biginjapan

I think Hair loss is common for most gastric surgery patients, usually somewhere in the 3-6 month range post-op. Then it'll last 1-3 months. That's what happened to me with my first surgery and now that I'm 2 months post-op on my second I'm much more aware of the hair that seems to be falling out. I've done Biotin supplements, shampoos, and conditioners, and I don't know if they help or not, but hair loss happened regardless. Unless you already have really thin hair, it probably won't be noticeable to anyone but you and your hairdresser. I did notice the first time this happened that the hairline at my temples got really bare, so I did have to try different styles (or avoid others) to hide it, but otherwise it was okay.

I feel your pain! I had the sleeve done three years ago, lost over 100 pounds in about 10 months, then gained about 60 back through bad food choices and/or just plain overeating (even healthy foods). I'd go on reset diets which would work for a while, but then I would plateau for a long time and start to gain weight again. Part of the problem was trying to deal with my food addictions that came back once I fell off the bariatric diet wagon. After a while it was just too hard to get back on again. Eventually I decided to have a revision to bypass, which I had done 2.5 weeks ago. Hopefully that's not something you'll have to do - if you have support groups around you and people that you can work with, it should be possible to lose the weight you regained.

The reality is that the more you stray from the program set by your doctor and nutritionist, the less successful you will be in losing weight quickly. Drinking during the first year is a choice that will make it harder to lose weight, just like choices others make to eat sugar, carbs or fat. I'm not trying to reprimand anyone about their choices, but you need to bear in mind that they come with consequences.
Personally, I think it's very important to maximize weight loss during the honeymoon period, when it is easier than it will ever be again. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

I'm also struggling. I guess boredom is a little bit of an issue, but I'm a happy introvert so staying home for long periods of time is not a big problem. But because I live in a small apartment, the kitchen is always a few steps away. It's hard to keep track of time since I don't have a regular schedule and I've stopped tracking. I just had a revision 7 weeks ago but I feel no restriction - I can eat whatever I want. To be clear, I don't (but I could). It's really hard to stick to tiny portions when they are so unsatisfying to eat. I've realised that I just enjoy the act of eating/chewing. It doesn't matter what. So I need to be careful about that. But I'm sticking to Protein and veggies (mostly) and the weight is still slowly coming off. I usually get my 10,000 steps daily (a two-hour, 7-8 km walk at night, usually after 9 p.m.) which is keeping me sane.
I find the most important thing for me is to keep busy and not in front of the computer! I start teaching online in 2 weeks so that will give me a bit of a schedule, but I need to work out how I can get my work done, but still do other things as well, including going outside for some fresh air and sun. Not sure how it'll work out. I live alone, have already been self-isolating for 6 weeks and will have about 4 months more to look forward to (unless things dramatically get better). The struggle really hit me this week. I've decided that I also need to start doing some weight training and core exercises, to help keep my body conditioned.

Weighed myself yesterday morning, and I was 227 lbs. The weight I was that got me to start this journey to begin with was 427 lbs., almost two years ago. Sure, today I fluctuated up 4 lbs. due to Water retention from what I ate yesterday (and not having a bowel movement until after I'd eaten breakfast), but I count that as a win. For reference, I was 360 lbs on the day of my surgery, 13 months ago.

It is - that's what makes it easier for surgeons to do, instead of a tiny pouch like the RNY.

Mine is 150cm too haven't had any dumping etc yet and I'm 5wks out

Had my surgery on Feb 13th 2020. And ever since surgery my poo and farts are 10x more stinky. And I fart 10x as much as I used to. And my poo looks like a really light colored clay. Lol 🤭

Poo-pourri has worked wonders but for me the oil slicks that sometimes appear are a real annoyance more when i'm out than at home when I can clean up after myself. My gas is something my wife and I are both getting used to. I seemed to have trained my body to not have to fart while at work - but I feel bad for those I crop dust on the streets of NYC as soon as I leave the office. Night time is really when all hell breaks loose. The oil slick doesn't happen nearly as often but it's obviously totally dependent on what I eat, but the gas is always bad.

So I’ve been trying to get pictures every month to allow ME see the progress. I was sleeved 1/7/20. LOOK!

you're what we call a "lightweight", so you're not going to lose nearly as fast as someone who starts out at over 300 lbs. You are doing just fine - at least in the weight loss dept.
you're NOT doing fine in the drinking dept - and I"m glad you said you're going to try to cut it out. Like someone else said, my surgeon didn't allow drinking for the first year after surgery - and even now, we're only supposed to drink occasionally - and maybe just a glass of wine or two (or the equivalent) the few times when we DO drink. Alcoholism isn't uncommon among bariatric patients because of transfer addiction, so watch it...

Thank you guys for the support and encouragement! It literally bought tears to my eyes. I’m so happy to have found this site because WLS is not for the faint of heart. I will endeavor to cut out the drinking bc I don’t want to trade one health issue for another. Lily66 I wrote an affirmation on an index card the other day that said “I will be gentle with myself and others” - so your encouragement was the reminder I needed. Unfortunately I tend to be very hard on myself and stress out if I don’t do things perfectly. But perfection is overrated Thanks again guys!

I don’t have the answer, will leave that to others with more experience, but just HAD to SEND YOU HUGS working from home, trying to keep 2 adolescent children occupied and moving forward AND manage our WLS details.
Slim_mommee, this hugs for You and All in similar challenge. BE GENTLE WITH YOURSELF!! Congrats on reaching out here! This too shall pass!!
All Best Wishes!💖

We have very similar stats - my surgery was on March 11th. I was 204 on the day of surgery - lost 19 lbs since then. It's really slowed down after the first few weeks - I've also only lost 3 lbs over the past two weeks.
On the other hand, this is the lowest weight I've been in a decade. 6 more lbs, and I'll be the lowest weight of my adult life. And last time I was at this weight, I was STARVING all the time. Right now, I have to remind myself to eat most days. So I'm feeling pretty confident that the weight loss will continue. Even at a lb a week, I'd reach a normal weight by 2021. That would have been impossible before this surgery.

This forum has been so helpful to maintaining my positive attitude. There are other slow losers here who are farther along in their journey - so you see it does work!

As for the drinking, I did drink alcohol once since my surgery. However, I will try not to do that again for a while. I'm less worried about calories or slowing my weight loss than other issues. As NovaLuna says, bariatric surgery definitely changes how you process alcohol - I could tell this from my try. And studies show increased risks of addiction and alcohol related death or health problems after bariatric surgery. I had some issues with alcohol in my 20s, and I don't want to trade one problem for another.

But please don't beat yourself up about it! That won't help. It's a really tough time right now for most people. Taking it day by day and doing our best is all we can do.

... you do know that you're not supposed to drink alcohol for the first year after surgery right? My surgeon was VERY clear about that! And even though some surgeons are more lax they tell you to wait at LEAST 6 months before drinking alcohol. It's gonna slow your weight loss down and I'd worry about your liver because 1 glass is like drinking 3 or 4. That's how your system is processing it now. I'm not trying to preach or anything but my uncle didn't think it was a big deal and started drinking a beer every couple of days a few months out of his surgery and in less than two years he was dead of cirrhosis of his liver when he had been perfectly healthy before his weight loss surgery. I really don't want someone elses family to have to go through that!

I'm 5 weeks post op and except for the potatoes, I can eat that much. (it bothers me that I can, I don't feel any restriction, I'm trying hard to keep calories low but it's hard).

at 6 weeks turkey bacon or turkey sausage should be tolerated. You have to see how your body tolerates it as far as weight loss.
Before corona bs started I was eating a large breakfast a few days a week coming out of a 14 hour IF. 2 egg, 2 bacon, half a potato of home fries. Call it 600-700 calories. I have since replaced this with 2 hardboiled egg, 1 cup fruit, 1 slice of cheese. My weight hasnt budged despite this being a much more healthy option.

I think bacon is ok, but not every day. You're going to have to choose what kind of post op person you wanna be. Are you a person who is going to be super strict and a stick to everything your doctor says or a in moderation person. So based off of that you'll get different answers coming from a strict diet person and a moderation person. I'm a in moderation person (although my doctor did tell me regardless of what I eat I will lose no matter what in the first 6months). I do not restrict myself and will eat anything in moderation. For the most part I eat healthy and what I should be eating. But do I have bacon once every two weeks yes. Do I eat chocolate once a week yep... have I ate chips yep! But its all in moderation and knowing you have the will power to control yourself and not binge eat.

I would make eggs your main focus when you're eating breakfast and have 1 piece of bacon. Or make bacon and put some bits mixed in with your egg. Same goes with sausage and ham. Moderation is the key. I'm 8months out and have always lost and never gained. By 2months 2wks post op I was 32lbs down (started at 261lbs), but like someone else mentioned a lot of factors play into how much and how fast ppl lose. I stalled around the same time as you and for almost 3wks it was very discouraging. You still have a long way to go... as do I, hang in there the weight will come off!!

My surgery was 2/26.
I have eaten sausage and ham a bunch of times. Didn't really think I was cheating. Heck I had a small bowl of sausage and peppers last night.

I've lost about 35 so far but I'm a guy so its different.

Hi Carol,
what kind of surgery did you have and what’s your starting weight or surgery weight, if you don’t mind me asking? I didn’t see it on your profile. I’ve found from my very limited experience that those that weighed more tend to lose more at first. I’m 5 weeks out and the last time I weighed I was down 16 pounds so we may be about the same start weight or weight day of surgery. I was 230 on my surgery date. Also you may be on that stall that some have endured for up to 3 weeks. 😟
What are you eating and how much exercise are you getting in? I know our Veterans will have words of wisdom.

I think your energy will come back once you start eating a few more calories. If you are out walking say an hour, you will burn around 250 calores and if you are eating only 600-800 you dont have much left to have energy from. So watch out for eating too few calories as well. The first few weeks or so are your body taking the energy it needs to heal so dont overdo it.

Re: dark circles - it could be the fat loss as well. I definitely notice it more in my face than in any other part of my body. Thankfully they look better today, so that's reassuring. Although last night I Facetimed my parents and they both thought I had put on weight (!). They don't know about the surgery, and I know that computer/phone cameras are not great, but still, you would have thought they would have noticed a 30 pound weight loss!
That's really too bad about your energy levels - hopefully things will get better soon. I spent all day yesterday going through my closets, boxes, and suitcases to sort through my clothes (yes, suitcases, because Japanese apartments have little storage space and I hate throwing clothes out with weight loss and gains since it's virtually impossible to buy clothes here). I basically sorted everything into piles (too big, just right, almost right, too small) but have to pack everything back into storage now. I sure don't feel like doing it although it looks like my closets exploded all over the apartment! But I think that has more to do with laziness than energy levels.

Re: dark circles - it could be the fat loss as well. I definitely notice it more in my face than in any other part of my body. Thankfully they look better today, so that's reassuring. Although last night I Facetimed my parents and they both thought I had put on weight (!). They don't know about the surgery, and I know that computer/phone cameras are not great, but still, you would have thought they would have noticed a 30 pound weight loss!
That's really too bad about your energy levels - hopefully things will get better soon. I spent all day yesterday going through my closets, boxes, and suitcases to sort through my clothes (yes, suitcases, because Japanese apartments have little storage space and I hate throwing clothes out with weight loss and gains since it's virtually impossible to buy clothes here). I basically sorted everything into piles (too big, just right, almost right, too small) but have to pack everything back into storage now. I sure don't feel like doing it although it looks like my closets exploded all over the apartment! But I think that has more to do with laziness than energy levels.

Zucchini noodles. Make them yourself with a spiraliser if you can’t buy fresh from your grocery store or greengrocer. Or try a bean Pasta (mung bean, chick peas, etc.) but check the carbs.
Have to admit I’ve been surprised by how many threads today include people talking about eating bread & pasta when only a short time post surgery & early on their weight loss journey. I haven’t eaten bread, pasta or rice for a year & I haven’t missed it at all. Eating carb rich foods is a big no during weight loss as it is so filling. Your stomach is so small, your focus should be on getting in your Protein & then other nutrient rich foods not filling it with unnecessary carb heavy starchy foods.
During weight loss the only cabs I had were oatmeal (one serve was 3 or 4 breakfasts), and naturally occurring carbs in protein rich foods (like vegetables, fruit, meats & dairy). I examined everything I bought to ensure they contained low carbs. I make fresh food every day & have only had one take away (Chinese braised chicken & vegetables) & once 3 gyoza at lunch with a friend in a year.
Now in maintenance, I eat some multi grain crackers with hummus to help with my calorie intake & add in some good fibre. I still check carb levels on everything.
That’s my rant for today.

Me too!!! I find myself mindlessly eating at times and not being conscious of it. It’s a long instilled habit that’s hard to break.