RussT

I'm 5 months post-op and I'm down 131 pounds. Starting at 470 and now 339. For those who are on the fence about getting the surgery, or have just gotten it and are hoping it works for them, let me tell you, if you follow your doctor's advice, it will work. I hardly get hungry anymore and when I do and eat, I get full almost instantly. As soon as I do feel satisfied, I feel that I can't eat another bite, which is something I never experienced before having this surgery. In the past, even if I was full, I could keep eating and stuff myself. I know now, that if I did that I'd get nauseous so I STOP when my body tells me to. I have very few cravings too. This surgery has been a miracle to me. Weight loss isn't as fast as it was in the first month or so, but I do tend to lose around 3-4 pounds a week and I'll gladly take that. At this rate I'll be in the high 200s by Summer and to see my weight start with the number 2 will be amazing.

I wanted McDonald's today. I'm almost 4 months post op and it is allowed, but it's been many months since I've had fast food. I ordered 1 cheeseburger and medium fries. I also asked for the McDonald's Nutrition Facts which is a free and very handy guide to all the nutrition for all the food they serve. It breaks down each item on the menu and gives you total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbs, sugar, and most important Protein all in grams. It of course also gives you calories, but I don't look at calories anymore. It's all about how much protein I intake and watch how much fat too. Maybe some of you already know about this guide, but I'm really happy to have it because sometimes when you're out and about and you need to eat, fast food is the easiest choice.

Every time I got on the digital scale at my surgeon's office it was always 10-15 pounds heavier than my digital scale at home. At my 1 month post-op I was 398 pounds on my home scale and the same day at the surgeon's office they insisted that I was 412! They insisted their scale was right. Well, today I had my 3 month post-op appointment and I brought my digital scale from home. My scale said I was 360. Their scale said I was 360. Then they told me they recently had their scales calibrated because they were inaccurate. HA! I WAS RIGHT! I AM VINDICATED!!!! I just wanted to post this and vent. Thanks.

I'll be 3 months post-op in 1 week and luckily I've had zero issues with getting enough water or protein everyday. You just need to do follow your doctor's advice and the plan they give you. Also, I started walking pretty soon within a few days and about 3 weeks after surgery I was given the OK to swim so I started swimming for 30 minutes before work every day. You have to exercise! I don't like getting up extra early to do it, but I do it because you have to. I've lost 108 pounds in 3 months and having the surgery was the best decision I've ever made.

Next week I will be 3 months post-op and I won't have to mix skim milk and Protein powder in my shaker bottle anymore. The nutritionist said I'll be able to buy pre-packaged Protein drinks, and I think that's going to be so much more convenient. Here's my question: I don't know what the best pre-packaged protein drinks to buy. Any suggestions? Thanks.

I put him back in his box for safekeeping.

Well, I started out at 470 so when you're that size you lose more at the beginning I think. All I can say is I follow the food plan my doctor suggested and I weigh and measure everything, plus I swim 35 minutes before work every day. I've noticed that I will lose a few pounds one week and then the following week I lose nothing. That seems to be what's been happening for over a month. Every other week I go down 3-5 pounds it seems.

Are you experiencing actual physical hunger, or just a food craving in your mind because you can't eat whatever you want? If it's actually physical hunger, I don't know what to tell you except call your surgeon for their advice. If it's just a craving, well that's not hunger, it's your brain missing the food you used to enjoy, so you need to do something to keep your mind occupied off of food. Go for a walk, if you have a hobby do that. Wish I had more advice.

I just had to share this. As of yesterday I am officially 100 pounds lighter from my first day of my pre-op diet on October 28, 2016. In fact, tonight I was 367 pounds so now it's 103 pounds lost from my starting weight of 470 pounds. I am over the moon. If anyone is on the fence about getting this surgery, let me tell you. It's the best choice I've made in years. You have to follow your doctor's advice and do what they tell you to do including what to eat and exercise. If you do that you will get results!

Sent from my SM-G925T using the BariatricPal App I feel your pain. I had a day like that within my first 4-6 weeks post-op where I sat there for 45 minutes on the bowl and nothing. I had to use a Fleet enema and even THAT took 1/2 an hour to kick in and I still felt like I was giving birth!I suggest you get some Metamucil and be sure to drink plenty of water. I also use the Metamucil fiber cookies. They are 2 cookies per pouch and they work too.

No depression or anything like that. It's just such a strange feeling to not be interested in food anymore after an entire life of being obsessed with it.

EXACTLY! Couldn't have said it better.

OK, thanks for the heads up. I have a LONG way to my goal though.

No way! I still can't comprehend it. It's so foreign to not care about food anymore.

It's so weird. I have always been a food addict. But now, after 2 months have gone by since my sleeve surgery, I find myself not caring about food like I used to. Before surgery I would almost get giddy if I thought about what I was going to eat later that day. I could go to the KFC drive through and get a bucket of chicken for myself, or cook a huge tray of my delicious meatballs. pizza, chinese food, dougnuts, you name it, I ate it. It was my drug of choice. Now since I can only eat about 4 or 5 ounces before I feel full, I don't get excited about food anymore. In a way it's a good thing because I don't have cravings at all anymore, and I couldn't overeat even if I wanted to. I've lost 94 pounds since starting my pre-op diet on October 26, 2016. It's like I lost a part of myself. A part that got me up to 470 pounds, but even though it made me huge, eating a lot of food was very enjoyable. Now I eat because I need the nutrients and the food to live, and I enjoy it I guess, but my LOVE of food isn't there. I guess it's a good thing. Right?

I'm a few days away from my 2 month anniversary of my sleeve surgery, and it's been a week since my 2 month pre-op diet anniversary. Down 85 pounds so far. Here's a before and after. Here's the 2017 and losing a lot more!

Ask your surgeon first of course. Mine let me go back to swimming 3 weeks after my surgery. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I love plan puréed chicken or turkey. You can add a little BBQ sauce, or ketchup or mayo. Delicious! My doctor and his nutritionist says fat free mayo is high in sugar, so they say to use regular mayo. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Thanks Bill. I needed that bit of right headed thinking. The experience today just put my head in a weird space. That's why I posted what I did. Thanks again! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I know it was a typo, but when I saw "exorcist bike" the image popped up in my mind of Linda Blair chasing you around as you pedaled the bike.

I had my one month follow up with my surgeon today and it upset me. Their scale says I gained 4 pounds. I know I haven't gained anything, in fact I've lost weight consistently since having my surgery. Their scale has been out of whack since the first time I'd ever stepped on it. On my home digital scale before my 2 week pre-op diet I was 470 pounds. One week after my surgery I was down to 420 on my home scale. That very same day I had my one week post-op appointment at the surgeon's office and his scale said I weighed 408 pounds. That's a 12 pound difference between my scale and theirs in the same day. I knew their scale was off. When I got home my scale still said I was 420. So today, 3 weeks later I go back for my one month appointment and their scale says I weigh 412. They say I gained 4 pounds since my last appointment 3 weeks earlier. I told them no I didn't, and their scale has always been off. When I got home I weighed myself with my clothes and shoes still on, just like I was dressed an hour earlier at their office and at home I was 405. When I weighed myself nude a few minutes later I was 397. When I go back in early February not only am I bringing my home scale with me to show them, but I may even get weighed in my underwear and t-shirt. I felt so ashamed that after all the work I've done by eating right and exercising by their insistence that I gained 4 pounds. I've been working so hard. I've gone down 8 sizes in pants since October 26th when I started my pre-op diet. Even though according to MY scale at home I've gone down 72 pounds, their statement that in their opinion I gained 4 pounds has gotten in my craw and it's made me feel upset. I know I shouldn't feel this way but I do. Arggghhh.

Hi, I was wondering where you got the information that 90% of weight loss is only from diet. Was this from your doctor, a book or someplace else?

This may sound dumb, but exercise really does help to keep your weight loss moving along. Just a few weeks ago I was on this forum whining about my weight loss slowing down a couple of weeks after my November 9th surgery. I started swimming for 30 minutes each morning before work on November 29th when I was 412 pounds and after 2 weeks of swimming I'm down to 398. That's 72 pounds since October 26th. The swimming WORKS! I'm sure if I was walking everyday for 30 minutes it would be just as good. My point is, we need to exercise. The weight loss won't happen by just following our diet plan. Just get up and do it. Russ

Are you doing any sort of exercise? If you aren't, I suggest you start. Even walking for 30 minutes of day will probably make a difference.