catwoman7

I was going to write that six weeks was a long time for an early stall and to double-check your calories, etc - but then I noticed that you're about 35 lbs from your goal weight. Weight loss really slows the closer you get to your goal. When I was only about 20 or 30 lbs from goal, there were some months when I only lost like two pounds, despite really working at it. I would for sure double-check my food intake, though, and make sure you're following your plan to a "T". But aside from that, you may just be in that stretch when weight loss becomes harder and harder... you've probably read that weight loss is due to about 90% food intake and 10% exercise - so although exercise does make a difference, it's pretty slight. It's more effective at maintaining weight than at losing weight (since it takes A LOT of exercise to burn up a significant amount of calories). It's also great for your health, regardless of your weight.

Yikes. It's not the surgery itself that's experimental - it's for this particular purpose. I know the surgery is good for diabetes, too - regardless of weight - but that's also probably considered "experimental" when done only for that purpose. I'm not sure what to say - I'm sure this is heartbreaking!

might be some requirement of the insurance company (?) - not sure.

^^ that was my first thought, too.

along the same lines as others have said, even though I eventually had my loose skin removed, I would have taken that any day over being morbidly obese again. No brainer. ANY FRICKIN' DAY!

I've been on this site for about eight years, and the patch vitamins come up once in awhile (esp when they first came out). They seem to work for some people, but not everyone. I've never tried them because I figured I'd be one of those they don't work for - but I've considered getting some for traveling since they're convenient and I wouldn't have to lug a bunch of pills around. Plus even if they don't work for me, a few days of low (or no) absorption won't kill me.

I lost hair from months 5-9, but it wasn't much and it wasn't noticeable. I noticed about double the amount of strands in my comb every time I combed my hair out after washing it, but looking at my hair in the mirror, no, I couldn't tell - so no one else would have been able to tell, either. I didn't take anything extra since most people claim taking whatever didn't help, so I didn't bother - but I did make sure to keep on top of my protein and vitamins to keep it from getting any worse than it otherwise would - but again, my hair loss was very minimal.

I agree with Arabesque. Letting old habits slip back in is what causes weight gain. If you let that happen again after bypass, then yes, you'll gain weight again. So you'll need to really monitor yourself this time around. Even at almost eight years out, I have to watch myself like a hawk or my weight will start heading north. Arabesque is also right when she says that weight loss is almost always slower after revision - BUT...you can lose the weight again if you really work at it!!

I wasn't allowed to have veggies and dressing, but everything else is the same - I was allowed 4-5 shakes a day, 1 C each of chicken broth and V8/tomato juice, and an unlimited amount of sugar free Jello, sugar free popsicles, and no- or very low calorie fluids.

I get the "petite calcium citrate" tablets at Walgreens (it's a Walgreens brand). Citracal makes a petite version, too.

chews, chewables, and liquids should all be fine. Bypass patients are usually told not to take gummies, but the other versions you mentioned are fine. Make sure your calcium supplements are calcium citrate, because we don't absorb calcium carbonate well (the person above mentioned Adora - maybe those are OK for sleeve patients, but not bypass patients). The Bariatric Fusion ones the other poster mentioned are fine for bypassers, though. The first few months post-op I took Bariatric Advantage calcium chews, those are fine for us too (later I just took calcium citrate tablets)

as others have said, weight loss after revisions is almost always slower than after a virgin surgery. Plus you're starting at a lower BMI to boot (and starting BMI is another factor in how fast or slow the weight loss is). Honestly, even given that, you're still losing faster than most people who've had a revision (and even faster than some of us slow-pokes who had a virgin surgery!). You are doing great - I'd quit worrying about it. Stay if the scale if it's playing with your mind too much - maybe just weigh once a week or a couple of times a month. If the general trend is down, you're good.

it's probably the carb withdrawal (and if you were a coffee drinker, caffeine withdrawal, too). The "Keto flu" is pretty common the first three or so days. Once your body goes into ketosis (around day 3 or 4), it does get a lot better. In addition to no- or very low calorie fluids (well, plus 4-5 protein shakes), I was allowed V8/tomato juice and clear broth (I think a cup of each) every day, so I always had those since the sodium in them made me retain water, which made me feel a little fuller, and I also ate sugar free popsicles and sugar free Jello with abandon since they were the only things I could have that somewhat resembled real food. There were some days I'd make the Jello that came in the larger-size boxes and eat the whole damn thing!!! Anyway, you'll get through it - and it should ease up a bit in another day or two. P.S. as others have said, the pre-op diet is the worst part of this whole thing. I was actually relieved the morning I was rolled into surgery because the godawful diet was OVER!! I found the progressive eating plan we go through after surgery (liquids, then purees, etc) way easier than that pre-op thing!!

LOL - me too!

same here - although maybe my age is a part of that? (I'm in my 60s). I love not sticking out in a crowd any more - or having people stare at me or make comments (mostly kids and teenage boys - didn't happen a lot, but it did happen...)

I lost no where NEAR 50% of my excess weight in three months. That is bizarre - I imagine very few of us have lost that quickly. I'm not sure I understand your chart, but most of us lose somewhere in the 15-25 lb range the first month, then 10 lbs (give or take) for a few months, and then it drops...and drops...and drops. By the end (I finally stopped losing weight in month 20), I was losing like 2 lbs a month. EDIT - never mind - I get it now. So you've lost about 30 lbs in two months? That's absolutely normal. I started out heavier than you, and I'd lost 29 lbs by then. Just stick to your plan and the weight will come off. I ended up losing over 200 lbs.

re: the hair loss - that's a very well-known "feature" - I'm surprised no one ever said anything to you about it beforehand. It does stop, though -and the hair grows back. Just keep on top of your protein and vitamins. you might want to work with a therapist/counselor about the self-esteem issue. Lots of us have seen therapists for various reasons and found it very helpful.

most people do lose some hair - it usually starts about 3-6 months after surgery - so I don't think the stricture would have affected that. You likely would lose it regardless.

I agree with the others - exercise only accounts for about 10% of weight loss (although it's great for your health!). It seems to be more effective once you hit maintenance (research shows this - I'm currently taking a graduate level nutrition class on obesity and weight loss). most people are encouraged to get at least 150 minutes a week of exercise for health - more for weight loss/maintenance (up to 300-ish hours). Strength training 2x a week, cardio three or more times a week, so you're doing great there. But you also need to have a routine that you like and are likely to continue long term. Your routine sounds fine - but are you OK with it? You don't need to add to it unless you really want to - unless you want to add some variety to keep it interesting. For my cardio, I rotate walking, swimming, water aerobics, biking (when the weather cooperates), and cardio dancing (such as Zumba). I also do walking videos (youtube) a lot in the winter (like "Walk Away the Pounds"). I need the variety since I'm susceptible to "fitness burnout"...

you may or may not have much - as others have said, it varies a lot. I had a ton of it as an older woman who lost over 200 lbs, but it was really easy for me to hide it in clothes. No one knew it was there except for my doctor and my husband. I've since had it removed because it was driving me nuts (because *I* knew it was there - and I also got tired of my loose stomach skin slapping up against me while exercising), but it was invisible to the outside world.

I got the bypass rather than the sleeve, but my answer would be the same regardless. The first few weeks post-surgery can be rough and some people initially do have regrets, but once they get through that, almost no one has regrets other than they wish they'd have done it sooner. Having this surgery changed (and probably saved) my life. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Best decision I've ever made!

yes! Gastric sleeve for years was phase 1 of the DS, back in the days when a lot of surgeons did the DS in two stages - first, they created a sleeved stomach, and then, several months later, they'd go back in and bypass most of the small intestine. However, enough people lost enough weight on stage 1 alone that they started offering it as a standalone surgery - and the VSG was born! long way of saying - of couse you can, since the sleeve is the first stage of the DS.

P.S. some surgeons prefer doing the sleeve because it's easier to do. If you decide you really want RNY, though - be persistent - or find a surgeon who'll do it (although you said you're OK with the sleeve now...)

I decided to have surgery during the summer of 2014, but I had to change insurance policies to one that covered it - and that wouldn't take effect until January 2015. The new company required a six- month supervised diet as part of its list of requirements for bariatric surgery, but they said I could do that before I switched over to them if I wanted, and it would still count - so I decided to at least do that much while I was waiting to be switched over. So I officially started up in the bariatric program as soon as my new insurance kicked in, in January 2015 (with my six-month diet already under my belt). I got through all the other requirements by late March, I think - and they said I could have surgery in late April/early May, but since I worked at a university, my supervisor wanted me to wait until the spring semester was over, so I had it June 3. So in other words, it was six months from the time I entered the program until I had my surgery - but I could have had it about four months after starting the program if it wasn't for work. But again, I'd already had my six-month supervised diet requirement finished before I started the program (not all insurance companies require the supervised diet, though...but many do)

low vitamin D is super common, and not just with WLS patients. A supplement should bring that back up. as far as bilirubin, sometimes liver enzymes are out of whack the first year or so after WLS because losing weight - esp as quickly as we do - is really hard on livers. I think my bilirubin was OK, but my AST and ALT levels were really high the first year. By the end of the second year, they were back to normal. Although your doctor may recommend you follow up just in case it's something else - but often that's all it is.