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The whole shebang huh lol. Im a bit leery of it all myself. I have lost enough weight now between gastric sleeve and zepbound that I have the sagging skin issue in several places. My biggest area that I suppose bothers me (in looks) is my arms. I hate how much is sagging and actually quite heavy skin. If I do anything it will be those upper arms for sure first!!! It wasnt really until recently I noticed it wasnt just the upper arms, it has now gone downward into forearm area. Skin there is really starting to get loose. I just dont know whether to do both upper arms at the same time or one at a time. I have not spoken to a plastic surgeon yet as I am only just now seeing other areas of my body with loose sagging skin. Ive lost a considerable amount in the breast area, my thighs are now saggy and loose as well as my butt lol. I just noticed a noticeable fold of loose skin thats irritating ha!! I just dont know if I want to go through so many surgeries to get rid of all this, it seems a bit much but I guess time will tell which areas will irritate me enough to do something about it.

Hi, I had surgery (Mini Gastric Bypass) in Jan 2023 and I am losing weight. Total weight loss is 50lb (in 23 weeks) . However most of this was lost in the early month and I have slowed to approximately 1lb per week, if that. The slower weight loss is fine, I can cope with this because its going in the right direction. What has be very anxious is that i find that I feel like i have no restriction and can eat anything. To maintain the weight-loss I need to tell myself not to eat. I am fighting with the 1lb weight loss each week to make sure its a deficit, terrified that it will go up. I don't feel like i have a tool. Are there any other MGB patients that can eat anything - bread, rice, chocolate, cereal, potatoes. I do suffer nausea if I don't eat sufficient protein but i am so worried that i have gone through surgery and i will spend the rest of my life 'dieting' with little help from my tool. Anyone else in the same position? Thanks Cals

Hi guys, my name is Anna and I'm really glad I found this site. I received approval from my insurance earlier this week, there's just one x-ray needed and then I will be scheduled. My mom had the same procedure over 2 years ago, but she's more of a cautionary tale of what not to do. I have friends who have had it done as well. The hardest part of this process for me has been giving up cigarettes, and trying to lose weight on my own. I started my umpteenth weight loss journey November of 2022, and finally went back to see my moms doctor in January of this year, after chickening out a couple times before. No matter what I've done I have no been able to get below 300 since 2016. My highest weight was 374. The smallest I've been is 230 in my 20s after losing 70 lbs and keeping it off 2 years. Right now I'm chilling at around 340, have been for almost 2 years. I love the gym, I love swimming, I love being active. But I have a lot of chronic pain from back and neck issues, as well as arthritis and between that and depression, it can be hard to get out of bed some days. Last time this year I had just finished a 16 week fitness challenge at a local CrossFit center, where I learned to do a real push up, deadlifts and other strength and endurance building exercises. It was great, and I got down to 315. Then the program ended and about 25 lbs reappeared out of thin air (psych, I know lol). I am hoping that this tool is the missing puzzle piece I've needed. I know how to track, how to measure, how to diet basically. And I know how to exercise. What I've struggled with more than anything is portion and hunger. It's hard to stay in a deficit when your stomach feels like it's gonna eat itself if you don't put enough food in it- That being said I do know I want to focus on protein and fiber for fullness, and I'm working on eating smaller and more frequent throughout the day which is helping some. I guess I'm as ready as I will ever be. Am I the only one who has struggled with being a bit depressed about it all? Like I am mourning the loss of so much, including my stomach and the ability to indulge in a meal. I understand I still can, but it's not gonna be the same having a jr popcorn at the movies, when i had a good portion of a large gone before credits were over- ya know? Like people who don't struggle with their weight take a lot for granted. My whole life I've been big, and it has always felt like a punishment I didn't do anything to bring about. And society punishes you for being overweight/obese/plus size. Part of me feels like cutting out a part of my organs is another punishment I must endure because I am fat. I hope this makes sense, and these are just fleeting thoughts and feelings, mind you. I have a wonderful counselor I see weekly, and we have talked about this, among other things. But I wanted to bring it up here because I am wondering if anyone has struggled with this line of thinking? And if so what are some good things about the process to focus on? I know the outcome of the weight being gone and my appetite under control, and I want those things very much. But it's the actual surgery and the discomfort I know is coming after that trips me up. Thank you all for taking the time to read this, and I wish you all well ❤️

I feel like you may be overthinking the malabsorption component of RNYGB? Yes, this does elevate the risk of nutritional deficiencies for some vitamins & minerals since absorption sites are somewhat bypassed. You've got to keep in mind though that ALL bariatric surgery patients are going to be nutritionally deficient, at least during the weight loss phase when you'll be eating a very low calorie diet. Very low calorie also means very low amounts of most vitamins and minerals. Even if your diet were perfect (virtually no one has a perfect diet), you just can't consume sufficient food to make up for your nutritional needs. Yes, you'll eventually get back to eating more normal amounts, but until then, bariatric multivitamins have been formulated to make sure you don't suffer from nutritional deficiencies. Keep in mind too that the supplementation recommendations are all based on averages and in reality very few of us are average. The volume of food and the nutritional quality of said food, as well as genetic and epigenetic factors all influence what you'll be able to get from diet alone, as well as how well supplementation works for you. As a result, ALL supplementation recommendations are set up to ensure ~95% of patients will have no nutritional issues. Bariatric multivitamin manufacturers also tend to over-rotate on anything that does not have an established upper limit since they know that their consumers will be having frequent labs done. If someone were to be deficient in a particular vitamin, then they're likely to seek out a different product. You can see this pretty clearly by simply looking at something like the ASMBS recommendations vs the massive amounts of many vitamins found in bariatric multivitamins. Know too that it's entirely likely your bariatric team will have you adjust your supplementation after your labs are done post operatively. Many will want to do labs around 90 days, 180 days, then annually thereafter to monitor for nutritional deficiencies (or sometimes even excesses). I for example had to modify what multivitamin I took because my B12 level was sky high. I get the cost concern, and you may be fine with just a regular multivitamin, but keep in mind your overall food bill should drop since you'll be eating so little. This should more than cover the cost difference, so personally I'd err on the side of caution and take a bariatric specific multivitamin at least while you're in the fat loss stage. Once you're in maintenance, you might be able to adjust that (with your doctor's blessing).

I honestly don’t think them smart scales are super accurate. I’ve seen a few people on here say they got DEXA scans and that their scale was not the same. That being said. They do warn that we will lose muscle and that’s why it’s important to start with some strength building as soon as we are cleared to do so. About the stall, some people do actually gain a little. Usually it’s followed by a quick drop of that gain- plus some. I think it’s your body trying to hang onto every single calorie it gets because it thinks it’s starving. Sorta has to recalibrate for a short time and then you should be back on the downward trend. If my google search is correct 1kg is only 2.2 pounds. Honestly you could see that fluctuation any day. Doesn’t even have to be a stall. Could be your body retaining water or your bowels are full or you weighed at a differnt time of day. Virtually anything can cause that. That’s why they say it’s best to not weigh daily. I know it’s hard not to and I’m guilty of it too but we really do just cause ourselves unnecessary stress by doing it. When I had my sleeve my daily loss fluctuated several times by a couple of pounds. Even 3 or 4 a couple times because I weighed daily. But I did only record my weight once a week and that made it way easier to see the overall downward trend.

I had gastric Bypass in 2019. I have gained about 13 pounds back, but pretty happy overall. Last year when I was laying flat on the floor and went to sit up I felt the oddest sensation. It was a pain and pressure along with a knotty feeling protrusion that popped out in my stomach right below by right ribs. I was able to push it back in. I saw my gastric surgeon, who couldn't feel anything but sent me for a CT. The CT showed nothing. However, this protrusion has happened many times since. I even had my husband feel it last time to ensure I am not going crazy. Has anyone else had anything similar? What are your symptoms and what has been done for you? Any advice? Thanks! Lynda

Yea since I was a revision to SADI they did not operate on my stomach. My portions are the same as they were years out from my sleeve which was about a single serving of most things. The weight I have lost is really just from eating 100% clean and exercising quite a bit. I really don’t worry too much about portions (although I still can’t eat a ton at once). I truly do believe that I am a carb addict though. It’s hard every single time I eat a lot of them to get back off of them. My plan is just to allow myself to have as much fruits and veggies as I want until the cravings ease up and then go back to my normal portions. We celebrate on Christmas eve and just have breakfast on Christmas while we watch the parade so I started yesterday and my plan worked, but I still ate a lot of calories because of eating all day long and I still want carbs just as bad today. My body just screams out for them. And for a while too. It’s really almost not worth it.

I didn't weigh the weighing scale but I also am not great on gauging weights or measurements myself. I am sure it is as they say, which I didn't ready (oops) I just read the reviews of people saying how light it was to put in their luggage etc.

Congrats on how well you have been doing!! I had the gastric sleeve and would love to share my story The good: I had my surgery on January 24, 2024, and I am now almost one year post-op. I reached my goal weight about seven months after the surgery and have been maintaining it within a +/- 3-pound range. Once I started weightlifting, I noticed a significant transformation in my body, which has kept me motivated because I am starting to love what I see in the mirror. I have gone from a size 2/3X top to an XS/S top, and from size 18 pants to size 4. I never imagined my body could look and feel this good. My health has vastly improved, and I have so much energy. I am happier, and that positivity radiates from me. The bad/challenges: I still experience episodes of binge eating, although it is not as severe as it was before. However, when I'm not being mindful, I tend to grab chips and eat too many, or take mini candies and other snacks that I shouldn't have. I am aware of my actions, but for some reason, I don't seem to care in the moment. It has happened maybe two to three times, and each time, I feel really angry with myself. I recognize that this is something I need to work on, and I'm conscious of it. I understand that this will be a lifelong challenge for me, but I am actively working on it and taking it one day at a time. I tend to be hard on myself because I am so afraid of going back to my old habits. This is a second chance at life and I want to make the most of this! Everyone has their own journey. We will all face challenges and struggles, but for the most part, this is an amazing tool! Make the most of it in the first 12 to 18 months. Take advantage of the rapid weight loss, work out, and engage in activities that intimidated you when you weighed more. Take risks, because I promise you will be so happy that you did!

I too am a fast eater, always have been. When I was at my highest weight I would eat so fast that I would get horrible indigestion pain on the right side of my stomach that would last 4 days. I still struggle with this, not nearly as fast as I used to be but I mentally need to remind myself to eat slower. During my first weeks post op I would set a timer for each bite, it took me ages to finish a meal. Nowadays if I'm really hungry I'll eat my first two bites really fast then my restriction reminds me to slow down, I almost always end up eating less that what I need to because of it, and then feel hungry again an hour later.

Thank you for your encouragement! I am at a plateau in my weight loss journey. Somewhat discouraging. I am exercising, measuring, and getting my protein in. Worried I am not getting enough hydration (noticed some dry skin on my legs). Wishing you continued success throughout your journey!

Hello all, I was wondering if any of you are consuming regularly diet drinks, without experiencing any weight increase impact, 1 year or more after your gastric bypass? Craving a Coke Zero, but I am afraid I will get hooked on it and this will eventually impact my weight. I am 1 year post RNY and almost at goal weight (struggling with the last 20 pounds). Thank you!

I had sleeve 3.5 years ago and I gained all my weight back because I was too embarrassed to ask for help before it was too late. You already taken a big step in reaching out here for help. I would also reccomend that you make an appointment with your team for further support. I thought for sure mine was going to chastise me for messing up but that couldn’t have been further from what happened when i finally did. All they wanted to do is help. I ended up doing a revision but my preop diet was pretty doable and detoxed me from sugar and carbs. Mine was two shakes a day and then low carb dinner of 3oz lean protein with a cup to a cup And a half of lower carb veggies. Something like that may be a Reset of sorts but you shouldn’t do it without consulting a doctor. Anyways, doing that I noticed that each day it got easier and easier as my body stopped cravings the sugar and carbs so I didn’t feel like I was starving myself anymore. For me, that’s the biggest obstacle. If I’m not starving I can make the better choices. You may also reach out to your dietician. Be honest about what you are eating as ask for help to make small changes to get you back on track. Keep posting and let us know your progress of struggles.

I agree with @NickelChip, you’re not a failure. Not just from a statistical perspective but also from the perspective that you lost weight & kept it off for a while. That in itself is a success because we know how hard it is to lose any weight at all let alone keep it off for anything more than a week. Yes, there has been some discussion around the long term effectiveness of the sleeve but I think it could be said of any of the surgeries - it may work for some but not all. And what sometimes defines as a success may differ too. Too many external and internal factors can affect how successful you are in the short & long term too. I had my surgery when I was almost 54 because peri menopause & then menopause did a number on me & my weight. Quickly pushed me to my usual high weight then I swear overnight, to my all time high of 91kg, (Hormones are the gift that just keep giving whether you’re producing what you need or your production is decreasing as you near &/or are in menopause.). So yes, being in peri menopause or menopause could mess with your weight. I’d get in touch with your surgeon and ask him about a revision, GLP-1 meds and any other options. The fact you are ready & want to do something is such a positive position to be in. All the best.

I am 2.4 months post op and have lost only 39 lbs. I was wondering if this was normal amount of weight to lose at this point or if it should be more. I have been stuck between 198 and 200 for over 3 weeks now. I would like to know others experience on this topic.

@SpartanMaker I am not wanting to lose weight really, I am at maintenance however since I got PS surgery I am on the higher end of my maintenance and I would really like to get down to 160-165 as opposed to 165-170. I know not much of a difference especially with my height and build but in my head it makes me feel better. LOL When I was working out (which I will get back into hopefully soon) I was eating anywhere from 2200-2400 calories and staying in that 160-165 number, now I am eating anywhere from 1700-2000 and I am on the 165-170 end. I have to assume that my lack of working out is keeping me where I am at. Which I do want to recomp, I want to get a 360 body lift but want to see how lean I could get before making that decision. I may just want to save the money and pain if I look decent enough LOL For reference yesterday my day was 1961 calories, 185g carbs, 175g protein, 72g fat, 34g fiber. If I was working out and burning 700-800 calories like I was then this is great I would stay at the lower end of my maintenance. But what I am gathering I should be focusing more on the carbs, protein and fat as opposed to calories?

Frustrating & upsetting I know but like everything about this experience (including the amount of weight you lose, your rate of loss, your time line for losing, etc.) the three week stall is just an average. Some will stall earlier & some will stall later. They usually last 1-3 weeks but could be more or less. Don’t worry, you will start to lose again. Just give your body time to reset it itself and work out your new needs. You’ll notice the scales dropping again when your body is ready. Can’t force it. You’ll only stress your body & yourself more.

Excellent thread - thank you @JamieLogical! I got sleeved almost 3 years ago. I hit my goal weight well within my first year. I lost another 10lbs very slowly in my second year to reach a BMI of 20. I was absolutely thrilled - I had lost just over half my body weight and was well beyond wildest dreams territory after a lifetime of obesity. But I started to regain this year. Initially I thought it was just the classic '3rd year regain' of the 10 - 20 lbs that so many people seem to experience. I asked lots of questions here and was reassured by the answers. I hadn't really drifted *that* much off the path (I thought). However, I continued to regain with no let up and was getting really worried. I eventually reached 16lbs over my lowest weight a month or so ago. Finally, I decided to go back to absolute basics and see whether that might reverse the regain. Carbs had crept in a bit (NOT A LOT, honestly) so I started every meal with protein, ate veg next, and stopped all bread, rice, pasta, potatoes etc. Just as I would have 2-3 years ago. Guess what? I have lost 9lbs of that regain in just over a month. My current diet is pretty much strict keto and not hard at all. I totally agree that the tool is there, we just have to use it and not eat around it. I'm so happy that I caught myself before I regained much more, but I can also totally see how I might have undone much more hard work. I wish you all the very very best with your new loss. I suspect you'll greet every milestone with just as much joy as you did originally.

So the surgeon was really nice and I felt comfortable with him - had already researched him and also got good feedback from another patient of his. Sadly the health dept will no longer cover boob jobs, ended in 2024, they will do arms, tummy, legs etc though. He says my boobs are still doing well for my age and weight loss so unless I was very self conscious about them he thought it was not worth the cost (EUR 10k!!!!). He said my stomach didn't need any work as it is looking very well. My thighs he could do a small lift but he didn't think it would be very noticeable so again he didn't think it was something to consider unless I really wanted to. For my lower legs/calves he said my lyphodema is too bad that he could not cut there and that all he could suggest would be a few rounds of liposuction on them but then they would look worse probably because the legs would become saggy, whereas now they are large but "steady". The arms he said he could certainly do something with and I agreed he could submit my request to the health dept for approval. I would have to pay just under €3k contribution but I wouldn't mind that. Will see if I get the approval, once I get the approval it is then approx 5 months wait for a surgery date. I guess I am happy that firstly he doesn't do what he considers unnecessary surgeries and secondly that I am may not not looking so bad that surgeries are not vital. I will be investing in some new good bras instead of €10k for now

I am so sorry to hear you had to go through that. But your right, it was a perfect example of something life changing that you got through and you got through it sober. That’s amazing!! I am just hoping to get through this and figure out a way to help make some changes to the process. Dealing with all these insurance hurdles and the administrative red tape with all of these doctors offices is just way harder than it needs to be. I struggle with anxiety and I told a lady today that I am more anxious about getting the appointments scheduled and getting the staff to do my insurance authorizations or fax my records to other places than I am that I have cancer. I said I don’t know but that seems pretty backwards to me, doesn’t it you? I think I got her attention with that statement. But, I have been able to manage my anxiety pretty well without much medication which is a huge win for me. My exercise helps a great deal with my anxiety day to day. It doesn’t take it away entirely but it brings it to a more manageable level. Yoga is really good for it too so I got started with that new habit just in time. Have you tried the tropical variety of the sugar free popsicles? I absolutely love the pineapple ones. They are so much better to me than the old school flavors. I actually forgot that I have them in the freezer. I need to get back to eating them when the sweet tooth hits. I have a non scale victory. Well I guess it is a scale victory but it’s about more than just the scale. The support group that I belong to for cancer had a therapy program where you get to work with horses and they have a weight limit. It’s technically 180 but I told them I was a tad over and they said I should still be okay to do it. They make us do a whole medical packet and get it signed by our doctor so I won’t know for sure for a while but at least it wasn’t an automatic no like it would have been four months ago i hope you have a fabulous holiday and enjoy your trip. I bet that seat will be extra spacious for you. I haven’t flown since my loss but my best friend travels a lot for work and she has recently lost a bunch of weight and she mentioned how it keeps getting easier and easier for her. Not just to fit in the seat but the trip itself takes less out of her than it used to.

My B-12 levels are right where they need to be. I have systemic lupus, which has always caused anemia. I actually have wrist and ankle weights, so I'll try wearing them and see how things go. I didn't even think about it, honestly. I'm just nervous about burning more fat and calories before I build any muscle. I haven't mentioned it yet, but besides my butt being flat and flabby now, I literally have almost no muscle there. When I sit on anything, I have to be careful because I'm literally sitting on bone. Actual bone, and it hurts. So I have to do this carefully.

I didn’t loose any weight with the liquid diet because I had already been following the bariatric plan for a whole year before the surgery so my body was used to being calorie restricted. The salt levels sound kind of high… like others have said. Don’t be surprised if you gain weight while in hospital because the IV fluids are full of salt too. Just keep drinking water and it will come off. Best of luck with your recovery!

Oh OP please update your stats! No idea what surgery you had or when so no idea what advice to give about the gain. Sounds an amazing time. Big PSB fan here too. I saw them many years ago supporting Take That in Manchester. Glad you had fun. 🤩

I’m a little surprised that your doc suggested the sleeve if you’re already having esophagus problems. I’m not a doctor, but my esophagus hernia excluded sleeve surgery automatically. Yes repairing can happen the same day. Be prepared for recovery taking a little longer with a sore and swollen throat. Everyone looses weight and recovers at different speeds. Just keep thinking about how much you are improving your health and quality of life.

Brachioplasty six weeks out now. Still putting silicon gel on incisions BUT started wearing these compression sleeves last week that really help sequester the pain especially in the daytime. The throbbing, burning and uncomfortableness are still there - but the compression helps numb the intensity. Many surgeons do not use them for this procedure since they can open up the sutures. I waited 4 ½ weeks for them to heal better before I sleeved. Keeping busy with light housework, cooking, holiday cards, planning for holidays and the 30th anniversary gala for Spring 2025! It will be fabulous, and really planning something special for hubby after his patience, loyal loving care in this 2019 - 2024 weight loss journey + saga now with the arms! Like SSS, by far the worst. I do not take any meds all day accept for Arnica, then a Tramadol at night to sleep. I definitely think I will be an 8 - 10 week heal time girl.