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My recovery was fairly easy. I had the "foamies" a couple of times from eating too much or too fast. Some foods felt bad in my stomach initially but I just put them on the list of "try again later." Eggs were probably the hardest to reintroduce. No matter how I ate them, boiled, fried, scrambled , I felt like I ate a rock. It was at least a year before I could eat them comfortably. After about 6 months I could eat most anything I chose to eat in small portions. I had very little pain after surgery. The worst part was finding out I was allergic to the surgical staples and had horrible dermatitis around each incision. I thought I would scratch my skin off. Removing the staples and a little hydrocortisone cream cured that. I was a slow loser but I tried not to compare myself to others. I just told myself, it will happen eventually! I never had a stall, all the way to goal. Now, almost 3 yrs later, I continue to follow the guidelines I was given, track my protein and have had no problem maintaining my weight. Sometimes I'll look at "junk food" and have absolutely no desire to eat it. All I have to do is look in a mirror and I think to myself, "I'd rather look like this than taste that!" I've now paid for 2 skin removal plastic surgeries (a lot of money) also and don't want to undo the progress I've made there! I don't think you have to suffer to have great results. There is nothing wrong with having a smooth course. I've had 4 surgeries in the last 3 yrs and have followed "doctors orders" with each one and had great successful recoveries. I just don't dwell on any little "bumps in the road" in the process. With time it all works out. For me, best decision ever!

Pilot my best self. Thank you! I started at 230. Now 136. I’m 5’2” and 63 yes old. I’d say the first 70 lbs came off steadily more or less. Then I was at 157 for at least 6 months and I thought that was it. I went to my doctor, who said I was doing fine, but he gave me a prescription for Saxenda, which is really for diabetes but helps you lose weight too. Then all of a sudden I started loosing again. I’m not sure if I’ll go much lower, but not putting it back is really the trick. thanks for being so nice.

Well, from what I have read, insurance MIGHT cover it. You didn't say if you had insurance, but if the skin is in the tummy area, and it droops, causing a rash, it may be covered. Big IF. but if what I have said is something you are experiencing, may be worth a shot. Good luck!

Has anyone experienced hair loss? I’m 4 months out from ESG down 50 pounds and my hair started falling out in the last 2 weeks and it’s so depressing. I luckily have thick hair already but I can’t even run my hand through my hair without ending up with a handful of hair. I got some zinc I read that was good for hair loss and I take a hair nails and skin supplement. I’m just so sad losing this much hair is concerning. Thoughts? Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

I am a 50-year-old man who struggled with my weight most of my life, starting with being an overweight kid. No diet or exercise program produced tangible, good results. At my annual physical in March I weighed in at 405 pounds. I take no meds, and up to this point, my most serious health issue has been sleep apnea that I was trying to handle with CPAP (mostly unsuccessfully). Given my alarmingly high weight, my doctor recommended that I look into the bariatric surgery option. I eagerly started the process, looking at it as a once-in-a-lifetime chance for getting back to normal body weight and gaining a quality of life I have not enjoyed for a long time. The bariatric program I joined requires that patients lose 10% of their weight before even being scheduled for surgery. Insurance also requires at least 3 months of engagement with a managed weight loss program. I was determined that despite my past struggles with diets, I will do whatever it takes to make the cut. I met with the program's nutritionist and had a very nice discussion with her. Then I went home, and threw out the materials she gave me (calorie counting book, etc), and ignored all her directions and advice. I dove into reading and research and started implementing a diet largely based on Matthew Weiner's A Pound of Cure vegetable-focused program. I had immediate success, losing 20 lbs in the first month (guaranteed, a lot of that may have been water weight held onto by insulin). I kept reading and experimenting, incorporating advice from Sten Ekberg (Master Your Health), Eric Berg, Dave Asprey (Bulletproof Diet), Jason Fung (fasting strategies), and many others. At this point, I am three months into my pre-op personally directed diet. I have lost a total of 70 pounds have a current weight loss rate of 1 lb / day feeling great COMPLETE resolution of my sleep apnea issues 120/80 blood pressure (was somewhat high at the beginning of the program) went from a size 4XL to wearing 2XL (depending on cut of clothing) 48 inch waist to 42 inch waist not counting calories no hunger or craving issues I am just starting to discover the research (a recent Nobel Prize-winning one) regarding Autophagy and its related health benefits brought about by intermittent fasting, and many other possibilities. Next week I am scheduled to meet with the bariatric program's PA, do my weigh-in, and (pending insurance approval) schedule the surgery. I am torn and in doubt. The last few months have been some of the most exhilarating experiences in my life. Gaining control of my body and my overall health in the way I have done in such a short period of time is amazing. The bariatric surgery option, which just a short while ago seemed like a Holy Grail lifesaver to me, seems full of pitfalls and restrictions on the methods I can do to manage my body weight and health. I was looking forward to trying out possibilities with time-restricted eating, and using longer fasts (triggering autophagy) to eliminate loose, hanging skin that might come about otherwise with significant weight loss. On the other hand, I still weigh 335 pounds and am nowhere near my goal of a healthy 200. What if my weight loss stalls out well short of that goal? The sensible answer might be to simply wait, see what happens, and re-engage with the program if it seems necessary to keep pushing past a stall point. However, for reasons I do not want to detail, I might not have this option after this year. Under these circumstances, if this was your only chance to move ahead with a Gastric Sleeve operation, would you do it? Any other thoughts? Your help is greatly appreciated.

So here’s some before and afters. The before is 2 weeks before surgery the after is about a week ago. Miinimal loose skin. I’m down 87 lbs since surgery. (Pics are screen grabs from my TT because I haven’t done many before and after pics)

I just ordered a pair of junior jeans and thought to myself they’ll be pants I work to get into. They came in and I tried them on and they fit loosely! I was shocked

I'm doing the nature's truth hair, skin and nails gummies 2500 Mcg of biotin. Hair still falling out but not a lot at time now

I was taking them as well but stopped. I am so bad about taking stuff. Im taking the gummies for hair and also the multi vitamin by them. I find it much easier to take gummies instead of the chews. My weight loss is slow I’m down around 60lbs. Seems like I have stalls but I still lose inches. I’m ok with it coming off slowly. I’m worried about loose skin. So far so good.

Hi. I’m about 5 months out. I’ve lost 53 pounds. I’m kinda short so the weight looks like a huge difference on my body type. I have weeks that stall and don’t see any weight loss. So far I have been able to eat just about everything ( in small amounts) with no reactions. I do wish I was loosing weight at a faster pace but Slow progress is still progress.

Super comfy clothes for the ride home, a pillow in the car for any road bumps on the way home, toothbrush, lip moisturizer (optional). I also brought some dispossable incontinent undies because I had read of horror stories of people who had loose stools... Etc. and I even requested they put one on me right after surgery before I woke up which they did. I didn't need them (thank goodness) but I figure one can not be too careful 😅. I only stayed a night so I really didn't have to bring anything else but if I had to stay longer, probably earphones as well.

Hey Guys, Not sure if this is the right place to post this, but I am considering getting excess skin removal surgery. I have done the gastric sleeve surgery 3 years ago and I have minor excess skin in my chest and lower belly area. I was wondering If any of you guys have gotten this and what has been your experience like post surgery ( directly after surgery and healing process). Thanks

Do not give up, stop worrying about stalling and just stick with it. I am 4 years out from my surgery. This is a process. You did the right surgery! Concentrate on other things you like to do. I’ve lost 95 lbs and I’m still loosing! There have been plenty of stalls. Started at 230. I’m 5’2”. When you stress you eat more, so just try to enjoy your life. It will happen.

Ok had the same thing. Dr said it was too much bile going into the gut causing loose stools, diarrhea and foul, very foul smelling stool. Dr gave me colestipol prescription granules and all of it disappeared overnight so after months and months of all this, the colestipol stopped it in one day. Anyway I now am down to once or twice a week taking the colestipol and I am normal again. No diarrhea, no loose stool, no foul smelling stools and no more very foul constant gas etc no nothing. Ps if I don’t take granules at least once a week it will come back in 2-3 days all the foul everything. But once I take it again it goes away in a day. The exact name of my prescription is colestipol hydrochloride for oral suspension 500 grams

Ok had the same thing. Dr said it was too much bile going into the gut causing loose stools, diarrhea and foul, very foul smelling stool. Dr gave me colestipol prescription granules and all of it disappeared overnight so after months and months of all this, the colestipol stopped it in one day. Anyway I now am down to once or twice a week taking the colestipol and I am normal again. No diarrhea, no loose stool, no foul smelling stools and no more very foul constant gas etc no nothing. Ps if I don’t take granules at least once a week it will come back in 2-3 days all the foul everything. But once I take it again it goes away in a day. The exact name of my prescription is colestipol hydrochloride for oral suspension 500 grams

I'm just wondering if there's anyone out there in the same boat, or who has gone through something similar. I had Lap Band surgery in 2014. Ultimately gained back all my weight and more. After the birth of my youngest daughter, I underwent a revision to Duodenal Switch in August of 2019 at 285 pounds. Over the course of the next 6 months, I also got sober, and ultimately, at this point, I'm down to 130-135, having lost 150 pounds. I was sitting at about 160 pounds in January, and have lost the additional 25-30 since then. In January of this year, I started struggling with dysphagia. For the most part, I would vomit solid food back up, no matter how slow I ate, if I drank or didn't drink. Protein, veggies, carbs, you name it, I tried to make it work. With Covid and such, it was April of this year before I managed to get an endoscopy, which showed a severe hiatal hernia (which had not been present at the time of my lap band, or my revision surgery). Had that corrected in May, went about 8 weeks of glorious being able to eat again, and then it was like someone slammed on the brakes. Back to being unable to keep solid food down. Worse than before. Many, many days vomiting liquid too. The day I had my most recent endoscopy I was so dehydrated the anesthesiologist ultimately had to do the IV on me, after 3 nurses tried and failed, even with ultrasound. During that procedure, they found that my gastric pouch has a greater than 90 degree turn in it, resulting in the upper part of my stomach being dilated and food being unable to travel back up, in order to go down. I'm having another revision surgery tomorrow to correct the issue. My understanding is it is just a revision of my stomach pouch, which with duodenal switch, is basically similar to the gastric sleeve. Has anyone else had a revision surgery for medical reasons, while at a normal weight? I've struggled to maintain my weight at 130-135 for the last several months. And by struggled I mean I've been trying not to lose too much more weight. I am definitely down to what I would call a healthy weight on my frame. I'm wearing a size 6 pant, small/medium tops, etc. Any problem areas are really skin based at this point I think, not weight. If anyone has gotten this far, and has in fact had a revision while at a normal weight, what was your diet like after surgery? I'm obviously going to discuss this with my surgeon as well, but all the literature I've been provided with thus far is for weight loss patients. The goal being to keep calories low, protein high, jump start weight loss, all that jazz. I'm just interested in how it will work for me, being as my weight goal is maintenance, not loss.

Absolutely no problem! I’m glad I saw your post. Since the surgery is relatively unknown I had no one to ask, so I promised myself to answer anyone who were in the same situation 🙂 1. this was my first (and only) surgery and I’m so happy I chose the sasi bypass! I have had absolutely no problems and minor problems with food (say bye bye to pancakes as your first meal of the day 😂) 2. The first month I was able to eat half a yoghurt, so the weight loss came straight ahead. Please remember that there will be times when you don’t loose weight, up to 2-3 months; these are the times when your body changes the most. Embrace these periods instead of hating them 😎 3. I lost my hair BIG TIME so whatever you can do to prevent this.. 😂 And that is the one thing I wish I knew before the surgery. I looked like a muppet at one point 🙈 I have absolutely no problem recommending this type of surgery for people who are larger than what the sleeve will help you with. I was 150kg and have been steady at around 72kg for a year. I am 180cm. I’m on vacay, so you do the lbs/ft calculation please 😂

Once skin has been stretched there are no creams or exercise that will change that. Building muscle can help your appearance. Removing the excess skin is usually the only solution.

Oh my gosh! You wrote back! Thank you! Thank you! yes it’s done by endoscopy now - totally out patient. I was wondering if you did it as a first surgery or revision I’m doing it as a first - surgeons okay with this! Did you notice weight loss right away, same as other surgeries or is it slower but more permanent ( this is how I understand it) What do you wish you had known Before? Did you loose your hair? I’m paying for it out of pocket so 🤦‍♀️ Yikes! Would you still choose this one over any other surgeries! I was pretty much sold on the outpatient aspect but I’m wondering why not many places do it? I have to fly out of the state I live in to get it done! Still within the Us but I would have liked for there to be something closer to me! thank you again for getting back to me! neeta 😌

Just a little loose skin on belly, but not bothersome enough to do anything (like cosmetic surgery) about.

I regained 1/2 of what I lost 😠 I used the Fast Metabolism Diet by Haylie Pomroy. I lost what I had gained & then hit my goal weight over 3 years after my bypass. The diet recommends eating a lot of food each day. I couldn’t do that but I did follow what foods to eat in each phase & did it for 1 month. Then I loosely followed along & kept loosing. We just got back from vacation today. We ate way too many bad things so we are gonna do it for another month starting on Monday (it’s easier to keep track of the phases if you start on a Monday). My whole body felt better & my face waits swollen each morning. There is a very good Fast Metabolism group on FB. They are always very helpful & answer questions pretty quickly. you can always send me a PM if you have any questions.

Thank you so much for the feedback. Any issues (if I may ask) with loose skin? I'm 45 y/o BTW.

One of the things that contributed to my stress about this surgery was not knowing what was going to happen. (What can I say, I'm a control freak.) So here is the play-by-play as it pertains to me of my surgery. Your mileage may vary! I'll try to come back and update it. Hopefully it'll be of use to someone—"and knowing is half the battle." Day before surgery Liquid-only diet; two bowls of phở broth, some Protein2O, apple juice, and sugar-free lemon jello. Got about 830 calories in. Had to take a shower with a special CHG (chlorhexidine gluconate) anti-septic body wash. It made my skin a bit "slippery". Packed my bag with my CPAP hose, a book, a spare shirt, some chanclas for walking, my cell phone charger, and my reading glasses. Put out the two pills I was supposed to take (no losartan because it interferes with anesthesia). Day of surgery Took another shower with CHG as required. Reported to the hospital at 0630 as requested. Was checked in and taken to pre-surgery holding. My fiancé was allowed to go with me as an exception, because I'm hard of hearing and rely on lip-reading which is impossible with so many masks and partitions in the way. A surgical RN came and told me to wipe my abdomen with CHG wipes, then put on my surgical gown (which was HUGE on me—I understand I'm a bariatric patient but I literally couldn't keep it on my shoulders). Then he put an IV in the back of my hand, took my vitals (I lost 10 lbs in the two weeks between my surgeon's consultation and surgery day), went through all my medications, put an anti-nausea patch behind my ear, and gave me a blood thinner in my IV. My surgeon came in and asked if I was ready, went over a few things, then went to scrub up. My anesthesiologist came in and asked if I had had anesthesia before (yes), and if I had any questions. I asked him to give me a TAP block at the end of surgery, which is a localized nerve block, like an epidural for your abdomen. It lasts 12-18 hours. I was whisked away and the next thing I knew I was in the recovery room, where I was given cognitive tests (what is your name, what hospital are you at, who's the president, etc.) and given ice chips. Once that all proved satisfactory, I was wheeled to my room. I don't remember it, because I fell asleep. Once in the room they put leg compression stockings on me and gave me water, Crystal Light made way too sweet, chicken broth that tasted like a salt lick, and a thicker vegetable purée soup. I couldn't get the vegetable soup down. I forced the chicken broth, Crystal Light, and water. I felt very, very hungry and it was frustrating not to be able to just eat something. I took 3 or 4 laps of the surgical unit floor in my fetching anti-slip socks, and kept falling asleep. The pain from the gas was pretty bad and I spent a good 30 minutes just burping, much to the chagrin of the man in the other bed in the room (though he was moaning so he doesn't get to say anything). Around 1730 the nurse came in, saw that I had drunk what I could and had peed sufficiently (you pee into a graduated container), and that I could walk. She asked my surgeon's permission to discharge me, and I was in the wheelchair going out the door at 1830, exactly 12 hours after I arrived. When we got home, I pretty much washed my hands and face and went straight to bed. I got up probably every 2 hours or so, would have a couple of sips of protein shake or water, along with Gas-X (simethicone) or, as needed, Tylenol. I did get about 7 hours of sleep, in various chunks. I was able to lie, carefully, on my side, which is how I prefer to sleep. My CPAP did increase the gas pressure inside a bit but it was tolerable. Day 1 post-op My first bout of the 'foamies'. I tried to drink a CorePower protein milk way too fast and spent an hour and a half wandering around whimpering. It was actively painful and it felt enough like I needed to vomit that I had a lined bucket at the ready. Eventually, though, it subsided. Gas pain is still here and very real, but better. We went for a walk which absolutely tired me out—and it was barely 500 meters! Right now I am using the timer on my cell phone to remind me to drink 1/3 oz. of fluid every 5 minutes, and I feel full but it's manageable. I am alternating full ounces of regular water and protein water. I also made some Jell-O with extra protein powder but the thought of eating it leaves me cold. If I can get these bottles down plus the shake I had earlier, I'll be pretty close to 48 oz. of fluid which is my surgeon's requirement for the first week (bumps up to 64 oz. after that) and 41 g of protein which will have to do for the first day unless I manage to get some of the Jell-O down me. I have been taking Tylenol, Gas-X, and my ondansetron—the nausea is there but it's in the background, like when you step off a ship onto land at the end of a cruise. I haven't had enough pain to necessitate anything stronger than Extra Strength Tylenol. My incisions are clean (I took a shower).

Has anyone else had issues breaking out in hives in the first few months following surgery? The first time it happened was about 3 weeks after surgery. It's very random, but probably 10 times or so in the last four months. I've never had any sort of allergies before (skin, seasonal or food). Nothing has changed in my skin care or laundry. I'm creature of habit so all the same soaps, etc. My primary care doc says its likely a new food allergy or something I'm eating, but I cant find any sort of a pattern. Thoughts anyone?