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I felt the same way about my weight but you’ve gotta try really hard to get over that. I wasted a lot of years ashamed and in hiding. Don’t wait to start living until you reach that magic number in your head. Your taking the necessary steps to get there and your friend may be your biggest cheerleader when they know that you are doing something to change things. I hadn’t seen one of my friends in years either. We texted or sent cards and exchanged phone calls on birthdays and Christmas but that was about it. I always had excuses to avoid hanging out until she finally stopped asking. It was my new therapist that finally got me to reach out and make plans to meet her. She later said she could see that I had gained some weight but she didn’t pay much attention and all she really seen was her old friend that she missed dearly. She said she loved me the same and I hadn’t changed a bit. She has been one of my biggest supporters throughout all of this. And it’s not about my losing weight to her. It’s about my getting healthy and being able to do more things that I couldn’t before. I am happy that you should be getting a surgery date soon and wish you all of the best.

We would come down like a ton of bricks on someone who was mean on here. Its a safe place. People come for advice and reassurance and because I was helped I am paying it forward. I might add that it keeps me on track too so I am not as selfless as I seem. This is wise, I told only my husband and son. It was my decision to do this and like you I didn't want to listen to any negativity. Yes you will, I do. But in the beginning few days its a scary struggle and I did panic at this stage but we all got there. I got to a size and weight where I was happy. You then up your calories, a little each week until you get to the point where you stop loosing weight. Its really simple but takes a little courage to let go a bit.

Well, I don't fit your criteria (I was at about a 47 BMI at my highest), but I wanted to provide some overall perspective. There will always be some people that regret having bariatric surgery regardless of starting weight, but studies suggest that the vast majority are happy they had it done. The satisfaction rates seem to be about on par with other major "elective" surgeries such as joint replacement. In the studies available, there was a very strong correlation between satisfaction and weight loss success. That makes sense, because if you can't maintain the weight loss, this would tend to make you think it was a waste of time, money and that you went through a lot of hardship for nothing. Another strong correlation existed between those with eating disorders and dissatisfaction. Again, this makes sense because of the correlation between success and satisfaction. If you have an eating disorder, it's certainly possible to out eat any surgery. Those that report the highest satisfaction would tell you it was nothing short of life changing. At the end of the day, only you can decide if it's the right decision for you.

I remember my hands especially were so puffy with fluid. It took over a week just to get back to my day of surgery weight because of all the fluid. But you're still losing fat even if the scale doesn't show it, so don't worry!

Happy New Year! So glad I have you guys to help me through this journey! I don't always start the new year feeling great about making changes but that's different this year because of surgery. I have always made some kind of goal or resolution to lose weight or workout more over the years and have always felt like I "failed", but this year, I think I'm going to leave weight loss goals behind and just enjoy the ride as I continue to lose weight. Even though I still have about 60 lbs I want to lose, having lost over 40 lbs has made me feel so much lighter and better in my body. I want to focus on the positives and not so much the long ways I still have to go, because that feels like thats how my life has always been, such as "I will do this when I lose weight..." or "I will buy that dress when I lose weight...". I'm tired of waiting and hope to live more fully and authentically this year. Anyways... I'm rambling. I'm just really wanting to change my mindset and focus on positives.

I'm putting this here in the supplement section....hopefully this is a good spot. I've been a coffee lover my entire adult life....if one dared categorized me as an adult. I have no plans in quitting my coffee, but I may substitute some of my daily mugs with green tea. I keep seeing it referenced as having weight loss benefits. Skeptical but willing to try something different. With coffee, I"ll generally buy pre-roasted beans and grind them just prior to brewing each pot. Are there certain brands, types, forms of green teas that you've tried and enjoyed ? Is there a little caffeine boost from it ? 😁

I know I’m over reacting and not giving myself enough grace but I have gained a pound this week and only lost 6 lbs in a month. I’m so frustrated! I really wanted the weight to fall off after surgery and I have come to terms that it will be a slow process (even though I’m eating so much less than I was). I have even been trying to walk more. I know there is nothing really to do but keep going and it will get better, it’s just so disheartening to not to see the scale going down, especially at 5.5 weeks out.

I’m trying to smile more … hope everyones doing ok

Many find having elevated liver function tests whilst in the losing phase. Weight loss, especially the larger amounts we’re losing, is hard your liver. It does settle again once your weight stabilises. If your liver was fine before surgery and now a couple of months in & your labs are elevated I would think it may be because of your weight loss and it will improve. But see what your surgeon says.

I overslept by an hour missing my morning but I feel like a million bucks! I have been back to consistently working out 6 days a week, 3 days lower body weight lifting until I get the go to upper body. 15 more weeks till Summer! I wanna be in a bikini 😝

I've been wondering about something. When I look at my surgery progress under my picture, I have my starting weight (388) as what I weighed the day of my initial surgery. BUT, my highest weight was 421, which is what I weighed when I started the bariatric surgery process. I lost 33 pounds in order to be approved for the surgery, then qualified and had it right away. So should I put my starting weight as my highest weight, or keep it at the weight I was at on surgery day? How do you guys do it?

i use the weight i was on my first day of my 2 week pre-op diet (235 lbs which happened to be my highest weight recorded). p.s. my weight when i had my very first consultation 2 years prior to that was lower...i think it was like 220 or something. there is a statistic where you can input your weight on day of surgery, but it's just not included in the summary under your name in the side bar.... @Alex Brecher...maybe we can include "weight on surgery day" in the side bar info?

Hey all. I'm new here. Had a lap band installed in 2013. I've failed it. Gained it all back. Bypass scheduled in a month. I'm so worried that I'll fail this too. Any failed lap band to bypass success stories out there?

I haven't done this for a while, but I thought I'd check in with everyone! Tell me what's going on - the good, the bad, anything! Use this as a space to just chat! I've been regularly attending classes at the gym now, and I also do weight training & some cardio at the gym at work. I have just got a bike too so will start going on bike rides with my dad soon I hope! With that being said, my weight loss has definitely slowed down and I am sitting at 11st 8lbs with little wiggle room, but that is okay! It'll pass I am sure! I am now at that stage where people have gone from saying: "oh wow you look amazing", to: "There is nothing left of you" or "you're skin and bones". I always find that really weird, like why are you commenting so much on my body 🤣 Little do they know I am hoarding ten tonnes of loose skin under my clothes 😭🤣 I cannot wait to get some of that sorted out in the future. TMI here but OH MY GOD my boobs are like scary-looking...I find myself wondering if they will reach new lows 🤣 Has anyone else experienced quite bad eye-bags and blackness under the eye following massive weight loss? I feel that I am sleeping more than enough, but my eyes just look sunken and dark and it is to the point people are commenting on it! Help 🤣 Hope everyone is well ❤️

Gosh thank you!! I have bought and got rid of many workout clothes over the course of one year. My advise is don't be in a rush to buy because you'll keep losing weight, or buy dirt cheap gear so it's not painful when you need to toss them away LMAO.

From various bariatric groups that I'm in, I hear that the people who regained weight who luckily regained control of their situation, They stated that they shifted their mindset and went back to things that Worked from the beginning. some said they quit night time snacking. Some went back to tracking their food, some stopped over eating, some stopped eating out and went back to cooking their own food and meal prepping, so it looked like they were just getting back to the basics that helped them lose the weight at first. Movement was a big aspect as well. They started back walking Or running.

I first looked into WLS about 15 years earlier. I went to an information session and a consultation with a surgeon, and my mom came with me. My mom cried and begged me not to get the surgery. Thought it was too dangerous and I should do it "naturally." Obviously, that didn't work and I ended up getting the surgery anyway, after 15 more years living with obesity. That was a big part of why I didn't tell anyone -- I made an informed decision and didn't want to give anyone else the chance to talk me out of it. Exactly... When people get nosey about how I lost weight, my go-to answer is, "I made a lot of lifestyle changes." Even though I did get the surgery as a tool, it is 100% true that I made a lot of lifestyle changes. I worked hard to get to my current weight, and I work hard to maintain it. Every single day, I have to prioritize my diet and fitness. I got up early this morning to do a 5:00 am Orange Theory workout before work. I've logged my food every day for over 5 years. The surgery didn't do that for me.

I use my highest recorded weight (from my initial consultation) as my starting weight. I lost about 70 pounds before my surgery, and I remember my surgeon saying, "Don't worry, you still get credit for the weight you lost before surgery." At the time, I was mildly annoyed because, in my mind, that meant he was taking credit for the weight I lost without the surgery, but now I understand what he was really saying. I lost over 200 pounds from my highest weight until now, and it was all part of the same process.

I had a revision to SADI on 8/7/2024. Lost 70 pounds but then I started chemo for breast cancer that I was diagnosed with a day shy of my 3 month surgiversary. I was told not to lose quite as fast by the oncologist and the oncology dietician so I have since only lost ten more in 2.5 months. Anyways, my double mastectomy is tentatively scheduled for 5/8/2024. During that surgery they remove all the breast tissue and put in Empty bladders they call expanders and then they slowly fill them each week with saline in the office to stretch the skin making room for the implant. The cosmetic dr says that I could take my time and try out all the sizes and go up and down and then do the reconstruction surgery to put in the saline implant when I’m sure of the size I want and I loved that idea because I want to go smaller but I know it’s going to take a while for my brain to get used to it. The problem is that I have to begin radiation 6 weeks post surgery and the process does something to your skin that makes it very hard to stretch so the radiation Dr says I need to decide on a size before I start radiation treatments. Well I don't think it would be a good idea to postpone radiation just to decide on a breast size so I kinda need to know what my goal is right away so he fills it fast enough for me to get there within 6 weeks. At the same time it will hurt worse the faster we go. I am currently a 36 G. I was thinking maybe a 36 C or D would be small enough that they don’t get in the way with exercise and hurt my back and neck but not look too small after seeing myself larger for so many years. Also if I drop more weight and get to say a 34 I would be a D or DD but what if I lose more weight I mean I want to keep going if I can and then I’m a 32 DDD. I was a 32 C when I was younger and I think when I got my implants I went to a small DD but I sorta doubt i will get that small again, honestly. how much weight did you guys lose between band sizes. I was thinking that if I get to 158 I would be thrilled and that’s only 20 more pounds so I know that I won’t get to a 32 at that size. Do you think it’s possible I will get back to the 120’s. I know the last two months threw my pattern off a bit but I was losing steady at 3-4 pounds a week before all of this. Is there anyone with similar stats that can tell me about their experience with SADI or maybe a virgin bypass. My loss trend was similar to that according to the NP at 3 months out. I really wish I could do this after I get to my low weight and stabilize. All I want is to be able to buy bras in a normal store and not have to pay a fortune for lunch lady bras anymore or have my back breaking and poor posture from a too large chest. But at the same time I don’t want to look too small. I figure that I would find the smallest size that I could get used to so when I lose more weight it will probably be perfect but I won’t have time to get used to it like the surgeon and I hoped. 😢 So I get that cup size is a matter of preference but can anyone with similar stats tell me how much they ultimately lost if they were losing 3-4 pounds at 3 months or how much weight they lost between band sizes or 36-34 and 34-32. Or anything else that may help me. I’m so scared I’m gonna decide on a size and my body is going to change but since it’s all implant after this surgery my boobs won’t change with me with loss or gain and I will be way too big or small for my frame.

I lost my weight throughout 2022. I had three distinct phases of hair loss, each a few months apart, and each lasting several weeks. It has taken until now for my hair to fully recover, but it has. I feel your pain, it's really demoralising. Trying shorter cuts can help while you wait for it to grow back. I know lots of people swear by various supplements, and treatments onto the scalp/hair itself, but I'm not sure there's much evidence that they work.

on january 10 it will be 1 year since my surgery i have lost 148 lbs but i sitll have 54 more to (my goal weight is 180) i signed up for a gym in late december and i want to start it soon but i need a good workout plan. what would you suggest to someone a year off from surgery?

Yay! Happy to hear it went well for you and that you are feeling pretty good post-op. Congrats on the weight loss and the progress you've made so far! 🤗

Did you have any psychological input during your Tier 3? (I don’t know if you had to go through Tier 3?) I had about 4 sessions with an NHS bariatric psychologist, but I believe I’ll still be having a Tier 4 psychological consultation to sign me off 🤞 for the MDT. Also, two weeks post-approval for the LRD! That is AWESOME! I think my trust tends to do the two-week milk diet. Even though I currently eat fairly low calorie keto, I think the milk diet would help lose a bit of pre-surgery weight at least. 💗

I had a BMI of 35 but I had a sleeve. I also didn’t have any co morbidities - I knew they were likely ahead of me though. So I’m going to respond more generally using am I glad I had weight loss surgery not a specific surgery. Simply yes, I am. The bulk of must weight came on with menopause and nothing I did shifted it. Or if it did it would be back in a very short period of time. I reached a point where I couldn’t stand it any longer and made an appointment with my doctor for a referral. I was in surgery less than 6 weeks later (benefits of living in Australia with private health). Do I have any issues post surgery? Yes but they’re minor really and I had a quirky tummy before so no real change. I struggle a bit with the foamies but no dumping. I had reflux before but it was managed with dietary choices. Still have it though I take a PPI every day now vs a handful of times a year before & the symptoms are different now. (Best is I don’t get the hideous hiccups I used to get just the regular ones now.) One of the benefits of having surgery is you simply cannot eat the same volume of food. Of course if you are determined you can eat around some of your changed digestive system. But take the time in the initial months after surgery where its benefits are strongest, to learn about things like portion size, nutritional values, etc. and start adopting new behaviours. Reflect on your relationship with food and why you ate and start making changes there too. Seek the help & support of your dietician and a therapist as needed. Many seem to be concerned they won’t lose all the weight they’d like to starting at a lower BMI. I lost all of mine and more. It is important to remember that not everyone loses all the weight they’d like. The surgery (regardless of which you have), changes your body set point that is the weight your body is happy at which often is not the weight you think you’ll be happy at. With bypass it is always best to have a conversation with the doctor who prescribes your meds as bypass does interfere with the absorption of these. It may mean you need to swap some of your meds as @SleeveToBypass2023 mentioned. All the best.