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WOW. No offense, but I'm glad I'm not in the UK. There's absolutely no way I could do 4 weeks. 2 weeks pushed me to my very limits. By the time I couldn't do it anymore and was ready to just give up, it was the day before surgery! I give you all the credit in the world. Just hearing 4 weeks would have absolutely put me off from the surgery. The fact that you're doing it is extremely admirable and impressive. We'll all definitely be here to support you and cheer you on. If you can do 4 weeks of this, you can definitely stick to the bariatric diet after.

I'm losing inches. Which means it's going in the right direction. Also since I'm still 5 weeks out everything is still healing and getting used to the bypass.

The up to 4-6oz is meals. Mainly it’s my dinner meal. My snacks are usually no more than 2oz of weighed portions and depending on the food of choice, it’s not a lot visually either. I just moved and don’t see a PA for potential new surgeon for post op care until the first week in June. My previous nutritionist through them was also not very helpful with guidance either. The first one I had for the first 2 years was helpful but the new one isn’t/wasnt.

I was wondering if anyone that had gastric bypass took Paxlovid for Covid. It is amazing that I could not find any information on this topic on this website or any others. Knowing the decreased medication absorption after gastric bypass, can anyone let me know: 1) Did you take Paxlovid for the 5 days prescribed? 2) Was the Paxlovid administered as whole pills or did you crush the pills? 3) Any side effects? 4) Any advice? Thank you so much!

i know quite a few people who are/were on it. those currently on it, lost anywhere from 10-70 lbs. those who are no longer in it, gained back anywhere from none to all the weight back. though the majority of the no-longer-users kept of "most" of their weight losses off. so still a decent net loss in the end (so far). i myself experimented with ozepmpic last year...my mom is diabetic and i asked if i could try her stash because she takes less than ½ of the lowest dose as she says its too strong (so she had lots of surplus omg)...she's lost maybe 30-40 lbs (my stepdad is also diabetic with his own ozempic rx, and he lost closer to 70 lbs) anyway...i took the lowest dosage for 4 weeks at 120lbs thinking i could lose 5lbs tops...i ended up losing 8 or 9 lbs i think. i stopped after the 4th week and pretty much went back to pre-ozempic weight-ISH within a couple months. (i am 119.1 lbs this morning). so yeah, just like wls and everything else in life, individual losses and experiences depends on the person. now while this was an interesting experiment, it was FREE. if i had to pay for it, i'd pass. for me, at least, its not worth it..but for someone with more weight to lose, and who has the means and the inclination, and the access...why not? good luck! ❤️

Dang it! Back up to 200 today. I could see the digital scale contemplating telling me 199.8, but it decided nope. I've had days with tons of exercise. Days with no exercise. Days with over 1000 calories. Days with barely 500 calories because what I ate made me sick. None of it does anything to move the weight. I get on the scale daily because I like to see the graph as a visual. But I'd like it better if the number went down. On the bright side, my blood work all looks pretty good. A bit low in Vitamin A, zinc, and prealbumin, but so far no one has said I should change anything. @LisaCaryl I love the NSV with the jeans! What a nice surprise, even if you did get stuck wearing them to your group. I have one more week of school runs and after school activities before my kids are out for the summer. At that point, I am going to make a weekly meal plan and try out some new recipes from the bariatric cookbooks that are gathering dust because I've been too busy. I've also found a workout video to try with my pilates bar resistance band set, so that's going to happen this week, at least once.

Yes. I would sleep more than I thought possible during the day and then sleep all night. I think I stopped napping at around a week after surgery. Sleep is good for recovery.

You may be in a stall ( remember you can experience several of these while you’re losing). Also your rate of weight loss slows as you near your stabilised weight. Remember too, your weightloss does not have a steady straight line down trajectory. It goes up & down, zigs & zags, lose more one week less the next. So don’t give up yet. In saying that, yes, your medication may be a contributing factor as anti depressants are known for weight gain & increasing appetite. Have a chat with your surgeon & your prescribing doctor to be sure. There may be alternatives.

HIYA!! So, I am 11 weeks out, and I did not realize how bad my poor relationship with food, until I started to get to week 6 and I was super stressed out and just wanted to eat a burrito. I knew in my head I couldn't, so I got a salad from chipotle figured surely I can eat AT LEAST half. I threw up after 1/4 because it just was wayyyy too much food. Then once I did that I felt so pissed that I couldn't eat because I wanted to and it "helped" with my stress. That's how I used to cope, I would shove my face before I got home so my husband and kids didn't know then I would eat dinner with them still. In the beginning about where you are at, I journaled and I walked a lot. I tried to keep myself busy. My program says no caffeine for life and honestly last week I started to make iced coffees with latte premier protein and black decaf cold brew that I make at home. That has helped my energy A LOT! I have been a sloth up until maybe last week. This is allll so normal, speak to your dietician, try to distract yourself, remember your why. I have to remind myself that this surgery is not a cure all, the cravings will be there but this is an amazing tool. Its helping us become a healthier version of ourselves. You got this!!! and We are here for you and your journey!

@LisaCaryl glad your nausea is better. No hair loss yet here, I’m taking my vitamins religiously and make sure to get my protein in so that I don’t lose it but other than that can only keep my fingers crossed. I was extremely sick a couple of years ago (In and out of ICU and in the hospital for almost a month) and had a huge open abdominal surgery and at the 3-4 mo mark after I was discharged I lost probably 3/4 of my hair. Its just now back to where I want it. 😩 @BlueParis I’m sorry to hear you’re sad. I’m actually a grey, rainy day kind of girl and not a huge sun/light lover (worked as a nightshift RN for almost 25 yrs 🤷🏼‍♀️), but seasonal affective disorder is totally a thing. I wonder if you suffer from this. Maybe your PCP could recommend something for you….meds, light therapy? And I’m really hoping your and @RonHall908 s exhaustion resolves soon! @NickelChip I wonder as well if your exercise routine is “slowing” your weight loss. Every time I do any extensive exercise, I gain weight the next day and then don’t lose anything for a few days. I’m not actively exercising and honestly have sort of avoided it I hate it. lol . I know it’s just fluid retention but I still don’t like it. It’s definitely healthier to be fit but I haven’t gotten there yet I guess. You’re probably also gaining muscle while losing fat making the scale stay the same, but I’m sure that will eventually fix itself. I found this video which I found interesting and helpful. oh and did you like the roasted edamame 😊?

I've read that caloric intake for a bypass patient at that month mark is not unusual. However, if you are more active than the normal bariatric patient, it is possible you are burning so many calories that your body is experiencing more of a caloric deficit than your dietician has estimated for you. Some dieticians are VERY good at individualizing their care to each patient's intake, activity, and dietary needs. Others stick to the book and will give everyone the same plan regardless of how many calories they are burning. That can be a detriment to you if you are burning more. If you are walking several miles a day, or intensely working out, you may need more protein than your current calories are allowing for. It might be worth messaging your dietician to ask if they took this into account. Stalls definitely happen, I had one last 6 weeks pretty early out after surgery, and I'm losing a little slower than I like, though they say it is right on target so I'm making my peace with that. It is good to stick to the plan you are given by your team, just make sure that plan is taking into account the whole picture of YOU, not just what patients average in general. Many bariatric patients are quite sedentary and averages account for that, not for active patients.

I have a huge restriction, lucky me. At almost 2 years, I was only on about 800 cals a day. I had to eat so many protein yogurts to get in my quota of protein. After 2 years I decided to call it a day and upped my cals to 1500. This gives me a good number of cals and as I am not a great exerciser, could do more if I wanted more food. Counting my 3 week pre op diet, I lost about 90 lbs at 6 months out

I took three weeks off (desk job) but could have gone back after two. I was pretty tired the first few weeks after surgery, though...

Oof, I'm still on cardio and working in light resistance training with bands (no weights yet). I keep re-straining my abdomen just doing simple things like twisting slightly when bending to get something out of a drawer at my desk, so my team has cautioned me not to start any actual weights until that pain leaves and stays gone for at least a week. :S My Monday is doing pretty good, but my weekend was awful (hormones, heightened body dysmorphia, heightened reaction to thinning patches of hair). This morning though, I found one of my matte eyeshadows is just the right colour to hide the most noticeable thin patch at my temple; I lost more weight this week than last even while fighting menstrual hormones and emotions; and several regular customers have complimented me this morning about both my hair and weightloss so even if I can't look at myself in the mirror without anguish, at least I'm getting some external confirmation that a lot of it is in my head. (@Bypass2Freedom I hope you're keeping an eye on your blood pressure too! After losing as much weight as you have already, it's not abnormal for blood pressure to lower even if it wasn't an active problem for you pre-op. Just make sure you stand up / raise your torso & head slowly after you've been exercising for a while)

I know the autumn styles will be in the shops closer to when you go so it could be difficult to find summer clothes by then but if you can wait a few weeks I would as you could drop a couple of sizes before your trip. If you can't wait you could get a summer dress (or three) in a size or two smaller than you are now and then have some belts if the style suits that way you can cinch them in if needed. Another thing is drawstring loose trousers as that way even as your waist shrinks you can adjust the waistband. I got lovely ones in M&S in both navy and black and even though they are the bit too big now they have a nice summer flow to them.

While I do soak my oats overnight, it’s not the traditional ‘overnight oats’ because I still cook it. I start with a microwave safe container. Add 1/4 cup traditional oats (half a serve & not instant which are more highly processed & has additives), 1/2 teaspoon dried cranberries, a tablespoon of mixed seeds & a cup of milk. I microwave it in the morning & then add 1/3 tub 20g protein yoghurt, additional milk for a runnier texture & blueberries. Gives me on average a good 22g or so of protein. You could add some unflavoured protein powder for an extra boost if you want. I eat it hot or cold. I always have a few spoons leftover (it’s very filling) which I eat as an afternoon snack. Be ware: don’t cook it after you add the yoghurt - it curdles - shudder! If you were wanting a quick grab & go breakfast before work, my version takes vey little time. Pop it in the microwave while you’re getting dressed. Stir in yoghurt, additional milk, berries & then go. The overnight recipes I’ve seen use half a grated apple & yoghurt, milk optional the night before & no cooking the next day. I think they use instant oats which is why it doesn’t need to be cooked. Traditional oats are a great complex whole grain carb. You get sweetness from the fruit you add so no added sugar. Great breakfast choice. I ate rolled oats & blue berries 3 or 4 days a week while losing & now eat it every day.

Made it to day 2 post op! Not so much in pain, but get some very uncomfortable stomach feelings or cramps. They prescribed oxy and liquid Tylenol which I’ve been taking pretty much every 3-4 hours (woke up every three hours the first night following the procedure). Otherwise I’ve been up and walking in between napping - very tired! I had my procedure Thursday and was planning to go back into my office on Tuesday. Based on how tired I am, I will probably work from home the whole week following the procedure. My dietary guidelines are as follows: Day 1 (procedure day) & Day 2: Clear liquids, supposed to have 64 oz of Gatorade or a diluted fruit juice but I haven’t been able to drink that much at all. They said the first two days are the worst as your stomach heals, so hoping tomorrow is better. 4 weeks: Full liquid diet 2 weeks: Blended/pureed foods 4 weeks: Soft foods Regular food I feel ready but am a little nervous for the amount of drinking I’ll be doing at the office!

I'm a bit envious of your ability to purge your pantry! I share a home with my fella and my Mom, who I'm taking care of, so I just have to soldier through and think of what negative consequences would come from me eating the wrong thing. It has been interesting this week seeing them 'figure out meals' without my participation. I still cooked twice for them, the first time I made a big platter of stuffed peppers which wasn't TOO difficult to smell on day one but man, as the week went on smelling it be reheated was rough. The second time I cooked them salmon, broccoli, and rice. I DID break down and eat like two tiny bites of the salmon. I think my body will be forgiving of that tiny lapse - it was after all lean protein. I almost wish I'd done two weeks of this diet to make extra sure I was ready enough for the surgeon but I AM following the diet as I was told to. Granted, the last several months I didn't *exactly* eat the greatest but I did stay on track with my allotted calories for the day, which they had set at 1600. I admit that I did eat more fried food than I was 'supposed to'. It's been hard, honestly, losing my ability to turn to food for comfort, not turning to cigarettes for anxiety / comfort, bouncing around emotionally while I adjusted to taking the Chantix, and also - hadn't mentioned this previously, but I WAS drinking far more alcohol than I should have been up until about 4 months ago. That's another reason I took the extra month's delay when I shifted surgery types gracefully. You seem to REALLY have your stuff in order! Oh - the nail polish - Honestly, the nurse in my closing seminar seemed to be very 'no-polish' strict but when I went to my pre-surgery check-in at the hospital I asked about it and they glanced at my short nails and said they were fine. I was nervous about that, because I keep mine maintained due to my anxiety issues - I used to have trouble not scratching at wounds, biting my nails, etc - but they said as long as my nails were short enough to get the finger monitor on and I didn't have any gems or super dark colors it would be fine. I just went and got my nails done on Thursday and chose super light, neutral colors so you really have to look closely to notice that they have a little shimmer to them and had them done very short. I appreciate that they worry about risk of infection; I've always been super neurotic about looking under my nails for dirt, scrubbing them, etc so I think they will be fine. If I say that often enough everything WILL be fine, right? Lol -- I can't wait to get past Monday!

Yes, I was one of the few 0.01% unlucky ones who suffered post-op complications. 4 months spent in hospital and even though I am 11 months post-op it really only feels like a few months as I didn't start to feel well until Feb/March so about 9 months post-op. I couldn't fly home to see family until December (6 months post op) and work couldn't pay me most of my annual bonus as I was out sick for 6 months, instead of my expected two weeks!

Take pictures of yourself, even if you're not comfortable sharing them. You can go back and see the progress yourself. My brother took a picture of me just before I went back to prep for surgery. The difference in almost 3 months is great to look at and know there's progress even if it doesn't feel like it is. You talked about visual of what your body looks like. I can tell you, that's happening to me, maybe not so much of the boob thing. But my inner thigh and belly is all over the place. As not so attractive as that looks. The thing that keeps it all positive is when it the scale doesn't move. My clothes seem to fit better. I'm in 35" waist jeans for the first time in 24 years. Looks for the small wins.

hi dear! thank you so much<3 im not in my 60's hehe i meant my weight range but i will start bathing in moisturizer so when i reach the age of 60 my skin actually does look like this. my stomach is usually the first place i gain weight so i can thats my issue here. i'll try focusing on some ab workouts hoping that can save it. thank you again ❤️

it was probably 3 or 4 months for me, but I started out at over 300 lbs. It was probably more like five months before a LOT of people started noticing. But then at that weight, I just looked huge no matter what - people wouldn't necessarily notice a 40 or 50 lb difference (plus I also wore baggy clothes at that weight, so that probably factored in, too)

I'm definitely not someone who sews. My mom use to, but she lives in Florida (I'm in Colorado) and her arthritis has gotten bad and she hasn't sewn in years. I honestly wouldn't complain about something like this anywhere but here because absolutely NOBODY else can relate. I keep hearing "but you were so heavy before, I would think you'd be ecstatic now!!" and I alternate between wanting to look around on the floor to see if I can find their brains that must have fallen out of their head and wanting to smack the ever loving daylights out of them. The AUDACITY to say that...to my face!!! I'm hoping I can either find someone who wants to trade scrubs or someone wants to buy mine. I'm so thankful and grateful that I'm healthy and have lost so much weight. I honestly am. I just want my body to settle on a set point and stay there lol I absolutely DO NOT want to go lower than a Large right now, because I was already told I'll likely go down a size after my skin surgeries. If any of TPTB (The Powers That Be) are up there listening...PLEASE let me be good to go now lol I'm extra happy and grateful and thankful, and as my 3 year old granddaughter would say "I all dooooooone now" lol Please and thank you!!!! 🤣😁

Literally me lol I thought it was just big because I was so fat. Turns out, I have 3 EXTREMELY large uterine fibroids that I knew nothing about (found accidentally on a CT when testing for something completely different) and they are making me stomach the size of someone who is 5 months pregnant. I'm having a total hysterectomy on May 7th to take care of it. The part of your stomach hanging down is likely from being so overweight, and as you lose more weight, it'll get worse due to loose and stretched out skin. Honestly, there's not much you can do for that outside of surgery. I tuck it into my underwear and it's good to go lol

So by 8 months post op with the sleeve, I started having complications. But before that, I was able to eat a cup to a cup and a half of food, depending on what it was. Now a year out from my revision to bypass, I have 2 cups of protein cereal, or 1 small piece of steak and 1/4 cup of cheesy peas. Or I can have a can of soup. I can have 2 chicken drum sticks and 1/4 cup of veggies. It's not so much HOW MUCH you eat as it is WHAT you eat. I'm careful with what I eat, I still log and track everything, and I avoid sugar (or go with no sugar added if it's unavoidable) and rarely use salt (but use Himalayan salt if I REALLY need it). It's about how often you eat and what you're eating. I don't graze. I eat 3 meals and 2 snacks. I don't drink alcohol (empty calories and carbs), I don't drink soda (again, empty calories and carbs and frankly, don't like the taste anymore), and I made sure to find alternatives to things I use to eat a lot that are healthier but still yummy. I don't feel like I'm deprived because it all tastes good.