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Well let me tell you, my start weight was 100kg, i am now 10 weeks po and 82kg but it has been a nightmare I would love to tell you it was a breeze and I know some people who did breeze through it. I still get slight pain when i eat. I think more about food and drinking more than i ever did before to the point it drives me nuts. I had reflux before surgery that my surgeon insisted would get better at this point it hasnt i wake every morning with a horrid taste in my mouth.and take double the amount of meds than i did pre surgery. I feel hungry but dont feel like eating.for me I wish i had have gone down a different path for weightloss. What i have given up to do this hasnt been worth it for me in the way i now have to eat and drink. it also effected my mental health terribly.you really need to consider lots of things and what they tell you you need to do after surgery like dont drink 30 mins each side of eating chew your food to a paste then swallow, no carbonated drinks, you dont really comprehend until after surgery. Make sure you get plenty of councilling prior and go with a surgical team that offers lots of after care if you chose to go ahead. It is hard and many people are glad they did it and i hope one day i am like that but atm i wouldnt recommend surgery if a weightloss of under 30kg is what you are aiming for.

I still havent gone back to work 10 weeks po, but i have had mental heath issues to deal with and had/having really hard time eating and getting enough fluids in so i have been feeling miserable and fatigue quickly, everyone is different and heal at different rates.

So I just finished day three of the pre-op diet. In my area it’s super restrictive with 5 boost diabetic, and one serving of a specific broth and one serving of sugar free jello a day. It’s not as horrible as I thought. Yet. I’ve been “cheating” a little. I’m using CBD as an appetite suppressant. And I’ve had 3 servings of broth and two of jello a day. Way less than 100 calories for all the cheating. I think the CBD is saving my life. Buuuut today for the first time in my life I learned from first hand experience “don’t trust a fart”. Thank god I was at home. 🤦🏼‍♀️ How’s everyone else’s pre-op going? What’s your pre-op diet going to be?

I took three weeks - have had a painless recovery but struggled to get water in and meet my protein goal so I was very sluggish and dizzy. I did do two half days near the end to tackle my inbox because the idea of it was stressing me out!

Hi all, I have my first appointment with a surgeon next week and I am looking at the option of a gastric sleeve. I've been up and down HUGE amounts all my life. Was an extremely obese teenager, a decent weight in my early twenties which was maintained through excessive exercise/occasional vomiting/diet pills and a severely restricted diet. However, I ended up slowly gaining and I hit over 100kg after each of my children were born. On and off I took diet pills/tried intermittant fasting/exercised manically etc to go up and down throughout my 30's and early 40's. I maintained 66 - 68kgs for about three years but was ALWAYS hungry. During the Covid lockdowns last year (I'm based in Melbourne , Australia) I gained 15 kilos. Over summer, I lost five, but have now put them back on plus another 7-8 kg. My weight is currently 91kg (I'm 165cm) and I'm tired and really depressed. I can't even look at myself in the mirror and I'm dreading going back to work. I feel as though I don't have it in me for another huge weight loss, without some type of surgery, as I've struggled with multiple family and financial issues over the past 2 years and am at a really low ebb. My goal weight is actually 60kg, but I only reached this weight in my early twenties when I was doing 15 hours exercise a week. Anyway, I'd love to hear from other people who have experienced a similar predicament. How bad was the sleeve recovery? What about reflux? Has it made a difference to your appetite? Would you recommend it? I just love the idea of my life not revolving around self hatred and guilt and obsession with food. Thank you in advance!

Another way, they’re all different. I was every three months for the first two years, then went to 4 months because everything was consistently so good. But I’m back to 3 months because since my gall was removed 4 months ago I’m not absorbing protein well. Sad face. I have blood tests before every appointment but sometimes my GP asks for another in between. She’ll probably send me for one when I see her in a fortnight to check how I’m going with my protein absorption after being on Creon for about 6 weeks. I’m happy they’re so thorough & want to make sure I’m as healthy as I can be.

I picked my goal based on the lowest weight I’d ever reached before too - my bounce weight range. 60kgs & BMI of about 23. Reached that at 6 months & then lost another 11/12kgs over about another 11 months. The weight loss just continued to get slower. No stalls in that time, but the trend was still the same pretty smooth & even trend I experienced in my first 6 month weight loss. Just more up & down when I was starting to stabilise at around 50kgs I struggled to find that caloric balance to stop losing. Just trying to eat larger portions & then eat more frequently was hard but over that year I eventually got to about a recommended portion size for most foods. I was eating 4 or 5 snacks a day on top of three meals by the end. Now I eat about 3 snacks & 3 meals & I’ve been maintaining for almost a year at about 49kg (generally fluctuate between 48.5-49.5) & a BMI of just under 19. I know a lot of people have issues about BMI but I always look at it as a guide. Higher end of healthy range for large frames, lower end for smaller frames. Taking in the needs of our bodies is also important as is how muscular we are. Some people just sit happily at a BMI above the healthy range - their body seem to function better. We also carry our weight in different ways too. You can look at two people with similar height, build & weight but one can look slim & the other bony. I was always told I had a larger frame. Once the weight was gone it was obvious I don’t. When I was nearing 50kgs, my surgeon & doctor wanted me to get back to about 54kgs but they’re fine now & happy I’m healthy & maintaining. As one said: you’re actually really quite tiny aren’t you. It’s still can be a freaky I’m the size I was at about 12.

Do you feel like you have enough energy to go back to work? My sleeve is 10/11 and I’m just planning on taking a week off and then half days the 2nd week - also work from home. I’m worried that I won’t have enough energy. Good luck with going back next week. Let me know

I gained weight during my pre op thanks to the inept nutritionist. I lost 18lbs the first month on my own diet and he insisted what I was doing (low carb) was wrong and not sustainable long term. I followed his plan to a T and just kept gaining and gaining. My surgeon told me I could stay the same weight but not gain, so I ended up going 1-2 days a week with zero food just to be sure I’d keep my weight the same for weight ins for pre op. It was a horrible experience and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. I was accused of lying about my food intake, had my phone ripped out of my hand while the nutritionist went through my fitness pal trying to find something to throw in my face on what I was doing wrong. He concluded my weight gain was due to the protein bar I was eating for breakfast because he didn’t know the macros (it was on my tracking app and I showed him the physical bar in my purse). Instead, he said I must eat quest bars that were higher cal and less protein. Talk about an eye roll. My last visit with him ended in him telling me I was lying about having a surgery date and me almost leaving in tears.

I’m sorry you’re feeling this way @SleeverSk. Your surgeon, doctor & medical team really should have discussed your lifestyle & how the surgery might impact it with you so you would have been better informed - it is your body & your life. I’m sorry you weren’t better prepared by your team. The first couple of months can be challenging - a restrictive diet, changed eating habits, fussy tummy, hormonal changes causing emotional upsets, etc. & your body just not letting you do what you want to & used to do. But a lot of the things you’ve mentioned like chewing & sipping do get better. You won’t need to chew, chew chew forever. (I never did at all.) Will you need to still eat slowly & take smaller bites? Yes. But how large a bite & how much time you will take to eat is individual. (I still eat slowly & take small bites but some of that is my choice.) Like some people can go back to gulping fluids & taking multiple sips at a time. Some not so much. (I’m a 2 mouthful person.) My tummy gurgles but not all the time. I find it happens more after I eat dairy or if I put pressure on my chest (like my iPad resting on my chest when I read in bed). It’s not uncommon for people to experience changes in their taste &/or smell after surgery But this is a short term affect. Cutting some foods out of your diet for a period of time may make you more sensitive to them like sweet things may become too sweet. Some develop food sensitivities or intolerances like to lactose. Oh & yes you will becoming more regular with your BMs as you start to eat more & a broader range of food types. Add some soluble (non swelling) fibre to your diet to help in the meantime. Will you go back to eating exactly the same way you did before? No. But do you want to? I mean look where that got you before. Part of this process is examining your food choices & making better, more nutritious choices so you can enjoy a healthier life. Does that mean you’ll never eat pizza, burgers, ice cream or whatever you enjoyed? No. Many do eat foods that would be considerate less nutritious, high fat, high sugar, etc. It’s just not every day or every week & yes, portion control is important. Working out how you manage your eating (when & what) does take time. There are many people in this forum who work long hours, night shifts, etc. in a range of occupations & they have devised eating routines that complement their job demands & limitations & lifestyles & still meet all their nutrient needs. It just takes time. I frequently freeze single serve portions of meals I make & leftovers. Makes it easy to grab a meal out of the freezer & reheat at work or on those occasions you don’t feel like cooking. The surgery isn’t a magical fix. Changing a lifetime of habits isn’t easy. And life often throws a truck load of crap at you at times. It’s why some regain part or most of their weight back. I doubt anyone on this forum would say it is a totally easy journey though some find aspects smoother than others but we’re different people. Most are positive because when they reflect on all their experiences they see how it’s made their life better & decide it was worth the hard work & any challenges or struggles. I certainly do. I hope you can find peace with your surgery & feel more confident about managing the changes soon.

I had surgery last Tuesday the 14th and took the remainder of that week and all of this week off. I return Monday.

Hello all! Long-time listener, first-time caller. I had my sleeve surgery on Wednesday, so I’m on day 4 post-op. Gas pains subsided after the 2nd day. Of course I still have surgery pain, but it’s pretty mild. BUT, the gurgling is so annoying! My entire insides gurgle, and I’m having a hard time getting all of my liquids down. Also, how long did y’all take off work? I took 3 days off, and since I work from home, I said I would work half-days this coming week.

I went through a 2 .5 week Stall where it seemed the scale froze at my 3 week phase, it finally broke with a 5 lb loss over night

Amen to that. As I've written previously, most people would recoil in horror at what and how I've eaten following surgery, as it violates all of the normal "rules" for successful weight loss surgery... but I'm 14 months out from surgery and hit an alltime adult low weight this morning. I've reset my target goal twice now. It appears OP, that you and I have very similar frame sizes, starting weights and goals weights. My high adult weight was approximately 410. My original weight goal as discussed with my surgeon was 250. I'm not sure what your age is, but I'm 55 (taking early retirement next week in fact). I've been exceeding the daily caloric goal written in the surgery manual since about day one (but not excessively so), and well exceeded the target fluid intake goal. Fluids were never a problem for me. I would say it's far too soon to try to assess success or failure. See if your weight loss continues as you progress through the food re-entry phases. You'll be able to better gauge your progress. IMO it's the long-term trends that matter as opposed to week-to-week loss.

I feel your frustration and worry. I just came off a 3 week stall. I think I was emotionally surprised I still have to work so hard at loosing weight. My mind knew the surgery was one tool, my emotions thought the first six months would have the weight slip off like water. I woke up and realized I still need to truly work it! The difference with WLS, when I try hard 2-4 lbs comes off versus 1/4 lb. I applaud your move to reconnect with the weight loss community. Maybe your dietitian can help? Does your weight loss center have a group to meet with? That helps me stay on track too.

This is for those who have lost more than the weight required to hit the top of the “normal” BMI (I know - BMI is awful - but it’s a measurement that everyone is aware of). I hit the top of my normal BMI by 6 months post-op and have lost more since then (which I wanted to). I did not have any stalls until I got down a few lbs below the top normal BMI. I had selected 145 as my original goal because that was the lowest weight I ever achieved as an adult (through weight watchers) but have since adjusted to 135 (and quite frankly, feel like with my belly I could even adjust lower, although I think plastic surgery will be needed to really get things where I want). However, it’s been discouraging as I’ve definitely been dealing with 2-3 week stalls now - then lose for a week or two then repeat. I had a stall since the beginning of the month and then yesterday when I did my weigh-in I was down almost 4 lbs! Now, 3.75 lbs seems like a LOT to lose in a week at this point - not time wise as I am only 8.5 months out but given where my weight is - haven’t lost that much in a week in a while (and while I normally only weigh weekly I did check it again this morning to ensure that it was a real loss and it was). For those who have gotten below the top normal BMI, how was the weight loss once you got past that top normal BMI? Was kind of expecting only to lose a couple of lbs a month from here on out but seems like that may be a low guess? Just trying to get an idea mostly from a mental perspective - as I said, the stalls have been discouraging, although I know I was fortunate not to have a single one until I got below the normal BMI. I had a couple of weeks in the 3-5 month range where I only lost .5-.75 lbs but none where the scale didn’t budge like it has a few times lately.

I have three weeks of post-op liquid diet and am almost two weeks through it. I'm allowed to have unflavored Greek yogurt, skyr, and sugar-free fat-free puddings on my "liquid" diet and I find those help a lot. Also, warm savory things help—phở broth, miso soup, chicken broth. And the Fairlife nutrition shakes that taste exactly like chocolate milk seem to assuage my hunger. It is better now than it was immediately post-op, for what it's worth.

Stop weighing yourself every day. So many things can alter your weight between 2-5 lbs. Maybe you're less dehydrated. Maybe you've got hormonal changes ("that time of the month"). Maybe you ate more salty stuff than usual. Weigh every week and make sure you're measuring yourself, too.

I work from home taking phone calls. My Dr gave me 3 weeks off and I took one week off pto. I had extreme dizziness, and it finally cleared up this week. I'm 4 weeks po and just started back to work 2 days ago. I don't have pain but I have no energy. Sent from my SM-G991U using BariatricPal mobile app

From what I read on the boards, it seems like a lot of people have a stall at around 3 weeks so I think that's normal (?)....but I'm sure it's frustrating!!! Just continue to keep up with your proteins and water, etc,

Definitely speak with your nutritionist. Are you tracking EVERY bite, even tastes while cooking add up. That was a big one for me. It may just be a dreaded stall. During stalls, your body is catching up. While you may not lose pounds, you may lose inches as things redistribute. Stick with it, it'll work out if you follow the instructions of your nut and keep exercising. Sounds like you're doing a great job!

Congrats on your surgery. I'm 12 days out and yes, the first week was miserable! I'm now feeling so much better. Drinking is easier, moving is almost back to normal, and I'm still really tired, but I'm generally feeling human again.

Physically I could have gone back to work after a week (desk job), but I found that the first week(s) it’s quite hard to get your water in AND figure out some kind of eating schedule, so I was very happy with the 3 weeks I took.

I work construction and hard labor I waited until the mrs. Annoyed me and c ouldnt take it now more. 3 weeks. And didn't do n o climbing of scaffold for 3 weeks after returning. Desk job I would have went back after a week get a routine down first health before work Sent from my SM-N960U using BariatricPal mobile app

How are you getting on? Also had surgery on 15th a little tired, hard to drink all the liquids - mainly thin soups, yoghurt and broth with some protein shakes. 1 more week for me before soft foods.. looking forward to the next stage!