kaylee50

For sure: Queen - Another One (pound) Bites The Dust

Wait, how about "another one bites the dust"?

I wish there was a song that was "$^&*^^% you." "&^%$ you" to all the fat, all the food, all the people that snickered behind their hand over the years, all the ones that looked at me like I was crazy for doing it, etc, etc...😊

I don't know if I have a theme song but I do have 2 songs that I like that seem inspiring to me and my weight loss journey. Legends Are Made by Sam Tinnesz and Katy Perry - Rise. I made a whole exercise playlist of upbeat music to give me energy and it really does help. I'd love to add more music to my playlist so hopefully this thread gets lots of responses.

I love it! Makes me hum the Beatles and Nirvana ("half the man I used to be...") except in your case it will be physically.
Mentally, spiritually, emotionally, internally, we can pair this with the resolve to be twice the persons we used to be. Every challenge is an opportunity for personal growth, and OMG is this ever a challenge right now (a Monday morning in the fall, when the whole office smells like pumpkin spice and treats...). I just keep telling myself I am building a healthier body while building character.

This happens to me, too. I find it is any food that isn't liquid / soft enough. If it's the correct amount of food, then perhaps mix in some broth or sauce to soften it as it goes down. That's what works for me.

I love it! Makes me hum the Beatles and Nirvana ("half the man I used to be...") except in your case it will be physically.
Mentally, spiritually, emotionally, internally, we can pair this with the resolve to be twice the persons we used to be. Every challenge is an opportunity for personal growth, and OMG is this ever a challenge right now (a Monday morning in the fall, when the whole office smells like pumpkin spice and treats...). I just keep telling myself I am building a healthier body while building character.

Do you have a "theme song" for your weight loss journey? My teenage nieces are big on this, and to be fair so was I -- except back in the day we made mix tapes, not playlists! So I am going to create a playlist from all your theme songs to power me through this unique period in my life. Thanks for sharing!!
Mine is Defying Gravity from Wicked, not just because of the whole gravity / weight thing. What really sold it was the first line: "Something has changed within me..." 😂 I'm like, YES, literally, my stomach.

I decided over the weekend that I wanted to change my goal weight. haha
Not because I want to be skinnier but because I want to lose half of me. I think it would be really exciting and rewarding to myself to know that I have literally lost half of myself.
I am 6ft tall, and may never hit it but that's ok. I will try and will be happy even if I don't but I want to try!
Does anyone else update their goals for "weird" random reasons other than the actual weight itself?

decided to hop on the scale a little earlier than usual today. I normally only weigh myself once a month. Sure enough... I have officially lost 100lb in just 6 months post op. So exciting. and this was done basically with almost zero exercising. I work full time and i get home and i go straight to sleep lol. I do need to go shopping for clothes. So yesterday the new Black Adam movie came out. So i was getting dressed to go see it and realized nothing fit. My nicer clothing was too big, I literally wore my work uniform to go to the movies because thats all that fit haha. So i am off today so i am heading to the mall. To the stores that i normally can never go buy anything in because they sell clothes for smaller people. Lets keep this weight loss train going!!! Want to get under 200lb and i am almost there lol. OHHHHHHH and so the movie theater. Its reserved seating and they are very nice comfortable seats that power recline and such. SO before surgery i would normally buy two seats because 1 would be soooo tight that it was not enjoyable. Yesterday i fit in the seat with so much room to spare. Looks like i am going to sign up again for the AMC A list lol

Your sidebar stats (what is that thing called?) say you've lost an amazing 65 lbs, just one month post-op. In light of that, it's no wonder you're experiencing this!
It reminds me of the first time I had my long hair cut into a bob. I kept reaching back to fix my ponytail. My husband said it was like a phantom limb. It took about a month for me to get used to my new hairdo. I wonder how long it takes to get used to a new, healthier version of yourself. Keep us posted please, update this thread when it happens.

I listened to this female-centric podcast during my walk today, which somewhat addresses this temporary cognitive dissonance following bariatric procedures: https://drmariza.com/435-most-effective-way-to-transform-your-self-image/. It's on Apple Podcasts. The guest speaker has lost a lot of weight, in addition to making other significant changes in her life. She suggests you change your environment (e.g., the contents of your bookcase), your personal style, etc., to allow the external match the internal. Kinda interesting, but OP is male so his mileage may vary.

I am going to steal that term for my future "phantom Belly" 🤣

Your sidebar stats (what is that thing called?) say you've lost an amazing 65 lbs, just one month post-op. In light of that, it's no wonder you're experiencing this!
It reminds me of the first time I had my long hair cut into a bob. I kept reaching back to fix my ponytail. My husband said it was like a phantom limb. It took about a month for me to get used to my new hairdo. I wonder how long it takes to get used to a new, healthier version of yourself. Keep us posted please, update this thread when it happens.

I am at the 6 month mark and my hair started to thin out at month 5. Currently its getting worse lol. and i am a guy with very short hair so its very noticeable now. So i bought me one of these hats to wear at work hahaha. Its funny and my customers love it. Hair always grows back (well except for old age lol) Shall see how it is in the next few months. I have my 6 month follow up in 2 weeks and i get my blood tests done on Monday for Vitamins, CBC and a lipid panel. Kinda curious to see what my cholesterol levels are at because they were very high before surgery.

I could not stomach the multivitamins either, so my team said I could try the Patches. I got the PatchMD brand from Amazon (about $18 for a month supply). I also got the endurance patches for extra B12. It's probably mostly placebo effect, but I swear I feel better when I put one on!

Bariatric surgery is a major step, so I don't blame you for being scared. I just wanted to reach out and validate your feelings. I was scared, too, which is why I chose a non-surgical option (Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty). It is not yet covered by insurance so it is not as popular, but in my experience thus far and per the medical literature it is safe & effective. Maybe ESG is something to keep in mind for later, if you still need a "tool" in the form of a sleeve. But I would wait until your weight stabilizes after the meds, exercise, and new healthy eating habits are established.
FWIW, I do not think your PCP is fat phobic. Obesity is a serious health risk, the older and the bigger you get. No one sees this more than a diligent PCP. Mine is 100% in favor of my new tool because she is the one who has been prescribing all my meds for hypertension and pre-diabetes, referring me to specialists, etc. I am just glad you went to see an endocrinologist and found a medical reason for your obesity.
In case no one else has said it lately, great job!! Even with new meds, losing that much weight is an accomplishment. I agree with the other suggestions here re: strength training and all. Best wishes to you.

I have to take a different one to reduce stomach acid, Omeprazole. If you can’t keep it down, you should ask your team for a different RX (or ask if maybe you don’t dissolve it before swallowing?) because this drug is important for healing our stomachs after the procedure.

I had the same problem with those Zofran under the tongue pills (!). It was the taste of it — I associate it now with nausea and will never be able to take it again without gagging. Ugh!

Hi, I am new too. My ESG was on 10/7. But I was told NOT to weigh myself daily. It’s once a week, at a designated time / day, no cheating, no peeking at the presents before Christmas morning. It’s driving me batty from curiosity, but I am trying to comply because I understand the reasoning. So I am measuring my waist and upper arms obsessively instead, but it’s not the same.
Also, 9-11 lbs in 12 days, heck yeah!!! Good job.

Sorry for the novel folks, but maybe before getting to tips and tricks, let's talk a bit about what causes plateaus:
First, the most common reason for any stall, including the dreaded 3-week stall is simply that you are retaining more Water. There are a few reasons this happens, but around the 3-week mark it comes down to the fact that your body is adjusting to a low carb intake after converting from glycogen to ketones for energy. More water is needed to burn glycogen, so you were retaining more water pre-surgery than you are now that you're using primarily ketones for energy. At about the 3-week mark, your body eventually recognizes that the water loss is long term, so other mechanisms have started kicking in to start holding on to more water. This water loss due to the change between glycogen and ketones is the primary reason for "keto flu", and something that increases your risk of dehydration early after surgery.
The other "reasons" for plateaus really don't apply as much at the 3 week mark, but will become more important later in the process. Let's cover those too though so you're prepared:
As you lose more weight, your overall metabolic rate will slow down. People sometimes think fat is not metabolically active, but that's not true. Less fat means your metabolism slows down, even if you retain the same amount of muscle. As you lose weight, it takes less effort to move, so the amount of calories you burn from activity also drops quite a bit. As you progress, you'll be able to eat more and especially if you're not tracking intake closely by weighing and measuring your food, you can easily be eating a lot more than you think. This one may be TMI for some, but you may simply be retaining more stool. This is going to be hard for some people to hear, but I can tell you one thing it's not, and that's hormones. Yes, various hormonal processes negatively impact weight loss in a myriad of ways, but they don't overcome basic physics: if you eat less than you are burning, you'll lose weight. What these hormones can do if they're out of whack, is not good things like slowing your metabolism, increasing your hunger, screwing with water weight, or even fooling you into thinking you're eating less than you are.
So, with all that sciency stuff out of the way, what do we actually do if we're in a stall? Well, I think it depends on when it happens and how long it lasts:
If it's early (a.k.a. the 3-week stall), just keep doing what you're doing and you should be fine. I know people don't like that advice, but as I said, it's just water, so don't worry about it. Later on, especially if the stall is lasting longer than 2-3 weeks. that's when I think it's important that you look closely at what you are actually burning, as well as really tracking what you are eating. If you don't know your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate), you should. The closer you are to goal, the harder it is to get the balance right between intake and output to make sure you're not eating too much, so fixing this starts with knowing your BMR and accurate food logging. There's a lot of anecdotal advice thrown around about "ways to break a stall", but there seems to be little scientific evidence for any of it. Most of it certainly won't hurt to try, e.g. breaking up your routine in terms of diet or exercise, but just understand that this change may or may not have had any impact. If it makes you feel better to be proactive, go for it. Longer term, there is one piece of solid advice that's backed up by lots of research: Even if you don't really like working out, do it anyway. Those WLS patients that make a regular habit of exercising for 45 minutes to an hour most days a week are significantly more likely to reach their goal and maintain the weight loss. (One caveat here: significantly changing your exercise routine can make you retain water and possibly even add muscle, so don't freak out if you see a stall or even a gain.) I'll take that exercise advice one step further and say you really should be doing some form of strength training. This is also backed up by lots of studies, but the great thing about strength training is that it makes your burn more calories even at rest (in other words, it increases your metabolic rate). There are lots of other benefits, but the metabolic benefit is the most germaine to the stall question. Those that do strength training are less likely to stall during weight loss.

Well, this is something squarely in my wheelhouse! Maybe I can help.
You should first check your short-term disability policy (ask HR for a copy), because some of them have a 5- or 7-day elimination period, which is the number of days you have to be out before the benefit starts. So if the first week is not payable, it makes no sense to file a claim for just one week.
The amount of time off you need depends on the type of work you do. If you have a physical job (lots of standing, walking, lifting/carrying greater than 10 pounds), then your doctor will probably recommend you take more time off and the claim will be approved. If your job is mostly sitting at a desk, your doctor will have to give specific reasons for your inability to work. Depending on your procedure, most doctors already have a set number of weeks they will sign off on for recovery.
Either way, you aren't tied to the initial number of weeks you requested: you can always return to work sooner if you feel well enough, or you can apply for more time off if there were complications.

I am grateful that I am bald already.😁 Maybe my hair will grow back!

Hello all,

Lurked here for a while over the years. Figured I’d pop in and tell my story.

Former professional American football player (Arena league, not NFL), played one year got injured, used my degree and got a desk job. My playing weight was 330 lb, so I was a big guy most of my life… then I got the desk job… kept eating like a professional football player but sitting on my butt all day. That went on for 10 years. Had to do a physical for work and life insurance. Weighed 390… the nurse asked me if I wanted to lay down after taking my BP 210/150.

Oh and I had my first child a few months earlier…

In that ten years, I had tried every diet in the book. Same old story. Would lose a decent amount of weight if only to add it back, plus some. The BP meds I was put on killed my libido. I was in a dead end job. Something had to give…

I had casually looked into WLS a few times throughout the years, but dismissed it. I thought I was weak minded and just needed more will power. There may be some truth to that, I don’t know. I know in the moment I felt like I could die any moment and it wouldn’t surprise me. I decided to do the surgery.

I was lucky to have insurance that covered the surgery and I could move through the process quickly. This is probably not the best approach for everyone, but it worked for me. I feel like I would’ve sabotaged myself if given longer.

Anyways, had VSG surgery in May 2019. I have a high pain tolerance and recovered quickly. I followed the Dr’s orders to a T. Lost weight quickly. Within 6 months, I went from 390 to 230.

I am now about 225. My weight stays in a range of 225-235. I have come to love the gym, got into CrossFit and love that scene. I stayed in the same career but pivoted to a different path and have almost tripled my salary. Had another kid, and I’m not on any meds.

This surgery really was a life saver for me. Everything has gone spectacularly smoothly and I’ve gotten a new outlook on life and a much healthier relationship with food!

Hi! I had an ESG September 8th, 2022. I am about 5 weeks out and just started regular food yesterday. I was already sleeved 11 years ago and had gained back about 45 pounds. I had lost 110 originally. I have lost about 20 pounds now, 15 since surgery day. I am just starting my second journey but so far so good. I had it at IBI in Atlanta. The first day was a little uncomfortable and I rested a lot. I never took any pain meds though. I was afraid they would make me sick since we cant eat solid food yet. It cost about 6k dollars. They were having a special and I think they always do. lol. I have been happy with them and my care so far. I do all my visits telemedicine. I drove to Atlanta, had surgery the next morning, followed up the next day and then drove home. I live about 6 hours away. Two hotel nights . Hope that helps! Welcome!

Your comment made me literally laugh out loud. I worry when I see so many posts here asking basic diet questions — I am tempted to reply telling them to Google: “post gastric sleeve diet pdf” (or whatever your procedure was). If you add “pdf” your results will be more booklets/handouts from doctors and hospitals. Or people can search for those terms on YouTube and find a million vids by medical professionals (like Dr. Weiner) who are very detailed.

I had a relatively novel procedure, endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty, yet there was already tons of reliable information on the web about it. I think the only thing that truly surprised me was that feeling of restriction / nausea, which is a lot stronger than I expected. I definitely had that day 1&2 regret (“omg, why did I do this to myself?”) because of the pain and nausea. I’m glad I read about that beforehand so I could moderate my instinctive reaction.