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I had one as a complication after sleeve surgery and it was found a month later when I collapsed at home and had to go by ambulance to hospital. The cause was suture failure. My symptoms then were weakness (could barely stand), fever, nausea with vomiting and abdominal pain. It is a rare occurrence so if you are not suffering with any of these I think you don't need to worry, you are just causing yourself unnecessary stress when you are already going through enough to deal with following surgery and coping with food planning etc. I also had other complications post surgery with pancreatitis and abdominal abscesses so basically anything that could go wrong did, I ended up spending three months in hospital over a period of four months. They closed the gastric leak by using clips and mesh via gastroscopy but that failed, twice. I now have a tube coil like thing that was inserted in order to drain fluid and hope that the hole will then have time to heal and close. The only information I was given in advance of the surgery about it was that it could happen but the surgeon did not go into detail and just said she had never had a patient have a leak, guess I am her exception if she will admit it to others in the future. No other details given to me such as cause/effect/symptoms.

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!

@ShoppGirl I can say that I was really losing my patience yesterday. I don't know if the pre-op diet had anything to do with my mood though. Saturday, I was out for 8 hours and prepped my food pretty well but it still threw me off. Sunday, I was replacing flooring in one of our bedrooms and did a better job at keeping up on food, but still did not get all my food in for the day. Today is day 6 of my pre-op diet. I have one week until my surgery and I'm actually getting more nervous about what I will eat after surgery. I have a coworker that had the VGS and she has been encouraging me. I like to plan and it is hard to plan when I don't know what or how much I will be able to eat, or what I will even be able to tolerate. For everyone that was talking about crocheting, I think that is great. I have zero talent with crochet, believe me I have tried to learn and it is useless. lol When is everyone else's surgery dates and have you begun your pre-op diet yet? Happy Monday!

When hair thins after surgery, is loss more noticeable with shorter or longer hair? I’ve had a pixie style cut for years and just started growing it out. Now I’m wondering if I should keep the pixie cut until after the thinning stage? Surgery is next week so I have some time to let it grow

I'm killing it, body fat down below 10 percent, I'm working out at least 4 times a week, am lean and strong. But I've found solace in whiskey. I drink it neat, no mixers. I don't drink during the day, but need to quiet my mind. Good quality whiskey does that, after 35 + years of total sobriety. I'm in Texas, so pot is largely illegal- and the illicit vapes make me paranoid. Crazy thing is I don't wake up with a hang over- I take Pharma sleep meds but am careful about the combo. I did talk to one guy who lost a crazy amount of weight through surgery and told me that heavy alcohol consumption is not uncommon. I was not fixated on food before surgery, but gained a lot during Covid sitting on my ass without serious exercise. I'm now working hard at the gym with a good trainer, and the results have been impressive. But the alcohol is an issue. I don't drive or go out when I drink, I'm home. I'm a high functioning boozer, but still. I hate being dependent on any substance, but I need to turn down the noise in my head. There are some legal CBD outlets in Texas which I can explore. I know the volume of whiskey I'm consuming is not necessary good for long life, but it definitely chills me out. Would love input from others who have had the same experience. Physically I'm in amazing shape, and generally, my mental attitude is quite positive. TIA!

I concur with AmberFL, each surgeon has their own requirements. I was on liquid diet for 2 weeks pre-op and 3 weeks after... Hopefully your bariatric team gave you a diet plan for all phases but of your journey! Mine was no caffeine (no teas or coffees), protein drinks, broths, sugar free Jello and of course all the water I wanted! Oh joy!

Oh!! And never look at the number on the scale and compare it to others. If you really feel the need to compare, use percentages. Those at a lower weight tend to lose slower, those at a higher weight tend to lose faster. For instance, your excess weight is 50 lbs. That's the amount you want to lose. A 10 lb loss means you have lost 20% of your excess weight already in 4 weeks! That is a lot even though it doesn't look like a lot on the scale. In comparison, my surgery weight was 307. So for me, 20% is 27.4 lbs. It took me until 9 weeks post op to lose that much... So you are a bit more ahead of schedule than it feels! Percentages are a way better gauge of where your progress really is.

Have you reached out to your team? What did they think? Are you still allowed to supplement with protein shakes? At 7 weeks post op I wasn’t hungry at all. But some people regain their hunger signals sooner/later. Also some people experience what they think is hunger and it’s either thirst or reflux. I can tell you that I’m 6+ yrs out and I’m hungrier if I don’t get enough protein but focus on carbs. It’s almost like I have to start my days properly (fluids then protein) or I’m hungry all day long. This does not happen If I front load my meals with a protein. I hope you find a solution!

Awww no girl soft foods as in yogurt 😂 I have to wait another 2 weeks for all that goodness of food girl 😂

Hi @Mandalynne - I'm getting the RNY. It was suggested by my surgeon. What surgery are you having? How did you choose? The liquid only diet is no joke. I started this journey at a weight clinic, and the doctor there put me on one to jump start my weight loss. It's a bear. Still, if I see a broccoli after all this, I'll be running for the hills. I hear you on the grocery shopping. I ended up taking a friend to Costco to stock up on my 3 LSD things, making sure I didn't browse. I've bought the little silverware, jello, 4 oz. containers, water flavors, protein shakes. Need some SF popsicles and broth. Shelf-stable things. That'll get me through the post-surgery liquid phase. It's a week for me. Are you telling people? All I've said is that I'm having a major surgery. I have a public job, so I'm not sure what to say when they see the weight coming off. This whole thing is so real now. I'm super nervous about the surgery and recovery. But I already know how it feels to be the way I am now and can see where I would end up. This is something different. I'm excited to see what happens next. We got this!

I had surgery on 4/8/24. I had a bypass. I am able to drink fluids with no restrictions. I'm on the puree stage. At 2 weeks out I have only lost 16 pounds. The last 3 days the scale actually went up 2 lb. I'm not going to lie. This is an uncomfortable feeling. Specially because I'm sticking with Drs orders. I do notice that even though I eat 3 ounces of food and try to keep up with my fluid intake I don't get a "full" feeling. It does not take me a long time to eat. So I'm not sure how to feel about that.

A sip isn’t a mouthful. Think about 1/2oz (15ml or about a tablespoon). As your body is able, you’ll be able to taking larger sips. How much & when is individual. Some can take several mouthfuls at a time in a couple of months. Me I’m 5 years out and two swallows is it for me. Your body will tell you if you’re drinking too much or too fast but certainly in that 8 week healing period best to keep to sipping. They insert a breathing tube which can cause swelling which hinders breathing & swallowing. It usually passes after a couple of days. Keep trying to do some slow deep breaths throughout the day. It will help you breathe out the surgical gas. Watch not being able to not breathe deeply especially if you have heart palpitations, chest pains or coughing. If you have that as well go to your nearest medical centre as it may be a clot. Try some biotin for your dry mouth/thirst. I found green tea soothing & refreshing. Any warm or hot drink can help too like herbal tea & soups & broths. Try warm water though some say cold water is easier.

it's an individual thing, but most of us are supposed to shoot for 60-80 grams of protein a day. Calories are all across the board, depending on your body composition and activity level. There are people on here (well, women - men can usually eat more) who maintain on 2000 a day, and others who can only have 1200 a day. It takes some trial and error to figure out your maintenance level. Log your food for a couple of weeks (if you're not already) and note your average calorie intake. If you're gaining weight, slowly reduce your calories. If you're losing weight (and don't want to), then gradually increase them until you reach a point where you want to be - and are maintaining that.

Yes the surgeon I met pre-op warned me at the time about hair loss but I was a bit dismissive as have (had!) such thick hair that I didn't think I would have as much fall out as I did. I am thankful for the thick hair as I think it is how I coped with it not being noticeable to others. My hair loss stopped after month six and the regrowth is strong and thick again not sure if that is luck or down to the fact that I added in the special bariatric hair vitamin, plus collagen on top of the other bariatric vitamins I take. I just don't know where the curl/kink is coming from now in the regrowth underneath. My hair is now long enough to tie back a bit but I will be getting it cut again next week to try and get closer to it all being one length at the back.

Hi there! I just had my surgery last Monday on February 19th! I am on day 8, and honestly, im starting to feel almost back to normal! Struggling with the fact that I can't eat anything other than soup and pudding despite being so so hungry. Everything has been going down really good. I have had no issues getting in protein. I have 3 premier protein shakes a day, which equals to 90g of protein. I just wish I could eat soft foods like mashed potato and eggs. But my nurse practitioner wants me to stay on the liquid diet for another 3 weeks. YEAH RIGHT, hahah im going to be introducing some foods next week I think. I can't wait any longer. I am so hungry! I hope you have a speedy recovery from surgery! If you need any advice or have any questions, I am always here for you! Heaviest Weight: 376 - April 2023 Weight on day of surgery: 291 - February 2024 Total lbs lost before surgery: 85 lbs Current weight (1 week after surgery): 280 Total lbs lost since April: 96 lbs Im so close to meeting my 100 lbs down goal!!

I worked out of town all week, so every meal was at a restaurant. Even the sandwich place we went to, I just told them to keep the fries, and only give me veggies and the meat, no bread. I got strange looks, and it was discounted at all, but it works. I also had a birria taco, and just scraped out the meat/cheese, and left the tortilla. Grilled chicken at the steak place. Luckily I talked them out of a burger joint But if we would have gone, i would have got the burger, just no bun etc. I was still able to keep my calories under 1K per day!

One more day before I start my 2-week liquid diet! It's starting to feel real, but surreal, too. One last day of "regular life" before it all changes.

I didn't have a 3-week stall but I did gain around 10 lbs due to IVs right after surgery, and it took awhile for that to come off. My weight loss pattern is/was like steps, my body likes to hold on to the weight, then drops, hold on to the weight, then drops.

I had one as a complication after sleeve surgery and it was found a month later when I collapsed at home and had to go by ambulance to hospital. The cause was suture failure. My symptoms then were weakness (could barely stand), fever, nausea with vomiting and abdominal pain. It is a rare occurrence so if you are not suffering with any of these I think you don't need to worry, you are just causing yourself unnecessary stress when you are already going through enough to deal with following surgery and coping with food planning etc. I also had other complications post surgery with pancreatitis and abdominal abscesses so basically anything that could go wrong did, I ended up spending three months in hospital over a period of four months. They closed the gastric leak by using clips and mesh via gastroscopy but that failed, twice. I now have a tube coil like thing that was inserted in order to drain fluid and hope that the hole will then have time to heal and close. The only information I was given in advance of the surgery about it was that it could happen but the surgeon did not go into detail and just said she had never had a patient have a leak, guess I am her exception if she will admit it to others in the future. No other details given to me such as cause/effect/symptoms.

Wow, that’s really hard! I applaud all of you who can do the full 2 weeks liquid only. My two weeks liquid diet allowed me to have one small meal a day. It was lunch or dinner with 1 hand size flat lean protein and same portion for veggies. Allowing to be able to have one small meal helped a lot for me and then 2 days before surgery the last mean at lunch then next day no meal and full on liquid till surgery.

Congrats on passing your test My boobs look smaller (😭) but whilst I have gone down a couple of band sizes the cup size is still the same DD just doesn't look it, I think I am closer to a D but it depends on the bra. My bum is also smaller/flatter which isn't so bad. Today I was on a day off work so I went to the shops and got myself a couple of padded bras, never had to do that before but already they make me feel better. I know feel like my boobs are a bit of false advertising, like something out of a JP Gaultier advert. 😀 I have travel for work and vacations next month so trying to build up my wardrobe bit by bit. I put 1kg on during the week, no idea how but as I am still under the surgeons target weight I am not letting it bother me too much. The health system here covers some plastics post weight loss surgery and I hadn't thought it would be something I would be interested in but I think I will enquire about when I have my next surgeon appointment in January to see what areas they do the plastics on and what the requirements are.

Hi twin. I start a two week pre op liquid diet on the 6th where I have to drink 4 optifast shakes a day and lots of water

I'm experiencing the same as you, but I'm only 6 months post-op. This past two weeks I've fallen off the wagon and am having a hard time climbing back on. I think I'm just rebelling because I'm so tired of having to watch everything so closely this past 15 months; it really does get old! Oh, I'll get back on the wagon soon because I don't want to embarrass myself when I have my 8-month check-in with my surgeon. But it's hard. It's just hard.

I know this isn’t what this post is about , but I was taking capsules because I can’t the taste of chewable vitamins but now my stomach can’t handle it. I haven’t taken anything in a week due to fear of everything g coming up. Any brand suggestions? I’m one month post op.