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I had a gastric bypass around 11 months ago. I turned 69 in January, which means I'm in my 70th year. I had no issues with the surgery or recovery. My eating habits are curbed by what I can tolerate and I now go to the gym 4 times a week, most of the time with a very good trainer. It's been a long time since I've felt this good-- sure, there are trade-offs but to me, totally worth it especially compared to where I was pre-surgery. The biggest issue for me has been building muscle mass.

WarrenInEC, I saw the bariatric revision surgeon. He doesn't think it is dumping and said that the upper and lower GI done would not have taken an image of the inside of my pouch so there could potentially be an internal hernia. He suggested possible laparoscopic investigatory surgery in a couple of weeks. He said a revision to tighten the opening wouldn't necessarily force me to lose more weight, which is perplexing to me but I'm not looking at it as a solution to lose weight, I just thought that would come with the "package". I'm assuming the reason I still feel restriction when I eat is simply because of the 'pouch' then. I thought I understood all of this 5 years ago when I had the surgery, but I obviously did not comprehend everything. Well, we'll see what the next few weeks brings... I assume you had a revision then as that is a big difference in the opening size..lol. If so, what was it like?

Thank you everyone for your kind recommendations. After I had to get my gallbladder removed last year, I’ve been struggling a lot with what to eat due to my stomach issues (diarrhea). This led me to start smoking weed to control the pain and also to make me feel hungry as some days I was able to just go by with water due to lack of appetite. The constant usage of weed made me quite addicted and now I want to leave weed all together and flush it from my system properly as it started to affect other aspects of my life. So when I told a friend I wanted to flush the toxins from my body he recommended me to do this restrictive detox for 2 weeks which included only green veggies, berries and 4 litres of water daily. However, I found that every time I would start just eating vegetables and drinking water my appetite got kind of out of control like I was constantly hungry and I was also feeling very dizzy. So I would break the detox by eating protein because that made me feel normal again instantly. So I am wondering if you guys have tried something that can help with getting rid of toxins?

So, I'm almost 3 months out from having my RNY gastric bypass. The surgery itself is very safe, but the first few months after can be rough. You don't eat a lot, and you may feel sick and probably exhausted, too. But by 3 months, your tummy is pretty well healed and you've learned to chew thoroughly, slow down, and take small bites. You may have identified a few trigger foods that you really have no desire to eat again (hello, scrambled eggs). At my appointment last week I was cleared to basically eat any type of food I wanted. I was warned a very tough steak or woody/fibrous vegetable and fruit (asparagus stems, pineapple), could still cause issues, but as long as you're reasonable about choices, it's fine. I'm thrilled to be allowed to have raw veg again. And I enjoy food. I just enjoy it on plates the size of a saucer instead of a big dinner plate, and I find I don't want more than a bite or two of unhealthy stuff. Except ice cream, which is why I don't keep that in the house! At restaurants, I either take home enough for 2-3 more meals, or I order an appetizer. And I skip the bread, pasta, and other fillers. It'll be a long time before I feel like I can handle a slice of pizza, for sure. But that's okay. My family ordered a pizza the other day and it smelled delicious, but I literally did not want it. Not even a taste. I never thought that would happen to me because I adore pizza, and it made me glad because saying no to it was no big deal. I can tell you that as a slow loser, I will probably never end up "thin" from this surgery. But it's made a huge difference for me already. The day I left the hospital, I was already off blood pressure meds, which I had been taking for a decade. My joints don't hurt anymore. My inflammation is down. I can walk longer and faster. I feel better. And I like the way I look more now too. I'm already able to buy some clothing that isn't specifically from the "plus" department, and I look forward to that being the norm. I'm 50 and I haven't been this low in weight since I was 29. But, it is an adjustment. It's a challenge. And if you love food, you will probably have to do a lot of mental work about that. Like, why are you eating? Are you hungry, or is it a self-soothing mechanism. And if the latter, is there a better way to deal with your emotions when you physically can't reach for food? I ask myself this a lot. My brother had VSG 15 years ago. If you didn't know him back then, you would think today he's an average weight guy (not skinny) with a slightly smaller than average appetite. We were at a wedding when I was still pre-surgery and he out ate me at dinner. So the "half a happy meal" thing is short term. Only you probably won't want to eat those after surgery because they might not sound appetizing anymore.

Start reading about weightloss stalls .

Hello I'm new here... 11 years ago I had gastric sleeve. Had Great success from 205 to 135 then after a horrific time in my life " DIVORCE" I went to 123 lbs. Then got divorce finally over moved to New state, have new career and put every lb back on and at this age weight for a women much harder to lose. I tried my old diet pills QYSMIA and ozempic lost 30 lbs 4 mths ( made me horribly sick) stop and put wt back immediately with diet pills kept getting sicker and sicker back on diet pills and nothing. For over 6months Gerd and reflux so bad when sleeping and anytime I was sitting or laying down. Couldnt eat many things. After several doctors endo and colonoscopy. I Went to ER with chest pain Heart burn so bad thought i was dying i was admitted for srveral days. A great Doc finally did another endo and found issue referred me to a fantastic bariatric surgeon. You name it I had it my stomach was pushed into my esophagus from hiatial hernia. So had to have surgery immediately. Revision repair of sleeve, duodenal switch, hiatal hernia. 5 hour surgery. It took a few weeks and some ups and downs. After surgery Stomach ulcer unknown Bleed, blood transfusion and 7 days in hospital I'm 3 weeks post op and on the mend. Feel Great. I definitely need a support group.

*raises hand* i do! not as often as back in the day, but yes, i'll use one if my guess-timating powers are off, AND if have access to one, AND i,m not feeling lazy. all conditions must be true lol. works out to maybe 3-4 times a week i'll use one. but i don't use measuring cups or spoons anymore...i'm pretty good at visualizing volume, ha!

Hi all, the sun is finally out and I've made my 10k step goal today for the first time since Monday at least! Thanks again for everyones support - it does help! @gracesmommy2 I have thought about SAD, but normally I'm okay in all weather, I even prefer summer holidays in the north with raincoats and wool socks and fires! I reckon I'm probably a bit anemic and low on vitamin D... and that plus the exhaustion, the being cold and the being away from home is just a bit much. I hate lugging luggage around and so tend to travel light and where as when I'm home and it's cold I just wrap out and bundle myself under covers with a hot water bottle... but when I'm travelling it's hard esp as I've mucked up on my packing for the last few trips and not packed enough warm clothes. I do have a sort of lightbox thing at home that I usually use to deal with jetlag but I've been lucky enough since my operation to only be doing short hall... I do go to Canada and the US next month though so will get my lightbox out of whatever cupboard it's hiding in when I next make it home. I'm also aware that I'm loosing fast, which I think is pretty normal as I wasn't overweight for that long ( my BMI got above 25 for the first time in my life only in 2020)... I'm on Thursday I'll be 3 months since surgery and as of today I've lost 19.75kg (43.4lbs or 3st1lbs) since my surgery so over 21% or my body weight in under 3 months ... I know that this must be doing a number on my mental state too. I was 91.1kg on the day of surgery and am now 71.35kg - however I also lost 5kg in the 2 weeks before surgery, my surgeon didn't need me to do a preop diet but just to be safe I still pretty much did a broth fast for the two weeks prior. So all in all in 15 weeks I've lost over 25kg ... and I know thats why I'm so exhausted! However I'm also happy because my team wanted me to have lost 20% total body weight at 3 months and I've exceeded that with a week to go ... I know things will get better... but I would love some proper warmth and light for more than a couple of days! @LisaCaryl I've always shed a lot of hair but haven't noticed things getting worse yet ... but I guess I'll just ride it though when it does happen! On the bright side I have to loose only another 2.2lbs to have a BMI under 25 again ... I know BMI is a crap tool ( and honestly find it a tad unfair because I reckon I have at least a couple of extra lbs of boob!) but I'm still very much looking forward to no longer being officially overweight! Hope everyone has a lovely weekend and that all those far enough north got to see the boreal lights.

it's not uncommon. Once I was over a year out I'd sometimes get dizzy. Had a complete workup and they found nothing. Next time it happened, it was about an hour after I ate a piece of cake at a retirement party at work. Told my doctor - she said it might be RH, and that my blood sugar might have been fine on the day I went for the workup, so it wasn't detected. She told me to eat something about every three fours, protein preferable, and if I ate a carb, to be sure to pair it with a protein. It seems to have solved the problem for me.

You CAN probably do it, but doing extreme diets like that is usually discouraged because it pulls us back into "diet mentality", which is not helpful. Better to go back to the basics - protein first, then non-starchy vegetables, and then if you still have room, "good" carbs (e.g. fruit, whole grains, beans, etc). You don't need to go all the way back to what we were eating for the first few weeks after surgery, but instead, how you were eating once you were a few months out.

Hey @Zazu_89! I am also from the UK, and I was given 2 weeks for my LRD which consisted of 800 calories max per day, only eating things which are considered 'meal replacements' (things like New You Plan/SlimFast). I'll admit that I haven't heard of a pre-op diet lasting 12 weeks - but I think it depends on a multitude of factors such as starting weird, co-morbidities etc. Are you having yours through the NHS? I know sometimes their plan can be a bit different! I know a lot of people will probably want to know your starting weight before giving any advice, so if you are comfortable to give that, please do share as it will help get more targeted advice! All in all though, I'd trust what your surgeon/dietician has said, and if you want to know their rationale, just ask! I am sure they will be more than happy to explain Good luck!

I am 22 pounds from goal weight and the only exercise I have done for the past year is walking 2-3 miles a day. Casually. To be honest, I joined Planet Fitness since everyone kept telling me I needed to lift weights to avoid too much muscle loss from the rapid weight loss. I went a few times then stopped during flu season and never went back. I had a few different stalls and of course the weight loss slows the closer we get to our goal weight. But on the average, I lost 1-2 pounds per week since RNY WLS in April 2023. I plan to amp up my workouts after I get below my goal weight with resistance training. I used to body build in my 20's so I'm counting on muscle memory to kick in for me. LOL I also knew that weightlifting would increase my appetite and eating more when our bodies can't build muscle during our honeymoon phase didn't seem logical. According to bariatric surgeon, Dr V, we are in a catabolic state for 1 -2 years after surgery. Meaning we cannot build muscle while our body is breaking it down. (losing weight) Makes perfect sense to me. I'm curious if you have gotten a bodyfat test that shows increased muscle mass 9 months after surgery coupled with weightlifting?

First, congrats on your weight loss. Yay! Stalls happen & can happen many times at any time while you’re losing so it could just be another stall which will break when your body is ready to move on again. Though being this close to your goal it could be that you’re at your new set point - the weight your body is happiest at. It’s very hard to fight that. This new set point may not be your goal but it is your body’s goal. Your body will do all it can to maintain its set point. Or it could be just the natural slow down that occurs as you near your stabilised weight. The last few pounds can be a b*tch to lose. I remember towards the end I was losing ounces not pounds each week which don’t always show on the scales. Increasing your calories is part of the weight loss journey as your weight loss slows & your weight stabilises for maintenance. If your weight is stabilising at 1300 calories & you want to decrease your calories to lose more, is that sustainable? You’d have to continue to eat less than 1300 calories to maintain the lower weight you want. Remember too, that muscle is more dense than fat. A litre of fat weighs about 2lbs while a litre of muscle weighs about 2.3lbs. You may have lost fat but gained muscle which may explain the stall like situation. Muscle takes up less space in your body than fat. Have you been taking body measurements to see if there have been any changes to measurements since you began strength training. I’d probably, stick to your adjusted plan & see what happens.

Hello everyone! it’s been 3 years since my surgery and I am wondering if it’s safe to do a detox diet with only green vegetables and berries for 2 weeks? Or should I go back to the diet procedure after the surgery? Please advise 🙏

Hi from UK, Ive been booked in for surgery in July and was told to go on 12 week diet. I thought that's excessive as I've seen heavier people only do 2-3 weeks max. I have to do 9 weeks on milk and jelly, then 3 weeks on weight watchers soup and Muller. For example I've started today and I'm at weight I should be on 20th if I have like healthy protein based meal once a day in the 9 weeks that should be fine isn't it? I had boneless chicken today and weight didn't fluctuate thankfully so one meal a week for 9 weeks should be fine? Sorry if I'm rambling

I am 9 months out from my surgery and about 10 pounds from my surgeon's goal (15 from my goal). I have been strength training four days a week for the past two months and was told to up my calories to around 1300 at that time. And...I have been stalled for about a month at the same weight. My resting metabolic rate is over 1500 calories (because I am burning calories on top of that), so I know I am in a calorie deficit. I know I should "stay the course" but I am doubting myself now...wondering if I should go down in calories. I am getting around 100 g of protein a day. Drinking 70 oz water or so. Very little cardio, though. Thoughts? What was your journey like once you got close to your goal? Thank you in advance!!!!

Week 5 Post op Sw: 155kg /341lbs Stats to date: - 13,8kg / -30.42lbs

I'm sorry so many of you are having struggles. I, too, was told that the first 4 months or so will be filled with ups and downs. I guess I'm in more of an up place right now. The nausea has subsided, it's almost gone. I don't feel good when I eat, but that's about it. My energy is way up from where it was when my bp was low and I was dehydrated. And the scale had been going down... 3 pounds this week. I almost feel guilty telling you all this. I do struggle with getting enough protein. I get between 30 and 60 grams a day, and I'm trying to add protein powder to anything I can. I can't eat enough food to get it in. I'm pretty much off protein shakes and bars. I can sometimes tolerate half a protein bar. Right now, I have a shake sitting here next to me. I get gaggy thinking about drinking it, but I'm going to try! Is anyone experiencing hair loss? I heard it usually starts around the 4-month mark. I cut my very short to prepare for it... but am hoping it doesn't happen. At least it will be during the summer months! Have to look on the bright side

Traveling cross country 5 weeks post-op sounds like a big adventure! It's great that you're feeling up to it. When it comes to moving your stuff, you might want to consider hiring a moving company to help out. I've heard good things about Moving company Lund, but I've never used them myself. They could make the whole process a lot smoother and less stressful for you. Since you're still in the early stages of recovery, it might be a good idea to pack light and take plenty of breaks along the way. Maybe even plan your route so you can stop and stretch your legs and rest when needed. Also, don't forget to check in with your healthcare provider before you hit the road to make sure it's safe for you to travel. Your health and well-being should always come first.

This is my current lunch and dinner. It's hath a single chicken breast and the sea food sticks are just prossesed fish and rolled into this shape and eaten straight out of pack that's the red things on the right. This week I lost hath a pound. Don't feel like I'm being rewarded for the effort I'm putting in and really messes with my head. I drinking about 3000ml ( just under a gallon) of water a day

Not gonna lie, it's been a rough month so far. I was doing okay heading into May. On May 1, I reached 203lbs, which officially was the lowest I have been since my 20s. The next day it bounced up, but then I lost steadily, down to 201.6. And then yesterday morning, when I was heading to my 3-month check in with the dietician, I was back up to 203lbs overnight! What the heck?!? Nine days into the month and all progress erased! And then my dietician said everything I'm doing nutritionally is good, but I've only lost 19 lbs since surgery according to their office scale. I go back on the 21st to see the nurse practitioner and am going to ask what can be done if it hasn't improved by then. My loss of momentum tracks almost exactly to when I started taking my doctor's advice to get regular exercise. It was supposed to speed up my progress, according to the surgeon. Instead, in the past 3 weeks I have lost a total of 1.4 lbs. Color me unimpressed. Finally, my dietician said I should try to reduce my reliance on protein powder, which I have in my morning smoothie and at night before bed. She wants me eating more "real" food (though, in my defense, I do not rely on soft foods and have chicken and vegetables and such every day). So I had scrambled eggs and fruit this morning and it all made me really sick. What a start to the day. Smoothies made me feel good and I'm seeing little reason to give them up. I had smoothies all the time pre-op. I'm hoping they'll run some blood tests at the next appointment to see what's up. Like @RonHall908, I have also been exhausted lately and can't concentrate.

First, a long stall between 3 to 6 months is totally normal and the type of thing doctors should tell us to expect. But weight loss surgery is a game changer. This is no longer about calorie restriction to force your body to shed some weight, and if you think about it logically, it's impossible that your body is carrying out all its bodily functions on less than 1000 calories per day. It's burning fat, and also shifting fluids which account for a lot of what the scale reports to you as weight. If someone who had not had surgery said I will only 800 calories, you would be concerned for their health. I say this as someone who is in a similar place mentally and emotionally as you are after stalling again for 9 days: you have to stop the dieting mentality. Calorie restriction got you nowhere before and it will do nothing but hinder you now. Stop counting calories, especially if your team does not require it. Stop weighing yourself. Focus on eating protein, veggies, fruit, beans, nuts, and seeds. Focus on avoiding artificial sweeteners, processed foods, and simple carbs. Focus on creating sustainable habits and getting the right balance of foods every time you eat. Weigh yourself in a week. Or a month. This isn't about the scale or what you lose from day to day. It's about getting healthy for the rest of your life. It'll happen but you need to step back and not drive yourself crazy over it.

How's everyone getting alone? I fly out again this evening and not a gram lost this week... won't be back home to my scales for ten days so hope to see a drop when I get home!

you might just be in a long-ish stall. You should be losing even at 1000 calories a day, so unless you're undercounting, you're probably in a long stall. I'd give it another week or two.

it's very common in the weeks or months AFTER surgery have unusual periods. Haven't heard about before - but the reason for having weird cycles after is due to estrogen being released from fat cells during rapid weight loss (estrogen is stored in fat cells) - so that might be what's going on with you now...