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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 have been using a retinol-based product at night, washing it off of my face in the morning. I also put it on my neck, chest, arms, and hands. But please be cautious and read up on retinol before starting to use it. One is required to use sunscreen religiously while using retinol-based products and to continue doing so up to two weeks after discontinuing their use. Hopefully some others will chime in with their solutions. I wish you good luck in finding something that will work well!

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

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!

I have worn many expensive brands of workout shoes over the years. Most recent, post op, were Nikes for walking. Averaging 14 miles a week. I started to develop a painful corn/bunion on my right foot and it was starting to effect my walks, slowing me down. I didn't relish the thought of having it surgically removed. Until.... I was out thrifting and picked up a new pair of G Defy walking shoes. Never heard of them but were my size so I tried them on and stood up. I remember saying out loud... holy shi*. I googled them and saw they sold for over $160. They immediately went in my cart. I put them on when I got home and went for my daily 2 mile walk. The shoe corrected my supinated gait and there was no longer any pressure or pain with that corn. I couldn't believe it. I thought this is a miracle shoe. I ordered another pair from their website after reading the history of how and why this shoe was created. The corn is shrinking since there is no longer any more pressure from wearing the expensive pair of Nikes. Obviously name brands mean nothing people. When my new pair came in the mail, printed on the box it read, "Here's your miracle." If that isn't some kind of sign I don't know what is. Happy walking. https://www.gravitydefyer.com/about-us

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.

Anxiety is so normal, but don't let it get in the way of what will almost certainly be one of the best things you ever do for yourself. My suggestion over the next few days is to look at the thread of before and after photos to help remind yourself of why you're doing this. I had my surgery 6 months ago and a lot of my experience was similar to GreenTealael's, except I was given a sedative before being wheeled to the OR, and all I remember was being pushed toward the hallway. Next thing I knew, I was in my hospital room. The pain was very minimal and the nurses were so attentive. It turned out I had been in the OR for a lot longer than planned because of some scarring in my abdomen that caused a few minor complications, but I had no memory of that and it hasn't been a problem. I was in good hands the whole time. The first few weeks will be an adjustment, but after that, you'll start getting the hang of your new lifestyle. If you've canceled before only to be back 3 years later to do it, you know this is something you need. A year ago, I weighed over 250 lbs and could barely squeeze into a size 22. Today, I'm the lowest weight I've been in 30 years and I was actually able to put on a pair of my 12-year-old daughter's size medium pants (stretchy ones, but still...). It's an amazing feeling.

I’m pretty simple too - if I can’t do it in 20 minutes not interested (for every day cooking) & I have favourites I cook on repeat. Plus all the leftover meals in my freezer, I actually only cook a couple of times a week. Most is reheating & only cooking vegetables. Honey is like sugar in that it is an added sugar so check with your team as to how much you can have each day post your Sadi. But it’s not.that you’ll be eating it everyday anyway not eating a huge portion. You can always reduce the amount of honey in the recipe if you’re really concerned. Personally, I like honey soy sauce marinated chicken or pork & cook it a couple of times a month. I’d share my recipe but I’m a ‘that looks about enough’ or ‘I’m not adding that much’ of an ingredient cook - a recipe is only a guide not a rule. I’d google easy mahi mahi recipes or easy beef (what ever the cut) recipes & see what looks interesting. It’s what I do sometimes.

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.

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!

I just hit 9 weeks from surgery this week, and the 60 lb lost mark since starting the Pre-Op diet (11 weeks total). I'm finally off all of my diabetes and blood pressure meds, and my non-exertion-related dizzy spells have subsided, so I'm feeling good there. Fewer random aches and pains in my legs and back! However, after getting Covid over the holidays (5 weeks post op), I'm still feeling pretty tired and weak due to pre-existing issues with my lungs. I actually felt great the week before getting covid, and was getting around 5 miles of walking in per day and was getting more energy. After fighting it off for two weeks, I feel about as weak as I did about 5 days after surgery, even today. 1 mile of walking and I have to sit down for about a half hour. The only time I get dizzy is if I lift more than about 15-20 lbs. I'm working with my doctor on it, and it sounds like I may be stuck with long Covid for several months, but should eventually shake it. However, had I not had the surgery, I think I would've been way sicker had I caught it at my heaviest weight. My doctor said I would've probably had to spend a significant time in the hospital had I not had the surgery. No regrets at all! Just trying to focus on the baby steps and smaller incremental progress. Hope you all are doing well too!

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.

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!

I agree with @NickelChip, you’re not a failure. Not just from a statistical perspective but also from the perspective that you lost weight & kept it off for a while. That in itself is a success because we know how hard it is to lose any weight at all let alone keep it off for anything more than a week. Yes, there has been some discussion around the long term effectiveness of the sleeve but I think it could be said of any of the surgeries - it may work for some but not all. And what sometimes defines as a success may differ too. Too many external and internal factors can affect how successful you are in the short & long term too. I had my surgery when I was almost 54 because peri menopause & then menopause did a number on me & my weight. Quickly pushed me to my usual high weight then I swear overnight, to my all time high of 91kg, (Hormones are the gift that just keep giving whether you’re producing what you need or your production is decreasing as you near &/or are in menopause.). So yes, being in peri menopause or menopause could mess with your weight. I’d get in touch with your surgeon and ask him about a revision, GLP-1 meds and any other options. The fact you are ready & want to do something is such a positive position to be in. All the best.

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.

This has been my go to breakfast this week. Two hard boiled eggs, half an avocado diced and mixed together in a bowl. I did add in a pinch or two of shredded cheese - I used some Kerrygold Dubliner cheese because that’s what I had already shredded. Spread the mixture on two slices of toasted Sara Lee 45 cal bread, no butter and sprinkle with everything bagel season. Adjust as necessary as the everything bagel can be salty. The mixture egg/avocado mix makes two servings so below toast is half the bowl spread on the toast.

Sweet potato puree is still a go-to for me at 12 weeks out. Made with a small scoop of bone-broth powder and savoury herbs as a side dish or to act as a sauce for meat/pountry; or with a half scoop unflavoured protein powder with cinnamon as a sweet chilled summer dessert. Fat free / lowfat refried beans. I love it with taco seasoning as a dip for veggies or crackers, or as sauce for chicken. Add a garnish of plain greek yogurt instead of sour cream for a boost of protein. Mixes well with unflavoured protein powder / bone broth powder if you still need extra that day. Great for quesadilla with high protein wraps (or cut and toast those wraps to make your own nacho chips). Lentil puree or split pea soup. This is a great base for other soups or as a starter for curries (esp. haleem -- use extra lean ground turkey or chicken, cook some farro seperately so you can throw some in if you need a few more carbs that day -- and for a nice chew). A great thickening sauce for veg & meat casseroles.

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.

You can do this!! You are a beast woman!! If you need any support after the hysterectomy feel free to message, I've lived that recovery. Honestly with all the other surgeries you've had, I hope this one will be par for the course and you'll be back on your feet in no time, feeling better than ever. I highly recommend you get the disposable mesh postpartum underwear from Amazon, they are the only thing I could tolerate on my abdomen for weeks. Also, yoga blocks or something to prop your feet up a bit on when you go to the bathroom will make those bowel movements easier post op when you aren't supposed to bear down at all. I lived on prunes for 12 weeks because for me they work gentler than laxatives! But you are probably an old hand at the post surgery bowel game by now... For me the hardest thing was to stay down and REST!! You wear out much faster than you'd expect for the first few months, and honestly it was pretty close to a year before I felt back to a normal normal. All the changes in the body are weird. Feeling my bowel drop into the space when I rolled over one night was VERY strange! LOL But I'm sure you know all this. I'll be sending you tons of good juju! You will be amazed and delighted at how light your pelvis feels once those fibroids are out of there! I am still amazed at how light my lower abdomen feels. I didn't realize how accustomed I had become to feeling that boggy heaviness in that area all the time...

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.

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!

Hi all! Me again! Wednesday I am 3 weeks post op! I think I have the food down and just trying to figure out when I can do more than just walk my dog lol

Thank you so much for the information!! I didn't know there was a risk calculator. I have an appointment with my primary in a couple of weeks to talk it, so I am definitely going to look at these videos. ☺️

Anyone here from London and want to share their experience with me? Just got sleeve 2 weeks ago no one to talk to about bariatric stuff!