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That's good to know! I was shocked I lost so much in the pre-op phase. It took me 6 months to lose 15lbs from my highest weight this past summer, and then I lost the same amount in 2 weeks. So I imagine my body is reacting to that as well, like what the heck are you doing?! I just got to start soft proteins a few days ago (my doctor skips purees) and my calorie count is increasing as well. I seem to be able to get around 30g protein from food, and I'm still supposed to have 3 protein shakes, so I'm ending up with 90+ grams of protein and 600-650 calories. Pre-op I was at 600-800 calories per day and 80-100 grams protein, so maybe that's more of a sweet spot. Hopefully this will give me a nudge in the right direction!

Yes! In fact, my entire weight loss since surgery has been slooooow. I don't recommend kicking the scale - it hurts 😋 I even talked to my bariatric "team" who just didn't seem concerned. It only added to my anger..to go through all this to lose 4" lbs a month 3 months in and still at 6 months! Where did my honeymoon period go?? Only 80 lbs since starting the pre surgery weight loss portion... 80 lbs in 9 months, that's less than 10 each month! 😠 So yeah, I understand your frustration. I at this point wouldn't be to worried, you retain lots of fluids for several weeks following surgery, plus the standard response you'll read on here is the "your body is going through a lot and could be doing a self check reset reevaluating" at this point. I'd give it at least a month and as long as you're hitting nutritional goals and nothing feels off you'll be fine - (sigh) slow or not..its a downward trend. 😀

NickelChip - keep track of your measurements. That happened to me - my weight was so slow, but the first time I measured myself ,I lost 15 inches ! I'm glad you feel so great after surgery !

Yes!! I did. My surgery was on Feb 14, and I had lost 16 pounds in the pre-op stage. After surgery, I did weigh myself and I had gained 8 lbs! I am positive it was all fluid. It took me a week to lose the water weight, so then I was at the same weight as my pre-op weight and very discouraged. I'm 16 days post op and have only lost 8lbs (plus the 8 of fluid). I reached out to my dietician and she said those with a lower starting weight (I was 240) will lose it slower. It's perfectly normal. Since starting the pureed phase, I increased my calories to 600/day and I get about 90 grams of protein. It's more steady at about 1lb every 2 days. I hope that helps you, and thanks for sharing this. I thought I was the only one.

I know I shouldn't complain because I'm feeling great and hitting my protein and water goals every day since I got home from the hospital, even tolerating soft proteins really well. If it weren't for the incisions and the lack of hunger, I'd almost forget I had anything done. But man, I would check my scale for bad batteries if I hadn't just changed them. My preop diet was a very exciting time as I was dropping weight like crazy. 15 lbs in 14 days! I was 238.8 on February 7, and the day before I went to the hospital, February 20, I weighed in at 223.4. I stayed off the scale after getting home because I knew I had IV fluids and all of that to flush out of my system. But I weighed myself today, 10 days post-op, and I'm down exactly 1 pound at 222.4. Color me underwhelmed. I know it's probably just an early appearance of the "3 week stall." Logically, I understand all the reasons for it to happen. But it doesn't stop me from wanting to kick something, specifically, my scale. My body will never miss an opportunity to mess with my head. Anybody else have a slower start after surgery than you were expecting? How long did it take to pick up the pace?

PROGRESS UPDATE I had my gastric sleeve surgery on December 18th, 2023. I was nervous going into the procedure as I had never had any surgical procedures before, but it went relatively smooth. I was in a lot of pain while in recovery, to the point where the team had to push oxy and fentanyl simultaneously to help with the pain. Once the team was able to help me manage the pain I was in pretty good shape. It has certainly been an adjustment but it wasn't as daunting as I was expecting it to be. Its been about 2.5 months since the surgery and I've lost almost 60 pounds; I weighed in on at the hospital at 366 and yesterday weighed in at 308. My highest weight was 475lbs so all-in-all I've lost 167lbs utilizing diet, exercise and the sleeve. I found it fairly easy to comply with the post-op diet and have moved on to solid foods. I'm not hungry often but I make sure to eat at mealtimes to continue meeting my goals. I consume, on average, between 80g and 100g of protein a day and consume less than 900 calories a day. I don't consume very many carbs as a) they tend to contain more sugars and b) they tend to make me not feel very good. I do still have a bit of a sweet tooth but that has been easy to manage with the occasional chocolate chip. I've also completely kicked sugar and have switched to monk fruit sweetener with erythritol. I also dabble with keto recipes, mainly deserts as I find that some "entree" recipes contain way too much fat for my liking. My family, friends, and coworkers notice the weight loss more than I do. I'll see it a little bit here and there but not to the extent that others do. I still see myself as that 475lb guy that struggles with his weight and his health. I know that it isn't true, but that is still how I view myself. My clothes are fitting me much looser and I think I see some weight loss in my face and neck. I still have a lot of excess fat and tissue around my midsection and especially the "love handle" region. I definitely suffer from body dysmorphia as I only ever see the overweight me. My overall goal weight is 250lbs, which is only 58 pounds away which sounds crazy. That said, I would throw a party if I reach 225lbs as that is my "best case scenario" goal. I genuinely believe I will achieve both goals but there's always that part of me that doubts it. This has been the best decision I've ever made for my health and I wish I had made this choice earlier.

either one should do that. For some reason, DS seems to improve (or cure) GERD even though it has a sleeved stomach. And bypass has always been known to improve or cure GERD. You may be able to lose more weight with the DS because it bypasses much more of the small intestine, but then on the flip side, complication rate is higher than it is with bypass (but then again, complications with either surgery aren't very common). another thing that comes to mind is that most PCPs are familiar with bypass, but not so much the DS. So if you have issues, you may have to see a specialist. beyond that, either would be a good option. Check to see if your surgeon recommends one over the other.

Love, love, love this advice!! I can personally tell you that you are 100% correct. I was not drinking enough water (i was relying on Coke Zero) which i know actually dehydrates you. I also got into the bad habit of staying up way too late on my phone while watching Netflix so I was not getting enough sleep. My weigh loss stalled. I have now been drinking a lot more water and making sure i get between 7.5- 8 hours of sleep a night. By doing this i have broken the very long stall/very slow weight loss!! I know this is common knowledge about getting enough water/sleep, I just got into very bad habits for a while. I had my surgery 4/12/23 and have lost 82 lbs so i am doing good, but i knew i could do better!

No you have not stretched your pouch with just one 5 oz meal. Fact In a few weeks your restriction will kick in. Your internal stitches and staples will have healed and you will begin to feel so full. Its easier then to know your signals. Now you need to look for sneezing or a runny nose as full signals. Thats why you are given the weights to stick to. You could tear your stitch line its so new. It is often said on here, Just because you can does not mean you should

Hello Everyone, I am a little past, 3 weeks post op and I am currently on Soft Food Phase. For dinner, I ate a couple of meatballs, broccoli and cauliflower rice. The total weighed 5 ounces on the scale. I didn't finish the meal though. For some reason, today I thought 5 oz was okay; but when I looked at my notes my md wanted me to eat 3-4 oz per meal. I made a mistake and am scared my pouch may stretch or I might sabotage my weight loss! Moving forward I plan to follow the guidelines, but my question is , is there a possibility that I stretched my pouch? Will this sabotage my weight loss? Should I contact my md?

Weight regain happens. You’re not the only one you had or will experience it. We get over confident or complacent & poor choices slip in. We go back to old behaviours of using food (or alcohol) to comfort us or sooth us in times of stress or emotional upsets. It’s why what you need to do is reset your head not your tummy. Remember how we always said doing the head work is a very important aspect of our weight loss & maintenance. A pouch reset won’t reduce the size of your tummy (not that your’s would be stretched) nor do anything to get to the root of your eating & change your behaviours. Stretching your tummy is pretty difficult. It would take a concentrated to eat excessive portions multiple times a day for a prolonged length of time to do it. You’ve made the first two steps already by acknowledging & recognising the what & why behind your regain & by starting to track your food again. Best advice then is to go back to how you were eating (food choices, portion sizes, eating behaviours, meeting protein & fluid goals) when you were nearing your stabilised weight. Would you consider going back to your dietician to help you get back on track? Did you see a therapist when you had your surgery? Maybe get in contact again for the regain & also the drinking. We have to be careful with addiction transfer after surgery. It can be a slippery slope. All the best. You got this.

Sure, I was really distressed about the amount of food I ate two days ago I think it will be a decent example. 1 icelandic skyr coldbrew yogurt 1 cup coffee + sugar free cream 1 capri sun 4 oz of steak cooked in 1tbsp olive oil & minced garlic 1 chocolate premier protein shake 1 strawberry atkins protein shake (it's half the protein of the premier ones) 1 scoop vanilla isopure protein blended with 1/4 banana, 1 strawberry, 4 blueberries, 8 oz darigold fit protein milk 3 oz chicken, 1/4 cup macaroni this kind of is similar to a daily menu. the steak happens maybe once every 3 days, chicken is an every day staple. coffee is a one or two time a week option. yogurt is typically every day, but sometimes is subsituted with oats overnight bottles that are mixed with the protein milk. -edit- I'm stuck in this cycle of feeling hungry, then feeling guilty after I eat because I realize i ate food and I haven't been losing enough weight, then i don't want to eat again for a long time because I want to lose the weight, then i feel starving, then i eat, then i feel guilty, etc etc. It's a really shitty loop I'm stuck in.

So I am 5 years and 2 months post-op RYGB. I made it beyond my goal weight of 170lb to 160lb. Technically I was as low as 145lbs because I was very sick in 2020 then again in 2022, but after getting better, I stabilized at a steady 160lb. Last July I started online streaming/socializing with people. I started snacking more because of nerves and also began drinking quite heavily because being silly tipsy in front of strangers is fun! I had NO IDEA how many calories was in alcohol. Over the course of 5 months, I gained 20lbs. Even more, I noticed that I can eat almost a "normal" plate of food the same size as my family's. I broke the rules and had started drinking fluids with my meals. I think I thought I could get away with breaking rules because I was at a stable 160lbs. Now I am FREAKING out! I hate exercise. I never did it, even with my prior weightloss. I am using a tracking app my husband's VA dietician told him to use called Fat Secret. I am trying to stick to 1600 calories, which is super hard. I feel hungry all the time now. I think I caused pouch dilation. I refuse to be heavy again. My clothes are already getting tighter than I like. I was doing research today on weight gain after years post-op. I basically am reading that I need a bariatric reset. I am going to do a 2-week "Pouch Reset Diet." It's not to make my pouch smaller, but it's to retrain my body to feel full with smaller portions again. I need to go back to the basics, and it's really hard. I also don't get DS with sweets like I used to. Don't get me wrong, I still get sick, but I noticed that my sugar tolerances have changed. It really worries me. 40% of bypass patients fail and bounce back to within 10% of their original weight pre-surgery. I will NOT be a part of that 40%. My support system at home is tricky. On one hand, my husband does support me outwardly. But he himself weighs 415lbs and isn't doing much about his weight. He watched my struggles and drustrations and outright refuses surgery for himself. He's on some stupid intermitent fasting diet, but he still eats way too large portions at meal times. My 15 y/o son is pushing 285lbs, and his only exercise is video games. For me, it's like living around all these food temptations is a struggle. It's like being an alcoholic and living at a bar. I just ordered a crap ton of protein powder so I can jump start this Pouch Reset Diet. I started to push myself on working out at least a little bit. I have a mini stair stepper and an eleptical bike. Anything is better than nothing. I am just wondering if I am alone in my struggles?

Short update: I had my gastric sleeve procedure done in November 2019. I lost around 85 lbs and then stalled eventually regaining around 50 lbs back and a horrible case of GERD. I had never had symptoms of GERD before my surgery and about 3 months later, I had to begin taking omeprezole daily to deal with it. If I forget a dose I can tell by the afternoon. During the first year post surgery, I lost my husband (not unexpectedly but it DID happen 10 days post-op for me), moved across country from Florida to New Mexico, bought a new house and started a new job. My daughter is 1 year post-op and lost approx. 150 ibs on the DS. l just started the process to obtain a revisional surgery. Will be discussing the benefits of either the DS or ByPass. I had the upper GI completed which showed a small hiatal hernia with evidence of GERD. It also showed mild cricopharyngeal hypertrophy. Any suggestions regarding which of the 2 procedures would help with the GERD and to help lose the 130 lbs. that I still need to drop to get to my goal weight?

A final update for this thread: I had my gastric bypass on Feb 21! Check in went smoothly. I changed into my hospital gown, got my IV inserted, and was given a number of medications to take before being moved to a waiting area where I got onto a gurney. The various members of the surgery team came by to introduce themselves and check on various things. Finally, the anesthesiologist came by and gave me "something to relax" via my IV port. A minute later, I was being wheeled into the hallway, and that's the last thing I remember until waking up in my hospital room. I never saw the inside of the OR, and I have no memory of the recovery area afterward, either. The surgery itself took much longer than anticipated, about 6 hours. I was fine and safe the whole time, but the surgeon ran into some issues with my small intestine and a small abdominal mass (sent to pathology and was benign) that required additional steps. Because of this, I was surprised to wake up in my hospital room and discover it was already 9pm when my surgery began at 1pm! My poor mom had been so worried because we thought it would take maybe 3 hours max. The nurses checked on me several times that night. I was able to get up to use the toilet on my own, and the only real challenge was the IV pole having to be dragged along. I was very fortunate that I ended up with no roommate. It wasn't technically a private room, but no one else was assigned to it while I was there. In the morning, my surgeon came by and explained what had happened during surgery. He was concerned because some of the stitches ended up under more pressure than he considered optimal, so he wanted me to do a swallow test before I could have anything by mouth, including water. They got me in for that and it turned out okay, so about an hour after returning to my room, I was brought a bottle of water and a cup of red sugar free jello. I have to say, it was nice to have water because my throat was dry, but I really didn't care about eating. I did because they told me to, and I know at this point I hadn't had a single thing in my belly for over 40 hours, but I just didn't care. I felt zero hunger. But I at the jello, and later they brought me a popsicle, another jello, and a chicken broth. I ate it all over the course of about an hour. It was fine, but again, I just ate it because they told me to. Because I got such a late start on fluids after surgery, they kept me an additional night, just to be sure. But on Friday morning around 9am, I was discharged. I had a protein shake when I got home and worked all day on fluids. I was tired and a little sore, but my pain had been minimal enough that I was only on Tylenol. It worked well enough that I only had a few moments of real pain, mostly when shifting position that required the use of abdominal muscles. I was fortunate to have someone staying with me for the first few nights home, and my parents kept my kids (ages 12 and 15) with them for the first week so I wouldn't have to worry about all their activities and food. It took a few days to discover what worked best for me, which ended up being hot tea (decaf and herbal) instead of flavored waters as I'd been having pre-op. For the first week, I've met my 64oz fluid and 60g protein goals most days, but as time has gone on, I've become completely turned off anything with artificial sweetener and every protein shake except Syntrax Nectar Natural, which I can still manage. I definitely wasted a lot of money on shakes I won't be drinking, but I'm glad I had them for the 2 week pre-op diet and to take the pressure off finding things to try when I got home. Yesterday, I was allowed to start soft protein foods. So far, I've had tuna salad (2 Tbsp), refried beans with a sprinkle of melted cheese (1/4 cup), and 1 poached egg. No issues with anything so far. Tonight I will be cooking some haddock with pesto for dinner. I go in for my 2 week post-op appointment with my surgeon next Tuesday and hope by then my weight will be a little lower. I lost 15 lbs on the 2 week pre-op diet, but my weight was higher by about 5lbs when I got home from the hospital thanks to the fluids and swelling, and I'm only just back to where I was the day I went to the hospital. Still, 15lbs in three weeks isn't bad. As for other incidentals, I have been taking Benefiber daily in my morning tea and it really has helped. I had the first BM (very loose and not a lot) before leaving the hospital on day 2, and have managed to go at least every other day since, and daily the last couple of days, so I'm very grateful for that. My energy levels have been decent, but it's only today that I feel like I don't need a noon nap. Going without caffeine has been a struggle, but I'm getting used to it. After all the wait, I'm so glad to have this behind me and be able to focus on a healthy future!

Lap band surgery 2004, nothing but pain & discomfort, no weight loss. Especially port sight hurt, lots of throwing up. After several attempts for help I started to just “live with it”. Married a wonderful man about 2 years ago, he said No your quality of life is more important. Went to doctors with me and he detailed everything (stuff I didn’t think to mention). I was referred to an excellent gastric surgeon. After tests and imaging, he said “the band needs to be removed and a bypass RNY performed. I was scheduled within a week, no waiting time. Best thing I ever did! The band was cutting into my liver, and other issues. I had a bit of discomfort but no pain meds other than Tylenol. I had this done May 15,2023, I have lost 70 pounds and feel great. Wear a size 4-6 jeans. I hope this helps someone. I think the band is the worst choice!

I am so sorry your dealing with this. Mine is 8 months out and I am only down to 315 after being 358 day of surgery. My weight is still up an down even with new diet and taking magnesium citrate.

I am just starting Zepbound tomorrow! Ihave had a long journey. I was lapbanded in 2002. I lost 130lbs. In 2014, after not seeing any doctors for 5 years, I went to a local bariatric surgeon just for a checkup. He found my esophagus had expanded. My band was too tight and I was packing my esophagus..didn't even know..no pain. Immediately unfilled and gained 30lbs in a month..eating NOTHING! LIke almost! I was refilled after about 3-4 months and then developed an infection..and to cut to the chase..band was removed in 2018 and revised to sleeve. By then I was up 50lbs. Since then I gained another 50lbs..so the sleeve did nothing. Between covid, bad eating habits and menopause, I cannot get this weight off..I tried keto..lost a few lbs..tried intermittent fasting..lost a few more..but my body just won't move the weight down..so broke down last week and saw my new primary doctor and she prescrived Zepbound..well orginally Wegovy but that is harder to find and Costco had Zepbound. I will start this Saturday.

It really did! I think I was on the waiting list for Tier 3 for about 2 years. I don't know how they think they are helping those who desperately need help with their weight, by making them wait years and years without any support. I completely empathise with that, although there are a lot of freedoms with being self-employed, it does make some things more difficult. I am glad they have reacted quickly to the complaint - I so hope they take it as seriously as they should and the woman who initially caused stress is actually held accountable. I have my fingers crossed for you! ❤️ Here if you need a friend x

Oh yes, way off the mark. You’re not in maintenance yet. You’re in a weight loss stage if I read your post correctly. You have every right to ask for the details, guidelines recommendations around your food intake & options, macros, calories, & whatever else you need to make you feel comfortable & confident about what you are doing. They are supposed to be there to help you & provide you with the depth of information you need to be successful regardless of current thinking or their own beliefs. It’s then up to you how you use that information - a guide or rule. Plus you have to work out what you (your body) needs to function best & most effectively. While some plans recommend getting your calories up, it seems to begin after you are on more solid food so 2+ months. From puree I was advised to eat 1/4 - 1/3 cup of food, slowly increasing to about a cup at 6 months. I was a bare cup & maybe 900 calories at my goal at 6 months. Ate about 1200 at my lowest weight (48.2kg at 18 months) & maintain 48.5/49kg consuming about 1600 calories. My portions only became about what is considered a recommended portion size around the 2 year + mark (3-4ozs protein & 3/4 cup vegetables). Oh & I didn’t have another shake after the liquid stage either. But that’s me & what worked/s for me. You could be totally different. To me a snack is generally a couple of bites. My snacks can be a level teaspoon of peanut paste, 1/2 a protein bar, 8 grapes, 1/2 a small apple, a stick of string cheese, about 6 macadamias to give you an idea. I used to eat a tub of 20g protein yoghurt over an hour as a snack too. As @catwoman7 said we all have different caloric & nutritional needs. Age, gender, general health, weight, height, metabolism, activity levels, etc. all factor in. And yes, if you want to lose more you will have to eat less than you are eating now & you’d have to eat less to maintain the lower weight than you would to maintain a higher weight.

Update: Gastric Bypass Date 8/16/2023 Heaviest 387 Starting weight Pre surgery 376 Current weight 262

I’d be making an appointment with your surgeon too. Best to rule out a medical reason for what you’re experiencing. Water can feel heavy & be difficult to drink. Try other fluids (green or herbal teas, sparkling water, home made yoghurt drink, etc.) but I’d avoid the capri suns even the no added sugar ones. Even without added sugar, juice still contain natural sugars. It also doesn’t contain all the nutrients a piece of fruit does. Consider how many oranges you need to produce a 250ml glass of orange juice. Would you eat that same number of whole oranges in one sitting? A piece of fruit is always better than a glass of juice. Generally simple carbs like rice, breads & pastas (includes all noodles) are off the menu while you are trying to lose. They are filling, can sit heavily in your tummy & stop you from being able to eat your vital protein. They also are more heavily processed & contain very few nutrients. In time you’ll e able to add complex carbs - multi & whole grains. Some plans allow a small portion of these while losing. I was allowed rolled oats. Focus on eating your protein first then your vegetables & only after those any complex carbs you may be allowed if you can. Almost 5 years out I still can’t eat bread, pasta, rice because how heavy they are in my tummy. I used to eat a lot of them before my surgery but I really don’t miss them. Yes, some people struggle with certain proteins. Chicken, steak & eggs seem most common but others can just be a no for your tummy too. Most find in time they can eat those proteins again. Do you keep your meats moist so more medium rare than medium or well done? Do you include a sauce or jus or gravy with your meats? Often foods that are too dry or coarse can cause the foamies as well as if you eat too much or too quickly. Out of curiosity do you track your food? Maybe find a dietician vs a nutritionalist & go through your tracked food diary with them to see if you’re missing something. I wondered if you’re not eating enough too or not eating enough nutrient dense foods. But certainly see your surgeon to see what may be going on or consider other options such as surgery, medication, etc. All the best. PS - While exercise has many benefits, it’s only contributes to about 10% of any weight loss you are to lose. I didn’t exercise while losing & still really don’t now. I upped my everyday activity (stairs not lifts let escalators, park further away from where I was going, etc.). About a year ago I started using resistance bands (for a little toning) & doing some stretches (flexibility & for my back) & that’s all I do. Wouldn’t burn 30 calories LOL! There are lots of online videos to guide you through using bands & other activities you can do if you struggle with your mobility.

I'm nine years out and have been in maintenance for the last seven years. I eat around 1600 calories a day to maintain my current weight. The only macro I pay attention to is protein, because we learned very quickly after surgery that I malabsorption it. So I aim for 100 grams of that a day. Besides that, I just try to eat a balanced diet - protein, vegetables, a little fruit, some whole grains, an occasional handful of nuts, mostly. but if you're still trying to lose weight, 1600-ish would be too high (at least for most women). And even in maintenance, people's caloric needs are so different. There are women on here who maintain on 1200 calories and others who maintain on 2000. Depends on your metabolic level, how active you are, how muscular you are, what amount of weight you're trying to maintain (I'd have to eat a heck of a lot less if I weighed 110 lbs) - it's really just trial and error to figure out at what level you can maintain your weight.

I agree with @NickelChip, this seems quite off. I've seen 800 calorie plans for bypass patients in the active weight loss phase, but most people are in the 1200 calorie range for maintenance... And your portion size will naturally increase a bit over time as you are able to eat more as your pouch heals. It won't be as much as a "matured sleeve" can eat, but it won't be a few tablespoons either. At the bariatric clinic I go to I attended nutrition class with sleeve patients and bypass patients, even though I'm a DS patient. We were all told to keep each meal to 10 grams of fat or less (general aim at 1 year out is 60 grams of total fat as per the ASMBS guidelines for a year out), and 10 grams of carbs or less, for less than 50 total grams of carbs a day, as they want us in ketosis during the active fat loss phase (this amount will double to about 100 grams of total carbs in maintenance). And protein varies for each group but bypass was to aim for 80 grams of protein a day, since they malabsorb some compared to the sleeve patients. NONE of us were given a calorie goal, only macro goals. We were ALL told to aim for 5-6 small meals a day for consistent energy, aiming for 4-5 meals if we go to bed early or get up late. So we were encouraged to eat about every 3 hours, allowing 2-3 hours between our last meal and bed. And told a fair amount of our carbs should come from high fiber, low carb vegetables and low sugar fruits, with a fiber supplement (SunFiber is amazing and non-bloating) and Miralax as needed to maintain regularity.

Yeah, you should have been given either macro goals, or a calorie goal, or ideally, both with the sleeve surgery. It isn't odd to not be able to digest heavy carbs like noodles, pasta, breads, and rice. And they really aren't the best things to be eating in the weight loss phase anyway. Pork can be quite dense, my stomach doesn't like it too much and it hates chicken breast. LOL When you eat things that your stomach is fine with, do you keep it down easily or does it cause vomiting and nausea? If you drink fluids other than water (like milk or a protein shake), does it cause the spitting, or is it just with plain water?