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I am really hoping that my husband and I can go on a vacation. Any vacation honestly. It has been so many years since we have had one. Between my insecurities and anxieties about my weight and the physical limitations we just haven’t found anything that seems exciting enough both of us to justify the expense. We could really use some“us” time and my husband would never admit but he would benefit from some time off. I think I may suggest to him that we go somewhere to celebrate when I hit my goal. Then we have a while to work out the details. I always wanted to go to Alaska but I think that’s mostly because I knew that it wouldn’t be too hot for me like so many other common vacation spots. I really hope that my heat tolerance goes up a bit and I can expand my options to different places. I am still only a week out so I have time to add to my list. I’m sure as my mental health improves jt will be easier for me to imagine some of these things for myself.

My gastric bypass is 2/21. I had a sleeve back in 2012. I gained weight back except that golden 25 I like to say not a total failure but not feeling great about it. I still do not have a large appetite but it was wrong choices. I been through breast cancer and I have reached a place in my life where I have had enough of self harming as I say. The surgeon puts me on pre op diet for Two weeks. I am having a bit of trouble with all the fruits and veggies. I have IBS. I stated this from beginning to all. Today I get the poops badly and called office to see if I can take imodium. I told them I was having a tough time with to much fiber. They say well if you can’t handle it you may become mal nourished from bypass. I’m like wtf. We would like you and your hubby to come in Tuesday a day before my surgery to ask any questions you may have and then a decision will be made to go forward or not. I’m saying the decision was made already. You never had an ibs patient before. In a way I think there being careful and in a way why now? I gotta be on a liquid diet only on Tuesday. Now I feel is this going to be to much for me. I don’t want to stay fat. Maybe try on my own. I went to class I did everything that I was suppose to do but I can’t help if my tummy get sick if it’s just to much fiber. It’s like 20oz of fruit and veggies combined a day. All advice is welcomed

I don't know how to feel about this. Not because she's taking weight loss medications, but because she's taking these 2 together. I've done about 4 hours of research and 95% of what I read says NOT to take these 2 meds together. The other 5% is from people who take them together and have had excellent results. She gets the phentermine from her doctor and the Tirzepatide from a compounding pharmacy (they mix it with sterile saline and not B12 or niacinamide). I don't think she's told either provider that she's taking them together, and I can't help feeling like there's a reason she's hiding it. I'm on here partly to vent because I've shown her the research and expressed my concerns and she isn't listening, but also because I'm wondering if anyone here has combined phentermine with either tirzepatide, Zepbound, or Monjauro, and if so, how did it go?

Hi guys- after debating for 6 months and meeting with someone about the esg and then someone about the sleeve, i am deciding to go with the sleeve. I am 255 and my normal weight is 150. Im 33 yrs old. Ive shopped around and seen 2 surgeons and I am scared that neither are good enough even though i mean they both have good reviews. I compared the referrals they gave me and one wanted more blood testing done than the other, etc. One does the egd the same day as surgery. One office admin. Was more responsive but my gut was telling me to go with the other surgeon. Im not sure why. the surgeon i want to go with (im now indecisive) said if my insurance wont pay for it can i? I have cigna and meet the requirements but now am scared they arent going to submit the correct paperwork to have me approved. The surgeon i decided not to go with wrote up a much better referral. im seeing all the dcts and have a follow up mid august- what happens after that???

I have not but I've known a few WLS vets who have - and all have had great results. I've read a lot of people regain the weight after they discontinue it, though. so you'll either have to keep up with it or else be really careful.

Hey all 🤗 Sorry I've been MIA for a while. I had my gastric sleeve surgery on December, 13th, 2023. Pre-op I didn't lose too much. I went from 381 to 365.5 the morning of the surgery. I just weighed myself and I am now 299.6. I am worried I am losing too slowly? I have a lot of weight to lose so I thought I would have lost a lot more by now. Still happy with any success I do have, but I am worried I am losing too slowly. Thanks everyone and much love.

Now that I'm 2 years out from my sleeve and 1 year out from my revision to bypass, I can tell you that I eat around 1200 calories per day when I'm not working out and 1400 - 1500 per day when I'm working out (depending on the type of work out I'm doing). I'm on my feet all day at work, so I increased my daily calories from what they were before. Same with my work outs. I can't work out as often now, so I go harder than I used to on the days I can actually work out (now that I have full medical clearance with no restrictions). I noticed pretty early on that if I didn't eat enough calories during the day, but was still working out, my body thought it was starving and it would hold on to every single thing. As hard as it was to wrap my brain around, I took the advice I saw on here and increased my calories on work out days by a couple of hundred each day and I actually started losing again!!! I was floored!!! So as I increased intensity of my work outs, or increased the weight I was lifting, I increased my calories a bit. I didn't go crazy, but enough to let my body know it's still healthy and not starving. BUT....I had to initially give myself grace and time to be able to increase calories. Work outs or not, I had to do it on my body's timeline, not a doctor or nutritionist's. No way could I have been at 900 or 1000 calories at 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 months. There just was no way. And honestly, mine didn't expect that. They didn't want to see us above 700 calories before 5 months post op. I had JUST hit 900 calories at 7 months post op. I'm actually thinking about increasing my calories a little again, because I'm still losing, and I'm nearly 10 pounds under my goal weight, and I really would like to start maintaining lol If I drop to 179, I will definitely increase my calories by 100 everyday and see what happens.

It’s so frustrating i wonder if for me something else is holding me back like pcos, I’ve had it my whole life. Im also curious if having the drastic weight loss pre surgery affected post surgery and has made it less significant. I’m just as lost and confused here but we’re lost and confused together! Have you tried asking about phentermine or another medication? Pre surgery mounjaro and phentermine really worked well for me.

Congrats on the weight loss and lower cholesterol in your first month! I am three months out and I’ve always struggled with hitting the recommended calories… I’ve hit almost two weeks now where I haven’t lost anything, but the dietitian told me that’s completely normal. Trying not to let it get to me! Curious if anyone a little further out has experienced this yet? I am down 56lbs after three months and started around your SW weight as well. Are you currently doing a blended/pureed diet? When I hit that phase, I think I was still consuming two protein drinks a day (I like Fairlife Nutrition Plan or Premier Protein) which gave me 60g protein total (30 each) and 300 cals total (150 or 160 each). I would try to have three meals a day. For meals, I would make a yogurt smoothie with a little bit of fruit, milk or water. The pre-made Chobani Zero Smoothies are also good if you need something quick. I would have half of one for a meal. Fat free refried beans were good at that phase. I also made a lot of cooked, mashed carrots and sweet potatoes. Ricotta or cottage cheese blended with fruit or lemon juice, tomato sauce, etc.

Also a lap band 2010. But surgeon requires removal of band -heal for 6 weeks- then revision. So it has been a really long year for me so far. But now only 8 days from rny. I bought a weighted heat pad with levels of heat and an auto off function. It is wonderful. Dont plan on taking it to hosp. But will definitely come in handy at home how is everyone handling the daily meal for your significant others? Today my husband called me at work and asked mento pick him up pizza on my way home!!!! Rude… but he does need to eat and i dont want to cook. Lol.

Cheers 🍻! That first couple of days home is rough. I was cleared to go back to work after 2 weeks, but I'm on a 20lb weight restriction for 4 weeks. Just make sure your getting up and moving and keep sipping that water!

@AmberFL God that sounds like a hectic week so far and so much to sort out! Sounds like you are one tough mumma though and holding the fort down! 💪 And congrats to you and your degree! That is such a massive achievement!! ❤️ Kudos to you for continuing the workout, I would have been straight out of the door 😂 I am really trying to drink more water at the moment too, but I just hate having to wee all of the damn time 🤣 I am absolutely terrified of losing my boobs...I am a GG at the moment and I just know they are going to be such a state 😢I do however look forward to having that weight off my chest, literally - but just like you, I feel like surgery will be needed! I really hope it all goes well for you. Spa week sounds lush 😍 I am also going to get my eyebrows and nails done this weekend! Possibly also some lashes but we shall see! Good on you for treating yourself, and I am glad that you got this outlet that you needed x

I agree check with your team regarding if you can count it towards your protein goal. Generally it’s no because it doesn’t contain all the necessary amino acids though I believe there are some brands that add these additional amino acids. If you’re just taking it for general skin & hair health it won’t hurt. It won’t stop any of the hair loss though. That hair was going to fall out anyway as part of your natural hair shedding cycle. It’s just accelerated as a result of the surgery, anaesthesia & weight loss. Some people swear by taking supplements to stop the loss but they usually say it stopped after about 4+/- months exactly the same time frame as those who take nothing so … I took a collagen & silica supplement (powder) for a few months towards the end of my first year. Honestly, I can’t say if it did or didn’t do anything. Don’t know whether the quality of my skin & hair was a result of the collagen or just my weight stabilising & eating nutritious foods.

Hello sunnyg. I just learned today that sips is the same thing as SADI which I am looking at converting to from sleeve pretty soon I hope. I was hoping for a bypass and he told me to research this procedure as well. I am glad because it seems like a better fit. I hope you are doing well in your weight loss these first couple of months

My question was never asked about other peoples issues with VSG & GERD. I asked if anyone with GERD hit a plateau and it’s harder for us to lose weight as my surgeon had told me. I’m 5 months post -op my height and starting weight I should be 168lbs but she thinks with my GERD it’s slower in patients like us. But yet I have more muscle in my body than I do fat. I never asked about anyone’s GERD and how to get off the meds or what suggestions they have.

My question was never asked about other peoples issues with VSG & GERD. I asked if anyone with GERD hit a plateau and it’s harder for us to lose weight as my surgeon had told me. I’m 5 months post -op my height and starting weight I should be 168lbs but she thinks with my GERD it’s slower in patients like us. But yet I have more muscle in my body than I do fat. I never asked about anyone’s GERD and how to get off the meds or what suggestions they have.

As you know, I had the sleeve to bypass revision. They do make your pouch a little smaller, but it will stretch out a little as time goes on. I noticed I have more of a hard stop with the bypass versus the sleeve, and I definitely have to make sure I chew thoroughly and eat slowly way more with the bypass. You can lose weight with a revision, but not nearly as much and not nearly as fast as with the original surgery. You also have to take accountability for what you eat and how much. If you're eating slider foods and stuff not compliant with your diet, if you're grazing all through the day, if you're not watching your salt, sugar, protein, carb, and fluid intake.....no surgery is going to fix the problem.

Oh I haven't had surgery yet. It's just with all this weight I just feel sluggish so I was hoping that with the shedding of weight there would be an increase in energy

Back down to 199.2lbs this morning, which was my lowest recorded weight from 12 days ago. Will it start dropping again now? It's a mystery! One thing about these stalls that is a little scary, other than just wondering if you will ever lose any more weight again, is how hard it can be not to give into bad habits and cravings when you start feeling like there's no reward for doing the right thing. The last couple days, all I wanted was sugar and simple carbs. I tried not to indulge in the cravings too much, but I did have a little bit of candy (red licorice bites) and a serving of whole wheat Ritz crackers, which I wasn't eating at all before. As the weather warms up, I'm finding it harder to decide what to eat. Is anyone else struggling? Nothing sounds good. I have discovered a nice treat/light meal that reminds me of the pineapple Dole whip you can get at Disneyland. Fill a single serving smoothie blender cup about 2/3 full with frozen pineapple chunks, plus about half a serving vanilla protein powder, half a cup or so of plain Greek yogurt, and a splash of milk to thin it out. Blend until you get a thick, creamy, frozen consistency. It's got about 20-25g protein depending on what products you use and it was so refreshing when literally nothing sounded good for lunch. @gracesmommy2 this is the pilates bar set I have: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CCRCG5ZP This is the video I'm going to try: There are so many videos if you search YouTube for "pilates bar workout." I thought 20 minutes was a good starting length, but they have longer, too, and ones that target different body areas. I need a yoga mat for the floor part, though.

It’s been 6 months - is it normal to still have a very strong restriction? I still can only eat small meals like crackers, soup and I hardly eat. I just had two hits of tofu and some bean sprouts and I am stuffed! I have lost all the weight now but worried I’m going to go the other way. I’m consuming 300-500 calories a day. Help?

Hi Joe! My surgery is in 4 days. I am 5'6" and at my highest weight, I was 250 pounds, which gave me a BMI of 40.3. Since starting the nutrition program and pre-op liquid diet, I am down to 228 pounds, so a BMI of 36.8. I have high blood pressure, prediabetes, and high cholesterol. Like you, I've dieted countless times. In fact, I was enrolled in the nonsurgical program at my hospital for 7 years, starting when I was 42. I found it relatively easy to lose up to about 15% of my total body weight, around 40 lbs, by counting calories, exercising religiously, and not letting my guard down for a minute. After that, I would stall. Then the weight would creep back up. My doctor would prescribe meds (including Wegovy for a while, but it's too expensive for longterm use for me), and I'd lose 10 pounds. Then I would stall, followed by regain. Or the nutritionist would suggest a new approach, and I would lose a few pounds again, followed by regain. A little more each time. After 7 years of trying, I was back to my highest weight ever. I feel like I wasted a whole lot of time with nothing to show for it. And now I'm nearly 50. My blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol all have gotten worse. My feet hurt. My joints ache. I feel older than I am, and I don't want to be old before my time. I know from reading the latest studies in weight loss science that my chance of long term success in reaching and maintaining a healthy weight without the metabolic reset of bariatric surgery is around 5%. I'm fortunate because I've seen my brother go through sleeve surgery 15 years ago. He lost a huge amount of weight (about half his body weight) and though he has regained a fair amount of that, it's nowhere near where he used to be. His appetite is now what I would call the smaller side of normal. Nobody looks at him having dinner and would guess he had surgery. So I know that the most drastic parts of this (like a liquid diet!) are phases you have to get through to get somewhere better. I feel nervous, too. I've never had surgery. I worry about complications. I'm hardly ever sick, so I sometimes think what if I'm trading decent health for problems? But realistically, problems are in my future. I've seen it in countless family members. The writing is on the wall. And the surgery is very safe. So for me, the risk is worth it. I've tried on my own long enough to know it isn't going to happen for me without this. And a BMI of 40 might not be as big as some people, but it's big enough to rob me of good health in my future. I really hope this helps at least give you some things to think about to help you make your decision. Wishing you all the best!

I agree with Arabesque that your body is probably more along the lines of what things would look like for most people at 4 months. The central line feeding would have been high calorie to prevent malnutrition, so I'm assuming you didn't lose any weight on it? Or did you? I remember reading about your rough start, I'm glad you've been able to get off the feeding tube and that you are able to eat, even though you are taking meds to help with that. Going from the high caloric intake of the central line to an extremely low caloric intake has probably been a shock for your body. Many of us stall somewhere in the first few months, some for a few weeks, some for a month or two, as our body readjusts and tries to decide if it is starving or not. I know you can only get in so much food with your digestion issues, but is there a reason you aren't supplementing with whole milk or shakes a few times a day? These wouldn't be affected by your slow stomach issues. And they may give your body a bit more energy to work with. Protein waters could work too, things like SEEQ are thinner and as easy to get down as water. The watermelon flavor tastes like a watermelon jolly rancher. LOL Weight loss post surgery is a delicate balance. We want to be in enough of a deficit to facilitate good weight loss, but if we are too low our body goes into stress mode and won't release any weight because it thinks we are in a famine and are trying to burn through our reserves. So we have to eat enough to reassure it that we aren't slowly starving to death. Decreasing your activity and increasing your intake a bit (even if it is just a shake or a few glasses of milk) might give your body enough of a signal that you aren't starving and have what you need to continue to lose weight safely. Things like hydration and sleep are crucial too, as these are also markers the body uses to determine how much stress it is under and if it is safe to lose weight. In fact, some studies have shown that sleep is MORE important for weight loss than even exercise is! I tend to think they are both important, but the point is, you have to look at the holistic picture of how much stress load your body thinks you are carrying in relation to how much energy it has to give. My last stall lasted 6 weeks and drove me crazy! But my body broke the stall when it was ready to, I just kept eating well, drinking well, and resting well. That's all you can do really. You can't push the river. ❤️

Since I lost so much weight from last July until now. The old feelings when I was a teenager and constantly wanting to be on the move have came around again. Great beach pictures. Also, it's great you had the courage to walk down the cliff. That looked a little sketchy. Looked well worth it. If only my legs looked as good. Being a month from 50 years old, my legs are beat up. Although, a lot smaller than they used to be. Once I have my knee replacement and get the recovery process over with, I can post some sweet pics of my legs haha. Looks like you are doing great, keep up the good work.

Your surgeon is a bit off in his ratios. Weight loss rate is different for each surgery and for each person. I think the 3 month mark for most surgeries is closer to 30% though, not 50%. I've never heard that for 3 months, only for 6 months. Have you run your stats through this calculator? https://www.facs.org/quality-programs/accreditation-and-verification/metabolic-and-bariatric-surgery-accreditation-and-quality-improvement-program/riskbenefit-calculator/ That is the calculator many bariatric surgeons use to calculate their patient's trajectories. I feel like I'm behind because at about 3 months out I'm only down 40 lbs or so since surgery, but 53 lbs since my highest weight. So I used that calculator, starting with my highest weight, since that is what the surgeon would have used. Turns out I am right on the mark, as their PA told me a few weeks ago! Everyone around me is losing faster, but that doesn't matter. For my body and my health conditions I am apparently right on track. I found that really reassuring. Keep in mind that site only tells you what it expects you to lose in the first year. I thought malabsorbative surgeries like the DS or Bypass can keep losing up until the 18 month mark, though it is much slower loss at that point? I know DS patients can even lose up to the 2 year mark, though again, it is much slower. You usually lose the last 20%-25% much slower because the body is closer to its set point. I had a 6 week stall that started when I added solid food in. I kept gaining and losing the same few lbs. But someone told me to check my measurements, since usually when the scale stalls, our measurements go down. Sure enough, I was losing inches!! So I REALLY advocate people measure once a month and record it, the Baritastic app can even track it for you. It is really reassuring to see those inches lost when the scale has been acting like a d**k for weeks. LOL How are you doing now??

Yes it’s a forever thing. And yes, I think there are behaviours we have to also adopt forever. Like tracking for you & weighing myself regularly for me. But it’s easy to get complacent, or life throws crap in our way, old eating habits return, health issues & medication changes, etc, can get in our way. I’ve been a little complacent lately. Not sure why except weakening & testing things to see if I could be a little less narrow in my choices & how it would affect me. Learnt some things like I still can’t eat bread - hot cross bun sat like a ton weight & made me constipated - not Easter fun! I’m a proponent of adopting the small changes approach. Easier to adopt & adapt to one or two adjustments at a time than diving in the deep end. The pouch reset is a fairy story. You can’t reset your pouch but you can reset your thinking. Won’t be easy but we’re used to the hard work around losing & maintaining our weight. You got this @MandoGetsSleeved.