to food intake. I know of several people who've lost a ton of weight with WLS without exercise, so you should be fine. not losing the first week is common, and Sigh is correct, it's due to the IV fluids you got in the hospital, which is essentially salt water. The sodium in it causes water retention in a lot of people, and it takes a few days to work it's way out of your system. Lots of us leave the hospital weighing more than we did when we entered. I've read about people "gaining" up to 10 lbs in the hospital! So no worries. You'll start losing weight soon..

Don’t forget they pump you full of saline and such for surgery and to make sure you arent dehydrated— and 10 lbs in a week is AMAZING on any diet plan. Stick with the long term view— it will come.

So I had a lower BMI of I think 32 after pre-op but after the first week I have not lost anything. I am still on pureed foods right now. I am getting so upset because I saw on this low BMI site all these stories of people not losing except like 15 pounds. The only thing is I am handicapped so I don't walk much except to get around house or go shopping. Could this be problem? I just pray I didn't go thru all of this for 15 pounds, which by the way I haven't even lost yet. I have lost 10 pounds since surgery. I have no problems following diet to a tee or anything like that. Please help me!

Thank you so much for all the answers. catwoman 7 - you’re totally right. So much more goes into it than imagined. Over the years I would lose 20lbs and then regain it. No idea why I never stick to the diet that’s working for me Summerset - haha you’re right, a WLS forum was probably a weird choice for my question but it was the only forum I could think of at the time. Jeanniebug - yes I am planning on still going to the appointment. You’re right I’ve also heard that the waiting list could be up to two years and that they might put you on a weight loss program first. That would be so ideal. pintsizedmallrat - two things did work for me in the past. Kettlebell workouts and intermittent fasting (mainly OMAD) but I just very stupidly gave up after a month of trying. I think my bigger problem is I get lazy and stop. No idea why. I’m gonna try combining the two soon! Summerseeker - Wow that’s amazing, 10 stone on slimming world! Perhaps I should join them.

Lost 2 stone myself on a low fat diet I lost 5 stone with Weight watchers, put it back on in 2 years Lost 2 stone with the local doctors weigh in clinic, Tried prescription diet pills, hated them I lost 7 stone with Slimming world, put it back on over 10 years with stopping smoking and the Covid lock in. So I just couldn't face the whole diet struggle again. I just knew I wanted this surgery, I paid. I am overjoyed with my results. You and only you will know if you are ready to do this, its tough for some, me included. I had no pain with the surgery but had months of nausea and had trouble with my restriction. Would I have had this surgery in my 30's if I could get it on the NHS, hell yes. All my life has been ruled by the weighing scales, calories and feeling guilty if I ate something 'bad'. I now feel liberated

I've had a suspiciously easy recovery so far. I was approved to go home the same day I had my sleeve surgery, and I only had nausea coming off anesthesia. I had no gas pain, and honestly, I'm doing really good still (10 days post-op today, I've been back at work since Monday). All this being said, I'd prep yourself for everything just in case. I recommend extra comfy clothes, a pillow and blanket for the plane, a good neck pillow, eye mask, etc. Pack some single use alcohol wipes (my nurse opened one for me the one time I felt nauseous, and the scent chased away the nausea fast - great in moments where you can't move fast / aren't near a bathroom). Look into getting a couple LiquaCel packs. They travel good, and they tend to give these to you in the hospital, but you can order them online, too. Invest in some powder/liquid Tylenol. And give yourself extra, extra time. You will be moving slow, and you could hurt yourself going too fast. Give yourself enough time to move as slowly as you want/as possible. ❤️ Good luck!

No, I just weigh it before I pack it and/or bring portion controlled, single-serving items (I am very guilty of eating Lunchables and leaving the crackers behind in a pinch LOL). I actually pack both my breakfast AND lunch AND snacks when I go into the office, a 10 hr day that starts at 6:30 AM once a week. The way I figure it I need to take care of Future Me's needs so I don't feel tempted to go poking around in the vending machine. My lunch usually looks like this (I am 18m post op and am in maintenance, but my calories are low because I am a small person): Breakfast: Zero sugar Chobani, 1/4 oz of chopped walnuts or pecans, Super Coffee protein shake as a mid morning snack. (all in, about 200 calories and 25g of protein) Lunch: Veggies, some kind of dip (if you aren't making dips with greek yogurt what are you doing with your life?), usually a couple of "lunchmeat roll ups" that are each one slice of deli meat and half a slice of cheese, another 1/4 oz of nuts (usually pistachios this time), a couple pickle slices (usually somewhere around 250-ish calories and another 25g of protein) Snacks: Options include Babybel light and a couple triscuits, Campbell's Well Yes sippable soups, protein shakes, or half a protein bar (I usually end up with leftovers)(any of these would give another 10g or so of protein). I eat dinner at home with my husband on these days and it's usually something protein-heavy

I'm day 10 Post Op and I feel ok. I've been to see my surgeon for follow up and she said I'm doing fine. I'm always exhausted but I did way too much way too soon. I've been a little nervous to start the Pureed Stage but I did eat a 1/2 cup of cottage cheese last night. Think long and hard about it before you go, this is something that can't be reversed. Make sure you are sure.

I had my VSG & hiatal hernia repair March 7th. I had no gas pain, brief nausea on day 1 coming off anesethia, and have been doing well. My first week I didn't have much hunger (I was very weak and tired, and also on my cycle). About day 4/5 post-op, I started feeling hungry; liquids don't offer a lot of satiety. At my 1 week follow-up, my surgeon approved me to move onto soft foods, to take vitamins, and to not have to crush pills. Their goal is between 700-800 calories, and today (so far) I have met 700. Soft foods are tolerated great, though eggs sit a little heavier in my stomach. I'm surprised at myself. I didn't think I'd be able to eat or drink this much (50oz water today; average 8 - 10 cups). I'm down 22 pounds, but I feel a little worried that I'm doing too well. I'm scared of eating too much and stalling weight loss. :( I feel conflicted, like I should be happy and energized, but I'm mostly anxious.

I had my surgery yesterday and so far so good. I’m drinking 1 oz of water 2x an hour and at 10 am will move up to 4 oz water/liquids an hour. I’ve gone to the bathroom 3 times. The hardest part is moving, but sooner you start moving the better.. oh and the hospital stay.. the came in like every hour from 3:00-7am , so kind of intrusive, but they were doing this job and giving me meds and taking labs. Biggest thing for me is nausea, making sure I don’t throw up. Oxygen levels, walking and if I can take liquids. You can do this!! On a side note, my stomach is loud today! She’s mad at me.. lol

Is it okay to drink vitamin water? I tried the sonic water flavor packets that way and it taste much better. You should definitely try it this summer 🙂 I dont either. Its so hard. But I know right? The my ounces went up by 7 ounces. Frustrating! Maybe not eat my last meal so late. Probably my issue as well. I have a weight watchers scale. I can't wait to start going to the gym! I plan on starting at week 5. I have a friend who agreed to go with me 3 times a week. Things should hopefully move better right? I'm only going to start with walking and the bike. Then each week increase the time by 10 minutes. Once I get cleared to do other exercises, I plan on 30 minutes of cardio then whole body workouts on the machines. Eventually increase cardio up to 45 minutes then whatever time it takes to do the other workouts. I have a fitbit watch that I should start using too. Yay! That's awesome! How much are you down so far since surgery?

It's crazy how much tastes change! I used to love pickles and now I can't stand them. The first week or so postop I couldn't do cold water and didn't really want room temp water so I drank a lot of gatorade zero. I tried the gatorade zero protein, but could not deal with the after taste. Last week though everything started to taste really sweet so I went back to water and have no issues now with cold water. When I feel like I want something other than water, I just grab a crystal light packet and add it in. Fruit punch is my favorite flavor, but I have to double the water I mix it with because it's pretty strong. Monday was 4 weeks postop for me and it's amazing how much difference 10 days can make! Physically, I feel totally fine - no remaining soreness or pain. My doctor cleared me for soft foods including "chewing non-soft foods to an applesauce consistency" so I haven't stuck to any specific foods but still trying to figure out what works for me which is mostly chicken and shrimp. I finally hit the (delayed) 3 week stall and haven't seen the scale move at all this week, but I'm keeping my motivation up with exercise and hope to see that big dip soon.

My surgery went well, but now anesthesia is nearly worn off and the “real” pain is setting in. Tough getting my liquids with the nausea, so I’m trying peppermint tea. Figured out warm liquid is much easier for me. Now just trying to play catch up. can only have clear liquids through tomorrow, then I start full liquids for 10 days.

Thank you for posting, I was wondering the same thing as you. Am I done losing weight? We also share similar stats. My surgery day, I weighed 227 and at six months I had lost 65 pounds. My goal is to get to 149 so my BMI is normal. Over the last couple of weeks, my weight has stayed so same. I am happy you were able to lose the additional weight you wanted and I hope I can lose my last 10 pounds as well!

My surgeon does not do protein shakes. I was told to drink milk, It does not matter which one they all have the same protein count. Skimmed, semi skimmed and full fat. 20 ounces of milk has almost 19 grams of protein. You could add Greek yogurt to that. Some have more protein than others, the one I eat is 200 grams and 16.6 grams of protein. Don't panic, you will work it out

Surgery 2/10…. Finally got the approval for soft foods! Yay! Still struggling with restriction feeling vs full feeling. It’s just not the same. I’m still hungry most of the time so hoping that with soft foods, the constant hunger goes away.

"At the moment it takes me about 10-12 hours to drink a litre at most and I’ve tried things like fruit juices and teas etc…I just feel like I’m constantly forcing myself - on top of forcing myself to have Protein Shakes and Soups and all the purées," Fruit juice and other liquid sugars are the enemy. Sugar retains water as strongly as salt/sodium. And liquid sugar spikes insulin which puts energy/glycogen into your fat cells rather than letting your body burn it. High insulin is probably driving your hunger. I had to prioritize water over protein for a couple weeks. Slowly I was able to up my protein close to my goal of 80 g per day. When I forget to drink enough at first I would rapidly lose weight. (Water weighs about 8 lbs per gallon.) Then my weight loss would stall or even go up as I rehydrated. If I stay hydrated the my weight comes down about a pound per day. Sent from my SM-S908U using BariatricPal mobile app

So I am 10 days post op from self pay Mexico sleeve— I stopped my HRT one week ahead of surgery, but am curious of what your teams have advised on restarting HRT (patches). I have a call into my doctor, but would like to hear your thoughts on it… Did you lower your dose when you lost weight? Start at the same dose prior to surgery? Etc? Any info appreciated related to the Hormone replacement patch. I had a hysterectomy in November 2022, and have been on HRT a year prior— still have ovaries but at 52 I doubt they are helping!

Highly recommend Goodwill! You will be flying through sizes like crazy, so don't spend more than $10 on a pair of jeans that will only fit your for a month! 🙂

My surgery is March 22nd! Was waiting on final authorization from my insurance, but I got the final go last week. 10 days to go!

I know! Maybe it was an off day but I can't imagine the whole damn store was out of everything over size 10. I went with my 14 yr old daughter and were all excited to go shopping in the same section together but it was a total bust. Laaaaaaame.

So I saw this TikTok where instead of recording your pre & post-surgery weight, you buy a pair of jeans that you hope to fit into (like a couple sizes down) every so often. This helps you see tangible results and hopefully mitigate some of the body dysmorphia, at least better than numbers on a scale can. My surgery is on Thursday so I went to Target to buy my "incentive jeans" for my first milestone. This is the#1 store where I've wanted to buy from - off the rack - because it's usually my style AND I've seen them be more inclusive with sizes in the past couple of years. I've seen sizes 18 & 20 on the rack in the normal trendy section so I was really excited to go get my "incentive jeans" (I'm between a size 22/24 and was going for size 18)... So as luck would have it, I go to Target today and they apparently went back to small sizes, large majority of the clothing was size 10 and under... I found ONE pair of size 18 that I didn't like that much that was hidden away in a corner and they were $70 and I just.... Sighhh. My mind couldn't let me 'go there' for $70. All I could think was that I'm wasting $70 because I literally cannot conceive of myself that 'small' anymore. I guess that's a good argument to buy the jeans but all it did was plant fear and doubt in my head. So no real reason for posting this other than to kvetch about Target being jerks and to acknowledge where my mind is at pre-surgery. I don't think it'll ever stop shocking me how much this world hates fat people. Even corporations will risk profits just so they don't have to put plus size clothing on the rack! Bonkers.