NeonRaven8919

My hunger never left. I'm a year and a half post op and can't stop eating. I'm gaining again. The hunger never left and the behaviours haven't changed and I can't get any mental health help. I was so happy six months ago when I was finally below 30 BMI and now I'm back up to 31 BMI

Yes, in a heart beat. I wish I had been able to do it years ago. I'm 75 lbs down and couldn't have lost the weight any other way.

What a nightmare! I would be really annoyed with the surgical team for not doing anything to help for this long! 5 years in pain is just not ok!
I'm only two months post sleeve, so I don't really have anything useful to add, just wanted to say sorry to hear about your difficulties and I wish all the best with your new surgical team!

I would love to try GLP-1s, but I can't afford it. I've had so many life changes in the last few months. Losing a friend to cancer, losing a job due to the loss, months of unemployment, losing a temp job, finally finding a new one. Shopping for things I can't afford and eating stuff I don't actually really want is taking it's toll.
I'm still absolutely thrilled that I've gone from UK size 24 to UK size 14, but I'm disappointed that I'm not at my ideal weight and am trending upwards again.

My treatment has been on the NHS here in the UK. I need to just admit to my GP I need help. Maybe they will be able to get me back on track.

Wow Raven you have definitely had a lot of curve balls thrown at you so sorry to hear that but sometimes you have to hear the hard things being a UK size 14 is great but definitely definitely try to get a hold of your cravings and get back on track. We all know to well how a size 14 can be a size 26 in no time! That's how the disease of obesity works it's always waiting for you to let your guard down but you can't let the disease win! 🏅 I'm rooting for you

OK, so an update you guys I started my GLP1 last Tuesday and I want to talk about something that I thought about in regards to my hunger. My smaller gastric sleeve pouch was NO MATCH for the obesity hunger I experienced! The hunger that I had even the smaller stomach couldn't even stop that type of hunger! That my lovely people is the OBESITY DISEASE.... everyone should have access to different tools and to me GLP1s shouldn't even be an issue for insurance companies to approve. I'm trying to think how I would manage this disease without it because that is not a type of hunger that can be satiated.

Fantastic news that you are on the waiting list for the surgery now! And well done for standing up for what type of surgery you want! Admittedly, I am a bit scared of the lower weight loss and the higher chance of weight gain on the future, but my mother had complications with the bypass (I don't actually know if it was RNY or not, but it was 2008 so I'm assuming it woild have been) and those complications resulted on her passing away in 2023. But there are a lot of long term success stories with the VSG as well and I'm determined to be one of them.
The one year post op was great! I actually was excited to see the surgeon and I was excited by the fact I took up less than half of the bariatric size chair in the waiting room (little victories) i told him I was a completely different person than I was the year before and he was really please that I'd lost over 60% of my excess weight already. He did tell I could easily lose a few more kilos as well.
Keep us all posted on how things goo for you! I can't wait to aee tour one year post op as well!

I love Christmas! I've always loved all the food mostly. So doing Christmas without the capacity to eat as much as I used to be has been hard. But it's been worth it. I can enjoy Christmas parties without hating being in the photos now. I look genuinely happy in family and friends photos now.
Below in order December 2025 - one year post op
December 2024 - two months post op
December 2023 - still in denial
I look really good and I still have more work to do, but I'm loving the new me!

Looking great

Love the photos! Before and after photos are everything it shows you where you started and how far you've came and all the good work you've put in. I agree about the eating part. My love for good food has never went away so only on holidays I allow myself to get a spoon full of everything such goodness.

I love Christmas! I've always loved all the food mostly. So doing Christmas without the capacity to eat as much as I used to be has been hard. But it's been worth it. I can enjoy Christmas parties without hating being in the photos now. I look genuinely happy in family and friends photos now.
Below in order December 2025 - one year post op
December 2024 - two months post op
December 2023 - still in denial
I look really good and I still have more work to do, but I'm loving the new me!

I love Christmas! I've always loved all the food mostly. So doing Christmas without the capacity to eat as much as I used to be has been hard. But it's been worth it. I can enjoy Christmas parties without hating being in the photos now. I look genuinely happy in family and friends photos now.
Below in order December 2025 - one year post op
December 2024 - two months post op
December 2023 - still in denial
I look really good and I still have more work to do, but I'm loving the new me!

Yay! Well done! I'm down to size 14 (US 10) from size 24 (US 20) and I still look at anything less than a size 20 and can't believe when it fits!

I love Christmas! I've always loved all the food mostly. So doing Christmas without the capacity to eat as much as I used to be has been hard. But it's been worth it. I can enjoy Christmas parties without hating being in the photos now. I look genuinely happy in family and friends photos now.
Below in order December 2025 - one year post op
December 2024 - two months post op
December 2023 - still in denial
I look really good and I still have more work to do, but I'm loving the new me!

I bought them on a whim. I went into the thrift store with the idea of just looking around and decided to take the plunge and get a smaller size of jeans. The ones I had been wearing with a belt I have been in for years - size 20 relaxed fit. I was brave and daring and picked two sizes smaller. I tried them on today, the day after Thanksgiving the biggest food holiday in the US and THEY FIT! I did my little happy dance, shared with my boyfriend and now it is out the door for some Black Friday sales and a few essentials before the winter storm coming this weekend. I just had to share first. This works, stay on top of your calories, sip your water and MOVE. Then celebrate all that happens!

i realize its easy for me to say because i'm 7+ years out, but the one thing i wish i could somehow impart (successfully) to all those starting this process is that:
THERE ARE NO RULES.
we are all so different and what works for one person may or not make work for another. based on what i have seen and read over the years, the folks who are successful IN THE LONG TERM are those who are able to ADAPT. they change their behaviour based on their own current environment, not what it was like for them before, or what they think or were told it should be. these "successful" folks understand that things change, and that there are ups and downs and they don't spiral in the throes of it all.
for this upcoming thanksgiving, IF you can, just listen to your body. if it can eat more, AND you really want to, then go ahead. if you can't, then don't. you will learn quickly what you can handle and how you feel after ingesting whatever you thought you could. remember how you felt and how your body responded and put this knowledge towards future situations. you are still early in the game. pay attention to what works and what doesn't and you'll be better armed for the future.
remember: you WILL eff up. we all do/did. take it as a learning experience and keep on keeping on.
good luck!

Awesome things are that I've realised that being active can be fun now that my lungs don't have to work so hard and my feet don't hurt so much.
Another thing I realised is, like others have said, clothes are cheaper when you don't need to visit specialised clothing stores. I feel more confident with my clothes. I now own and wear a size S jumper (ok, so it's supposed to be oversized and I wanted it be more form fitting otherwise the S wouldn't fit, but I'm counting it)
I feel more confident now. I think this confidence has come too late in life for me to be successful in dating, but it's helped me make better career choices.
Lastly, I knit and crochet. It used be that knitting or crocheting a jumper for myself would take a lot more yarn and a lot more time. I started a "Knit for November" (they allow crocheting as well) charity fundraiser for Dementia UK and I'm almost finished with it! The goal was to just crochet everyday for the fundraiser, but I will actually be able to finish a whole jumper in a month! It used to be something like this would take at least 2 months (if only i didn't have to work to feed my yarn habit)
I'm 13 months post op and still have weight to lose, but even if the weightloss stopped right now, I've still done so much!

Thank you!

I remember your journey from the early start! Very proud of you.

It depends on the price here in Texas if the buffet is like 15 or $16 I'll go ahead and pay the price and eat the food but lately the more expensive places I just drink water and talk to friends and family. It's no big deal... I'm not outrageous prices to eat four pieces of food be full! The most beautiful thing about my journey I'm about a year and a half out is that life is really not centered around food for me any longer so I do not mind accompanying anyone to a restaurant I may or may not eat

Hi!
If you're having surgery in October of 2024, join here!
It's nice to have support and we can all follow and support each other together!
My Surgery Date (Sleeve) is 7th of October. Starting weight is 122.5kg (270lbs) As far as I know, that's the highest I've ever been.
Weight loss since starting pre-op diet: 10.4 kg (22.9 lbs)
Weight loss on Surgery Date: TBD

Let's do this!

I just take my own tupperware and fill it woth what I don't eat anyway. I paid for it, I'm taking it home. I've never been questioned ny staff or anything. But I agree that sometimes the food isn't the main thing when eating out,it's the experience.

Today I am officially one month post op. I just had my follow up with the team and I've lost 11.6kg (25.6 lbs) since surgery. They said this total weight loss "was slightly above expected range." So I don't know if I lost more than they expected me to or less than they expected me to, but they seem happy with my progress either way. They've also said as soon as I have no abdominal pain, I can start cycling again! I'm so happy to get back on the bike. Especially since in total, I've lost 24.1 kg (53 lbs) so I should be able to go further and faster on the bike!

Congrats on making it this far! I had the milk diet for twelve weeks and I started it a week before my birthday and my friend's wedding so it was a real struggle! But it's going to be so worth it! I have no regrets. I have my one year post-op appointment on the 15th of October. Time really does fly. Im still nowhere near my goal and blind of worried as the weight hasn't really shifted much in two months, but even so I was a size 24 and now I'm a size 14. I can even shop in Primark and H&M now! I'm so happy for you! The NHS has so many hurdles but you made it this far!