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well, yea - at age 60, my bikini-wearing days are L-O-N-G gone, so I don't care too much about scars, either, as long as they're not in the middle of my face or something. I do love my results, though. I could have lived with something not quite as aesthetic as long as that saggy skin was gone, but I must admit he did a great job while he was at it. I don't think my body looks like a typical 60-year-old's at all....let alone the body of someone who's lost a truckload of weight. Not a sag to be found, and everything is in proportion. This is how I should have looked at age 30 or 40 (but unfortunately, did not...) and yes - there's no such thing as a completely stable weight. Normal, never-been-overweight people have weight that fluctuates - like a five-pound range or something. The surgeons just don't want people to have surgery and then put on 20 lbs, because it can affect the results (they say gaining or losing 10 lbs or so is fine, but much beyond that can screw up their work). That's one of the many reasons I had it - figured it might force me to stay at a decent weight since I went through so much hell and forked over so much money to look this way!!

Going thru this now also - I have found WLS doctors to be not the go to - See a throat guy, My issue is also the throat from the Surgery. Seems the hose down your throat and the acid reflux caused a restriction. I am set to got in and stretch the throat shortly! Due to covid 19 a Freakin mess. Took me months to figure out why i could not eat alot, Thought it was a stricture but turned out to be a throat issue. Not to beat a dead horse but i had to resort to insane ways to get in calories, ensure drinks and yes i use Candy and Junk food to pile on 300 calories a day. Things like crackers and Bar cheese, Fritos and dips, Halloween size candy bars stopped the loss. Be careful they can develop bad habits, I have insane will power so for me it is just calories, but Easy calorie boasters. Not good choices but can cause a stall if used properly. Go slow when i started i over did it and tossed it up! I mean really slow like two little candy bars a day Half at a time. the sugar will get you big time. Once i figure out how to get the surgery done will stop this bad behavior but for now buying me time

I've really enjoyed reading everyone's posts. After 10 years of the 'Band', I've decided that I must move on! Started with highest weight pre-band at 236, lost 70 pounds and things were great. Somewhere along the way, I was too tight (constant vomiting) or too loose (ate everything). Could never get back to the green zone. I gained all the weight back plus 4 pounds! So, tomorrow I am officially separating from the band and entering a new relationship with the sleeve. Please, supporters, wish me the best and hopefully my nervous jitters will calm down.

Yup. At 9-12 months, I could not keep weight on, no matter how much I ate. I was literally stuffing myself. And now at 15 months out, I have started to gain. Others Feb 2019 ers have also started to experience this. I would say, "enjoy the ride while you can," When the honeymoon is over, it is over. Now I am going back to the basics to get those 7 pounds back off, and it is not easier the 2nd time around.

oh sounds interesting thanks, I shall check it out it's one of those things that fascinates me, because you read on here the big differences/struggles people are having. I'm having the opposite problem and don't feel well with it so can't even enjoy it, speaking to my surgeon this week tho before i end up with a bmi of 10

Oops, I did forget to give stats! SW 240 pounds CW 227, 5'6" , female, early 20s. Thank you! I'm excited, I've always had difficulty keeping the weight off so I'm really looking forward to this. I was reading studies about the excess body weight reduction pre-surgery and I found one that said surgery complications for patients who lost 10+ percent of their excess body weight before surgery had a slightly higher risk of complications versus patients who lost 6-10 percent of their EBW but I think I'm worrying too much about this, haha

Ok so I’m not new to this. I am 10 months post op and have for some reason stopped losing weight no matter what I do (this is for over a month already) I realized that the way I’m eating is helping me maintain but I still need to lose about 30-40 lbs so I want to try keto- not for my whole life- just to do a 60 day thing or something just to get my body moving again. This is not a lifestyle change or anything like that....

Most of us here i have seen loose 10-18 in the two weeks. But be careful that is not going to be that way the whole time but that seems to be the average. I am male and lost 23 in 10 days but most of it was water and shortly after surgery bounced up a few. Everyone is different so just do the best you can and stick to the plan and Journey

Frou Frou-- I can only imagine how stressful things are for you. My son is also on the autism spectrum, and although he is 19 now, I remember those days when he was younger. I rarely got a solid night's sleep and he needed support all day long. The lost of a therapist is huge, I know. Also, respite time is so important. I can also imagine the extra stress on your child too right now, exacerbating the symptoms of autism. I feel for both of you and your husband, who lost his job, so I'm sure the financial stress is also awful. I agree with Recidivist--don't beat yourself up! My only recommendation is to NOT let the "escape food" into your house. I am so guilty of that myself, so I'm not judging at all--but just an idea! So glad you have this site as a outlet to express your stress. Just take it one day at a time (I actually live by the "just take it 10 minutes at a time" rule). I'm praying for you--wishing you and your family some good times amidst the bad.

Was not Insurmountable at all - This is a Journey not a race so let K.I.S.S it - keep it simple style! You loose 2,5 pounds a week Which is 10 Pounds a month Which is 120 Pounds a year So around 15-20 Months your insurmountable Task is completed! Nope its all in the Math Trust me the time will fly by and the Journey down will be filled with Great Feelings of getting happy - As for cash me and you will get our money back in 20 months in reduced food costs, Not eating out and Drinking. Good investment. I looked at it this way, My 13k cash payment would not have fit in the URN with me if i kept going the way i was going Aj

Guess who reached one-der-land today? I did! Highest weight: 371 Weight when I started Bariatric Program (6/4/19): 314 Surgery day (12/16/19) weight: 258.6 Today’s weight: 199.6

I have to admit this subject has been a big deal for me. Despite the financial challenges of it. I had my gastric bypass surgery April 29th 2019 and I reached goal earlier than I thought I would. To be honest I reached a goal I never thought I could. My excess skin is more problematic and unsightly probably due to my inability to exercise. Especially my thighs and butt. My core can use the strengthening it would help with along with the skin removal. Some areas I feel like a Shar Pei ... I get bloody rashes on my thighs especially trying to shave but it’s catch 22 I have to shave otherwise I get rashes from irritating hair ... due to pcos. Anyway. I’d hoped that insurance might offer some help. I asked my surgeon they were like yes Florida does pay for certain reasons. They said make an appointment with the plastic surgeon. But when we called they said they didn’t accept insurance. I figured if Cleveland Clinic didn’t no one else would. Honestly I watch that show my 600lb life and how people get free skin removal ... it’s not fair. sorry I rambled. Just when I didn’t know what to do, I found that BariatricPal actually has their own Hospital and researched them and they are awesome. It’s located in Mexico and is a short ride from San Diego airport. It’s called Hospital BC. I’ve been emailing them for some time now and they have been patiently helping me with deciding on choosing their Hospital and then planning this. I am scheduled for surgery June 15th. I’m trying to prepare myself for it! I leave June 14th from Palm beach airport. I return on June 21st and technically get home June 22nd. I will be having belt lipectomy with butterfly lift, tightening of the stomach muscles. And to be honest I will be asking them to not relocate my bellybutton. I will also be having thigh lift. And breast augmentation. I had to have CBC bloodwork at my doctors appointment prior. But otherwise they do everything there. It’s all inclusive. They provide transportation to and from the airport. I stay in hospital one night and in their special hotel the rest but with 24 hour nurse/doctor and concierge. Meals and other things are included that I can’t think of at the moment. They give Faja and even lymphatic massage if it’s needed. im hoping my numerous previous surgeries will have me prepared for how to manage the post op incision care. I’ve never traveled so far and will likely go home with drains in place. My primary care physician wasn’t too pleased with the idea ... but at this point she was smart and didn’t try and argue with me 🤣 Honestly you can be in the states and get really terrible surgeons ... and I found this place looks excellent. this is the website: https://hospitalbc.com

I started with a low carb lifestyle and plan to stick to it as a lifestyle vs a diet. It’s what helps make the tool work for me. I also have to do lower calories probably than most. I do strict regime.mi didn’t quite start out this way but learned along the way that keeping daily record of my weight, protein and calorie goals and my planned meals for the day, helps. I calculate minimum daily protein based on weight, 0.36 grams protein per 1lb body weight. i started out April 2019 at 208lbs BMI 40.6 Height 5’ by month six I was down to 136lbs and I’d lost 72lbs each person is different in their approach and how much they lose. I am unable to exercise due to medical conditions and disability. I have to compensate in other ways. (Honestly exercise isn’t for weight loss, exercise is to build muscle because muscle burns more calories than fat but for me exertion of any kind weakens my muscles, actually ages them) Since reaching goal now that I’m a little over a year after surgery- I have added a little bit of fruit for fiber and vitamins. Like a manzano banana with my yogurt. And either a pear or an apple at night. That is when I can get them. And occasionally a couple blackberries. Otherwise I’m strict low carb. I followed low carb low calorie for years but it wasn’t sustainable until I had the added tool of gastric bypass surgery and reached a weight loss goal I have never reached at any point in my life. Of course not including being under ten years old 🤣

Both. Lift heavy. Failure between 8-12 reps. If you can hit 12, go up in weight. Finish up with 10-15 minutes cardio. Increased muscle mass revs up that metabolism. Make sure to get that protein in to help with muscle mass growth.

a lot of plastic surgeons want you to be at a stable weight for 6-12 months before getting plastic surgery. Reason being is a lot of us experience a 10-20 lb bounce back after hitting our lowest weight. Gaining or losing more than 10 or 12 lbs after plastic surgery can affect your results. I actually waited two years until I was absolutely sure I was at a stable weight. also, it's good to get someone who specializes in people who've had massive weight loss, or at minimum, someone who has done a truckload of these surgeries. It's supposed a pretty complicated subspecialty, so you want to make sure you have someone who's had a lot of experience with it. Keep in mind that the pictures they post on their Web site are probably going to reflect their best work, so look at sites like realself.com, too. Check belly buttons - those are supposedly hard to do. I've seen some crappy-looking post-surgical belly buttons.

All this support is awesome! I'm also fresh out of surgery (2 days). FFmedicgrl, I'm sorry to hear about your throat pain. I've experienced that in other surgeries, and it's a terrible complication. Hopefully that part improves soon. I am having a hard time taking in liquid too, but it's because every time I do, my shoulders and chest start hurting terribly. Yesterday, I tried to get in an ounce of Gatorade every 10 minutes, but only reached about 12 ounces before it gave me bouts of diarrhea. Since then, I can take in very little without pain. Could I have messed something up yesterday?

I started off at 315 pounds in October of 2017. I list 35 pounds in almost two years on my own before surgery. In August 2019, I had gastric sleeve surgery and have lost another 90 pounds so that I am down a total of 125 pounds. I only have the two headshots but can’t get over the difference. (I used to avoid getting my picture taken). I lost a second chin and discovered my clavicle. I have gone from a 3X to a L in clothes. My only regret is that I didn’t have the surgery sooner. The second picture is from my 6th month follow up and I was at 205 at the time. I am averaging about 5 pounds a month weight loss.

My weight just kept going up. I put on 15 lbs... I know why. I ate. A lot. But I was surprised how quick it was. Things that haven’t helped physically and mentally are perimenopause... I started taking progesterone to help my symptoms and it did not work. The lock down - just threw me for a loop suddenly having my autistic daughter at home 24/7 and having to be mum, teacher and therapist. And my husband losing his job of 10 years just like that. No warning, no severance. Just gone in a 5 minute zoom call. I’ve managed to get a grip and I’ve lost two of the gained pounds. Just have to keep on doing what I’m doing, but I’m SO mad at myself because those 15 pounds were HARD to lose. I’m a bloody idiot.

I started to obsess and then COVID-19 came along the way, lol.

-Highest weight was over 250 lbs (I stopped weighing myself after that) -Lowest weight 140 -Currently, I fluctuate between 150-155 -I exercise 5-6 days a week. MOSTLY weight lifting. I lift heavy weight (meaning: I rep until I hit failure, between 8-12 reps; if I can lift it more that 12 times, I go up in weight). Very little cardio, maybe 10-15 minutes before or after a workout. Sometimes none. -Food: I track my macros and calories. I make sure to hit my protein goals everyday (so important for muscle growth/maintenance), and my carbs vs fats will fluctuate based on my activity. Higher carbs on intense workout days, lower carbs on off days or low activity days. So, calories stay the same, protein stays the same, how many carbs or fats varies based on activity. Biggest Lesson Learned: In your first year of guaranteed weight loss, take the time to change your habits & lifestyle. THIS HAS TO BE A LIFESTYLE CHANGE! Get rid of the trigger foods. Most of those trigger foods are sliders! As your stomach stretches and you get passed that year mark those sliders will slide right past your sleeve much easier than your proteins & veggies. Those slider foods become your “grazing” food, too. Then, before you know it, despite your restriction, you’ve grazed your way into a calorie surplus and you’re no longer losing & start gaining. Plan 5-6 meals a day so that you feed your metabolism and you are never starving & risking over eating. Also: EXERCISE. Incorporate that exercise. Go for that walk. Bike ride. Treadmill. Weights. SOMETHING. Tired, not tired, make exercise a habit and JUST. DO. IT. I mean this literally: SUCK IT UP & DO IT. You might just find—later down the road—something that you enjoy and become passionate about. This was my experience with powerlifting 2 years post-op.

His professional set up is just that, professional, but with the addition of zero bs and jumping through hoops, that’s why I give glowing recommendations. Yes, I can see why the cash thing would put you off in fairness but it’s not the only way to pay. I paid by bank transfer. It needs to be received 10 days in advance.

most people don't see the loss right away because they pump you full of fluids while you're in the hospital. And that fluid has a lot of sodium in it, so it can potentially stick around for a few days. I've heard of people gaining up to 10 lbs while in the hospital! It's been awhile for me since surgery (five years) that I don't remember how long it took for me to start seeing a loss - but maybe a week or so? It may have been a little longer - but suffice it to say, many of us don't see a loss right away.

I went 10 pounds below my original goal weight by the end of the honeymoon phase. I was worried about being able to get enough calories to stop losing. Nine months later, I've gained back about 12 pounds and everyone says I look just right. They thought I was too scrawny before.

Felt finally human again after trips to the salons this week for hair, nails and pedicure after 10 weeks. Tried on this new toile dress (with two belt styles) never worn, but purchased for several winter/spring charity events. So wonderful to learn the giving remotely actually exceeded that of the actual fund raising venues, like the food bank. Essential service to many who never conceived they'd be waiting in line for their next meal. Sobering, indeed.

Hello! My name is Cynthia and I am 56 years old. I had the Duo Switch surgery on February 14, 2019. My highest weight was 301 lbs. My surgery day weight was 270lbs. My current weight is 175 lbs. Up until the age of 19, I was slim and in good health. Once I turned 20, the emotional overeating started and I began to pack on the pounds. At the age of 21, I was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus. I became very sick and depressed, leading to even more emotional overeating. I tried every diet ever invented and even became bulimic for a year. I would lose and gain the same pounds for years. Finally, in 2018, I began researching weight loss surgery. I started the process of approval in November of 2018. My surgery was performed February 14, 2019. It’s been 15 months of ups and downs, but certainly the best decision I’ve made in a long while!