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Does anyone know what is involved in the pre-op appointment? Mine is Monday (April 29), and they told me it would be about 4 hours long, but it didn't occur to me to ask what will happen. I mostly work from home, but had to dig out work clothes for a week in the office last week. Every evening I would come home and think "well, that's probably the last time I will ever wear that." I am having more clothes funerals than food funerals.

I did the do about 2 weeks after, it was gentle LOL no working it and reversing it you know what I mean. I have noticed sex is wayyyyyy better now that I am smaller, Also (might be TMI) now that I dont have as much fat, sex gets deeper and positions are more of a variety so soreness happens with me. Not a pain soreness but like "why am I sore? Oh ya I did the deed" I mean your partner and you can engage in oral if your into that, it helps with sexual desires.

Hi, just looking for ideas of what might be going on. Side the day after surgery, I've been having issues with vomiting for several hours after eating. Not every meal, not even every day, but usually one a week. I do ok with purees now, but no solid food patterns are appearing. Even I say hours, I mean hours. Like, up to 12 hours is the longest so far. Throwing up food for several of those hours, then water the rest. I can eat or drink during this time - it comes right back up. I've had to get fluids, thiamine, and anti-emetics by iv twice now in 3 weeks. I've had an upper gi/ small bowel study done - liquids only - and everything was fine. My labs are fine, mainly because I'm diligent about my meds on days when I can take them. My surgeon won't do anything else because the gi study came back normal. Has anyone else ever dealt with this? Or any suggestions from anyone? I have an ultrasound scheduled to check my gallbladder, but I dint think it's that since my liver enzymes are perfect. I'm at my wit's end - I can't sleep, can't work, can't lie down, can't do anything except sit there and vomit every 10-20 minutes - literally. Just looking for some kind of hope at this point. Thank you for reading this far.

I can't get over the 12 week pre-op diet. That's so crazy to me!!! I mean, I started off at 421 pounds and didn't have to do that. As for the gym, that's just how it is. Nobody cares who is in there. When we go, we have our own things we're focused on. I know for me, I just hope nobody comes over to talk to me lol It's good that you're starting slowly. Moving your body is essential. And yes, you messed up, but as long as you see it, admit it, correct it, and don't repeat it, you should be fine. You still have plenty of time to hit your target weight. How much are you suppose to lose?

Not that uncommon and comparatively not more strict. There are variations between surgeons and surgeries with many of these things. Sometimes it’s also related to you, your health, how much weight you have to lose, your relationship with food, etc, Not being allowed carbonated drinks is common. The differences arise in length of time of this avoidance and then whether you can tolerate it. Also you may be allowed sparkling water that you let go flat a bit but not sodas. Same with alcohol avoidance but there are three main reasons often behind this. One is concern for addiction transfer which can occur after weight loss surgery. Secondly, alcohol is calorie dense and offers no nutrients which are vital while we are losing and eating small portions and lastly it will slow your metabolism & dehydrate you. Again some surgeons just put a time frame on it but it does depend on your surgery too. Caffeine is another thing that is allowed by some surgeons and not by others and again there can be differences in for how long you should avoid it. Deconstructing meals is not a forever thing. Certainly while losing, focussing on eating the protein component of your meal first is very important. If you are able after you’ve eaten the protein in your meal. you then can eat your vegetables then any carbs you are allowed. (There were many times I could only eat my protein at a meal and nothing else.) This is because of the small portions we can eat initially & the necessity of getting that protein in to meet your protein goals. It does make tracking your food much easier too. When you near your goal, and are eating larger portions, it’s not as important to eat your protein first but you must continue to hit your protein goals forever so it will be something of which you are aware when you’re eating. In saying that I often ate soups, stews & casserole type dishes, omelettes, etc. which combined protein & vegetables while losing but not every meal and not every day. Actually not allowing protein shakes is also not uncommon. For example, in the UK, many aren’t allowed protein shakes in the pre surgery diet (they drink milk instead). Protein shakes aren’t the sole source of protein & nutrients in that first stage after surgery. Bone broths, consommés and cream soups are also options. Thank goodness too because after surgery those protein shakes can be disgusting. I found them unpleasantly grainy and crazy sweet & struggled to drink one a day. Best advice is to follow your plan while you are losing.However, if you find it difficult to tolerate your food options or to reach your goals ask for alternatives that will allow you to still meet protein goals & other nutrient requirements within any calorie guidelines you are given. How and what you eat once your weight has stabilised is up to you, what you’ve learnt about your eating and relationship with food and if it allows you to maintain a lower and healthier weight & lifestyle.

Great job on everything so far!! I applaud you on your dedication to moving your body!! I also take my measurements once a month, on the 1st. I totally relate to everything you said, including the early stall! I had a stall at 2 weeks and it lasted a month. I cried at my 3 week appointment, as I had gained 6 pounds. I thought my surgeon would think I was non-compliant, even though I was only getting 3-400 calories a day. She hugged me and told me that it was literally impossible for me to be non-compliant at this stage! It was just my body freaking out at itself, and the goal over time was to add a lot more calories. I haven't been able to do much more than a little slow walking, even at nearly 4 months out and just short of 40lbs down from surgery weight. I think it has to do with sleep, about which I have huge issues. I feel like once I get better with that, I'll be able to add a lot more movement. I'm hoping that will help get me through future stalls, which I know are very likely to come and are super normal. Still doesn't make it easy! Also having trouble getting my 64+ of liquids. It's a daily struggle that I don't always meet. My surgeon chose to leave the hospital and physician's group 3 months after my surgery, because the powers that be were making decisions about the program that she felt compromised the program's (and her) integrity. She's moved to a more holistic private practice now, and even though they don't take my insurance, she offers a special rate for follow-ups to her former surgery patients. I'm totally going to go see her for my 6 month f/u and beyond, because the hospital has now ended their bariatric program, and I adore my surgeon and her holistic attitude. I feel really lucky.

Oh my gosh, you're almost there! Just over a week to go! Are you allowed tomato or butternut squash soup? I found these blended with unflavored protein were so much better than the powdered "soups."

So I'm in the liquid phase, post op surgery and am a little over a week in and I miss food. I understand attachments to food is what got me here, but is it really wrong to miss food? I spoke with my therapist this morning and she said to be careful not to glamorize food. I'm not sure how to think about this. I told her I still want to enjoy food, or get enjoyment out of food later on. Am I wrong to feel this way? I understand it's more about fueling our bodies and of course I want the right foods to keep improving my health. But are we expected to never enjoy food again after bariatric surgery????? thoughts?? thanks

Oh that's really soon! Congrats! I felt the same way when I got called to arrange the surgery date so soon! I think I felt really thrown is becaus the first thing they did was out me on a 12 week diet very suddenly and I didn't have time to prepare and had to throw out good food and buy new things for the diet. I think also it was the fact that getting that call means it's finally happening! Especially as you've been on the NHs waiting list for a long time. It's not just a vague idea of soothing that will happen on the future anymore but a real thing that you have to prepare for. It's scary and exciting! I didn't think to ask any questions, but since my mother went through it back in 2008, I knew already about the surgery and the complications.

I looked at my journal from my 6th month time. My weight loss slowed significantly. I kept loosing but I was lucky if it was 4 lbs every other month. Stalls and plateaus were more common than actual WL. I just kept to my original plan and weight kept coming off even past the 2year mark. Instead of my scale obsession, I started measuring inches/centimeters and thrifting highly structured clothing made out of thick denim and leather to see my progress. A stiff pair of jeans with no stretch can show true WL because they get too big. I find they keep me honest with myself in maintenance too ; j

Yep surgical gas & IV fluids. It will take about a week for you to breathe out the gas (it’s not in your tummy but in your abdomen & it rises up behind your lungs before being absorbed into your lungs) and a couple of days to pee out the extra fluids. You can help the gas move up & then into your lungs to be breathed out by walking, doing arm lifts, marching on the spot. (Do as much as you can without straining your post surgical body. Little and often is best.) Deep, slow breathing can help too. Heat pads can help with the shoulder pain that occurs when it rises behind your lungs.

Tested positive for COVID on Saturday morning. I suppose it explains why I’ve been feeling like I was coming down with something all week plus why my joints felt so painful. I just put that down to being back at the gym 🤷‍♀️ It will also account for why my liver function test was off too. It always amazes me how the LFT can show something amiss before I’m even aware of it. So, the weekend was a complete bust - no anniversary dinner, feeling like I’ve been run over and just general yak. Dealing with an out of hours NHS service has tried my patience to the nth degree this weekend. Due to having a suppressed immune system, I’m supposed to be given antiviral medication if I contract COVID. Huh, it’s Monday and I still don’t have it. Many phone calls all asking the same set of questions (and giving the self same answers) being discharged from the OOH Dr via text, twice, for no apparent reason, waiting for calls that never happened, receiving other phone calls at almost midnight on Saturday, blah blah blah. Thankfully I was able to get through to my GP surgery at 8am this morning (a complete fluke) and explain the situation. They will find out what needs to be done and get back to me. Honestly, sometimes the NHS is brilliant and other times it’s just dire. Health eating? LOL…do you know when you read about the effects of an illness and it says ‘loss of appetite’? Ha, Ha, Ha, I’m the complete opposite, every single time 🙄 I’m not fretting about it right now as I’m more concerned over getting the COVID stuff sorted out. Hey, at least I didn’t have any alcohol on Sunday so that won’t interfere with my levels for when I do manage to get my bloods done again. Obviously I can’t have them done until I test negative. I’ll test again on Wednesday and see how things are. My anniversary dress did actually fit, so that’s a positive! I wouldn’t have been able to wear it on Sunday though as it’s so cold and rainy here now. Hubby has rebooked dinner for 2 weeks time. I don’t think it will be warm enough to wear the dress though but It’s not the end of the world On the plus side, I will have it altered professionally once the weight comes off post-WLS as I really do like the dress and would like to keep it. Missing my gym time, obviously , but it was nice to go back. Muscle memory definitely kicked in which helped enormously. It also gave my mental health a boost so it was win/win for me. I don’t know if my case was discussed in the MDT meeting last Friday or not. They will let me know at some point I’m sure. I will focus on getting any gains off once I start to feel a bit better. My hairdresser put some layers in my hair in order to give it a bit of body and movement. It’s just a shame that i haven’t actually bothered stying it as yet! I’ve just been washing it and leaving it to dry naturally. It looks OK anyway 🤷‍♀️ That’s me for now. Have a great week everyone 😍 Onwards and Downwards!

Hi, I had surgery a week ago. Since then I’ve had this fear my stomach is going to stretch out by drinking too much water or food. I’m so scared that I’m barely eating and drinking. I’m spacing out my liquid diet by 30 minute intervals. I’m I worried too much? Did anyone else feel like this at first?

i am on day 134 since my revision from lapband to sleeve revision. everything started out ok. Now, not so much. I have periodic acid reflux (even with presciption meds). extreme fatigue, and I give myself a shot of B12 once a week. Now I have severe dumping syndrome every morning after breakfast. Doesn't matter if I eat oatmeal or a scrambled egg. The only thing that calms it down is metamucil. My surgeon suggested that I drink a glass of Metamucil when I wake up in the morning prior to coffee or breakfast. This has helped. Now eating is a different story...I feel like that band is still in there. Could it be scar tissue? I eat a small amount and I am almost sick. Severe stomach cramping. I keep wondering if it is dehydration. I don't drink water or those sickly sweet sugar free hydration drinks. Anyway...I am regretting this surgery every single day.

Well I went back to the NP to clarify and it turns out I am supposed to do a two week LSD AND a 2 day all liquid one so I start tomorrow morning. My LSD diet isn’t to bad compared to some. I get one small low carb meal and a snack of like sugar free non fat yogurt. Breakfast and lunch is shakes. I pretty much knew that I was going to have to do more than two days once I talked to the NP but I wasn’t expecting 16 days. Yikes 😳 How is everyone else doing?

The dreaded "Week 3 Stall". It's normal, and I'm just coming out of it myself (plus a 6lb regain that I just re-lost). I've had several others tell me that the stall will last 2-4 weeks, so just weigh yourself weekly instead of daily to prevent worrying over it as much. Just stick to the diet plan and you'll resume losing weight. The weight loss won't be a straight line, expect it to be more like stair steps with a loss, then a flat line for a bit with a slight regain, before it drops again. I've also heard there's typically a second stall around the 3 month mark that lasts 2-4 weeks as well, so just prepare for that as being normal, and stick to the plan. Best of luck to you!

I discussed it with my surgeon at an appointment a few weeks ago and he said it could have been movement of the tube I had fitted but I was to go to the hospital the next time it happened and he then also scheduled the removal of the tube as it was only to be in for five to six months. I spent last week in hospital to get the tube, put in my stomach five months ago to help close the leak, removed. Since then I have had no painful episodes and the tests show that the leak appears to have closed up. It is just a week and a half since the removal so I guess time will tell.

I am the same, have lost my boobs and bum and just feel I look flat. I was feeling quite down about it a few weeks ago so I went out and for the fist time ever bought padded bras. I look and feel so much better but I would like to get a little work done on them at a later date. @ms.sss I think yours look how I would like mine to be. I was around between a 36-38 DD/E and now a 32-34D but saggy. I am not sure if boob jobs are covered here under the state insurance here, will ask in the coming months as I think they say I have to wait at least a year and a half, until the weight loss slows down and remains stable.

I have been using Nioxin Stage 3, I do a bayalge with blond every 3 ish months and I will say using the shampoo, conditioner and scalp treatment REALLY REALLY helped! I also put a Rosemary oil in my hair the night before hair wash day (I only wash my hair 2x a week) My shedding IS SIGNIFIGANTLY less. I also use 2 TBLS of collagen in my profee every morning along and biotin with my morning vitamins.

How is everyone doing on their preperations and/ or preop diets. I am on day 6 of 16. (2 week liver shrink then 2 days liquids). It’s not awful but I am board for sure. Last night my husband left his dinner sitting on the island when he ran to the restroom and it took a great deal of restraint to not sneak a bite. I’m lucky that he has been preparing his own food though so this is not a daily thing. I can only imagine having to cook for others while on this diet would make it more challenging. Eyes on the prize I keep reminding myself. Hope everyone else is doing okay too.

Am I your brother? joking My levels have remained the same (low-normal but I don’t have a lot of fat in my daily diet except 1-2 weeks per year) I not sure of the metrics used to measure in Australia? Is 5.7 very elevated? What would be optimal?

I was in the same boat, My very highest was 310Lbs then lost 100lbs through WW, had my daughter gained most of it back. Lost 50 ish pounds, gained 75lb back. A constant yo yo of my weight. I got down to 240 when I met my partner, then had our son and gained it all back to 297lbs. At that point I was tired of feeling like crap, being too tired to do anything, not being able to be active with my kids, not being an active partner. So I looked into the sleeve, didn't feel like the bypass was for me, due to certain restrictions with meds. My goal wasn't even to get this small. It was to be at 190lbs which put me in the "normal bmi" and I wanted to have more energy and not to hurt anymore. But then I really got into into fitness and eating healthy. Can I ask you about exercise you did? I started with walking around 6weeks post op, just 30min during my lunch break, about 2 ish weeks later I started incorporating weights and workout videos. Very light 5lbs or just body weight. Then at about 3ish months post op I joined my gym and I hit the ground running and never have stronger and fitter in my life. Also that you do now? I work out 6days a week. 3 days lower body/cardio, 2 days upper body/cardio 1 day HIIT training/cardio each about an hour to hour and half a day. If you need assistance what to do workout I am super willing to give you some things that helped me. And did you have any skin removal? I have not, I am getting my boobies done in January lol but nothing else. Its so expensive! so I have to do it in parts. Right now I am working out as hard and heavy as I can to tighten up as much I can. This tool was THE BEST DECISION ever! I wish I would have done it sooner. I got my life back.

As of yesterday, I was back under 200 pounds, so that was an exciting milestone! I have been tracking my food, walking each day, doing a long hike on the weekends, and the weight has been coming off at the expected pace. I am averaging about 1300 calories a day in consumption and my watch says I am averaging about 2300 calories a day of burn, which works out to an average calorie deficit of 1000 per day and I am right on that target of losing 2 pounds per week. I am really pleased that my metabolism seems normal and that my restriction still prevents me from eating too much in a single sitting. I had a long chat with my husband about how "dieting" is so different this time around from when I had lost weight pre-surgery. This is my first time really trying to lose weight since my surgery and it is definitely much easier than it used to be.

I had sleeve 3.5 years ago and pre op I did nothing but vanilla premiere shakes. Then I was pretty sick kid those and I found the cafe latte in the same brand which I still like but it has caffeine. Pending revision I tried the vanilla again and it was disgusting to me. My husband buys the core power by fairlife and had me taste a chocolate which I am never a fan of but when even that wasn’t awful I decided to try their vanilla and it’s fine. Their strawberry banana is quite tasty in fact. We will see if I feel the same after two weeks of them though. 😂

My surgery was 1/30/24, I’ve lost 48lbs since surgery and it’s been a week and I’m stuck at the same wait or up a few lbs.