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Great advice from everyone and I would second finding yourself a nutritionalist/dietician sooner rather than later. And maybe a therapist who has experience with bariatric surgery & disordered eating. Do you track your food? I’m not a tracker (didn’t have to) but I do random checks on portions sizes, nutrient content & protein to ensure I’m on the right path or haven’t got complacent. It might be idea to start tracking if you don’t even for a few weeks just to see where you may be missing some key nutrients, to ensure a balanced intake, etc. can’t hurt anyway. Check out some the you tube videos by Drs Matthew Weiner and/or John Pilcher. Dr Weiner has some great books too which may be helpful. These may offer some support while you’re trying to find a new surgeon & doctor.

I slept in a recliner for a little over 2 weeks, and then got a wedge pillow for my bed to transition. I also slept with a pillow next to me for a while to discourage rolling in my most-common direction. XD Like others have said, your taste buds can be really all over the place after the surgery. I found a brand on Amazon called ProtiDiet -- their chicken protein soup was a godsend in my early weeks. I still like it now tbh. My team allowed sugarfree puddings during my liquid stage, and stirring some unflavoured protein powder into the pudding (after it was already set! wait until it sets!) got me through some rougher moments. See if you can find smaller samples of protein shakes (premade or powdered) until you find one you can keep down. After my surgery, anything with stevia caused me to vomit, and erythritol made me nauseous but not nearly as bad. Even now, I can really only handle sucralose/splenda and aspartame sweeteners (or monk fruit in low doses). You might be reacting to the sweetening agent in your protein shake. Also, most care programs I've seen seem to prefer whey protein to all others (for good reasons!), but some people develop lactose intolerance Post-OP -- so something else to maybe look into? I'm lactose intolerant and had trouble with whey at first but my body got used to it after about a week. We're buds now.

I look for any excuse to get some extra walking in -- like @ms.sss said, takes the stairs when it's an option, park further away. I like to find different parks and trails to visit on weekends for longer walks -- even mall-walking can be entertaining if you switch it up. Most of the community centres in my city have drop-in classes in a heated pool -- some for therapy, others for strengthening or low impact cardio, etc. It's a nice way to get a taste of a few options before paying any full-on membership dues. Maybe check around your local area for something like that -- or a gym that offers a one month trial, etc. (Honestly, everytime I've bought a membership to a gym, I'm awesomely committed for a few weeks and then never go back -- so I stay away from gyms myself) I also bought a foldable stationary bike for at home (like $130 on amazon) for days when the weather is too wet / hot / etc for me to enjoy a good walk. (When I was younger, I loved this exercise series called Power90. It's super out-dated now in terms of style (etc) but I found it on youtube recently and will probably give it a try again once I'm a little further into my recovery. Short 30-45 minute workout videos, I think the only thing you needed to buy was either a resistance band or light handweights, and a yoga mat if needed. They have updated versions throughout the years with more flash and pizazz but I'm a fan of simplicity.)

Week 11 tomorrow, and I definitely notice more shedding now -- and all of a sudden, the ends of my hair seem to be getting drier and more brittle. I guess it's 'begun' 🙈

i was JUST posting about this. (and "arguing" with mr. about it) for me, though, its not guilt...is actual pain. since ive been doing pilates and hot yoga (i started again after a years-long hiatus 8 months ago) i have discovered that all the aches and pains and stiffness and soreness i seem to constantly experience in certain areas in my body goes away soon after i start a session and lasts for several hours afterwards. then it comes back. then it goes away again when i go back to the studio. i don't get as much of the relief after a run, but its the best during/after hot yoga...i feel AWESOME and pain free. im sure the super hot room contributes to this. so i like to go everyday, and if i dont, i feel not as awesome. back in october last year, i was doing hot yoga once a week, pilates 3x a week, and a 5k maybe once every 1-2 weeks, if im lucky. plus my lazy-mans strength training in front of the tv. so i generally had 2 full rest days per week (the weekend for me). now, 8 months later, per week, i do hot yoga 7x, pilates 3x, a 5k 1-2x, rock climbing 2x plus the lazy workouts. which has me doing multiple "sessions" per day with zero rest days. been at this level of activity for about 3 months straight. oddly enough i dont feel any worse for wear, other than the usual aches after my hot yoga magic wears off. i am still an insomniac and have energizer bunny energy. but i am definitely stronger, so there's that (well i still suck at opening jars...hot yoga doesn't work on my grip strength lol) anyway, long-a$$ story short, i know i need rest days for recovery and injury prevention. i just really like the several pain-free hours after a strenuous, sweaty session, and missing a day sucks, but not out of guilt... wow. sorry! this was really long.

Hi Sarah! I did not have that fear at first, but I can tell you that if you do not meet your fluid and protein goals you will run yourself into the ground. Trust me! I am 6 weeks post op, and after 2 weeks, I didn't drink my fluids or have my protein. When I took a shower one night, I came VERY close to passing out. The plan is so important (and sometimes really annoying) to follow, but it is for your safety, health, and to achieve the weight loss that you desire. Drinking fluids (all 64 ounces +) will really help your weight loss. I worry about stretching my stomach out later on. Like, if I succumb to mental hunger and have something that I should not have, and I just keep eating it because it tastes good - but I am told it will take a LOT to get it stretched out. I know it will eventually stretch out some, but nothing like it was. Good luck on your journey! I hope the worrying subsides and you are able to heal and start seeing the good things. My first non-scale victory was putting on a pair of jeans I hadn't worn in years and they fit...comfortably. Those are the kinds of things that keep you going. I'm down 38lbs since 4/10 (pre-op diet) and 23lbs since my surgery. I haven't weighed in a bit, so hoping it's more like 25-30lbs since surgery, but as long as it keeps going down, I'm good.

I haven't hit a stall yet and I am 9.5 months post op. I still extremely limit my carbs. typically less than 40 carbs per day, net carbs are less. I am still high protein. I am still losing 2+ pounds per week. My daughter had the surgery the same day I did, and she has been stalled for a two months, she also eats whatever she wants. She isn't limiting what she eats. She is under 1400 calories per day and not losing. I am ~1000 calories a day still. As far as being cold, yes, I am cold a lot. I used to die from heat, if my office was 75 degrees I was sweating. Now at 75 degrees I can be comfortable if not slightly chilled. I have lost a lot of insulation. All my blood work comes back perfect. It will take some time for your body to regulate. (although my friend is 4 years PO and she is still always cold and has been goal weight for 2 years).

My goal at 250 was to ensure I could get both my knees replaced. However, I am already able to get them replaced, but holding out as long as I can. Your goal is "YOUR" goal. I am hopeful I will drop below 250 and it is still looking promising, I haven't had a stall week yet in 9.5 months. I also know I have loose skin which I will look into removing once I hit the 18-24 month mark from surgery, and that could add another 40 pounds of weight. Just get an obtainable goal and go from there, adjust as needed.

Does anyone else ever feel guilty if they take a rest day from working out? We HAVE to take rest days to let our bodies and heal and rest, so we don't do damage. I work out 5 days per week and rest for 2. I rest on Thursday and Sunday. And I have to be honest, as soon as I wake up on rest day, I start feeling like I'm doing something wrong by not working out. As the day goes on, it just gets worse, and I have to literally FORCE myself to keep my rest day. I do keep to my rest days, but I really struggle with them. Anyone else, or am I just weird?

I am 5.5 months out and at 3 weeks out I have been out to dinner at least once a week/twice sometimes. I traveled at 3 weeks out, 3 months out and at 7 months out (upcoming), and what I can tell you is this: - It never hindered my weight loss, on the contrary, I weigh in every Sunday and I see the weight melting off the morning after being out on date night and having yummy food. - It is truly enjoyable, I get to try a little bit of this and that and not stuff myself. A bite or two is enough. - I TAKE MY TIME. I have been a fast eater my entire life and since surgery I am forced to slow down and actually savor what I am eating. This has turned date night dinner from a 1.5 hour affair to at least 3 - 3.5 hours and I would have lengthy deep conversations with the hubby which also forces him to slow down (the connection and conversation part can apply to whoever your companion is). - SHARE - I order one salad/entree with the person I'm eating with and I portion out what I'm having. - I make good food choices, I scan the menu and choose the best option of protein & Veg. I always start with my protein, a salad/veggies, then if I can I'll have a bite of a fun thing, either a tiny bit of carb or a bite or two of dessert (not always, whenever I'm feeling like it). But generally meals out don't get in the way of how I eat and what I eat. I think it is important to train your body and mind to be okay with eating out without it being a hurdle or a trigger. Living after weight loss surgery should include experiences like travel and food because it's a lifestyle and not alienation from what life used to be. I knew early on that I would not stop myself from eating out (I love love love dining out and trying different cuisines and restaurants) and traveling, it's just how I would do it in a way that doesn't involve losing control and hindering my progress or causing a negative mind shift. Happy belated birthday, I hope you had a blast!

I had so much pain after my sleeve. I was miserable for the first 2 weeks. I couldn't meet my fluid intake because I couldn't tolerate cold liquids at all. I was living on my pain meds and later tylenol. So I completely feel you on this. If your surgeon already knows how you're doing and says you're fine, then there's not a lot you can do. You can call them back and tell them the same stuff again (emphasize that it was initially managed but now it's not) but I'm guessing they'll tell you the same things they said last time. Sleeping propped up or in a recliner was my saving grace. I, too, am a side sleeper so finding a comfortable position the first 2 weeks was really tough. Also, I was falling asleep all the time in the beginning, so that made it worse. That's normal (sleeping a ton in the beginning) so don't worry about that. The only thing that's not negotiable (in my eyes) is the multivitamin. You absolutely HAVE to have it. If you can't tolerate the one you have, find a liquid one or chewable one in a flavor you might like better. While not preferred, maybe even gummies (they have yummy flavors, and that might help in the beginning). A capsule might also help since they have no flavor at all. Tablets can be rough in the beginning due to size and flavor. If the premade shakes are too much for you at times, try an unflavored protein shake powder. Add it to milk (I personally do almond milk) and then add a non sugar sweetener to taste (I use monk fruit sweetener because I hate Stevia). Protein and fluids are the absolute MOST important things right now (next to the multivitamin). It's ok to not hit the goals in the beginning, but you want to get as close as you can. Instead of regular broth, try different flavors of bone broth (richer taste and higher protein amounts). Try different shake flavors. Taste buds absolutely change after the surgery, so it's normal to not like the flavors you loved pre surgery (that's why you shouldn't stock up before the surgery). I also got a lot of the sugar free water flavoring powders in different flavors (you can get them at any grocery store) which gave me variety when getting in my fluids (I still use them now because I despise plain water).

Give your surgeon a call. You really shouldn’t be experiencing a lot or any pain (besides a little discomfort or lingering surgical gas pain) at this point especially after it was initially managed. Some people find sleeping in a recliner helpful or prop themselves up on extra pillows or a wedge. I presume you are still using your CPAP machine. It can be hard to meet those protein & fluid goals in the beginning. And yes you’ll have days when it is easier than others. As long as you are making an effort & can see an improvement over a couple of weeks you’ll be okay. Oh & yes those shakes can be hideous after surgery, The temporary change to your taste buds doesn’t help. I found them very grainy so texturally blah! I diluted them (added another 50% water) & fir ed myself to have one for breakfast. Tried the bone broths but they seemed so salty (glad you enjoy them). Thank gracious for cream soups & consommés. All the best.

I was able to easily swallow tables about 4 or so days after surgery. The initial post surgery swelling made it painful the first three days but once the swelling went down it was okay. Spread taking them out. Like I had two multi to take so took one in the morning & one at night. Make sure you eat first before taking your vitamins because they a make you nauseous As you’re still on fluids, take your tablets (singularly) with the last sips of your shake. Remember too not to take your calcium, iron or PPI tablets together (wait an hour or so) between.

First, during the surgery lots of nerves were cut so messages about feeling full, hungry, etc, either don’t get through or are distorted. It takes about 8 weeks to heal so most of days find we don’t start to feel our restriction until we’re into solid foods. Also, fluids & purées to a lesser extent go through your digestive system a lot more quickly so you don’t really fill up in rather same way. Tread carefully with the volume of food & liquids you can consume quickly for the same reason. Allow yourself to heal so you don’t strain or stress your digestive system which is being held together with sutures & staples. All because you can doesn’t mean you should in the first two months. We all can & should be able to eat & drink larger & larger portions as we progress until we get to a recommended & appropriate portion size. Try not to eat until you feel full. Try to identify when you’ve had enough. I still ask myself do I need this next bite or do I just want it. It takes at least 20 minutes for the signal that you’ve had enough to get through so by the time it does you’ve likely eaten more than you need. While some people do continue to feel hungry the majority lose their hunger for a number of months. Start by discerning if you are feeling real hunger or head hunger. Craving a specific food, texture or flavour is head hunger. Are you feeling tired, stressed, anxious, frustrated, angry, sad, etc.? Many of us ate to sooth or comfort ourselves when our emotions were in turmoil. This too is a head hunger. It takes a while for your digestive system to adjust so you keep producing the same amount of stomach acid as you did before surgery. Excess acid can make you think you’re hungry (are you on a PPI to reduce stomach acid?) Hunger pangs/pains or a rumbling tummy also in most cases don’t indicate real hunger but excess stomach acid & your digestive system working. Many of us discover new signals for being or almost full (sneezing, runny nose, hiccups, etc.). We often find that feeling hungry (real hunger) is different too. For me I get restless, like something is wrong, I don’t crave anything & there is a reason why I would be hungry (like missed a meal, or ate very little at a previous meal, etc.) As an example. Yesterday went to a family event at a restaurant. Ate very little (they cleared our plates way too quickly for how slowly I eat). Got home late afternoon. Gnawed a trimmed chicken leg for dinner which I bought up (darn foamies). Ate a protein bar & went to bed. Tossed & turned & while tired couldn’t sleep. Argued with myself about whether I was really hungry or not. Realised besides the small lunch, bringing up my dinner, I’d also mixed two snacks. Debated what I wanted to eat (nothing specific). Real hunger. Got up & finished my leftover rolled oats breakfast (usually an afternoon snack). Then happily went back to bed & slept. There is a lot you have to learn & work out about your body, how it works now & your thinking. It takes time but you’ll get there. PS Congrats on your surgery & weight loss so far.

@TwinkleToes87 you know yourself and your weaknesses best, but for most people, never having sugar again after surgery is probably taking it too far. I'll grant that there may be some triggering foods that some people would do best to avoid, just as a person in recovery who is addicted to alcohol will avoid drinking, not even a little bit. But giving up all sugar forever, foe most people, is the type of idea that sounds really great when you're planning how perfect you are going to be after this life changing surgery, and quickly becomes way harder and more punishing than you thought it would be when you are on the other side and realize the surgery was on your stomach but not on your brain/personality. I definitely have a sweet tooth, and unfortunately, gastric bypass did not make me hate sugar the way some people do. It still tastes good. But it also takes a lot less to satisfy me now. I can't physically eat two scoops of ice cream. I can eat about 5 bites. So instead of buying a big container of ice cream for home, which could quickly get me in trouble (because I can eat 5 bites at a time, but I could probably eat it 5 times a day, too), I save that treat for when I go out to my favorite farm stand with amazing homemade ice cream. And I split it with someone else so I'm not tempted to take it home for later. I don't buy a big bag of Hershey's Kisses for the house, but I will buy a single truffle from a chocolate shop and savor it. I won't buy packaged cookies, but I'll buy a single cookie from a good local bakery and eat it over two days. For me, the indulgence is now in the quality of what I am enjoying, not how much of it I can consume. It's not "no sugar ever" but "if I am eating sugar, it better be the best and only a little." And just so you know, the day before I had to start my 2-week liquid diet, I went to a restaurant and ordered a massive meal made up entirely of fried appetizers. I felt so sick and gross after, and it was that similar thinking of what if I never have this again. We all have those moments.

I was 236 lbs. 2 weeks ago. The last few days I've been bouncing around 225-227 lbs. I thought it was my scale not being very accurate. But, the scale at the gym (which is a better scale) was doing the same thing. Sorry to hear that you're dealing with a stall. I hope it breaks for you soon.

I'm doing okay here. Eating the past few days has been blah. No matter what I eat, I'm uncomfortable afterward—nausea, heaviness, or pain. I know I need to slow down! Sometimes, I let myself get too hungry. Then I'm so looking forward to eating and it's not a pleasant experience. It's weird! Right now, I'm staring at the food left on my plate, and I want so badly to eat it, but my chest is heavy and sore, and it feels like food is backing up. I'm grateful that the scale has moved every week—sometimes not much, but it moves. I'm not looking forward to stalls, even though I expect them to happen. I'm almost under that 200 mark and hope to get there in the next week or two! We all need to hang in there!!!

How is everyone? I'm still stalled .... It's been 19 days!

Hi! New here! I had VSG previously and I'm going to have the Overstitch procedure this week. If you've had this done or are thinking about it, I'd love to hear from you! I have not met my surgeon in person (phone consult) and there is a long list of medications. I'm pretty nervous about this non-invasive procedure in a way that I never was about the VSG! It could be the extensive medication list- I didn't need any prescriptions after VSG. Prilosec and Miralax daily 7 days before surgery, Zofran, Emend, and Betyl for nausea and cramping, starting the morning of surgery, and ibuprofen rx for pain. I had VSG in 2017 with no complications. I lost 115 lbs. Fast forward to 2023, 1 years after hysterectomy, I experienced about 30 lbs regain. I was having trouble losing with increased workouts and diet modifications, so I tried Mounjaro. I lost 30 pounds. I felt nauseous and fatigued the entire time I was on that, I subsisted on gingerale (I did not drink any carbonated or sugary drink before this) and cereal or saltines. I went off because I wanted a break from the side effects. I rapidly regained all that I lost and 10 more. After attempts to moderate diet again failed, I went back to my doctor. I'd read about Overstitch, but the information out there is pretty vague. Basically, I know what it is and that it's available. I can't find any decent experience reviews. My doctor expects that I can easily lose between 20 and 40 lbs. Not the significant loss of VSG, but on my small frame, that's a large amount and it would bring me to a much healthier place.

I think you need to take a deep breath and try to calm down a little. You've lost 9 lbs in a week. Your liver will be okay. It's good to take the rules seriously, but it's also good to be realistic about how much damage can be done by any particular action and not overcompensate by doing things that seem healthy (water) but might not be (making yourself sick). Two scoops of ice cream is not the same thing as a gallon of ice cream The better question to be asking yourself right now might be why you decided to have the ice cream, and why two scoops instead of one. Understanding behaviors, especially self-sabotaging ones, will be important for long term success. It can also help you find good alternatives. If you absolutely love ice cream on a hot day, consider getting the Yasso frozen yogurt bars with 5g protein for a summer treat when you're able to have them again after surgery. Or if it was because you thought you'd never have ice cream again, I suggest evaluating the rules you plan to follow in the future and make sure they aren't unnecessarily restrictive, as that can cause failure. Or if you just wanted something cold and sweet, stock up on no-sugar added popsicles, which are great for getting in your liquid. Point being, make this a learning experience to do better next time, not a reason to punish yourself or get worked up before your big day.

Hello, I had my surgery on 5/15/24, I had a hiatal hernia repair with the Gastro bypass and some scar tissue removal. after surgery, I was a little low on iron but walked right away, which helped with the gas pains. I completed the fluid challenge and was released to go home. At the hospital, I brought my purple folder to read over my recovery expectations a book phone a long phone charger, light robe, my comfy pillow from home, blanket, slippers, and chapstick was the main items I use for my hospital stay. I was very thankful for the nausea medicine that helped me through the beginning stages of healing. The recommendation of sugar-free Popsicles were a delightful change. I am now getting stronger and in the third week of a full liquid diet with vitamins, getting ready to merge into my purée diet on June, 5. I noticed walking helps me a lot and then a rest after and drinking a lot of fluids helps me with bowel movements. I pray you all have successful journey in your new lives. God bless, Brandi

I'm on HRT and I have the patch (Climera) and it's amazing. I was put on it because the patch gets in the blood stream but avoids the kidneys, liver, and GI system. As for the rest of your pills, I would say if you can cut them, do that. That's what I did after both my surgeries and it really helped. Crushing them is just nasty. I did it for a week and couldn't stand it and switched to cutting them into small pieces. I'll be super honest, I took my pills all together and never had an issue as long as they were small. There was just no way I was taking them 1 or 2 at a time. It would have taken me all day!!!

I was able to swallow all tablets but two (because of their size) as soon as I got home from the hospital. After about three weeks, I could swallow all tablets.

I know that for the first few weeks after surgery any medication that you take is in a liquid/dissolvable form but what happens after that? How do you take tablets if you can only sip water? 🤔

If you have access to a pool and don't mind being seen in a swimming costume aqua aerobics is nice and easy to get the body moving and help joints. If you have a yard/garden even just walking around it would be good to help get you moving, or stairs if you are in an apartment complex. I am not the best when it comes to exercise but I can certainly feel an improvement in my interest and energy levels as the weight comes off. I start each day with good intentions but often procrastinate or find something else to do but I do go to aqua aerobics once a week since February and since last month I am doing pilates once a week. I believe in turning up if I have paid so signed up for a year of the aqua aerobics and doing the pilates in 10 block sessions. At home I do the One and Done program, seven minutes every two days or three days depending on how I am feeling. Again as I paid for it, think $30, I use it and I can feel the difference. I also have an stationary bike that I use once a week or so if I haven't done any other exercises. I just do about 5km at a time as I find it boring but I am sure any little helps. My main problem area is my legs (ankles to thighs) as I have bad lipedema and while they have gone down in size since my sleeve surgery they still do me no favours in the appearance department so I am just trying to target them as much as possible.