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Hello Buddies! I have been reading this board continuously but haven't posted much as I've been busy busy, but I just wanted to jump in and relay some of my experiences post surgery if it might be helpful to those currently going through it or about to. I had my sleeve on Nov 9th. The one thing that I found that really helped me out of the gate is walking. From day 1 I made sure to make myself walk. Each day I increased my distance by an additional driveway until I was able to walk all the way around the block and then added even more. By 2 weeks post surgery I felt like I was 100% again. A friend of mine who had the same surgery 5 years ago by the same surgeon couldn't believe how quickly I recovered. I attribute it to the walking. So that's my advice on recovery. Unfortunately I did make some major mistakes because I was feeling good and due to a family emergency, 1 week post op I had to fly home to help care for my mother. I didn't want my parents burdened by worrying about my surgery so I kept the entire thing hidden from them. As such, I completely skipped the pureed food stage and just ate soft foods while chewing oh probably a hundred times before swallowing. I do not recommend skipping any food stages but I had to do what I had to do. I had a bad experience with solid food. I was running around and wasn't paying much attention to the fact that I hadn't eaten all day and when I got home I was ravenous. I cooked up some tofu chicken fingers (my vegan go to for a quick and dirty meal pre surgery). Well, um... lets just say it didn't go well. I had that lump in my chest that felt like the food was stuck. The saliva continued to pour up into my mouth. There was nothing I could do to make the pain in my chest go away or the saliva stop flowing. I literally thought I was going to die. I decided to go for a walk. The amount of spit that continued to flow from my mouth could probably keep a whale wet for a decade... it was awful! After about 20 minutes, the pain finally subsided and the constant flow of saliva finally dried up. It was an experience and a hard learned lesson to remember to chew chew chew! and wait wait wait before taking another bite! Rice, my favourite pre surgery meal is now a no go for me. It just doesn't sit well at all. Sad but I can deal with it, bigger picture and all that. Sugar. I was a sugar addict pre surgery, I'm a mostly plant based eater, I attribute all my weight gain to my sugar addiction. I have found that although I am still addicted to sugar, I can have that '1' piece of whatever it is and be satisfied instead of that '1 whole bag' and still not be satisfied as I was in the past. If I go past that '1' piece threshold not because I'm not satisfied but because I'm still a glutton I find myself in the washroom with a mild case of dumping syndrome. Another welcome reminder that '1 is enough'. I feel like I am losing weight fairly quickly but I'm not noticing any adverse side effects like hair loss or sagging skin but I do take collagen everyday so I'm thinking that might be helping with that. Today will be my first day back to the gym in 3 months. I am looking forward to getting back into running again without all that additional weight holding me back I hope you all are enjoying success and keep going! Happy Holidays!

I have been thinking about increasing my calories because of this. My surgeon doesn’t have me on a set amount of calories. He was extremely happy with my weight loss so far and asked me to stop weighing my food and eat ‘normally’ (three meals with two snacks), and I am at approx. 650/700 kcal per day right now with those three meals and two snacks. But HOW on earth can I eat more calories without adding fat and sugar? I am at a loss here 🙁 Any tips or tricks would be appreciated!

Outfit for our Christmas party last week!

Yes, that's me at 290 (actually 292 in that photo). People are already warning me not to lose too much weight, but there's still a ways to go... and in any case I literally can't eat enough to overcome my TDEE even if I wanted to. It's slowed down. My primary care doctor says 275 would be fine and really he just wants me under BMI 40 (which I am), but I'd like to see where I can go. I went from size 54/34 pants to size 35/34... if I end up back where I was in college, I'll be in 32/34s. I have a DXA body fat scan every three months (it's cheap here, about $40/35€/£30) which reads my body fat. The problem is that the body fat measuring weight scales have two settings. If I leave it on normal mode I get a reading of 42% which is CLEARLY untrue. But if I put it on athlete mode, I get 25%, which is also clearly untrue, though closer. They need to have "kinda fit kinda fat" mode! The last DXA reading last week had me at 31.7% which I was a bit disappointed as I wanted to be under 30%, but it'll get there. Slowly but surely. I just want under 20%. 15% might be a stretch at 45 years old, but it'd be nice to have the beginnings of abs under the loose skin. 😁

I had my sleeve on May 17th. In January, I weighed 385. I started preparing and had my first bariatric meeting with the surgeon around mid March. My weight when I started my 2 weeks of shakes was 362 and my surgery weight was 342. I track almost everything I eat and I am setting at 256 right now. Kinda tough to track around the Holiday, but feel like I have a new lease on life. I danced for almost 3 straight hours on Nov 27th at my daughter’s wedding! Your stomach will be tiny which will help you while you get/keep your mind right. Do NOT cheat! Have and keep the faith in the process! If you do that you will be extremely happy and able to get back to an active lifestyle!!! :-)

Weird question - I am getting the sleeve on the 22nd and I have Invisalign braces. They have little pegs they attach to the teeth to hold them on. I’ll be done next week and I want my orthodontist to take them out today - he is telling me I don’t need to for my surgery. I don’t really care and just am done with them and it’s only one week early. Anyone else have these before surgery? Did they make you remove the pegs? I have a call into my surgeon just curious if anyone else had this experience thanks!

if it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen. Fortunately, most of us don't lose enough hair for others to notice (and even if you're one of those who do, it's pretty rare for it to fall out in big, noticeable clumps - rather, it's more like shedding - so your hair just looks thinner). About all you can do is keep on top of your protein and supplement requirements to keep it from getting any worse than it will anyway. It's temporary and will all grow back, so there's that. I had loss from months 5-9, but it was pretty minimal. I noticed more strands than usual in my combs and brushes, but just looking in the mirror, I couldn't tell - so no one else would have noticed, either. And then there are people who don't lose any hair at all. nothing you can do about skin. Although you're what we call a "light weight", so you're not likely to end up looking like a Sharpei puppy like someone who starts out much heavier might (I was one of the latter - I was almost 400 lbs and in my late 50s when I had surgery). You'll likely have some sagging, but it probably won't be what I'm guessing you're imagining. And there's always plastic surgery if it bothers you - but I'm betting it won't be that bad. I was really worried about the hair loss and saggy skin (I think most people are), but honestly, most of us would take those any day of the week over being obese. And again, the hair loss part is temporary.

A single pound of fat is roughly 3500kcal. So unless you ate 10,500kcal OVER your baseline intake, there is absolutely no way that is true weight gain. It could be water weight, hormonal changes, bowel movement issues, etc. There are dozens of factors that impact weight and might be reflected on the scale. Additionally, the more you lose and closer you get to a healthy weight, the more likely you are to see those fluctuations as the week to week loss slows down. Keep sticking to your plan and doing exactly what you're doing and you absolutely will see the scale move again. And congrats, 90lbs is amazing!

I’m almost 6 months post-op and lost over 90lbs. I haven’t had any major stalls in my weight loss but I just weighed myself and saw I gained 3lbs. Is this normal? I’ve been following everything I need to so I’m confused

I understand you have to do what you have to do. I didn’t have 25k laying around either. Believe it or not. Lol!!!! I only had to be on the clear liquid diet for 2 days. The day before the surgery. No food or drink the day of the surgery. Clear liquid the day after surgery. I started my full liquid diet when I got home. Week 1 - full liquid Week 2-3 - pureed (protein shake for at least one meal or snack) Week 4 - soft foods (1 Protein Shake per day) This is for RYN. Every surgery is different though. Each center has their own post-op instructions. I can share mine with you if you would like. It gives tips on what to and not to eat. Even warns against raw fruit and veggies for a specific time. Not at all bashing your decision. I’m sorry if it came off that way. I just know my surgery center is AMAZING. I didn’t want people to get the impression that their aren’t good centers in the US. You got to do what you got to do. Just pointing out the difference in patient preparation and post op care. I guess it’s unfair for me to just say abroad. There are people in the US who still don’t get the type of prep and post op care that I received. My surgery was done through the #1 hospital in my state. I went through my insurance. I barely made the cut, but I made it. I’m 5’6” and was 276 pounds. I had Aetna and I found one of their “Centers of Excellence.” Thus why my surgery was through the #1 hospital in my state. I have spoken to other people who have had the surgery in the US and they didn’t receive the type of preparation and care that I receive. So I guess it all depends on where you go. US or abroad. There are some amazing hospitals in the US just takes some researching. I’m glad you had a good outcome overall. Now that I think about it obesity isn’t as big as a problem in other countries as it is in America. There’s no doubt that their surgical skills are superior, but the challenge really begins post op. It’s good there are forums, support groups, and good old google, so you can get more information. Sending love and blessings your way. And yes, please keep us updated. 💛💛💛💛 💛💛💛💛

Are you able to contact your team? It seems like week three when you are on full liquids you could have protein shakes and add protein powder to your soup. I know nothing about israel but maybe protein products aren’t so easily available there so They don’t put them on the list but maybe they would still be okay for you to consume??

I am not joining WW waist of my $. I am an emotional eater which is never really addressed when having WLS. Overeaters anonymous is helping me change my mindset, it’s free and it’s working. You can attend on zoom and there are meetings 24/7/365. Best thing I ever did. Was sleeved in 2018. And after 4 months my hunger came back. Only list 80 lbs from the 165 my dr thought I would. So his disappointment lead to mine as well. I just joined OA and it’s not a weight loss club it deals with reasons why we eat overeat etc… free and best thing I ever done. They have group meetings for Bariatric people a few days a week but I attend a meeting every day. It’s amazing how better I feel about myself, less shame, less guilt and the scale is starting to move slowly but it is moving. In the right direction. If you feel you have mind work to do , or are an emotional eater try overeaters anonymous. It’s world wide

Thank you all for the thought out replies, I truly appreciate it. I understand that I shouldn't have taken the cheap route, but I didn't have 25k laying around to get the surgery done in the U.S. With that said, I talked to a few friends who used the same surgeon within the last year or so and they all said great things about him and they averaged close to 1 pounds lost per day for the first 60 days. That definitely was what lured me in since I've been trying to lose weight for almost a decade now and I always rebound. For the record, I don't have heartburn. He just prescribed it to me "in case" I get heartburn in the morning or at night. It's just a preventative. My second phase is week 3 and 4, and it involves a "Full fluid" diet; basically a clear liquid diet but I do get to have some other things like sugar substitutes, fat free yoghurt, fat free custard, and fat free creamy soups (no chunks). I also got a visit from him and the nutritionist post-op where they explained what kind of lifestyle changes I have to make now that it's done (chewing a lot, exercice more regularly, portion control, etc.) so it's not like they're completely irresponsible; it's just that they don't see it as a major op and told me that as long as I don't cheat and follow through with all phases, I would be good. It's easy for us Americans to judge their actions, but at the end of the day I did it in a country where the medical field is more advanced than what we have and I truly believe that we make it difficult because insurance companies wanna bill you the most for everything and obesity + overconsumption is seen as benefitial to the economy. Pureed food is for week 5 and 6. This is where I get to have some protein, 45-50grams a day split up between 6 small meals(1 boiled egg, 1 cup of fat free milk, 30grams of soft cheese or low fat cheese, 1 can of tuna in water drained). Weeks 7 and 8 is soft foods and then after 2 months its solid foods but maximum of 8 spoonfuls per meal. I guess I should just go ahead and say that I did it in Israel, so if you have any doubts on the quality of healthcare over there; know that it's in the top 10 whereas the US is in the bottom 48. I hope this works out well, will keep you updated! Sent from my SM-N970U using BariatricPal mobile app

My sleeve date is Dec 21st! I’ve been reading blogs and watching vlogs of other peoples bariatric sleeve journey. They’ve been quite informative about the struggles of the first couples of weeks and the successes. I’m excited to learn new ways of eating as my mindset about food is already changing.

Smoking hinders your healing. Don’t know if that’s specifically tobacco or if it includes pot, etc. too. Better to ask & avoid it for a few weeks then do it & extend or compromise your healing.

I had reflux before my sleeve surgery but because it was not frequent, I managed it mostly with diet & only took an esomeprazole occasionally. I still have reflux but it manifests differently now (less severe hiccups no bad taste in my mouth). I do take esomeprazole every day now & it manages the burning for most of the day (get some late at night fir a couple of hours). My understanding was that heartburn alone is mild & can be managed a lot with diet. Reflux is worse but again diet can play a big role in easing symptoms but gerd is more severe & generally needs regular meds to help manage it. If you have gerd sleeve is not your best bet. As everyone above has said, protein is essential to a healthy body. It will aid your healing after surgery. It’s used as building blocks in our bodies (bones, muscles, etc.) contributes to hormone & enzyme production & is a source of energy. it does seem odd that your surgeon doesn’t require the consumption of protein post surgery. My surgeon was okay if I didn’t met my 60g a day protein goal to begin as long as I was working towards it & I’m glad as I physically unable to eat (drink) more than I was. It easy easier when I got to purées & soft foods (weeks 3 on). It would be worth a conversation with your surgeon as to why he’s a no protein advocate from early on post surgery & why he pushes fruit juices (even diluted).

I did not drink a single protein shake because they were all so disgusting! At my 2 week follow up, my surgeon told me that he didn’t want me drinking protein shakes, which was a weight lifted. He said as long as I was staying hydrated he was happy. I was on clear liquids for 3 days, full liquids one week, puréed one week, soft one week, and normal diet after that.

Congratulations on your sleeve. First I’m going to address the issue of Protein. In the beginning Protein is super important. It helps heal, Hair loss, muscle building, skin elasticity, etc. My full liquid diet consisted of 3 Protein Shakes a day with a list of other fluids in between my shakes. My surgery center let me know it was imperative that I got in at least 3 protein shakes a day. I went home with a 30 day supply of Bariatric Fusion protein power and Vitamins. Along with prescription for nausea and pain. So not having any protein for two week properly isn’t a good thing. They also gave me a list of approved bariatric protein shakes and powders so I can order more once I ran out of what they sent me home with. Now to address the negative, I don’t recommend anyone go abroad or go for a cheaper version. I actually feel sad for you because we went to a place that didn’t give you the correct information to be successful in the long run. This surgery is about so much more than have someone reputable to cut into you. It’s good to have a surgery team to be there for you before and after the surgery and to let you up for success. Everyone’s situation is different. Your starting weight was like mine in the 200s, so I didn’t have to undergo some of the things that others have. I must mention the I had RNY and not sleeve. There are a couple of things that I see that I know my surgery center in the US would have caught. Assuming you had heart burn before your surgery, RNY would have been the way to go instead. Also I started my surgery journey in August and I had my surgery in November in the US. During the months leading up to surgery, I was taught a new way of eating not only food choices, but also how to chew, eat slower, and take smaller bites. Most of all how to get used to not drinking for 30-45 minutes after eating. This was the hardest habit to break. Lol!!!! This made it easier for after surgery. I was also accustomed to ending this new way. I had several tests done just to ensure I was healthy enough handle the anesthesia. During the coarse of these tests it was discovered that I had sleep apnea and an irregular heart beat. Had I gone aboard and settled for a cheaper option, I could have died one the table because the anesthesiologist not know of these issues and we hadn’t worked to correct them as much as possible before hand. I had to work with a psychiatrist to work through my emotional eating. Now I turn to prayer or journaling instead of a bowl of ice cream and potato chips. So I said all that to say, YES you need protein. And to discourage anyone from taking a short cut or cheaper option. As you can see you can easily be given misinformation or left without the necessary info and tools to be successful after the surgery. Best wishes 💛💛💛💛

Congratulations on your sleeve. First I’m going to address the issue of protein. In the beginning Protein is super important. It helps heal, hair loss, muscle building, skin elasticity, etc. My full liquid diet consisted of 3 protein shakes a day with a list of other fluids in between my shakes. My surgery center let me know it was imperative that I got in at least 3 protein shakes a day. I went home with a 30 day supply of bariatric fusion protein power and vitamins. Along with prescription for nausea and pain. So not having any protein for two week properly isn’t a good thing. They also gave me a list of approved bariatric protein shakes and powders so I can order more once I ran out of what they sent me home with. Now to address the negative, I don’t recommend anyone go abroad or go for a cheaper version. I actually feel sad for you because we went to a place that didn’t give you the correct information to be successful in the long run. This surgery is about so much more than have someone reputable to cut into you. It’s good to have a surgery team to be there for you before and after the surgery and to let you up for success. Everyone’s situation is different. Your starting weight was like mine in the 200s, so I didn’t have to undergo some of the things that others have. I must mention the I had RNY and not sleeve. There are a couple of things that I see that I know my surgery center in the US would have caught. Assuming you had heart burn before your surgery, RNY would have been the way to go instead. Also I started my surgery journey in August and I had my surgery in November in the US. During the months leading up to surgery, I was taught a new way of eating not only food choices, but also how to chew, eat slower, and take smaller bites. This made it easier for after surgery. I was also accustomed to ending this new way. I had several tests done just to ensure I was healthy enough handle the anesthesia. During the coarse of these tests it was discovered that I had sleep apnea and an irregular heart beat. Had I gone aboard and settled for a cheaper option, I could have died one the table because the anesthesiologist not know of these issues and we hadn’t worked to correct them as much as possible before hand. I had to work with a psychiatrist to work through my emotional eating. Now I turn to prayer or journaling instead of a bowl of ice cream and potato chips. So I said all that to say, YES you need protein. And to discourage anyone from taking a short cut or cheaper option. As you can see you can easily be given misinformation or left without the necessary info and tools to be successful after the surgery. Best wishes 💛💛💛💛

You can’t even do protein shakes after clear liquid phase? I mean I get that a shake is stage beyond clear liquids and for whatever reason your doctor wants a longer time on phase one but why can’t you have shakes week three at least.

Congrats! I feel what you're saying. Before my surgery my diet for the 11 days prior consisted of 4 protein shakes a day and 4, 1 cup serving of non starchy vegetables. NO MEAT! Then after surgery my diet was 2 weeks FULL LIQUIDS, followed by 1 week PUREE, and 2 weeks SOFT FOODS, then finally normal foods. So yeah, between the 11 days pre-op and two weeks post of of liquid, that was almost 4 weeks of nothing but liquids (but for the veggies in the pre-op stage). The protein came mostly from the shakes in those stages. It seems almost impossible but it works. I was so happy when the puree stage came. LOL And YES, protein is VERY important!! Not only to keep you losing weight but also to help you not lose so much hair or at least to shorten to hair loss phase. I recently, and inadvertently, put myself in a month and a half long stall because I was so inconstant with protein and ingesting LESS than the recommenced amounts of it (plus a few other things I was doing wrong as far as my macros goes). So again, YES, protein IS important for many reasons.

I’ve asked the office for clarification a few times, but clear liquids is all I’m “allowed”. I’m sure he knows best but I’ve seen people on week 2 already on soft foods :(

@danita75 I was on clear liquids 2 weeks post op and now as well. I’m not sure why my doctor is asking me to do this but I brought it up and he just said keep at it 🙃 the 27th of December I can switch to full liquids and boy am I dying for a thick soup. I’m miserable, if anyone was to ask me RIGHT now if I recommend it I would definitely say no. Hopefully my mind changes :(

that's weird. I was even told to increase my protein a couple weeks before and a couple weeks after all the other surgeries I've had (not just my WLS) because it supposedly helps with the healing process.

I love cruises but shore excursions have always been difficult for me due my weight. I took a cane and a rollator on my last cruise (to Alaska), but I still had to sit out some outings. My first bucket list item is already booked: a solo 6-week-long trip four months after surgery. The trip includes two trans-Atlantic crossings by ship and two weeks touring England. Bucket list 2: I want to be as fit as possible so that I can WALK on the excursions. I'm already building endurance by swimming up to 1/2 mile 2-3 times a week. I'm hopeful that the weight loss will enable me to walk a mile or two without pain or shortness of breath. My third bucket list item will be to buy a new wardrobe that will fit my new body. The fourth thing on my bucket list to figure out how to pay for all this!