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Hey guys, The last few days have been super hard I just want to eat all the time I feel so empty! I know its mainly head hunger and at nearly 8 weeks out it is my mind fighting against the changes I have made. I miss eating more! I have had slight cravings for junk food lately but I will not eat it because I know it will do me absolutely no good and it will make me worse off. I haven't eaten any of it since before my surgery and have no plans to in the future. As a recovering food addict a little bite would be a massive trigger to eat way too much and I can't deal with that. I know I have been addicted to food pretty much my whole life but I honestly didn't think that my addiction was as bad as it clearly is. I don't regret having the surgery and having lost 2 stone 6lbs is amazing in such a short time, it's just so hard to get used to the huge life change. I am all in and will continue eating healthy unprocessed food because my body loves it and I feel so much better physically. It's taking my mind a long time to catch up though and I'm struggling. I have heard plenty of ideas about finding a hobby and doing things to focus my mind away from food but I need to face up to my food demons and learn to live with them. I don't want to avoid these feelings coming up, they need to be dealt with. So I journal when it gets too much and I post on here too. I'm just looking for some one who understands how I feel and who can tell me it gets better! Thanks again guys x

(Also, look at your numbers so far -- they're absolutely great! No matter how long this stall lasts, you've already been kicking ass. ^_^)

How are you doing? I had my SADI two weeks ago and just starting to feel more like myself. I got out of the house today for more than a trip to the grocery at least.

Eugh…I have to have 3-monthly blood tests as I have Methotrexate injections for Rheumatoid Arthritis. I’ve been on Methotrexate for 12 years now. Occasionally there’s a blip in my liver function test but this is generally when I’ve been unwell as the slightest thing can change my results. Anyway, I made a cock-up on my test 2 weeks ago. It was Bank Holiday Weekend and I had a couple of drinks on the Saturday and then more on the Sunday. I can count on one hand how many times we’ve been out this year and I don’t drink at home unless it’s a glass of champagne before we go out to dinner for example. Anyway, I wasn’t thinking and did my jab as normal on the Monday and then my bloods on the Tuesday. This resulted in a phone-call from a Rheumatology Nurse on Wednesday saying my liver function test levels were way, way up, what had I been doing? I was honest and said I’d been out at the weekend and had my jab when I should have left it a week and then had my bloods after. So, I had to miss the next two weeks jabs and have my bloods again which was yesterday. Phone-call today - levels have dropped some but still high. It was then a mass of questions - had I been drinking? No. Any infections? Not that I know of. Any ‘herbal’ ingestion (er…what???) No. Any NSAIDS? No. The list was endless and she sounded completely disbelieving of me, which has pissed me off no end. Could I miss my jab this week and have my bloods again on Monday? No. We’re out for our anniversary dinner on Sunday and there will be alcohol so it would be pointless. I did offer to have them on Friday but she said it wouldn’t be enough time for things to reduce. Now I have to have my bloods again in 2 weeks. It turns out that my levels have been creeping up for the past few months but no one had told me. She did tell me that the other things I’m tested for are all good (4 things in total so only be of them is bolloxed) I’m not happy, especially as I’ve been managing my condition and medication for 12 years. I drank more often earlier in my treatment and never had any issues. My worry is that this could affect my WLS journey. I know I may be worrying over nothing but the worry is still there. It may be that my liver has just had enough of the Methotrexate (as it’s a poison - lovely) and it’s time to stop it. Anyway, I’m not asking for advice, more a rant ☹️ I will now do some research on how to deal with toxins in the liver and how to reduce them. Sigh…

Absolutely. I had the sleeve four years ago and now the revision and you definitely want to make sure that you’re in a good place with your mental health because it takes just as much mental energy as it does physical to deal with all the changes you will be going through. It’s like a whole new lifestyle post surgery if you’re doing it right. They are really great changes, but it is still alot in short time. Be honest and trust their judgment- they have done this a lot of times and they just want to make sure that you’re in the right headspace when they do it so that you can be most successful immediately post surgery to keep you safe but also long term so that you will be successful in your weight loss. One thing I did too was to ask my team if it would be okay for me to just check in with them a little more often than they typically require. They agreed to that and it has made the process a lot less stressful this time. I just get super anxious about everything and medical stuff is even worse so stuff like this creates a million questions and it’s hard when you call the front desk and they don’t know about your mental health for them to not be annoyed when you call a bunch of times. This time I just go in and have a chat with the NP about all my concerns and she reassures me everything is fine and I’m on my way. Also, you will want to let your prescribing Dr know about your surgery at some point if you haven’t already. They will want to check in with you a couple of times post op because sometimes with the absorption changes in the body your medication doses may need to be adjusted a bit. And keep posting on here. There are so many people who have been through anything you may have a question or fear about or if you just want to vent about a stall. People are so wonderful here and eager to help. Staying active on here and the in person support groups has really helped me. Im excited for you. It’s a pretty incredible journey and you will get there soon enough.

everyones pain tolerance is different. so it really depends on what YOU can handle. i did not take any pain medication after i left the hospital for WLS. but after plastics (tummy tuck, arm lift and breast lift), i finished the entire 2 week Rx i was prescribed in said 2 weeks. i would have taken more if i had any, and i was too lazy to see my doc to get more, so i just left it at that. but yeah, plastics recovery pain was a bee-yatch compared to wls, and the meds helped tremendously. but thats me...i know others who felt the opposite (i.e., wls was more painful)...so yeah everyone is different. i would say if u are suffering then maybe consider getting an prescription, even if just a couple days. good luck! ❤️

When was your ur op? But as I know it is pretty normal as @ShoppGirl mentioned it could be leftover food or water or if ur aunty flow is around the corner.. I decided to stop weighing weekly and check in 2 weeks at my 1 month post op appointment! And I'm hoping to see a good decrease and avoid disappointment with the daily or weekly checks!

Hi. I’m also 4 weeks pos-op and I have lost 19 lbs. I had the sleeve as well.

@pinkneymm@aol.com Another AOL account? Great, have you had it for a long time? I’ve always had mine. Anyway I’m on my 2nd week of pre op diet and having a hard time with it because I don’t know why?? I’ve lost a lb a day so far and my esophageal hernia started really acting up and it hurts to swallow anything. But other than that it’s great to already be losing weight. I can even fit into some clothes that I couldn’t before. My surgery is 10/21…really looking forward to it! Yours is not too far away! Yay!!! Best to you!

Late posting today as I’ve been to the gym this morning and thoroughly enjoyed myself 🥳 Hubby is off work this week so he came with me. We like going together as we both wander off to do our own things but touch base occasionally. Unfortunately there were couple of teens who enjoyed pointing and laughing but it didn’t stop me and it just made them look like a pair of dickheads, especially when others glared at them. I don’t know if they expected me to pass out within a couple of minutes of beginning my workout but I did over an hour so sucks to be you, kids…I did have a chat with a member of staff as to when the quieter times are (without teens as there were quite a few and they have no absolutely no gym manners) and he said before 3pm when the schools go back. Thankfully that’s this week so we will be back Wednesday afternoon to have another go 🙂 Of course it will be interesting to see what state I will be in tomorrow but I didn’t hammer it, just familiarised myself with everything again. I did have a protein shake when I got back home plus a hot bath with some Epsom salts in the hope of counteracting the worst of the aches and pains. Looking forward to trying some free weights to get some hardcore toning going on! Couldn’t today as the free weights area was busy. Went out for lunch yesterday and kept it relatively healthy. Gains from the past week or so have pretty much gone, which is good. I’d thrown on a pair of leggings and a t-shirt earlier in the week and hubby commented on the fact that the weight was coming off my legs and backside. I think his exact words were “you’re losing weight off your legs and arse love”. Such a way with words, what can I say?? Clothing does continue to improve fit-wise, so I'm happy with that. Granddaughters first day of school on Weds and her 5th birthday on Thursday so there will be cake this coming weekend when we’re there for her party. I can’t believe she’s almost 5 - time really does fly! Surgeons appointment coming up on Friday - eek! I think I’m as prepared as I will ever be for it. I’ve got over the initial shock re the speed of it and I’m now just looking forward to it. My mini food processor thingy has been delivered and I’ve downloaded a couple of additional Bariatric recipe books for my Kindle (all freebies, thankfully) I’m trying not to think too deeply about the puréed phase as none of it sounds appealing but I know it’s something that has to be gone through! 6 weeks isn’t too long in the grand scheme of things. Have a super week everyone 😉 Onwards and Downwards!

Sorry to hear about Covid and all the calls back and forth, not fun at any time but especially when feeling unwell. Do what your body feels it needs this week with regards to rest and food, the healthy plan you have been following will hopefully help you come out of this better than you might have if you had caught Covid a few months ago. Take care.

Hi from UK, Ive been booked in for surgery in July and was told to go on 12 week diet. I thought that's excessive as I've seen heavier people only do 2-3 weeks max. I have to do 9 weeks on milk and jelly, then 3 weeks on weight watchers soup and Muller. For example I've started today and I'm at weight I should be on 20th if I have like healthy protein based meal once a day in the 9 weeks that should be fine isn't it? I had boneless chicken today and weight didn't fluctuate thankfully so one meal a week for 9 weeks should be fine? Sorry if I'm rambling

I am struggling to keep up with my 3 day workout (walk on treadmill) a week. I'm just feeling lazy n blah. Is everyone working out? Also I was adviced no strength till 2 months post op! I feel once I am back to work and can actually join the gym I'd have a routine.

Had an appt with my Dietician and I am so irritated, like so bothered! I told her that I weight train 6x a week on top of cardio 6x a week. Went over how much I ate and what type of foods and she told me I am eating too much protein, and I need to stop drinking my proffee in the morning only have decaf coffee. She said I need to eat under 100g of protein even though I am weight training. I could not respond, I am not trying to be thin my goal is to get fit and shapely which is why I weight train. My multivitamins I have to adjust which I knew I needed to. I feel so discouraged by what she said, she told me that the 1000 cal is "ok". I asked what that meant, she said I am on the higher scale of what I should eat at 5months post op, I told her but I workout for an hour plus a day? If I ate less I would pass out from exhaustion. My post surgeon team completely left me to figure this all out on my own. I was supposed to have a 6 week and 3 month group appt which she asked why I didn't attend....I told her because your team never called me to set them up and I didn't know that was even a thing. So I have been on my own since week 2. I thought I was kicking ass and taking names, now I am so bummed. Just venting

Semaglutide (and other various GLP-1 agonists) effectiveness can be dose dependent. 4 weeks is likely not long enough to see changes especially if you are still at the starting dose. Here’s a link with some decent easy to understand info: https://www.richlandmd.com/cosmetic/semaglutide-dose-for-weight-loss/ Also these meds are used in conjunction with lifestyle modifications. According to a meta analysis reviewing multiple trials “We observed that aside from the administration of semaglutide, reduced calorie diet and increased physical activity were also part of the intervention. Hence, semaglutide alone probably will not be able to achieve an 11.85% weight loss” https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9758543/ Take a look at your early post op diet plan and give that a try again. If you didn’t have one, I can share that mine was protein forward (80g minimum) with minimal carbs (under 50 g and mostly complex) and low fat (20g) and almost no calories from drinks unless they are protein shakes. *edited to add: These meds can cause constipation so any weight gain could be due to that You really should consider checking in with the prescribing/administering physician to ask about your progress. Best of luck!

Hi! Thank you for the detailed questions — I appreciate the time you took to break things down. Here's a full update from my side: 1. Weight Loss Progress: I’m currently losing around 1 kg per month. I know that’s on the slower end post-bypass, but I’m trying to be patient with the process. 2. Goal Weight: My initial goal was 75 kg, and I’ve now revised it to 65 kg. I haven’t updated my profile yet, but that’s the target I’m working toward. 3. Typical Daily Intake: I eat clean, home-cooked food, and I really focus on quality over quantity. Breakfast: 2 eggs and a small side like labneh or some veggies Snack: ½ scoop of whey protein or something light Lunch: Chicken breast or thigh (120–150g) with cooked dhal or sautéed vegetables Dinner: A high-protein meal like steak, paneer, or fish with non-starchy veg I do snack or “cheat” here and there — I’m no angel — but I genuinely try to make good choices most of the time. 4. Caloric and Macro Goals: I was aiming for 115g protein daily, but just yesterday my dietitian told me to reduce that to 65g. I’m adjusting and seeing how my body responds. I try to stay between 1000–1200 kcal, but again, I focus more on food quality than strict numbers. 5. How I Track: I track everything using ChatGPT, not traditional apps like MyFitnessPal. I log my food manually, with weights in grams, and I try to stay mindful and consistent. 6. Activity Level: My workouts have reduced lately. I try to weight train twice a week, and I walk or move throughout the day, but I’ll admit I’ve been slacking a bit. I’m trying to get back on track. 7. Mental State (the honest part): Physically, I look fantastic. But mentally, I feel like I’m failing. I have really bad anxiety that I’m doing something wrong — that I should’ve reached my goal already — and that maybe I’m overeating without realizing it. This fear honestly clouds my progress. I know I’m not alone in this, and I’m trying to work through it. Any advice, especially from others who’ve had slow progress or battled this anxiety, would mean a lot.

Hi! I got approved for the surgery in May of 2024. Doctor first told me that I would most likely have to wait until 2025 because of how the long the hospital waiting list is. Suddenly, I got called last week saying they were able to do it in October of 2024. So this is the first day of a 12 week liquid diet to lose 10% of my body weight before the surgery. My birthday is coming up and I have wedding that I'm going to next week! I'm happy that this is happening this year, but I also feel bummed because I feel like this is bad timing. I'm really happy that this journey is starting. I've always been overweight and so was my mother. We were the only one's in the family who were. We moved to the UK when I was 14 and my stepfather was also overweight and he passed away in 2022 due to pneumonia and other weight related complications. My mother had gastric bypass in 2008 and due to surgical complication, they couldn't fix a bowel perforation and she passed in 2023. She and my stepdad were the only people in my life who were really supportive of anything I did. I fell a little bit alone going through this now, but I'm feeling optimistic at the same time. Just looking for other people to share my story with.

A few of us have only told our most supportive friends and family before we had the surgery. I personally didn't need any of the negativity that comes from worried others, people who think they know about the surgery or the one person that I know who failed with a sleeve. I find that people will post things on facebook that they might not say to your face. If they did, you would get a chance to ask why they felt you may be the same as them. It is a brutal test to see if you can loose this big amount of weight pre surgery but plenty people have managed it. I had a 3 week liver shrink diet. I cursed that surgeon every day of it. AND I was paying for the privilege. I very badly wanted the surgery, my life depended on it. Thats what got me through. You will have to find the disipline from somewhere and start as soon as you can. Start moving more, walking was my go to. Started small and ended up finding the world. Find a tracker you can use every day. Set yourself a reasonable calorie limit. Log everything you eat and drink. Good or bad. I still do it, I use Fat Secret. There are lots of other free sites. Eat fresh food, home cooked. You know the calories then. Plan your food and buy it in. That way you will never be tempted to get a take out Its a test but you can get there. Keep on this site, keep talking to us.

I had a revision surgery from sleeve to SADI a week ago today and I am a little concerned about how fast I am losing. Between the pre op diet and now I have lost 26 pounds. I think 14 pounds Pre Surgery and 12 this week. What’s odd is that the surgeon warned me that with it being a revision my loss would be quite a bit slower than with a virgin surgery and I don’t think I lost quite this fast with my sleeve. Obviously I want to lose And the faster the better so long as it’s still healthy. I have my first post op tomorrow and I plan to ask the NP but I am just curious to hear what others here have experienced. Maybe I’m worrying too soon. It could be that everyone loses this quick this early out regardless of vigin surgery or revision. It’s just something on my mind and I’m curious about what others experience has been with revision surgeries. Did you lose pretty quickly the first week as well?

So a month and a half ago I started working 12 hour shifts overnight 3-4 days per week. Everyone said by now my body would adapt, but that hasn't happened. Instead, as time goes on, I'm getting more and more fatigued. I sleep all day and wake up feeling like I haven't slept at all. My joints hurt all the time. I talked to my doctor and my nutritionist and they said to get more rest, eat more dark leafy greens, increase my protein, and maybe drink some coffee. I've done all that and it's been no help at all. Then I was told "maybe you shouldn't do overnights" but that's not an option. It's a requirement for my job. Energy drinks don't work on me (I'm not caffeine sensitive so no matter how much I drink of it, I don't get any kind of a boost) and b-12 doesn't do anything for me, either. I'm at a loss now and I was hoping some of you might have some suggestions. Thanks in advance!!!

@Dchonlee I first went to the Bariatric clinic October 2023. I was 363 lbs. I had my gastric bypass surgery Feb 7th. I lost 79 lbs. from October to my surgery date. Since, I've lost 50 lbs. Right not I'm in a big stall, and I've actually gained a few pounds. I did find out I have an ear infection in both ears. Currently on meds to take care of it. So, i assume the gain is from that. But the stall is nearing a month long. I've lost a lot of weight since October. I know it's slowing even being only 4 months post-op. The stall is still concerning. But, in saying that. I can tell I have other changes happening. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Just keep doing what you're supposed to and you will be fine.

Sorry @BlueParis! Stalls suck balls! I hate them too. 😘

Yea. The mind is pretty powerful and it is possible to swap disordered eating patterns. Going from emotional overeating or binging to under-eating. Talking to someone about your fears and guilt is a great idea. But from a non professional two chicken wings is definitely not a lot and your food choices sound great to me. The one thing you have to realize is you’re not going to eat your 2 ounce or half a cup portions forever. eventually you will land somewhere close to a normal serving size. Everyone is a bit different, but you will get back to a new normal at some point it just looks like a lot of food after eating so little for a while. Will you get to follow up with anyone at 3 months? I actually asked to meet with my nurse practitioner more often than they require just because of my anxiety. I always have too many questions to email or call and ask, but they normally require it at three months because they do labs to check your vitamins. If so, you could ask them what to expect in terms of portion size. What you should be aiming for over the next how many of months until you see them again. Do you find that you do not crave your sweets as much after the surgery? Before I had my sleeve, I was actually a salty snacker, and after the sleeve I started craving sweets, which I think may partially have to do with why it wasn’t so successful for me. so far since my Sadie, I do not crave sweets, so I think it reverted back to where I am a salty snacker again. Well, I mean right now my snacks are not something that I actually feel like I need because I’m not hungry but something that’s necessary to reach my protein goal.

You’re not going to feel the restriction until you are much further along in your healing (takes around 6-8 weeks) & eating solid foods. A lot of nerves are cut or damaged during the surgery so messages simply aren’t getting through or are distorted if they do. The staged return to eating is to protect your recovery and to ensure you don’t damage your healing digestive system (think of all those sutures and staples holding your tummy together- I believe it’s around 12inches of sutures+staples with a sleeve. You should only progress your stages if your surgeon advises you to. It’s also one of the reasons why we’re advised to eat slowly and are given portion sizes we should stick to. Also remember that liquids go through the tummy much more quickly than solid food so you don’t really get full in the same way as you know sipping your shakes slowly. Purées go through a little more quickly but nothing like solid foods.

@SpartanMaker is pretty much on point as usual. 😁 If you decide to go down the weight loss surgery path, I’d still probably look at doing the gall as soon as possible. I had mine removed 2 years after my sleeve. My surgeon (who did my sleeve too) said once you start experiencing gall pain it will only get worse & you ‘ll experience it more and more often. I had one stack & it was horrendous - was rolling on the bed writhing in pain fir about 40 minutes until it passed & I have a pretty high pain threshold. My surgeon removed my gall about 2 weeks later. The alleve may have worked but it was more likely to have been the just wave of the pain passing. The cider vinegar wouldn’t have done anything - just a co incidence. A dose of cider vinegar isn’t going to dissolve the stones to stop the pain or get rid of them (like some old wives tales advise and influencers selling cider vinegar promote). Checkout the you tube channels of Dr John Pilcher and Dr Matthew Weiner (under pound of cure as is website). They are excellent resources for anyone considering weight loss surgery or who’ve had surgery. They have a lot of videos so you may have to scroll through a lot. Dr Weiner also has podcasts.