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Finally getting round to putting on my measurements 🤣 01/05/24 - Just before I started my liver reduction diet. HW: 20 stone 1lbs = 281 pounds =127.4 kg Neck: 16" Upper Arm: L: 19.5", R: 18" Chest: 53" Waist: 45" Thigh: L: 32", R: 33" Calf: L: 17", R: 18" Stomach: 56" Hips: 56" 26/08/24 - not the MOST recent, but close enough. Weight as of 13/09/24: 15 stone 6.3 lbs = 216.3 lbs = 98 kg Neck: 14" (-2") Upper Arm: L: 17" (-1.5") , R: 16" (-2") Chest: 45" (-8") Waist: 36.5" (-8.5") Thigh: L: 28" (-4"), R: 29" (-4") Calf: L: 16" (-1"), R: 16" (-2") Stomach: 47.5" (-8.5") Hips: 49" (-7")

How are you doing now? Have you started back to some form of movement. I know that when I had the sleeve I tried to do the treadmill and that did not stick no matter how many times I tried. To me, that was like torture. This time with my revision I am walking around the neighborhood instead. Talking with a friend on the phone who is also walking or listening to music and seeing the various houses and people is just a great deal more enjoyable for me than the treadmill even with the television on I still felt like a hamster I am still early out and I definitely wouldn’t call it a habit yet but I can tell you for sure that I do not dread it each day like I did the other and I’m really hoping that I can keep it up I know for sure that the endorphins are great for my mood and my energy I go until I fall into the bed and sleep like a baby. In fact that’s why I’m up right now, because I did so much yesterday I feel asleep at 9pm 😂 I agree somewhat about the fact that if you must choose one place to put your effort then the nutrition is definitely the most important in terms of weight loss BUT, having done this before and been less successful, I can tell you that last time I did not exercise and it felt like less of a huge life change for me as it does this time Again, I am only 5 weeks out so it’s possible that this is temporary, though I hope not because I feel fantastic with all of my choices my point is that adding in exercise, for me, makes it feel like more of a lifestyle change and after I come home all sweaty from my walk I don’t want to put any junk into my body. I am even starting to buy things that are grass fed and organic when they are available and trying to cut back on salt as well as rethinking my artificial Sweeteners (although that’s going to be the toughest for me to give up) because my body feels so good and healthy and I want to feel this way for a long long time. As others have said it doesn’t have to be a specific exercise. Just move your body more. Maybe dance lessons, or Pickleball, something like that. My library had a Belly Dance teacher at one point about a year ago and now that I’m losing a bit I am going to look into whether she is still there because that sounds kinda fun. I also did some research on the weighted hula hoop and it is cardio for most people as well as a bit of strength training so I may try that. It brings back memories of competitions with them as a kid so it could be fun. Something that my PA said at one of my pre surgery support group meetings keeps ringing in my mind that helps motivate me too he said that just 90 minutes of exercise a week in zone two heart rate (which I achieve with a brisk walk) decreases your risk of “all cause mortality” by 15%!! You can even break it into 15 minutes a day- 6 days a week (although it’s really 25 with your warm up and cool down added) but weight loss aside, a 15% decrease, thats pretty incredible. I was afraid of some of the complications from surgery that may or may not kill me and that was once like a 2% risk. So my goal is 30 minutes of exercise a day (I rounded up) and anything beyond that is just a bonus. That has seemed to work for me so far 🤞

I had the sleeve and I started gaining just months after I reached goal. I was too embarrassed to reach out for help and ended up gaining it all back and had no choice but a revision. Good on you for reaching out here. My biggest piece of advice is to reach out to your team and get an appointment. Start logging your food again if you haven’t been and give them an honest picture of what you are eating so they can help you make tweaks. Also if you have a fitness watch, pull it out of the drawer and get a real picture of you current activity level. I thought for sure that my team was going to be so harsh on me and make me feel awful but they couldn’t have possibly been more understanding and all they wanted to do was help. For me the only real option was revision but for you some tweaks in your food and exercise may help, could be hormones so they may want to check that, weight loss medications in tablets or the newer option if the GLP-1 injections may even be an option. The other suggestion of support group meetings is a really good one too. I am doing so much better this time around because I am reaching out for support anywhere I can get it. This time I told more people so I have more people cheering me on and I have the in person support as well as on here and I am going to see the NP more of they than they usually require. I know that I need all the help that I can get. lol.

When you finally do drop weight, you’ll probably drop a couple or several pounds at once

Oh I know, so frustrating. For the last month or so I am losing and gaining the same 1.5kg and therefore remain 1kg to 2kg from my goal. I did so much walking in the last few days and will likely again when I go on holiday next week that I am hoping it will help with one final shift. That said the kg may be slow but the cms/inches are still dropping as jeans I put on last week which were nicely fitted are already a bit looser on the backside/thigh area yesterday.

I might need to hide my scale too. I lost 9lbs pre-surgery and 11lbs the week after surgery, but this second week I haven’t really lost any weight. It’s frustrating and I know it’s just my body using all the calories and nutrients I’m giving it, but I’m eating so little that in my mind, it should just be flying off. I meet with my dietitian for the first time tomorrow and I’m hoping they will give me the green light to start purée! I cannot wait to add more variety!!

One suggestion in terms of your bra is to buy a bra with the correct cup size, but one that actually fits you on the biggest hook. That way you can use the other two or three hooks depending on how many are on it as you lose weight still because usually when they fit you, they aim for that middle hook so that you can gain or lose 10 pounds and it’ll still fit, but you know you’re not gonna be gaining anytime soon. Another option that I thought about doing myself because I had the sleeve and I know that I don’t lose much in my cup size. It’s just the band size is to buy one that fits in the cup, but it’s actually a size smaller in the band and use a bra extender, so it’ll last longer

Oh, yes. It really is so disheartening, and knowing it's normal/expected doesn't make it feel any better! To give you an idea of how my weight loss has fluctuated, here are my monthly totals so far: February: -16.4 lbs (2 week pre-op diet plus surgery on 2/21) March: -11.6 lbs April: -7.6 lbs May: -2.8 lbs June: -11.2 lbs July: -1.6 lbs August: -8.4 lbs And so far in September I'm at a whopping -0.4 lbs for the month. Let me tell you, May and July both sucked, and I honestly don't think I did anything differently in June or August to explain the variation. It just is what it is. I'd say stay off the scale, but personally, I enjoy having the daily number because I'm obsessed with having a record to look back on, so I get having to do it every morning. I'm sure you're far from done losing, even if you're at a slow point right now. Just for fun, I'm attaching a side by side comparison that I made of myself yesterday. It's a photo of me from last summer at my highest weight alongside a pic of me from my walk yesterday. When the scale stalls, making something like this cheers me up and helps me see beyond the numbers on the scale.

Yeah, it was awful. At least I could keep water and chicken broth down. I'm been working slowly to building back up to more purees again, but I definitely didn't want to risk it last week. Otherwise, I'm doing okay. Been struggling with hitting my goals the last couple of days, which I assume is because I feel not great still. But I'm listening to my body. Eating and drinking until it feels like I can't and then pausing for a while. (Obviously, not eating and drinking together, but you know what I mean.) I go for my next post-op appointment on Wednesday. That will be my 1 month check-in. I can actually feel more weight loss in my legs and places around my stomach. I'm curious to see how much weight I do end up losing after all this. Like, I noticed my weight loss in how my clothes fit before my 10-day post-op. But I can actually feel it in places on my body when touching them now, so that's going to be interesting. We go on vacation 10/6 and we've already talked about my clothing situation. Even my bras need to be replaced at this point. But since I don't go anywhere except the doctors appointments right now, I'm going to make what I have currently work for the next couple of weeks. And then on our way down to our vacation spot on the 6th, we're going to stop by the outlet store and get me some new clothes and get properly fitted for the correct size bra. That way I have the most accurate fit for clothes for a couple of months. lol I still need to catch up on reading the forums. Hopefully I can get to that this weekend.

Hey everyone, In 2019 I made one of the best, most life changing decisions when I decided to get sleeved. After my sleeve I lost 92 lbs, felt amazing, and promised myself I’d never allow myself to go back to my starting point. Well, here I am 5 years later and I’m so ashamed I’ve regained the majority of the weight I’ve lost. I regained about 25 lbs before having my beautiful son but I began really struggling with my weight after having him. I’m considering having revision surgery and scheduled an appointment with a doctor to go over my options but unfortunately they don’t have any appointments available until mid October so I’m just left here with my thoughts wondering if this is the right decision for me. I guess im just here looking for some insight on the process, the success others have had with revisions or lack of, the good the bad the ugly lol. I was definitely excited at the thought of regaining control of my weight until someone asked me why I felt I deserved another chance when I messed up the first one, then adding in that it would be selfish to not consider my son before choosing to go under where anything can happen and that the more traditional way of weight loss is still an option. I tried to explain that wls is a tool to be used in addition to traditional diet and exercise but I don’t feel the need to over explain my decision, especially to those who aren’t my immediate family. I will say though I never thought about it as me being selfish until they mentioned it and now that comment weighs heavy on my heart. Anyway I guess I’m here to just gain some insight from anyone who is kind enough to share their experience. I have to say I’m both ashamed and disappointed in myself.

Hi all. Im 7 weeks post op as of today. I’m curious if anyone has hired an independent bariatric dietician… in other words, someone outside of your surgeon’s office to support you? I am not really satisfied with the level of support that I am getting from my surgeon’s office. I’d like at least a weekly or bi-weekly check in with someone and to discuss goals and things I can work towards. When I asked my surgeon’s office at my last follow up appointment if I was where I should be weight loss wise, I didn’t really get much of an answer. I asked where I should be at my three month follow-up and she couldn’t find her chart. So I never got an answer. I live in an area where I haven’t been able to find any support groups locally. I’ve located someone online with a wealth of experience in working with bariatric patients and is a certified dietitian. She works primarily online with patients. I am hesitant to move forward based on the price. Just curious if anyone has had luck with this or has any thoughts about it? I haven’t decided against it, just hesitant due to cost.

So totally true.....its more about what you put in your mouth and less about exercise. Exercise is good for your muscles, heart, lungs, joints, but as far as weight loss, you can do it without exercise by watching what you eat and stay within your calories suggested by your doctor/nutritionist - low fat, low carb, high protein.

I am firmly behind using every tool at your advantage to tackle regain: Tracking portions, exercise, joining a support group, checking in with your previous or new weight management team and use of the new anti obesity medications.

@RRenaeL23, I can hardly believe what a badass you are! (And I mean that in a "wow you're awesome" way.) Walking 2 miles already? That is really great and I am so happy for you. Keep up the great work! I also need to start working on my muscles - for me it's core, arms, and legs (well, now that I think about it, that's pretty much everything, right?). @Greekmom4, I have never heard of the foamies, but I certainly don't want it! Hope that doesn't come back for you. Today I had a NSV because I'm wearing a fitted sweatshirt that I love but haven't work for a long time because it was tight across my middle. Not anymore: now it's just right. My middle is still far too thick, but at least the sweatshirt doesn't showcase it, LOL. I am starting to see little indications of weight loss; just flashes, but they're there. I don't know what my body dysmorphia will do going forward. When I've lost weight before, I've just felt like everyone else looked bigger to me, I didn't look smaller. But I currently don't recognize myself in pictures because in the mirror, my mind tells me I'm not as big as I really am. (I learned at Jenny Craig that's why we should take pictures, because your mind can't bend them.) On paper, I've now lost 36 pounds from my highest pre-surgery, but I certainly don't see that much weight loss (I'm only 5 feet tall, so that's a lot on my frame). I guess that's a function of how much I have yet to lose, but also they say I'll be the last one to see it. I'm now to the regular diet phase, although there is a lot I haven't tried yet. Ground beef and turkey seem to be fine, but I tried some pork chop which was a big mistake. I think I may get much more of my protein from plant sources (beans, etc.) going forward, which is fine with me. Today we got a whole bunch of groceries to make a list of recipes I'm going to try (hubby is the cook at our house). My sister's vegetarian and sent them to me, so they're all veggie. I'm slowly learning to branch out. Since I am eating 1/2 cup at a time, I've been just having protein, but I started craving veggies and fruit. I saw something that talked about having "a few bites" of things, so I'm incorporating that. I can have up to 3/4 cup now, so I have a bit of room to add some veggies and a little fruit. TMI ALERT: I am eating more beans than I ever have, so maybe that's it, but is anyone else producing a surprising amount of gas? I thought giving up carbonation (which was a massive sacrifice for this former Diet Coke addict) would mean a lessening, but DANG.

I didn't weigh the weighing scale but I also am not great on gauging weights or measurements myself. I am sure it is as they say, which I didn't ready (oops) I just read the reviews of people saying how light it was to put in their luggage etc.

I was literally going on here with plans to say something similar. I am a little over a month out and I have been walking since the beginning of the month. I feel SO INCREDIBLE!! Physically I have so much more energy and mentally I am just in a better mood. I went to UPS to do a bunch of returns I have collected during my recovery and went to the grocery and left there thinking well I got the packages done, found my reduced fat and special Romano Cheese I wanted and made it back before it rained. That felt like a win and made me feel happy. I am just noticing little tiny things to be positive about and I haven’t done that in years. I would’ve dwelled on the fact that the one thing was going to cost almost $15 to return because they wanted tracking and insurance plus I had to buy a box. I ended up just saying I would rather give it away for that but in the past I would’ve focused on that and been in a bad mood. Not sure if that makes sense but I just feel better and more upbeat. I am not even focused on the scale as much as I was with my sleeve. I already feel better. I’m just eating what I should and exercising and the weight will come off when it comes off. With my sleeve I didn’t exercise and I watched the scale every day. This time it’s different, I FEEL healthier and I am loving it!!

I was thinking the same thing as @catwoman7: the rising levels could be a result of your weight loss so far. It’s very common to have rising liver function levels while you’re losing. Also worried me a bit because I had a glass of Prosecco at lunch on Sunday and then had a liver function test Monday in preparation of a surgery I’m having next week. Hope the glass didn’t throw my results out at all. Considering I was asked lots of questions at the pathologists, they didn’t ask when was my last alcoholic drink and how much and often I drink. Hmmmm.

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For the purée stage a food processor comes in handy and I got some tiny containers at dollar tree that were a little over two ounces that worked well to store leftovers. Tylenol, stool softeners, soluable fiber or milk of magnesia (or whatever combination your team recommends) and a good thermometer are good to have on hand as well as ice packs that you mentioned. I had one that is made for the lower back that comes with a belt like thing velcros around you with a pocket for the ice pack. It comes with two ice or heat packs (my team said no heat though). I got it on Amazon a long time ago for my back but I tried it for my tummy and it works. Great for icing while still being able to do things. The one I got is called magic gel. My waist was about 48” I think when I started and it just fit though so keep that in mind. It may fit up to 50?? Don’t stock up too much on the protein shakes because your tastes may change a bit and tastes for sweet stuff is a common change. Your dr may give you a stomach binder if you don’t get staples but if not ask if they have one or are okay with you ordering one (Amazon) if you feel like the jiggling is causing you pain. The compression really helped me. Also while you are in hospital you can ask for ice packs too. Other things that have really come in handy not for recovery but for a little later In the process were the Baritastic app which is free but familiarize yourself with it no so you can start logging your measurements and weight right before your start your preop diet. It sends reminders for your vitamins and you can log your fluids and moods (there is a little diary) and even your bowel movements. I also got a pair of Bluetooth headphones which make my exercise (walking) a lot more fun and a fitness watch is more important than the headphones. They have some on Amazon for like $20 my friend got one and says it works fine to log her heart rate and distance. The apple Watch has a fitness app that lets you set goals and stuff and it’s pretty user friendly. I have a much older one that I haven’t used in forever but I got it out and updated it and it works just fine. The cheaper ones may have a fitness app too I’m just not sure. That’s all I can think of for now. I’m sure others will think of some things I am forgetting.

I've gained about 5kg and am approximately 5 months post RNY. The surgery is something that I'm getting used to because of the restriction. I definitely feel full after eating a smaller portion. With the MGB, I had zero restriction and could eat like a horse, but not one iota was being absorbed. My energy levels were shot. Post RNY, energy levels are better and blood test results are showing that I am actually absorbing the multi vitamins etc that I take, this absorption was absent with MGB. If you are going to revise from MGB to RNY to a little gain weight, your surgeon will have to tinker with the limb lengths. My stomach pouch was kept the same, so I have an RNY with MGB stomach pouch but customised limb lengths. I think I will know more about the final result in a year from now. I can hand on heart say that MGB was a mistake, because it was too powerful a procedure for me. I should have just opted for RNY from the very beginning, but because I was paying privately for the procedure, I thought it best to go for MGB at the time, for two reasons, one it was powerful and two that it was safer than RNY. Only one limb gets cut and replumbed with MGB but two with the RNY. I have seen fantastic results with people who have been sleeved. But, for me, I have a food and sugar addiction. I do not have an off switch, so in that sense poor discipline when it comes to controlling my relationship with food. I'm also bone idle. On that basis I had ruled out the sleeve. I hope it was the correct decision. Ideally, people should opt for the sleeve for weight loss and RNY for those who are in a similar position to myself.

high liver enzyme levels aren't uncommon the first year or so after weight loss surgery. Rapid weight loss is really hard on livers. Mine were high for about the first year, and I've heard this several times from others as well (including people from here on Bariatric Pal). My regular doctor was really alarmed by it, but the people at my bariatric clinic knew what was going on. They went back down to normal and have been normal ever since.

I should have mentioned a bit about my health other than my weight. I continue to take omeprazole, a multivitamin, Vitamin D, Vitamin C, Vitamin B-12, and a probiotic daily. All of my lab work, including cholesterol are in healthy ranges every year at my annual physical. My blood pressure has also remained in a healthy range.

Hi everyone! I haven't been on this site in a VERY long time, but I am currently on a new weight loss journey and I thought I would report in with my experience and the hope that some of you newbies can learn from it. I had my VSG surgery on 9/1/2014, so 10 years ago this month. At the time of my surgery, I weighed ~260 pounds and I am 5'6". I have lost and gained weight a million times before that, with my highest weight ever having been 277 pounds. In the first couple of years after my surgery, I was able to get below my goal weight (165) all the way down to 154. During that time I trained for and ran in a half marathon and a full marathon, completing the full marathon in September 2016 (almost exactly two years after my surgery). I separated from my then-husband in May of 2016 and our divorce was final in December 2016. My life took a very different path after that and I did not stick to my healthy diet and exercise. I met my current husband in February of 2017 and while I love him dearly and he is THE BEST, he is a bit of a hedonist and we definitely supported each other in our hedonism. I became a connoisseur of fine craft beers and we have a large friend group who we go out with or have get-togethers with several times a week. I not only stopped running but stopped exercising altogether. Both my current husband and I put on weight in the seven years we have been together, especially during COVID, and I got all the way back up to 234 pounds! Last year, my husband was diagnosed as pre-diabetic, and, in April, we resolved to turn things around together. Since then, I have lost 30 pounds and I am on my way down to my new goal weight of 180. So, here are some things I want to report, trying to lose weight again for the first time since immediately after my surgery: The restriction still works! I cannot eat much more than about 200 grams of food in one sitting. Once I cut out snacking and stopped drinking as many calories (beer), it was easy to rely on my sleeve to restrict my daily caloric intake. My metabolism is still normal. As a 5'6 female weighing 203.2 pounds, I still burn ~2100 calories per day just by living, according to my Garmin watch and it definitely tracks with the calorie differential I am logging and the weight loss I am seeing. I still can't eat and drink at the same time. I usually have to wait about 45 minutes to an hour to drink anything after I eat a full meal. Being overly full is still an unpleasant feeling. Before my surgery, I used to love the sensation of being "stuffed." Since surgery and to this day, it is still uncomfortable for me if I overeat in one sitting. Not a pleasant sensation at all, but not painful like it was in the very beginning. I can still get dumping syndrome if I'm not careful. If eat too much sugar too fast, usually in the form of ice cream or a milkshake, I get dumping syndrome and it is VERY unpleasant, fortunately, it is very rare. Food can still get "stuck." Every once in a while, mostly when I am eating turkey or pork it seems, food can get stuck and it is completely miserable. Be sure to thoroughly chew your food!!! Especially dense meats. My advice to anyone who is post-sleeve and still losing weight or trying to maintain their weight: Snacks are the enemy! It's so easy to get in extra calories by eating smaller amounts between meals. Your sleeve won't help you at all with this. Drinking your calories is easy and dangerous. I haven't given up my precious beer entirely, but I have cut back and I am mindful of the type of beer I am drinking as some types are more caloric than others. You can just as easily drink your calories even if you don't drink alcohol. Be wary of soda, milkshakes, energy drinks, juices, and too much cream/sugar/syrups in your coffee. Keep up with the exercise. It doesn't have to be training for a marathon like I did in the beginning. Currently, my husband and I take a ~mile walk after dinner each night and we try to do one, long, 4-5 mile walk/hike on the weekend. Just that moderate amount of activity can make a big difference. Be mindful of calorically dense foods. Even though I can only eat 200 grams at a time, if it is 200 grams of junk, it can have a LOT of calories! I hope the lesson that all of you take from this post is that the sleeve is a tool and it is all about how you use it. It can work for you, even 10 years out, as long as you use it correctly.

You didn't provide a lot of detail regarding your diet or activity level, but I'd be willing to put money on a couple of things: A relatively large percentage of your diet is made up of highly processed foods. You are not very active. Let's start with diet. You need to understand that it's not just about calories in vs calories out. Diet quality can be a huge factor in whether or not you can successfully maintain your weight at a lower level. If you do eat a lot of processed foods, start making really small changes and focus on just one sustainable change at a time until that change becomes the new normal for you. You can then move on to another sustainable change. Slow sustainable changes are the key, not quick-fix diets. As far as physical activity is concerned, there is significant body of evidence now that the vast majority of successful "weight loss maintainers" get an average of 60 minutes of physical activity per day. Yes, this is more than the typical recommended amount, but it's probably needed. (Discussing why is too big a topic for this reply). More detail would help. I hope you get it figured out.

I too have gained weight and I don’t know why. I can still only eat a little bit. I do drink wine every now and then but I have no idea what it is. I’m 72 years old so I don’t know if it’s got something to do with metabolism or what. I was 198 and I got down to 110 but felt good at 117 and I’ve slowly gotten up to 140. Everybody says I look good but I know that when if I the 20 pounds less I felt much better anyway there’s nothing I can do about it. I’ve tried everything. It’s been six years since I had my surgery.