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Oh wow! Thank you for sharing! I love seeing before and after pics because I'm 6 weeks post-surgery and I want more results and feel impatient but I know it takes time. I'm down almost 30 lbs since beginning pre-op liquids. So you give me hope that I can get there too. I know you feel so much better! That's what I want. More energy and less pain. My rt hip gives me trouble so less weight will help. Hopefully! Well congrats again! You are inspiring me today!! 😍

A typical pre-op is dependent on your insurance and your surgeon, but most require things like: A series of monthly visits with a dietitian. 3 to 6 monthly visits are fairly common A visit with a psychiatrist or psychologist. Depending on the outcome, you may need to undergo treatment for an undiagnosed eating disorder One or more education sessions typically done over a series of weeks. This is to better prepare you for both the immediate post-op diet, as well as long term expectations. These are sometimes, but not always done together with the dietitian visits. Clearance from your primary care doctor and depending on your health history, clearances from other doctors such as a cardiologist or endocrinologist. Numerous blood tests, both to look for potential problems and to set a baseline. Again depending on your health history and your surgeons preferences, you might need to have things such as an endoscopy and/or a swallow study done. Some people may even need additional imaging done such as CT or MRI scans. As a diabetic, they may require your A1C to be below a prescribed value. This is for your safety. Honestly I'm probably forgetting some stuff. If so, I'm sure others here can chime in. In terms of lifetime changes to your eating patterns, you need to make sure you're prepared to make better food choices for life. It's a sad fact, but a pretty high number of people that have weight loss surgery eventually gain the weight back. This can be avoided by learning how to make better food choices now, so you don't fall back into old habits once the stomach restriction eases off. It's often misunderstood by those not familiar with bariatric surgery that weight loss post surgery is "easy". Yes, the initial loss can be easier that it would have been otherwise, but keeping the weight off is just as hard, if not harder that it would have been had you not had the surgery. This is why learning how to eat better is so important. People that lose weight naturally and keep it off do so through repeatedly making good food choices and strict discipline. That knowledge carries over really well to long term weight maintenance. The people that fail weight loss surgery often found initial weight loss easy, but sometimes really struggle once they get to maintenance since they don't know how to eat like a "normal" person. Add in the fact that a formerly obese person trying to maintain weight typically can't eat as much food as someone that was never overweight even if they are the exact same body size, and you can see why retraining yourself here is critical. Throw in the fact that (at least in my opinion), most obese people either have an eating disorder, or at least suffer from disordered eating, and it's obvious that the surgery is just a small component to overall success. TL;DR: IMO, It's better to take your time and do it right.

something to note that i discovered many women (and men) don't realize is cup size is not static across band sizes (sorry if you do know, i just got the feeling that this wasn't clear in the thread above...) anyway... the amount of "boob volume" that can be stuffed into a 36C is actually LESS than the amount you can stuff into a 34C. along the same lines, that same 36C boob is larger in VOLUME than a boob in a 38C. sooooo... 3 women with bra sizes 34D, 36C, and 38B actually all have the same size boob (if they are wearing a properly fitting bra of course), however their TORSO sizes are different. with that said, 1) @ShoppGirl its reallllllllllly hard (impossible?) to tell what size you will be in the future. on top of that, it's equally (more?) difficult to determine if you will stay that way. 2) i do understand that you have a decision to make (under time crunches and duress, omg) but like everything else on here, its reallllllllyy hard to compare yourself and your outcomes to others cuz, well, you know... but since you asked, here are my deets: btw, 28D is like a unicorn to find in a retail store...i just get the sister size of 30C (which isn't that easy to find either, but at least better than trying to find 28D!) i didn't keep meticulous records of my changing bra size during active weight loss, so i can't say how quickly i changed bra sizes. i dont think i even bought a new bra during weight loss phase, just kept wearing ill fitting ones or none at all, ha. not sure i was any help here, but it there is anything to take away from this data of my sample of ONE, is that if you shrink proportionately as you lose weight, you will stay the same bra size (remember 28D has same boob volume as 30C, just smaller torso, which has nothing to do with implant size)...now, will you shrink proportionately? who even knows. 3) lastly, in my insignificant opinion (i mean i am just a stranger on the internet), if it were me, i would opt to err on the side of smaller vs bigger. i can always wear a padded bra if i wanna go bigger afterwards, but not much i can do to make a set too-big boobies smaller. good luck! ❤️

something to note that i discovered many women (and men) don't realize is cup size is not static across band sizes (sorry if you do know, i just got the feeling that this wasn't clear in the thread above...) anyway... the amount of "boob volume" that can be stuffed into a 36C is actually LESS than the amount you can stuff into a 34C. along the same lines, that same 36C boob is larger in VOLUME than a boob in a 38C. sooooo... 3 women with bra sizes 34D, 36C, and 38B actually all have the same size boob (if they are wearing a properly fitting bra of course), however their TORSO sizes are different. with that said, 1) @ShoppGirl its reallllllllllly hard (impossible?) to tell what size you will be in the future. on top of that, it's equally (more?) difficult to determine if you will stay that way. 2) i do understand that you have a decision to make (under time crunches and duress, omg) but like everything else on here, its reallllllllyy hard to compare yourself and your outcomes to others cuz, well, you know... but since you asked, here are my deets: btw, 28D is like a unicorn to find in a retail store...i just get the sister size of 30C (which isn't that easy to find either, but at least better than trying to find 28D!) i didn't keep meticulous records of my changing bra size during active weight loss, so i can't say how quickly i changed bra sizes. i dont think i even bought a new bra during weight loss phase, just kept wearing ill fitting ones or none at all, ha. not sure i was any help here, but it there is anything to take away from this data of my sample of ONE, is that if you shrink proportionately as you lose weight, you will stay the same bra size (remember 28D has same boob volume as 30C, just smaller torso, which has nothing to do with implant size)...now, will you shrink proportionately? who even knows. 3) lastly, in my insignificant opinion (i mean i am just a stranger on the internet), if it were me, i would opt to err on the side of smaller vs bigger. i can always wear a padded bra if i wanna go bigger afterwards, but not much i can do to make a set too-big boobies smaller. good luck! ❤️

So this outfit is nothing special, throw on a sweater and some booties and it is pretty much what I wear to work every day. What is special is that these are my favorite style of jeans that I bought in multiple pairs and sizes. This particular pair has been hanging in a closet for years!! It takes a lot for me to lose weight in my hips and things but I’m finally able to wear these size 16 pants again!!! I have lost about 50 lbs and have dropped from a size 20 to a size 16!! And I am loving it! (After these are too big though, I’m going to officially having to start shopping for pants again!)

I guess I have a couple of things for you to think about: Many insurance companies don't cover weight loss surgery. Those that do, typically have very specific requirements that take months to accomplish. Do you know for sure this would be covered, or are you prepared to pay out of pocket? Most bariatric surgeons have their own set of requirements from patients aside from those that the insurance company requires. These too can take weeks to accomplish. If your surgeon does not have any requirements, this would go against best practices. Do you really want a surgeon willing to take shortcuts? Most bariatric surgeons want to have you do a pre-op diet of 2-4 weeks. There are multiple reasons, but the most important is to shrink your liver to make the surgery safer. Are you okay with extra risk just to get the surgery ASAP? Most bariatric surgery is done by a specialised bariatric surgeon, not a general surgeon. I'm not sure I'd even want a general surgeon to do the bariatric surgery even if they say they could do it. Remember, experience here is highly predictive of positive outcomes. Are you sure about the experience of the surgeon what would be performing the surgery? Long term success from weight loss surgery is a lot more than just having the surgery done. Are you mentally ready for a lifetime of changes to how you eat? Do you really know that VSG is the right surgery for you? Gastric bypass is typically recommended for larger people with more weight to lose, especially if they have comorbidities like diabetes. I think it's worth taking your time to research and discuss various surgical options before jumping straight into this. On a more practical level, even if you could overcome all of the above, most surgeons and surgical suites are scheduled based on the length of the planned surgery. I can't imagine either of them changing this on short notice. Overall, while I think bariatric surgery is a fantastic, life-changing choice, it's not for everyone. Take your time and go through the process to mentally and physically prepare yourself before jumping in.

Hi, I'm new here. Let me give you a bit of my history. I'm 43, weigh 290 pounds, and have diabetes. On November 24, I experienced stabbing pain on the right side below my rib cage. I went to the ER, where the doctor gave me pain medication and an ultrasound, which revealed gallbladder stones. He scheduled a visit with a surgeon for mid-December. I had another gallbladder attack before the appointment, but luckily, apple cider vinegar (ACV) and Aleve helped relieve the pain. On the appointment day, the surgeon suggested I consider getting sleeve gastrectomy along with gallbladder removal. I was shocked to hear that and, in a panic, declined the VSG. However, after researching, I found it's a potential solution for weight loss and reversing diabetes. Now, with only three days left before my surgery, I'm trying to add VSG to the gallbladder removal. I'm unsure if it will work out with the surgeon, and it might be too late to make changes. I don't want to go through another laparoscopic procedure and double the cost. I'm feeling nervous about how this week will go.

I probably should have said more clearly that the minoxidil suggestion was because OP thought some of the thinning was age related. I also had age-related/thyroid related thinning, so when the expected additional thinning happened after surgery, the result was shocking. I decided to use the minoxidil at that point, knowing that it was not going to do anything for the surgery-related loss and that it would be something I would need to continue for the rest of my life. I completely agree that if it's just the temporary weight-loss/surgery related hair loss, minoxidil is not the right choice. But if you already were concerned about hair thinning prior to surgery, it's something to consider. I also had almost no eyebrows (pre-surgery, for many years, because of thyroid) and daily minoxidil treatment has started to bring those back.

Most doctors wouldn't recommend Minoxidll for Acute Telogen Effluvium (the type of hair loss that happens during rapid weight loss), because there's little scientific evidence that it actually does much of anything for this condition. In addition, Minoxidll can actually cause Telogen Effluvium either when beginning treatment, and/or when stopping treatment. Keep in mind this drug was actually originally developed as vasodilator, but it was noted to promote hair growth for patients suffering from androgenic alopecia, a completely different type of hair loss. While you certainty can try it, Acute Telogen Effluvium will resolve on its own once the weight loss stops and there is some risk it won't do anything, or even might make the problem worse. I'd honestly suggest talking to a dermatologist if your hair loss is concerning enough you are considering medication. Just my .02.

Thank you for your kind words. I think I am going to be the same with the moving goal. I was actually tiny my whole life and didn’t start gaining until around age 25. I was a size one when I met my husband so I would love to get back there but I am not nearly as active now even when I exercise like mad. My hobbies have changed from very active ones to sedentary ones so formal exercise is my primary form of activity. I just want to feel good at this point and if I get to a size medium I will be happy enough. I won’t just stop there though unless my body wants to. Building muscle is going to be my next big challenge. I wish you the best of luck in your goals with that. I am thinking that at some point I am going to have to get a personal trainer for the muscle building since that is something I have never even tried. Hopefully next year I will be In a place that I can start working on that. Maybe insurance will cover it since I will need help to do it safely after my surgery 🤔 I need to ask about that.

My surgery-induced hair loss has only just started to turn around, so I know what you are going through and how distressing it can be. I have done two things to help. One is using minoxidil every night before bed. I found a 3-pack on Amazon of a spray (not a foam, which I find too messy) that is so easy to use and costs under $40. For a woman's dose (4 squirts per day), each bottle is supposed to last 60 days. I find it doesn't last quite that long, but I probably get about 6 weeks out of each bottle, making it cost maybe $2.50 a week. I've been using it about 14 weeks and I am seeing tons of regrowth, I would say definitely beyond what I lost. The hair is all short right now, a couple inches in length, but by the summer I hope it will be closer to my above the shoulder hair length. Which beings me to my second trick: hats. I live in a cold weather climate and I bought a bunch of hats, although I had some wide fabric headbands and crocheted bandanas in the fall when it was warmer that also got the job done. Not sure if you are male or female, but for women's styles, try searching for either "slouch caps" or "chemo headwear" online for some lighter weight hats that can help you hide the thinning until it reverses and that are comfortable indoors. Once your weight loss slows, the hair should regrow even on a maintenance dose of Zepbound. It just takes time, way longer than you think! Oh, I should say I had my surgery in Feb 2024, so in terms of when my major weight loss was happening, I'm betting we're at kind of the same stage with the hair loss. And I'm almost 51, so ditto on the age-related issues. But the minoxidil is a game changer.

Hair loss is almost inevitable with significant weight loss due to a number of reasons such as lower protein intake and lower levels of certain micronutrients such as Iron, niacin, etc. Stress and hormone changes are also leading causes of excess hair loss during weight loss. This is true regardless of how you lost weight, thus it's not unique to Zepound or any other GLP-1 drug. The good news is that it typically will come back once you go off the diet.

Well, as a guy I obviously have no real experience here but I wanted to point out a male perspective. My experience is that breast "size" is relative to overall body size. What I mean by that is proportionally a C cup can seem quite big on a 5 foot tall 100 pound gal, whereas a DD cup might seem small on a 6 foot 250 pound woman. What the majority of guys like is just for a woman to look proportional. There are certainly exceptions (afterall people like what they like), but the majority of guys probably prefer something in the middle, thus not super small and not super big. If you have a significant other right now, you might ask for their thoughts here? If not, I'd definitely recommend going no larger than a D cup as that can look normal at almost all the weights you're likely to land at based on your height. In other words, I think your initial gut feeling that a C or D cup will be right for you is spot on. As to weight loss and where you "should be", it's all up to you. This whole idea that you will eventually stop losing at some number of months or percentage lost post surgery is based on averages, not science. I also think if you were to poll people here, you'd find that almost all of us tend to set initial goals much higher that what is attainable, so for those that have gotten into a "normal" range, we've probably adjusted our goal weights down at least once, it not more. In my own case, I initially set my goal for 200, partly because it's a nice round number, and partly because that was lower than I remember ever being as an adult. Once I blew through that, I adjusted down to 180. I'm leaving my "goal" there at this point because I'm now focused on body recomposition. In other words, I'm trying to add some additional muscle and lose a bit more fat. Per my last In-Body scan, I'm at 13.5% BF and would like to be sub 12%. (Lean, but not shredded.) That would put me in the 165-170 range, but I want to also add roughly 8-10 pounds of additional muscle, so I'll leave the goal where it is for a while. Let me close by saying I'm in awe of how well you've been handling the cancer diagnosis and treatment! I think I would have have completely fallen apart had I been in a similar situation. I know many of us here are rooting for you.

Mines is also the 22nd! What’s your starting weight? Mines is 262.

Yea well if you get an honest picture you may find that you have been losing all along on even higher calories than you think. We are definitely not all the same with what our body requires even if we could do the exact same in terms or activity. So many things play into our metabolism that I’ve seen people on here who can maintain their ideal at as high as 2500 calories and others that have to maintain at like 1200. Weight loss calorie requirements are probably just as varied. How is the activity going? Have you started any new cool classes?? I did a PIYO class that was pretty fun. It was at a local gym that has a day rate for people who don’t want a membership and it was only $5 which is more than I pay for YOGA but it was something different and it was on a Saturday so my friend got to meet me. I am actually thinking of doing a tai chi class that’s also at my community center. The Beginners class is at kind of an inconvenient time for me Is what has stopped my from trying it already but I can make it work I guess since it’s not forever. The regular class time works better for me. I figured if I like it I may do yoga one day and tai chi one day then as soon as I can get back to it I will do cardio two days.

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.

Just asking others on their thoughts with Zepbound? Ive been on Zepbound since Feb 2024 and have lost more weight with this then my gastric sleeve surgery; however I can get the normal side effects nausea (its manageable) but I am really experiencing lots of hair loss! Anyone else losing their hair at a steady pace just like the weight loss? Im 56 so could be age induced as well and I have very fine hair anyway but even I am getting concerned with the amount I am losing especially on the top!

The whole shebang huh lol. Im a bit leery of it all myself. I have lost enough weight now between gastric sleeve and zepbound that I have the sagging skin issue in several places. My biggest area that I suppose bothers me (in looks) is my arms. I hate how much is sagging and actually quite heavy skin. If I do anything it will be those upper arms for sure first!!! It wasnt really until recently I noticed it wasnt just the upper arms, it has now gone downward into forearm area. Skin there is really starting to get loose. I just dont know whether to do both upper arms at the same time or one at a time. I have not spoken to a plastic surgeon yet as I am only just now seeing other areas of my body with loose sagging skin. Ive lost a considerable amount in the breast area, my thighs are now saggy and loose as well as my butt lol. I just noticed a noticeable fold of loose skin thats irritating ha!! I just dont know if I want to go through so many surgeries to get rid of all this, it seems a bit much but I guess time will tell which areas will irritate me enough to do something about it.

I have been on Zepbound since Feb 2024, I have lost an additional 72 lbs while on this drug. More weight loss than my gastric sleeve. I lost about 52 lbs from that. I am on a higher dose now but have been steadily on it for the past 3 months without upping the dosage. It is not a dramatic loss but steady and Im good with that since I was at a complete stall of weight loss after the sleeve

So did you eat less than you normally do the day that you logged it? If so, you might wanna log it for like a week or something and try to get a better idea of what you actually eat. It’s possible because your activity has increased that you can still lose on 13 or 1400 calories. I think really it depends more on the quality of your calories than it does the actual calories. Like as long as your carbs are natural carbs, and your fats are healthy fats. They may have more calories, but they may not cause you to slow your loss. I’ve been eating a lot more calories but I think mine is a little different because of the chemo. I know that they said it burns a lot of carbs. So I’ve been eating like fruit and vegetables all day long and my calories are up to 13-1700 some days even and I’m losing still. Slower than I was but it’s hard because I do my infusion and my weight shoots up like 8 pounds and it scares me but then it eventually goes down and I don’t know how much it’s really going to go down this time it was an extra two pounds. But I know for me based on my activity I was able to increase my calories before all this chemo stuff probably like 300-400 of mostly healthy carbs that I added and I was losing the same, which was the occasional very small portion of brown rice and then lots of extra fruits and veggie snacks. Like I would have just a small side salad in between meals or a cup of fruit. Of course I was working out like a mad woman. 😂

Hi hi 👋 Today I decided to just log in my food to c where I am at calories and macros wise and I was abit surprised that I am eating close to 1100 and around 90g of protien which is great but I was just like hmm isn't that "alot" i am losing weight so I must be on a deficit for sure but I just assumed I'm eating way less. Also I was basically hungry all day. Because I worried I'd reach 1500 if I listened to my hunger.

So glad you have such a wonderful and supportive surgeon @ShoppGirl. Sounds like he has your back and wants to help you reach all your goals for your health and your weight loss. Hope you continue to not experience any of the awful side effects of your chemo.

Well I kind of did the poof and now I am skinny. Its not really what I thought it would be or now want During the Covid lock down, house arrest in the Uk, I had the surgery. I told no one and then when the country opened again, I did the big reveal. I was / am a stranger in the small town that I have lived in for 55 years. My husband has a strange mistress and a gets congratulated and a back pat while I, the ' mistress' get ignored. When he puts them correct, the shock is too much for them to believe. One man said to him ' You must be so proud now ' ffs. I am used to it but hate it at the same time. I liked the popular me. If you are gradually loosing weight then those around you at college will not realise until you get near your goal and start to look too thin to them

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! 🤗

I just had my sleeve surgery yesterday. It was an outpatient procedure which I was happy about as I’d rather go home than stay in the hospital overnight. All in all it went well as I was up and walking a few hours after I woke up. The only downside to the surgery (if there had to be one) was the gas pain and nausea. Although, I’ve been told not everyone experiences nausea. Just a day after my surgery and I feel fine. Taking my pain meds as needed and I’m able to keep down liquids. I’m excited to see my progress as I lost 43 pounds before my procedure date. I hope to lose another 110 pounds to be at my goal weight. Good luck to everyone getting their surgery in 2025! We can do this! Cheers!!!