Search the Community

I am so glad you had a lovely week! What did you have for your anniversary dinner? 😍 The weather at the moment is awful isn't it 🤣 Literally we are just predicted heavy rain & thunderstorms in the South East! Not particularly keen given that I have 0 clothes that fit so I am severely underprepared 😂 I am so happy to hear about your clothes fitting & how happy that made you - genuinely put a smile on my face! You are doing so well ❤️ I still haven't been to the gym but my excuse this time is that my boyfriend is having to use my car for work and therefore I can't get there in the mornings until I get it back tomorrow haha. But, hopefully, I'll have someone coming with me so we shall see! Have a good rest of the week ❤️

Several years ago, I was going to a gym 4-5 days a week. Not ONCE did I get that euphoria. I'm glad you do. If I did, it might make it easier to get started.

I will say your doing amazing, the surgery doesn't change our cravings, our habits, our mental triggers it only changes how much we can fill ourselves up without being in pain. We have all been there, this surgery does not guarantee a downhill trend, we will always have our ups and downs! I have been there, I have binged ate, to the point where I threw up, I have ate crap that I shouldn't and not just a small portion. Your deserve this active life, you deserve to feel healthy, be healthy and live life again. Do not talk yourself down to why you think you should punish yourself. Dig deep and remember your "WHY". Why did you do this surgery? Keep reminding yourself of all the positives. One day or even week does not define how your journey will go. Leave it in the past and start again. 1 day, 1 hour and 1 minute at a time. ❤️

I wanted to share my experience of what happened 3 months post op with everyone so that they're aware as well! I had Gastric Bypass on October 15th and everything went amazingly well. Flew thru post-op without a hitch- diet was on track with where it needed to be, and I had even started back at the gym (all with the Dr.'s approval!) I had passed every post operative appointment up to that point. On December 12th (almost 3 months exactly after surgery) I was in the office eating lunch with my co-workers and after just a couple bites of food I felt what seemed to be dumping syndrome coming on but coming on a lotttttt quicker than it had ever before. As I got up from the table to head to the bathroom, the world started spinning and I had to grab onto the wall before I could finish my mad dash to the bathroom. Once I got in there, I never even managed to flip the lights on before I passed out on the floor. From what my coworkers said I was in there for about 30 minutes was their best guess. I don't remember much just that I woke up to find myself throwing up. Once I turned the lights on all I could see was bright red blood all over the floor. I managed to get up and open the door and flag a co-worker down before passing out again. Long story short- my body was going into hemorrhagic shock from an ulcer that had formed on one of the surgical connections which ate through the incision and finally broke through an artery. I was rushed to the hospital via ambulance, and you know something is realllllly wrong when they get you right into the ER and within 20 minutes you've seen a doctor, surgeon, they have a game plan and you're being wheeled into an emergency endoscopy. During the endoscopy they found the ulcerated site and cauterized the bleeding artery and placed 4 to 5 stitures to help close the hole. This whole ordeal landed me in the ICU for several days... not the type of vacation I wanted 2 weeks before the Christmas holiday but alas... I was stuck. I've been placed on 80mg of anti-acids as well as another stomach-coating medication with endoscopies scheduled for 6 months post fix and then yearly from there on out. Looking back there were signs... I should have clued in on. But most importantly listen to your body- if something isn't sitting right go to your doctor. I will forever remember waking up in recovery with the surgeon coming in and looking me dead in the eye and telling me I was one lucky lady to be alive... If I had gone another 30 minutes or so in the condition I was- I wouldn't be here today.

Good evening guys! It's been a while since I lost posted on here, and I'm really pleased to say that almost 12 months post-op (celebrating next week on the 28th), I am officially 54kg/118lbs lighter. My dietician and surgeon have given me a goal of between 70-80kgs, I'm currently sitting at 81kg and would like to get to 75kg and maintain for another 6 months or so prior to deciding on plastics, however, that is another story for another day. I've come on here today - a primarily US-based forum - to ask my fellow UK/European bariatric patients about where you've been looking for your plastics. I've been having a look on here, speaking to people I know who've had WLS and/or plastics, Youtube videos, surgery websites, searching for surgeons etc based on their speciality, however, it would be great to learn more about other personal insights. I had my WLS done in the UK on the NHS - which I am ever so grateful for - however, I had a really bad experience and was severely ill in hospital for a month after, so I'll be honest, the thought of going under the knife again gives me some of the worst anxiety. I can't even go into a hospital currently without feeling anxious and a bit uneasy. I'd love to know some positive stories of those that were made to feel really comfortable, consultations that were really well in-depth, surgeons and doctors who made you feel like you were making the best decision. I've looked into UK surgeons - to be honest, I totally understand why people opt to go abroad (although Turkey is out of the question for obvious reasons) - I've been hearing great things about NordsEsthetics in Lithuania, with really good views and standards. I've also considered Germany or possibly the Netherlands, again for quality standards of healthcare and successful surgery rates. I have of course looked into UK-based clinics and hospitals, however the majority don't necessarily have any better review than others I've looked into - particularly surgeons who work abroad, but were trained and worked in the UK prior, although I am still contemplating whether I would go anywhere outside the UK, for the sheer reason that if I were to get ill again, what would happen etc. I am looking at a full 360/FDL tummy tuck with breast enhancement, as I've been left with a lot of excess skin on my upper torso that a traditional tummy tuck wouldn't necessarily remove. Anyway, any and all opinions are welcome, TIA x

"Has anyone done the LRD over Christmas, just out of interest?" Again, I'm really sorry but I don't understand what this means. My first xmas post sleeve was 7 weeks in. I have plenty of experience to share of that's what you're going to need ❤️

Yea I’m just now 8 weeks out and my back is already starting to hurt too. Part of it for me is the extra activity but I know that part of it is also my body trying to readjust to being smaller. I actually told my hubby that I’m going to ask the NP if she reccomends chiro or massage or anything else. I feel like I need to do something.

Congratulations on your surgery and success. To answer your questions first: How much weight did you lose after gastric bypass, and over what period of time? I lost 500+ pounds over a period of 2 years. Have you managed to maintain your weight loss, and for how long? I have managed my weight at just about a Normal BMI for just shy of 20 years. What were the biggest lessons or hurdles you faced during your journey? The biggest hurdle I had was the actual surgery. It was an open surgery where they cut from stem to sturn so they can reach in and manage the surgery then staple things back up. The staples at drain were extraordinarily painful with the slightest movement for the month until they took them out. Another couple weeks after that I was as good as gold. Next was learning how to eat, chewing, swallowing, learning when I was full, learning that I dumped on fats, then learning I dumped on sugars. Listening to my stomach on what I would be able to tolerate, then how much. Learning not to take that one more bite. My highest point was running 5 marathons, the third of which was across the Golden Gate Bridge (twice). Never even a hint of a possibility before my surgery. Good luck, Tek

This weeks win: I am a diabetic but since loosing over 100 lbs my A1C is within Normal range and I take no more diabetes medicine. A lot of people don't know that most diabetics of color have dark rings around the neck called acanthosis that is a first sign indicator of insulin resistance. I was cleaning my neck with some witch hazel and noticed damn I do not see that black ring anymore. Major Win 🏆 .

I drank it all the time before surgery. My clinic's instructions were to give up carbonated beverages forever, but I tried Diet Coke when I was about two or three years out. I about died - it tasted like a bunch of chemicals! (which it pretty much is). I ended up dumping it - it just wasn't good anymore - it was pretty bad, to be honest. I wasn't used to it any more - it'd been too long since I'd had it. I do drink flavored sparking water now (didn't start that until after the Diet Coke fiasco - so again, 2-3 years after surgery). Some brands are too carbonated for me (which really irritates my stomach), so I have to wait a while for those to flatten out a bit before I can drink them. Other brands I can drink right away since they're not as carbonated. btw - I don't think carbonation really causes your stomach to stretch out, but it really irritates some people's stomachs (which is why most surgeons will tell you to avoid it for the first few weeks or months after surgery. After that, some surgeons say it's fine as long as it doesn't irritate your stomach, and other surgeons tell you to give it up permanently)

Hello folks! It's been a while since I posted; been somewhat all over the map just trying to figure out what and when to eat and how to up my hydration. I finally settled on the fact that I'm just still not liking eggs, which is annoying, that tuna, salmon, and chicken are my go-to protein sources, and carbs?? UGH. I literally had two providers in my back to back nurse practitioner then nutritionist give me conflicting advice regarding carbs at my one month post op. Due to a rescheduled appointment I had that appointment on 9/11 as opposed to the week earlier - my surgery was on 8/5. The nurse told me that my energy level was probably flagging because of not hitting my hydration goals and that eating carbs after hitting my protein goals was fine, as long as I avoided sugar. Then the nutritionist came in and talked about how I should still be avoiding carbs in order to hit ketosis, and that supposedly once I hit ketosis I'll feel like a million bucks. Eesh. I've been tracking everything in my Baritastic app and I have only gone up to 31 carbs like, two days since my surgery, and it was because of applesauce and cream based soup. I'm wondering when I'm supposed to start feeling fantastic?! The third week plateau was REAL and incredibly obnoxious; I didn't see movement on my scale for almost a week despite hitting my protein goals and struggling to hit my hydration goals. I broke through it, though I'm still not losing as quickly as I'd like. I find that eating Greek yogurt in the morning serves me pretty well, and I've also noticed that sometimes I have to split my meals into 'part one' and 'part two' in order to hit my protein goal. Like; I'll have my yogurt, wait the thirty minutes, hydrate for a while, hit the timer, then 30 minutes later have another small protein snack. It's definitely been a struggle to keep my energy up and not get burned out on this whole thing. I felt like I was rocking along until after purees, then I just ended up baffled as to what I could or should eat. Honestly, the limits on vegetables don't seem to be holding particularly true for me; I've been fine with tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, onion, mushrooms, carrots, and beans. I've not had much as far as fruits - one day I was out and didn't have any food with me so I got a kids meal from arby's with a bottled water, just the meat from a slider, and a packet of applesauce. I split that applesauce pouch into three portions, honestly, and only ate about half of the deli meat they gave me. Maybe I'll try to find more recipes using cream cheese - I'm annoyed that my grocery order didn't have the cabbage I ordered because I was looking forward to making some of the unstuffed cabbage rolls for this week. Guess I'll have to suck it up and go to the store for the missing items tomorrow. I bought an exercise bike I'm looking forward to using - It's a recumbent bike and I haven't figured out the right TIME to try to use it. It's been a bit of a struggle to find the timing between meals, hydrating, meds, vitamins, housework, etc but hopefully returning to this forum will help me get more on track. For anyone it might help - I've found that low fat cottage cheese and tuna melts made on a zero net carb small tortilla with 1/3 a can of tuna and two thin slices of colby/jack or a skim/reduced fat mozzarella string cheese are my main sources of protein. A couple of days ago I made a veggie mix of zucchini, broccoli, bell peppers, and a bit of diced onion. I've sliced up thin bits of both chicken and pork separately and use some of that zero sugar stir fry sauce to make meals of them. It works, even if not particularly exciting, and has a nice flavor at least.

Today I grieve fried chicken! I rode by Popeyes here in Texas and was literally salivating by the mouth! Some weeks are harder than others. Due to my addiction to food I do not have cheats days nor do I get to indulge. Much like a sobering alcoholic or meth/crack addicted individual one hit/sip leads to relapse. They don't get an opportunity to have a "cheat day". I am in the same boat I can not indulge. 1 day of pulling in to the drive thru will lead to 5 consecutive days of pulling in. Ahhhhhh FRIED chicken lmao

Hi Ladies, I’m almost 6 weeks post-op from my gastric bypass. I started at 109.5 kg, and now I’m at 98.6 kg, so I’ve lost about 10 kg. While my nurse and doctor mentioned that I could’ve lost more by now, they said it’s still not bad. Honestly, it didn’t make me feel great, but a loss is a loss, right? I find myself comparing my progress with others, mostly with sleeve patients, which I know isn’t fair. So, I’m here in the bypass forum to hear from others with success stories. Shouldn't the most weight loss happen in the first 2-3 months, and then it slows down? Right now, I’m losing around 1 kg per week, which I know is healthy, but I keep feeling like I should be losing more, and then I panic, wondering if I’m overeating. I’m on a 1200-calorie plan with 8-10 small meals a day. I haven’t been able to stick to the 10 meals, but I do my best to hit 8, and they’re all balanced. My workout routine has been almost non-existent, but I joined the gym TODAY, so that will change! I just need some reassurance that I WILL lose the weight and that I’m not going to fail like I have in the past with weight loss.

Oh, that’s so awesome and really great that you were able to get someone else to pay for it!! Im so excited for you. It Definitely feels like me time plus I think I’ve mentioned before but after I’m done exercising and I get home I really do not want to put any garbage into my body. It makes me want to eat healthy and it just gives me energy and improves my mood. Hopefully it does the same for you well, I got the all clear from my surgeon at the support group meeting last night to start my yoga class so probably Tuesday I will be starting that and one of the girls that’s further along in my support group had asked me if I wanted to walk with her at our meeting last month and I never reached out to her, but I told her last night I was trying to work my way up to where I wouldn’t slow her down too much but we’re going to start walking together like once a week just for different scenery and a chance to chat. I figured that once a week is enough to be on a super strict schedule. I will still do my walking in between, but I don’t do it at the same time every day and my schedule fluctuates so much. It’s hard to think of that with another person’s schedule. But between the yoga class and walking with her once a week and if I do the group fitness class that will be five days a week right there and then I still do my walking by myself in between that’s a lot actually. I’m just starting with the yoga, though the group fitness says in the description that it’s cardio and I don’t know if I’m ready for an hour of cardio quite yet

Most of the people on here have said it. I do cook most of my food now, hence the name. I think I’m weird because I like to food prep. I weigh myself at least once a week or check how my jeans fit. Then jump back on track (if I’ve wandered) by weighing food, measuring, recording and checking in with my son or a friend to hold myself accountable. I stay in touch with my bariatric group of fellow WLS patients because it’s good positive energy from people working hard to maintain weight loss. I pop on here too, again nice positive energy from folks trying to be supportive and helpful staying healthy!

He just had me work an elastic band and said to do that but I ended up not doing it. But I can walk probably for 2 minutes or so everyday and increase it to 3 minutes next week. Especially when I have to go to saranac next week for my last followup before my surgery. I kind of want to tell them I've been exercising. I don't have a smartphone my wife has one and brings it to work with her everyday but I have a computer that I can setup reminders on. I go on it every morning so it would work perfectly. If that doesn't work I do have a tablet that I can use for reminders but I'm not on my tablet very much. I mostly just go on my tablet to check my email once every few days. My team will be taking good care of me after my surgery yeah. Even if I choose not to have the surgery they want to keep me in the program because I'm overweight and eligible. But I want the surgery because it should be a good tool for losing weight. Next Wednesday is just around the corner and hopefully I'll get all of my questions and concerns answered. I think even if I'm hungry though as long as I fill up fast I don't think I will eat as much as I am now. My problem is I am NEVER full even if I eat 3k calories in one sitting. It's ridiculous. The surgery should definitely change that.

you are fine. Most people seem to lose somewhere in the 7 - 11 kg (or 15-25 lb) during the first MONTH, and you've lost 10 kg in six weeks, so you're absolutely in the normal range. I lost 16 lbs (7 kg) the first month, so I was probably exactly where you are at six weeks out. I went on to lose over 90 kg (200 lbs). (you will always find people who lose less or more than the range I stated, but they're either outliers, or they started out at MUCH higher BMI's than most of us have - such as the people on shows like "My 600 lb Life"). Your nurse and doctor are fools. I had a resident tell me the same thing when I was a few weeks out, and I wish that jerk could see me now!! I'm sure I lost much more weight than most, if not all, of the people who went through the program when I did! rule #1 with this is; don't compare yourself to others! Your rate of weight loss depends on so many things, only a couple of which you have much control over. Age, gender, metabolic rate, what percentage of your body weight is muscle, genetics, starting BMI, whether or not you lost a lot of weight before surgery, diet, and activity rate are all factors. How much you're eating and how active you are are really the only things you have control over. Do well with those, and the weight will come off, whether fast or slow. But don't forget - 10 kg is six weeks is completely normal. Just carry on and don't listen to foolish crap like this. EDITED to add: I lost weight for 20 lbs. Yes the first month tends to produce more loss than following months, but just like with regular diets, that's because some of it is water weight. One kg a week is pretty normal after the first month - but that'll gradually drop as you approach a normal BMI.

22 pounds in 6 weeks is awesome!! How many times have you lost almost 4 pounds (1.8kg) a week on any diet in your life or been able to stick with it for six weeks? Seriously, you really have to work just as hard at the mental part as you do at the physical. The mental meaning stay away from the scale as much as possible, and don’t compare yourself to other people because their situation is entirely unique like others have mentioned even if someone had the same starting weight as you you don’t know their age their activity levels, there medical history, all of that plays a role in it. I have seen people on here who have continued to lose beyond 18 months even. Like any other obstacle in life keep your focus on the aspects that you actually have control over and try not to worry about things you don’t.. Congrats on joining the gym, big step. I really hope adding more movement makes you feel as amazing as it has for me. I am still concerned about the weight part obviously but I’m telling you that feeling as good as I do, I’m not focused on it nearly as much.

Hard agree. One cracker will mean nothing unless it's right before surgery. But more than that will. I hope you can stick to the pre-op diet from here on. I was meant to have 2 weeks on liquids pre-op but that turned into 6 for various reasons. It is by far the worst 6 weeks I've had to experience in the almost 3 years since I signed up for this surgery. It's really really hard not to have SOMETHING with texture in your mouth. Please do know that it will not be long until you can again.

Great suggestion to call the surgeons office if you feel yourself wavering and ask if they can fit you in because you have a few more questions. I went to THREE additional appointments over the normal requirement until all my questions were answered. I was wavering between the bypass and SADI revision though and It was a really tough choice for me and because it’s so new there was little info online to answer the questions. Also as @Arabesque suggested they may be able to give you an anxiety med to relax you the morning of before you go to the hospital. I didn’t even think of that.

Hey all, I'll catch up on reading soon. It's been a rough few weeks. I caught a stomach bug last week and thought I was gonna die. And yesterday I woke up with a runny nose and muscles aches, same today. The fatigue seems to be worse these last two weeks too, but I'm guessing that's because my immune system got shot. But that is why I've not been around, I've literally been wanting to die. It has taken everything in me to be able to push through work and classwork before I pass out for hours on end. Just wanted to give you an update. 0/10 recommend on getting a stomach bug after gastric surgery.

I’m 6 weeks post op and I eat faster then the 30 min I have tried slowing down but I can’t do it any tips that will help I am worried I’m gonna stretch my stomach

I love wall pushups. Been doing them for almost 2 years now almost every single day. I stand about 1 metre away from the wall (which is almost 2/3s of my height - lol!) and do 35 ordinary pushups & 35 with a clap. Should do more but I am ultimately lazy. I have distinct deltoids, triceps & biceps. Don't know how much stronger I actually am but my arms are toned which is what I wanted & not muscle bulk. My 14yr old competitive swimmer niece complemented me on my arms last week & was comparing them to hers. I’ll take that. Though she did point out they’d look better if I had the loose skin removed. Aah 14yrs olds, they give & they take away. 😂

Yes its a scary journey but we did it. Its doable if you keep your nerve. Join us. After the first few tough weeks you will be more than happy you did it. You have worked so hard already, harder than a lot of us. Good luck

i use a diy spray (1 part distilled white vinegar, 3 parts filtered water and and several drops of tue essential oil du jour...currently it's peppermint)...fill up a spray bottle and bring with me and some disposable "dry" wet wipes. i spray (both sides) of mat when done and wipe down. then once a week i soak it in the bathtub with some dawn dishwashing soap and warm water for an hour and dry (first with a towel and then hang). BUT i use my mat 2-3 times a day every day. 80% of the time doing hot yoga so my mat gets pretty sweat soaked. also...this is the first time ive heard of putting a mat in the washing machine!. i looked up the care instructions for the ones i have and none say i should do that? maybe because mine are on the thicker/heavier side?