Bypass2Freedom

It is one of those really hard things isn't it! I genuinely think that there should be more of a remit for skin removal on the NHS following massive weight loss - it is so often detrimental to the individual's MH & sometimes their physical health too. I have gone from a 40GG bra size, to a 34FF and my boobs are sagging and under my right breast I have had this awful rash that doesn't go away - I think because of the excess skin!!

It is definitely a weird one! I can still see where I have more to lose - but I am like, how much of this is loose skin and what is fat? It is strange for sure! I still can't seem to bring myself to call myself skinny ?

This will be the first year that I am going into, having managed to lose weight! Feels like such a relief. 2025: Get to my first goal weight Drink more water Plan meals/meal prep See my family more Drive more Save money

Celebrating the little wins today - getting into the overweight category in the dreaded BMI! Considering my BMI pre-surgery was like 46, to have now got down to 29.8, I feel chuffed! ❤️ I remember when I checked my BMI pre-surgery and the little X on the scale wasn't even registering on there, and the advice the webpage gives you is to 'see your Dr about your weight'. Now the X is comfortably on the scale, and seeing my Dr is only a suggestion ? Anyone else celebrating wins today?!

My Christmas Eve outfit!

Oh wow that is madness!! It is so strange and quite shocking what excess weight can hide that we don't even think of! Really glad that they got it out for you! I am glad you are feeling it a little bit more with the tree up - something this year does feel a little lackluster doesn't it? I hope your Christmas turns out to be proper bonny though Oooo they sound lovely! I may need to check them out! I got some sugar free vanilla wafers and some sugar free digestives & oatmeal biscuits from Sainsbury's today!

Thank you ❤️ I am definitely hoping it is just that! Oh my god my ribs confused me too!! I was in the shower just soaping myself off and felt a hard bump and I was like...wtf is that?!?! only to realise it was my rib ?? Glad I am not the only one! Thank you so much! Everyone definitely needs a little treat! I actually found some 0 sugar biscuits today so I am very excited for that! Have a lovely Christmas ❤️

I am hoping it is just hormonal or just normal lumps and bumps - but you just never know! I am glad that everything is okay so far - good that you got it checked! It is definitely harder to tell, like when my boobs were bigger nothing felt strange, but now they are saggier and smaller everything feels strange haha I feel that on the cold front!! I have also had this Christmas flu that has been going around and I have been unwell for the last 2 weeks so I just want it to budge before Xmas! I hope you get your wrapping done!

How is everyone doing?! Almost at Christmas now! This is my first Christmas post-surgery, and I am actually feeling alright about it! I know that I won't eat anything at all like I did last year, and I will feel a little strange when everyone else around me is eating normally ? But other than this I am feeling kinda prepared! I am going to buy some Lindt 90% dark chocolate so I can have a little "sweet" treat if I feel like it and bring that with me to my parents! I am also so happy that I am close-ish to my 1st goal of 12 stone - even if it does feel like miles off still - but I am celebrating the fact I got into a new stone bracket this morning ❤️ On a more serious note, I do have a check-up in the new year for suspected breast cancer as I have found a little lump - but I am not sure if it is just because I have lost so much weight that my breasts feel different, or if there is actually something there - either way! Best to get it checked, especially as I have a strong family history of breast cancer. Kind of just putting it out of my mind until I need to worry about it! Hope everyone is feeling good, and looking forward to the holidays ❤️

So I stayed in hospital after my op for 2 nights which is quite common - I could have only stayed in for 1 night but I was a little bit dehydrated. I had an IV which gave me paracetamol and if pain was ever too much (it rarely was, they gave me some co-codamol). I was sent home with co-codamol and to be honest I didn't take it once - just rest up as much as you can after your op and you should be okay!

Always feel free to reach out! Well done on your loss so far!

What you are experiencing are very normal worries - I think we all would have had some form of concern or anxiety leading up to the surgery! Just my personal experience, I started talking about surgery YEARS before I even booked a consultation with a surgeon. I am talking like 3 years worth of "umming" about whether or not I should go for it, and subsequently talking myself out of it. I would berate myself saying that I should be able to do it the natural way, I should be strong enough and surgery is risky etc, but I think I was just making excuses for myself really! I'd tried to lose weight since I was a teenager to no avail, and I honestly wish I had just had the surgery sooner! It was my first operation as an adult, so I was definitely scared of the pain and of the whole experience itself but honestly, it was all manageable and it didn't last long! You'd be so surprised how quickly you get used to your new way of living - and genuinely this forum has been an amazing place to just not feel so alone in your experiences. So, ultimately, think about the pros and cons for each potential decision and make sure it is the right one for you. You've got this!

Yeah it is definitely normal for it to slow - and a good thing to remind us of the priorities when it comes to eating etc! Definitely good prep for the future I can see how that is a thing - I definitely weigh myself far far less than I used to in the earlier day of surgery, but I still find myself on that scale maybe 3-4 times per week! I need to perhaps take a step back and get the tape measure out instead and just weigh in once a month as you say!

I am hoping I still have a while left of losing! My initial goal is to get to 12 stone, which is just about 17 lbs to go I think...12 stone was the lowest I had ever weighed in my adult life when I was at university, though I didn't stay that weight for long before I ballooned to 20st+! Then I have a new goal set for after that, maybe 10 stone IF I can get there, but we will see. I'd like to see how I feel back at that 1st goal! I like the way you are looking at it though - the fact that really our bodies have a lot of control over this, and the rate of losing and where it is comfy. It is probably time I start respecting my body rather than forcing it (and sometimes failing) to do what I want ? Thank you for the reassurance ❤️

Thank you for reminding me of how far I have come so far I definitely will keep on track - one good thing about being Autistic is that I find it almost impossible to deviate from the "rules", so I still haven't had sugar or fizzy or anything I was told I initially couldn't have ? I am too scared I think ? You've come so far though, and you haven't given up which is honestly inspiring!

It is definitely that feeling! It really has slowed down, and don't get me wrong, fully expected & accepted! I am still going to the gym and still eating well etc (though definitely need to drink more water) - It just feels like I am so close to my 1st goal yet so far away ? Thank you for your advice though, and sharing your experience - it is really insightful ❤️ I will definitely have a look at that!

This! I am also feeling a little bit of hunger here at there - my stomach is still not rumbling at all, but I feel a slight pang of "hmm I need to eat" and then it seems to disappear ? I have lost a total of 1lbs since Friday last week, so I will take that as a win haha! So desperate to get into that 12 stone bracket!

A well nourished female ? I have never heard that one before!

I know that things slow down, and I am not necessarily feeing low about this, but I just wanted to see what others experiences were with when their weight loss started to slow down & then stop. I am 7 months post-op tomorrow, and I am still losing, but it is definitely at a slower rate than the first 3-4 months (which is of course to be expected). My surgeon said you can keep losing weight anywhere up until 16-18 months post-op: does this resonate with anyone?

It's so annoying! I am definitely still losing (I hope) I'm about 7 months post bypass so I hopefully should keep losing slowly now. Im still not at my goal and I think I'm in a small stall! ? I think I'll probably sell it on vinted eventually and then get a smaller size! Thank you!

Some new clothes from Killstar - ordered the dress a little too big and the skirt a bit too small! Working out sizing is hard ?

Congratulations on your success so far! I completely empathise with the surreal feeling - it is almost like a weird out-of-body experience! I can answer a couple of your questions, obviously not the one about maintenance as I am only like 7-odd months post bypass now I think! I believe I have lost almost 100lbs now (45kg, 7 stone), and in the initial first 5 months I was really struggling to go to the gym so I wasn't very active. I have started going to the gym now and I am really enjoying it, not seeing as fast-paced weight loss currently, but that could be because of muscle gaining at the gym and normal stalling! I think my biggest challenge/lesson has been listening to my new stomach now. Understanding when it is full, and also looking at food differently - I just see it as fuel now, rather than thinking about it 24/7 which has been hard. It has also been a challenge to actually accept that I am smaller now - I still instinctively reach for my old clothing size in shops (UK 22-24), and am genuinely shocked when it is too big, or when something I see as "tiny" fits me. The changing the mind is a long haul lesson I believe! All the best for you on this journey x

It is so interesting to see that in one way or another, this seems to happen to all of us! I would be so intrigued to get a male perspective of someone who has also had bariatric surgery, just to see if this resonates with them! Unfortunately, so many people think they have a right to comment on our bodies, even if they think they are doing so in a kind way. But I do think people are right when they say it is others perception of us that makes them say things such as "you're wasting away" - they aren't used to seeing us at a smaller weight!

@BigSue I think you are definitely right there - it always astounds me how something that sounds so negative is actually intended as a good thing. The idea of 'wasting away' has such strong connotations of being unhealthily thin, yet because it denotes thinness it is seen as a positive ? Thank you for the context & explanation though, I think being Autistic makes me wonder these things and ponder the meaning!

So I received this "compliment" (??) today, twice within the space of about 15 minutes by two separate people. In my head I am trying to understand exactly what they mean by it because in my brain it is a negative - but also very strange for me to comprehend given that I am not even at my 1st goal. Anyone else had experience with this?