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The Struggle is real but with the proper tools and determination the job can get done! I’ve struggled with being overweight the majority of my life. Growing up the fat kid at school and in the family was not easy. I always had the love and support of my family but sometimes people were really mean and made assumptions about fat people that weren’t necessarily true. I don’t remember a time growing up when I was not on some sort of a diet. 20 years ago I made arguably the best decision I’ve ever made regarding my weight. I underwent Bariatric Surgery! It was the tool I used to maximize weight loss ,change bad eating habits and understand portion control. Over the course of those years I’ve lost 170 Ibs. I’m a tiny girl at only 4’11. My highest weight was 296 Ibs, lowest weight 126 Ibs and current weight 145 Ibs. For years it’s been difficult for me to discuss this journey because of past trauma. I decided recently that it is more important to share my story because someone might benefit from it. Someone might need help, or information. Why not help people? It’s time out for being embarrassed of photos when I was really obese. It’s time to celebrate and be proud of my success. My story is one of Success by God’s Grace. Having Bariatric surgery in 2002, at young age, was good for me. It’s been a Positive weight loss journey through dedication, discipline, and accountability. Ultimately, I Desire to function as a weight loss surgery guide. I’ve contemplated writing this post for a few weeks now. I hope this post inspires someone in a positive way.

Hello all. I started the process for bariatric surgery in February 2022. I weighed 310 lbs at 5'6, BMI 50. I completed my 6 months of supervised weight loss in August. I received approval for my surgery in September from my insurance company. I am STILL waiting for my surgery to be scheduled. My pre op testing was just completed last week. After the testing they said to allow 2 weeks for it to be processed and then another 4 weeks for them to call with the surgery date. Then I will 2 weeks of pre op diet. So likely it is another 8 weeks until my surgery will happen. My problem is I have been on Ozempic since May and steadily losing. My current weight is 245 which puts me right at the BMI cut off of 40. In 8 weeks I will likely be around 230 which will definitly be below. I guess my question is... my insurance requires a BMI greater then 40 for bariatric surgery, If I show up for surgery with a BMI lower than that will they cancel my surgery? I hate stop all the progress I've made this past year. I'm in a good weight loss groove. But I really never expected it to take 5-6 months AFTER my 6 months of supervised weight loss and insurance approval to actually get in for the procedure.

Never hungry, but either don't eat or reach back to old bad habits for snacking. Any advice? I think I'll do the 5 day pouch reset. Anyone else with similar situation? Please respond. Sent from my LM-T600 using BariatricPal mobile app

Will a pouch reset help after 2yrs rny and gaining back 20lbs? Sent from my LM-T600 using BariatricPal mobile app

Hello I had my surgery 12 weeks ago. My bmi was 33 My starting weight was 200 pounds/90 kilo In 12 weeks I lost 50 pounds I know its allot. I count my calories I eat 1000 calories per a day I do 30 minutes Stationary bike 6 Times a week I would like to loose 20 more pounds. I hit a stoll this week. Will I get to loose my 20 pound in this next few month? My friend is worried that I will not be able to stop the weight loss. I think the body knows when to stop. I am worried That my stoll will last forever.. I did the surgery out of my country therefore I can't contact my doctor.

Hello I had my surgery 12 weeks ago. My bmi was 33 My starting weight was 200 pounds/90 kilo In 12 weeks I lost 50 pounds I know its allot. I count my calories I eat 1000 calories per a day I do 30 minutes Stationary bike 6 Times a week I would like to loose 20 more pounds. I hit a stoll this week. Will I get to loose my 20 pound in this next few month? My friend is worried that I will not be able to stop the weight loss. I think the body knows when to stop. I am worried That my stoll will last forever.. I did the surgery out of my country therefore I can't contact my doctor.

I'd love to see yalls progress to help me envision the future! Sent from my SM-S908U using BariatricPal mobile app

Hey, I'm new to the forum. Just wondering if anyone who had gastric sleeve surgery around June 2022 can share there experience so far.

Hello. I am really really struggling. I have only lost 9 lbs at the 6 week mark after gastric bypass surgery. I lost over 50 lbs prior to surgery. I don’t feel restricted but I am totally following my instructions for intake. Today, I tried beginner’s yoga for overweight people and couldn’t even get near the poses. I feel like just giving up.

Hello I am new here my name is Amanda I am 40 years old I’m going through the process of having gastric sleeve surgery my last thing to do is a sleep study and I have one more appointment with the dietitian so all the papers will be sent to Medicaid I don’t know how the process works and how long it takes I am stressing myself to the max because I am so worried that something is going to go wrong where I cannot have my surgery I really need the surgery because I am diabetic I have sleep apnea and I cannot walk for long periods of time therefore I can’t have fun with my family like I used to because my legs were swollen up anyone has any information please let me know

I had gastric sleeve 5 weeks ago, I have lost weight but for the past 1.5 weeks the scale is stuck. I am following the plan although not getting enough protein. I am moving- but I haven’t started strenuous exercise yet. Anyone have any tips? I have a lot of weight to loss still (almost 100 pounds) although I have lost (including pre surgery lost weight 73). Please and thank you

I've lost 70 lbs in 2 months. I thought that was great, but now I'm anxious about the scale. Before having the surgery, I didn't even a scale because I didn't want to know. Now, I've been told I have to monitor it. I get anxiety now every time I gain 1 or 2 lbs! Is that normal? Makes me feel like I'm not doing something correctly. [emoji53] Sent from my SM-F916U using BariatricPal mobile app

I did gastric sleeve, and right after, I underwent rapid weight loss, appearing most conspicuously in my face and neck. Will I ever gain a fit look on my face and neck after such a rapid loss of weight following gastric sleeve?

Has anyone gone to Heartland Weight Loss clinic? They advertise $9,999 self pay VSG but I don’t see a lot of information about them online.

Hello, on Sept 14th I had a revision from the lap-band to the Gastric Sleeve. Pre-surgery liquid diet I went from 235 to 212 on the liquid diet for about 10 days. I have only lost a total of 2 pounds, and I am 7 weeks out. I am very frustrated at this point. I am doing everything I am supposed to be doing. I could walk a little more, but other than that I am only consuming around 800 calories a day. I am not comprehending the science of this. I burn around 1600 calories a day, so why am I not losing weight? I do need to mention that I am going through menopause and had to go off of my hormones for 4 weeks after surgery but have been back on them now for 3 weeks. I was also diagnosed with a under-active thyroid about 9 months ago and am on 25MG of thyroid medication. I am at the point where I just feel no matter what I do I am not going to lose. Has anyone else experienced no weight loss right after surgery and how long did it last? I am trying to stay positive, and everyone keeps telling me not to pay attention to the scale, but I am a numbers person. I absolutely dread going to my next dietician appointment in two and half weeks because my last one which was my first post op appointment, she told me I should be losing more than 2 pounds in one month. I guess I just need to know if others have experienced this. I am about ready to give up.

Hello, on Sept 14th I had a revision from the lap-band to the Gastric Sleeve. Pre-surgery liquid diet I went from 235 to 212 on the liquid diet for about 10 days. I have only lost a total of 2 pounds, and I am 7 weeks out. I am very frustrated at this point. I am doing everything I am supposed to be doing. I could walk a little more, but other than that I am only consuming around 800 calories a day. I am not comprehending the science of this. I burn around 1600 calories a day, so why am I not losing weight? I do need to mention that I am going through menopause and had to go off of my hormones for 4 weeks after surgery but have been back on them now for 3 weeks. I was also diagnosed with a under-active thyroid about 9 months ago and am on 25MG of thyroid medication. I am at the point where I just feel no matter what I do I am not going to lose. Has anyone else experienced no weight loss right after surgery and how long did it last? I am trying to stay positive, and everyone keeps telling me not to pay attention to the scale, but I am a numbers person. I absolutely dread going to my next dietician appointment in two and half weeks because my last one which was my first post op appointment, she told me I should be losing more than 2 pounds in one month. I guess I just need to know if others have experienced this. I am about ready to give up.

After your revision, how long did it take for you to hit your goal weight?im a little over halfway to goal at the 5.5 month mark so I feel like I am on track. Just curious what everyone else is experiencing.

OK folks, I really need some humor right now! Let's see those funny GIF & Memes related to weight loss & weight loss surgery! I'll add a few to get us going:

I am feeling emotional now that I lost weight I can't help to think why did I not love myself, care for myself, be kind to myself and not let myself go, like I did. Why did it take a surgery. Why couldn't I have the will power and believe and take my obesity seriously. Now that I am losing I can see myself healing not just on the outside but the inside. I feel bad for not caring for myself and treating myself with kindness. Telling myself that I can do it, that I am worth it. Now all I want is to treat myself right and not indulge in food but just enjoy food and limit myself. I think so different. I do think of food but it's not a worry or priority it is what it's meant to get you going fuel, and you want to eat healthy foods to get the right vitamins, I dont mindlessly eat. I care Now.

Medical Groups Replace Outdated Consensus Statement that Overly Restricts Access to Modern-Day Weight-Loss Surgery NEWBERRY, FL – Oct. 21, 2022 – Two of the world’s leading authorities on bariatric and metabolic surgery have issued new evidence-based clinical guidelines that among a slew of recommendations expand patient eligibility for weight-loss surgery and endorse metabolic surgery for patients with type 2 diabetes beginning at a body mass index (BMI) of 30, a measure of body fat based on a person’s height and weight and one of several important screening criteria for surgery. The ASMBS/IFSO Guidelines on Indications for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery – 2022, published online today in the journals, Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases (SOARD) and Obesity Surgery, are meant to replace a consensus statement developed by National Institutes of Health (NIH) more than 30 years ago that set standards most insurers and doctors still rely upon to make decisions about who should get weight-loss surgery, what kind they should get, and when they should get it. The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) is the largest group of bariatric surgeons and integrated health professionals in the United States and the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO) represents 72 national associations and societies throughout the world. "The 1991 NIH Consensus Statement on Bariatric Surgery served a valuable purpose for a time, but after more than three decades and hundreds of high-quality studies, including randomized clinical trials, it no longer reflects best practices and lacks relevance to today’s modern-day procedures and population of patients," said Teresa LaMasters, MD, President, ASMBS. “It’s time for a change in thinking and in practice for the sake of patients. It is long overdue.” In the 1991 consensus statement, bariatric surgery was confined to patients with a BMI of at least 40 or a BMI of 35 or more and at least one obesity-related condition such as hypertension or heart disease. There were no references to metabolic surgery for diabetes or references to the emerging laparoscopic techniques and procedures that would become mainstay and make weight-loss surgery as safe or safer than common operations including gallbladder surgery, appendectomy, and knee replacement. The statement also recommended against surgery in children and adolescents even with BMIs over 40 because it had not been sufficiently studied. New Patient Selection Standards — Times Have Changed The ASMBS/IFSO Guidelines now recommend metabolic and bariatric surgery for individuals with a BMI of 35 or more “regardless of presence, absence, or severity of obesity-related conditions” and that it be considered for people with a BMI 30-34.9 and metabolic disease and in “appropriately selected children and adolescents.” But even without metabolic disease, the guidelines say weight-loss surgery should be considered starting at BMI 30 for people who do not achieve substantial or durable weight loss or obesity disease-related improvement using nonsurgical methods. It was also recommended that obesity definitions using standard BMI thresholds be adjusted by population and that Asian individuals consider weight-loss surgery beginning at BMI 27.5. Higher Levels of Safety and Effectiveness for Modern-Day Weight-Loss Surgery The new guidelines further state “metabolic and bariatric surgery is currently the most effective evidence-based treatment for obesity across all BMI classes” and that “studies with long-term follow up, published in the decades following the 1991 NIH Consensus Statement, have consistently demonstrated that metabolic and bariatric surgery produces superior weight loss outcomes compared with non-operative treatments.” It is also noted that multiple studies have shown significant improvement of metabolic disease and a decrease in overall mortality after surgery and that “older surgical operations have been replaced with safer and more effective operations.” Two laparoscopic procedures, sleeve gastrectomy and Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RYGB), now account for about 90% of all operations performed worldwide. Roughly 1 to 2% of the world’s eligible patient population get weight-loss surgery in any given year. Experts say the overly restrictive consensus statement from 1991 has contributed to the limited use of such a proven safe and effective treatment. Globally, more than 650 million adults had obesity in 2016, which is about 13% of the world’s adult population. CDC reports over 42% of Americans have obesity, the highest rate ever in the U.S. “The ASMBS/IFSO Guidelines provide an important reset when it comes to the treatment of obesity,” said Scott Shikora, MD, President, IFSO. “Insurers, policy makers, healthcare providers, and patients should pay close attention and work to remove the barriers and outdated thinking that prevent access to one of the safest, effective and most studied operations in medicine.” The ASMBS/IFSO Guidelines are just the latest in a series of new recommendations from medical groups calling for expanded use of metabolic surgery. In 2016, 45 professional societies, including the American Diabetes Association (ADA), issued a joint statement that metabolic surgery should be considered for patients with type 2 diabetes and a BMI 30.0–34.9 if hyperglycemia is inadequately controlled despite optimal treatment with either oral or injectable medications. This recommendation is also included in the ADA’s “Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes – 2022.” About IFSO The International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO) is a Federation composed of national associations of bariatric surgeons and Integrated Health professionals. Currently, there are 72 official member societies of IFSO, as well as individual members from countries that thus far have not formed a national association. IFSO is a scientific organization that brings together surgeons and integrated health professionals, such as nurse, practitioners, dieticians, nutritionists, psychologists, internists and anesthesiologists, involved in the treatment of patients with obesity. About ASMBS The ASMBS is the largest organization for bariatric surgeons in the United States. It is a non-profit organization that works to advance the art and science of bariatric surgery and is committed to educating medical professionals and the lay public about bariatric surgery as an option for the treatment of severe obesity, as well as the associated risks and benefits. It encourages its members to investigate and discover new advances in bariatric surgery, while maintaining a steady exchange of experiences and ideas that may lead to improved surgical outcomes for patients with severe obesity. For more information, visit www.asmbs.org.

So, I have seen a lot of people getting the revision from sleeve to bypass due to GERD and I have seen people getting the sleeve to bypass revision due to weight gain years after the original surgery. I am not experiencing either of these issues. I had my surgery in the middle of 2021. I was around 300 pounds then. It is now more than a year later. I have only lost around 70 pounds. I am still losing, but very slowly. I feel like due to my starting weight, I should have lost more than that in this time period. I am not ungrateful for the weight I have lost so far, but I want to lose much more and I am feeling a bit stagnant. I want to truly get down to a normal weight. I feel like it will take me forever to do that with the sleeve, so I want to get the gastric bypass. I feel like getting a revision to bypass would jumpstart the weight loss for me again. But I am wondering if I would even be able to get approved for a revision in my position, since I am not suffering from any other medical conditions and I haven't actually regained any of my weight. Is there anyone else in my position who has gotten a revision from sleeve to bypass so soon after the original surgery with no other medical conditions, just because they felt like they didn't lose enough weight with the original surgery?

Hi, Everyone - I've seen a few posts about how many calories people have been eating to maintain their goal weight but none about how much they have to eat to lose weight and was curious, as my surgeon never gave me a target caloric intake (I had my procedure in 2014). He just told me to eat 80-100 grams of protein a day and to focus on avoiding refined carbs. I was also wondering if the target caloric intake people are talking about is total consumption or absorbed amount. (For example, they eat/consume 2000 calories a day but only absorb 1200 of those consumed calories so their target is 1200 absorbed calories?) Thanks in advance for the insight!!!

Hi, All - I recently relocated to Texas and do not know people here who have had DS. I was wondering if anyone would be interested in helping to support each other with daily check-ins, support, encouragement, tips, etc. If so, feel free to introduce yourself on this thread! I am 40 years old woman, single, and dealing with infertility (I am trying to freeze my eggs). I had DS 8.5 years ago and lost 50% of my excess body weight at the time but did not push myself to lose even more (I was in grad school and my mom was deemed terminally ill at the time). I would like to re-commit to healthy eating and working out and have been flying solo for about a month now. I am highly motivated to lose quickly (but safely!) to improve my chances with egg freezing/harvesting given that I'm also up against my biological clock! Hoping there might be some other people who want to join me!

hi everyone!! I am coming up to my 1 year post op, but i haven’t lost all the weight my dr said i should’ve lost. i’m starting to get worried. is this normal? i have about 50lbs more to lose (i’ve lost 120 already) yet im stuck at 195, and im working out, eating fairly healthy, but i do tend to lack on protein. is this something someone else struggled with??