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Hi @Mandalynne - I'm getting the RNY. It was suggested by my surgeon. What surgery are you having? How did you choose? The liquid only diet is no joke. I started this journey at a weight clinic, and the doctor there put me on one to jump start my weight loss. It's a bear. Still, if I see a broccoli after all this, I'll be running for the hills. I hear you on the grocery shopping. I ended up taking a friend to Costco to stock up on my 3 LSD things, making sure I didn't browse. I've bought the little silverware, jello, 4 oz. containers, water flavors, protein shakes. Need some SF popsicles and broth. Shelf-stable things. That'll get me through the post-surgery liquid phase. It's a week for me. Are you telling people? All I've said is that I'm having a major surgery. I have a public job, so I'm not sure what to say when they see the weight coming off. This whole thing is so real now. I'm super nervous about the surgery and recovery. But I already know how it feels to be the way I am now and can see where I would end up. This is something different. I'm excited to see what happens next. We got this!

Are you logging your food? If you end up working with a dietitian, I can almost guarantee they are going to ask you to do so. You might as well start ASAP so they have something to work with. Specific amounts matter, so be sure to weight and measure everything. The reality is we just aren't good at determining how many calories we actually eat. Most people underestimate calories, but overestimating isn't unheard of either. You mention a couple of times that you're eating a lot. What you need to understand is that the amount of calories you are currently eating just IS NOT ENOUGH for you. You need to be consuming eating even more calories and logging your current intake will often be the first step. Once a baseline is established, a dietitian can help you find ways to increase your caloric intake to where it needs to be, even if you feel like you can't physically fit any more food in.

I found two WLS centers, then asked them what insurance they knew would cover them. I went with the center I could get the insurance for. I tried the other way around and there was so much stuff, procedures that I didn’t understand and hoops to jump through. The center I picked did 99% of the nasty insurance stuff for me! Three years later I still have follow up care and weight loss support groups through the center.

My standard reply when people begin this cr*p is to say, ‘have I ever discussed my weight with you before? No? Well I’ll not be starting now’, because my weight is not your business’ . that shuts them up. If it’s a friend, I just change the subject, but if pushed they get told, with a smile, my weight is not their concern.

OH!!! Ok. I've heard people say something weighed 6 stones or 10 stones and I always thought "why are they weighing things with rocks?" Now I know lol Thanks for clearing that up!! And congrats on the weight loss!!!

For the sleeve, I was told 6 weeks and I was cleared for everything except weight lifting. I was cleared for that at 8 weeks. For the revision to bypass, I was told since that's a longer and more involved surgery, I was cleared for everything at 6 weeks except weight lifting, which was 10 weeks. And nothing full contact until 12 weeks, although I don't do that anyway. Swelling for the sleeve was gone by 6-7 weeks. For the revision, about 8 weeks.

Hey everyone! I wanted to share a few updates as I approach my 2-month post-op milestone. I missed my period in September, but I think it’s finally here today. It’s still a bit uncertain, but I’m starting to wonder if this is connected to my weight loss journey. Yesterday, I did my first aerobics class—LBT (legs, bum, and tums)! It was a fantastic workout, even though I was the slowest in the class. The trainer was super supportive, giving me different modifications to make things manageable. My knees were definitely feeling it, but I can't wait for the day I can work out without pain. Today, I'm planning to try aqua aerobics unless my period decides to make a dramatic appearance (fingers crossed it doesn’t!). I’m really excited for my 2-month post-op appointment at the obesity center. I’ve been taking pictures of all my meals, and I’m looking forward to getting some feedback on my food choices and progress. Thanks for reading, and let’s keep pushing forward! 😊

its been a weird week! Im glad its Friday here and my work day is done in 6hours lol! a GG?! wow I am sure you have nice boobies still even with the weight loss. I think with the weight loss and breastfeeding two of my children for over a year my boobs were like ya there is no way your coming back from this. So booby surgery is a must for me lol! Hoping to have a chillax weekend! You as well and get those lashes girl!!! I am thinking about it too but I spend way too much money on myself as it is hahahah

Exactly as others have reacted. What is your definition of a normal size? I can eat about a recommended portion size and that took me well into my 3rd year. Sometimes it depends on what I’m eating or if I’m feeling hungry & then I can’t eat the whole portion. Not unusual to have leftovers in my fridge. As an example I can eat about 3ozs of protein plus a cup of vegetables for dinner, 2 golf ball size rissoles/meat balls & cup of vegetables, about 2/3 of 2 scrambled eggs, a tub of yoghurt, 1/2 a large apple, 8 macadamia nuts, 8-10 grapes. If I go out to eat I can eat about 3/4 of a main meal in a fine dining restaurant when meals are pretty much recommended portion sizes. In Australia our servings aren’t as large as some of the American servings though they are getting larger in the casual eating places. For example, I ordered a small salt & pepper calamari meal at a pub & took half home for dinner. This is an Australian site (below) but I’m sure there’ll be US sites about recommended portion sizes to give you an idea. However, you need to work out what size portions will provide you with the appropriate nutrients and calories your body needs to function effectively and for you to maintain your weight. https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/food-essentials/how-much-do-we-need-each-day/serve-sizes Your nutritionalist will help advise you on this too.

Have you been to your family dr to make sure that they tested for everything they should have? The biggest part of me thinks that your body just wants to be at a little lower weight than you want it to and that you will get settled at a new set point soon but if you truly feel like something isn’t right, maybe it doesn’t have to do with the surgery. It seems like something would pop up in the normal labs but maybe there is something that your surgeon is missing that needs a specific test. It may end up being fruitless but it’s just a thought.

Thank you and Good call to do the walk. I wish I could handle the heat so I could start walking outside. I’m hoping as I drop a little more weight I can. When you get to purées you have to Google ricotta bake. It’s like lasagna without noodles but it’s so good just make sure if your marinara has chunks you purée it first To add some of the information you can’t be on a phone. Not sure if you are on a computer but it’s easier.

When I buy mine, which is rarely Lol!, I usually go to Foot Lockyer as they do the assessment on your feet and recommend the best to suit your needs. Like I tend to pronate & get shin splints pretty easily & I only use them for walking. I had Brooks a few years ago which I liked though the last pair I bought are a different brand (has an A logo but I can’t recall what brand). My foot was smaller & narrower because of the weight loss which also influenced what brand was best too.

As far as I know, medicare doesn't cover any of it unless you have diabetes. I gained some weight back but I just went back to low carb and not eating in the evenings. It was snacking in the evenings that caused my gain.

OMG our flipping brains! Sorting out the anatomy and engineering weight loss is only a quarter of the struggle. I hope you can silence that voice in your head @Bypass2Freedom while you're doing so well. No, actually - acknowledge it, feel what your brain wants you to feel and then try to address it by doing some exercise that you actually enjoy and that makes you feel good. Take that, brain! It's a long road. I know I'm talking from a place of little knowledge about your particular struggles - the best advice is usually to think about talking to a therapist but they don't grow on trees. You are doing brilliantly - I hope you can allow yourself to really feel that.

Finally getting round to putting on my measurements 🤣 01/05/24 - Just before I started my liver reduction diet. HW: 20 stone 1lbs = 281 pounds =127.4 kg Neck: 16" Upper Arm: L: 19.5", R: 18" Chest: 53" Waist: 45" Thigh: L: 32", R: 33" Calf: L: 17", R: 18" Stomach: 56" Hips: 56" 26/08/24 - not the MOST recent, but close enough. Weight as of 13/09/24: 15 stone 6.3 lbs = 216.3 lbs = 98 kg Neck: 14" (-2") Upper Arm: L: 17" (-1.5") , R: 16" (-2") Chest: 45" (-8") Waist: 36.5" (-8.5") Thigh: L: 28" (-4"), R: 29" (-4") Calf: L: 16" (-1"), R: 16" (-2") Stomach: 47.5" (-8.5") Hips: 49" (-7")

I've been told by my doctor that I'm behind the weight I should be losing. I should be done to 116kg (255 lbs) by now. I really was starting to worry as the weight on the scale kept going up, but then I suddenly went down to 117kg. I had to stand on the scale twice because I couldn't believe the number. It was so easy the first couple of weeks of the pre-op diet and now it doesn't seem to be working as quickly. I'm still doing what I need to, but it's not been easy. I've also been told by my doctor that after surgery, I won't be able to ride my bike for 6 weeks! This is more difficult than not being able to eat solid foods for weeks. My beautiful noble steed (her name is Angelique Iolanthe) will have to be in storage for 6 weeks. 7 more weeks until the surgery. I've been reading more articles and doing more research on the sleeve. I'm not sure if that easing the anxiety or adding to it. Thanks to everyone for sharing your stories! It's one thing to do research and read medial information, but it's so much more reassuring to hear from people who have actually lived it. Even hearing the not so glamourous parts of life post-op.

I feel you on the scales front! One minute I am losing and the next it is a gain! Hard to keep up with it, and after years and years of being absolutely devestated by that number on the scale, it is hard not to slip back into old thoughts. Motivation is THE hardest thing, and I think you have picked up on a really key point here, and one that I feel we may all have struggled with - why is it that the things that "should" motivate us to lose weight, do the opposite? I always found that this related directly to my emotional eating. I also never try clothes on in-store, and on the rare occasion that I did, and it didn't fit, I'd be in meltdown mode, and I'd seek food as a comfort. I don't think it is ridiculous lovely, I think it is a lot harder than just: "I know I should do something about this, so just do it". It runs deeper than that, and it is why so many of us struggle with losing weight without surgical intervention. Please give yourself some grace, and know that you are doing all you can for yourself, no matter the pace you are at. You have got this ❤️

Thank you! I actually scaled back a little lol and dropped the 4lb gain lol odd! I love working out, its just something that is fun, I have 3 kids, work full time, finishing my bachelors so the gym is my one hour of putting music in my ears and its just me, so I have fallen in love with it. I am thinking that I need to scale a little more though. this advice is great!

Hey bari family ❤️ I know body dysmorphia is something that is really common in this community, and I did expect it of course, but I am really feeling it at the moment. To preface my feelings I am about to describe, I am PMS-ing so I know a lot of this is probably exacerbated by that! Either way, I have had such a noticable influx of people complimenting me on my weight loss at work this week - it seemed that there was no one mentioning it at all, and now every day this week I have had people come up to me and say/ask things like: "what is your big secret?", "you look amazing", "you're a skinny minny" etc. It hasn't been anything that I have taken offence to at all, but it has come during a week where I have felt so down about my appearance. I'd say this is the first time post-surgery where I have been looking in the mirror and just seen the 'old' me - I genuinely cannot see any loss, even though the scales & my clothes are telling me different. It is so saddening, normal, but sad. Anyway, that is my little reflection done with! What sorts of things did others do to get past this?

I would suggest that. I have been athletic my entire adulthood with a really good muscle tone and maintained a really healthy weight for decades until a very bad ankle sports injury that caused my weight to balloon up. At one point I was exercising 6 days a week for 2 hours, that's when my weight suddenly went up 4 kilos out of the blue and I didn't know why. A few months later I was forced to cut back to 4 days a week (1 hour each) and my weight dropped on its own. What I found out is that 4 days of 1 hour workouts suited me much better than 6 days of endless time at the gym. Now that I am below goal weight I follow the same, 4 days of workouts (2 Pilates sessions and 2 heavy weight lifting days with cardio). My body is comfortable and the weight is melting off. I workout hard, but I rest hard as well. During the first few months I lost a lot of weight rapidly and I was weak and frail, so I stopped any sorts of weight lifting. The first week I started weight lifting again I was so incredibly sore and guess what, I hit my first ever stall since surgery, not only that but my weight even went up that week and took me a good 2 weeks to break through the stall. Muscle fatigue causes inflammation that causes water retention within the muscles. Rest days are just as important as workout days. I am not saying that this will 100% work for you but might be worth giving a try. Good luck!

Had my one month post op appointment today and I showed her my food tracking summary of all my macros and told her what I’ve been doing on my fitness and she was very please. Said my weight loss is excellent and my food choices are perfect. She wants me to increase a little bit to add a little more protein and carbs because I’m so active now but other than that everything is fine. I cannot believe how amazing I feel you guys. I have not had this level of energy since I was a teenager and I’m not just eating but ENJOYING foods that I never liked before!! The fresh ingredients is seriously the trick. It’s more work but it makes things taste so much better.

Yes, it's requirement. 6 month supervised diet with documented failure of weight loss. Documentation supporting the "reasonableness and necessity of a Gastric Restrictive Surgical Service being required, and significant clinical evidence that weight is affecting overall health and is a threat to life." Psych eval Nutritionist counseling sigh

OMG I'm so excited for you!!! I just know you're gonna rock this thing!!! Don't forget to update your stats once you get home and see what your pre-surgery weight is and what surgery you end up with. I can't wait to see you nail this thing!!! Good luck

Hello all o/ I am hoping some of you can help me with some questions about life post SADI. I had RNY in 2013, and on 6/2023 I had it converted to SADI. This is a new procedure at my doctor’s office. They’ve never done duodenal switch procedures and I was one of the first people to have SADI. The Dietary information given to me was the same they give for RNY/Sleeve patients. There isn’t anyone for me to really talk to at the support group about it and while my nurses try to be helpful, it’s not the same as getting info from people who have lived through this. Ever since surgery I have been extremely hungry. I haven’t had any kind of restrictive feeling you would have with the original RNY surgery. My doctor said part of it was because when she reversed my RNY she left me with a bigger stomach than normal (to help prevent pressure on the suture lines and leaks). When people were eating 2oz of yogurt I was able to eat a whole cup, and my doctor told me it was fine, she wanted me to eat more with this surgery. The problem is she has never said how much is too much. She said just meet my Protein goals (80 -100grams) and everything else will follow naturally. As the months have passed and I have been trying to eat more normal food, I have noticed that I am already slipping up. I am constantly hungry and find I am just watching the clock for when I can eat again, and I am overeating. And eating the wrong things. The amount of gas I have been experiencing is unbearable. I am having a hard time pin pointing exactly what is making me this way (the only two things I know with out a doubt seem to be potatoes and Onions… two of my favorite vegetables ) I was sick for 3 days after Thanksgiving from eating stuffing and mashed potatoes. I am so grateful that I work from home right now because I don’t know how I can be around people like this. I am ok until around 3pm, then the bloating starts, and the gas keeps me up all night. It’s not gentle, it sounds like warfare. The tiniest poop might come out with gale winds force. I can’t go in public. No amount of Gas X or Beano seems to work. I need to get a handle on this. I am taking my vitamins/calcium religiously. I am eating about 60-80 grams of protein a day, but found I am eating larger portions than I think I should be, snacking, and eating too much carbs. Just basically I’m off the rails. I am still losing weight, but probably not what I could be. I do plan on talking to the dietician again but would like to hear from people who have lived this life first. Can some of you share your experiences with me? Are there certain foods you must avoid because of the gas? Is there a certain number of carbs/fats/protein you’re aiming for each day? Does it get better? Can you eventually eat friend onions with your fajitas again? Did you struggle with hunger? I would love to hear everyones experiences and what has/has not worked for them. Thanks for the support!

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