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And you would have. I realized this past week while going thru years of stuff that I'm finally cleaning out, how long I actually struggled with dieting and weight loss. I found journals and food diaries and counting calorie lists, diet books and recipes etc. It made me sad. I could have avoided a lot of that if I had decided to get the surgery sooner. But I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason and am happy with where I am now, I can honestly say, and I've said it before...my only regret is not getting the WLS sooner.

I think I have been blessed to be one of the lucky ones. I'm 6 months out and the hair loss is barely noticable. It's just slightly more than normal. I also have really thick hair - I get it thinned out with every haircut. I wonder if my vitamins have something to do with it . I take BariSlim and Caltrate. Whatever the case, I can live with this.

Glad to hear that you are not left with that forever. I never had clumps of hair coming out but starting at 3 months I had a pretty good amount left on my comb. And I use a wide tooth comb. Never pull or ripped at it even in the past to avoid split ends. Never a brush since it tends to pull out all my curls. Now at almost 8 months out from surgery I notice the hair loss is finally slowing down. I would suggest some trying a wide tooth comb and combing out from the ends up avoiding tugging hairs out at the scalp with a brush. Also washing too often can strip hair of its natural oils and dries out the scalp. Sorry to hear this. Maybe find a good quality protein drink that you can stomach during those times you can't eat? I know most say taking extra supplements don't help with WLS hair loss, but in your case It couldn't hurt. On the bright side, there are a lot of really good, cute short hairstyles out there. I bet you rock it

I mean, I kind of hope OP was a troll, because it's terrible if someone was really feeling this bad about their decision to have surgery. On occasion I've regretted my surgery, like when I was losing a lot of hair, but overall I'm happy that I've lost 50 pounds. I wish I could lose more, and hopefully I will. I dislike how my neck looks now and I'm dreaming of having a neck lift or even a face lift, but mostly I did this for health. I'm positive I would never have lost 50 pounds on my own. I was losing and regaining the same 10 pounds over and over again, and would have just kept doing that. I don't really miss food, since I can eat pretty much anything, just a lot less. Like I'll have a hamburger sometimes, but just 1/4 or half. I kind of like saving on groceries, since I eat less.

I did have some hair loss in the first year after surgery and I had to cut my hair twice because of it. Now, more than a year after gastric sleeve, my hair looks normal again although maybe not quite as thick as before. Even my mom, who is generally pretty critical, said today that my hair looks good. So, if you're only a few months from surgery, this will get better.

That's a lot of hair loss. Just goes to show how differently our bodies react to major surgery. {{hugs}}

Odds are you will be fine!! There can be awful complications with any weight loss surgery (or any surgery at all for that matter) but those are in the minority of cases, and even then, most of them are caught in time and correctable. Pretty much all of us have a "WTF did I just do to myself!?" moment. I had the DS and 3 days post op it hit me that I had irrevocably altered my stomach and intestines permanently, for life, no going back. I knew that pre-op and thought a lot about it before deciding to do it, but post op it hit me in a whole new way... And then I reminded myself that I altered my body because the way it was was in fact KILLING ME. Drastic times call for drastic measures and all that. Once I remembered that I calmed down... Remember your why. Orient yourself to your goal. And stay off of Tiktok for a while!! 😂

All of my hair has fallen out. Like all. I went to the doctor for my 3 month follow up and he checked labs early bc of how much had fallen out. They all were normal. I did add biotin but I basically have bald spots. I ordered a wig bc there’s nothing I can do. 😭 I’m 4 months out. This all came out at once and it hasn’t stopped.

Hello @New To This23 thank you so much! My current loss includes preop diet as well. I was only required to do a 3 day preop diet. I agree about the stalls or slow moving scales! I plan to only weigh once a month. I already was getting in a habit of weighing everyday...I don't feel that's mentally healthy. Anyways I feel good about the holidays. I current cook several times a week for my family and have already meal prepped my "bariatric portions". I may still make old favorites for family dinner... but there no pressure to do so. I may even try a little of normal food... but won't push it.

Mine was coming out in HANDFULS. About month 2 after my procedure I got deathly ill with pneumonia and wasn't able to eat much for several months. My hair loss was BAD. I've since been diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder and I lose hair again every time I have a flare-up mostly because it makes it so I can't eat. I just keep it short now, no reason to try to grow it out and end up heartbroken again.

Hi @texasmade88 Welcome!! Congratulations on the 22lb weight loss!! is that after your surgery? Currently, I have been stalled and I am trying not to get stressed out (although there is a small thought of omg what if I did this surgery and nothing changes for me). I won't be a month out until November 27th so I am just telling myself to chill. How are you feeling about the upcoming holidays with food and stuff? I am actually glad I will not be able to eat Thanksgiving dinner this year, it takes a lot of pressure off of me to hang out with the family.

Fascinating article. Despite having taken several of them myself over the past few years, (including Saxenda and Wegovy), I'm very hesitant to embrace a world where weight loss drugs are the first line of defense against obesity. I say this knowing that at least some of my issue comes down to poor nutrition choices, made far too easy by an environment swimming in garbage foods and a culture that values quick convenience over everything else. When I commit to good nutrition, my weight decreases. I don't get skinny, or even "not obese" but I do lose weight. When the snacks and junk food make their way back in the house and I have stressful weeks with work where I'm at my desk for 12 or more hours and fast food feels like my only option because I'm too tired to cook, I gain weight. In about the past 60 years, we've gone from 13% obesity to 40%, with a 10x rise in severe obesity. This isn't just a weird thing that happened in a vacuum. There are pretty obvious reasons for this, some that could possibly be solved with significant changes to our food policies and investment in real nutrition instead of lining the pockets of pharmaceutical companies and massive food corporations. Much of our so-called food today has been designed to be addictive, by the same folks who brought us cigarettes, no less. That should give people pause the next time they're in the grocery store looking at all those shiny boxes and bags. On the other hand, in the days when only 1% of the US population was morbidly obese...that was my family. And some of my family lived really long lives, into their 90s. Except the ones who didn't and died young. And you don't know which you'll be until it's too late. Up until my 40s, I was one of those people who had healthy bloodwork despite being 90+ lbs over my "ideal weight." I didn't worry about my weight because I was healthy. But that changed rapidly with middle age as my weight went even higher. Now I take blood pressure meds and am prediabetic. My feet and joints ache and I worry what that means as I age. I wish I had done more to keep my weight lower when I was younger and developed better habits early on. I can't believe how ignorant I was of nutrition facts when I was in my teens and 20s. One thing I know is I can't afford $12k or more a year for the rest of my life to take these "miracle drugs." I'm not sure who really can or should. I'm grateful for surgery being an option, but it's not for everyone, and neither are the drugs. As a society, I would like to see more acceptance of humans in all sizes, and more focus on real health and nutrition instead of fads and gimmicks that make a few people really rich.

I was allowed carbs on my diet plan but my office goes by calories instead of size of meal. I think at 4 weeks it was around 400 to 600 calories but by 8 weeks they wanted us to be around 800. I would see how many calories you are actually taking in and just keep following your plan. Every time I hit a stall I gain 3 pounds and my last stall I actually gained 5 lbs. My stalls are usually 3 weeks long but once it was 2 months. When I think I'm in a stall then I only weigh myself once a week at most because stalls can be rough mentally. The mental part of this weight loss was the hardest part for me. Good luck and take care!

Obviously, I'm not a medical professional so take anything I say with a grain of salt. Tbh, during this weight loss phase, I would try to stay focused on losing weight. Continue to monitor your eating challenges, but there will be time to sort that out after you've lost the weight. As long as you're getting sufficient nutrition and calories, you'll be fine for now. Do your best to meet the protein goal, but if you fall short, it's not the end of the world. Listen to your body, and feed it what it can handle. I'm 19 mo post-op, and even now, solid foods can be a challenge. I generally still eat a soft(ish) diet. It works for me. Obviously, if you are continually getting sick, feel bad, and/or are unable to eat enough to meet your needs, that's an urgent problem. But if you can handle it, give it time and stay focused.

Hello. I had my sleeve gastrectomy on June 13. I lost 30 pounds prior to surgery and have since lost another 72 for a total of 102 pounds. I am ecstatic except I can barely eat anything. Initially, I figured my progress was just slow, so I didn’t rush the stages. Then it was discovered I had a stricture as I was throwing up any solid food. I’ve since had two endoscopy procedures, but things don’t seem much better. I am mostly on a soft diet as a lot of solid food, even if eaten in very small quantities and chewed very well, will cause me to throw up. Many foods cause diarrhea. In fact, I’ve had chronic diarrhea this entire time. My doctor says to wait another month before a third endoscopy. I am taking Imodium a couple of times a week to curb the diarrhea because it’s getting to be extremely irritating. I am barely eating because I can hardly tolerate anything, and I am having a very difficult time meeting my protein goal. Protein shakes cause extreme fullness and diarrhea and sometimes vomiting, so those are out. I do drink protein shots which go down well, and I pretty much live on fresh mozzarella cheese and yogurt. Even the thought of a lot of foods is a turn off because they aren’t appealing and make me gag or I’m afraid of how I’ll react and psych myself out. I am at a loss as to what to eat. Luckily, I am getting my water in, 64+ ounces per day, and I do eat Pedialyte popsicles to help with electrolyte loss which my providers are concerned about. I’ve researched and researched, but I’m finding nothing. Has anyone had this issue? How did you solve it?

Oh I can't think that your mother saying that comes from a place of any 'best' intention OP. Sorry your mum has this approach. I've had SO many people ask me whether or not my weight loss was intentional (subtext being- are you ill??) I beam them a beatific smile and say yes, absolutely intentional - hard work but so worth it! Perhaps get yourself ready to counter the next inappropriate comment and move on?

There is some data I've read that says that aggressive working out can release stress hormones, particularly in women, which can slow weight loss. This is not the sort of working out that you enjoy, but really pushing hard in the gym with HIIT and not properly recovering. Me personally, I have enough stressors to add another one. So I'm inclined to do what workouts feel good and that I enjoy, give myself break days when I need it, and leave the hardcore workouts to those who like to put in time at the gym and don't mind stressing out their bodies. I get enough sympathetic activation in traffic. 😂

Thank you all for the kudos. I'm wondering if my dramatic weight loss is partly due to malabsorption; I'm pretty vigilant about taking my supplements and focusing on protein. I'm going to go get tested for SIBO tomorrow- I had it before surgery and it was pretty awful. This time, it isn't quite as acute, but despite my care in diet, I find that food passes through. I did that crazy expensive anti-B the last time-- rifaximin-- not sure I want to spring for that again (cost is over 2k for a bottle of pills with a $700 co-pay-- the retail price for the drug outside of the States). Anyway, I should know the results quickly- the gastro I've been using is very good. And I cannot stress enough getting in some strength training, particularly if you are older. Even though I felt sort of lousy thing morning, working out made me feel better.

Also don't forget possible "excess weight" from any loose skin and also fluid retention from certain foods, but also from building muscle during your workouts. You can continue to burn fat, which is the weight loss you want, but may add pounds on the scale since muscle weights roughly 1.5x that of fat. That's why the NSV's become more important towards the end. You may not be the goal weight number, but your BMI may already be there.

So I for sure had this issue, but on just one side - my right side. I had always had some version of numbness/hyper sensitivity on the outer side of my right thigh. I had lost a bunch of weight naturally and it did improve. Then with gaining the weight back I felt it far more when I would stand still for too long. I've always equated it to a pinched nerve. After surgery, I had felt that sensation on 1000 often feeling like electricity running through from hip to knee and would not allow me to sleep well for some time like lightning bolts. I did bring it up to my surgeon and he could only offer that it could very well be due to the length of time spent on your back during surgery could have impinged a nerve. His advice was to just give it a little bit of time, with weight loss it should ease up. If it persisted or got worse to consult my PCP. I gave it time and it started to lessen. I had to find some other ways to lay and stretch for a bit, but the weight loss has definitely taken the load off wherever this nerve is. Hope it improves for you.

I second what everyone has said so far. Unless you started in excess of 400 or 500lbs you’re doing fine. If the number in the scale is bothering you (&it can do a number in some people’s heads), maybe reduce how often you weigh yourself - you don’t have to do it every day. Weight loss is never one straight downward line on a graph. It zigs & zags, goes up & down, & plateaus. Our bodies have different needs each day, we don’t eat & drink the exact same things every day, our activity is different day to day so our weight loss won’t be exactly the same day to day. We may be retaining fluid (hormonal or diet related), constipated, have diarrhoea, etc. as well which will affect the number on the scale. Also don’t forget you can include your shakes & soups in your fluid intake for the day so you may be closer to your fluid goal than you think. My plan was also no bread, pasta, rice like most are. I still don’t eat them as like @Spinoza they sit heavily in my tummy and limit what else I can eat & I’m 4.5 years out. I still follow the eat my protein first, then vegetables. (I only have two serves of carbs a day & they’re whole/multi grains - complex carbs - not the more highly processed simple carbs.) If you are concerned speak with your team. I always told myself if my surgeon & dietician were happy with my weight loss I should be too. All the best.

I'm just going to list things in no particular order: 1. When sharing weight loss numbers many folks count from their highest weight rather than from day of surgery, or whatever starting point yields the biggest number; 2. There are many, many variables that go into how much weight one might be expected lose post-op. Such as highest weight, how much weight was lost pre-op, starting weight, expected total weight loss, how much of your excess weight is fat vs muscle, how active you were pre-op, genetics, and on an on; 3. Most people will lose weight in the first few months no matter if they follow plan or not. This is why following plan now is so important. When you follow plan you get the positive reinforcement of losing weight. Those folks not following plan also get the reinforcement. In a few months when the weight gets harder or stops altogether, who is going to be able to stay on plan? For you who followed plan it's now a habit. For those that didn't follow plan, they are back to going on a new crash diet just like before surgery, with about as much success; 4. We each manage our meals in different ways. Personally, I don't eat until I am full because it's not a comfortable feeling. Early out it was tough to figure out. With time I learned to eat until I feel like the next bite will make me full. Not unlike your method for avoiding being full. Good luck, Tek

Oh yes I get the comparing yourself to others. That is REALLY HARD. I say celebrate the 18lbs in 2 weeks (when have you ever lost even close to that on any diet?), get to know how the three week stall hits almost all of us (and can last a few weeks) and then settle into your programme and enjoy the big losses to come. 3lbs gain in a month is nothing to worry about - honestly. I am really surprised that you're allowed bread at such an early stage. My plan was protein then veg and no carbs for many months. When I did start earing bread it sat in my stomach like a lump of lead - so did pasta and rice. Less so 2 years on but I honestly only use them like a weapon in certain situations - not for daily consumption even now. I wish you all the best

Im getting a little discouraged,Ive read about the 3 week stall but im having the 3 week gain. I had gastric bypass 10/18 I also had my gallbladder removed.The first 2 weeks I lost 18 pounds.I was happy and then i go to my clinic for a class with people who had surgery the same day or around the same time.We were there to go over the next phase of eating .Everyone was discussing there weigh loss (30lbs and up) and what they've been eating.I thought to myself im eating far less than most of them why am I only down 18 and there 30+ At the time I was having 8oz of pureed soup,a protein shake or two,and 32oz of water.Im having trouble getting in 64oz of water.I thought maybe Im not eating enough so I started getting in 3 meals a day and now they are allowing us to eat solids at our own pace. I went to the store and bought full grain bread,avacodo,and sliced cheese. First thing in the morning Ive been having 1/2 of one slice of bread with avacodo or a slice of cheese.For lunch I'll have the other half of slice of bread with avacodo,and dinner I'll have pureed soup 4oz. I dont stop eating because Im full,I stop eating because Im afraid of eating to much and getting sick. I've been eating far less than I have ever eaten in my life and now everytime I step on the scale for the past couple of weeks i've been gaining weight everyday!! I dont get it.Why would I be gaining weight when Im eating healthy and Im not going over 4oz each time I eat. Ive gained 3 lbs so far.