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Here is me just shy of my heaviest of 365 lbs. I started my Weight loss journey June 2020. I lost about 35 pre surgery which was January 4, 2021. I also have had to have a revision due to a perforated ulcer mid July. I am now down a total of 120 lbs. it’s amazing the difference I feel. My 5 year old can actually sit in my lap… because I have one now! I can see my feet when I weigh myself. I don’t have to lean against a wall to wipe after using the bathroom, or to clean myself in the shower. I can buckle my seatbelt with out getting out of breath. I now consider myself ‘normal’ fat because I actually blend in with a crowd rather than standing out as the largest in a room! I’m sure I could go on but I am so glad I did this!

Had my surgery on July 23rd. I have to say I was not prepared for what I woke up to. I had a back surgery a couple years ago and while the pain prior to surgery was insane, after surgery I don't remember any pain at all. Just weakness in my legs and core, difficulty sitting up etc. When I woke up from gastric bypass in recovery I was in soo much pain they literally gave me a shot of ketamine and it felt like I went under anesthesia all over again lol. After that I was in the hospital for 3 days and I'd say the first 48 hours were horrible. I was on hydromorph for pain, Tylenol 6 and gravol. I slept through most of it, which is how I preferred to deal with it. I started passing gas little by little the first and second day. I found asking for a hot blanket to put across my stomach helped a lot with the abdomen pains. I didn't have much interest at all in food or water. I mixed little 30ml cups of apple juice or cranberry juice with 50% water here and there. Ate ice chips when I was thirsty. I think I had maybe one or two mouthfuls of soup the entire time I was there and I had one thing of sugar free jello going the entire stay. That's how little I ate or wanted to eat. By the last day, coming home, I was only a little sore, it seemed to have gone down a lot. By the time I was home for a day I stopped taking pain meds all together, no more gravol either. After reading through some of these I have to say I feel fortunate my body is dealing with the changes so well. I haven't found I'm in any discomfort, no nausea, bowel movements are less frequent than before but still normal. Sitting up, laying down and bending are definitely done at a slower pace but I haven't needed a hand since day 3. Even my 5 small incisions seem to be healing very well and aren't bothering me at all. The diet on the other hand and fighting myself from doing something stupid that will cause problems, that's another story. This has definitely been an experience and I'm taking things slow. Trying to research and find answers before approaching new foods. My girlfriend says I've lost a lot of weight since pre-op diet. I haven't weighed in or measured myself so it could just be inches shredding off. But it's nice to know it's already noticeable. I hope I'll have the success they say of losing 50% or more of body fat. Before surgery I was 470lbs and the lowest I've ever reached through diet and exercise is 320. So I'm really really hoping to see 265-285. That would make this whole hell of a process worth it in my eyes.

OK, here's a funny one. I need to start off by saying that my husband is supportive, thinks I'm beautiful at 240 pounds when we first met 18 years ago, all the way up to when I weighed almost 400. I've lost 165 so far and naturally have a ton of loose skin. You can also feel a lot of my bones now underneath it all. Anyway, my husband and I were lying in bed and talking about my progress and I was talking about the loose skin, and he said yeah, I have a sack-o-Tricia now! Now I know this may sound like an insult, but he was just saying it was crazy how much I've lost, and I died laughing at "Sack-o-Tricia". And what I love about it is that he knows that Tricia is the person I am, not the shell I am inside. And I love him for that. He's always loved me for me. So it's sort of a NSV, but also I'm super lucky to have such a supportive husband. I'm pretty darned proud to be a Sack-o-Tricia now! [emoji1787] Sent from my Nokia 7.2 using BariatricPal mobile app

I'm the 18th and SUUUUUUPER excited!

I just checked and yes, it is whey protein. It also calls to make it with milk so I've been using about 50-70% skim milk and a little water. I didn't think about a lactose issue. I'll have to try mixing it with water only and see how that goes. If it's still giving me trouble then I'll give a different type of protein powder a shot. Well today ends week one of the post-op liquid diet. Now that I'm reading and hearing other people saying they came off onto puree after a week I'm a little less worried. Everything online says 2 weeks post-op but to me that just seems excessively cautious. Maybe for slow healers or people having a lot of struggles with adapting to the surgery. For me I feel fine in every way minus the desire for something more. I was just worried if I started trying puree foods if it was going to stretch my stomach or screw me over somehow. I didn't want to ruin the surgery early on or cause some kind of damage to myself. I wish I had regular check-ups with the surgical team to give me advice and updates on what I could try or do but I don't. In Canada since Healthcare is free and I didn't have to come out of pocket for this or use insurance you don't get the same access to treatment. My first follow-up is a month after surgery and they'll likely just ask for my progress and if I have any concerns or major issues. My first follow-up with the dietician is also about a month away. They never gave me any information about support groups I could go to or how to meet others in my local area who are having surgery to kind of have a buddy system like they do in other addiction groups. So it's kind of free sailing here and having to figure it out on my own.

Finally got home from Tijuana today.... surgery was Monday 7.26.2021 with dr. verboonen at V Bariatrics (Obesity Goodbye Center). Ever since I got to the hotel yesterday. I've been sipping Powerade, Gatorade, Water, broth, SF popsicles nonstop. Is that okay? Or am I supposed to only consume during set times throughout the day? Also how did you get comfortable? Best thing to make scars dissapear ? Trying to plan ahead I am on full liquid diet right now, but go to purée on Monday/Tuesday next week.... what are your favorite recipes? When did you notice that initial bloat go away from surgery? I'm 2 lbs down from surgery date but my stomach is stuck protruding out bc of being so sore.

I would put whatever I couldn’t finish in the fridge and try again in a few hours (actually still do this at almost 3 years out). I had/have stuff in the fridge for days. I’m not adverse to leftovers and/or cold food so this works for me…but i get how some may be turned off by this. Basically, i’d say just eat what you can (without going your pre-portioned amount). No need to force yourself. Good Luck! ❤️

WOW! Your stats are amazing and congrats on being so close!! And I think I would feel the same way!!

My dog had surgery a couple weeks ago for a torn ccl, which is like the acl in humans. We're supposed to be walking her to help rehab her leg. Normally she just runs in our yard, which is very big, but she has to be on a leash at all times. Anyway, we live at the bottom of a very long and steep half mile hill. I used to try to walk up that hill and had to stop every couple feet and would end up having and asthma attack. I've just been walking our dog around the culdesac we live on and in our yard because I've been afraid of that hill. Well, last night, she wanted to go that way so we walked up to the top. I didn't get short of breath at all, just the normal heavy breathing with exercise, but I wasn't winded at all. And coming back down the hill has always been harder for me because I felt off balance, but last night I had no problem, even with my 114 pound dog pulling me! I am SO happy. Now I can walk in our subdivision!! Sent from my Nokia 7.2 using BariatricPal mobile app

Folks, PLEASE check the education credentials of the person giving you nutrition advice. In some states, there is absolutley zero education required to call oneself "a nutritionist" and give people dietary consultations. Many bariatric groups will use lay-trained staff to push a particular doctor's dietary approach. Don't use these people. They are unqualified and it's dangerous. Nutrition is complex and individual and it's a SCIENCE. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/dietitian-vs-nutritionist#nutritionist Check the laws in your state: https://theana.org/advocate Ask to see the credentials of the people treating you at appointments.