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I think this is a great idea! I have been considering starting an Instagram page myself. So far I have watched 11 minutes of your video, I'll finish the rest tomorrow. My suggestions are: 1.Play with your light source, it casts a shadow in the center-left (yours) on your face. Just turn your camera on and change the light(s) to see how others will see you. 2. Write yourself a script or an outline, just to help better organize your thoughts, you do say "right" a lot. 3. I think your background is great, but in case you change it, just remember people online will zoom in and scrutinize everything, so make sure nothing you want shared with the general public is in your background. 4. Do not let the music keep coming in and out. Either use it as just the intro and outro or you can additionally use it as a transition for a topic change. 5. You can if you want get into color theory and wear colors that make your skin tone and eyes pop, a ring light with RGB or light filter functions can aid with this too, but that can also be later down the road, when you start getting more traffic. Otherwise, I think you are off to a great start, you have a nice speaking voice, and a friendly demeanor, and your way of interacting/talking is like having a casual conversation with a friend and that comes across as relatable and friendly.

I posted this on another thread about revision, but I had a hiatal hernia and bad GERD so it applies for this thread too. I want to preface that this is about to be a long message, but it's my journey. Thanks for reading. My 1st Bariatric journey started in 2009 (I was 26 years old). My heaviest weight was 250 lbs. I did a month liquid diet as my preop diet and got down to my surgery weight of 220 lbs. I had a sleeve done in Sep 1, 2009. I got down to around 175 lbs from my surgery weight of 220 lbs. I got down to a size 12. I did regain some weight years later, but that was my doing (not eating the best, not exercising as I should). In addition to gaining some weight back, i developed a 5/6cm hiatal hernia and had really bad heartburn and reflux. I started taking Nexium for years. Finally 14 years later (now 40 years old) in April of 2023 I decided to ask a doctor about taking daily Nexium (after hearing constantly from family that it wasn't good). My surgeon gave me 3 options. 1. Continue taking Nexium daily 2. Fix my hiatal hernia (but he did warn me that hiatal hernias are known to come back) 3. Fix my hiatal hernia and do a revision from Sleeve to RNY. Before any of that to make an informed decision I had to get an upper GI with contrast and an endoscopy with a Bravo study. I had the endoscopy done and the Bravo capsule placed on my esophagus. After the 1st endoscopy my GI doctor said she didn't even need to see the results of the Bravo study...seeing my esophagus alone was enough to see how inflamed my esophagus was and she confirmed the bigger sized hernia. Either way, the Bravo capsule was placed in and I did the 3 day study. The results came back and like my GI doc said...it was bad. The acidity in my stomach and esophagus was ridiculous. I use to take generic Nexium 20mg but my GI doc said that wasnt enough for how bad my esophagus was. I was told to bump it up to 40mg 2x a day. So I did that and it helped to heal the massive amount of inflammation I already had in my esophagus. To confirm that I had a 2nd endoscopy done. The Bravo study, the upper GI scans, the endoscopy was all completed so that I could make an informed decision on how I wanted to proceed. Which of the 3 options discussed did I want to proceed with. I decided option 3 was best (revision from Sleeve to RNY with a hiatal hernia repair). For me my insurance approved the procedure and it was fairly a quick process because I went the general surgical route vs the Bariatric route. I could have had the revision in July but I had a cruise planned in August and I wanted to be able to drink and eat and ENJOY my vacation so I opted to wait and had the revision 2 weeks after I came back from my cruise on September 11th. I was 215 the 1st day of my preop diet. I got down to 206 but then mother nature decided to show up the week of my surgery so as women we gain water weight during our cycle and the day of surgery i weighed in at 209. I was so pissed. I knew it was water weight because of my cycle but still nobody wants to see the number on the scale go up. Surgery went well. I had no complications. My recovery was A LOT smoother. I had BAAAAAD nausea and gas pains after my sleeve becauseof the anesthesia. With the RNY I had 0% nausea. I had a little bit of shoulder pain because of the gas and I did have another pain when I inhaled big because of the hernia repair, but it was all normal and pains of that nature were expected. I was just sooooo glad that I didn't wake up extremely nauseous after the RNY like I did after my sleeve. So now I'm 31 days post op. I've been at 195 since like September 26th. I hope that I've HOPEFULLY lost at least 1 pound now since I've been stalled at the same weight for 2 weeks. Btw I'm 5'4 for reference. My size 14 clothes button again and my 16s are getting a little loose on me now. I'm not swimming in my clothes or nothing but it's a small progress. I was wearing XL shirts and now Large shirts fit me a lot better. I feel less like a sausage in them lol! Oh and tonight I tried on this bra that I know for a fact a couple of weeks ago could not button or even come close and today it fit. So now a 38D will fit. Great non scale victory! I can tolerate all food and as long as I don't take huge bites and I chew my food well and eat slow, I'm good. Otherwise I've already had my 1st reminder of what it feels like to throw up because your food feels stuck. I had that happen after the sleeve sometimes too and it sucks, but it's a process learning how to eat again and reminding myself that I can't inhale my food. I am taking a daily vitamin with iron and then 3 calcium citrate chewable daily. My doctor also still wants me to take 1 Omeprozole daily for 6 months post op to give my esophagus and hernia repair time to truly heal. 1 month down....5 months to go. Then I'll be able to see if I don't have any GERD or heartburn without any medication. The weight loss is a perk and I definitely want to lose more weight and get down to 150 or at least my best sleeve weight of 175, but I always have to remind myself that my goal of this entire revision surgery was to not deal with heartburn and reflux anymore. So yeah...thats my revision story so far. Please let me know if you have any questions. I'll be happy to answer.

Hello there! I want to preface that this is about to be a long message, but it's my journey. Thanks for reading. My 1st Bariatric journey started in 2009 (I was 26 years old). My heaviest weight was 250 lbs. I did a month liquid diet as my preop diet and got down to my surgery weight of 220 lbs. I had a sleeve done in Sep 1, 2009. I got down to around 175 lbs from my surgery weight of 220 lbs. I got down to a size 12. I did regain some weight years later, but that was my doing (not eating the best, not exercising as I should). In addition to gaining some weight back, i developed a 5/6cm hiatal hernia and had really bad heartburn and reflux. I started taking Nexium for years. Finally 14 years later (now 40 years old) in April of 2023 I decided to ask a doctor about taking daily Nexium (after hearing constantly from family that it wasn't good). My surgeon gave me 3 options. 1. Continue taking Nexium daily 2. Fix my hiatal hernia (but he did warn me that hiatal hernias are known to come back) 3. Fix my hiatal hernia and do a revision from Sleeve to RNY. Before any of that to make an informed decision I had to get an upper GI with contrast and an endoscopy with a Bravo study. I had the endoscopy done and the Bravo capsule placed on my esophagus. After the 1st endoscopy my GI doctor said she didn't even need to see the results of the Bravo study...seeing my esophagus alone was enough to see how inflamed my esophagus was and she confirmed the bigger sized hernia. Either way, the Bravo capsule was placed in and I did the 3 day study. The results came back and like my GI doc said...it was bad. The acidity in my stomach and esophagus was ridiculous. I use to take generic Nexium 20mg but my GI doc said that wasnt enough for how bad my esophagus was. I was told to bump it up to 40mg 2x a day. So I did that and it helped to heal the massive amount of inflammation I already had in my esophagus. To confirm that I had a 2nd endoscopy done. The Bravo study, the upper GI scans, the endoscopy was all completed so that I could make an informed decision on how I wanted to proceed. Which of the 3 options discussed did I want to proceed with. I decided option 3 was best (revision from Sleeve to RNY with a hiatal hernia repair). For me my insurance approved the procedure and it was fairly a quick process because I went the general surgical route vs the Bariatric route. I could have had the revision in July but I had a cruise planned in August and I wanted to be able to drink and eat and ENJOY my vacation so I opted to wait and had the revision 2 weeks after I came back from my cruise on September 11th. I was 215 the 1st day of my preop diet. I got down to 206 but then mother nature decided to show up the week of my surgery so as women we gain water weight during our cycle and the day of surgery i weighed in at 209. I was so pissed. I knew it was water weight because of my cycle but still nobody wants to see the number on the scale go up. Surgery went well. I had no complications. My recovery was A LOT smoother. I had BAAAAAD nausea and gas pains after my sleeve becauseof the anesthesia. With the RNY I had 0% nausea. I had a little bit of shoulder pain because of the gas and I did have another pain when I inhaled big because of the hernia repair, but it was all normal and pains of that nature were expected. I was just sooooo glad that I didn't wake up extremely nauseous after the RNY like I did after my sleeve. So now I'm 31 days post op. I've been at 195 since like September 26th. I hope that I've HOPEFULLY lost at least 1 pound now since I've been stalled at the same weight for 2 weeks. Btw I'm 5'4 for reference. My size 14 clothes button again and my 16s are getting a little loose on me now. I'm not swimming in my clothes or nothing but it's a small progress. I was wearing XL shirts and now Large shirts fit me a lot better. I feel less like a sausage in them lol! Oh and tonight I tried on this bra that I know for a fact a couple of weeks ago could not button or even come close and today it fit. So now a 38D will fit. Great non scale victory! I can tolerate all food and as long as I don't take huge bites and I chew my food well and eat slow, I'm good. Otherwise I've already had my 1st reminder of what it feels like to throw up because your food feels stuck. I had that happen after the sleeve sometimes too and it sucks, but it's a process learning how to eat again and reminding myself that I can't inhale my food. I am taking a daily vitamin with iron and then 3 calcium citrate chewable daily. My doctor also still wants me to take 1 Omeprozole daily for 6 months post op to give my esophagus and hernia repair time to truly heal. 1 month down....5 months to go. Then I'll be able to see if I don't have any GERD or heartburn without any medication. The weight loss is a perk and I definitely want to lose more weight and get down to 150 or at least my best sleeve weight of 175, but I always have to remind myself that my goal of this entire revision surgery was to not deal with heartburn and reflux anymore. So yeah...thats my revision story so far. Please let me know if you have any questions. I'll be happy to answer.

I definitely feel more confident, more comfortable in my own skin.

I am struggling with this too. My local doctor want me at less than 140 lbs. My family and friends are already saying I have to stop loosing as I am already too thin. I don't tell of anyone of any weight loss now. It is a slow trickle now anyway. I have gone down to a UK size 14 and to me skinny would be a size 6 - 8. I have been fat all my life, do former fat people really have bigger bones ? or is it a myth ?

Oh that's no fun... I've heard of people having various issues from too much biotin. It is why not everyone advises supplementing it. I think it is unlikely to be the shakes, mostly because a true allergy comes from reactions to a protein IIRC? For the shakes that protein would be in the whey. That means you'd react to ALL whey, which means essentially all cow's dairy products. It is possible to develop an adult true allergy to a protein, but they are rare... However, we can develop intolerances to things and it is possible some additive in the shake is doing it. The reaction you are describing sounds like eczema, it causes that textured skin feeling and sometimes pigment changes. I have a friend that gets it every time she eats cheese! But if it is hives taking benadryl should help noticeably. I'd quit the biotin, give it a week or two for everything to calm down, then try the shake again. If the rash shows up from drinking it again you should go be tested for a dairy allergy by an allergist. I'm not a doctor, but that's what I'd do...

At first I was a calorie counter about 6 months. Now I just watched what I eat. That being said I stay away from only man made carbs and small portions. Unfortunately I need to start counting loosing to much🥴

I am 8 years out from my sugery. I had great results, went from 280 to 135. But i am having trouble holding my weight, have lost about 5 lbs over the past month. Im trying to cut back on fat and sugar. Trying to avoid pancreatic enzymes, any suggestions?

Everyone is different. Pro Lost the weight and still loosing confidence was up. move around freely. Blood pressure down. Cons eating out with friends. Not able to enjoy food . constantly sick .If your thinking about doing this. Eat one cup of food 3 times a for a month. You will get first hand look at head hunger. Best of luck to you.

it seems odd that it comes & goes & each time it returns it’s worse. If it was something you were taking or consuming every day you would think the hives would be there all the time. Whether it’s the shake or the biotin (unless you’re taking mega doses) I don’t know. Have you ruled out all the other likely suspects - skin care products, washing powders, soaps, fragrance, any new foods you’ve introduced, etc. You could have a blood test to check your B7 levels & see if by taking the supplement you have more than you need & can drop the biotin just in case it is that. Hope you find an answer soon.

Hey, y'all, it's been a while. Back in May, one month before I had my revision from sleeve to bypass, I began using the Premier Protein shakes for my pre-op diet and taking bariatric vitamins (including a multivitamin, calcium, iron, and biotin). It started with a tiny, itchy hive on one side of my neck about the size of my thumbnail. It would go away, though, and I'd forget all about it. As the days went by, I would begin to get the itchies again. I noticed I'd get the hives on the other side of my neck now too. At this point, it looks like a ring around my neck. I read about the Premier Protein shakes being recalled, but that was a while ago. I spoke to my sister who's been an RN for 40+ years, and she thinks it's more likely to be the biotin rather than the shakes. I stopped taking both 2 days ago. The itchies have stopped, but I'm left with textured skin where the hives were. It almost looks like a healing burn. It's weird. I know I need to see a dermatologist about it, I just have to find one that will see me after work. I can't miss any more work. I'm wondering if any of you have had a similar situation with allergic reactions to either shakes or vitamins. I'd appreciate any information or knowledge that you have. TIA.

A number of people from another support site I've been using for years have been patients @ Mexico Bariatric Center in Tijuana. I've heard very positive results. I've traveled overseas for loose skin removal and dental work, and it's work out both times as high quality at substantially lower prices. My strongest recommendation is to know who your doctor will be and confirm their reviews and experience. Also the medical hotels in my experience are a way better option than family care, at least for me. Good luck!

It’s an interesting issue. I do understand the questions it might raise when your health professional makes a decision about their life you don’t understand such as feeling she did not think she really had a weight issue that would necessitate her taking Ozempic. I had questions & worried about my injectables nurse (not as serious as with your Dr). I liked her & how she treated me. She was cautious. She was a friend of a friend’s daughter & they both saw her. Then one day I went for my appointment & her face was deformed (well it was in my eyes). Overdone the fillers I thought. I couldn’t understand why she did as she was very attractive without it & questioned how cautious she really was in her treatments with me & others if she did that to herself. I commented upon it with my friend expressing my concern. Turned out she was pregnant & was having a terrible time with morning sickness, fluid retention & other issues which caused the ‘deformed’ look. So yes, I think the questions & doubts that arise are a pretty natural reaction. Usually we don’t know the real story behind why someone choses to do something or what they are experiencing & we never may. Doesn’t mean their care for us is any less. But it is your decision how you manage it. You have to feel comfortable & secure with them, their recommendations & treatments. The over prescribing issues is a whole other debate. I’d hope as your health improves & your blood work & other tests show you don’t need all your current meds she will stop prescribing those you don’t need any more. I’ve been fortunate with my doctors & I’ve been with my current GP for about 25 yrs but I worry about the day she retires. She initially had her own practice but joined one of those big chain medical clinics a couple of years ago. I dislike the impersonal nature of the staff but thankfully she is the same. My 83yr old mother is struggling to find a new GP after hers decided to specialise in skin cancers. She is finding establishing a new relationship, trust & respect difficult as well as having to go over 83 yrs of medical history with each one she has tried. They probably will start to think she is shopping different doctors to get additional drugs except they’ve all been at the same clinic so far. PS - Many of us experience our faces looking gaunt as we near our lowest weight. Remember my uncle telling me I looked like death (not to my face but to my mum). It settles over a few months as we know. Sure I look older than before (I am 58 not 21 so I should) but I look like real me. I don’t have fat distorting my features anymore. I love having a chin & jawline now, my hooded eyelids have practically vanished, my neck is thinner & longer & I have freakin’ cheekbones.

I would seek out an independent coffee shop over Starbucks; a lot of the little mom and pop coffee places near me have a much better selection of sugar free syrups and toppings. One thing about the Torani white chocolate syrup vs the Starbucks one is there is a pretty big difference in texture between the two; what Starbucks uses is a thick, viscous syrup that's almost the consistence of a sundae syrup or honey. The Torani product is clear in color and has a consistency similar to water. It tastes really good, but it may make your drink feel like it has less "body", and I have a trick for that. Put a scoop of collagen in your coffee. You won't really be able to taste it but it will give it a richer mouthfeel and you'll get a nice skin-enhancing boost from it for 40 calories, much less than adding that thick Starbucks syrup.

Update: no more nice squeezing sensation. They're so loose that I don't even have to unzip them to get them on or off.

I had no idea how far this surgery would take me. I also didn't want to dream too high. I had crashed and burned to many times before. I thought that if I lost 60lbs then that would equal what I managed to loose once with Slimming World and again with Weight Watchers and again under my doctor. I smashed through that target very quickly. Then 100lbs came and went. I used to watch the Greatest looser and always wanted to say I was in onderland as I don't ever remember being that weight. My scales clunked down to that dream target too. Now, I am in a place that I am happy in my body. I could happily stop loosing but very occasionally the scales go very slowly down. I posed your question to this forum a while ago. Many answered and told me that my body would tell me when it was at the right weight. It seems like it will. BTW, My NHS doctor wants me under 140lbs but the NHS here will not remove my loose skin so they can go fish . My surgeon and his team are over the moon with my progress. I know I paid for my own surgery but they could have turned me away, I was very unfit. I will always be grateful to them. Good luck at achieving any weight you decide on

Hello! As my boyfriend says, a girl's best friend is diamonds. By the way, I'm planning to go to New York soon to visit him. He hinted that he wanted to give me a gift for our anniversary. I love diamonds very much, but I can’t tell the difference between real and fake. I found some great stones here, sell loose diamondst. Perhaps this advice will be useful to you. By the way, a great idea is to give jewelry of your own design. Now I think my boyfriend will have a hard time finding me a gift. 😁

Sounds like an allergic reaction. I’d stop the chews & see if it improves & contact your GP. Have you changed anything else in your diet recently? Or new skin care, soaps, washing powders, etc. ?

Ask your doctor or dermatologist for Tretinoin (aka Retin A). It's an amazing product for all things skin.

Good morning, I am a 51 yr old woman and had my RNY on 3/9/2016 I am 5 ft and was 210 but 190 at surgery. I was on the smaller end,but I had a lot of comobidities that justified having it. Everything was normal for a while. I got down to about 118 at about 9 months and slowly creeped back up to about 135 where I sat at this weight for a while. Then fast forward to the end of 2019 and I started seeing the pounds come off rapidly for no reason. Now fast forward to today and I am 97 lbs and can't keep weight on,no matter how many calories,carbs, fat I eat. I have seen multiple health care professionals that up until very recently have all told me that this is my new normal. I have had an ultrasound that reviled a fatty liver, however I had a fatty liver before surgery? Has anyone else experienced weight loss like this? I am scared that I will never stop loosing.

You are right it is a long term thing. For a little perspective - You will be eating something for the rest of your life. The choice is do you eat something that will nourish your own body or eat empty calories that do nothing for nobody and make your body be sick and have to struggle through life? You got this. Pick yourself up and rejoice in life. Start a new hobby or make a new friend. Do something that you enjoy that doesnt involve copious amounts of food. Having the sleeve is just another stepping stone. It will provide you with more skills and more control with food. It will be worthwhile. Health is a long term goal. You wont see changes every single day but they will happen if you take care of the body that helps you get around in this world. The days turn into months and the months turn into years. If your are trying to heal your emotions with food you will fail every time. Decide. You really can do this. A year on from having the bypass - I can go for walks. I sleep much better. I can buy clothes in a normal store. I am more confident and I now more active in community groups. I have made new friends. I can take care of myself and not need to rely on others. I feel so much better in my own skin. You really do want to give yourself the gift of life. You got this.

Pro's - I am no longer disabled, diabetic or have high blood pressure or lymphoedema. I have become a ultra confident person instead of a house mouse. I am all the things that I always want to be The only con that I can think of is my saggy skin but hey ho, I live in the UK. Its usually wet and cold and when wrapped up in clothes, I look great

Hello all, I'm near 7 weeks post-op and I was wondering if the feeling in the stomach while eating will forever be present? Sorry if that's vague, but since being let loose with no restrictions I am being consciousness to not take big bites, chewing/eating slowly, and that I need to reintroduce foods, but when I eat I still get a feeling in my stomach like when you eat with an empty stomach and it clunks, something different from feeling full. It's honestly putting me off from eating from time to time and was wondering if there's an end to where I can just eat normally and feel full? As with things I've been already familiarized myself with during recovery (popsicles, steamed veggies, and protein shakes) seem to be not an issue.

Sometimes I do. Other times I struggle to remember I'm not 421 pounds anymore. I should be in a size 16 pants, but my legs have so much loose skin that I can't go lower than a 18/20, which makes me always have to pull my pants up because they are too big around my waist. My husband made me keep 1 of my size 30 outfits and one of my size 10 rings (I'm in a size 7 now) and when I kind of start spiraling and seeing every flaw and not seeing my progress, he makes me (try to) put them on. When they don't fit at all, he says "know why? Because you aren't a size 30 anymore. You don't wear a size 10 ring anymore. You've lost more weight than our daughter even weighs." and it brings me out of it. Other days, I'm so ecstatically proud and happy with everything and I have zero doubts about where I am and how far I've come. It's really crazy how your head can mess with you and make you unsee 140+ pounds of weight loss.

At about 6- 7 months out. I had lost about 75 pounds. I was going on a overseas holiday and was trying clothes on and started looking in mirrors. I avoided mirrors for decades. My arms were the first noticeable signs that the surgery worked. I had about two inches of saggy skin under my arms. At about 12 months out, I sent for some good quality leggings, just to see if........... Well they did fit. I had regular sized legs for the first time since junior school. No more of the detested wide leg trousers and jeans for me. My ankle boots go over the top of my trousers these days, I never could do this before because they didn't zip or lace all the way up. Another holiday when I was 15 months out and I realised I had the gap in my thighs that I had always dreamed of. This old bird now wears mini dresses over my swimsuits on the beach and by the pool. I could never have imagined that. I have a lot of sagging skin on my upper arms but my lower legs are just a bit wrinkly. I look great in clothes but am fairly sure that at my age I will not be having surgery to rectify the saggy skin. I knew the skin would happen as I was old when I started this journey. I never put me of doing it. Saggy skin does not ache, feel heavy or weep. It is correctable if you want too.