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My story is similar to yours. I was sleeved on Aug 27 weight that day was 247. Two weeks out I'm at 223. I've been at this weight now for three days. I struggle to get my water in. I'm just moving into the purred stage and doing very well. I haven't been sick at all. Im disappointed that I seem to have stalled already. I meet with my nut tomorrow, looking forward to that. Mostly I'm scared that I want loose as much weight as I need to. I'm not sure where this fear comes from but I think it's from years of dieting and regaining. Good luck to you and me:)

I'm 8 mths post op. I never had the three week stall. I'm having an 8 th month stall, almost 2 weeks. Frustrating!!!

I had my surgery one month ago. I lost like 22 pounds in two weeks, which didn't surprise me because I am a big girl but since I started on puréed foods in week three I haven't lost an ounce of weight. Is a two week stall normal in the first month. I am only eating two ounces of mushy proteins two times a day and my two protein shakes, between 400- 600 calories. Any suggestion? Should I go back to broths?

Oh very interesting question Meggs. I agree that it probably depends on the person posting and whether or not they are OK with this weight loss 'interruption' or aggravated by it. The only thing I ever post is for those who are worried, I tell them it's normal and the weight will start to come off again as long as they are doing what they are supposed to. Other than that, I don't comment as I've been very fortunate to not have gone through a prolonged stall or plateau. If my weight didn't change over a couple or three weeks, I didn't consider it a stall. I never went months as others have with no weight loss. As I said, I've been very lucky with the weight loss part of it. I hope to be just as lucky with the maintenance part.

Stalls are a normal, natural, and necessary part of the weight loss process. Other than a stall at about three weeks post-op, I am not aware of a particular pattern that applies to everyone. Embrace the Stall! http://BariatricPal.com/index.php?/topic/351046-Embrace-the-Stall

I just got out of the dreaded 3 week stall and it was brutal. I was almost at tears most of the time and it took its toll on me but when I broke it I realized that I was being pretty silly about the whole thing. I would of never lost even close to this much weight without the surgery so I was worried about losing what? ....Three maybe four pounds? If you are truly concerned about it though. Which I was I went back to basics. I went back on the liquid diet. Made sure if anything I got in 50g of protein and 90% of my water. If you choose to eat the pureed stuff just watch for sodium in foods it can tend to hold the water and also vamp up your work out a lil. I broke my stall in about 2 days of doing this. Good luck and don't worry your body does need time for adjustments and you will start to lose again real soon. Good luck!

The three week stall is so common. I am sure there are threads on this forum and others devoted to nothing else. I did not have it (and I was expecting to), but based on what I have seen, I might be in the minority. Folks say to simply stay on track with your program and it will break. You are so early post-op it is not anything anything you did or didn't do. It is your body adjusting.

Search stall on the forums, and you will find that what you are going through is completely normal and expected. Just about everyone stalls somewhere between weeks three and six. Remember, your body has been put through a lot these last couple of weeks, major surgery, major changes in your diet, etc. Right now it is saying whoa, I need to take a break and adjust to everything that is happening. I promise you, keep doing what you are doing and the weight loss will start reflecting on the scale again. Also, I always like to remind everyone to keep track of their measurements as well. While your scale may not be reflecting any changes, you still may be losing inches.

Don't be frightened, Lala. We all get the jitters as the date approaches. I had a lot going on in my life approaching my surgery date - so I pushed it back by three weeks and went on holiday to get some sunshine and reflect. The time gave me the space I needed to weigh up all the pros and cons. On reflection, the pros dwarfed any cons I could identify. Nearly 6 months out and apart from the stall frustration - I am a very happy camper. I suggest you write yourself your own list of pros and cons and see where that takes you. You might be in for a surprise. The best of luck with whatever you decide

Well, there are two kinds of stalls: 1. Stalls that happen because your body's responding with WTF? I'm standing pat until I can get this straight! 2. People eating not enough protein, eating too many calories, not moving their asses through exercise, not drinking enough water, not taking their vitamins correctly, and generally just being uncompliant with their surgeons' instructions. My doctor told me that over the next year I should expect to lose an average of 1-2 pounds a week. So at 1.5 pounds/week, I can expect to lose (pow!) 78 pounds. However, you're a guy so you'll lose much faster than me (I'm a 68 year old woman). It sounds like most of your anxiety is caused by this event in your life that's happening three months out. That's a lot of pressure to put on yourself. Any chance you could dial back that pressure?

Welcome to the wonderful world of stalls. Like @@Tammylb said, they happen....regularly. Even when going through one, your body can change. I got stuck for almost three weeks at the same weight. During that time, my body shifted and I lost quite a few inches. Then one day, the scale started to move again and pounds started coming off. Just stick to your program and drink lots of water! Some people even suggest upping your calories so your body doesn't think it's starving. Good luck and best wishes!!!

My body is super sensitive to fills as well. I only have about 4ccs in an 11cc band. My fills have to be relatively small or I . swell shut. I got a .75cc fill yesterday and spent most of the evening swollen shut. Today I am getting coffee to go down, so far, but know that I would be in a mess if I even attempted thin mashed potatoes for at least another 12 hours. I will be good in a day or so and will be able to eat regular food, just smaller portions, again. I do drop close to ten pounds each time I get a fill like this, though. I like this kind. Makes it go fast. I then stall for about three weeks but it gives my body time to adjust to the weight loss. It seems to work well for my body and my system. That first 24 hours is rough at times, especially if I swell completely shut. I have done the ER thing to get a bit out but we only take enough to be able to get some Water down and then we stop there because the swelling will go away.

I am three weeks out and 30lbs down. I expect a stall at any point in time now. How long will a stall last for? What do I do when it does happen? Megan

Lot's of people have a stall at the 3 week point, so I think that is what is going on in your case, so just stick with the plan and you will be fine. Your NUT has probably given you three numbers to focus on. 1) Ounces of Fluid per day 2) Grams of Protein per day 3) Total calories per day As long as you are sticking by those numbers, it doesn't really matter how the calories are distributed. I would encourage you to always reach your protein goal. I think you should probably aim for 80 grams of protein instead of 60. Are you drinking Protein Shakes? There are also tons of threads on here about alternatives to protein shakes if you aren't drinking them. As far as other calories are concerned, they can come from protein, fat, or carbs. If you have a certain level of protein intake, and if you want to keep your calories the same then if you cut carbs then you must increase fat. There is nothing to be concerned about here. Remember that my fitness pal is a general website, not one geared specifically to people who have had weight loss surgery. I'm glad that you've made the decision to cut back on your carbs. As long as you are meeting your three targets (fluids, protein, and total calories) then don't worry about your fat consumption. To answer your specific question,I try to get 800 - 1000 calories per day. If I consume 125 grams of protein in a day, that's 500 calories. The other 500 have to come from the remaining groups. In my case I generally consume 20 - 30 grams of carbs per day, so the rest will come from fat. 30 grams of carbs is 120 calories, which means that I will consume 380 calories of fat, or 42 grams of fat per day.

I stalled at three weeks too! I was super bummed!! I still am lol. Today is the first day of my fourth week and I I havent lost anything in 7 days. I just had my post op today and DR said my weight loss is good ( 18 pounds since August 16) I'm hungry about every three hours but she said that was ok - as long as I stay within 600-800 calories. I was just expecting to lose steadily for the first few months. Ugh!! I guess all we can do is hang in there

Hi Everyone, Not sure if I am just over reacting, but it seems like my weight loss has stalled and tomorrow will be my three weeks post op. I have no idea why. I am getting ready to start my soft foods and I have been doing the puree this last week. I found some recipes and have not gone over or eaten anything that isn't recommended. I am working on my activity and am walking 20 min. a day. I don't know if I am just over reacting or not, but I don't like this stall. I saw my surgeon at 10 days post op, and my weight has not really changed much since then. Any ideas? Thanks!!

Here is a letter I wrote to my health insurance to explain my situation. They told me that even though I was a perfect candidate for the lapband, they would not cover it. Nor would they cover ANY proceedure, medication, therapy, doctor's visit to discuss weightloss, gym membership. I borrowed the money and I had the band in July. At this time last year, I weighed 380. I now weigh 315! Maybe this can help someone.... Obesity is affecting my life in the following ways: Physically Hypertension My blood pressure continues to get higher and higher despite the use of medications. When I must walk any distance I can feel my pulse in my face. sleep Apnea I must now sleep with an ugly cumbersome breathing machine at night. I am afraid I will die in my sleep if I don’t use my CPAP. Caught Variant Asthma When I have an asthma attack, I cough because I can’t breathe. I cough so hard I turn purple, pee my pants and throw up…not nice anywhere, especially in front of a classroom full of elementary kids. Foot and ankle pain The pain in my feet and ankles is so severe, that at night I must elevate and ice them just to be able to walk around the house. I have spurs on many of my foot bones because I have carried around so much weight for so long. Chaffing My thighs rub together. My arms rub my sides. My fat folds rub each other and the tops of my legs. It is miserable! Even though I wash, medicate, powder, use antiperspirant under my belly fat and in the creases and wear absorbing cotton clothing, I STILL rub, sweat, chafe, hurt, and break out in nasty folliculitis. Walking My thighs are so fat; my legs are forced to spread, causing my gait to be too wide. This makes my hips and lower back hurt. I walk like an old fat cowboy duck. Just watch me next time I come into the room. I can’t walk more than a block without pain in my back, hips, feet and ankles. I am out of breath after the first 100 yards. My ankles and feet hurt so badly all day. Stairs? Ha. Going up is actually better than going down. I may be slow ascending stairs and need breaks within a single flight, but descending, well I can’t see my feet to see the next step below me. Each step down jars my huge frame. It is easier if I turn to the side, hold on to the rail and use a side step, using the same foot to lead on each step. I prefer elevators or escalators even if I am going down one flight. Sweating Have you ever been so winded and worn out after taking a trip through Wal-Mart that the sweat rolls down your back and into your butt crack? No? Try being me for a day. Getting Up I have a hard time getting in and up out of cars, chairs, the floor and bed. Fitting I need chairs without arms. Do you know how many chairs have arms? All movie theatres, all theatrical venues, all stadiums, all beauty shops, dentist chairs, office chairs, lawn chairs, waiting rooms, airplanes, trains, and most restaurants (I’m sorry ma’am we only have chairs with arms, do you think you could fit in a booth? HA!) I don’t fit in many cars, non handicapped bathroom stalls, dressing rooms, bathtubs, the spaces between clothing racks at stores, and turnstiles. Bathrooming First I must see if I have enough room to spread my leg wide enough to wipe, then I check the sturdiness of the toilet. I have been on a toilet in the midst of a very delicate maneuver when the toilet has come loose from the floor and made a horrible mess. It is a very embarrassing thing to have to tell your hostess that you broke her toilet and ruined the bathroom rugs. Once all seems to be fit, I do my business and then attempt to lean forward with one arm tucked under my belly. I must balance all of me onto my tip toes and reach through the front. This acrobatic feat is difficult. I do not fit in regular sized bathtubs. If I must bathe, I force my hips into the tub. I had to install a shower wand to clean my self properly while showering. I use hibiclense and other antimicrobial soaps and solutions to reduce the risk of folliculitis, and faruncles. I shower every morning and every evening to keep my fat folds clean and my body smelling nice. Clothing This is a big issue with me. I must be very careful in clothing I select as not to bring attention to my self. One day I bought a very expensive, very cute chartreuse short set. I wore it to the store and I had a very rude person look directly at me and mimic my walk and say, “Look, at me…I am a big, fat lime!” Super sized clothing is hard to find. Once you do find it, it is very expensive. I spend a lot of time, effort and money covering my body in a tasteful way. I must be very careful in selecting clothing. I cannot fit in any clothes from regular plus sized shops. I surpassed the sizes at Lane Bryant 5 years ago. I am now wearing the largest size at the only two mail order clothiers available. I will have to resort to having “tents” made for me if I don’t loose weight. Sex Sex is very difficult because of my large stomach and large backside. This is a very difficult topic to discuss, and an even more difficult topic to endure. My sex life is not what I want it to be because my fat makes sex very difficult. I also feel very self conscious about my body. Mentally Embarrassment I do not like the way I look. I feel embarrassed about how I look to other people. I feel that my fat makes me ugly and undesirable. It is embarrassing to not fit in a $120.00 Chicago theatre seat and have to ask the manager if there is any where else he could seat me. I am embarrassed when am winded from taking my students out to recess. I am embarrassed when I must lift my fat belly up over a turnstile to fit through it. Compensating I feel I must be better, smarter, funnier, cleverer, and more charming because I am fat. I have developed quite a sense of humor to mask my hurt at being left out of many things over the course of growing up. Sarcasm is one of my compensating tools. Sadness- I cry often because I am overwhelmed about my weight. It make s me feel so sad to think about all of the things I miss out on because I am fat. I hate myself for getting so fat and out of control. I am angry at myself for not being able to stick to an eating plan and exercise regime. Fear I do not want to develop heart problems because of my obesity. I fear going to the doctor each time, because I am expecting to hear the words “heart disease.” My blood pressure scares me. Anxiety then takes over and I feel overwhelmed with guilt and fear. Self Consciousness I cover my body with big baggy clothes. I cover my belly with a pillow to “hide” my fat when I am sitting on a couch. I am always very aware of how other people are looking at me, and the remarks they make. This horrible habit puts a strain on my marriage. Self Worth My self worth is in the toilet. I feel disgusting. I hate being fat and I hate not being able to control my food intake. I feel bad about not being able to lose weight. I feel like a failure because I am not able to stick to a successful diet or long range exercise program. These and many more mental obstacles must be overcome daily, even hourly. It is emotionally draining to have to prepare my self mentally for a day, not to mention the actually endurance of the emotions through the day. I am tired and disgusted with being so emotionally tied to this weight. Socially As a child I was ridiculed and left out of peer activities. In middle school I had a handful of friends, but the fat jokes and ridicule over shadowed me and made me feel worthless, ugly and unwanted. There was a rumor that followed me through all of 6th, 7th and 8th grades about me looking pregnant and every week it the big joke was to ask me whose baby it was. Ha! So funny! A three year “gestation period” was more than I could endure. I sought help from the school counselors. They told me if I lost weight they would stop bothering me. High school was miserable. I was never asked on a date, never held a boy’s hand. I was always overlooked. College was no different. Either were my 20s. No boyfriends, no dates, nothing…and I DID try. I tried 2 dating services; I spent 3 years in a huge singles group at my church. While my girlfriends were on dates and getting engaged, I was alone and depressed. I finally put a personal ad on yahoo. I did find a loving man who I fell in love with and married. I love my husband, but I wish I didn’t have the lonely rejection filled past. There are many social opportunities that I must turn down because of my morbid obesity. Camping, swimming, hiking and traveling are too difficult at my size. When a friend asks me to go out, I must consider all of the possibilities (Will there be room for me, is the restroom big enough, is her car big enough, will the chair support me even if I do fit?) There worries are enough to make me want to stay at home, and often times, I do because of worry and shame. Financially It is expensive to be fat and even more expensive to yo-yo diet. I have done both since I was 16. Specialty clothing costs twice as much as other clothes. My medical needs are very costly, even with health insurance. I spend lots of money on my favorite hobbies, eating and cooking. I need help. I want to be successful in losing weight. I am ready. I want to be able to walk with our pain. I want to be alive for another 35 years, at least! Please help me by considering me for weight loss surgery.

Congratulations on the recovery! My recovery went very well also. Just be sure to still take it easy and allow your body time to recover. Just as a heads up...many of us experience a stall at three weeks. It's completely normal and weight loss will start again. Best of luck and welcome to the Losers' Bench!

I was lucky enough to have two doctor's appointments this week - my three month follow up with my local bariatric doctor and my PCP. I lamented to my bariatric doctor about my stall. How I haven't lost anything in the past 18 days. I was kind of whiney about it. She just looked at me like I grew a 2nd head. She said, "You're going great. You've lost a total of 50 pounds. What was your expectation?" I got to thinking about that - really, what number was going to make me happy? If it was 53 pounds would I automatically to over the happy side? What about 63 pounds, is that the magic number? She pointed out all the good things going on - lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, my ability to walk seemingly forever pain-free, my increased energy level, etc. All good stuff, right? So why am I so hard on myself about the number on the scale. She asked how often I'm weighing - I'm back to weighing every day. She told me to stop that, but I weighed again today. The best thing she said about my weight was this - "If you graph your weight loss, the line won't be linear, it's going to be more of stair step." And you know, she's right. I graphed my weight loss to date and it looks like stair steps. This morning I went to my PCP whom I haven't seen since late-October, about 2 weeks before surgery. Her jaw dropped when she saw me. She cannot believe the difference in my appearance. Then we started going over the labs and she was amazed. She actually said "You are glowing! You look happy. Your eyes are clear and bright. The transformation is amazing." Sometimes we get so hard on ourselves because we're not losing a the rate in which we think we should. "I'm a slow loser!" "So-and-so is losing so much faster than me!" We need to STOP! This is marathon, not a sprint. I didn't get to 256 pounds overnight, I'm certainly not going to lose it overnight. Sometimes it's good to step back and look at things from a different angle.

I was sleeved Dec. 1st. Exactly like you first week I lost 11 lbs. I'm in the first day of my second week, and I seemed to have stalled already. I did so a little cheating, I ate some refried Beans the 4th day, mashed potatoes the 5 day, and a few crackers the 6th day. I haven't been drinking that much water, but I have had some sugar free juices, and lite juices. I'm afraid the lite juices my have too much sugar in them. I've only walked 3 days out of 7 outside, but I did walk over a mile all three times. And rain kept me from walking the other 2 days. I took it easy the first 2 days. Dunno what the deal is..maybe cheating did it for me. But don't sound like you did at all. I wish I knew. Maybe some of our sisters will tell us what we are doing wrong. Judy:001_huh:

What you are experiencing is a very normal, necessary, and natural part of the process. We all experience stalls, especially about three weeks after surgery. This will not be your last stall. Embrace the Stall! http://BariatricPal.com/index.php?/topic/351046-Embrace-the-Stall

I was losing a pound a day, and then suddenly one week out, I was losing four pounds a day! Three days of that, and I didn't lose anything for three days... this morning I weighed myself after a three day stall, and lost another 3 pounds. I think it is a strange hormone/pms/bowelm chain of events which cannot be considered on a daily basis. Think holistically in the greater scheme of things.