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Thank you so much for the many constructive and helpful responses. To clarify my worries, here it is distilling them to two points of greatest concern: Ability to incorporate good fats into a post-gastric-sleeve diet The foundation of my current diet (that I would be happy to keep for the rest of my life) consists of lots of vegetables, moderate amounts of high-quality protein, and the inclusion of a good amount of healthy fats (avocado, EVOO, butter, animal fats from pastured, organically raised animals). This is supposed to help the body adapt to regularly burning fat (whether from the diet or from our own fat stores), and to much more easily reach satiety and control hunger, in addition to the various documented nutritional benefits of these fats. I read over and over again about directives to keep post-bariatric diets very low fat for the rest of the life of the patient. Also various posts from patients about not being able to tolerate fats and struggling with digestive issues. How much of a problem is this universally (realizing and respecting that everyone's body, digestive system, and hormonal balance are different)? Ability to do fasting and support periodic zero-protein day(s) I have started to incorporate time-restricted eating (16/8) with great success and starting on my first 36-hour fast over the weekend. I have not only had great results on the scale, but starting to see amazing physiologic benefits outside of simply lowering my body weight. I definitely would want to have the ability to have a longer (3 day?) fast once in a while to trigger autophagy and reap some of the other benefits related to insulin and metabolic issues. I realize that for a period following surgery I would have to be adhering to the physician-prescribed diet aimed to maximize healing and avoid complications. But what is the situation six months or a year down the line? Can I incorporate fasting then, or am I eternally tethered to a 70g-minimum-per-day protein intake that I cannot violate without risking my health? Your help and insight are appreciated!

I’m officially down 90lbs!!!!!! 19 pounds from my original goal weight but now I’m thinking 150 is a better goal weight. I am so excited!

Hi all! Did anyone have their gallbladder removed prior to their weight loss surgery? Prior to considering weight loss surgery, I was doing Jenny Craig for a bit in 2020, but dropped it after about 6 months for a number of reasons. Prior to that, I never had any issues with my digestive tract. Over the last year, about once a month, I was getting what I found out were gallstone attacks. It got really bad the week of Labor Day and I went in for emergency surgery by the end of the week (Sept 10). Also over the last year, I was researching options for weight loss surgery. My insurance does not cover any weight loss anything, but I found out that the options out there were actually affordable for me self-pay. Once my gallbladder came out (baby's first surgery), I knew it was time. I'm already having to change the way I eat- why not go all in? My surgeons from both sides agreed they could be done fairly close together. I had virtually no real pain in recovery for the gallbladder removal and both surgeons have told me VSG will be a similar pain level, up a notch, for post-op recovery. Since my last surgery was pretty much forced upon me, I didn't have time to consider options or worry for weeks about surgery... I'm finding myself now post-consult with a surgery date in-hand (October 13th) and feeling pretty confident about getting the procedure itself. I know gallbladder removal is pretty common post-op, but did anyone have it done pre-op? How did the pain compare to your WLS? How long were you between surgeries? What are some things that got easier or more difficult pairing the two removals? I look forward to hearing about your experiences!

I started out at 373 lbs. I am in my 60s (had surgery 6+ years ago while still in my 50s). I was overweight my whole life, and morbidly (and for a few years, super morbidly) obese since my 30s. I tried program after program after program. On my more successful attempts, I'd lose 50-60 lbs (and on my less successful, 10-20 lbs), keep it off for awhile, and then the weight would come piling back on. Happened over and over and over again. I finally got to the point where I realized this wasn't working for me. I had over 200 lbs to lose, and I couldn't even lose 50 and keep it off for more than a couple of months. The truth is, fewer than 5% of people can lose a lot of weight and keep it off. I proved to myself that I was not one of those lucky 5%. It could be that you are - I don't know. But weight loss surgery was the only thing that actually "worked" for me. My efforts paid off. I lost over 200 lbs. I've gained back 20 of it over the intervening years, but a 10-20 lb rebound is common after hitting your lowest weight. I've managed to stay there (after stabilizing at 20 lbs above my lowest weight) for a few years now. I'm not saying to do it or not do it. If you're one of the people who can successfully lose a ton of weight and keep it off (and there are a few people out there who CAN), then you're very fortunate and may not need to do this. But I couldn't. I finally decided to go through with the surgery. and I'm so very glad I did. I should have done this YEARS ago!

In Dr. Wiener’s latest videos (I still watch him 3+ yrs out from WLS) he discusses who he believes would benefit most from WLS (obesity since childhood, genetic obesity- other family members who are obese, people with good diets, etc.) Surprisingly, he also believes that WLS not for everyone. With so much seemingly conflicting information available, having doubts are natural especially when you are seeing results without WLS. A couple of questions I would ask myself if I was in your position are: Was losing the weight this way relatively hard or easy? Could I really stick to these changes for the next 5-10 yrs? What are my contingency plans if diet/lifestyle changes are not enough? Do I fall into the good candidate for WLS category? Should I pass up this opportunity even though it may not come again? Good Luck !

happens to most people after weight loss surgery. It's actually a potential side effect of ANY major surgery, but I think it occurs more often after weight loss surgery than some of the others because in addition to the surgery itself (surgery causes a lot of stress and trauma to the body), we're also taking in very few calories those first few months. some people swear by supplements like Biotin, but others say it does absolutely nothing. So the jury is out on that. The best thing you can do is keep on top of your protein and vitamins so it doesn't get any worse than it will anyway. But know that for most of us, even though WE notice it, others don't, and it'll stop falling out after a couple of months and will grow back in. It's very unusual for it to fall out in noticeable clumps (happens to some - but again, very unusual). More often, it's just a lot of "shedding" and isn't really noticeable to others. I lost hair between months 5-8. No one else noticed it - and it all grew back.

I'm only 5 weeks out from surgery, and I am already wishing I had done this sooner. Obviously will have to reassess this in the future as time progresses. I think many of us on this board are very experienced at losing weight - sometimes massive amounts. The issue is we are also pros at gaining it back, usually with extra lbs tacked on top of what we originally lost. The long term success rates for people losing large amounts of weight and keeping it off without surgery are low - I can't recall the percentage but I think less than 5%. Biologically, there are a lot of factors that make it extremely difficult (but not impossible) to be have long term success the "normal" way of losing. Surgery isn't guaranteed to keep it off, but it is a tool that helps make it more likely - both in terms of the way it changes your eating but also the changes it can cause biologically that we have no control over. This isn't to say you should get the surgery, but more to suggest perhaps discussing these issues with the bariatric PA and doing you own research to arm you with all the data around what might get you were you want to be permanently. It's a very personal decision and you have to be ready to do it or else it won't be successful.

Hi, sorta same thing for me. Sorta. I was immediately taken off cholesterol meds by my 1 week follow up. At my 1 month & 3 month follow ups, the levels remained acceptable. But at my 6 month, it shot up again and my doc understood it was due to weight loss so didn't re-prescribe me anything. By my 9th month it was lower, by my 1st year it was normal again.

You went from 249 to 180's...you did not FAIL. Don't dismiss what you have achieved because of a setback. Maybe you didn't reach your doctor's expectations, but this is a process that may have many bumps in the road. Maybe your doctor or nutritionist can give you some ideas to help restart losing weight. If you are not already, maybe start tracking food, protein & water again to see if there are slight changes you can make there. There are also "pouch" reset plans that might help get the scale moving again. If you are carrying a lot of weight in your chest, maybe that isn't factored into your doctor's expected weight loss. I hope your 2 year appointment goes well & you are able to get to where you feel happy & comfortable with your weight. Don't forget how far you've come! 🤩

That first week is tough! In fact, the first few weeks are a big adjustment. Having feelings like, "What did I do?"😱, came up a few times over those first few weeks. Recovery from the surgery was smooth for me, but drinking & eating weren't fun or easy. It gets easier & better as you move through the stages of the diet plan & can tolerate more foods & beverages. Seeing success on the scale or with NSVs will also help it all seem worth it. Right now, I am almost 2 months post op and slightly over 40 pounds down. My clothes are getting baggy. I am able to eat a variety of foods, but know when to stop. I feel like I am in control of my eating for the first time in my life. It is so much easier for me to make better choices & try to practice mindful eating. At this point, this seems to be effective for me & I would do it again. I hope it continues to be a helpful tool in successfully losing weight & maintaining it. I hope the surgery is successful in helping you achieve your weightloss goals & that you will be pleased with your decision. 😁

Hello September 2021 VSG team! I had my procedure 14 Sept 2021 and have regrets thus far. I’m 9 days post op and we’ll on my way to recovery with little to no adverse complications to report. Weight loss 9 days post op 14 pds. I have found this app/form immensely informative and appreciate each and every tidbit of the individuals experience included in this shared journey. Be well.

Hair loss is normal in weight loss. It sucks. I remember mine started around 4 or 5 months out. It stops after a few months. Also, it looks like a lot to YOU, but people around you won't even notice. At least in my own experience, anyway.

A nutritionist/dietitian and a therapist are extremely helpful in a weight loss journey. The nutritionist/dietitian helps set you up with a diet plan and helps get you into better eating habits prior to surgery so it's not such a drastic change once you actually HAVE the surgery. The therapist helps you work through if you have disordered eating (such as binging) or if you're going through some other stuff in your life such as depression, stress, anxiety, etc (which are known to add to weight gain). Weight loss is never easy and one of the most difficult things is finding support in those you live with. You'll be on a special diet and it'll be easier on YOU if those you live with aren't bringing in the things you used to eat which would tempt to cheat on your diet. Try and talk it out with them and stress how important to you it is that they don't bring junk food into the house. Willpower is such a difficult thing. I admit, that if I hadn't developed a wheat allergy after surgery what would have ruined me is the junk food that my family brings into the house. Because of my wheat allergy, I can't eat that food. Nor can I get fast food (of which they eat a LOT). So the wheat allergy is a blessing. A sucky as hell blessing, but a blessing none the less lol (there is only a 3% chance of developing a wheat allergy or Celiac's Disease after your surgery. So chances are you'll be fine. My luck just sucks. Well, maybe not, because I really do consider the allergy a blessing in disguise as it keeps me on track and stops me from cheating as I, quite literally, have to keep track of every little thing I eat and the ingredients in what I put into my mouth).

Hair loss is fairly normal after a weight loss procedure. Some say various products help and they may do for some people, but its probably coincidental to timing. https://www.dallasweightloss.com/understanding-hair-loss-after-bariatric-surgery/ https://emergesurgical.com.au/why-am-i-losing-my-hair-after-bariatric-surgery/

I am like you and always battled weight. My wife did WLS and had a huge success. I too was able to lose 100 lbs on my own in my late 20s. I was always skeptical of WLS since I had done it on my own. One lingering fact that convinced me was even though I could lose it, the weight always came back plus. From what I learned through my wife is this program will help make the life style changes you need that did not happen on your own. You are on the right path and have hope I am too. I have surgery 10/13 and I am determined to make it stick. By the way I am 60 and still want the change. Stick with the program and I hope you find sucess with WLS.

Congrats on what you have achieved so far. Fantastic. I’m very glad I did the surgery. Like a lot of us, I’d tried many, many diets over the years. The two things they had in common was that if they worked I’d lose some weight & then put it on again (start gaining again a couple of weeks later). With the surgery I’ve been able to maintain my weight for about a year. I know I’m a newbie when it comes to maintaining but it’s been pretty astounding that I’ve been able to do for this long so far. The surgery afforded me the opportunity to reassess how I ate, what I ate & why I ate & I’m way more mindful of these now. The physicality of the surgery also helps me to keep to smaller portion sizes & the restriction reminds me very quickly if I eat too fast or too much. It also boosted my metabolism which I had killed through decades of not eating in an attempt to maintain my weight. I did quite a bit of reading too & worked out a way of eating that works for me. I wanted to ensure the changes I made to how I ate (I don’t like using the word diet much - too negative) was practical, sustainable & didn’t compromise how I wanted to live & enjoy my life. The surgery doesn’t stop me going out to restaurants, socialising with friends & family, etc. I don’t miss out on events. Honestly, my long term sensitivity to spice & chilli is much more restrictive on what & where I can eat than the surgery. Personally, I chose the sleeve because it altered my digestive system the least & had fewer possible restrictions & requirements (less chance of dumping, less absorption issues, etc.). Life has the unfortunate habit of throwing a heaping pile of crap at us at times, so we don’t know where we will be in 5 years. But even if in 5 years, you’ve settled at the average weight loss of 65% of the weight you had to lose, that’s still better than where you are now. You’ll be healthier, eating better & enjoying life more. That’s my thinking anyway. Good luck whatever you decide to do.

If there is one common phrase that I have heard through all these years from WLS patients... It is "I wish I did it sooner." I echo that as well. I really wish I did it in my 20s except skip the lap band surgery because although I lost a ton of weight, it caused me years of esophagus problems. I would have gone straight to the sleeve or gastric bypass. So I think so. You have a wonderful and great start. Far better than most. You are on track and that is so admirable. Cheers to you, and good luck either way you decide.

😆😆😆 Only problem is they’d likely be too big on you too. 🙂 Hit goal at 6 months then lost another 11.5kgs (25lbs) over the next 10/11months. Have been sitting around that weight +/- a kilogram (2lbs) since then - about a year.

I weigh over 600 lbs what advice you give me statred my weight loss jounery

I weigh over 600 lbs what advice you give me statred my weight loss jounery

I am a 50-year-old man who struggled with my weight most of my life, starting with being an overweight kid. No diet or exercise program produced tangible, good results. At my annual physical in March I weighed in at 405 pounds. I take no meds, and up to this point, my most serious health issue has been sleep apnea that I was trying to handle with CPAP (mostly unsuccessfully). Given my alarmingly high weight, my doctor recommended that I look into the bariatric surgery option. I eagerly started the process, looking at it as a once-in-a-lifetime chance for getting back to normal body weight and gaining a quality of life I have not enjoyed for a long time. The bariatric program I joined requires that patients lose 10% of their weight before even being scheduled for surgery. Insurance also requires at least 3 months of engagement with a managed weight loss program. I was determined that despite my past struggles with diets, I will do whatever it takes to make the cut. I met with the program's nutritionist and had a very nice discussion with her. Then I went home, and threw out the materials she gave me (calorie counting book, etc), and ignored all her directions and advice. I dove into reading and research and started implementing a diet largely based on Matthew Weiner's A Pound of Cure vegetable-focused program. I had immediate success, losing 20 lbs in the first month (guaranteed, a lot of that may have been water weight held onto by insulin). I kept reading and experimenting, incorporating advice from Sten Ekberg (Master Your Health), Eric Berg, Dave Asprey (Bulletproof Diet), Jason Fung (fasting strategies), and many others. At this point, I am three months into my pre-op personally directed diet. I have lost a total of 70 pounds have a current weight loss rate of 1 lb / day feeling great COMPLETE resolution of my sleep apnea issues 120/80 blood pressure (was somewhat high at the beginning of the program) went from a size 4XL to wearing 2XL (depending on cut of clothing) 48 inch waist to 42 inch waist not counting calories no hunger or craving issues I am just starting to discover the research (a recent Nobel Prize-winning one) regarding Autophagy and its related health benefits brought about by intermittent fasting, and many other possibilities. Next week I am scheduled to meet with the bariatric program's PA, do my weigh-in, and (pending insurance approval) schedule the surgery. I am torn and in doubt. The last few months have been some of the most exhilarating experiences in my life. Gaining control of my body and my overall health in the way I have done in such a short period of time is amazing. The bariatric surgery option, which just a short while ago seemed like a Holy Grail lifesaver to me, seems full of pitfalls and restrictions on the methods I can do to manage my body weight and health. I was looking forward to trying out possibilities with time-restricted eating, and using longer fasts (triggering autophagy) to eliminate loose, hanging skin that might come about otherwise with significant weight loss. On the other hand, I still weigh 335 pounds and am nowhere near my goal of a healthy 200. What if my weight loss stalls out well short of that goal? The sensible answer might be to simply wait, see what happens, and re-engage with the program if it seems necessary to keep pushing past a stall point. However, for reasons I do not want to detail, I might not have this option after this year. Under these circumstances, if this was your only chance to move ahead with a Gastric Sleeve operation, would you do it? Any other thoughts? Your help is greatly appreciated.

I have a tough time finding before photos. I never wanted my photos taken ever… tnis was one of me not even at my heaviest…. I had actually lost a good amount of weight in the striped shirt photo… and then another of me now. before: size 26/28 now: size 16 and going down before size 44 G bras now: size 38DD most of the change is in how I feel.. I was walking with a cane and was wheelchair bound. Now I can walk without problems

I had surgery at 297 or something (I can’t remember) and I am now 232. my goal weight was 195. I JUST started losing again after a massive stall that lasted WEEKS. I get like I was stuck at 245 forever! food wise: I’m getting in 50- 60 grams of protein (my protein levels are lower than the average patient because of kidney issues) Caloric intake is 700-800 a day. I really can’t get in much sometimes but I make sure to hit my protein and water goals. sample meals for a day: breakfast: scrambled egg (I’ll eat maybe half snack: cheese stick lunch: P3 and a yogurt (sometimes I can’t finish the yogurt and only eat half) Dinner: 2 chicken wings and a bite or two of a side, but not much and I often pass on the side completely and just eat the chicken. I just had my call from the dr and they told me I was doing great…. So I guess they aren’t concerned with my stall 🤷🏼‍♀️ i honestly can’t even give them an accurate weight because the 232 was when I had jeans, shoes, etc… all my clothes. So I might be 220 something lol

I am, I walk a good bit when I can. I have a bad hip, one reason I needed to lose weight, I need surgery on my hip.