Lela Clark

I think we should be clearer on these boards about Hair loss.
Almost every post about hair loss has said to make sure you get your Protein and Vitamins (yes, we all should be getting our protein and vitamins), but this isn't the sole cause of the hair loss. It can certainly be exacerbated by not getting in your protein or vitamins.
From the start, I have been able to get all my protein in, Water, and swallow pills. I have lost about 40-50% of my hair. Thank goodness I have a lot of hair, but it is still noticeable to me. I am really annoyed by it because it's growing back....but it's coming in all weird, and it's full of static right now too. It's probably going to take about another year for my hair to return to normal.
My point is, the stress of a 'traumatic' surgery on the body, coupled with massive hormone changes with this type of surgery is a big contributing factor to the hair loss. I spent a lot of months thinking it was my protein intake and that hasn't been the cause. I just want others to realize that it doesn't solely come down to protein.

It may take a few months to get used to eating more…both in volume and in calories. You are not even 6 months post, so you may be limited in your volume ability.
You dont need to eat 1200 cals today…just aim to get there eventually (and trust me, you will).
I reached goal at 7 months, and it took me 4 months and an additional 15-ish lbs lost before i found my maintenance balance. For me, this was about 2000 cals a day at that time. Which honestly was a Herculean effort as I too was sub-800 cals throughout weight loss phase.
I got full really quickly back then (and still do today, but to a lesser degree) so i relied on chicharron (i.e., pork rinds/cracklins). I know, I know, its really high in fat so it may not be everyone’s bag, but for ME it was high in Protein, zero carb, and did not stuff me like meats did/do…and its SUPER high in calories.
Im 3.5 years out now and pretty much have been maintaining my weight ever since (+/- 5 lbs), and average about 1800 cals these days (eating all sorts of food, both healthy and not-so-healthy, and yes, i even eat bread now, lol)
Do what you can, a little bit at a time, and you and your body will get used to more calories AND volume eventually.
Good Luck! ❤️

I experienced the same thing. Was eating less than 900 calories when I reached my goal & struggled for a while to physically eat more at any one time too. I had to snack & increased them until I was snacking 5 times a day. And yes I felt like I was eating all day long. My weight loss continued albeit very slowly & finally about 11 months after goal. I was still seeing my dietician through the first 6 months of this 11 months (Covid hit).
For my Snacks I added a second sometimes third serve of carbs (multigrain crackers), hummus, nuts, 1or 2 serves of fruit, Protein Bar, cheese, liverwurst, peanut paste, chia pudding, & used salad dressings. My dietician also suggested adding milk powder to my milk but I found it too sweet except in chia pudding. I eventually reached about 1300 calories.
It can take a little time to sort this out in a way the best suits you. While you may lose more initially, you may also have a bounce back in your 2nd/3rd year as @catwoman7 said as you settle into a way of eating that complements how you want to live & enjoy your life.
I eventually was able to eat about a recommended portion size of most foods (& I do eat slowly) & reduced my snacks to three a day. I am careful about what I eat 90% of the time. At my lowest I was 48.2kg but settled at 49kg for a good year. I put on 2 kgs a few months ago after I went on a higher dose HRT med & I had to add more Protein to my diet due to an absorption issue (from my gall removal last year not my sleeve). I made some small changes to my diet but I still eat more calories as a result of the extra protein so the weight gain is understandable.
All the best.

You can add more calorie dense foods like butter, cream, oils, cheese, nut butters etc. to your cooking if you need to immediately halt your weight loss. Then longer term maybe you can think about your protein/good fat balance? I cannot wait to eat avocados without having to balance the entire rest of my day around that. My stats are very similar to yours although I had my surgery a month earlier. I for one am riding this train as far as it will take me but I know we all have our personal goals!

You don’t have to eat more to slowly increase your calories until you find your maintenance amount, just add in some healthy fats such as avocado, nuts, nut butter or a small amount of olive oil. And as catwoman said you will most likely gain a little weight back so keep that in mind when you decide if you really do want to stop losing.

my loss eventually stopped on its own. Don't forget that most of us have a 10-20 lb rebound from our lowest weight, so I wouldn't panic too much if you go a few lbs below goal.

I'm dreading this part too! I adore my long, curly hair. And I'm trying to decide if I should just go ahead and cut it now so maybe it won't look so bad when it does thin out. I didn't have Hair loss with the Lap Band.

Can I just tell you how powerful I find what you wrote here? That is exactly how I feel, when I am on top of this thing, and not being crazy about food and all of that.
I am so grateful for the surgery, and grateful for the healthier, stronger, happier me. One reason why I don't come to this site too often is because of the dogmatic and/or shaming stuff. Like people who claim to have only eaten 400 calories a day for 6 months, and shame people who don't, or who go nuts if someone asks if post surgery people can tolerate an occasional piece of bacon or movie theater popcorn, or respond to someone who admits to struggling or (gasp!) falling off the wagon by becoming some sort of weird bariatric drill sergeant. I know that shaming, cajoling, and extreme deprivation have NEVER worked for me, and I literally cringe when I see some of that stuff on here. And I also know that the food hormones come back, and yes, I am actually hungry! And I most definitely do need 1000 calories a day; I regularly eat 12 to 1400 calories a day and I am still losing weight, albeit slowly. (I also have a thyroid disorder which has impacted the speed of my weight loss).
I am one year out, 90 pounds thinner, and still at a "fat" BMI (28); I am 62 years old, and I am not going to be entering any bathing suit competitions! I make mostly healthy food choices, I walk a lot because I like it and it is good for my mental health, and one of the things I really miss is drinking a beer. Of course....that may just be head thirst

Whoa that's a lot of liquid! I'm happy if I get 24 oz all day

I just spoke with my nutritionist and she said it isn’t the first time she had heard that the surgeon said what he said. Also, the nutritionist I have is affiliated with my doctors office. She asked how I would like to proceed. I told her to continue how we were working on things as it is working. I told her I didn’t want to spend the rest of my life hungry.

I'm not sure how your program works, but the people I deal with regularly are the nutritionist and the PAs, more than the surgeon (I am now 6 months out). Unless something goes wrong, I'm not really going to see her anymore or often. If I need advice on stalls, plateaus, whatever, the nutrition team deals with it.
Surgeons are surgeons - they are really great at doing surgery. And while they are a doctor, just because they have a medical degree doesn't mean they are an expert in everything, including the nitty gritty details of nutrition. As long as you are dealing with a credentialed nutritionist (more on this in a min) who is experienced in working with bariatric patients, I would probably listen to them. Now, I did learn from my own nutrition team that not everyone who claims to be a nutritionist is really qualified or licensed (it depends on your state) so just something to be mindful of.
Also, I think we all need to bring some common sense to the table even after surgery. Meaning, we shouldn't leave our common sense at the door just because we are talking to a surgeon/doctor/nutritionist/whatever. If something sounds off, we should ask questions. And, if needed, I wouldn't hesitate to (nicely) say to the nutrition team, "hey, your advice isn't aligning with what Dr. X said. Can we talk through it because now I am concerned." It alerts them to a problem, and they may be able to help "translate" what the doctor may have been trying to say. My guess is that it wouldn't be the first time they hear it.

Do the best you can in between the two people. You cant please both people. The dietician will be less than pleased to be so put down by such a high and mighty surgeon. I bought myself a bariatric plate to remind myself of portion sizes. I cant even eat the meat portion yet never mind the veg and carbs. So I have 3 meals and 2 Snacks, 1 is yogurt and 1 is home made veg Soup made with milk. Just so I keep my gut moving. Just do your best. Let him sound off and condemn when you jokingly say you ate nothing but take out.

Your surgeon could mean tablespoons. 3 level tablespoons is 1/4 cup. I was advised 1/4 to 1/3 cup to begin slowly increasing as I was able. I could eat barely eat a cup by goal at 6 months. Maybe they were referring to the losing weight phase? I do eat more now: the recommended serving size or a little less depending what I’m eating. I eat more vegetables though: 1-1.5 cups steamed vegetables, 2 cups shredded lettuce.
My soft food stage ended at 6 weeks so you’re plan could be similar. I was still able to eat yoghurt & ‘soft’ foods like eggs, casseroles, Soups etc. but introduced more solid food as I was able. I was low carb but that generally came from rolled oats as a low processed, whole grain & then incidental carbs like in vegetables. I wouldn’t have reached my Protein goals without yoghurt every day (I gave up shakes once at the purée stage).
The no crystal light or other flavours could be because your surgeon wants you off artificial sweeteners as well as sugar. Artificial sweeteners still feed your craving for sugar & many cause irritation & allergies.
I’m just trying to suggest what your surgeon may be thinking but the best answers are going to come from them. Explain you’re confused because what the dietician is telling you is different & you’d like to know their reasons for the recommendations they’ve given so you understand.

Experiencing a change in your tastebuds &/or sense of smell (the smell of certain foods turns your tummy) is usually temporary. When I first started eating vegetables again my old favourites tasted disgusting but after a few weeks I could eat them without issue. Any prolonged change in your tastebuds usually occurs because you have reduced or removed certain foods/flavours from your diet & when you have them you don’t enjoy them as much. I still find some foods really sweet but that’s because I cut a lot of sugar & sweeteners out of my diet so it’s a good thing for me.
Generally the first couple of months can be challenging & cause a bit of an emotional roller coaster as you’re trying to sort out your eating choices, routines, etc. it does get easier. Because we eat such small quantities to begin it can make us weak, tired, or just blah if we miss meals & don’t hit our Fluid & Protein goals. You’ll work out ways to compensate for busy days that throw your routine too. I always took an electrolyte drink with me when I was going to be busy for an energy boost or you could take a Protein Shake. Zip lock bags with foods you can tolerate can be helpful too like nuts or Jerky as you’re allowed. For a while after goal I kept a Protein Bar in my bag. Maybe keep a small insulated bag in your car with some cheese, deli meat, etc. I also made sure I took a break - sat & had a cup of tea for 20-30mins.
It’s just all new, different, strange, … . Before you know it, you’ll be out & about, socialising, dining, getting on with life & you’ll look back & think that time I struggled was only for a short time really & now life is great.
All the best.

food tasted really weird to me for at least 6 months post-surgery. I googled it and apparently a percentage of folks who have sleeve and bypass surgery experience a change in tastes. I expect it has something to do with the GI hormones, but I'm not sure. Nothing tasted right and I thought I'd never be able to enjoy food again. Not so! First, don't expect anything to be the same (or similar to "before surgery") for about six months. There are so many physical and hormonal changes taking place. You may not "go back to normal," but you WILL find a new normal and it is wonderfully functional! Right now, just treat yourself as a beautiful child who is learning and growing. Do the program (make sure you are getting plenty of Protein and water), and you will be able to eat again, and even enjoy it. PS- I discovered quite a few of my "favorite" foods pre-surgery weren't enjoyable after because a part of eating them was to overeat them. Overeating now doesn't feel good and sometimes (even still) hurts terribly. I now have my taste buds back, enjoy what I always did, but have learned to eat them in small quantities. Wishing you ALL THE BEST!!

I am about 6weeks out with my Gastric Sleeve. I had the surgery Dec 29,2021. This past week it seems nothing tastes good or right. I’ll get so hungry and ready to eat, take a bite and it just isn’t good and don’t want to eat it. How long does this last?
Also, how long till you get over the regret of having the surgery? I will admit it is getting better it isn’t everyday. I went on errands with the family this weekend and totally got off my schedule and so didn’t feel good that evening. So the rest of the weekend totally depressed that I would not be normal again and not be happy again. How long till you feel normal again or even your new normal? Please no negative comments as I don’t need that right now.
Thank you for any advice

It sounds like you are actually hungry but that food doesn't taste good. I had the same thing. I never lost my hunger and nothing tasted good and I was miserable and regretted the surgery. That lasted almost four months. I feel much better now (5 months out). I've started enjoying eating again, and I've realized that while I can eat basically anything, some things are a LOT easier and more enjoyable to eat. For example, I cook a lot of meals with ground meat, rather than chicken breast/thighs. Also, ground meat reheats more easily. I can make chili, ground turkey stroganoff, taco meat... so much! I don't eat much salad because it isn't very comfortable. I was sad at first, because I used to eat a lot of salads, but I eat a lot of things I do like.
I still don't feel like I did before (I have so many dreams about eating a ton of food!) but this has definitely become my new normal and I'm becoming okay with it. It helps that I've lost a lot of weight!

I pretty much didn't give a flip about food for the first five months. I was never hungry and rarely craved anything. I had to actually remind myself to eat most of the time! BUT...that all usually comes back sometime during the first year, and things get a lot harder after that. Mine all came back at five months out. I wish it never did - it was SO much easier to lose weight when I was never hungry and could give a rat's behind about food! So I know this sounds weird to say, but enjoy it while it lasts! It'll never be easier to lose weight than it is right now.
I had regrets maybe the first month. But I'm so glad I had the surgery and I'd do it again in a heartbeat!
as far as not feeling normal and not being able to eat normally - that's really only the early months. I felt like myself at maybe two months out. As far as eating normally, once you're a ways out there are no more food restrictions. There may be some foods you'll have difficulty tolerating, but your surgeon isn't going to limit anything as you get further out. I was able to add more and more foods as time went on - and it six months out, they said I could eat whatever my system could tolerate (which for me is pretty much everything except for really fat-laden meals). I eat normally now - the only difference is I probably only eat half the amount I did before surgery. When I go out to eat, I'll usually order either an appetizer, or I'll order an entree, eat 1/3 - 1/2 of it, and take the rest home. To be honest, that's how a lot of my never-been-obese women friends eat all the time. No one would be able to tell anymore than I've had bariatric surgery - they'd just think I was a "light eater", if they even noticed at all.

From a personal standpoint, I found that some foods were not as appealing to me as they were in the past. At the same time I found that some foods that I did not particularly like were good to me now. My tastes did change but mostly went back to where they were before after a few months. I think the biggest thing at your stage that I saw was getting accustomed to eating differently, particularly at restaurants. The traditional, bread, app and meal were not possible for me any longer so I just order a main course or appetizer. I am much more satisfied with that now, and pick off my wife's plate if she has an appetizer.

It's very normal to regret surgery early on - many people do, and it's easy to see why. You're in pain from gas and the incisions, your weight hasn't gone down (and may have even gone up!) due to all the Fluid pumped into you during the surgery - as a side note, STAY AWAY from the scale for the first month!! And you may want to eat but cannot, you probably feel nausea and fatigue. Recovery SUCKS. Then ketosis symptoms set in. For me it was dry mouth, leg cramps when walking up a hill, brain fog, and general fatigue. I drank my 64 ounces of Water a day and still had cotton mouth. It was crazy. That being said... being in ketosis means you're burning all your fat stores to stay alive so you just cope with it. My dietician said you could resolve the symptoms temporarily by drinking 24 ounces of juice for 3 days. But the thought of drinking something so sweet made me want to gag so I never did that.
Anyway, IT DOES GET BETTER. When you step on the scale 4 weeks after surgery you'll see the number has dropped significantly. Your clothes will start feeling looser. The pain and nausea will subside. And you'll start to feel closer to normal. Every week it'll get a little better. Eventually your energy levels will normalize, and then they will increase as you get slimmer. It's fantastic.
I'm 5.5 months out now and feel great. I can eat relatively normally (albeit much smaller portions than I used to) but nothing bothers my tummy. My appetite is back but it's not impossible to ignore like it used to be. I feel 20 years younger and am in really good shape. I love being able to take stairs without losing my breath, bend over and pick things up off the floor without my joints and back aching, chasing my kids around, walking fast, and crossing my legs It all is worth it in the end!! Hang in there!

WLS is NOT the lazy easy way out. Get that out of your head. It's not a miracle cure. It's only a tool. You still have to do all the hard work. Second, it's only been a week. The surgery released hormones in your body and you're second-guessing what you did. You're healing. Life is changing. It's all normal to feel this way. Talk to the counselor at your surgeon's office and deal with some of these issues.

The sipping, like the staged returned to eating, is there for a reason, to support your healing. So don’t rush to drink more than a sip to begin. I can’t recall when I could drink more than a sip but it was months after surgery. I think I was able to reduce the time between sips from 5 mins to 2 or 3 after a month or two???
Are the hormones. Now how long that will persist is anyone’s guess. As you lose weight you will be releasing the oestrogen that was stored in your fat hence the fun hormonal roller coaster: the emotions, erratic periods, heavier, lighter, more or less frequent, more or less cramping, etc. I was menopausal & my symptoms disappeared for about 12 months post surgery (was close to my current weight). Even started reducing my HRT but then they all came back ☹️.

I do get urgent bowel movements so that is what I was concerned about. Someone mentioned above about being able to drink more than a sip so that will be helpful. May I ask how long before these changes occur? Also, did any of you experience the hormone changes. I am all over the place. Last night I was in bed crying to my husband what did I do? I know logically I did the right thing cause I have almost gained all my weight back and if I just let the doctor take out the band I would gaine it all back pluse more. Thank you all for the information and advice.

The amount I eat changes from day to do is my problem. Some days I can’t finish a 5oz yogurt. Other days I can eat a whole chicken breast. Why? Who knows. Could be related to my activity level... maybe when I run more? I should try and notice a pattern but I’m not much motivated too when I have a fifteen year old to eat my leftovers

Can’t really help with the bathroom issues but I set alarms on my phone to remind me to drink. Not everytime cause that would be distracting but like every hour and at that point I would assess whether I had been drinking as I should in that hour (if not then hold the water bottle or do whatever you gotta to catch up). Also, if you do get dehydrated again you should be able to call your doctor and have them arrange for you to get fluids as an out patient (you don’t have to go to the ER).