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I'm 10 months post op, and I can eat anything in moderation. I'm also a pizza lover, and before my surgery I was so upset that I'd never get to eat it again. Currently 142lb down, and can confirm I have not had to say goodbye to pizza 😁 You'll learn what you can handle as you go through your journey, you don't have to rule out everything you enjoy.

Hi all! I‘m hoping to get some help/advice around if anybody has found anything helpful for hair loss after surgery? I’m 10 months post op gastric bypass surgery, and 142lbs down (still crazy to say). I feel amazing, so happy with these results, but the one thing that’s getting me down is the hair loss. From what I’d read, a lot of people find this stops/slows down after 6 months, but I’m 10 months in and seeing no sign of improvement. My post op blood tests are normal, so there’s nothing wrong in that regard. I currently take high strength biotin, zinc and selenium. I’ve been on these for a few months but again, no improvement. I know it may seem a minor thing in the grand scheme of things, but I’d just love my hair to be long and healthy, so I’m willing to try anything. If anybody has any experience in this area, or found anything that helped, please let me know I’d really appreciate it!!

I've been on the liquid only diet for 10 days now. I've lost about 7 lbs. Total of 20 lbs since last July when I started with dietitian. I did get warned to not lose too much more, but surgery is Tuesday.

They have not suggested this yet but him and I have talked about it and we feel like if they don’t find anything during this next EGD that it may possibly be the next step. I have been doing lots of research on my own and since his surgeon suggested there may be Nerve Damage that’s been a topic that I’ve been really trying to investigate. I have read that there’s a nerve called the Vagus nerve that comes from the base of the brain/brain stem that branches out like a tree and runs to all your major organs. The heart, lungs, stomach, large and small intestines kidneys and liver. I’ve read that depending on where that nerve is damaged would determine what part of the body and organs it would affect. He hurt his back in 2015 and our stupid ER Doctors sent him home saying he had a pulled muscle. We found out after his gastric bypass surgery (last year 2021) by his Surgeon that his back had actually been broken. So I am really wondering if this could have caused damage to the left Vagus Nerve and is what is causing his problems. Even his lung problems because after he injured his back is when all his health problems started. He started having migraines 2015), lung/breathing problems (2017), and the GI problems (2019). His surgeon has stated that he was at a loss with him and wants to send him to a Neurologist; however, Covid had things messed up for a while and now the surgeon has had a change in hours, locations, and staff. He even has a different Nurse so when we’ve called to find out if he’s sent a referral and what’s going on no one seems to know what we are talking about. We’ve yet to see a neurologist. He has spoke to his family doctor and instead of sending to a neurologist he has sent him back to his GI doctor who wants to do another EGD. So now we are in the process of having to get clearances again from his pulmonologist and his heart doctor (he doesn’t even have heart problemS but when he got sick with his lungs he had to start seeing one and has had 4 heart caths since 2017 and all 4 have been clear), now they want to do another stress test, another blood gas, and more blood work to clear him for the EGD. We live an hour and a half away from the pulmonologist and heart doctor. His GI ordered a stomach emptying test which makes the 3rd one and he couldn’t even finish it because he couldn’t hold down the radioactive eggs, since he threw them up the test was incomplete and they sent us home. Waste of time and gas. It makes no sense to me to send someone who can’t hold down a bite a food at all to have a stomach dumping/emptying test done that requires you to eat a small portion of a food. This is a 4-6 hour test and 20 mins in he’s thrown the tablespoon of radioactive eggs back up. Makes no sense at all. He has 12 appointments by the end of the month just to get cleared and have everything done before the EGD. I realize they have to be safe and the clearances are important but my husband is literally starving to death, malnourished, losing hair, teeth are in very poor condition, money is low, gas prices are high and these appointments are an hour and a half away and he needs answers now not 3 weeks from now. I don’t understand why they just keep redoing all the same tests over and over and over again. Instead of getting him in with a neurologist and atleast ruling that out. I feel like I am the only person who’s actually trying to figure this out and the doctors just want more money, more money, more money. My husband is a wonderful man. He’s been my best friend for 30 years but we’ve only been together as a couple for 3 years and only been married 2 years. He’s always been the strongest person I’ve known so to hear him say he doesn’t know how much more he has left in him or how much longer he can survive with no nutrition is unimaginably devastating. I hate even eating in front of him. I hate seeing him eat 4-6 bites of something in an hour time frame and then throwing it with in 5 minutes but most of the time it’s 1 or 2 bites and he’s pushing the food away holding his stomach and running to the bathroom just to throw it up. This is scary and hard and I just want to help him. I want to fix it for him and I can’t. I refuse to give up till I find the answer but I’m no doctor. That’s why I am here trying to find someone else who may have been through the same thing or something similar. I honestly think they probably should have already placed him on a feeding tube but for whatever reason they haven’t. Thank you so much for your reply. I apologize for writing a book in response to you. I guess I needed to vent and cry to someone. I just wish they would have done a more thorough assessment and job and found out what was wrong before they made his stomach the size of a walnut. I also wonder if the part of the stomach that they cut off and left in there is what is causing all this? It still has blood supply and nerves running to it so could that be the whole problem? Thank you for your time, reply, and for listening.

I am a long time lap bander and flipped to a sleeve in 2016. In there I lost and gained weight and am back around my goal weight where I have been for a while. I recently moved to the St Petersburg area and am looking at plastic surgeons in the area. I want one who understands weight loss patient skin is different, more damaged than a standard patient. I am looking at arm lifts, thigh lift, some abdominal lips, breast lift and reduction and because I am feeling saggy maybe a small face lift. I did a tummy tuck and breast lift 20 years ago and the boobs took the hit on the weight regain I had the tummy tuck held up well. There are a ton of options in the area was wondering if anyone had experiences and recs? I am also looking at maybe going to Columbia to a practice there the quote is appealing and the doc is American board certified and teaches in the US. All the work there will be 20-25k and that includes a 10-12 day hotel stay, nursing care and transport to and from the hospital as needed.

That's awesome!!! Congrats I can't wait until I'm there. Maybe another 10 pounds and I'll get to buy some new stuff, too. It's an awesome problem to have, right? Instead of buying bigger clothes because what you have doesn't fit, you have to buy smaller clothes because of how much weight you've lost!!!!!

Hi all! Reporting in! I’m officially down 83lbs since surgery on 2/3/22. Previously size 2XL-3XL and 20, now size Small/Med and size 10. I’ve never felt better or been happier. I’m stoked about what I see in the mirror but am bummed that the excess skin/fat gives me a muffin-top in fitted clothes. Better healthy and saggy though! My hair started falling out a couple weeks ago and it’s a LOT. I knew it would happen but it’s unsettling nonetheless. How is everyone else doing? We’re 5 months past. Can you believe how much life has changed??

Going away for the weekend and i felt the need to use up all the vegetables in the fridge! Eggplant parmigiana and grilled veggie flatbread Eggplant: fried and breaded eggplant, layered with marinara sauce and mozzarella. (And yes, i sneaked in some anchovies in the marinara! Shhhhh 🤫 lol). And fresh basil leaf. Flatbread: flatbread from a package, grilled on bbq with truffle olive oil, seasoned ricotta and egg base, roasted eggplant, zucchini, yellow & orange peppers, portobello mushrooms, shallots, garlic, feta, mozzarella and balsamic glaze drizzle. And fresh basil leaves. i didn’t bother figuring out the calories because I didn’t get to eat any!!! Them fam gobbled it all up in like 10 mins before i had a chance to have a sample. Im gonna assume it was delicious.

I'm ~10 months. I don't use portion control plates or containers, but I do frequently weigh/measure foods. Not always, maybe 50% of the time. It helps keep me accountable and helps me understand my own hunger & full queues, eating habits, etc. I typically will only portion out what I think I will/can eat. If I eat it all and feel like I need a little more, then so be it. But that is rarely the case. My husband has become a garbage disposal for my onsie-twosie left over bites. I do however still track EVERYTHING I eat. I know myself, and this is what works for me, though I know a lot of folks do not track. At this point, I could probably eat a whole bagel, but it would very likely upset my stomach. I've never dumped, but if I eat a carb heavy meal, especially one with very little protein, I get nauseous and often develop the dreaded foamies. With something like that, something considered a "slider food" its very easy to eat around your restriction. If you are mindlessly munching on it one bite at a time, its going to pass more quickly than something with lots of protein & fiber, so you'll be able to keep eating a bite at a time without ever really feeling full. Remember, restriction is different for everyone and can even vary from day to day. The surgery is just a tool, but with enough work (or not enough, as the case may be), you can absolutely circumvent it. All that being said, it was just one meal. Now you know to be more mindful going forward. Use it as a helpful bit of data and move on.

I had RNY on 12/31/2019. Since then I've lost over half my body weight. I've focused on exercise and building strength and stamina. And in June, I went to Tanzania where I successfully summited Kilimanjaro on June 24th. I truly believe the surgery made this possible. I just wanted to share with others who may understand. Next up is plastics and then I need to figure out my next big challenge. Any suggestions? Lori

i am 2-3 months out and i can eat a whole bagel if i wanted. Bagel may look big but once you chew chew chew it is not that big so of course you will be able to eat it all. Yesterday at work i ate a whole turkey and cheese sandwich within 10 minutes.

So I originally had the sleeve in 2018 with a doctor by the name of Dr Steiner in a town about an hour from home. I did well for about 3 years, went from 305lb to 212lb. Not that Im making excuses, but I work in healthcare and COVID took a huge toll on me and my health. I was working long hours and without breaks so I began snacking on anything and everything whenever I could. Of course Ive gained quite a but of weight back as I am now back at 250lb. A new bariatric office opened about 30 minutes from me and I decided to go see them to see what I needed to do about the weight regain, along with the severe GERD that I have developed. The doctor was nice but he just couldn't get anything approved with my insurance. He also did an EGD on me which showed that I had H pylori and he never treated me for it. After that I decided to go back to my original surgeon an hour away from home because they were always so nice and helpful. So Im back with the original doctor now that did my sleeve. He says I definitely need a conversion from sleeve to bypass to help with the GERD and weight regain. It was a no brainer to them. So my advice would be, dont be afraid of getting a second opinion. BUT 9/10 times the original surgeon will know more and do more for you than a new one.

Hey there. I am new here and not sure about posting but I feel like I am all alone. I had surgery 10 years ago, I didn’t ever lose that much weight with it and ended up getting sick and not being able to keep up with my running which I miss more than anything. Anyway, I am 20 lbs over the weight I was before my surgery. I am always so tired and I could sleep anywhere at anytime, although the test said I didn’t have sleep apnea. My BMI is a shameful 45. I wasn’t sure who to contact so I contacted my Bariatric Doctor’s office. I am unable to go to the one that originally did my surgery. I’ve been dealing with a NP (which I really adore) that told me no to a revision, but she’s put me on phentramine and they don’t even give me energy and I never had a problem with over eating I have a problem with forgetting to eat 🙄 All of my pills I have to take now makes me sick, I feel nauseous all of the time, zero energy. I have been checked for depression (of course vitamin levels) I take those even though they make me nauseous. This dr is 3 hours a way we’ve only been able to do telemed visits. I would like another opinion but I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes and get in trouble with dr shopping or have anyone mad. I wasn’t sure if people start out with their PCP or surgeon. sorry I rambled I’m nervous and so confused! Idk where in the world to go from here. Lol thanks for listening to me.

Congratulations 🎊 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉 I had felt the same way about food my entire life until about 10 years ago. When the weight started coming in, I said screw it and I started eating. Now since surgery, same date as you, I can take food or leave it. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I have also lost 32 lbs,, and I’m cleared to run. I have found that staying hydrated is the most important thing I can do. Since I have no appetite, the few bites I have per day and high quality protein. CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN! 🎉🎉🎉

I've been on the liquid only diet for 10 days now. I've lost about 7 lbs.

Had my final weigh-in today, lost 10 pounds in the last 6 weeks. (My only requirement was to not gain weight from the initial weigh in). That brings me to 50 pounds down since June 2021. I’m happy about that (and eager for that progress to continue). Appointment went well, however I had a slight disappointment. I was told if I had everything done by this appointment I would schedule with the surgeon, for their consult, when I check out. When I checked out I was told the coordinator hadn’t reviewed my final test from July 1st yet. Once she does that - THEN they will call to schedule with me. I’m trying to take a deep breath and be patient, but it’s hard. This is a big difference from last year when I was going through another program and I canceled my surgery two weeks before it was scheduled (I was not confident in the team or program I was dealing with). It’s a little frustrating that if I had stayed with that original program - I’d be 5 months post op by now… but then again, both my husband and I were not confident I would have the support and guidance needed to be successful in the other program. So for now I’ll try to be patient for that next phone call to come in.

I am 38 and started with a BMI of 57! Three and a half months post op my BMI is now 43! I am not far enough out to talk about long term success but as far as I am concerned (and my team), right now I am killin' it! I had an easy recovery and easily slipped through each phase and into my new normal life. I wish I did it 10 years ago. My surgery was extensive, basically 3 surgeries in 1. (Bypass, Hernia repair and esophagus repair and "trimming" due to damage from the years of GERD.... Took about 5 hours. I know everyone is different, but I also know positive stories help when people have the jitters. I was/am pretty healthy. My only medical issues were high blood pressure and severe GERD. So I didn't have a lot of risk with surgery other than the normal risks that just come with any surgery. My surgery was extensive, basically 3 surgeries in 1. PS: Bypass seems to have cured my GERD! You got this! Relax and enjoy the ride, it is so rewarding when you see your efforts paying off!

I had gastric bypass at age 56. I started at 373 lbs and got down to a low of 138. Have since put on a few lbs (which is very common after you hit your lowest weight - most people have a 10-20 lb rebound), but then my weight stabilized. Have been pretty stable ever since.

I think we all have this reaction after the first few weeks. I was not really comfortable with eating and drinking for over six months. I recently took a trip to Cancun and was able to eat when I wanted and drink what I wanted. The drinking has gotten infinitely better after 10 months or so post surgery. I can pretty much drink however much I want. I usually nurse a drink before and during the meal and hold off about 30 minutes after but I was able to maintain my buzz all day/every day in Mexico. Sometimes I wish I could really indulge in food but it is not worth the pain and the guilt. I also like being a size 34 waist vice a 48 or 50. There are some foods that I can splurge on like popcorn, nuts, tortilla chips etc from time to time when I get the munchies but it is very rare that I will do that. Since it is summertime, I have been eating a LOT of watermelon which gives me the hydration I need and a nice sweet, low calorie snack. Things get much, much better....hang in there.

I doubt your team will berate you and if so I would consider a new team. (If possible) The entire reason you are there is because of the struggle. I believe every teams (surgeons) requirements are different. Mine had a "final" weight check it was the last time you were weighed before surgery would be scheduled. At that point in time you had to be close to where you started but some gain or loss was acceptable. BUT at that point up until your surgery day you could NOT gain weight. If you gained weight, your surgery would be rescheduled. My pre-op diet was technically 10 days but I did it for 14 days because I didn't want to start it over a weekend. I thought it would be easier while I was occupied at work. I was correct, by time the weekend came I was ok and got thru it pretty easily. I am sure it also has to do with what your pre-op diet allows. Mine was 4 protein shakes a day plus you were given a list of foods that you could eat up to 6 servings of each day. The ability to actually eat and chew made it easier for me. You will be fine, just put on your big kid pants and get determined! You can do anything with determination. Good luck!

I was also around 480 when I started. Here is a rough timeline of my stalls. Had surgery 8/16/21. Lost 24 pounds in the first 14 days. Lost 6 pounds over the next 19 days. Lost 41 pounds over the next 49 days Lost 11 pounds over the next 24 days Lost 8 pounds over the next 11 days. Once you come out of this stall, you are going to lose weight at an incredible rate. Keep doing the right things (getting protein in, keeping calories reasonable, stay moving) and the stall will end.

I have a. Appointment today at 10

I’m 24 lol, sleeve on June 26. I’ve lost 30 lbs so far (10 from pre op).

I take a different approach to meal prep than what you describe. Instead of cooking one meal and eating the same thing all week, I've built up a collection of meals frozen in individual portions. Soup, chili, and stew freeze really well. I also make various meals that consist of meat, vegetables, beans, and sauce (there are lots of Instant Pot recipes like this) to freeze in individual portions. Most recipes yield 10+ portions, so I can cook three times and have a month's worth of dinners. I highly recommend Souper Cubes, which are like giant ice cube trays. They're available in several sizes, and the 4-ounce size is perfect for a single serving. The portions stack easily, so you can store many portions in a small space (much more compact than Tupperware containers). For a quick and easy meal, I dump some riced cauliflower in a bowl, throw in a souper cube, and heat in the microwave. Sometimes I also have a side salad or a side of veggies. I have enough different meals that I can eat a different one every night of the week. Here are a few of my favorites: White chicken chili Egg Roll in a Bowl Zuppa Toscana Chicken Divan Pork Chile Verde Brunswick Stew Creamy Chicken and Spinach Soup (I omit the tortellini and use more chicken)

I am 13 days post op. 10 lbs since day of surgery. Been stalled last 4 days. I did lose 7 lbs the week before surgery. Tomorrow I start soft foods. I did go ahead and try some refried been mash tonight and I can only eat maybe 1 oz without vomiting back up into my mouth. Iv been struggling with getting in liquids and liquid proteins due to restriction. Can’t imagine eating enough to get protein in. This is way more difficult to manage nutritionally then I ever expected