Arabesque

I echo the above - it’s likely a stall. As for not for not being able to eat all your advised portion, that’s okay & something we’ve all experienced at times. At the moment you’re still healing & early out so it’s not unusual to not feel hungry, not interested in eating, not wanting to eat all your serve, or to become temporarily sensitive to certain tastes, textures or smells which can effect what or how much you eat. The bigger concern would be if you were eating more than your portion. As long as your meeting or being close to your protein goal you’ll be okay. You’ll find it all gets easier as you progress. As for drinking, is it the taste or texture of what you’re drinking that upsets you? Or do you have discomfort on swallowing? Many of us found warm drinks easier to drink initially - more soothing than cold drinks. I found plain water almost too heavy to drink at first. Try varying what you drink throughout the day. Try a flavoured water (or just add a little lemon or lime juice), protein water, green or herbal tea, yoghurt drinks (make your own by adding milk to your preferred yoghurt), etc. I used to open bottles of sparkling water & let them go flat & drink them too. And ensure you are sipping slowly enough for you. At 3.75yrs I still have leftovers in my fridge from meals I couldn’t finish a few times a week. Last night I had the leftover vegetables & a lamb cutlet I didn’t eat from the night before. Just added another cutlet so I met my goals.

Just a thought but did they remove your gall bladder when they found your stone and if so how long ago? Diarrhoea can be a side effect of having your gall removed. (Takes time for the body to get used to not having gall to regulate the acid entering your stomach.) Mine persisted for about two months after my surgery though not as severe as yours. My surgeon advised if it persisted or got worse I was to contact him.

How much does your plan recommend? If they didn’t give you portion size recommendations I’d ask ask for some that will meet your needs especially if you feel more comfortable & confident with them. Best advice then is to follow your plan. Remember all because you can doesn’t mean you should. As you know there are differences with plans. Like I was told 1/4 - 1/3 cup from purée slowly increasing to about a cup near goal. I was never given calorie goals. Some are advised a larger portion because they are given a higher caloric goal. (I wasn’t given calorie goals just portion size recommendations.) I’d think everyone is able to eat/drink more soup, shakes & broths because they’re liquids & go through our tummy more quickly. I’d sip on them for hours … until the soup got too chunky.

I highly recommend this video (which another very kind member shared a little while ago) which may help with your question. The thing about weight loss is there is a lot of averages & the stats you mentioned are an example. There are averages for how much weight you’ll lose, how long it will take, how fast or slow you’ll lose, etc. They’re averages because there are so many factors which influence those stats: age, gender, starting weight, weight loss before surgery, weight loss & gain history, health issues, medications, your new set point, how closely you follow your plan, the lifestyle changes you implement (food choices, activity, …) & so on. As with all averages some will exceed them others won’t reach them. What averages give you are an idea of what might happen. Not a rule but a guideline of what might happen. I’m one of those who exceeded the average. At 12 weeks from surgery I’d lost about 15kg. I’d lost 31kg (including the 5kg pre surgery so about the double amount & got me to my goal) at 6 months. At 12 months I’d lost a total of about 41kgs (not intentionally but it was where my body wanted to be - my new set point). I bounced around there for another couple of months before settling about another kilo lighter (total 42.5kg lost). This was my experience.

Happy birthday. 🎉

I echo @catwoman7’s comments. The benefits of the surgery which make the initial weight loss much easier don’t last so I wouldn’t deliberately try to slow your weight loss. It will only make it harder to lose the remainder. I don’t have a lot of loose skin. I lost about 90lbs. I didn’t have much at all when I reached my goal (which was always my lowest weight). I think genetics helped as I certainly had my age against me. When I dropped the additional 11kg the loose skin was more noticeable though still not enough for me to justify plastic surgery. They ‘d probably only remove about a kilo of skin if they took it from all over my body. I cover mine very easily with my clothes. I wear body con clothing often & don’t need shape wear to restrain/control my saggy skin. And as catwoman7 said, I’d rather have some loose skin than still be at my higher weight.

You’ve lost 45lbs since surgery - that’s a good amount so far. Something worth celebrating. 🏆 Never compare your weight loss journey with anyone else. It will only drive you down the road to crazy town. There are too many factors that can influence your rate of loss: genetics, medical history, weight loss history, medications, age, gender, stalls, etc. And you lost a lot pre surgery which can affect your rate of loss after surgery - you’re at a lower weight which means you won’t lose as quickly as you did when you started back in April. There are averages which can be used as a guideline but as with all averages some lose more & some lose less & there’s nothing wrong with that. What does your team say (they know you & your situation better) ?

Some of what are you are experiencing could be a post surgical effect &/or from the anaesthetic (it’s renown for causing skin & hair dryness). Also there could be some hormonal issues at play too. Slather on a good body lotion & as you start to eat a wider variety of food you may find it decreases. As for loose skin & stretch marks nothing can stop that happening. How much you end up with depends on many factors like age, how long you’ve carried your weight, how long you’ve been at your highest weight & genetics. Think of your skin as a hair band that has been well used & stretched out - ain’t nothing going to make that go back to how it was when it was new. Same with your skin regardless of how many vitamins you take. I’m using a ‘wonder’ cream at the moment that’s supposed to reduce stretch marks. ‘See results in two weeks.’ Well it’s been more than a month & there’s been no change. My skin is a little softer so I guess that’s a win. Won’t be buying it again. Find a good facial oil, with or without collagen. (I love Drunk Elephant’s Marula oil & Charlotte Tilbury’s Collagen superfusion facial oil - wish I could bathe in it.) At the very least you’ll notice a change in the tone & texture of your skin. Then you can join those of us who’ve tried UV, RF & derma needling treatments to help with facial skin laxity. (The treatments have become my new addiction 😁.)

To add to @Smanky’s response, remember the main reason you’re doing this - for your child. It’s a very good reason coupled with improving your general health. I mean it won’t change your MS status but the weight loss will likely make your life easier. I didn’t have any comorbidities befits my surgery but I knew the chances of them starting were very high. And I wanted to be able to do fun things with my nieces & nephews. And I can now. On Christmas Eve I was jumping on a trampoline with four of them. We were laughing so much as they tried to double bounce me so I’d fall over - I did. They’re aged 5-9 & I’m looking at 58 this year. Before the surgery I wouldn’t (embarrassed) & couldn't (physically) do that. It is so worth all the perfectly ok concerns & worries you may have before the surgery. All the best.

I’d go to a hospital or medical centre/emergency. It may be nothing but best to know & be sure.

3.75yrs out & I still gurgle & rumble & whine. My doctor said it’s just my digestive system doing what it’s supposed to: digest food. It’s just noisier now. Can happen when I’m eating & drinking or up to an hour after. (It’s doing it right now 😁.) A lot of nerves were cut during the surgery so you won’t have your old signals of full or hungry for a while. It’s why being careful with portion sizes & eating & drinking slowly is very important especially in the first weeks. In fact when they do come back you may find the signals are very different. Some say they sneeze or get a runny nose when they’ve eaten enough.

As long as you don’t start walking around like a penguin wearing baggy pants you’ll be fine. 🤣

I guess that depends on your surgeon. I’m 3.75 yrs & I still see my surgeon’s colleague. Went from every three months to 6 months this year. Blood test reviewed, weighed, quizzed on issues concerns, etc. Not sure how much longer this will continue but it is reassuring they are just a call away & likely will be for years. My dietician said I could come back to her at anytime too. As for regain, yes it is a possibility but not a guarantee. Why it could happen is a more difficult a question to answer. It could be because of lifestyle choices, weight re settling, medications, health issues, complacency, life (which can throw lots of crap at you sometimes) & so on. How much you may regain is individual too. Did I gain? Yes but only a small amount. I gained 2kg (about 4lbs) in a month a year ago because of a health issue. I had to make a dietary change (increase protein) due to a discovered absorption issue (from having my gall removed). I was only able to drop about 500g of it over several months without making significant changes to my diet or exercise (& do something more than stretches). This was a lifestyle choice. Recently we discovered the absorption issue also meant my HRT medication wasn’t being absorbed either (which I believe contributed to the gain too) so I changed to a patch. Benefit has been I’ve dropped another 500g in the last two months (yes even over Christmas) without doing anything. So I sit about a kg heavier than I was when I was initially maintaining. I’m careful about what I eat, portion sizes & still aim to meet protein & fluid goals every day. But that’s my story & my experience.

I agree with @SpartanMaker. It’s not uncommon for people to see no loss or even a gain after surgery because of the gas & fluids they pump into you. Some surgeons even say don’t weight yourself for a couple of weeks after surgery. I remember I weighed a good 2kgs more 48hrs after my gall was removed & I’d barely eaten. Was just bloated. For a lot of us who struggle with the shakes after surgery it’s because the taste & texture change to us & become unpalatable. Plus I wasn’t at all hungry or interested in food. PS - Congrats on your surgery.

I think you look great. Certainly not like Charlie.

Stalls happen & they will break in their time. Think of them as your body being stressed (it’s going through a lot of change at the moment - surgery, weight loss, change of diet, etc.) & it just wants to shut the door & pull the covers over it’s head until it’s ready to deal with the changes & stress. You just need to ride it out. Don’t stress yourself or your body more. Follow your plan, meet your protein & fluid goals & your weight will start to drop again.

I once heard someone use ‘corporation’ as in that man’s shirt is straining across his corporation. 🤷🏻‍♀️😁

Hell yeah!

Congratulations @Sunnyway. What a way to start this new year. There’ll be even more wonderful things ahead of you.

Balsamic marinated lamb back strap. Another one of my who needs to follow the recipe dishes. I’m pretty sure I more than doubled the balsamic vinegar - just kept pouring u til I thought that looks about enough & smells good. It was for lamb chops & also said grill but I baked in the oven. Should get 5 meals from this so a couple will go in the freezer.

Had my first Secret RF (same as the ones you mentioned) session Friday afternoon so my fingers are crossed. My doctor focussed on skin laxity (sounds nicer than saggy skin) this time so nothing done to my forehead. In 4 weeks we’ll do wrinkles & scaring. At the third session we’ll decide which we’ll do & if I need a fourth session. Secret RF uses different size heads (not sure if the others do too) for the different procedures & the heads are disposed of after each session (& aren’t cheap). She kept changing the needle depth on different areas of my face. Also my doctor used a stronger prescription local topical anaesthetic (20+% vs the lower over the counter 5% many non medical clinics use). Even inside my mouth & tongue were numb 😆. It really was pain free. Occasional little poking feeling lasting a much like if you tap your cheek bone with your finger nail. Redness was much less than derma pen - that lasted for days. No pain, heat or discomfort after either. Pxts are 30mins after treatment, the next morning & this morning. Of course it does take three months to see real effects which is your natural skin cycle though they claim some can see small change in a couple of days. Don’t know if I’m crazy, or wishful thinking, but I think my cheek is a little smoother& firmer today. Jowls are still there though. Wish I had taken a pxt before the session.

Maybe finding a good therapist & a dietician will help your cousin get back on track. They can be very helpful during this process - supporting her through the emotional turmoil & sorting out her dietary concerns & issues. Also speaking with her surgeon (via Skype or similar) or asking them for a referral to another surgeon close to her now may be helpful too. There is no need to go back to the very low calorie, shake diet. This was in place for a specific period of time to support healing. Sure people lose weight on very low calorie shake diets but they are not sustainable & regain is usually inevitable. Eating in a way that was more like what she was doing when she well into her weight loss (say the 6 or 12 month mark) would be more beneficial: observing portions, protein & fluid goals, & eating a range of vegetables, fruit, dairy, & small amounts of low processed multi/whole grains. As @catwoman7 said a bounce back regain of 10-20lbs is very common in the 2nd/3rd years so her regain could be just that. Also I wonder if she was given reasonable expectations as to what her weight loss could be after surgery? The average weight loss after sleeve or bypass is about 65%+/- of the weight you have to lose to put you in the healthy BMI weight range. (Yes, the healthy BMI range is not always the best weight range for someone & yes, some people do exceed the average result.) She may be beating herself up with somewhat unrealistic goals ( though I understand her desire to lose more). This video may be of assistance to help your cousin look at her achievement of losing 175lbs in a different way: a success.

Can’t help with the surgery in Mexico. Though if you have a good GP you trust & who is willing to support you through the process when you get home you’ll be fine. I was two months shy of 54 when I had my surgery (& am 5’3” & was a teacher in one of my lives too 🙂). The surgery was the best decision I’ve made. I feel (& look) younger & better than ever.

There are a few things you can rely on during this process. And all of them are okay. None are wrong or right. Everyone loses at their own rate. Some lose more quickly. Others lose more slowly. Many factors influence this including, age, gender, pre existing health conditions, medications, etc. Hence the range of possible loss your surgeon suggested in your first month. The more you have to lose, the faster you’ll lose at first. Everyone’s rate of loss slows as they get closer to their final weight. Stalls happen. You will have times the scales won’t move. The first often occurs around week 3+/- & they often last 1-3 weeks. Just stick to your plan & your weight loss will start again. Not every one reaches their goal & some exceed their goal. The average loss at the three year mark is about 65% of the weight you were to lose to put you in a healthy range. I’d expect that is where the 55lb weight loss your surgeon has suggested comes from. Like you, my BMI was 35. I’d lost all my weight by 6 months but continued to lose for another 11 months while sitting out my maintenance, albeit very slowly, to about where I am now. But that was my journey. Yours could be similar or different & that’s okay. All the best with your surgery & journey.

I’d just sip it until I was finished. I also would dilute them (double the water added) as they were so disgusting so would take me ages to drink it. Counts as fluid so all good. As long as you don’t exceed three ‘meals’ of shakes or broth, etc. a day you’ll be okay. Congrats on your surgery.