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I would like to get extensive body contouring now that I've lost 170lbs and seem to be in a stable spot in my weight. What I'm most concerned about is how long I would need to take off from work though. I would like to get an arm lift, breast lift, tummy tuck and thigh lift, which I believe would be 3 separate surgeries (combining the arm lift with the breast lift). The recovery time sounds a LOT longer and rougher than the actual weight loss surgery so I'm having a hard time gauging how long I'll be needing lots of help at home, when I could go back to doing my WFH office job, and when I would actually feel better after surgery. I went to real self and they said * Tummy Tuck - 2 weeks until back to work, but ideally give yourself more time and 6 weeks to fully recover * Arm Lift - 2 weeks but really it sounds like 4-8 before the incisions are mostly healed * Thigh Lift - 2 weeks until back to work and 6 weeks until fully recovered I am not a fast healer and have chronic pain/disability from other illness, so it took me 5 weeks to get back to work from my SADI. I'm worried that this would be like 3 months of time off work total and I'd have to split it up a year for each surgery just to get the time off. Am I looking at this all wrong or are these surgeries just that brutal to recover from? 😬 I don't even know how to start explaining that much time off to my boss either.

Yes it is normal, after a week or so mine diminished and I ocassionally get the sound from my throat if I eat too fast. I started to understand my full signs at about week 2 or 3, prior to that any sound was freaking me out and I will stop to make sure things were good lol Sent from my SM-G960U1 using BariatricPal mobile app

I'm close to 5 weeks post-revision from sleeve to bypass, and I noticed the same thing. The doctor told me it's normal. Here's my explanation for what's going on: The place where a normal stomach meets the intestine is called the pyloric valve. The stomach churns to further break down food, the valve opens to let food pass into the intestine. We (meaning sleevers) had a small stomach, and because the valve was still present and behaving normally with a sleeve, we felt restriction, meaning the valve didn't open more frequently just because the stomach was smaller. With bypass, the valve is removed (technically it's bypassed since they leave it in along with the first 30cm or so of the intestine). The connection between the pouch and intestine is called a stoma, and liquids and purees will move right through it because it's not a valve/it's open all the time. In my experience, it's possible to drink/eat purees too fast so that they don't drain through the stoma quickly enough, but you're right, it takes some special effort to do that. Restriction is a bigger factor when you get to solids, which I did this week. If you eat too much too fast, it just sits in the pouch. Think about a sink that drains slowly because there's junk in the pipes; that's the same principle - too much stuff trying to move through a too-small pipe. The pouch doesn't churn food up like a stomach to make its passage easier. If the solid you too big/too much/too dry/too fast, it sits and feels very heavy, your body starts producing mucus to lubricate the passage of the food through the stoma (this is what people call "the foamies"), and if that doesn't do the trick, that food is coming back up. I had that lovely experience with ground turkey and thus learned that while I was told to chew thoroughly with my sleeve, I could ignore that advice. Not so with a pouch; when they say chew until it's a paste, you have to. So restriction does become a greater factor when you proceed to solids. It really does force you to slow down, eat small bites, chew VERY thoroughly. Like with sleeve, I imagine it's still possible to overeat if you graze, so it also still takes some discipline to make smart food choices, pay attention to when you're satisfied, and be deliberate with how long a meal is. Also bear in mind that bypass is not just a restrictive procedure. It's malabsorptive as well. Good luck!

For me, I've rarely experienced Dumping Syndrome. I had my gastric bypass 9 months ago. I had more issues with the "Foamies" but haven't had that issue in at least 4 months or longer ("Foamies" is when you regurgitate what you've just eaten and you over-produce saliva and start vomitting - for me this was a very slow process and not pleasant - it happened if my pouch couldn't break down what I was eating - i.e. I had a hard time processing chicken breast even if it was so small, etc - this was during the stage of real food, not purees or soft ....anything stringy like kale, spinach, celery, etc. And...if I ate too fast). As far as Sugar & Fat, I never had that issue and I never went Fat Free/Sugar Free either. However, that being said....I don't want to eat fat - especially animal fat, as it made me pretty sick even before my bypass....but I don't necessarily eat Fat Free Yogurt. I tend to look at Nutritional Labels focusing on Protein, Fiber, Carbs. For example, it really depends on the product and it also is a lesson for everyone going through Weight Loss Surgery in Trial & Error. So, you have to see how your body does and if you have any doubt, don't do it. But at the grocery store, I might look at the labels and see what looks like a better fit for me and see how my body does - the Siggis Icelandic Yogurt has less sugar higher protein and my body does great on it. Say for a cheese stick/snack, a regular piece of cheddar is easier for me to digest than fat free. With fresh fruit, I think it's so important to incorporate, along with fresh vegetables. As far as worrying about the sugar content of fruit, I don't think that's an issue at all. I think it's smart to incorporate fruits into your diet - whole fruits whether fresh or frozen, because it's a good, healthy habit that's so good for your body. I've never had ill effects from eating bananas, berries (some of the best fruit for us!), citrus, you name it. Mind you, I'm a former Type 2 Diabetic. One thing that I have had issues with is sugar free products. I think that could be with anyone - I find that monk fruit and stevia are so much better on my body. Most definitely too much sugar free products (ethythritol, xylitol, etc.) can have major negative effects on your system. I have learned to proceed with caution - before and after surgery - with sugar substitutes. Also, your taste buds definitely change after surgery as well. I love using olive oil for cooking. I try to stay mindful and definitely tracking (Baritastic App is my favorite) helps create good habits. Avocados are wonderful, good fats and I try to eat these. I will tell you that my body has "learned" what makes it feel good. For me, the things that make me feel good are oats - just regular, plain oats (not packet) and steel cut are my go-to. Fruit does make me feel good too, I love adding in smoothies with protein drinks and ice and helps me feel great. Greek yogurt does the same. Nut butters without added sugar helps me feel great also. Veggies sautéed in olive oil help me feel good, a light salad and most fish (easy for me to digest and good source of protein). It's all a matter of trial and error but honestly, this is the best thing I've ever done for myself!! I hope sharing my experiences helps you and best of luck to you!!

Hi, I really never had my hunger pangs go away, I do feel the restriction when I have more than 3-4oz of food and eat too fast, but every 3 hours I have those hunger pangs and I'm less than 3 months out.

Wow that fast @Nina35!! My friend said she had to wait basically a year. I hope i can get mine this year! Good vibes to you tomorrow! I hope all goes well! Cheers to the start of your new beginnings!!

Summer 2022...I started researching, or should I say, obsessing over all things VSG. I was watching YT and researching doctors. In Nov I had a consultation with Dr Lee from Birmingham, AL. I decided to go with self pay. As far as health goes I have high blood pressure. I was informed I needed to submit my labs and clearance from my PCP. I was unaware of how fast I could have the surgery done. I have not set a date because my PCP told me my insurance would cover the procedure. I was referred to Dr Copperwheat in Georgia. I have my seminar with him tomorrow. I honestly don't want to go through the rigorous process with Medicaid but I can keep my 10995 in my pockets!! Sent from my SM-N986U using BariatricPal mobile app

Wow liveaboard15, that's crazy how fast. I wasn't expecting that!

Luckily we have always cooked our food from scratch, so fast food is not ever been part of our families diet. Mostly we eat the same food and I mostly omit the carbs. as I have no room for them yet. So we eat roasts, casseroles, stews and curries. I have learned to up the protein in my foods using beans and lentils, my family haven't noticed the difference. It really works well for us

So I started the process in September and definitely was not prepared for how much time everything would take mainly due to the insurance requirements around a weight loss trial. I thought everything I had done in the past would have counted, but it did not so I had to start a new weight loss trial. My primary care put in a referral and Tricare approved it for Dr. A at a surgeon's office over an hour away (closest bariatric specialty). When I tried to schedule the appt, I was told that Physician A is revamping his practice and would like to have me be scheduled with Dr. B. I agreed, as long as the referral was still good. Apparently that was not quite the question I should have asked. Fast forward to 4 months later, my weight loss trial and all the pre-reqs are done. I emailed the clinic with all the information and had not heard anything in 10 days, so I asked for an update. Today's update is this: Dr. B is not yet credentialed with Tricare so they can't even submit for approval until that is done. They have no estimated time frame and can't tell me when the process started. According to Tricare's website, it can take 60-90 days for a new provider to be credentialed. Additionally, when I asked if I could have my surgery done by Dr. A since Dr. A did my EGD and all my labs, they responded saying they asked Dr. B and he said no. I'm beyond frustrated because I only have a small window remaining where I can take off (Feb - Mar). After that, I will have to put it off until August or September. To clarify, I don't work a standard full time job. I am a contractor working through a recruiting company for a hospital org to implement the software system and their go-live is in July. I don't get paid for time off and I don't get FMLA. So now I'm either stuck in limbo for potentially months until they get him credentialed or I could see if another surgeon would be willing to take all the existing labs/imaging/documentation.

I had a VSG 12 years ago. I was 54 years old. I can make the math easier. I am 66 - quickly approaching 67, this spring. I was miserable, recently divorced, single parenting a teenager, working.... and my weight had hit 320. I was, at that time 5'3", and morbidly obese. I went on my own diet, and lost just over 20 pounds, went to the Doctor and requested weight loss surgery. I did their 12 week mandatory pre diet and classes. I was approved, and got my surgery. Fast Forward.... I lost weight to about 175 pounds. I went from a women plus 28 to a 14/16 petite.... depending on the clothing. I also Lost my younger brother, mother and then my father during those last 12 years. And I gained back weight. I weighed 220..... So Just before the pandemic, I decided to try to lose 10 pounds in a year. Thank goodness for my VSG. My body remembered how to do this. I lost the ten pounds in the matter of a couple months. I decided that since I had issues with regain, I would pause and maintain the weight loss for at least a month or more, before starting to lose weight again. I wanted to LEARN how to maintain the loss. Each 5 or ten pounds, I would stop losing ON PURPOSE - and maintain the weight I was at. I lost back to 173 pounds. I weighed that is graduate school. 1983. I maintained my weight for the past year between 172 to 175. A couple months ago, I decided to try to lose a bit more. The scale was reading 175 more often then I wanted. So.... I did it again. Even more slowly. Right now, I am doing my " lets maintain this for a while" thing.... and weigh 164 I think I might have weighed that in college... like maybe 1978.....before going back for the Masters Degree in 1981. My old Navy size 16 petite that I bought two years ago are too big. I just bought TARGET jeans in a size 14. Age does weird to a woman's body, as does loose skin.... But I can tell you this.... my VSG is still there. I won't ever be 'skinny' - but I am basically barely overweight (you get a few extra pounds on the SMARTBMI scale adjusted for age !) and I am more than thrilled. Do I eat perfectly ? Nope. I have a treat every darned day. A couple cookies or a small dish of ice cream.... or a bit more carbs than are necessary... But I am so flipping "normal" - I am not the heaviest human at work. Someone asked me to "slide" in to sit at a table that was close to the wall because I could "fit". I stood there staring at them..... If we have take out delivered to the office, I participate. I order something that I can eat for another two meals after having lunch. Challenges ? Plenty. Did I manage to raise a great kid, who is doing well ? Yes. Have I figured out how I need to eat to "DO ME" ? Finally. At 66 years young !!! 2004 pic.eml2022pic.eml I tried to put in pics 2004 and 2022 320 pounds and now 164 pounds

The day after tomorrow is my surgery!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't wait. I'm so happy, one more day of full size stomach liquid diet! It did go by pretty fast, looking back on it. It was gross, but its nearly over! Yay!

Hello, I'm 61 and had my sleeve surgery a little over a year ago. Everything went really well. I went home the next day. I was never in pain. I'm so happy I had the surgery. I've only lost 45 lbs., I'm not losing as fast as I want but I feel so much better and I'm happier. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Thanks for the wonderful replies! I'm now at the end of Jan, managed to lose 2 pounds, I'm a slow loser. There are no more cookies, chocolate or any junk left in my house. I had to retrain my brain to increase the protein and vegs and skip the Carbs for awhile. I feel much better, but amazed at how fast that sweet tooth came back. I'm under massive stress right now, I'm limited physically how much I can walk so meditation is my best freind right now. If I can meditate every other day, life stays under control. I love that there are so many sugar alternatives we can use for baking to fake out the sweet tooth! Best wishes to all and Happy New Year.

Yes, crazy good to wear those smaller sizes! I've been losing so fast that I've actually dropped through some clothes I bought after surgery. I still struggle to see it myself sometimes, but going from a tight 44 to a lose 38 waist in pants makes it pretty obvious. I've had a few major stalls as well, but am officially down over 100 pounds now. I'm obviously really happy about that, but also a bit shocked at how fast it's come off. @Hope4NewMe don't count on maintaining a 10 pound loss per month. For the math geeks, most of the time weight loss follows a pattern called exponential decay. It looks something like this: The important takeaway is that the closer you get to goal, the slower the loss.

Hi Ericka, Wow I know what you mean I now realize how fast I used to eat. I will be 7 weeks post op on Monday and food is touch and go for me sometinmes I have no appetite and then other times I want to EAT. But my stomach say NO lol. Still trying to get protein shakes down but they make my stomach cramp. I deal with a lot gas issues 😏. I am walking a mile or more at least 3 xtimes week and am going to start working out. Hope to hear from you soon 🙂

1. Are straws allowed while drinking anything? I swear I was told that you can I was told no at first and then that changed, the issue is people suck too much air or drink too fast. 2. I'm thinking about getting the Bariatric Fusion Vitamins. The nurse at the bariatrics office tells me that she recommends them over getting the vitamins separately. Do I still need other vitamins on top of those? Bariatric fusion multivitamin chews are so gross, super chalky. I get my B-50 from them, but I use the one a day Multi with Iron and also my Calcium NOW® Cal-Mag DK from ProCare Health and I love it. I get B-12 from the store. 3. So, I was wondering if we get tested the day after surgery to see if everything is working the way they're supposed to? Or is every surgeon different? (Like I said I will be asking my surgeon all of these questions) I was tested the day after, that was it. they had me drink contrast and they scan you. 4. Soups...we can use the broth in any Soup? Probably the lower sodium Soups right? Yes, bone broth is good 5. Last, but not least. Do they usually let you take a shower after surgery or do you have to wait awhile? I would really like to shower before I come home. Surgery is getting closer and closer...ahh! I was able to shower the day after I got home, 2.5 days after surgery. The Glue held fine, no issues 2 Bonus question, what is or did everyone pack for surgery? Lose comfortable clothes, a robe, sandals or slippers for walking, basic toiletries and something to do while in the hospital for a day. Is their going to be a drain placed? No drain

Thanks so much for your reply. I’m currently waiting to see my GP and then waiting for the referral. I’ve been reading a lot and yes it seems the lap band is fast being replaced. I guess I have to wait to talk to the bariatric surgeon, firstly to find out what’s the issue with mine currently & what they suggest. again Thanks for your reply CHEERS

Ah now that’s a complicated question & there is no definitive answer. There’ll be those who tell you sleeve is the best or bypass is the way to go, etc. The thing to remember is that was the surgery that was best for them. And yes there’ll be those who say they wished they’d chosen another surgery. There are some issues that can make one surgery a much better option over another. For example if you have pre existing reflux/gerd sleeve is not for you or you have a lot of weight to lose bypass may be a better choice. There are other pre existing conditions that may need to be taken into consideration too. As well as factors like your weight loss & gain history, lifestyle, eating style & preferences, etc. Best advice is to do lots of reading & gather information like this yourself & then have a long conversation with your surgeon & see what they recommend based on your medical status, general health & with consideration of the factors mentioned above & then make your decision. As for the long term effects of, I presume maintaining your weight, it really comes down to you. The changes you’re willing to make to your eating, how compliant you are in the long term with your new way of eating, the activity you choose to add to your lifestyle, etc. The surgery is a tool & it’s success depends on how you use it & the sustainability of the changes you make. My surgeon recommended a sleeve after going through everything with me & answering my questions. I was leaning that way anyway as I didn’t want as major a change as with bypass. My weight had only become a serious obese issue with menopause before that I bounced between a BMI of 23 healthy & 29 overweight). I had some existing food sensitivities. I dislike taking medications. Didn’t have any co morbidities - my general health was good. Was fairly controlled about a lot of my eating & was aware of food choices, portion sizes, etc. Didn’t want the increased possibility of dumping (already had random episodes of hypoglycaemia) or absorption issues (especially calcium & iron as a menopausal woman). And yes, it was the right choice for me & my situation & needs. I lost all my weight & more. I’m only 3.75yrs out but have pretty much maintained my weight except for a very fast 2kg (4lbs) gain after my gall was removed in June 2021 which reduced my absorption of protein (so made a dietary change) & we also recently discovered my HRT. I had lost about 0.5kg of the 2kgs over almost a year but since I went on a HRT patch 3 months ago I’ve lost a kg without trying (Damn hormones - or lack of in my case.) Will be interesting to see if the last 0.5kg goes too & I end up where I was at 49kg. That’s my story anyway. All the best whichever surgery you choose.

Hi all, I had the gastric sleeve done in 2015 and have lost around 100lbs (depending on the season) lol. Ever since I was able to start eating solid food I would get full really fast with little food (to the point of feeling sick and sneezing), after 10-15 min. It would feel like my food would drop and I would be able to eat the rest of my meal. Has anyone else felt this?

Burgers again. Used different buns this time and they're a better match. Made one with Gouda's Glorie cheddar style sauce and jalapeños and one with a spicy ketchup like sauce and a Bedda melt slice. I want to try some vegan bacon next time on the cheese burger. This one went straight to the fridge for eating later: This time I made them in the oven (the paper "wrapping" worked quite fine, no mess in the microwave/oven, just throw away the messy paper) and they browned nicely. I guess these burgers will be a keeper. I wonder how people manage to take pictures of a burger or sandwich that don't look just plain ugly, btw. 🤔 Anyway, this was today's fast breaker: soup and burger. I wanted something warm and spicy. It's cold again in Germany. The soup was ok. Even for my taste a bit salty. Too expensive, so I might buy again when on sale but it won't be a staple.

I was not a fan of Noom for a lot of the same reasons. Apparently steamed cheesy broccoli that you can find in the freezer section is a red (bad) food. Some of the suggestions they gave on separate weeks were that intermittant fasting is good, then to beware going too long between meals because you would get too hungry. I kept thinking, make up your mind with the advice.

Today's fast breaker. https://www.harry-brot.de/produkte/detail/show/vegane-pancakes-kakao There is a vanilla version as well. Both taste ok but I'm not sure yet if they will be a staple. Some leftovers:

I highly recommend this video (which another very kind member shared a little while ago) which may help with your question. The thing about weight loss is there is a lot of averages & the stats you mentioned are an example. There are averages for how much weight you’ll lose, how long it will take, how fast or slow you’ll lose, etc. They’re averages because there are so many factors which influence those stats: age, gender, starting weight, weight loss before surgery, weight loss & gain history, health issues, medications, your new set point, how closely you follow your plan, the lifestyle changes you implement (food choices, activity, …) & so on. As with all averages some will exceed them others won’t reach them. What averages give you are an idea of what might happen. Not a rule but a guideline of what might happen. I’m one of those who exceeded the average. At 12 weeks from surgery I’d lost about 15kg. I’d lost 31kg (including the 5kg pre surgery so about the double amount & got me to my goal) at 6 months. At 12 months I’d lost a total of about 41kgs (not intentionally but it was where my body wanted to be - my new set point). I bounced around there for another couple of months before settling about another kilo lighter (total 42.5kg lost). This was my experience.

as Arabesque said, rate of weight loss is dependent on numerous factors, only a couple of which you much (if any) control over, which are: 1) how closely you stick to your program and 2) your activity level. If you do well with those, the weight will come off, whether fast or slow. If your overall trend is down, then you're golden. I just checked and I'd lost about 32 lbs by then, but my starting weight was lower than yours, plus I don't know your gender, age, activity level, how much muscle you have (the more muscular, the more calories you burn, even at rest), etc. So again as Arabesque said, you can't really compare yourself to others....there's just too many factors at play. Again, if your overall weight trend is down, then you're fine. I think 45 lbs down sounds great, actually.