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I was curious what causes the 3-week stall, and this is what I found out in doing a little digging. When we experience calorie deprivation, whether a diet or after surgery or just not having the usual amount to eat for a bit, our bodies first turn to our store of glycogen to keep things running. Glycogen is a form of stored sugar, and for each gram of glycogen in the body, it's bound to 3 grams of water. So, if you burn a gram of glycogen for energy, you lose 3 additional grams of water as a bonus. Your body will always burn glycogen before it burns fat because that's how we've evolved to handle brief food shortages. Which means most of the weight you lose right after surgery is not actually fat, but water (and that's fine!). But after a few weeks, your body is low on glycogen and you still haven't hunted down a wooly mammoth to eat, so now it starts burning fat to keep running. At the same time, it does what it can to replenish those glycogen stores with whatever calories you have coming in, because it's a little worried you won't survive the next famine. Glycogen makes me think of the $100 cash my mom always kept stashed in her sock drawer for an emergency. If she used any of it, as soon as she got more cash, she replenished that first before putting anything in her wallet. Remember, each gram of glycogen comes with 3 grams of water. So you might burn 4 grams of fat, but also replenish 1 gram of glycogen (along with the 3 grams of water that tag along for the ride), and the scale shows you the same weight. Now you feel like nothing has happened and start to panic. But you still lost fat, which is the goal. And once your body does what it needs to do to replenish that glycogen, it'll start showing on the scale again. I really wish doctors would explain this process to patients before surgery! Some mention plateaus in general, but they rarely explain what causes them, and the 3 week stall is the type of thing they really should explain in detail so we know what's going on because it's basically a given.

My sleeve is scheduled for Nov 15 ! So excited !

I was getting ready to back into the office for the first time since my surgery (3wks post op and a week and a half of Covid). I’ve been living in pjs and lounge pants (comfy bra when needed-right ladies?). I was shocked at how loose my jeans were. But I visited my storage room and pulled out my “skinny clothes” -let’s be honest- we all have a full range of sizes squirreled away. I really want to save money, especially now that the medical bills are finally making themselves known- so I don’t want to buy anything new. But I’m looking at these clothes and thinking this isn’t me… this isn’t me… but I’m also not sure who the real me is, yet. I don’t feel like me anymore… I know there’s more change to come, so having an identity crisis this soon is crazy right?

I had my VGS on 10/16- and was losing pretty regularly. I have noticed a stall just recently and I even went up a little. I was just released to regular food though so I know I’ve eaten more carbs lately. I’ve got to get back to my protein shakes but the taste of them makes my tummy upset. the worst part is trying to get my water in- it’s been next to impossible. I’m just not thirsty or tempted to drink. Sugar substitutes trigger dumping now so additives like crystal light are out. I’ve done lemon and orange zest and it works for a day or two and then it’s back to the drawing board. Coconut water (urg empty calories) and Gatorade are now my go to- so frustrated.

@NickelChip I was the same way! Bought small bowls and plates (I love them!) these adorable snack boxes (love them too!) spoons that measure portions, toddler utensils, cookbooks, etc... The most useful item I bought besides those is a box of reusable baby food jars. They hold 4 oz which is perfect since I can only eat about 2-3oz at a time right now. I can prep meal servings in them and tuck them in the fridge and freezer for later. They are SO convenient and weren't that costly. I won't let myself buy clothes either so I had to direct my shopping gene somewhere! LOL One thing I did not buy but believe is invaluable is a FOOD SCALE. It is so, so, SO much easier to use than trying to cram food into a 1/4 cup measuring cup. This applies even more strongly once you get to the soft foods stage and are eating a bite of this and a bite of that. They aren't very expensive, you can get a nice quality one on Amazon, mine has lasted for years, I used to use it for baking! Also I found electrolyte powders invaluable for the cramps sometimes caused by going into ketosis. Make sure they are sugar free. And water flavoring powders, I like the Jolly Rancher ones because they are sweet sour, which helps my nausea, but some people like lemonade or crystal light. I also bought two double wall stainless steel 16 oz cups with lids. This proved to be brilliant because my post surgery stomach only likes really cold food or really hot food, not lukewarm. So I keep one filled with ice and pour drinks from my water bottle into it so I can keep track of how much I'm consuming. And I keep the other one filled with broth or decaf tea or decaf coffee. Having a variety of fluids to alternate is my best trick for actually getting in your allotment each day.

Oh, and as for your mother's concerns. They are valid. The unfortunate fact is that the same mechanisms that help us lose the weight and reverse co-morbidities also restrict nutrients and our ability to get fluids in when we are sick. Sometimes that means we end up in the hospital for fluids or electrolytes. But with a more severe illness sometimes it can lead to low protein levels or low vitamin levels and the body struggles with that, this can happen with ANY of the surgeries, but is of course a little more common with the malabsorption surgeries. This can complicate an illness with an already complicated clinical presentation. I can see how if it got out of hand and wasn't properly treated, it could contribute to someone's death, but it would be secondary normally to their originating condition. However, what I would invite your mother to consider is how pre-existing co-morbidities like diabetes, high blood pressure, and such contribute to severe illnesses as well. If you don't have these now, you probably will in the next 10 years. Those things can kill you too and can make your health much more fragile when dealing with an extra illness, like cancer or severe pneumonia. The only thing I can think of that would be originating from the DS that could kill you is severe protein deficiencies that go untreated, severe vitamin deficiencies that go untreated, and the possibility of bowel obstructions. All three of these things can also happen with Gastric Bypass. They are by no means common with either surgery, but they are a risk to be aware of and watchful for... My uncle was in his 40s when he had his first heart attack. It was also his last heart attack as it killed him. He had all the co-morbidities that I have. I thought long and hard about this before deciding on the surgery. I finally decided I'd rather trade a life of medications for a life of vitamins 4-5 times a day. And a life of being able to move and run and hike, and travel, for a life spent on the couch. And if at the end of my life I get sick and things get unbalanced and that malabsorption does me in, it will still have been a life MUCH better lived than if I had passed up the surgery. And it would (hopefully) be spared the heart attacks, diabetic and high blood pressure complications, possible amputations, etc.. Not everyone would think this way, but I like to go into things with my eyes wide open and I always have to think about the worst before I can let myself dream about the best... I wish you luck in your decision! ❤️

nope - it's far from over. Sounds like you're experiencing the infamous "three-week stall" a little early. The "three-week stall" happens to the vast majority of us - if you do a search on this site for it, you'll find over 17,000 posts on it (and no, I am NOT kidding). That first major stall can really happen any time during the first month or six weeks after surgery, but it's usually the third week, thus, the name. It'll last 1-3 weeks. The best way to deal with it is to make sure you're 100% on plan and stay off the scale for a few days. It WILL break and you'll be on your way again. And know that this is likely the first of many stalls. It's just a natural part of weight loss.

some person on this site or a similar one (this was several years ago - I've been hanging out here for a. long time!) said that when he felt hungry, he'd ask himself if eating some chicken breast would do it for him. If yes, he was hungry. If no, then it was likely just head hunger or a craving.

One day post op and up walking /pain only when getting up and down! Good luck to everyone today!

Foamies can be unpleasant if you eat too fast or too much or something that is too dry or too coarse. I find it can happen if it’s something my tummy decides it doesn’t like (like it recently decided it didn’t like eggs anymore though I’d been eating them without issue for 4 years). But I wonder if it may be dumping because of the nausea & tiredness which you don’t get with the foamies. While generally caused by fats & sugars, other things can set it off too like starch heavy foods & even dairy in some. But yes certainly needs a visit with your surgeon to see what’s going on.