catwoman7

30 lbs in one month is actually a lot. We see that mostly in people who start out with a super high BMI (although there are some exceptions to that). I've been hanging out on various bariatric surgery boards for six or seven years, and just based on my random observations, I'd say most people are more in the 15-25 lb range, with some exceptions, of course. I lost 16 lbs the first month and felt like a failure, but my dietitian said that wasn't unusual. I went on to lose 100% of my excess weight. So don't be discouraged.

I'm really enjoying the Earth Grown Veggie Burgers from Aldi's (they come in Thai, Asian, and Black Bean Chipotle). I also love, love, love Beyond Burgers. I put all on Brownberry Sandwich Thins or the Aldi's equivalent and make up sauces for them (since the only one I put ketchup on is the Beyond Burger. It seems wrong on the others) I also love Aldi's Fit & Active 20-calorie bars (see pic below) Light & Fit Creme Brulee (one of their seasonal flavors, so it's not always available) is a favorite, too.

I don't feel the same "full" feeling I did pre-surgery. Sometimes if I eat too much I start feeling uncomfortable, so I stop (because I know if I don't, I'll probably get sick). And other times, I just don't feel like eating anymore. I guess that might be "not hungry anymore" (????)

I haven't had those in ages - but yes, they're excellent!

the first foot or so of your small intestine is bypassed. That's the area where certain vitamins are absorbed by the body - whether from food or vitamin pills. So we have to take vitamin pills (which give you much larger doses than you could get from food) to make up for that.

yes - that is true. That's why you have to take vitamins for the rest of your life. But you'll have to do it with the sleeve as well. My clinic has the bypass patients and the sleeve patients on the same vitamin regimen. as long as you keep on top of your vitamins, deficiencies are rare.

no - I just had bypass. I didn't have it until five years ago, and the band was already going out of favor then (sleeve has largely replaced it). I went with the bypass since I had GERD prior to surgery, to my surgeon recommended we do that instead of the sleeve. I've been really happy with it.

hair loss is very common with both surgeries. It has nothing to do with the type of surgery, it has to do with the trauma that surgery causes to the body. It's actually a risk with ANY major surgery - not just weight loss surgeries (although I'm guessing you see it more often with WLS, though, since we're taking in so few calories the first few months after surgery). At any rate, it's no more common with bypass than it is with the sleeve. Most WLS patients experience it. The good news is, for most of us, we're the only ones who notice, and also, it's almost always temporary. Vitamin deficiency is rare as long as you keep on top of your vitamins. You'll have to take vitamins with either surgery. dumping - only 30% of us dump (I never have). And it can be controlled by limiting or avoiding sugar. if you have reflux, bypass is the way to go. Bypass often improves if not outright cures it. Sleeve has been known to make it worse (it doesn't happen to everyone - or even most - but it's a significant enough minority that most surgeons will steer you toward bypass if you've had reflux issues) yes, there are more complications with bypass, but to be honest, they're actually not very common with either surgery. Most of us sail through with none - or only very minor issues that are usually "fixable".

I just did a search on this site for you. There are literally 17,501 posts on this early stall. Pretty much everyone has it. I really think bariatric clinics ought to warn people about this because it happens to almost everyone, and people really freak out about it. Just stick to your plan and your weight loss will start up again. Stay off the scale if you have to. It usually lasts 1-2 weeks. Here are all the posts on it. Really - over 17,000 of them. https://www.bariatricpal.com/search/?q=three-week stall

I felt that way before surgery. No more. I feel healthier and more energetic at 60 than I ever did at 40!

nope - I never had any kids.

it's the three-week stall - you're just having it early. Pretty much everyone goes through that. Mine was weeks 2 and 3. My weight loss started up again during week four, and I dropped like 6-8 lbs within a couple of days. Just stick to your program and it'll break - stay off the scale if you have to. if you search this state for "three-week stall', you'll find 17,501 postings on it (and no...I'm NOT kidding). Happens to almost everyone.

1) some nerves were probably cut during the surgery, and it'll take time for them to regenerate 2) most of us don't feel restriction until we start eating solid food 3) "fullness" feels different after surgery than it does before. It takes awhile to recognize our new "full" signals. So in the mean time, just follow the guidelines so you don't overeat.

I just got the lift (no implants) because I always had big boobs and they were completely deflated after my weight loss. I looked like i was 90 years old. I did NOT want implants because I was always envious of people who had small breasts. So now I have the perky teenage breasts like the above posters. I'm a 36B - which is perfect for me. I'm very happy with the results and wish I'd have done it years ago! (although if I'd have done it years ago, I probably would have had to have it re-done after the massive weight loss....so it's probably just as well that i waited!)

^^^ what she said. Stick to the portion size recommendations you were given. This is your best opportunity to lose a truckload of weight - be sure to use it as it'll get much harder when you're a few months out!!

I took off three weeks but could have gone back after two. I had a desk job, though. If you're on your feet a lot, you may need longer...

you're in the infamous three-week stall. It isn't always the third week, but it usually is, hence the name. It can really happen any time during the first month or so after surgery. I had mine weeks 2 and 3. My weight loss started up again during week 4, and I dropped like 6-8 lbs in a couple of days. Just stick to your plan, stay off the scale if you have to, and be confident your weight loss will start up again, because it will. btw - this happens to almost all of us, and bariatric clinics really should warn people about it because people freak out about it when it happens to them. I just did a search for you on this site on the three-week stall. Here are the posts - 17,501 of them (and no, I am NOT kidding! Like I said, it happens to almost everyone): https://www.bariatricpal.com/search/?q=three-week stall

mine is opened with reduced capacity - and not all services are available. They have a few classes (nowhere near all), and they limit the attendance and socially distance in those, but I don't go to those - I have no idea how their ventilation system is, and having people huffing and puffing doing Zumba or whatever in an enclosed space just seems unsafe to me. I do go to the weight room occasionally, but I go mid-morning when there are only like five of us there (tops), and I go to the branch across town rather than the one by my house because the weight room there is a lot bigger, the ceilings are higher, and the machines are more spread out. And I stay as far away from people as I possibly can when I'm in there. Everyone wears a mask at all times and they have you pick up a spray bottle of disinfectant and a towel when you check in to clean the machines before and after you use them, so I guess they've taken as many precautions as they can, and again, I go during the day when there aren't many people there, but I still worry about it occasionally. so I just do weights there - occasionally. i do all my cardio outside - walking and bike riding. I really miss dance cardio, but it's going to be a long time before I do it again. Or at least at the gym.

60 now but had it at 55. I know several WLS patients who had it in their 60s, so you're definitely not alone!

might be due to low carbing, too. I think I've read about people having that who were doing Keto.

only because I know...that they know...that the whole "diet & exercise" thing doesn't work for most people. But skinny people believe all that... Plus I think the fellow obese really do want to know.

yep - the three-week stall - right on time! It usually lasts 1-2 weeks (mine was two weeks), but I know one woman whose three-week stall lasted for 3.5 weeks! (although that long is kind of unusual....). Just stick to your program and it'll eventually break - stay off the scale if you have to!

btw - I get it as well. I gained 12 lbs during year 3 (which was OK since I was too thin at my lowest weight), and eight lbs last year (NOT OK). I've been really struggling to take that off - watching my calories, tracking everything, exercising almost every day (for the last couple of months, my primary exercise is bike riding, which I do 1-2 hours a day, 5-6 days a week). I've lost a measly three lbs. I suppose if I cut back to like 800 or 1000 calories a day, I could lose it faster - but I don't think I'd find that very sustainable five years out. Luckily, my weight is OK - I'd just like to lose another five lbs, but still - this is tough!! back when I was morbidly obese, I used to roll my eyes at these women who were normal weight or slightly overweight who'd moan and complain about hard it was to lose five (or ten...) lbs. Yea....right. Try losing 100 or more! But now...I finally get it!!!

you just had major surgery. A rough week or two isn't uncommon. Just make sure you're staying hydrated, and try to get in as much protein as you can. You should start feeling better and better every day... "Buyer's remorse" is common during the first few weeks after surgery, but most of us end up being very glad we had the surgery.

weight gain during year 3 is very common - with or without PCOS. Some people have had luck with Weight Watchers, intermittent fasting, or Keto. Some just go back to what they were doing in year 1 - not all the way back to protein shakes and purees, but the whole protein first, then non-starchy vegetables, and maybe an occasional serving of fruit or whole-grain carb. If you do the latter, start tracking (if you're not doing it anymore) to see where you're averaging calorie-wise, and then start cutting back from that. I find that easier to do if I cut 100 calories at a time rather some drastic cut. different methods work for different people - so just find one that works for you. You CAN lose regain - although it's much slower and harder than it was when you were in weight loss mode.