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I had lap band 21 years ago. Through the years I lost 120 lbs. 60 of those the last three years after I retired from teaching. My band has slipped and food is sitting in my esophagus. So it has stretched out, and my reflux is bad and I have to have the band removed. I am freaking out that I will gain the weight back. It has been part of me for so long that I feel funny having it removed. But I also don't want to have esophagus problems and can't keep getting up in the middle of the night with terrible reflux. Has anyone gone through this? Did you gain your weight back? Any hints and suggestions? Thanks. Deanna
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Usually people experience their first stall at around the 3 week mark +/- and they can last 1-3 weeks. However this isn’t a hard and fast rule. There are some who experience small stalls of only a few days. I was one who wouldn’t see any loss on the scales for only a handful of days and then would drop again. I noticed this simply because I weighed myself daily and recorded my loss. As you weigh once a week you may have missed a brief plateau at around that three week mark and you are having a larger more average length stall now. Your friends may not have noticed stalls if they weighed once a week or less frequently. The only thing you can rely on is regardless of how often you stall or how long there last they will break. Just stick to your plan & everything will be fine when your body is ready to start losing again. Is there a reason you are only eating one real meal a day and your other meals are shakes? At almost three months post surgery most of your nutrients should be coming from real food not shakes. A shake should only be to supplement your protein intake or as an occasional convenient meal alternative (work commitments, travel, etc.). I also wonder if that could impact your weight loss and the length of your plateau. Personally I never had another shake after the first 2 week liquid stage & was eating real food meals from week 3 post surgery. By around week 8 I was eating all meats (fish, beef, chicken, pork, lamb) & 1 or 2 vegetables for lunch and dinner and eggs or oatmeal for breakfast. This is when you should be introducing better food choices and eating habits for the long term. This would be worth a conversation with your dietician & surgeon.
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1kg a month is perfect right now. Instead of thinking in terms of a specific number you should be losing, think in terms of a percentage of your overall weight. This has an advantage in that the actual number to shoot for drops as your weight goes down. The ideal amount for most people would be one to two percent per month (and certainly no more than three percent). This is right where you're at. Believe it or not, slower is actually better here. The faster your weight loss, the more likely you are to be causing your body to decide you're starving to death. When this happens, your body starts doing things that slow down your metabolism to try to keep you from dying. Of course we know intellectually that we're not actually dying, but your body's metabolic regulation system doesn't know that. It's an amazing system, but it was designed before we had almost instant access to unlimited amounts of highly palatable foods. Thanks for clarifying on the new goal. 65kg sounds like a good goal for now and there's nothing wrong with adjusting up or down even more as you get closer to that. Regarding diet, calories and macros, I'd obviously tell you to defer to your dietitian, though I will say I'm very surprised by the recommendation to lower your protein. When dieting, there are literally hundreds of studies that show the advantages of eating more protein. You should know that overall, I personally am not a huge fan of tracking calories. I know that some people here seem to do so effectively, but for me it just does not work. As I mentioned, most of us aren't very good at actually tracking calorie intake accurately. Even more important to me, none of us have any way at all to know how many calories we are actually burning in a day so tracking intake is only showing you one side of the energy balance equation. Plus, energy expenditure can be highly variable day to day, so even if you did somehow know the exact amount you burned today, it's not going to be the same in one month or one year from now. With all that said, if tracking is working for you, don't change it. Do keep in mind that you may have to reduce calories as you continue to lose since the biggest contributor to metabolism day-to-day is body size. Regarding exercise, I'm going to recommend you stop thinking of exercise as part of your weight loss goal. It simply doesn't work. I don't say this lightly, nor to discourage you, simply to state fact. We have a huge amount of evidence now to show that our bodies tend to slow down in other ways in response to exercise. This is something called the constrained energy model. On a practical level, exercise is still critically important for your overall health. In addition, we do have a lot of data that shows people that have lost a lot of weight are better able to maintain the loss if they exercise on average 1 hour or more per day. In short, do it because you'll feel better, because you'll live longer, AND because once you reach goal, you'll have a much easier time keeping the weight off. I think I can speak for most of us here on this board that we have experienced the exact mental anguish you're feeling. It's normal to worry and let doubt creep in, so know that you are not alone, Mental health is not my area of expertise, so my advice will always be please seek help from a mental health professional if you think you need it.
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Where’s the weight loss?!
catwoman7 replied to Jaxxamillion's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
you lost way more than I did in the first three months - and I started out around the same weight.. -
Where’s the weight loss?!
NickelChip replied to Jaxxamillion's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Just jumping in to say that 60lbs in 3 months is a tremendous amount of weight to lose! Have you ever lost that much in three months before? Or at all? Pre-surgery, I could never lose more than about 40lbs before I plateaued and then slowly started to regain. But, I understand you have a long way left to go, so it probably feels like you'll never get there. Focus on building the good habits now, like you are. If you can, go for a daily walk. That may be plenty of exercise for now if you are currently sedentary. But protein, vegetables, and fruits are great choices. Also, take photos of yourself to see the progress. I swear that even at over a year out and within 10 lbs of a normal BMI, I still FEEL obese sometimes. And then I see a recent photo of myself and I am shocked to see a normal weight woman who kinda looks like me. How can I see myself so wrong in my own head? In the first year, I took a progress photo every month on the 21st so I could compare. I'm so glad I did. -
It’s been 19 years me and my band have been together and I have lost over 200 pounds today. I weigh 239 pounds and that’s a far reach from 430. However, I recently learned that erosion is a medical term for hole in your stomach Caused by the band so it had to be removed. It’s been three weeks now and the pain, the discomfort, the inability to tolerate food as upon me again and it reminds me of the days when I first got home from surgery. I guess now I just need to learn to not eat for a while maybe I’ll lose another 20 pounds. Either way my band is gone. I’m alive and well healthy blessed and have much more life. God loves me. Louie
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Weight loss surgery success journey stories are important because the written word enables us to connect on an emotional basis with others. Telling our journey stories is a way to build a deeper level of understanding. Thinking about and creating our stories regarding our life history, life experiences, and influences on our lives can be related to family, friends, acquaintances, and even strangers. Everyone has different, exceptional life experiences with unique and special stories to share and teach others. My own story is one of redemption and salvation – but my redemption involved turning away from religion, and my salvation came from science. I was born and raised in a religious, conservative Christian home in Charlotte, North Carolina. My parents are both immigrants from Taiwan, and they moved to the United States in the 1980s. Their command of the English language and understanding of American culture were poor. Their acclimation to the United States was heavily dependent on their participation in the Charlotte Chinese Baptist Church. The Christian Baptist church is where my parents first initially met each other. They dated for a short period of time before they made the decision to get married. After marriage, they gave birth to me as their first born, and two years later, my younger sister. As far back as I can remember, my family attended Sunday services at the conservative Christian Baptist church on a regular basis. I was indoctrinated into being a conservative Christian by my family, friends, teachers, classmates, schools, and the conservative Christian church we attended. I was taught to believe in Jesus, Virgin Mary, and the existence of heaven and hell. We prayed in church, and I was taught to "give my life to god" and to avoid "sin." I was taught homosexuality was a sin and that LGBT people went to hell. My parents forbade my sister and me from dating, and I was told by my family, church, and teachers to save my virginity for marriage, which meant premarital sex was a major taboo. When I was in middle school, all of us girls were enrolled in the "Best Friends" program, an abstinence-only "sex education" program. The program merely consisted of "just say no" if boys wanted sex. Throughout my entire childhood, I unfortunately endured extreme domestic/family violence and experienced severe physical, verbal, emotional, psychological, spiritual/religious, and sexual abuse, incest, trauma, and molestation perpetrated by my conservative Christian father. My conservative Christian father was a very active volunteer at church, and he was highly respected by fellow church leaders and members of the congregation. However, he used his outward acts of service for the church as a deceptive mask to harbor many deep, dark secrets behind closed doors. My father was a chronic alcoholic and domineering, psychopathic perpetrator of horrific violence. He was a sadistic sociopath who derived sick pleasure from abusing my mother, my sister, and me in every way possible: physically, verbally, emotionally, psychologically, spiritually/religiously, and sexually assaulting, molesting, traumatizing, and humiliating us. My father weaponized the Bible as a tool to repeatedly abuse, assault, control, molest, terrorize, threaten, and violate my mother, sister, and me. He claimed the Bible justified his abuse, violence, and mistreatment towards us. He was a gun owner who threatened on countless occasions to murder the three of us and burn down our home “to destroy the evidence," so our bodies would never be found. Both my parents constantly warned I would be sent away to a foster home, where I would be treated far worse by strangers if I ever told my school teachers or complained to authorities about the horrific abuse and violence that was taking place at home on a daily basis. As an innocent young child, I wholeheartedly believed every word of my parents as I did not know any better. A middle school classmate noticed a bruise on my arm and asked me about it. I confided in her about the abuse and violence being perpetuated by my parents against me at home. She was sincerely concerned about my safety and worried about my well-being and told our homeroom teacher, who in turn, informed the middle school guidance counselor. After lunch, I was pulled from algebra class and asked to speak with the guidance counselor. Out of my irrational fear of being removed from my family home, the only place I'd ever known, I lied and said I'd injured myself by accident. At the time, I thought I was in trouble because I'd never been removed from class. I wanted only to return to math class to avoid missing any important class material. Back when I was an innocent child, I still believed in a just and merciful God. I used to kneel at my bed every night and fervently pray to God to kill me in my sleep. I desperately wished to die so I would not be forced to endure another day of extreme abuse and violence. It's heartbreaking for me to think back now about how I started seriously contemplating suicide when I was a young child. I did not wish to live and did not want to continue enduring the horrific abuse I experienced as a child at home every day. No one seemed to care about or love me, not even my own parents. I felt absolutely trapped in this living hell at home. As a child, my parents would not allow me to seek mental health care since doing so would reveal their abuse and violence towards me, and they knew they would face severe legal repercussions. My immigrant parents came from a conservative, traditional Asian culture and attached a very negative stigma to psychological services. They viewed patients who sought mental health treatment as "crazy." At the age of 18, I was finally able to move out on my own, and I left my hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I began to meet and learn from people of different races, ethnicities, socioeconomic classes, religions/non-religions, with family backgrounds and histories that were unlike the oppressive, conservative Christian culture I'd grown up with. I was exposed to new, fascinating ideas, thoughts, and perspectives from my university professors and fellow college students. I learned about liberal. progressive Democrats and the concepts of socioeconomic and racial injustice, diversity, equity, and inclusion, women’s rights, and more. I was exposed for the first time to secular ideas. I began questioning the existence of God at this juncture. All the rules and regulations I'd been taught to follow by my conservative Christian family and church as a means to salvation had brought me nothing but painful despair and misery throughout my entire life up to that point. I was exposed to an entirely new world in college in which I learned that I had value as an individual as well as learning critical thinking skills, philosophical logic, and scientific thought. However, the years of abuse had left many scars. I sought help from a psychiatrist who finally diagnosed me with major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)/panic attacks, and complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD). My psychiatrist prescribed antidepressant and antianxiety medications for me, and I also began intensive psychotherapy. I sought out trauma-focused mental health counselors and therapists and successfully completed countless mental health treatments and therapies for my healing and recovery. I discovered the abuse and violence I experienced during my childhood was not my fault, and I was not to blame whatsoever despite what my conservative Christian family constantly told me. I also learned about concepts and techniques such as self-care, emotional regulation, and developing healthy boundaries. The mental health treatments I received included Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, Somatic Experiencing (SE) therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) group therapy as well as medical treatments such as Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) treatment and esketamine treatment. In addition, I attended support groups for survivors of childhood abuse and incest, sexual assault, rape, and religious trauma. My journey back from the brink had finally begun. However, I was about to take a huge and very dangerous detour in my journey of healing. Food was my drug of choice back then. I used to binge eat massive amounts of food to desperately fill the empty void of nothingness I felt within and to cope with my feelings of depression, sadness, worthlessness, hopelessness, guilt, shame, fear, emotional numbness, fatigue, exhaustion, migraines, stomachaches, anxiety, panic attacks, nightmares, flashbacks, difficulty with focus and concentration, and other symptoms. I preferred unhealthy junk food and fast food that provided me with momentary comfort. I gained prodigious amounts of weight. The antidepressants I took increased my appetite, causing more weight gain. The weight gain made me feel even more depressed, and the depression made me eat ever increasing amounts of food, which became a vicious cycle. I developed social anxiety and hated going out in public because I feared strangers bullying and taunting me for my appearance. I am 5 feet, 6 inches tall, and unbelievable as it may seem to most people, at my maximum, I weighed a staggering 321 pounds at my highest and had a BMI of 51.8. I was super morbidly obese, extremely unhealthy, and unfortunately, developed many serious, chronic health issues over the years. Due to the excess weight, I used to get winded easily and ran out of energy very quickly. I could not stand or walk for more than a few minutes before I began experiencing excruciating pain in my back, forcing me to sit and rest before I could stand and walk again. I suffered from numerous chronic, life-threatening health conditions, which included high blood pressure, high cholesterol, pre-diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, chronic back pain, knee pain, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, hiatal hernia, and others. Since I have a family history of even more severe health issues such as stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, I saw the writing on the wall. My super morbid obesity was literally killing me, and my future seemed bleak and hopeless. Due to my ever growing weight and developing serious, chronic health conditions which made my life excruciating painful and miserable physically and psychologically, I still had suicidal ideation, conducted detailed research on methods for ending my life, and even began to make active suicide plans. Fortunately, President Barack Obama successfully passed the Affordable Care Act, commonly referred to as “Obamacare.” Obamacare was the first time in my life I had the opportunity to obtain health insurance as an adult. Luckily, I also discovered Dr. Peter C. Ng, MD, FACS, FASMBS at Rex Bariatrics and their amazing UNC Rex Health bariatric surgical team in Raleigh, North Carolina. On Monday, October 6, 2014, I underwent a form of bariatric (weight loss) surgery called the duodenal switch with Dr. Peter Ng at UNC Rex Hospital in Raleigh, North Carolina. Thanks to Dr. Ng and his compassionate bariatric team at UNC/Rex Healthcare, my recovery was finally back on track. Science, not religion, literally saved my life. My closest friends volunteered to help me many times, and they're absolutely critical to my success. Cathy took me to all my doctor’s appointments and was my biggest cheerleader. Joni was another amazing mentor and took excellent care of me at home while I was recovering from surgery. I would not be alive today if it weren't for Barack Obama, Dr. Peter Ng, Cathy, Joni, and other dear friends. I learned how to eat a healthy diet and began an exercise regimen to help take off all the excess weight. I worked tirelessly and pushed myself to the limit in terms of my diet, exercise, and lifestyle transformation. It was very difficult to say the least, but I succeeded, not through prayer or faith in God, but through hard work, sheer will, grit, perseverance, determination, and tenacity. Ultimately, I lost 191 lbs – a weight loss I'm very happy and pleased to report I’ve maintained to this very day. I now weigh 130 lbs, which is exactly what I weighed when I was 18 years old, and I have a very healthy BMI of 21.0. Since I've lost and kept off such a massive amount of weight, I no longer have any of the aforementioned health issues; they’ve all completely resolved themselves, for which I am very thankful. I eat a healthy diet, am physically fit, and lead a physically active, robust lifestyle. My friends lovingly refer to me as the "Energizer Bunny." I am happy and healthy now. I continue to take antidepressant medications and to see my psychiatrist and therapist because major depression is prone to relapse without ongoing treatment. I've developed a strong, iron-clad support system of compassionate, caring, kind, empathetic, generous chosen family and loved ones, all of whom I'm incredibly grateful to have in my life. I do not begrudge faith to people who take comfort in religion; however, the toxic form of Christianity that consumed my childhood nearly ended my life. I was saved by science and human compassion. My will to keep fighting came not from a belief in a reward after death, but from learning of the inherent value each of us has here on earth while we are alive and breathing. I visited my bariatric surgeon Dr. Ng for my annual follow-up visit last year on Wednesday, October 1, 2024. I received my blood work test results, and my labs were "perfect." Every year, Dr. Ng laughingly tells me my blood test results are better than his own! Dr. Ng is, without a doubt, my favorite surgeon since he literally saved my life. I’m exceptionally grateful for him and his expert surgical skills in performing the duodenal switch bariatric weight loss surgery on me, and I’m also tremendously thankful to the entire UNC Health Rex medical team. Sunday, October 6, 2024 marked a significant date in my life; it was my ten-year surgiversary. In case you aren't aware, a surgiversary is the anniversary of a surgery, most commonly associated with bariatric (weight loss) surgery, a medically necessary surgical procedure which profoundly changed my life with the best possible outcome. I’ve been grateful and fortunate to find peace, bliss, happiness, and joy in life without the need for religion or belief in a god or higher power. I absolutely love my life, and I'm beyond excited and thrilled to experience all the fantastic joy and happiness that life has to offer. I finally love and truly believe in myself. I'm an outgoing, hardworking, highly energetic Taiwanese American leader and activist. I’m self-employed and work tirelessly at multiple contract and freelance paid positions. My roles include working as a private military defense contractor with the U.S. Department of Defense by assisting active duty U.S. military personnel with their Mandarin speaking skills at a U.S. military base, as a Mandarin speaking private tutor, as an independent film & media contractor for Rob Underhill Productions, as a freelance writer & editor, and as a social media marketing manager. I'm a multicultural individual with a global mindset. I'm known for my values and strength of character: ethics, integrity, perseverance, resilience, and tenacity. Brimming with confidence, commitment to excellence, fervent drive to succeed, innovative thinking, and positive, can-do, go-getter attitude. My passions and strengths include professional networking, social media marketing, event planning, business development, communication, leadership, writing/editing, and team building. I'm well-connected politically and socially including CEOs, VPs, C-Suite executives, elected government officials, directors, leadership, management, business owners, entrepreneurs, physicians, attorneys, engineers, sales & marketing, real estate brokers, creatives, musicians, artists, innovators, and other powerful community leaders at local, state, and federal government levels, U.S Department of Defense (DoD), Fortune 500 companies, and nonprofits in Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill/RDU/Triangle, North Carolina, United States, Taiwan, China, and elsewhere around the world. I'm passionate about personal growth, living a fulfilling, purposeful life, and highly value community engagement. Most importantly I love volunteering, inspiring and motivating others, “paying it forward,” and having a positive impact on the community and world around me. I spend much of my free time performing charity work, volunteering at my alma mater UNC-Chapel Hill, promoting business owners, and volunteering and canvassing for Democratic politicians and elected government officials at local, state, and federal levels of government. I'm active in volunteering with many nonprofit organizations, mainly secular and non-religious, although I've cultivated and maintained dear, loving friendships with Called to Peace Ministries, a Christian-affiliated nonprofit organization that provides advocacy, education, support, and practical assistance to domestic violence survivors. In addition, I love volunteering to help people who are struggling with their own weight loss challenges, and I always hope my own story will inspire them. The causes I hold closest to my heart are ending domestic violence and abuse, ending poverty, promoting secular humanism, critical thinking, and science education, advocating for separation of church and state, supporting mental health advocacy and research, supporting social, economic, and racial justice and diversity, equity, inclusion, and helping people who are overweight and obese in their journeys to lead healthier, more physically active lives. I'm extremely active politically and have volunteered countless hours for Democratic political candidates' campaigns in Wake County/Raleigh/Triangle/RDU/RTP, North Carolina with their successful election and re-election to elected government office positions. In addition, I'm very active in the secular humanist movement by participating in local, state, and national meetings and conferences with my favorite organizations including The Freethought Society, Recovering From Religion, American Humanist Association, and countless others. I also enjoy volunteering for other liberal, progressive organizations that support ending domestic violence, advocating for mental health, women's rights, gun control, comprehensive sex education, socioeconomic and racial justice, diversity, equity, inclusion, and more. I enjoy cultural arts such as traveling domestically and internationally, learning about different languages and cultures, attending plays/theater and comedy shows, visiting museums, and going to concerts and hearing live music. I've traveled all over the United States, Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, and Asia including Taiwan, Japan, and Singapore. I'm physically active, love adventure, and enjoy experiencing nature and being outdoors. I love spending time in nature and exercising outdoors, especially hiking and ziplining. I've also done parasailing, flyboarding, canoeing, kayaking, sailing, cruising, whitewater rafting, and been given countless opportunities to experience many other awesome adventures I'd never received before. I absolutely live life to the fullest. This is the happiest I've ever been in my entire life, and I want to help others improve their lives and feel the same joy as I do. If I can do it, you can too! Even if life seems bleak and dark and you feel like quitting, DON'T GIVE UP! I promise you, life gets better; I'm living proof of that! I suffered through countless seemingly insurmountable adversities, barriers, challenges, and obstacles in my lifetime, but I also became a more empathetic, compassionate, loving, and kind human being. I'm a resilient and tenacious survivor and thriver. I'm an unstoppable force of nature to be reckoned with; there's absolutely nothing in the world that can stop me. My experiences have made me absolutely fearless: I fear nothing and no one. My long-term goals are to become a published best-selling author, a highly sought after public motivational speaker, and to give TED talks. I want to speak to audiences around the world about my journey, grit, perseverance, resilience, determination, strength, and tenacity, and to inspire and motivate others to do the same. Thanks so much for reading my story; feel free to share if you’d like and reach out to me if I can help! I attached a photo of Dr. Peter C. Ng, MD, FACS, FASMBS and me at UNC Rex Bariatrics Healthcare taken on Wednesday, October 1, 2024. (10-year surgiversary celebration of my duodenal switch, a bariatric surgery that Dr. Ng performed on Monday, October 6, 2014)
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- bariatric surgery
- weight loss surgery
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From the album: Before & During
Three years or so post op. This was taken during the quiet after the marital turmoil that preceded....things were soon to settle down. Little did I know the hell that was to come, nothing to do with the WLS....but a life event that left me hollowed out and in a hole. Been digging out of the place I was. These last two months have found me breathing easier and seeing a return to living happily and not just existing to go to work, sleep, rinse and repeat. Returning to the good habits I'd developed post op. 10th year anniversary of surgery is a few months away....will post up a pic, possibly in these same clothes, at that time. -
What to say to friends who think that surgery is “cheating” or lazy
summerseeker replied to GmaBecks's topic in Gastric Bypass Surgery Forums
Its not easy, even I thought it would be easier than it was. I thought I was in the know too. Maintenance isn't easy. So they are not friends if they dont back you. I told my husband and son and my two besties from our ancient school days. I was backed by them. I told no one else until weight loss began to show. I only told three people who asked how I had done it and they were very obese too. The rest got the ' oh I have been walking a lot lately' or I stopped eating carbs. Judgers will always judge, its human nature. Wise words -
A lot depends on you and how you respond post surgery & how long you stay in hospital. I slept a lot & wasn’t interested in reading or watching anything I’d downloaded. Didn’t have an issue with dry mouth or lips but they were pumping me full of fluids. Best thing I did was bring my own shower gel, own pjs & general toiletries. Nothing felt as good as that first shower, smelling nice and putting on my pjs. Wear home what you wore to the hospital. Disposable knickers. The possibility of very sudden diarrhoea with no warning is a real possibility. Wish I knew to bring them. I got up to do a wee, took three or four steps and whoosh. There was no saving those knickers and needed a shower. Those medical grade laxatives are super strong too and increase the risk. A friend wore hers first a good week after: wet farts! Make sure you have your over the counter meds (non NSAIDs pain meds, gas X, stool softener, Imodium, etc.) ready at home before your surgery. I got the scripts the surgeon gave me filled at the hospital before I was discharged. Make sure you have a script for nausea and a PPI as well as any opioids the surgery gives you. A heat pad can be handy to help with the surgical gas shoulder pain. Stock up your shakes, bone broths, cream soups as you’re allowed in the post surgery liquid stage ready surgery. Be warned, you may find what you enjoyed before surgery you dint like after as your taste buds temporarily change & I had a textural issue too. I found shakes too sweet and grainy & bone broths too salty so have a variety. I slept in my bed in my usual twisted side position from night two. No need for a recliner or to sleep propped up. I was the same with my gall removal and hysterectomy so it’s a me thing and may not be something you can do. Didn’t have any issues getting in & out of bed or from chairs. Just go slowly. Actually just go slowly is good advice for your whole recovery (it takes a good 6-8 weeks to be fully healed). And walk. Little and often is fine. All the best for your surgery and hope you have an easy recovery.
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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.
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I had the sleeve in February 2023. Had extreme vomiting and reflux. We converted to the bypass February 2025. Now my entire house is down with a tummy bug. My kids got it and now I have it. I feel like it affects me worse than before. My tummy is cramping. I’m in so much pain, fever off and on, and achy. Does anyone have tips to help alleviate symptoms after surgery when it comes to stomach bugs? I’ve also been going through issues of throwing up constantly before the stomach bug hit. And we are working that out. It finally stopped and now I’m sick. My surgeon says my digestive system is “dysfunctional” because all scans were normal. The heartburn stopped but nausea and dizziness kept on for three weeks. I’ve also had other abdominal surgeries in those two years so they think my body is overwhelmed. I had an umbilical hernia repair and while doing that they found my abs had separated during pregnancy and stitched them back together. Then six months later my gallbladder was removed. Any help?
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I take a medication that I've been taking for years and it's small enough that I was allowed to swallow that one whole at first. The medication the gave me for post-op care and nutrition were given to me in liquid form or I was to use the pill grinder that they sent me home with. The multivitamin they gave me was evil though. The only times I've thrown up post-op was those damn vitamins. They were huge liquid capsules that I was told I need to break open and swallow the fluid inside *shudders from the memories* until I was able to eat solid foods. After the first two times I threw up taking them, I called my surgical team and they told me it was ok to wait until I could swallow them. I tried again at 4 weeks and swallowed it whole and it was fine unless I swallow it on an empty stomach, which is tricky because all the pills at first felt like a meal in and of themselves. Once you have your surgery, your surgical team will be able to be more specific about what they recommend FOR YOU as everyone's mileage may vary. I was given three different recommendations in case, one wasn't available when I went to refill or what have you.
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Your surgeon (or their team) should provide you with a list of the liquids you can consume during the pre surgery stage. If they haven’t yet, ask for a list so you can start to prepare. There are variations between surgeons as to what you can and can’t have at this stage. For example some are three meals of protein shakes a day & that’s all. Others are four shakes. Some are two shakes plus one meal of a lean protein & vegetables. Some are not shakes but milk. Mine was keto. So you can see we can’t really tell you what your surgeon may require for this diet or require specifically for you ( your current weight, pre existing health concerns, etc.) But as a help, start weaning yourself off caffeine, carbs and sugars now because when you start the pre surgical diet the withdrawals from those foods can be pretty tough (headaches, lethargy, irritability, poor concentration, etc.) It usually passes after five or so days but that first week wasn’t called hell week for nothing by my surgeon’s patients. All the best.
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I try to build in my habits with protein so I don’t have to think about it. I use the bariatric hot chocolate in my coffee every morning that’s 15 g of protein. I like 5% Faye yogurt. I do like protein shakes. Costco has chicken breast strips already prepared for you in 3 1/2 ounce servings for like 15 bucks, those are great go to snack where you don’t have to think much about it. It’s like 24 g of protein 140 cal. Premier protein makes a three pancake pack with 15 g of protein. That’s another easy breakfast grab with the hot chocolate in my coffee, which is delicious and pancakes. If I try to feed my kid that I’ll at least get one that’s 5 g of protein. Often times I end up eating all three. Also from Costco Amy Lou brand mix of chicken sausage for breakfast. I like to microwave that real quick six links I think 260 cal 24 g of protein. I will not get my protein if I have to rely on myself cooking it, I know that soI’m always on the lookout for a good clean quality of protein source with minimal calories and good taste.
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January 2025 Surgery Buddies!
Mskmartin replied to Melissa💖💜💙's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
On my way to my three month follow up! Looking forward to seeing what they say -
So sorry you're struggling @Arabesque! I know how frustrating it is when you go from thinking you're got weight maintenance down, to finding that no matter what you try, you can't get things under control. You may not be looking for advice here, but as a guy it's in my nature to try to "fix" the issue. Please forgive me if I'm off base. I may be misremembering, but I think at one point you mentioned you don't really workout. While I'd never recommend exercise as a way to lose weight, we know from a significant amount of data that it is really beneficial in helping those that have lost weight to maintain that weight loss. You may not be in love with the idea, but it might be time to consider a change? Aside from the benefits for maintaining weight loss, we also know that cardiovascular endurance is actually a better predictor of overall health and longevity than any other single factor including obesity and smoking! This means the single best thing any of us can do for long term health is improve our cardiovascular health. In addition, we also know that regular strength training is important for several reasons, but in your case I want to point out three of them: Regular strength training improves muscle mass, which is probably the single biggest way any of us can actually improve our long-term metabolism. Overall strength is highly predictive of minimizing fall risk as we age. Since falls in older people can be catastrophic, it's something all older people need to keep in mind. There is a significant link between strength training and bone health. As I'm assuming you already know, osteoporosis is a particular problem for post-menopausal women. I wasn't very familiar with the Australian recommendations for physical activity, but unsurprisingly it's almost identical to the US recommendations: https://www.health.gov.au/topics/physical-activity-and-exercise/physical-activity-and-exercise-guidelines-for-all-australians/for-adults-18-to-64-years Best of luck. I hope you get this figured out.
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Many of you know my story. Was two months shy of turning 54 in 2019 when I got my sleeve. Lost all my weight & more and was successfully maintaining that low weight. I began gaining weight from puberty: about a stone a year. Then I started my 60-75kg weight diet/regain swing from my early 20s until peri menopause & menopause hit and then seemingly overnight I was 91kg. Nothing I did moved that weight. Hence my decision to get a sleeve. I experienced some weight regain (good 2 almost 3 kgs) almost 4 yrs ago after I had my gall removed. We worked out I had an absorption issue and wasn’t absorbing protein well or it turned out my HRT tablet (hot flushes, etc. had returned). Switched to a patch and lost the weight without doing anything & no menopause symptoms. Had a hysterectomy in September 2024 & then couldn’t access the HRT patch I was using (damn supply chain issues) & this is when my body turned against me again. ALL my menopausal symptoms returned: hot flushes, night sweats, poor sleep, headaches, creaky joints, acne, etc. & weight gain. Only three kgs so far but that’s in the last three months. And so here we go again. My body working against me. Since this regain began in January (used my last HRT patch in December & was my usual weight at the end of Dec) I’ve made some modifications to my eating. Dropped a snack, reduced some portions (which were still only recommended portion size or a little less). I eat pretty carefully anyway & stick closely to my plan of eating. Was eating about 1600 calories a day and now am probably at about 1300/1400. So at the very least I should have slowed the regain but nope. It’s scary & upsetting. I recognise it as being how my body & my hormones work (or don’t work!) but that doesn’t help. My doctor is trying to help me sort out alternative HRT but nothing is working yet as it all involves at least taking one tablet. I wish I was completely past all this hormone crap & I wish supply chain issues for pharmaceuticals were a thing of the past for everyone affected. I so wanted to be my maintained slim self when I turned 60 in 4 months. I always have been overweight at significant birthdays. This one was going to be different. The way I’m going I’ll be a stone heavier. Not overweight but more than I want to be & have been happy at. Very sad face.
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August Surgery buddies
ShoppGirl replied to Averdra's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
I’m actually doing pretty well considering. I only have six weeks left of infusions and I just got a scan back and it was good. Of course not everything shows up on the scan and my cancer is aggressive so I still have to do surgery and then radiation but the treatment is working!! And I genuinely feel like this surgery is what saved my life because the more I think about it 75 pounds heavier and I never would’ve felt that spot in the shower. Also, the mammogram machines are not designed for obese people so I think they were able to actually find it. It took three tries and they had to use an Also, the mammogram machines are not designed for obese people so I think they were able to actually find it. It took three tries and they had to finally use a special machine to find what I was feeling. And now, even still, my body is healthier and able to withstand these treatments. Not exactly what I was thinking about when I said I wanted to do the surgery to be healthier, but I guess it is a good thing. -
Extreme conspitation during LRD
magicinitiate posted a topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
A content warning first... this post is about poop. I have been on the protein shake version of the LRD for 9 days, and while my... bowel had already slowed down today I suffered extremely painful constipation to a point I have never experienced before. I'm actually historically very regular, if anything I tend to have the opposite problem, so maybe I am more surprised by this than I should be. I was trying to... pass the really hard, dry, dark stool for hours, and there was bleeing involved at some point. I am wondering if anybody else has experienced this, and if they changed their LRD strategy because of it. I can't imagine this continuing for three weeks. I wanted to add that I am taking Rybelsus but I had tolerated it very well until now - however constipation is a known side effect so I thought it was worth adding. I have been on it since November, but my doctor increased my dose about the same time I started the LRD. I have contacted the coordinator for my surgery, but other than making sure I wasn't dehydrated I didn't really get much useful advice. Anybody had a similar experience? -
So Scared Now, Please HELP!
La Crisha replied to Bugg's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Hi there! I am getting ready to have surgery on Tuesday. I am so excited and nervous all at the same time. I did a lot of preparing for this surgery. Three weeks ago, I did the liquid diet that you are supposed to do post op. I just wanted to get a feel of how it would be so I can prepare for what's to come. I started implementing the things that my dietitian and providers told me that I need to do to be successful post op. I stopped drinking all pop and carbonated beverages. I was buying all the things that was zero sugar added and sugar free. I have been drinking my protein shakes and clear protein drinks. I have been keeping up with my water intake and getting in as much exercise as I can. When I decided to go ahead a do the surgery I was weighing at 291 lbs. My task goal weight loss for surgery was set a 5lbs. I actually lost way more than that, I surpassed what they wanted me to lose. I am now 254lbs. I will probably have lost a little more by Tuesday. Starting tomorrow I have to be on clear liquids to prep for Tuesday. Just want to let you know you got this and you will do great. Just stay focus and motivated. I was the same way on edge and excited. Make sure you have a good support team too! This will help and make things feel so much better. It is good that you are nervous and excited! Way to go!!!! -
MultiVitamins specifically for DS/SADI
Dawndarkling replied to ShoppGirl's topic in Duodenal Switch Surgery Forum
I take the same vitamins and minerals. I’ve always taken, but I take 50% higher dose. I have found that my vitamins that I take pre-surgery were higher end doses than a lot of of the bariatric medications so I don’t pay for those high prices when they have less in them than what I already take. I am a female in my 50s and I take a Centrum Silver for men because it has higher doses than the one for women I do not take shoes or Gummies because the pills break down slower and have a chance to actually get absorbed better than a gummy I take calcium chews at night three of them instead of the recommended two and in the morning I take everything else along with my iron and vitamin C . again 50% higher dose and my blood work is fine -
Food Before and After Photos
FifiLux replied to GreenTealael's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
Homemade Almond Croissant Oat Bake No 'afters' but three more for the coming days, shown on a small side plate Icing sugar I could have done a better job of sprinkling on top, will know for next time plus I did not include sliced almonds as a topping (as I had forgotten I had already eaten them!) https://thehappypear.ie/plant-based-and-vegan-recipes/almond-corissant-baked-oats/ -
A high dose multivitamin and a nasty calcium tablet every day. Then 2 PPI's to keep the acid at bay. Then every three months I have a B12 injection. I might be able to get rid of some of these this year as I believe I have a very good balanced diet now
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Adjusting to my new life
summerseeker replied to Bessieboop1981's topic in POST-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
Yes all of the above. I still calorie count everything, every day. I log it religiously. I weigh myself every day. I am super scared of repeating my past mistakes. My first stall was scary. The second, well it was still a fright. By the third, I was quite used to them. Further along, I had a three month stall and everyone said I was done but I was no where near my goal so kept doing the same good things. It broke in its own good time and I chugged down a few more stones. In the end I chose my goal weight and with help from my team, upped my calories. That was a scary trip for me. I had to relax a bit. That was tough because I will not go back to being over 199lbs. Like you say, you have lost so much weight already. A lot more than 90% of us have, at six weeks. Your body needs to recentre itself. You will have to have faith and stick with the plan. We are all proof that this does work. Just take our word for it for now. Wait it out. x