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Mine is: Pre-op: 1 day before surgery - clear liquids only, ie water, clear broth, fruit flavored drinks, plain/flavored gelatins, smooth fruit iced or popsicles, protein water. Possibly 2 ounces of milk of magnesia. Post op hospital: diet cranberry juice, fortified protein gelatin/drinks, protein supplement drinks. Stage 1 (wk 1-3): low-carb low-fat protein drinks pre-made or powder, non fat or 1% milk, unsweetened soy milk, sugar-free non-fat pudding, sugar-free low carb yogurt or plain kefir, strained reduced fat cream soup, strained broth soup, sugar-free crystal light, gelatin, popsicles, herbal tea. Stage 2 (wk 4-6): eggs, soft tofu, protein drinks from stage 1, low carb Greek yogurt, plain kefir, cottage cheese, other soft cheeses, sugar-free non-fat pudding or custard , reduced fat cream soups pureed chunks, pureed soups, non-fat refried beans, pureed Tuna or chicken salad, pureed soft cooked non-gassy vegetables, unsweetened applesauce, pureed soft fruit with no seeds or skins. Stage 3 (permanent lifestyle) : continue to take in fluid and protein goals, gradually introduced solid foods one at a time, chew all foods until smooth and the consistency of applesauce. Then it gives a bunch of foods to limit or minimize for lifelong healthy eating, but it's mostly non brainers like fried foods, high fat meats, ice creams, french fries, granola bars, large portions of fat etc. It does say avoid gas forming vegetables unless they don't bother me, or stringy vegetables like celery and asparagus unless they're cut into small pieces.

Yea we all loose weight at different rates. some are slower some are fast. I am 4 months post op and i have lost almost 80lb, but some months i loose a good amount of weight and some i dont. Last month i only lost like 7lb because i hit a stall at 3 months. but in the last 2 weeks i have lost almost 10lb so i am hoping i am out of my stall. No hair loss at all (yet) But yea eating those carbs are getting you back into a bad habit so i would try to avoid that

i do not have a surgery date yet, but have been trending down my carb count to prepare for my 3 week low carb/keto diet (50 total carbs a day). Figure it will help me loose more weight before surgery and be more psychologically comfortable and ready for the whole process. i have finally got myself mostly down under 50 carbs a day (6/7 of the last days under 51) and am starting to feel the “keto flu”. I have had a lot of dreaming at night, which is unusual.. headaches the last few days and today general body aches. no fever or cough etc. anyone else experienced this with cutting carbs?? how long did this last?? did the keto actually help loose more weight ? thank you for sharing!

I believe that topical anti inflammatory creams are okay because they aren’t absorbed through your digestive system but through your skin. So you could apply anti inflammatory creams like Voltarin, the old tiger balm, etc. for some relief. But do check with your surgeon first. Hope you recover soon. Any sort of back pain is awful.

My surgeon uses a 32F (loose). This is his standard for everyone. I'm almost 8 weeks out and can tolerate about 1.5 ounces of food at one time.

My last pre op is on the 23rd! I find out what my liquid diet days will consist of and y’all I am nervous! A friend at work and I have started eating better at work and as I said before I can’t loose much weight or I will be knocked out… So far I have lost nearly 5 pounds and have been watching very closely to make sure I just maintain that. I am telling y’all if I get this close to my surgery date and get knocked out for a pound or two cause I started eating cleaner at work I am going to be so upset!!!!

A couple of additional thoughts on this thread: First, as many have pointed out, averages are just that, averages. Some people will lose more and some less than those numbers. Whether of not you are on the lower side or the higher side depends a lot on you. Work your plan and you too can blow that "average" out of the water. Second:, avoid the temptation to select your target weight from the BMI "ideal weight" range. Some people don't realize this, but on average, 25% of your excess weight is not fat. As you might expect, it's made up of the additional muscle mass needed to carry the extra weight (much of which you'll lose), but it's also extra blood volume, bone mass, organ weight, excess skin, etc. Some of those things will continue to cause you to be "overweight" in terms of BMI, but in actuality, you might be in a very health place in terms of lean to fat mass. Get it checked if in doubt.

I am slowly getting in high heels too. but carefully, I still need to loose 40 pounds and i do not know how that will happen, I am hungry all day.

It really depends on your budget whether you should buy clothes. I mean it’s best to love the skin your in and of course that’s easier to do if you at least have clothes that fit you appropriately at every size. You will most likely drop a chunk of weight during pre op and then the first few pounds come of pretty quickly post op so if you buy new clothes you won’t be wearing them long. You may want to consider consignment or thrift stores for a while if you don’t want to invest a ton of money in clothing. But I say that we usually feel better about ourselves when we look our best so if the budget permits then buy a few outfits to carry you through and donate them or give to a friend when you are ready to size down.

I stopped pre-surgery and just put up with my fat clothes getting loose until they were really like wearing a tent. I had smaller clothes in my wardrobe from when I was smaller and/or had previously lost some weight, so I had a range of clothes to "move into" as the weight came off. Once those clothes started turning into tents, I bought second hand jeans and tops off Ebay and at op-shops/goodwill. I'm still doing that, but now that I'm almost at goal, I've bought a few items that should last me to my goal. If they look a little big, they're only one size different so I should get away with keeping them in rotation.

Looks like we are surgery twins… and I’m right there with you on that surgery anxiety. My liver function numbers were not great and my liver was VERY enlarged. That’s what finally made me agree to even look into WLS. I have more to loose than you but knowing the weight loss I have had leading up to this has already made a difference, I know I’m on the right path. I’m scared… anxious and a little overwhelmed right now. The closer it gets the more those feelings flood me. I know that this is the best thing for me (and my family). My pcp sat me down and said - are you committed to going forward? I said, yes - I think it’s the right thing to do (kinda hesitating). He said no… if you are sure this is the right thing and committing to it - then you go into with a positive attitude and go forward with confidence, it will make all the difference in the world. So I’m trying to be confident and positive. I’m scared - and it’s ok to be scared, but we all have more reasons to go forward than not, make the most out our new tools and find success no matter how many or few pounds that is. Together we can get through this! Deep breaths… we got this!! 🥰

Hi Shannon, I live in Pennsylvania, and I am scheduled for surgery Tuesday (16th)… I’m 48 and have similar goals as you. While I’m not a veteran, I have friends who are 7-15 years out and I grilled them about several of these things so I will share my experience this far and some of theirs. Let me just say there are tons of people who will help with their experience also… and one of the things I learned from this board is everyone is different. (I love this app and the people on here - they are so awesome!) 1) I have IBS (largely well managed) and dealt with constipation after my c-sections as well. The high protein pre-op diet made that flair up for me. In addition to water (I struggle with that) and hitting my other liquid goals, I add miralax once or twice a day (depending on my needs) to help keep things moving. Also moving around - walk, walk walk… even puttering around the house. Moving helps keep things moving. At the first sign of things not cooperating I take an approved laxative by my program. That’s my last resort (because that is never fun) but I know my body and I know when it’s necessary - so if I catch things early enough a partial dose (I prefer liquid to pills) is usually enough to keep things productive. 2) I have digestive issues with artificial sweeteners. So I like Sodastreams water enhancers (Bubly) zero calories, zero carbs. But lately I’ve enjoyed my zero water filter enough to not bother with the flavor. I can easily work 3 20 oz bottles of water (some days 4 or 5). Keep in mind I’m pre op… but I’m hoping that post surgery I will be able to get back into that habit after surgery, because I too have kidney stones and am eager to avoid that. Right after surgery they all warned me I won’t make my goals most likely - but to do my best. With time it will come. Broth and bouillon have been helpful in hitting (and exceeding) my goals. So I will use those to work towards my daily goals. 3) Depending on your surgery - will depend on the long term possible side effects, one of the reasons I’m having sleeve (shorter potential list). However my surgeon balanced it by saying the potential side effects of not doing it the surgery or taking other steps to loose weight (prolonged joint deterioration, effects of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cardiac disease, elevated risk of cancers and although I’m not diabetic - eventually I’m likely to be, liver disease, etc) are equal or greater. On balance the surgery is a toll that helps me improve more than it risks in my case. 4. Hormones can be real - hunger, menstrual, general emotional. I was told that some women who stopped menstruating, would start again… (also warned to watch out for later in life babies), some women who have fertility issues, see a reversal… weight loss - especially large amounts, can result in an estrogen release (hormone swings). There’s no guarantee of if my hunger hormone will be gone - or how long. Everyone is different in that area. My hubby and I had a talk of what to possibly expect after (throw back to postpartum depression). Prepare for the worst and hope for the best. I have Virtual appointment already scheduled with my therapist for the week following surgery and recurring every two weeks after (with the options to call if I need to see sooner and ability to cancel if I need to rest and not up to it as long as I check in). I’ve been seeing him for a while now to adjust to life after a car accident. I also have my pcp follow up scheduled and my endocrinologist scheduled within a few weeks after my surgery so I will have those check-Ins to help with anything non-surgical that might pop up. I have some help lined up (kids, husband and one friend I told what I was doing) just in case I need a little extra help right after. However the rest of my family (siblings, parents, extended family and others) know only that I’m getting a hernia repair and that I started working with a nutritionist pre-op and will continue post op due to some other health issues … which is not untrue, just not the whole truth. I’m taking care of me first for the pre-op and the post-op recovery. I’m hoping by doing that, I can reduce my stress and help manage any of the hormone fluctuations that MIGHT pop up and well as focus on meeting my nutritional and water goals. I hope this helps!

Thank you! I appreciate the comforting words… they are a big help. They did ask me to bring a few specific things along (an inhaler and the medications they want me to take that morning) and suggested a case for my glasses … so I’m trying to make sure I get those things in. I think I’m wearing a loose dress that day (bought it on clearance this week at Kohl’s) and I’ll wear that home to make that one less thing to pack. I keep going back and forth about taking things with me or having my husband just bring them in as well.I have to check their visitor policy - to know if he has a limit of when he can come in. Our local hospitals don’t restrict support persons (family/significant others), so I’m not sure what this hospital does.

Hi I haven't posted for a while, but thought I would stop in and see what you all think. I had my sleeve gastrectomy in January 2018. I was 265 lb and am now 190, so 75lb loss. I keep losing around 1lb a month. I am 5'9. My BMI is 28, so I'm still classified as overweight. I am very fortunate that I have absolutely no loose skin, stretch marks etc. That's just lucky genes...I didn't do anything special, and it was the same when I had our children. I am 54 yrs, we are married with 2 adult sons . My concerns are, that after 4 years, I still have no appetite. Even if I think something will be tasty, after 2 bites, I have had enough. Really weirdly, I can sometimes look at a dish, and my appetite just vanishes. It's hard buying groceries, because I don't have any interest in cooking. And cooking (and smelling) a dish just kills my appetite completely. 4 years out, and I still get dry retching every day just by looking at, or smelling food. It's miserable. My surgeon, although sympathetic, has no answers. My recent endoscopy was absolutely normal. It makes it SO hard for my husband and I... he is normal weight. We used to love going out to restaurants, cafe breakfasts, picnics etc. Now we still try and do that, but I usually only order an entree, but I rarely finish that anyway. It's miserable for him to enjoy being eating and see me just watching. I am so happy to be a much healthier weight, I look better, I fit into nice clothes and am way more energetic. But I still mourn eating. It's hard with guests, while they are enjoying their dinner and you are nibbling on a tomato. Forget adding the buffet breakfast to your hotel stay. Cooking up a lovely meal for your husband and boys and watching them eat, while you are completely satiated just from the smell and look of food while cooking. Any thoughts from others who are years post sleeve?

We all come at different angles with this issue. I had no choice, I had to pay up. I couldn't wait till the NHS recovered from Covid and I finally found a Doctor who would recommend me for the surgery. I have been asking for 25 years and several had already side tracked me onto yet another diet. If I had been given your choices then I would wait for the free option. It would be only 4 months longer than I had to wait anyway. The $18,000, I would save towards skin surgery later down the line. What do you spend on food in a week ? Times it by 52. Shakes, protein powder and bariatric vitamins are extra costs that you may need to factor in too. Keep chatting to us on the forum and read the back pages while you decide. Good luck

I had a full tummy tuck in July 2020 which was covered in part by insurance, as others have mentioned. Typically, the panniculectomy is covered when it's pre-certified, and then the excess fees to convert to abdominoplasty are paid out of pocket. At my very first consultation with my plastic surgeon, the first words out of his mouth were 'If I do just a panniculectomy, you are not going to be happy with the results. I very rarely anymore just do a panniculectomy.' He explained the difference to me: the panniculectomy is the removal of the apron of the hanging belly, or the pannus. The abdominoplasty goes a few steps further and tightens the loosened abdominal wall, and also includes liposuction. It also improves the appearance of the upper abdominal area and the belly button, as well as helping with posture and abdominal strength by tightening the abdominal muscles. However, in the insurance world, they are concerned with the functonality part of the skin removal, and the conversion to the full tummy tuck is beyond what is considered 'medically necessary.' I am pleased with my tummy tuck and my surgeon is very talented. He works closely with bariatric patients, and I felt comfortable with what he was telling me and knew that he knew what he was doing.

I agree with many others here that have said only you can decide what's right for you. I will share some of my thoughts & experiences in the event they will steer you one way or the other. First of all, I think we all can sympathize with wanting it done NOW. I personally have been waiting 2.5 years to have my surgery and (maybe unrealistically), sincerely believe that my surgery date is when my new life will begin. It's hard to be patient for such a life changing thing. Even though I could easily have written a check for the cost of the surgery, I never really considered self-pay. Remember that ultimately surgery is just a tool. Even though it can be lifechanging, I know I still have to put in the work to be successful. Unfortunately, too many people end up right back on the diet yoyo. The last thing I want is to go through all this and still fail. For me, getting to this place where I really do feel mentally and physically ready took time. Perhaps a minor thing for some, but I also wanted local resources in the event I had complications or needed more help down the line. Something else for you to consider perhaps? A lot of people that lose significant amounts of weight, eventually need plastic surgery to get rid of excess skin (and potentially correct some other issues). While sometimes that can be covered by insurance, most of the time it's not. My point is that you need to make sure you're also financially ready to take on that expense.

Wow, dating at first was very challenging. There were a couple of men I dated who I did not feel comfortable sharing with, and for me, that’s how I knew it wasn’t the right fit. I met my now husband when I was 5 years post-op. We were introduced by a mutual friend and his co-worker. I told my husband pretty early on about having had RNY. He is a counselor, and was in the Air Force and had EMT/medic training and was familiar with bariatric surgery. I was a little rare in the sense of skin removal/plastics. I did not have my first skin removal surgery until I was almost 7 years post-op (mainly because I was single with only my income and could not afford plastic surgery). In July 2020, I had a full abdominoplasty which we were able to get covered by insurance (I work for the government and our plan is pretty solid). In July 2021, I had an arm & thigh lift done together. My husband has been remarkably supportive. He knew me with the extra skin and now sees me without it. He said it hasn’t changed his view of me at all, he just wants me to feel okay in my own body. 🙂 I can just say that when you’re ready to talk about having had the surgery, the right person will be there in support. 🤗

So i was going to do that. go back on a liquid diet then my nutritionist said no. That i need stability in my diet to loose weight. that changing from this many calories to less or more can cause you to gain weight.but yea if your BMI was lower then you will loose weight slower. I know i am out of my stall because the previous 30 days i only lost around 5-6lb. and recently after 1 week i lost 5lb.

On Amazon they have a great herbal loose leaf tea called cherry goddess. It's so very good if you really like cherry. I got me one of those ice tea mugs that are for loose leaf tea. It keeps the tea separate from the liquid. Makes wonderful tea. No caffeine. Sent from my SM-A135U using BariatricPal mobile app

To loose all that weight by yourself is amazing! I have every confidence that your going to do very well after surgery. Best of luck

@SurfingMama my ultimate motivator was my liver function numbers were not good and my liver was enlarged about 3 times the size it was suppose to be. My endocronolgist said my best option was significant weight loss to hopefully reverse the damage. He explained that there was a chance it wouldn't help, but there was really no other treatments for NAFLD & NASH, than weight loss. If I did nothing and my function continued to deteriate, I would eventually need a liver transplant. So I worked my butt off to loose as much weight on my own as I could to see if there was any improvement. 40 pounds later, my numbers started to improve and there was a palpable diffrence in my liver size. My family and I talked about it and with all the risks, the rewards way outweighed them so I made plans to move ahead (my surgery is next week). I am thrilled at the prospect of the weightloss and the benefits that alone brings, but if it hadn't been for my liver I am not sure if I would be on this path right now, but I am grateful for the opportunity to become all round healthier and feel confident in my decision to have the surgery. Congrats on your progress and I am so glad you were able to remove all the cancer!

I’m doing way better then I expected. I’ve lost 137.5lbs weighing in at 142.5lbs. I never really set a goal weight with my surgeon and nutritionist it was more of I want to be able to get off most of the medication I was taking so that’s what we were focused on and it let me not worry about the scale so much. I’m happy to say I’m off all meds with the exception of my AFib meds which unfortunately I’ll never be able to come off of and I’m ok with that. But I think I have finally reached my first stall hard to believe lol as I’ve been stuck on 142.5 around 3 weeks now and again I’m ok with that. Just ready for the next step of skin removal surgery. They always say those last few pounds are always the hardest to come off. So don’t beat yourself up to bad. You’ve done a great job so far and some don’t even make it that far so be proud of yourself. It’s definitely the way I’m trying to look at WLS as a lifelong process and one that takes work that’s for sure lol. Whoever said this was the easy way out surely has no clue lol.

@Rachael101 you are doing a great job! When I see stats like yours it give me hope that i am headed in the right direction! My surgery is next week, I know that everyone's path is diffrent but seeing people succeed is very motivating and gives those of us following a similar path a glimps of what could be. My highest was 382 about a year ago - but I have been over weight all of my adult life (I am 48). Occasionally I feel others judgement (oddly enough more when I meet a new doctor - more so than new people). But mostly I am self conciouse when I bump into things, squeeze into places or choose not to participate because I am worried I wont fit. So really, I am a bigger problem than others... except those darn doctors who want to blame everything that happens on my weight (well, loose some weight, if that doesn't resolve then we will see what we can do.... <sigh> as if I haven't thought of that). Thankfully I have a great regualr team who have been working with me on health issues who can see past the weight and as a result, I've managed to loose 62 pounds in the last year (10 of that on the pre-op diet, 5 more days to go). I am looking forward to not worrying about bumping into things as I walk past or fitting into places (or exceeding weight limits)... I have already seen a little progress in some of those areas with the weight I have lost so far. I am also looking forward to not being as tired, being more social and getting some relief with some of my other medical issues. Keep up the great work!

You've done amazingly well.... You most definitly will get to where you want to be. My weight loss has also slowed down there's odd weeks where i will loose 2 KG and then maybe nothig the week after then i will loose another KG. Just keep up the good work and the results will follow. :))