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Can’t do anything with excess loose skin except to surgically remove it. Sorry. The skin has been stretched out for too long like a well used hair band. You may get some bounce back depending upon your age, genetics, how long you were obese. Also in the months after you stabilise your remaining fat does tend to resettle a bit so some areas may refill a little. Weight or resistance training may help the underlying muscles support it better. My friend has become an avid cyclist post surgery & her thighs are rock hard with great muscle definition but she still has loose skin on her upper thighs - she showed me last week 😁. All those therapies like IPL, RF, thermage, ultrasound, cryotherapy, etc. seem to cost a lot & offer short term if any effects on small amounts of loose skin. There are quite a few threads about people’s plastic surgery here if you’re interested in reading about other’s experiences.

The thing is you’re actually eating what is a recommended portion size now. Those massive meals that are served at some eating places are two, three or more times what you should eat in a serving. A steak should only be a maximum of 4ozs not those half a cow size steaks that hang off your plate. Look to the appetisers, soups or salads & as @ChubRub said most likely won’t notice. Someone my want to share a meal or ask if venue will do a half serve. (I’ve had cafes scramble a single egg without an issue.) If someone does comment (pretty rude if they do) simply say I’ve had plenty thank you. Or I’m not a big eater (remember hearing people say that in the past & not understanding how could they eat so ‘little’ - we’re through the looking glass Alice). It used to be the polite thing to do to leave a little of your meal on your plate. It let the chef know the food was tasty & the serve was enough to eat.

Absolutely possible (and to my mind preferable) to get all your protein from real food. I am exactly six weeks post sleeve and haven't needed to top up with any processed protein for about 3 weeks. You need to track it until you are totally confident, and you need to prioritise protein at every meal, as the others have said. My only supplements now are multivitamins and a separate B12 spray now. I won't have blood tests to check vitamin levels for another 6 weeks so may need some readjustment then, but so far so good. I am loving eating small home cooked proper food meals and losing weight (too slowly for my liking though - I know am SO impatient, LOL!!!) Sorry - having re-read your OP I see you were looking for wisdom from the people who are longer post op - feel free to ignore - I am also here mainly to learn. Good luck! 😀

Hello Jan surgery buddies.. Started my 2 week liquid diet today! So far so good... Whats ur plan????

I had that problem as well, dizzy spells the first 2 weeks but out of nowhere it stopped. The only thing that helped me was eating sugar free popsicles.

Jenn5120, consider that not taking in enough calories/protein AND going to the gym this soon post-op could contribute to a weight loss stall. Have you checked with your nutritionist about going to the gym?

I can be added to the ever growing list of January surgeries that have been cancelled. I was originally scheduled for Jan 18th. At least I DO have a new date of March 3rd. It is a 6 week delay which sucks but I was happy to have a new date. I know some on here have had their surgeries cancelled with no new date. Also, I did not yet have to start my pre op diet. I will use the additional 6 weeks to get into an exercise routine and eat healthy.

My health is in the toilet, and I desperately need help and advice. RNY summer 2019, goal met in 2020, happy, maintained/healthy/active for a long while. I'm 51F btw. But since roughly March of this year I've unintentionally lost at least 50lbs while eating exact same nutrients/calories/macros/etc as my maintenance diet. I even started adding calories to try to stop it, bc my face looked awful/old. My BMI is now underweight and I look awful and ill. Also in March, the pain started. I had NO pain or issues from surgery 2019 all the way until March this year. It started as occasional lower right side abdominal pain, like a burning, hot coal sensation. Maybe 1 x a week. As the months have gone by, it increased and increased until now it's a daily agony. I wake up okay, but as the day goes on it gets worse and worse, until I go to bed with an Ambien at 7pm to escape it. (Mornings okay, it worsens as the day goes on) For many months it was bad but not so bad as to affect my calories/nutrition/appetite/etc. It's only in the past month it's gotten unbearable. (I still eat and get all my required protein/calories, I just do it earlier in the day). Trying different elimination plans didn't help btw. Then, 2 mos ago my hemoglobin went down to 8.5 despite my taking daily iron and I required 2 iron infusions to bring it up. I never had anemia since surgery until then, out of nowhere, with the same diet plan, all my vitamins, iron, etc. So here's the deal: FULL GI workup, normal, normal, NORMAL (CT, colonoscopy, upper endoscopy, CT enterography). Finally the GI doctor was like "I have no answers for your problems. Some things are just par for the course with a post bariatric patient." Verbatim (message in patient portal). No more follow-up or more testing offered. I felt slapped, I was LIVID at that message, I feel totally dismissed. This kind of suffering and drastic symptoms should NOT be "par for the course" for a 2 1/2 year post-RNY patient right? I know 2 others personally that had RNY years ago and they've never experienced anything like this. I just can't imagine this being normal! Has anyone here gone through anything like this and gotten answers and help? Or does anyone just have any ideas at all? (FYI I did see my bariatric surgeon first, a couple of months ago, he said my issues were NOT normal - this is before the GI doc. My surgeon ordered a CT but insurance denied it, which is why I went to that GI doc instead). So now I'm sitting here, suffering, deteriorating, with no answers or help in sight. :( Please please if anyone has any ideas, I'd be so grateful for some guidance here!

The purpose of the psychological assessment is to find any undiagnosed mental illness, substance abuse or eating disorders that may make you unsuccessful or even endanger your health post surgery. The MMPI is a very reputable tool to help with that assessment. It’s unfortunate that your clinic doesn’t have a handful of doctors that they use but if they are requiring one that uses the MMPI it sounds like they are trying to make sure the assessment is not a waste of your time and money. My psychological assessment was a joke I did not do any written testing and the talking portion of the assessment lasted about five minutes. They did not even ask me anything about my eating habits or expectations from the surgery. Post surgery I learned that I have issues of emotional and boredom eating that I wish someone had picked up on Prior to surgery. I am slowly losing the weight but I worry if I don’t get to the root of those issues soon that I will be one of those who Regain. I would probably be frustrated about the three months too but in my opinion your team is looking out for you by making sure the doctor they use Does a thorough evaluation. If it were me I would ask them if they have a cancellation list or if you can call ever so often to see if they have any new openings.

Agree, chewable supplements taste and feel gross to me. I had a lot of nausea and vomiting post-op (uncommon), but even from the first week, I took a 1-a-day Bariatric Pal capsule. I ordered the ones with no iron at first, and took it with a separate slow release iron pill from a pharmacy. After a few months, I was able to tolerate the ones with iron.

I'm just 13 months post op and I already see old habits creeping back. I'm very active and I hit the gym 6 days a week and get plenty of rest. It's the late night munchy monster and sweet tooth that gets me into trouble. I did therapy for a couple months but insurance put the squash on that. I've read several books and used various trackers. It comes down to doing the hard work and looking yourself in the mirror every day and telling yourself you never want to go back to that prison. At least that's what my mind is telling me now.

Hello everyone, I had surgery on12/09/2021, I was wondering if anyone broke out in hives 3 weeks after surgery, I did and now I am on steroids to suppress it. Please let me know if anyone broke out in hives, I have it all over my body even in my head. Wishing everyone good luck . Thank you

I wanted the taste of food so bad after e weeks I put cheese in my mouth and spit it out real quick lol. I missed food lol Sent from my SM-A716U using BariatricPal mobile app

Let's just start over! Here's a great idea! I've done this with people that hate water. Maybe try making a slushie! Blend your ice with any flavor low sugar . Even the dollar store sells Hawaiian punch flavor sugar free. Eating ice can be easier. Try freezing your protein smoothie. Make it like a soft serve. If your protein powder is lousy that's hard. Get a vanilla flavored one. Freezing makes all the difference. You feel like your eating and yet it's getting your food intake it. It's like a melted frosty. I've been worried case my weight loss has been so slow compared to everyone else. But you can stall right out of the gate. Your body has to get used to everything again. My surgery was Nov 26 and finally lost 18 pounds. But I'm not getting my walks in. My fault I need a new hip. Good luck with the slushie! God bless Sent from my SM-A716U using BariatricPal mobile app

I am at 5 weeks too and am quite behind the rest of our group. I can not seem to progress to any soft foods. The only things I can eat are dry crackers, yogurt, and chicken soup [strained] I have never made it anywhere near my recommended water intake. Had very few of my vitamins. I start with nausea and vomiting it continues for days . I finally got a Doctor today after the Christmas break and he has prescribed a GERD tablets so I am hopeful. I am so weak and shaky and have no energy. My only consolation is I am loosing weight. ....... Protein - failed Water - failed Vitamins - failed Lets hope we get on course soon

Thank you so much! My surgery was 11/26. I've lost 17 pounds. I have not gotten my daily walks in like I should. I need a new hip and back surgery. But using a glider 3 days a week.fkr about 15 minutes at a time. I walk in the house and making sure I'm up every 15 minutes for some reason. I'm an older woman that's 5'3 and now 219. Nov 3rd I was 247. I lost 10 pounds before surgery. You took so much time to explain it to me thank you. I'm at another stall. And the wonderful constipated! I take the bariatric fission and have had nothing but dark green stools since surgery.. Sent from my SM-A716U using BariatricPal mobile app

I'm post op almost 5 weeks. And I have had only dark greenish black stools. Is this from the vitimans? I take the bariatric fusion Sent from my SM-A716U using BariatricPal mobile app

Any advice would be great as they only gave me one nutrition visit and noting post because $300 out of a pocket a session is too much for my budget right now. I ma 5 weeks post gastric sleeve and struggling with water intake I hate water I have drank sparkling water for the past 10 years. All the crystal lights and Mio I have tried are to sweet. Also my protein intake is awful since the surgery any shake I have tried makes me vomit along with everything else lately. And my weight has stayed the same I have lost nothing. So discouraged right now. Starting the gym Monday

Update - I needed a 3rd surgery. There were 2 areas that scar tissue developed and chocked off areas. Not allowing food to pass. I had it this morning. He said it will take a few weeks for stomach to heal but I should be able to stop the IV nutrition in a week or 2.

🙋‍♀️ New here! Sleeved 12/1 Had a rough few weeks and hopefully on the up swing.

I'm about 18 months out now, and I remember feeling the same way the first couple weeks after surgery. I kept asking why I did this to myself. I struggled to get the protein shakes down because I found them so disgusting and I felt weak all the time. After about a month the weakness got better. With trial and error I found protein products I could tolerate. It's definitely overwhelming at first. Now at 18 months out and 190 pounds down I have to say it DEFINITELY gets better and I know it was the best decision I ever made. Hang in there! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

Not once have a used a 'bariatric' food product. I was expected to get my protein and other basic nutritional needs from actual food from day 1. The first three weeks I did as well as I could, which was not enough. After that everything fell into place. My plan didn't call for x grams of whatever, rather it was 3 meals a day, each meal consisting of 3oz protein and 1oz veggies, eventually small fruit. Somewhere in the first year I wanted to compare my 3 meals a day plan to other folks plans and I was generally a bit over 60 grams of protein per day. Snacks were not on the menu but if I simply had to have snacks SF popsicles were acceptable. Who's kidding whom.. SF popsicles were fantastic! I got curious about how my plan measured up to other folk, since they were given instructions including x grams of this and y grams of that. After I converted my 3 meals to grams of this or that I learned that my plan was very close the what most other folks were consuming. With the bonus that I don't need to count grams of stuff. Counting grams of this or that feels like one of the zillion weight loss diets I encountered previously. I went into this with the idea I would never diet again. My surgeon agreed that he didn't want his patients viewing this as another weight loss program. Doc and I agree on this point, a match made in heaven. Good luck, Tek

@BirdLady21 I had my bypass the same day as you, on Dec 7th, im 3 weeks pot-op today as well. My problem is i can eat almost anything. I am refraining, but wish i would have a hard time. I have lost 38 pounds in the 3 weeks, i eat a meal every 2-3 hours. Today for breakfast was 59 cal yogurt, with 1 smashed avocado and small bag of 120 calorie protein crackers that I bought on bariatricpal. But then 3 hours later, 2 eggs and 1 percent cottage cheese, like 4 ounces worth. I feel like im eating too much, but my stomach is not bothering me at all, and i lost the 38 pounds in 3 weeks which is more than 10% of my body weight. Am I doing something wrong?? Any help from anyone would be greatly appreciated.

I am also in week 4 and experiencing the stall. I think I'm out of the ketosis also which is probably cause. I could definitely improve my water intake but I've also began eating fruit almost daily.

The stall is very real. Eating 600-700 calories every day and meeting my protein goals and weight loss has slowed to a crawl going into week 4. Anyone else have it happen? how many calories are you guys eating?