catwoman7

."I see so many things about weight loss and how some still lose way past a year and then some don’t" that largely depends on where you start. I don't know what your starting BMI or weight was, but I was almost 400 lbs. I lost down to 138 lbs at first (have put on some since then, which is very common) - so yea, I lost for almost two years. For people who only have 100 or so lbs to lose (or fewer), it might only take a year.

if it's been two years, it may not necessarily be related to your surgery. Maybe you have a bug? Or maybe something with some other organ in your G/I tract (like liver or pancreas)? Or maybe something like IBD? I'd check with a doctor - for peace of mind, if nothing else.

it could definitely be a stall - mine tended to be more frequent and lasted longer the closer i got to a normal BMI. Every time I'd think "well, i guess this is it...", and then the weight loss would start up again. if you're doesn't in another couple of weeks and you still want to lose more, about the only thing you can do is cut calories (or increase activity - or both).

dumping syndrome happens to about 30% of bypass patients. It can happen with sleeve patients, too, but it's much less common than it is in bypass patients. if you eat a lot of sugar or fat in one sitting and then start getting sweats, chills, heart palpitations, dizziness, and sometimes diarrhea and vomiting, and it goes on for hours, then you'll know you get dumping syndrome. But again, it's not that common in sleeve patients.

I would guess the sugar. It does that to me sometimes as well.

they often charge insurance companies way more than they charge self-pays. My plastic surgery was self-pay. I originally got a statement that my surgery (which I'd already paid for) was like three times more than what i paid for it. When I called, they said it was just a statement and to ignore it since I'd already paid. I'm pretty sure that was the amount that would have been billed to the insurance company if insurance would have covered it.

agree with summerseeker. Stick to your clinic's plan. It's there for a reason.

hunger returns for most people at some point during the first year. Mine came back at five months out. So yes - it's normal.

a 10- to 20-lb weight gain after you hit your lowest weight is very common - usually in year 2 or 3. bruising - I don't think I've ever heard this and I've been hanging out here for seven years, so it may be unrelated to your surgery. I'd check with your PCP P.S. you can always lose weight by cutting calories, but if your body is most comfortable at 155, it'll be a challenge to lose weight and keep it off. It can be done, it'll just be a challenge if you have to fight your body to do it. also - brain fog and fatigue - I haven't heard that either, but I suppose it could be related to a deficiency. Hopefully they'll do bloodwork while you're there so they can see if your deficient in anything, Deficiencies are pretty rare if you keep on top of your supplements, though - and you're a sleeve patient, so they're rarer still. Hopefully your physical exam will uncover whatever it is that's going on.

taking a laxative is not going to make any difference in your liver size. Plus, I'd give that habit up. That's part of "diet mentality" (and extreme diet mentality at that - that's more bulemic mentality), and we need to get beyond disordered habits like that.

I lost 16 lbs the first month, and I started out at almost 400 lbs. unless you're the size of someone on "My 600 lb Life", you're not going to see enormous drops. Most of us "normal" WLS patients lose about 15-25 lbs the first month, and then maybe 10 lbs give or take a month for a few months after that (and it slows down more than further out you get). your weight loss is completely normal - you're doing fine! as for no desire to eat, also normal. It's very common to lose one's hunger and appetite for several months after surgery. Mine came back after five months, and honestly, I wish it never had. It was SO MUCH EASIER to lose weight when I was never hunger and didn't give a flip about food! P.S. of course, you will always find some "normal" WLS patients who lose more than 25 lbs the first month - but they're the exception. On top of that, you're starting out at a much lower weight than many of us. Starting BMI is one of the major factors in your rate of weight loss. The higher it is, the faster you're likely to lose. So don't worry - you are doing absolutely fine!

yes - that's what they gave me after my plastic surgery (oral steroids - in my case, prednisone - you probably have the same. You take them for 10 days, if I remember correctly...).

I know other people who can't handle food in the morning (actually, even some people who HAVEN'T had weight loss surgery can't handle food in the morning!). My dietitian tells them it's fine to have a protein shake for breakfast.

I agree - I'd check with your clinic before doing anything. I suspect bio oil would might cause the same potential issues as lotions or creams would. I got really itchy after one of my plastic surgeries - reactions to the adhesive or tape they used. They put me on oral prednisone for a few days, so maybe they could do something like that. But I'd call your clinic before doing anything.

I've read mixed reviews on vitamin patches. They seem to work for some, but not for others. Some clinics don't allow them. I've never tried them because I'm afraid I'd be one of those people they wouldn't work for - but I've considered getting them for traveling since it's just short-term, so it wouldn't be a huge problem if it turned out they didn't work for me.

I thought the liquid diet was the worst part of the whole ordeal. You just have to white knuckle it to get through it. Although in your case, if you're having a hard time keeping your glucose level in the right range, I'd contact your surgeon's office and let them know. being nervous before surgeries is pretty common. I've had four surgeries, and I freak out every time - but they've always gone really well.

some drugs will do that, too - like PPI's. I now use a dry mouth toothpaste and have things like dry mouth lozenges, sprays, and gels nearby all the time.

I agree - check with your doctor. Could be a number of things, including low blood pressure, low blood sugar, an inner ear imbalance, some deficiency....hard to tell since that could be indicative of several issues.

I'm several years out, but starting at probably a year out, or maybe just a few months, I could eat enough that no one could tell I'd had weight loss surgery. Even now, at a restaurant I'll typically eat an appetizer - or else order an entree and eat about half of it, and take the other half home. Honestly, that's pretty much how several of my never-been-obese women friends eat. I'd probably be considered a "light eater", but again, it's not obvious at all that I've had surgery. and yes - I eat what my family eats, just smaller portions, and I focus on protein.

sounds like GERD. I had that before I had my bypass.

as long as you're following the plan, I wouldn't worry about it. There could be a number of factors affecting your weight loss (hormones? Constipation? Water retention?). The goal of this pre-op diet is to shrink your liver, so you're good..

it's pretty easy to hide in clothes. I've since had mine removed, but before I did, I stuck to 3/4 length (or longer) sleeves, jeans or "tummy control" leggings, and slightly oversized, long-ish tops. No one knew it was there except me and my husband (well, and my doctor). I'm in my 60s and lost over 200 lbs, so yea, I had a lot of it. Here's a picture of me BEFORE I had all the excess skin removed:

almost everyone has their first major stall within the first month of surgery...

rootbeer came out a year or two ago, the other two are brand new. I've tried the root beer - I really liked it - but some people aren't as crazy about it. I guess it depends on whether you like root beer or not. I blend mine with milk (or almond milk) and ice to make a "root beer float" I've heard a lot of positive comments about moonbeam mist (and yes, they say it tastes like Sprite), but I haven't tried it

not vanilla, but the Bariatric Advantage coconut-flavored chew isn't too far off...