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I have been trying to get a referral for a few years at Kaiser. My first PCP said the surgery doesn't work, switched PCP's, he refused to consider any weight loss options. I have a new PCP, he referred me to the Options Program, which gave the infamous Nestle Shakes, shots, prepared meals, and pills as ways to loose weight, but not any surgical options. When I asked about surgical options, the Options Staff told me I needed a Bariatric Referral through Options. I asked my newest PCP, he said he gave me the referral. I called back to the Bariatrics section, they told me he had not. Anyone experience this? What did you do to fix it? I have tried all the Options presented, not interested in yo-yo dieting again. Thank you.

totally understand your struggles with weight loss. I tried for literally decades to get my weight off. The most I could ever lose is about 50 lbs (and those losses were rare - it was usually more like 10 or 20 lbs). And I could never keep it off for long. Within months, I was back up to almost 400 lbs. Weight loss surgery was the only thing that ever worked for me. Not saying it's easy - it's work. A lot of work. But the difference is, your efforts actually pay off.

Having weight loss surgery is a big deal and not to be entered into lightly. Most people have to get to a point when this is the last resort. You know a light bulb moment. From what you have mentioned this has been it for you. Sounds like if you dont deal with this then this will deal with you. It is not a magic bullet that will solve everything you will still have issues but they will hopefully be easier to manage. I have arthritis in my lower back and ankles. They no longer give me pain. I have diabetes but now I dont need to take insulin or any other medication to deal with blood sugar levels though I still check my blood sugar levels. I am not on any blood pressure tablets any more. I dont break out in a sweat after having a shower. I can look after myself more easily and dont having a coronary while cleaning the house. It really is a huge struggle with a BMI of 51. I can go for a walk and enjoy it. Life is hard enough without the extra weight. Be kind to yourself and your body. You can do this.

Yay!! That's great news!! The body doesn't like to let go of weight when it is sick or traumatized (like with a surgery) so that stall was probably inevitable. I wish you smooth sailing now and some extra weight loss juju!

Catching bronchitis and having my first stall at the same time had me bummed out especially since it was only a month after surgery. 2 months of feeling bad and on top of it watching the scale stall was so disheartening. What kept me going was reading about all the successful losses from people on here and cheering them on ! Now it's finally my turn My motivation is back ! The bronchitis is nearly gone and I'm starting to walk again (even in the damn heat ...gggrrrr ) and the scale is once again my friend . I just thought I'd share my good news with you !!! I'm so happy I found you all !

First of all, there is no such thing as a "window of opportunity." There is no clock or deadline on weight loss surgery. The surgery is permanent. The surgery itself doesn't cause weight loss -- the surgery is a tool that helps you to eat less so you can lose weight. For most people, yes, the effect of the restriction wears off over time, so the first year or so is often called the "honeymoon period" because that's when it's easiest to lose weight due to low appetite and high restriction. But that doesn't mean that you can't lose any more weight after X months post-surgery. You have to build and maintain good habits during that honeymoon period so you can sustain the weight loss. It is a lifelong journey and if you get back into eating too much, you could regain the weight. Second, yes, weight loss normally slows down as you approach your maintenance weight. It's easy to lose 10 pounds when you have 100 pounds to lose, but much more difficult to lose the last 10 pounds (when you only have 10 extra pounds). This is partly because having excess weight results in burning more calories -- if you're carrying an extra 100 pounds, it just takes more energy (and thus burns more calories) to do anything. If you maintain a constant calorie intake -- say, 1800 calories per day -- you will lose weight quickly at 300 pounds but more slowly at 250 pounds, and eventually you'll get to an equilibrium (say, 200 pounds) where you are burning the same number of calories as you're eating, so your weight will stabilize. If you want to lose more weight after you reach that equilibrium, you'll either have to lower your calorie intake or increase your calorie burn by exercising more. Finally, my personal opinion is that people should not get hung up on a specific number on the scale. The non-scale measures of success are so much more important. If you are satisfied with your health and appearance at 222 pounds, there is no reason to worry that you are 2 pounds over the range that your surgeon estimated (which is almost certainly based on statistical outcomes, not a personalized assessment of you, specifically).

mark me down as another who doesn't mind getting a picture taken after the weight loss....BUT i still have a no social media post ban on posting my pic online without prior permission! (its the same courtesy i give others) always get consent, people! its just good manners 😉

I also agree with everyone above. Leave out the pasta and rice, bread, pita etc and you will have more success on your weight loss journey. All of those are a hard no for me simply because they are not good for us. Plus if you eat them often, your body will crave them.

That is amazing! You look great! Thank you for sharing as it gives all of us confidence that we can do this and maintain the weight loss!!! Thank you!

My weight loss dramatically slowed down by month 8, but I did lose a little more. My body was done by month 11, and I was happy with where I landed. Keep pushing until you reach the 12 mo mark, if you can. I bet you have at least another 5-10 pound loss ahead of you. That said, when your body is done, it's done.

I’m finding out that i no longer love food the way I use to anymore. I just flat out don’t enjoy it as much as I really use to. Kinda annoys me a lil bit. Maybe it’s because of the purée stage. Maybe it will get better during the soft food stage. At this point I’d rather go back to liquid tbh. Idk. Just my opinion. As for weight loss I’m doing ok and I enjoy exercising now. So far just walking. Compression on my tummy makes me feel better too because my tummy feels like jello or pudding lol I like to be out all together in my opinion. I’m down 25lbs post op. If I add the 2 week liver reduction diet weight loss a total of 34lbs. How about you?

I'm sorry things feel so rough right now. It seems most people regret these operations at first because recovery is so miserable. But eventually things even out and the feeling eases and the weight loss starts. Please be gentle with yourself right now. Anesthesia can cause depression and takes a long time to work its way out of the system. Plus, your hormones are all over the place and that alone can make you depressed and weepy! I agree with Lindsay, find someone you can talk to who can hear you out without being judgmental. Sometimes we need to get all that panic and fear out in the open so we can breathe a little. You feeling this way right now is perfectly normal... Take it one moment at a time and try to find something that will make you smile each day. When I had cancer I spent part of my recovery coloring in adult coloring books! Coloring in big, bold swear words was cathartic. 🤣

stalls became more frequent the further out I got. And they tended to last longer, too. Every time I'd hit one, I'd think "well, this must be it...", but then my weight loss would eventually start up again. I kept losing until about the two year mark. It was slow going after the first year, though.

Absolutely.Especially those who are under 30 bmi (or 27 with co morbidities to qualify). I have friends who were 10lbs overweight and never obese asking me how to get it and I told them frankly that they do not need it. Especially Ozempic. There is the weight loss version now but I agree Ozempic should be reserved for diabetics or at most pre diabetics. That is why insurance is requiring a diabetes diagnosis now to get Ozempic. It helped me avert diabetes so I no longer get it and trying other methods. But if I fail I have no qualms about trying to get Wegovy if I qualify which is for obesity.

Hey everyone. Question for those greater than 8mos out. Is there a stall period with Gastric Bypass before your 12-18mos window of opportunity or was weight loss consistent with a slowing down period? I’m 8mos out and the weightloss has slowed down. I’m actually happy at this weight, 70lb loss and 5’11. But wondering if I should expect more weightloss through the 12mos period? My surgeon stated that he expected me to be around 205-220 as a good weight. I’m currently at 222. Any information is appreciated

Absolutely.Especially those who are under 30 bmi (or 27 with co morbidities to qualify). I have friends who were 10lbs overweight and never obese asking me how to get it and I told them frankly that they do not need it. Especially Ozempic. There is the weight loss version now but I agree Ozempic should be reserved for diabetics or at most pre diabetics. That is why insurance is requiring a diabetes diagnosis now to get Ozempic. It helped me avert diabetes so I no longer get it and trying other methods. But if I fail I have no qualms about trying to get Wegovy if I qualify which is for obesity.

I think they are amazing medications for weight loss and certainly worth a good try! I just find it frustrating as a diabetic that there are shortages that affect my dosing schedule. I had a similar issue with Plaquenil, the arthritis med that everyone suddenly wanted when they thought it might be useful for Covid. I don't begrudge anyone else a go at the meds, I just think pharmacies should put aside a portion of their stock for their regular diabetic patients since it impacts us so much when we can't get our monthly supply...

Thank you so much. My surgery is in 6 days, so I really appreciate your response right now. The pain I no longer nervous about it and will deal with it when the times comes. I am just amazed at both of your successful numbers with weight loss at 4 months simply awesome! 65pounds & 76pounds in 4 Months you both must feel like a million bucks. Really moving around has to be so much easier now right. It must have felt awesome to see the scale leave the 3's and see the 2's big goal of mine. I think you both will hit those goal numbers.

Great job hitting your goals! I'm working on finding some non-scale victories to keep me motivated because the stalls are getting longer and longer, but progress is happening albeit slowly. I think my calorie count is around the 800-1000 mark, too, and I think that's where I'll be pretty permanently. Congrats on 155! That's amazing! I can't believe we're at the one year mark. Also, we seem to be scooping up some of the 2023 September surgery folks since this post isn't dated. To the new people, welcome! If you have any questions, let us know. We've all had our surgeries in September 2022 and while we don't post as often anymore, folks pop in every couple months to update / celebrate / commiserate. Best of luck to new and old September weight loss comrades!

Hi! I am scheduled to have gastric sleeve surgery in September. I have diastolic dysfunction grade 1 and the idea of going under anesthesia makes me nervous. My surgeon is aware, as is my cardiologist and all have given me the green light. I realize that weight loss will likely improve the diastolic dysfunction and hopefully prevent full blown heart failure, so I am leaning towards going through with the surgery. I had a previous lapband (removed in 2014) and multiple surgeries which has caused adhesions/scar tissue, which will likely extend my total time under anesthesia. Has anyone had WLS with heart disease? If so, did you have any cardiac complications during or post-surgery?

I took the shots Semaglutide quite a few years ago before it was called Ozempic. I was on it just a short time for weight loss and help with insulin resistance. I remember it made me feel ill and nauseous most of the time. I stuck it out for a while longer until I read it caused cancer in rats. I don't remember losing any significant amount of weight either. But then I might not have taken it long enough. I too have heard that it is now used in addition to WLS post for those with slow weight loss. I say give it a try as long as you are not worried about long term use side effects. Everything I've read about it up until now says you will regain the weight when you stop taking it though. GL

Thank you doing this! I love the data details and look forward to your report. 1) Female, 54 yrs old, 5’8 2) pre-op loss : 5 3) surgery weight : 313 4) weight 1 month : 282 5) weight 3 months : 259 6) weight 6 months: 225 7) weight 12 months : not there yet

I love the outdoors, so hiking/backpacking and trail running are my main cardio exercises right now. I also strength train 2-4 times a week, depending on what routine I'm doing and what else I'm doing cardio-wise. Before surgery, I would have been pushing it to walk to the end of the block, so I mostly just didn't bother. To me, I don't think of any of the activities I do strictly as something to help me lose or maintain weight. Honestly, fat loss mostly comes from the kitchen, Instead, I partake in these activities because I enjoy them, but perhaps even more importantly, they make me healthier and will hopefully lead to more time here on this planet. Regarding loose skin, I have been able to "fill in" some of it on my arms and legs with muscle. I attribute this to my overall workout plan, not to any specific thing. You didn't really ask, but I wanted to share a few additional things with you: While as you've seen in this thread not everyone is active post-surgery, the data is clear on this: those bariatric surgery patients that partake in at least 60 minutes of moderate physical activity 5-6 days a week are significantly more likely to reach their goal weight and maintain their weight-loss long-term. That does not mean you can't be successful without exercise, but it does mean you can greatly tip the odds in your favor if you're active. Both cardio and strength training are important. While cardiovascular exercise has obvious heart-health benefits (that's why it's called cardio after all), it also helps with your overall physical endurance and energy levels, so everything else you do physically just becomes a lot easier. Strength training, in addition to helping you look and feel better physically also increases your metabolism so that you burn even more calories even at rest. It's hard to argue with the benefits of that on weight loss. Strength training will have no direct effect on loose skin. As I implied above, what it can do is help fill out that loose skin with some muscle instead of fat. This is probably going to be more in the arms and legs than in your belly for obvious reasons. Keep in mind though that your ability to add muscle mass is highly impacted by age, genetics, epigenetics, diet and biological sex, among other things. My point is that while some people can "fill in" that lose skin by adding muscle mass, it's by no means assured or even realistic for most of us. It's sometimes misleading to think of strength training as the only thing that builds muscle. Even just walking can help, depending of where you're starting from. Like all exercise, the key is continuing to progress. Once you stagnate, you'll stop improving your health. In short, I highly recommend partaking in both cardio and strength training. If you need help knowing what to do, seek out the assistance of a reputable trainer.

I've tried weight loss shots. I haven't had surgery yet. I had luck with Saxenda but the insurance did not think I was losing weight fast enough so they refused to cover more. Losers. LOL I had some nausea with it at first but no real issues otherwise. When I stopped the meds I gained the weight back plus extra, of course. I'm on Ozempic now but it is to treat diabetes. I have way more side effects with it as the dose goes up, but it usually evens out after a few weeks at the new dose. I don't love it though. The Saxenda was way easier on my body... I've lost 10 lbs on the Ozempic, then gained it back as I've had a hard time consistently getting the med since everyone is on it for weight loss, it is super frustrating. I have heard of it being used in conjunction with weight loss surgery and some people have a lot of luck with it! The ones I've followed have been using Mounjaro though. CarolinRNY on Youtube talks a bit about this in her more recent videos if you'd like a first hand account of it being used to boost weight loss that has slowed post surgery. My guess is if you pair it with behavior modification and taper off it slowly after you hit goal weight you might be able to maintain the results. If not you are stuck with a weekly shot until something new comes out. The shots themselves are easy to do and aren't usually painful, though they can sting a little. ETA: I think The Sleeved Dietitian is also using Mounjaro to lose weight with and has been successful with it. You can find her on Instagram.

I am sure you will see after talking to a bunch of us. That having a bariatric surgery is but only one part of your whole weight loss journey. You still have to exercise, eat right, and get plenty of rest. Just like most people here say...the surgery is just one tool in your weight loss goals. For me over a 10 year period, I gained weight and lost it more than 4 times, and all the way down to like 200 lbs from 280. I never had trouble losing weight, its just that I could not maintain that weight loss long term, unless I was on a very strict diet. I am hoping that the Gastric Sleeve I got will help me be able to maintain the weight of 185 lbs this time. So I just don't agree with what some people say, that surgery is the easy way out. There is still a lot to losing weight and even going through the whole process of committing to the surgery and recovery. I think most of us were all crazy dieters before we decided on surgery...its just now we have another tool and we got some extra help we need.