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I tracked for a little while without an actual goal for carbs and then I stopped tracking. I experienced the same thing. At about the 8 day mark, I stopped losing all together. I think it is referred to as the Week Three Stall. I went through it early and in week 4, I lost 9 lbs. It seems as though it takes the body this long to figure out that you are going to continue feeding it less than it's use to. Could you also be going through the week three stall? If so, just keep on doing what you're doing and it will be ok. You may see a big drop or it may just start going away again. I would wait and see if I were you. Shae

I always bounce up around TOM - usually about three pounds or so. In fact, I have this weird pattern every month, no matter what I do (provided I'm not eating total crap and not logging my food!) where I lose a bunch of weight the first two weeks of the month, bounce up two or three pounds around TOM, stall out for about ten days, then I do a fast drop back down almost to where I was before TOM, just in time to start the cycle again the next month. I'm incredibly sensitive to hormones, even the ones my body just naturally produces each month. So calm down! I'm sure it will fall off shortly. Do log your food if you aren't, and include a sodium count if you don't already. If I bounce up a pound or so and it's not my TOM it's nearly always tied to sodium intake. Sometimes I'm amazed at how easy it is to have sky high amounts of sodium in your diet! Drink lots of Water, get through the week and enjoy the swift drop once your TOM is over. ~Cheri

You are doing fine. Some folks gain weight from the IV in surgery. I gained 10 pounds during the first two days. It will come off. There is also a three week stall that is soooo disappointing... get ready for that too... and you do not feel real restriction until you get to dense protein at 4-6 weeks, so do not freak out. Just hang in there, the body is just trying to figure out what the heck you have done to it... You will start losing soon. Just make sure you drink your water, stay away from a lot of salt and walk walk walk. Good luck!

Most patients experience a stall of little to no weight loss immediately following surgery. It's even nicknamed the three week stall since that is where it often hits. It sounds like it got you a little earlier. I have also noticed that those who have a lot of weightloss on the pre-op diet take a little longer to get the scale moving post-op. I would relax, follow your doctor's diet,drink plenty of liquids, measure your food and stay away from the scale for week. I know it's frustrating but the scale will start to move in good time. Amanda

I think that is AWESOME! I am only in week 4 and have had a few NSV's. I am in the "Week Three Stall" right now but that's ok. I am still learning. I can't wait to get where you are!! Congratulations on the victory over the turnstile!! Shae

I am 16mths out and although I don't lose pounds on a regular basis... I am still losing, just very slowly. My body, at this stage, seems to drop 2-4lb over several weeks... then goes in to a long stall... then drops another 2-4lb over several weeks... you get the picture. This has been happening since around Feb! However, I think that this cycle is also related to my hormones as I am peri menopausal (my hot flushes are really bad atm, so I know I won't lose much at this point) and therefore, my body is a little all over the place. Have you tried the 5 day pouch test? I tried it at the beginning of the year, and although I didn't lose much weight... 2lbs I think... it really helped me focus on the 'amount' of food that I could take in and put me back in touch with portoin control. Basically you go back to a post op style diet... liquids - Soups, shakes etc for three days, then focus on Protein... might be worth a try? Oh, and congrats on losing 122lb... that is a fantastic achievement in 14mths... you didn't mention how much more you wanted to lose? Good luck and let me know what happened...=]

This is my first blog, but you probably new that. Let's start off with a little about me. My name is Kelli, I'm 27 (as of tomorrow) and am from Indianapolis. I had my VSG on 10/11/2011, just over a month ago. So far, things have been good, at least the past few weeks. In my personal experience, the first few days after surgery were hell. The pain was a bit more than I had expected. Not from the incisions, just from the gas pressure from the laproscopy. I have had two previous abdominal surgeries, but they were "open" and extremely painful but this type of surgery was just as painful but in a different way. I expected this surgery to be breezy, and when you assume things it usually bites you in the ass lol. I also had a few complications post-op. I had trouble coming out of anesthesia, but that doesn't happen to everyone. The gas pressure is awful! I can't even describe how bad it was, I couldn't take deep breaths or move around very easily, and after a few days the gas settled in my shoulders and was unbearable. Nothing helped. Walking around and taking gas-x only helped with the intestinal gas, the CO2 they use to pump you up with surgery evaporates through your pores, and it just has to work its way out by itself. I went home the day after surgery, which was probably another mistake of mine. I was so anxious to go home, I was feeling better and keeping down fluids so I was discharged. The next day, I started having very sharp, cramping pain in my stomach, especially after drinking. I eventually had to go back to the ER because the pain was so bad and I was dehydrated. Apparently I was having muscle spasms in my stomach, which happens sometimes because of the trauma of surgery. I also experienced severe nausea. Once they got the spasms under control and filled me up with fluids (5lbs of water weight) for two days I got to go home. Since then, things have been significantly better. The second week after surgery, I was feeling much better. My only issue was having absolutely no energy. I would get so tired just from walking around for 20 minutes. I also started the pureed phase of my post-op diet that week. I haven't had any food intolerance so far, but when I drink home made protein shakes I have a slight lactose intolerance reaction. I haven't had issues with cheese or yogurt though. By the end of the second week, I had lost 20lbs! I was so happy. I haven't seen the scale move like that in..forever. I know that was mostly water weight, but a pound is a pound and that is 20 pounds gone forever!!! My pain was minimal that week. Weeks three and four were good. Energy slowly but surely starts to come back. I noticed my energy level was starting to get back to normal last week. My boyfriend and I went to Tennessee and did a lot of walking around and hiking. Surprisingly after we had been walking for 2 hours I still had plenty of energy to do other things. I also started soft solid foods this week. I also am pain free. I have been for over a week now. No more muscle soreness from surgery made it much easier to move around. I had an almost 2 week stall of weight loss, which apparently is normal during weeks 3 or 4. I got on the scale yesterday and I've gone down another 4lbs. This was my first stall, and it definitely sucked. I felt like I was doing everything right and not losing one pound. I felt discouraged and thought I went through all of this pain and suffering after surgery for nothing. I know its not for nothing and I know there are several others that have had VSG and have experienced the same stalls and the sucky emotions that come along with them. :smile1: So its been a month and I am mostly back to normal...or at least creating a "new" normal. I go back to work on Tuesday after being off for 5 weeks. I am thankful to have had all of that time off to heal, I needed it! Losing 24lbs in one month isn't too shabby either.

Stalls happen and gaining a pound here and there once in a while happens. I went up three pounds then started down again. I have lost a whopping 1 1/2 pound in the last three weeks. Sometimes upping the calories gets you out of starvation mode then drop the calories and you lose some weight. Hang in there, you will break the stall soon enough.

I stalled at three weeks for five weeks but noticed the inches were melting away. One morning I woke up, jumped on the scale and was five pounds down. I lose inches and then I notice....VOILA there go the pounds. That has been the way it has been going for me so far.....

Okay, I have to chime in! MEEE TOOOOOO!!!! My whole journey has been a big stall. I tend to get stuck for up to 4 weeks. But then there are these consecutive drops of one to three pounds. Overall I've been averaging about 10 lbs per month, like SleeveStalker above. I do notice that when I get my Proteins and liquids in I drop. For me usually that means getting a shake down because I'm one of those that still struggles with them. But without them I have trouble getting all my proteins in. So if I have more than 3 days where I am short on Protein, it's "get a shake down" time. I finally came to accept I am a little slower to loose BUT, inspite of the stalls, it's coming off AND way faster than before when I use to kill myself with excercise and food restriction only to loose 2 to 3 lbls in a month. So I'm just accepting these stinkin' stalls because overall I'm way ahead of the game. Hope we all get a drop in the scale soon!!!!! Even better, hope all our clothes fall right off our bodies :-)

My loss has been an interesting. I am now used to it. I am at five months on Saturday. I have lost 69 lbs as of yesterday. When I hit my first stall I was frantic. So, I looked back at my band loss and I had stalls and I felt better . Now I am used to the stalls. I will lost five to ten lbs and stall for two to three weeks. During the stalls my body changes continually. So, don't worry with a stall. It is your body adjusting to the loss. I still don't eat much and have never been able to get all the protein down, either with the band or the sleeve. Hang in there I feel so good now, it took a while to, but it has been worth it all the way!!!!

Stalls are normal. Don't stress about it. 32 pounds in three weeks is awesome! My weight loss would stall here and there, but at the end of each month, I have always walked away with a loss. If you are following the rules, you will continue to lose. You really are doing great.

So I've read so much about the 3-4 week post-op stall, and foolishly I didn't think it would happen to me! Haha. I lost 32 pounds over the first three weeks and today was weighed at my doctor's and I've GAINED a pound. I was crushed. I know that it's normal especially since I began solid food a few days ago, and will resolve itself, but I guess I'd like to hear some experiences - how long was your stall and when did it/they occur? Did you do anything in particular to get out of it? Thanks!

Well--tomorrow is two months since surgery--and WOW what a two months it has been!!! I was so scared to have this surgery--but it has been the best thing I have ever done!!! I am down 55 pounds and have went from a tight size 24 to a nice fitting 14/16. My knees feel wonderful!!! I walk 3 miles a day and have tons of energy!!! I had a stall that lasted for three weeks, but the scale started moving again, so I am happy!! I'm no sure what broke the stall, but I am happy it started moving again. I am learning to deal with jealous people (slowly) and learning to be comfortable in my own skin (taking longer). I can eat anything (except sweets)--which I didn't need anyway--My restriction is about three bites--(thanking God everyday for that kind of restriction) I can't drink Protein Drinks (the smell makes me gag)--but I am getting as much as I can from food. I can drink tea and Water all day long-(most days) I have gave most of my old clothes away ad been gifted a bunch of new ones yippee Now, on to onederland and single digit clothes!!!!!

Not sure if you have done this or not... measurements? When you start to exercise and burn fat, as you are doing, you might find that your weight stays the same or bounces around a few pounds up and down but you are actually getting smaller. Muscle, although weighs the same as fat, takes less space under the skin. I might be that you are now smaller than you were before the exercise??? I know this has happened to me. I went on a 7 week stall and lost three inches...

Aw, honey.....you've technically lost 6 pounds in 8 days, right? I think that's fantastic and I bet that's better than any other diet you've been on! Give your body time and patience. It WILL come off. I lost about 12 pounds the first week (surgery 10/20), got to 288, then the last whole week have fluctuated between 288 and 285! Got down to 285 yesterday, then today shot back up to 288???!! What the hell is THAT! How you do gain three pounds in one day only eating about 700 calories! I didn't even do that when I was eating 3000 a day! But I know it's just my body trying to adjust, fluctuating with Water weight, panicking that it will never get a whole meal again, and scared to death that it's starving right now and hanging on to every little fat cell. One thing you can bet on for sure is that you WILL LOSE WEIGHT! I have not seen one person who had the sleeve who did not lose weight. They might stall, they may gain a few pounds here and there, but overall, we always lose! Hang tight, Sunshine...it'll come. I know it's hard since we're suffering a liquid diet, you'd think we'd at least be rewarded with at least a pound lost a day, but our bodies are fickle little creatures with a ton of overriding responses to starvation!

This is helpful, I came on the forum today to look for information about stalls/plateaus, so the timing of this was great! :-) I have about 20 lbs. left to go and I'm definitely struggling. My weight has been virtually unchanged for the last three weeks. I think it's definitely time to add some additional workouts to the mix and also document (more closely) what I'm eating. I know that the closer you get to your goal weight, the harder it can become to lose. I'm hoping to be able to welcome 2012 at my goal weight.

I am finally getting out of that stall. It started at three weeks and I only lost about a pound a week for over 2 weeks. Just this past week the scale has started moving again. Thanks to everyone here I realize how normal that was. What got me through it was taking my measurements instead. I was still losing inches even though the scales wasn't budging. And my clothes were getting bigger. During the stall I had to get new jeans because my old "skinny" ones were way too big. Hang in there. The scale will start moving again.

GM! I was reading on ObesityHelp.com and came across this wonderful article on Plateau Busters. I thought the article was wonderful and I plan to try every suggestion here. Hope this helps. Here is the URL: Vitamins and, in their own words, “doing everything right,” BUT have just stopped losing weight prior to reaching their final weight loss goal. This can be very frustrating for them as they have experienced good initial weight loss results from surgery, and overall feel much better than they did prior to their surgery. As this “plateau” phenomenon occurs, the patient experiencing it may make an appointment in a state of panic, thinking that they’ve reached some sort of brick wall and will never start losing weight again. In most cases, there are only two ways to break a plateau: reduce calories and/or increase fitness. “Oh, no!” you might say. But, let’s not just think in terms of adding more time in the gym or counting every single calorie once again, let’s look at some surprisingly simple behavioral modifications that could help bust that plateau and jump start the stalled weight loss process. Please remember that every patient is not the same, and therefore, it may be wise to consult your surgeon to make sure there is not a specific underlying health issue that may need direct attention when experiencing a continuing plateau. Plateau Buster #1 Stop unconscious grazing…As time passes post surgery, it is easy to slowly, but surely, add more and more “soft calories” to your diet. A shared bite or two of your child’s ice cream, a scoop of mashed potatoes while putting away the dinner, or continually nibbling the cheese surrounding the fruit plate at a party as you chat, are all examples of unconscious grazing. These are high calorie foods, and because they seem to go down easily, you may not be considering them as part of your daily food count. Pack and keep sliced apples or carrots readily available for snacking if you must. If you want to enjoy the party, go right ahead, just make a conscious effort to scan the table first, fix a small plate of some right foods, and never snack directly from the table. Plateau Buster #2 Find a new fun…You know the saying, “Old habits die hard.” And, you may say right back, “But, I’ve already given up so much!” The good news is that with this buster you’re not giving anything up, rather you’re adding a fun new activity in addition to your exercise routine. Any fitness routine, if done the same way over and over again, will need to be taken up a notch. Not to say you must spend more time at the gym. The old habit I’m referring to is continuing to do the same sedentary social activities you did before weight loss surgery, such as going to the movies or watching TV. Now that you’re losing weight and feeling better, why not try taking that kayak lesson you dared not (due to not fitting in the Kayak) pre-surgery? What about a short hike with the kids? You may be surprised by your new stamina. Those white Water rapids are calling! Dust off that bicycle, find that old basketball hoop in the back of the garage, go dancing, or, if you need to, take dance lessons. Does your city have a greenway or river walk path to explore? Think activity, not exercise, and let your imagination come up with new FUN ways to expend energy. Plateau Buster #3 Meal replacements…I’ve seen many plateau patients benefit from stopping food altogether and going on a certified Meal Replacement Plan for two weeks (I recommend the Bariatric Advantage brand; however, your surgeon’s office may have another brand that they prefer). You can do it! It may be just what you need to jump start that weight loss once again. A tip is to vary the routine: add half a banana to the vanilla, put a couple of drops of mint flavoring into the chocolate, or add three ice cubes for half the liquid and smoothie it up with a good liquid blender. Plateau Buster #4 Chewing slowly…Too simple you say – well, not so fast. I myself have really had to work on this one. We live in such a fast-paced world that when you sit down to eat, you can easily and unconsciously rush through your meal as well. You may have practiced chewing slowly right after your surgery, due to those first fears of eating something wrong or sensing that first immediate full feeling. However, as stated before, old habits die hard. You can easily start eating fast again and forget that chewing slowly and enjoying our food does matter. You not only cut down on consumption (less calories), you will learn to enjoy your meals again. When eating out, take time while you chew to look up and observe those around you. It will allow you the time to chew slowly and you’ll have fun people watching as well. Sometimes my wife and I pick out a couple or group and try to sum ’em up: “Why they look like they are celebrating,” “Must be a father/son talk going on over there,” “Boy, she looks mad! Wonder what he did?” Anyway, you get the idea. We actually had the pleasure of watching a young fellow propose to his gal one night! He was so nervous, he had forgotten his camera, so we took a picture and emailed it to them the next day. Plateau Buster #5 Stop drinking calories…“But, Doc, I’m working out at the gym three times a week, just like you said.” Great job! But, when you work up a good thirst from that workout, what are you drinking to quench it? Easy to grab those gym “healthy smoothies” isn’t it? Do you know if they are sugar-free? I’ve seen smoothies with as many as 800 calories per serving! What about those Vitamin waters or juice drinks they have readily available in the gym vending machines or at your workplace? Remember your pre-surgery instructions on reading labels, especially drink labels. Don’t be fooled by “gotcha!” labels that say natural or healthy. They still can be loaded with calories. To be on the safe side, take your own water to the gym or the office. If you must have flavor in your water, try adding a squirt of lemon or lime juice or sugar-free crystals. Hitting a plateau is not uncommon, so first of all, don’t beat yourself up over it. If it has only been a week or so of no weight loss, give yourself a little more time, you may begin losing again on your own. During that initial plateau period, try to determine what might be the culprit and make a correction. If you continue to stay in the plateau phase after a couple of weeks, try the plateau busters discussed in this article. Remember, follow-up care is essential in successful weight loss from surgery. Don’t think your surgeon will be disappointed that you’ve stopped losing weight! We’re not going to be, we’re going to be happy that you let us know things have gone off track so we can help get them back on track. Good luck busting those plateaus! Peter L. Henderson, MD, FACS, ASMBS is a surgeon in private practice with Raleigh Center for Weight Loss Surgery in Raleigh, North Carolina. He has had the pleasure of performing weight loss surgery for over ten years, and thoroughly enjoys following along his patients’ paths to a healthier life. For more information visit: www.alasurgery.com Peter L. Henderson, MD, FACS, ASMBSRaleigh Center for Weight Loss Surgery2801 Blue Ridge Road, Suite 101 Raleigh, NC 27607Phone: 919.781.0815Toll-free: 1.888.640.THIN

Hi I had my VSG done on sept 30th and tommorrow will be my end of week three, I have lost some weight but not tons. I get my protein everyday thru shakes and food. Did anyone else stall at this point (the scale is stuck at 244.8) and do you have any pointers on how to kick up the weight loss? thanks to all who repsond

Thanks for the encouragement. I am at least learning my triggers so I can manage them better. I am currently in my first stall I think. I lost 1/2 pound last week. That hasnt happened yet for me till this week. I didnt eat crazy, I just thought about it. I never had the three week stall so I guess its my turn. I hope next week is better. Good luck with your BF.

Hi Rebel, CONGRATULATIONS on feeling so good! Thank you for your post; it gives me hope. I am a little over three weeks out and have been in a stall since about a week after surgery. It makes me feel so good to read successful, life-changing posts like yours! MsC

Today is my 12 week (3 month surgiversary). I was sleeved back on July 21, 2011 by Dr. Richard Collier at University General in Houston. My experience has been wonderful. The only pain/disomfort was during the first few days after surgery due to the gas used to inflate the abdomen area during surgery. I have had no complications (Thank you, Jesus) and no food intolerance. My presurgery weight was 394. I lost 23 lbs during my three week pre-op diet, so on the day of surgery I weighed 373. Since then I have lost another additional 49 lbs...so my total loss is 70 lbs! Of course right after surgery I lost weight very quickly, but it has now averaged out to about 2-3 lbs per week. I did experience a stall about 3 weeks after surgery. Overall I am extremely pleased with my doctor, and impressed with the sleeve. I am realizing that as I lose the weight - it is REALLY GONE. (Not like before when I would lose it and gain even more back). Before when I would "start a diet" as I lost weight I just packed my "fat" clothes in a bin, because in reality I knew I would probably need them again. But now it is finally sinking in that as I lose each pound - it will be the last time I am at that weight The other day my husband and I were talking about my weight loss and I couldn't believe that I had lost 70 lbs - yes I can see it in my clothes and on the scale, but after being so overweight for so long - it is taking a while to really get my head "in the game". We were in the kitchen talking and I looked over to the 5 gallon Water bottles we use to purchase filtered water. I asked him "How much do you think one of those bottles of water weighs?" I was curious so I went and got the scale. It weighed 42 lbs. So basically that meant that at my highest weight I was literally carrying 1 1/2 of those water bottles around with every step and every breath. No wonder I was exhausted at the end of the day!!!! It was a moment of reflection - honestly I was a little sad when I realized just how heavy I was, but at the same time I was encouraged by my weight loss so far. So now I think in terms of these water bottles....1 1/2 water bottles gone.. 3 1/2 more to go. Here are a few of my NSV (non-scale victories): 1. i'm now riding a bike (haven't done that in about 20 years) 2. celebrated my 36th birthday and instead of feeling older, my body is actually getting younger 3. i actually enjoy picking out my clothes in the morning, because i'm no longer limited to only a few items 4. i'm starting to wear some blouses without a jacket or cover-up 5. even at 324 my husband calls me "flakita" (little skinny) 6. i have much more energy and stamina (this carries over into the bedroom also) 7. i can put the arm rest down in my car 8. i get in/out of the car much faster - my husband commented how he used to wait as i got out of the car and walked around, but now he doesn't have to 9. my huband used to call me pretty...the other day he called me gorgeous 10. i'm one step closer in my preparation to become a mommy

Change up routine. I put myself on a stall for two weeks to stop the fatigue of losing to fast. Then I started increasing calories and carbohydrates and gym work and lost 2 1/2 pounds in last three days. One of the problems is the body goes into starvation mode and your metabolism starts to stabilize. You need to shock it to start burning machine again.