LindsayT

Have they done any blood work or scans to rule out anything serious? At 97lbs, your BMI is almost to the underweight category. I'd keep pushing for tests just to make sure it's nothing serious. Especially since you said you're eating more; which I'm assuming is to gain weight.

I started drinking caffeine again around 2 months...once I established good eating and drinking routines (making protein and fluid goals). I spoke with my nutritionist about it and he said not to count the caffeine beverages towards my overall fluid goal.

Skinny Girl makes some really good salad dressing. I think it's like 5 calories for 2 tablespoons. The balsamic and raspberry vinaigrette are my favorites.

The only sugar-free syrup product Starbuck has is the vanilla. They have several herbal teas that are nice. I enjoy the peach tranquility. I have also started drinking caffeine and also enjoy an iced green tea. I wish they'd offer more sugar-free options. It's hard not falling back into the coffeehouse coffee habit.

If it's a surgeon's requirement, could you find another surgeon who doesn't have this requirement? If it's an insurance requirement, then there isn't really a workaround. I wasn't required to lose any weight or stay at my pre-surgery weight beforehand. Just a thought.

If you're done having children, ask for an endometrial ablation. I had absolutely horrible periods (way before WLS), and after my procedure, I haven't had one since. Even after the WLS and the estrogen surge. If you're not done having kids, seek a second opinion from a GYN.

Same. The only pain I had was in the hospital. I was sore getting in and out of bed at home (a comfortable recliner or wedge pillow helps with this), but nothing major. They sent me home with pain medication, but I never took it. And I think I only took the Tylenol a couple times. @JonBlue

Talk to your doctor about your lower pain tolerance and they'll be able to help you manage it.

I get this. I normally eat the same couple things for breakfast and lunch because it'd easy. I put more effort into dinner. I plan ahead a menu for a weeks worth of dinners. It help keep the boredom at bay.

My experience... TOTALLY WORTH IT! I think the rushed appointment may be contributing to your feelings of uneasiness. You also have the option of using a different surgeon if this one isn't the best fit.

I don't really need my arms dine, but my breasts and side boots need a lot of attention. Curious what others did. A full argumentation or a lift.

I use heat (blow dryer and straightener) every time I style my hair. The only issue I'm having is the normal shedding. My hair looks and feels healthy. I do use good quality hair products. I stopped dyeing my hair 7 years ago and embraced the grey in my mid-thirties.

I was allowed to do chewable or disolvable too.

First, great job on the weight-loss. I've noticed I can eat more and I'm starting to get my appetite back. It's so important to follow the plan... get in your protein (and some extra if needed). I aim for 3 oz per meal or about 80+ grams per day. Keep it lean- chicken, fish, shell fish, and plant protein. Make sure you're getting your veggies in. Cut up a veggie tray for the week and enjoy with a tablespoon of hummus or guac. Low fat cheese and yogurt. Keep measuring your food. It's so easy to overeat. Fluids are really important to stay on top of. Another thing that helps is to stay busy and keep your mind off food when you're bored. Exercise is also helpful to boost your mood and metabolism. Just be careful of the after workout munchies. It's totally a thing for me. A once on awhile treat is important too. My nutritionist said that if we always deprive ourselves, we'll regress back to old eating habits. So, for example, I love onion rings. And we we go to dinner that my husband orders them, I'll have one... or whatever I may be craving. Small amounts of something special once a week is totally within the plan. Everything they taught you before surgery is for life. Focus on not deviating from that too much.

If you want/can, make your own protein shakes. There are a bunch of recipes online. Just no chunks or berry seeds in the beginning. They need to be smooth. Getting enough protein is super important in addition to your vitamins.

I just have collagen in my protein (it's not my source of protein, it's just added as extra). Like someone else said, it just helps the new growth. Using quality hair products does wonders for your hair. As well as regular trims. I like Tretinoin for my face. It helps with fine lines, hyper pigmentation, acne, dullness.... it's a mature woman's miracle cream. It's prescription only, but well worth it. For the rest of your skin, make sure to moisturize religiously. I do an in shower lotion and then another moisturizer once I'm dried off. I have noticed a big improvement with the texture of my skin. And I don't use anything overly special. Your multivitamin should already have biotin in it, so you shouldn't need to add any additional milligrams (brand specific). I use women's one a day vitamin, and it has 100% of the biotin I need.

Looking good!

Fantastic!! It's such a great feeling! I'm down 75 lbs (15 of that was pre-op diet). I am feeling so great. We went for a 2 mile hike today and I only got winded climbing the super steep hill at 8500 feet elevation. My stamina was great and no pain. I would have this surgery 100 times over. Pre Surgery 262 Current 187

Same. I have about 30 lbs left. It's definitely slow going right now for me, too. For me, I'm just sticking with the plan and adding more exercise. I still average about 1-3 lbs a week, which I'm okay with.

I have noticed I wake up on my back with my arms over my head a lot (it actually hurts my shoulders and i dont know why i keep doing it), and quite a few times with my mouth open and seriously dry. I've also noticed my cpap doesn't fit well anymore. It's like my nose has shrunk. I keep questioning if I still need it because I also feel like I can't breathe with it on. I'm planning on calling the Dr today about it.

I think I'd enjoy this too much

Half a scoop of miralax in my coffee every day and a stool softener 2 times per day. Also, make sure to eat fiber every day. Once you get a plan in place that works for you, it's pretty easy to combat constipation. Just don't wait until you're constipated to do something. Keep a plan going.

Exercise, keeping busy, talking with someone, and my faith all help me through. I did a lot of work with my therapist years before surgery, but we still meet once a month to check in. Therapy is so important in this process. I'm glad you're getting it set up.

I did stall often in the beginning though. About every other week. A good loss one week and stall the next.

How soon after surgery did the weight loss start slowing down? I'm 4 months post-op, and things are slowing quite a bit. For the last 3 weeks, I'm at roughly 2 lbs lost per week. I just feel at 4 months it's too soon. I still have about 30lbs left to goal and I'm getting antsy to get there. Though, I'm down 71 lbs since the start of the preop diet and am very happy with the way things are going. I'm just curious if the slow down at this point in normal.