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Hi all, I have been given an appointment for arm lift surgery the end of October, if all goes well, based on your experiences is this sufficient time (8 weeks) to be mainly recovered by Christmas with full motion etc.? I am due to fly home for Christmas and would want to be able to pull/push/lift suitcases without any issue, shower easily plus then enjoy my Christmas time and not have family and friends worried about me. Given the major problems I had with my sleeve surgery in 2023 I am a bit apprehensive as to how my body will react and recover. Plus I don't know how I am going to tell my family as I know they will have a total freak out considering I spent so long in hospital and had so many problems with leaks, pancreatitis, sepsis etc with the sleeve and how I live on my own with no real support network.

So glad to hear you are doing well. Yea when the cravings come back it sucks. I have been doing okay. Tomorrow is my last day of the infused chemo. Surgery on 3 weeks then radiation in five. I will be on the immunotherapy another year and maybe oral chemo depending on the pathology from surgery. 🤞 I don’t need the chemo because that may mean I’m immunocompromised still and I’m so sick of the isolation of trying not to get sick and miss treatment. I got a tiny little cold that made me septic and spent 10 days in hospital which made me miss two weeks of chemo so I’ve had to be super careful to not get sick again and all along they have told me once I get to radiation I won’t have to be so careful. I mean sick would mean I would miss treatment but only for a day or two while I had a fever or felt really crummy and it wouldn’t be life or death. Anyways, I only read about the oral chemo on the patient portal tonight so I will ask Dr more about it this Friday when we chat. Maybe it’s not a big deal. I have pretty much maintained my weight till recently. I’ve gained a few pounds. I’m still on the heavy steroids and the immunotherapy caused thyrotoxicosis I think it’s called. I was hyper thyroid to start but then like 3 weeks later it went back to normal and then to hypo thyroid and apparently it usually stays that way. I reached out to my bariatric team and asked him if I could start on with Govee to help get me off of some of these processed carbs and he acted like I was being crazy to be worried about my weight at a time like this. I said I’m not trying to lose weight. I know I’m not supposed to and I haven’t Since December when I started the Chemo, but I don’t think that if you’re so concerned about me, maintaining my weight to fuel my body and help myself recover that the foods I’m eating in order to sustain an overweight body weight are really helping me recover from anything. I said all I want to do is be able to stop eating the garbage and start eating healthy nutrition again and I would be willing to log all my food again and check in with you to make sure I’m not losing too fast or anything, but he says no way not until I get the all clear cancer free from my oncologist. But I’m helping my oncologist can reach out to him and tell him that I’m not gonna get that for another year and if I wait that long, I’ll probably be as big as a house again without any help. Or I may just have to go through an endocrinologist or my family doctor or something. Anyway, anyways, trying to not worry about it too much but I didn’t appreciate that. He acted like I have some kind of eating disorder or something and I have like a death wish. I mean, I wasn’t saying that I wanna take something that’s gonna make me starve myself to death. I was just saying that I want to change what I’m eating and eat healthy obviously if the medicine made it where I couldn’t eat anything. I would stop taking it. I’m not insane. 🤣 but it is very discouraging to see the numbers on the scale go up even if it’s only 5 pounds.

I hope everyone was successful during their holidays! I actually lose a couple pounds this week, so huge win, when this would be the time I gain weight (from Halloween to Christmas).

That's really great! I feel like I was in a funk last week and really struggled with motivation to do anything, so I pretty much just worked and blobbed at home. Today is a new week though and maybe I can steal some of your motivation to get up and move my body!

I realised my response above was a bit lacking on practical recommendations. Let me try to summarize what I'd suggest: Since you're right where I'd want you to be in terms of weight loss per month, don't change anything at this point. Only consider changing if you find the weight loss completely stops for 2 months or more. If weight loss does stop for at least 2 months, I'd actually recommend UPPING calories by 250-300 calories a day. I know that sounds counter-intuitive, especially considering that a negative energy balance is the only way to lose weight, but let me explain. Remember when I said above that one of the main jobs of our metabolic regulation system is to keep us from dying? No matter what we do, our metabolism slows when we diet. The rationale behind upping calories (by a small amount), is that we want to convince that system that the "bad times" have passed, and it's okay to ratchet up metabolic processes again. I'd recommend eating this increased calorie amount for at least a month, but two months would be better. Somewhat surprisingly, most people won't gain weight if they do this because their metabolism will increase to compensate. After that diet break, only then do we drop calories for a month or two in order to drop some more weight. You can keep up this intermittent dieting (not to be confused with intermittent fasting), until you get to your goal weight. I know this sounds like a slow process, but I promise, in the long run it's actually faster than if you just tried to keep cutting calories to get to your goal. Please keep exercising for your health, but also so that once you do get to your goal, you'll have a much easier time maintaining the loss. I would strongly recommend a minimum of 3 days per week of aerobic exercise and 2 days per week of strength training. This will set you up really well to maintain weight, as well as for excellent health as you get older. Don't be afraid to seek out a good mental health counselor. None of us got as big as we were by having a healthy relationship with food. The vast majority of people that fail to lose weight or that regain lots of weight after bariatric surgery do so because they fall back into old poor eating habits.

Welcome! I'm almost 6 weeks post op and I'm glad I made this decision! You will be too!

I am having DS in 3 weeks and I am quite nervous about this also. I would love to have someone to be able to run things past that may not need a doctor to answer. Thanks for sharing!

I went with mine the day of the op as it was higher than when I started the process - I enjoyed the few weeks before my surgery 😉

I flew to Turkey for my procedure and I honestly don't know that it could have gone any smoother. The hospital in Istanbul was the nicest hospital I've ever seen and everyone was so incredible thorough. I am going on my 5th day post op mini-bypass and I was able to walk three miles yesterday. Going to see the Hagia Sophia today. So far, my only regret is that I wish I made the decision sooner. On another note, I didn't expect to feel hungry and crave food so quickly. Has anyone else experienced that?

what @SpartanMaker said. increases muscle mass which drives up metabolism. good for physical health and side benefit of looking hawt. AND probably the number one, oft-ignored-yet-totally-obvious, underrated, oh-so-accessible producer of positive mental health...❤️ also...what @DaisyChainOz said. while it really doesn't matter what WE think you look like, you do look fab as ever. if u didn't see the number on the scale, would you still look pretty effing awesome in all those gorgeous clothes in your closet? but i get it, fear of going back to our pre-wls selves is a big thing in our demographic, no matter how unlikely that is your case. hugs. p.s. you know what i did last week when i was feeling down and annoyed? i bought a new pair of shoes. just saying...

Nice! My date isn't until Jan 30th, but it's going to take that long for me to get everything sorted at work before I can take a couple weeks off. Where are you having your surgery?

You are killing it! Your point about calories is really on point as well. I recommend any bariatric surgery patient read up on Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S). The simple explanation is that if you work out a lot, you need to eat more. If you don't, then you are a lot more likely to start having a hard time with things like fatigue, various injuries, getting sick a lot, lack of concentration and depression. At its worst, you can get really sick, leading to heart issues and worse. My personal experience is that women tend to struggle with this more, though anyone can be impacted. Some people here might think it doesn't affect them because they don't consider themselves athletes, but if you are working out multiple days a week, it is a risk, especially considering how hard it can be for us to get more calories in. Over time, you'll hopefully learn where your personal limits are. For example, I've found that right now I can maintain my weight reasonably well up to about 30 miles a week, but beyond that I lose weight whether I want to or not.

In the last couple of weeks I realise that I grieve being able to have a cup of coffee at the same time as eating a snack. Like at the moment I want one of my Christmas mince pies to take a bite out of in between sips of coffee. 😢 Instead I will have my coffee now and then wait about 30 minutes to eat the pie, not exactly the same satisfied feeling.

You are doing amazing but I do understand how you feel. In the very beginning I just wanted to lose the weight as quickly as possible but then I had an epiphany! I need to fix my relationship with food! I'm 10 weeks out so I'm still early days but I know that just losing weight is a sticking plaster for the real reason I used food as a coping mechanism. So I think I need to consider therapy! The food noise gets so bad for me sometimes its like torture! I will be so much more happier when I nail these obsessive food thoughts but it will take time, I've had them my whole life. Like many I have lost up to 6 stone and put it back on quite a few times before I took the plunge and had surgery so I guess I need to be kind to myself and learn to understand the parts of myself that I have ignored for so long. Are you counting calories? at the 5 week mark I was managing around 500 cals a day. I didn't have the protein drinks because I was fuller for longer eating minced chicken, tuna, eggs, lentils, cottage cheese and pureed foods for less calories, a quarter of a cup at a time. I still managed to get in my protein and at least 2 litres of fluids too. If I was a little under in my protein I would drink a clear whey isolate protein squash drink, they are around 100 cals and contain up to 22g of protein! I am on 800 cals a day now as my stomach has done a lot of healing since then. Everyone is different though and I know that some people still can't tolerate actual food at your stage, so listen to your body hun. Here's some ideas for purees for you, a quarter of a cup at a time is about right for the stage you are at but if you can't manage it all that's fine, its just a guide for you. Tuna and mayonnaise - 14 grams of protein Blended baked chicken. I would bake chicken in some tinned tomatoes and season with garlic and herbs then blend it. 50g of chicken has 16g protein Egg mayo - an egg has 6-7g protein Bolognese - use 5%fat minced beef and blend with a tomato based sauce or make your own - 11g protein Protein puddings available in all the supermarkets - 15-20g protein readybrek oats with some protein powder Fat free cottage cheese blended with peanut butter powder and some sweetener if you need it. Cottage cheese has 11g protein per 100g PB powder has 8g protein per serving Ricotta cheese bake - you can find the recipe on Pinterest and even on here! I wish you well on your journey my lovely. You are on a path of healing, mentally, physically and emotionally and you are doing amazing! Be kind to yourself the weight will come off and at 5 weeks you are still healing and probably holding extra fluid anyway. xx

My surgery is in 6 weeks, looking for recommendations on what to eat leading up, what to have on hand after for food and comfort. Also is there anyone else going under on the 19th who wants to chit chat and support each other? I know I can do this, I just don't want to do it alone.

Thank you so much, guys. I love that this is a safe space to speak our truths about this surgery. So many people think it's a miracle cure, and it's not. We have to do the work. It really is just a tool for us to use while we do the work. You guys have been so supportive. Thank you so much. I'm going to go back to weighing once per week, meal prepping again, sticking to my diet, and start back with my work out plan. I'll work to lose 10 pounds, to get back to the weight I'm happiest at. You all are awesome!!!

I got mine and I didn’t weigh it but it comes with the batteries separate (not installed). I wonder if that’s the difference. Just three AAA’s though.

To be honest not well. I’m not a breakfast person, never have been, and it just feels like a “diet” LOL I do better on a low carb diet so the fruit is throwing me. Honestly I’d rather be on a shake for breakfast and lunch and just have dinner. Oh, I also have to exercise 5 days a week and log everything. Exercise is the roughest part due to pretty painful arthritis in my ankle.

3 weeks post op. I don't remember ever getting car sick before. Today I left right after eating and got sick waiting to pick up my grocery order and again at a red light on the way back. My car idles rough. Has this happened to anyone else and does it go away? I know, in the future wait a bit before getting in the car, but I have a long trip coming up in June and I'll be eating in the car or driving all night.

Welcome! I was thinking the same thing as @summerseeker. I personally would try to quit smoking now, rather than wait. A complete liquid diet for 2 weeks is hard enough without having to go through nicotine withdrawal at the same time. To be honest, it would also be safer for you. Smoking puts you at a much higher risk of complications from bariatric surgery. The sooner you quit, the better off you'll be. You do you, but that was my thought. @summerseeker is also correct regarding your post surgery diet. They're all so different, it's hard to give specific advice. I could provide what my team had me do, but that might be completely at odds with what your team wants you to do. I'd start with what your surgical team has given you, but if you have questions about it that they can't answer, feel free to ask here. Alternately, if you want to post the plan you were given, we might be able to generate ideas for you that you can try. One thing to consider: it's REALLY common for people's tastes to change after surgery. Something you like right now, may become the worst thing ever, and vice-versa. I know if you're worried about the post-surgical period, it's comforting to try to plan out what things will be like for you, but please don't try to stock up on stuff. Many of us did that and ended up with things we couldn't or wouldn't eat. Best of luck.

It sounds like your going to be very busy so maybe you wont be so focused on food. A part of my success is attributed to meal prepping- I meal prep every single week. Sometimes I meal prep meals for grab or go or I will meal prep items for those tempting nights at home where I want to eat cereal or something that is not so great instead of cooking. you will get quicker at meal prep too, I used to take 2+ hours now I can whip up my meal prep in 1hour. I also learned to not complicate it. Easy meals can be just as delicious! I bulk prep chicken breast, and ground beef, hard boiled eggs, wash and cut up veggies/fruits, make sure to have Greek yogurt and cottage cheese on hand, It does make life easier when your prepared! Also having better choice snacks stocked up in the fridge/pantry helps too! Cheese sticks, jerky, flavor packets for water (if you like that) protein shakes, protein powder, protein bars (recommend Built bar or fulfil bar), unsweetened almond milk. skinny syrups for coffee...theres more its just off the top of my head these things lol

What you need to ask yourself is something I used to help me when my weight appeared to not be fast enough; did I put the weight on in just a few months? No, so I need to be patient and let the process work and do my part while not expecting the weight to come off in such a short time! Give yourself the gift of being patient with your body. I know its difficult, especially being that we're an instant gratification society now, but you deserve the grace, time and patience knowing you made the right decision for yourself having had the surgery! Follow the guidelines you were given by your bariatric team. But f you still don't feel the weight is coming off as fast as you think it should - schedule an appointment with your dietician/surgeon and ask for they're advice. You've got this! Lastly 13lbs is an average/"normal" weight loss for 5 weeks 🤗

Weight will fluctuate but should not be that big of a difference, I would toss the scale you have and try another one. But then again, I don't weigh myself very often, I wait for my post-op weigh-ins because it is the same scale, same place, same lack of dust, etc. If your scale is on wood one day and carpet on another day you will see a different weight too. On the first floor or the 7th floor, it can make a difference, and don't forget with vs. without clothes. These are typical differences. My scale is about 10 pounds off from my doctors office. Remember that there are NSV (non-scale victories) that you should be focused on too, like the size of your clothes, how well you walk now than before, if you measured your waist, thighs, arms and the rest, are they going down in numbers? Celebrate the 43 pounds that you did lose and look for your win that you did have. You should remember that your body is different than others, and your wins will be different than others as well. I know you have other wins you can share from this last week post surgery. Mind work is just as important as physical work.

You're only two weeks out, so it's absolutely fine to take things slow. It's also fine not to hit the targets that have been set for you this early on. Just do your best. I actually did okay for the first few weeks, but at one point around week 4, my stomach just didn't want certain solid foods and I started having vomiting. My doctor had me go back to liquids for another two weeks. It was no fun at the time, but it eventually went away. Your body will adjust over time and you'll go back to mostly normal. I really liked creamy tomato soup with plain protein powder mixed in during the soft phase. Also, refried beans with some melted cheese were delicious. Think of food as more of a "nice to have" thing right now, knowing you are getting what you need from your protein and vitamin supplements. It's okay just to have a bite or two, or to have the same things for a few days in a row and not get a lot of variety. The first few months you're retraining yourself with eating and your body is going to be doing all sorts of weird things until it recovers.

LOL! Mine are mostly grey now as well & have to get them dyed every 4 weeks too. I supposedly have a little scar tissue on the inner of my brows - deep, can’t see or feel anything. That’s the only ‘issue’ I’ve had and it doesn’t hinder the annual touchups I get. Find a reputable technician. I had a 30 min consultation where she went over everything, asked about allergies, experiences with other dyes, etc. & then I made the appointment to proceed after that. I’m given an antiseptic cream to apply twice daily for a week after. It dues bring tears to my eyes when I have it done even with a prescription strength topical anaesthetic.