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Happy puree stage! It's so much nicer hahaha. I also over bought stuff but they are still surviving in my fridge. I wish I could advice u on the qty but I also read that 1/2 cup is right for now. If u guys read arabic, I would've shown what mine said and we would have a pretty good laugh as it basically says nothing informative teehee but I am surviving and losing the weight!! I wanna fast forward to 6 months

Insurance in Australia doesn’t cover pharmaceuticals in there same way as the US. Prescription meds here are either on the PBS (pharmaceutical benefits scheme which are meds subsidised by the government to keep the costs low - about $31) or not. If you have private health insurance they may cover some of the costs of non PBS drugs but I think it depends on your insurance company and your cover. My insurance would pay the difference in the cost of a prescribed non PBS med and if it was a PBS drug. So if non PBS drug cost me $35, I’d get $4 back. Think ozempic is on the PBS but there have been lots of shortages & there are restrictions on who can be prescribed it (diabetics only I believe). Not sure about the other semaglutides. Wegovy only recently became available here for weight loss - it’s not on the PBS currently.

Does such a thing exist? I don’t really want to just wear bicycle shorts but I have always had bigger inner thighs (even when I was thin) and this is of course way worse at my current weight. I found “Chamoise Butt’r” which is a cream you put on to prevent chafing which is AMAZING but it still doesn’t stop me from looking and feeling awkward needing to pull my shorts down in the middle every few steps. Has anyone found any shorts that are better for extended sizes?

The thing that scares me about staying away from the scale. Is that I did that while I was 300lbs because if I didn't know my weight then I wasn't gaining so it didn't matter, I am a size 4 right now which is INSANE, so I really couldn't imagine myself losing anymore weight anyways but I was hoping for the last 2.4lbs dang nabbit! I am not mentally prepared for the scale to go up let alone 4lbs in less than a week. Thank you so much for the words, it has helped. I know it cannot be me. Its just really disheartening to see it going up almost every day

I was on ozempic for my sugar and I did not lose any weight. My sugar numbers were beautiful BUT I ended up with gastroparesis and that was not fun. I wasn't digesting all my food and I would end up with horrific episodes of vomiting and something I ate 3 days previous would come up. It was awful.

Weight loss success is roughly 80% or more about your nutrition and 20% or less about exercise. No gym required! So if you don't like the gym or can't fit it into your schedule, really hone in on the nutrition for now and add whatever body movement you CAN manage every day. Meet yourself where you are, not where you think you should be. If you only walk 1500 steps a day, set a goal for 5,000 a day and don't expect yourself to be running a marathon next month. If you're already good about walking, kick it up by putting on some ankle and wrist weights while you do a 15 minute dance video on YouTube to get your heart rate up and build some strength. Or buy a set of resistance bands and do those a few times per week. Culturally, I think we've become convinced you have to "go to the gym" to see results, and it's really not true. And if you only have the energy to focus on one thing in these early days, start with nutrition because that's where you will see the most lasting results. You're still healing right now and your body is not ready for grueling workouts at this stage.

Soooooo is it possible that with the weight change that our immune system slows down or loses effectiveness? I had an ingrown hair near my groin. Ive had them before but THIS?! It turned into an abnormally LARGE abcess within the matter of days. I went to the er. The doctors were in shock & asked me how i was managing. Anyway a nurse had to hold me as they lanced it. I screamed & cried. I also now have a weird irritation in my throat. Doctor said its probably due to the rapid weight change 😮‍💨

Hi everyone 🩷 posting here as well as in the revision surgery forums in hopes to get a discussion going. I’m considering having revision surgery and have an appointment with my doctor next week. I’d love to hear some of your experiences with revision surgery, what surgery you ultimately went with for the revision, the process and road to your actual surgery date, post op experience - anything you’re willing to share ☺️… soo lay it on me ! The good, the great, the bad, and the ugly! I had gastric sleeve surgery and lost about a 100 lbs and kept it off for about 4 years but since having a baby about 2 years ago I’ve really been struggling with my weight again. Gastric sleeve to bypass seems to be the most popular route however I also see that some people have had other surgeries done such as a duodenal switch. Just curious as to how you and your doctor decide which surgery is best for you. TIA 🩷

Hi everyone! I have not been on these forums for sooooo long- and it was the band forums...anyways. I had my band placed in January 2012. All was well, I lost some weight- then I didn't. Had a hernia repair and band refill, but have been so off track for so long. I definitely learned to eat around my band. And now I have a constant lump in my throat that my doc things is ghost reflux- I don't feel any burning like typical heartburn, but have this lump in my throat- especially at night when I'm trying to sleep. And I wonder if it's from the band. I still have restriction, I still can get stuck but I eat around the band, etc. I have been doing better and have lost 25 lbs and I know that no WLS is magic. I just wonder if revising from a band to sleeve would get rid of the reflux, and I also worry about the foreign band in my body...idk, what do y'all think? I would have to be self pay this time, as I'm 99.999% sure my insurance won't cover it. But it would be worth it, and maybe jumpstart my health journey again.......

Haaaa hello fellow champagne drinkers! 🍾 Veuve Cliquot all the way here. But I wouldn't say no to any of the others Sorry we've gone off piste a little. I have drunk carbonated drinks from very early post op. I don't *think* it made a difference to my rate of loss or to anything actually. But I was never told to avoid them. Although - full disclosure - I have regained 12lbs from my lowest weight at the start of this year, so maybe I'm not the poster girl for carbonation!

I think for your height, you can afford lose more and not have a health problem (meaning being underweight or under BMI 18.5). I am now at a BMI 19 and my weight loss is going strong no matter what I do (mind you I am 24 lbs under goal), so I gave up trying to do anything about it 🤷‍♀️ The more I try to stop it the more it doesn't lol, so I don't really stress about it much and I am letting my body do its thing because I know while losing weight is a breeze and unintentional now, it won't be in a few years so a little cushion and wriggle room isn't bad, unless I drop to BMI lower than 18.5 then I will do what is needed and see my surgeon. I say, let your body do its thing as long as you're healthy, eating well, working out and your blood work is fine. Congratulations on your success ❤️

You must be so incredibly frustrated! Which type of surgery did you get, the sleeve or the bypass? I'm at about 7 weeks post op from getting the sleeve + intestinal revision and my calorie consumption ranges from 500-700/day, with my carb intake less than 35/day and a protein goal of 60/day with fluids of at least 48oz/day. I agree with others - it seems like a good idea, regardless of any advice you get from this forum, to revisit your surgeon. That said, I do believe you hit the nail on the head for one with the alcohol, and secondly I'd ask how many of your calories are coming from carbs. It's ok to include carbs in your diet, but really, this early, unless you are very physically active there isn't cause for many of them. At this stage it's typical to eat no more than 1/2cup - 1 cup of total food per meal, three times a day (or spaced out into 4 meals if needed). That's including your protein, which as someone else said should be the first thing you eat. Another thing about alcohol - it tends to cause dehydration - so you'd need to be consuming even MORE water throughout the day to compensate for that, just like caffeine. If you aren't hitting your hydration goal (PLUS, because of alcohol) then your body will struggle to convert your stored fat into energy, which is what causes most of the weight loss. An example of what my diet looks like at this stage is a single serve yogurt for breakfast (I have been getting the Aikos zero sugar or 2Good ones) - Remember no drinking 30 minutes before or after, and your meal should last at least 20-30 minutes. For lunch I might have a 'tuna melt' - which I make out of 1/3 can of tuna in water, a zero net carb small tortilla, and maybe 1/8 cup of shredded cheese or a low fat string cheese (I cook it folded over like a quesadilla) with maybe 1/8 cup of low fat cottage cheese, then for dinner a serving of one of the many bariatric recipes - there's a ricotta bake (lasagna with no noodles, basically), unstuffed cabbage rolls (Kind of like egg roll filling), or maybe chicken or tuna salad made with low fat mayo and a dab of relish with some cucumber slices/2-4 saltine crackers. I use the free Baritastic App to track my food and fluid intake. Using a tracking app increases weight loss significantly from what I've been told because you can see and understand what exactly you're putting in your body. The good news is that as far as I know, it isn't too late to backpedal and reset yourself! I'm NOT a doctor but my understanding is that if you get off track after weight loss surgery, especially this soon, one way to 'reset' is to go back on a liquid diet for a week or two, with zero-sugar jello, zero sugar pudding, and protein shakes (less than 5g of sugar each) to hit your goals. After that, work your way back up to puree foods for a week, then soft foods for a week. I strongly recommend eyeballing the nutrition information on any shake you think of buying, too, because there are some that are loaded with sugar and have as many as 22g of carbs EACH. After weight loss surgery it's also strongly discouraged to have fried food at all for the first 6 months, and after that maybe once per month. The same goes for sweets and baked goods. I hope this helps, and again - I feel like you should really follow up with your surgeon and a nutritionist! Best wishes!

It's probably best to discuss your dietary needs with your surgical team as every plan is different. Also, believe it or not, the size surgeons make pouches after surgery is not standardized. The point is they know best what's appropriate for you. I'll add that weight is not really a good way to measure your food this soon after surgery and most plans will provide amounts by volume (such as 1/2 a cup). The reason is that your stomach does not care how much something weighs, all it knows is if the amount of food you ate will fit inside or not. Later, there will come a time when you might start weighing food, but that's not something you really need to worry about yet.

Ooh, thanks for this @FifiLux🥰 It links to my Apple Watch/iphone, which links with my Nutracheck app so I’ve ordered the pretty purple and red one which should be here tomorrow 🥳 I’ve given the tape measure and skipping rope a miss for now but they are bookmarked for future reference. @AmberFLI guess it will be like the grand unveiling won’t it, come revealing my weight when hitting target! Hubby doesn’t really equate a weight with anything really, he works off clothing sizes (more visual obviously) so he asked me yesterday what clothing size I was aiming for and I said 14/16 (UK sizing) and he understood that. @catwoman7I think, from reading what others have said, your body pretty much chooses where it wants to be so I will be guided by that in the short term. I previously got down to around 165lbs and I still cannot envisage me weighing that now! I’m still in shock from how small the Billabong shorts I rescued look, never mind to think that, once upon a time, my fat arse fit in to them 😂 @Arabesquesorry, I didn’t explain myself very well - the Drs surgery called me for my updated weight when the Dr was putting in the referral. I had to show willing right at the start and try the Slimming World programme before I could be referred. When I started the programme I weighed 130.5kg but this actually went up (unlimited pasta and potatoes huh?? Really??) and I duly reported 135kgs which somehow ended up as 130kg on the referral letter 😮 Can only think that the second weight report got missed somehow 🤷‍♀️ My home scales always weighed me 2lbs heavier than the scales in the Rheumatology Department at the hospital but I didn’t mind that as it gave me a little breathing space. I did tell the dietitian that obviously I weigh myself in the buff etc and she just laughed and said it was fine.

It's easy to forget that "weight" and "fat" are not the same thing. You can burn fat and go up in weight, and it's normal for daily weight to fluctuate by several pounds. You've been really lucky so far that the scale has gone down consistently, but you're getting to the 6-month mark and that's when the surgery's fat burning effect starts to slow (not stop, but slow). In the past, you were burning enough fat quickly so that even if you went up in weight from water or the food in your digestive track, you wouldn't see it on the scale. Now, though, you might only lose a small amount of fat in a week, so you could see the scale become a little more erratic. It's totally normal and you aren't gaining fat. It's also very common to hit a stall around 6 months post op as your body recalibrates. You'll probably see slower weight loss once it breaks, but you'll still see the scale go down for many more months. And if I just base it on my own experience, you will experience this type of thing the closer you get to a number that feels important to you because the universe is like that. The moment I dropped below 200 lbs, which was such a psychological milestone for me, my weight bounced back up and it took another 10 days to get back into the 190s again. My third month post-op, I stalled and only lost a total of 3.8 pounds. The following month was my best month so far for weight loss. So don't read too much into a little wobble on the scale if your habits have been reasonable. If it takes 3500 extra calories to gain one pound, unless you can identify some really bad choices that would have led to a 14,000 calorie surplus this past week, it's not anything you're doing. Just keep following your plan and ignore the scale.

Thank you for saying that! I worry that I eat too much, I too, eat every 1.5-2hrs small meals and my days are long. I also feel like all I do is think about food, and think about my next work out instead of enjoying what I look like. I think its become an unhealthy obsession. My cravings for sweets are coming back full force. Last night I ended up drinking a zero sugar Nestle hot chocolate 2tb for 25 cal with unsweetened almond milk and hot water so iI would refrain from eating Ben & Jerrys ice cream that's in the freezer. I have found myself with a TBL measuring spoon eating 1 or 2 different flavors. Then I freak out and weigh myself. Or the kids are eating M&M's ill grab 1 or 2. My restriction is not fierce even though I wish it was! I have only overate 1x and I haven't felt that feeling again and never want to, which is why I stick to small meals. No more than 3-4oz total. I was at 1000 cal for a couple of months it wasn't till recently I creeped up to 1300 but my body seems to be happier here. Last couple of days I have been eating 1450-1500 and still lost a lb. I do track everything even my little bites, licks and tastes but ya know they aren't super accurate. *sigh* I am an overthinker and this is not the first time I have lost 100lbs (did it with Weight Watchers in my 20's before having kids) and I gained my weight back after a year so I can't get out of my own head.

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.

I had my one year check up with my bariatric surgeon yesterday, labs were all perfect, I was told I'm 20 percentage points down in my BMI and the surgeon said I'm exactly what the program hopes for in outcomes...etc. Etc... My questions to the doctor were the following: 1. When do I quit aching / feeling pain in my hips, shoulders and elbows I've heard so much about after losing weight?! He asked if I had this pain beforehand, I told him no its all since surgery. 2. I also asked about occasional pain that feels like gallbladder pain now (its been removed) asking if it could be a stone in my biliary tract? He said not likely its probably just "phantom pain." All fine and good but there's nothing phantom about it - it hurts like my old gallbladder attacks! 3. Lastly, I wanted to know when I get the magical much talked about energy after losing weight? He said everyone is different, and "you do seem to have an odd bunch of symptoms that should go away after surgery - not start up"! He went on to say that I might not meet my goal, saying it might be "unrealistic" yet I asked at my first meeting with him when he asked about my goal if it was unreasonable to which he said no! If I'm doing "exceptionally well" on the program then why is it now possibly "unreasonable"? He said I've got maybe 6 months more in which the surgery will continue to help me lose weight, but since its slowing down...I probably won't hit the goal (40 lbs to go). He knew the average weight lost in the 18 months following surgery, why say my goal was reasonable then? Sorry, I'm finding myself annoyed and discouraged now. So, my questions are: anyone else around a year out that is or has experienced the above issues? If so, do you still deal with it? If not, when did it go away (any of the above)? Did you after being told your goal is unreasonable and probably won't hit it, continue to lose and hit your goal or did you adjust your goal?

obesity is a very complex condition, and it takes a multi-pronged approach to lose weight. Among other things, there are biological changes which occur when you're obese (people with obesity even have different gut bacteria than people who don't) which make it very difficult to lose weight and especially, keep it off. You have to fight biology to do it, and biology usually wins. Fewer than 5% of people who lose a lot of weight are able to keep it off. I was in that battle for decades (I'm in my mid-60s - had surgery at age 55). I cannot tell you how many times I lost 15 or 20 lbs, just to have it come back on. On my more successful attempts, I'd lose 50 or 60 lbs - but again, it just came back on - and I had 200 lbs to lose! Surgery was the only thing that ever worked for me. There's a good chance I'd be dead by now if I hadn't had it. people who've never struggled with obesity have no idea what they're talking about. Listen to your doctor and yourself, and not people who have no clue what they're talking about.

Ok so almost 13 months post sleeve I am just 2.4kg / 5lb from my goal and have already passed the target weight set by my surgeon so I may revise my goal a bit, for a buffer, will see. Anyway here is a picture of me taken on holiday end March 2023 (4 months pre-op) which a friend sent me and a picture of me today in size 8 UK / 4 US (wide leg) jumpsuit. Not brave enough (yet anyway) to share my face.

I know it is hard but try not to let her (and anyone else with a negative attitude) get to you. You have taken a big step and congratulations on starting the journey to a new you. Did the medical team say they wouldn't operate if you didn't reach the 34lb loss? I am sure they don't stop everything if you are just a few pounds short so don't stress if you can help it. You say it is a supervised plan so I presume they are used to helping patients follow it and adapt it to an individuals needs so that should be a help for you. You are so motivated (studying, saving etc) that you will do your best and any loss pre-surgery is a win. I had sleeve surgery and in the months before I tried my best to eat smaller portions so I switched to an appetiser sized bowl and plate for most of my meals. I knew I would be using them after the surgery so figured may as well ease myself into it. I also tried to start eating slower - I am still not great at that but better than before. Food wise don't go so extreme that you then self sabotage at some point out of desperation for a food you love. We all have different reasons for getting to the size we do that needs surgical intervention, for me it was partly not knowing when to stop eating, too much carbs and alcohol and not exercising at all. I didn't have to go on a diet pre-op or do the liver reduction thing a lot of patients have to do but in the weeks before my surgery I went on holiday and ate everything I wanted so actually went up in weight so then when I returned I just cut down on things but still allowed myself an occasional treat, so instead of pastries for breakfast I had Greek or skyr yogurts, shop bought sandwiches etc for lunch were swapped for homemade veg soup, for dinners instead of pizza's, burgers and pasta dishes I tried to have more chicken & veg based meals, cutting back on a lot of carbs. I swapped out rice and pasta for cauliflower rice or lentil pasta. These small changes helped me get back on track before my surgery but as I didn't have to follow a pre-surgery diet plan it was more for me, so as to get into good habits. I am sure there will be plenty of advice and support here for you 💪

I believe the original poster has already had their surgery, but for anyone else who is reading this as someone else who has had a sleeve and needed a revision, if you do not have a strong medical reason for choosing one surgery over the other, and you’re choosing between the sleeve and the bypass I would’ve gone with the bypass to avoid meeting to take a PPI. my only reason for going with the sleeve and giving it a try, knowing that I may have to revise was because I’m on mental health meds, and we were concerned about the absorption. The sleeve was obviously a better option for that. However, I believe it’s like 26%, I read somewhere, of sleeves that need to be revised for Gerd or inadequate weight loss/ regain. The risks with the bypass are slightly higher, but in my opinion, not enough to have to end up revising because the revision surgery in itself is riskier than either procedure plus it’s a second surgery so twice the chances to experience the risks. If your doctor offers the SADI as a virgin surgery that complicates things a bit because the risk are lower for Gerd than the sleeve and the weight loss is higher and more durable than both research has found so far but it’s a little newer, and comes with its own set of sure and long-term risks that may not have been figured out quite yet. It does have a higher no absorption, so the risk of malnutrition is slightly higher than the sleeve and bypass but lower than the DS. Long story short, there really isn’t a perfect option, only a perfect option for you.. The biggest thing to keep in mind with all the surgeries is that any risk of complication is drastically lower than the risks of staying obese.

I suppose I'm one of the few people after reading responses to the OP's post who haven't had their past food cravings or the food they love change. I still want pizza, phad Thai and Chinese food etc. No, grilled fish doesn't suddenly appeal to me anymore than it did before surgery, in no way is grilled fish comparable to fish and chips to me. I don't suddenly find a piece of fruit better than a brownie. There are times I'd kill for a roll or a sandwich with actual bread (not keto tree bark full grain bread) and yes I become resentful. I'm being totally honest, healthy alternatives don't taste as good (to me) and trying to change food I love/loved to a "healthier" version just isn't the same and doesn't taste anything close leading me to; 1. A waste of time and energy and cost, cooking/cleaning afterwards 2. Total disappointment and yes anger. I explain this because I found myself becoming upset because I wasn't and haven't experienced the sudden love of healthier food like others here on this forum leading me to be upset with myself. So, I'm being honest about my personal experience. There are some alternatives I have found such as Yasso "ice cream" bars and Wilde chicken chips, but that's about it. Unfortunately, I find myself just not eating opposed to stuffing yet another high protein non tasty food into my mouth. To combat this I stick to a few things I do like (you should know I've had food issues my whole life, in fact I almost died as a child because I'm an extremely picky eater - food texture issues). So, this is on me. I do get the required protein or close by drinking a fairlife protein drink. I say all this because the taste for healthier food doesn't happen for everyone and I don't want you thinking it most definitely will for you then if not wondering what's wrong with you!. I've only experienced dumping one time, but for the most part I can eat what I used too, the difference is I chose not too. Being thin to me is by far better than eating something I love and enjoy. Does it take a lot of joy out of my life? Yes, celebrations/holidays just aren't the same. I'm not trying to depress you, I'm sure you have enough of that as it is, but I am being realistic. You need to determine what your real priorities are; 15 mins of eating enjoyable food or 24/7 of being thinner and healthy? It all comes down to the mentality of it. Having your head straight on what you really want. I truly hope you're one of the lucky ones as all those who've responded thus far and you find healthier alternatives you like or you just don't like your old food loves, but be aware that might not happen and start getting it straight in your head now. Thinner/healthier/longer life/decreased co-morbidities vs. 15 minutes of food enjoyment and weight gain? Lastly, If I really want something I get it, take a few bites and physically walk away from it. I throw it away before I eat more or give it to my husband.. either way I get away from it. It all comes down to choices and what's really important to you. Good luck, you got this, you've haven't gone through all this just to throw away your opportunity for a healthier thinner life. It would be a tragedy for getting a few good tasty bites in. I really hope I haven't burst your bubble after reading others more positive your tastes will change posts, I wanted you to also read there are others who aren't that lucky but still do what's right for a healthier thinner life. Its all getting the mindset down and if all you read was just the your food tastes will change posts and that never happens you'll blame yourself like I did. I hope this helps you. Some may condemn me for my less than positive post, but I've always been a realistic no rainbows flying out my backside type and I would have appreciated both sides of it right after surgery so I knew all possibilities. Lastly, don't condemn yourself if you do cheat occasionally, just up step up and eat right next time!

Has anyone experienced an increase in their cholesterol levels? Before surgery, mine sat around 5 regardless of my weight (healthy, overweight or obese). In the first 3 years post surgery it was about 4. Then it went to 5 again. Okay I thought just where my body wants to be. But it’s 5.7 now. Like what?? My surgery follow up doctor suggested I speak to my GP about a coronary artery calcium store test. My dad had a higher cholesterol level but not enough for meds. One brother’s is about what mine is now but he follows one of those fat is good diet (I swear he slathers his toast with butter like an inch thick). My mum, other brother, aunts, uncles, grandparents levels are/were ok. Rest of my blood work was great.

Hi March Buddies, How is everyone doing? I can’t believe it’s been 5 months post op. Had a huge milestone met this morning on the scale after a period of stagnant weight loss. A weight that I haven’t seen in over 30 years. I’m still in shock and very grateful I’m on this journey. Still more work to be done, but, these moments help to reassure me I’m on the right path. Hope my surgery buddies are all healed and doing well. I’m having an incisional hernia repair in a couple weeks, not from the gastric surgery, from gallbladder removal 10 years ago! Hopefully this will be the end of surgeries for a long time! Would love to hear what people have found to keep their protein levels up. And what activities are you able to enjoy now? I was thrilled to ride some amusement rides with my kids this summer!