Need encouragement

[Cindy2013 99]

Hello everyone. I am a bit frustrated and need some encouragement.

My lapband surgery date was 2-18. I lost a total of 18 pounds during the pre-op and first 2 weeks post op. That feels really good. But...

My concern is that I stepped on the scale last night and I am up 5 pounds. How can that be? I've still been watching my food intake very closely. In fact, I am just now moving to the soft foods phase. Yay! But how can I have gained 5 pounds on such a low amouint of food?

I guess I just need some words of wisdom from you experienced folk. I am frustrated. It will be a few weeks before I can do much for exercise, even walking is limited. I know my activity level is way down, but how can I gain weight when the food intake is so low. I haven't gone over 1,000 calories for weeks, and it just seems strange to have gained back 5 of the pounds already lost.

Any encouragement. I'm really struggling with motivataion this morning.

[Margaret Schraub 8]

Hi there! It could be Water retention. What types of foods are you eating? Are they high in sodium? I know when I eat too much sodium I gain water weight. Don't be discouraged, hang in there. Each person's body is different.

[catfish87 3,471]

The good news is you are sticking with the prescribed "diet". Its not uncommon for newly banded people who are progressing to a different phase/level of foods to experience ups and downs for a few days or even a couple of weeks. You say you haven't went over 1000 calories in weeks, so no doubt you WILL see the losses starting back real soon. Simple math says that it must! Give yourself credit for the loss you have already. Before you know it, you'll be able to walk more and will see some scale movement. Hang in there! You sound like youre doing everything correct to me. CONGRATS!

[NurseKelly 43]

Hey there, I was banded a few days after you (Feb 21st) and almost fell over when I stepped on the scale this morning and saw that I have gained 5 pounds as well!!

I had read many times that when you switch from fluids to food, this can happen. Plus I think that we might have put out bodies into starvation mode with the pre-op and Fluid post-op stage, so although we are eating a small amount of calories, out bodies are hanging onto every last bite in case we won't be giving them anymore!!

This can be very discouraging, I know, but we are on the right track, and I am sure if we don't falter, this time next week, those five pounds (and hopefully more) will have disappeared!!

[B-52 7,113]

In my opinion, weight lost pre-op and post op is not real weight loss.....at least not in terms of WLS......anyone going through major surgery and having restricted intake will experience this.....now that you are healing. Your body is returning to normal.......

NOW your regular Dr. Visits and the lap band process schedule will begin in earnest.....and the real life changing weight loss can begin, as you also begin to use your band......

It took me months before I found that "Groove" and things began to roll along effortlessly......

But, hat's my opinion......

[☠carolinagirl☠ 18,721]

Hello everyone. I am a bit frustrated and need some encouragement.

My lapband surgery date was 2-18. I lost a total of 18 pounds during the pre-op and first 2 weeks post op. That feels really good. But...

My concern is that I stepped on the scale last night and I am up 5 pounds. How can that be? I've still been watching my food intake very closely. In fact, I am just now moving to the soft foods phase. Yay! But how can I have gained 5 pounds on such a low amouint of food?

I guess I just need some words of wisdom from you experienced folk. I am frustrated. It will be a few weeks before I can do much for exercise, even walking is limited. I know my activity level is way down, but how can I gain weight when the food intake is so low. I haven't gone over 1,000 calories for weeks, and it just seems strange to have gained back 5 of the pounds already lost.

Any encouragement. I'm really struggling with motivataion this morning.

could be TOM, too much sodium intake (as a comment was) or who knows...keep drinking alot..and it sounds as if you are doing well with your food etc.so i truly wouldnt worry (unless you are overeating the wrong foods as you would only know and i bet you are doing GREAT ).....go by how loose your clothes are..to me, losing inches means more to me then what a finicky scale says as it varies so often...encouragement, believe in yourself and know without a doubt that you are helping the band. because if you truly are, it will help you (even if the scale is up).....doesnt mean it is...hang in there okay.

[Draven 188]

I gotta say, steping on the scales could be, in my opinion, the worst thing we do to oueselves. I had an eating disorder when I was younger. Weighed my self no LESS than twenty times a day. It was terrible. I'd be at a friends house and would go into their bathroom and would strip down and jump on a scale. I'm serious. How messed up is that? LOL. And the second the scale would go up a quarter pond i'd be in the gym sweating like a nut. Eating a half a bagel a day. That was around twenty years ago, and thank God I got over that or I'd be dead by now. So when I decided to go for this surgery one of my fears was that I would fall back into that very very bad routine. Thankfully, I haven't.

Think of the other things that are going on. How well your clothes are fitting. Focus on the positives. How nice it will be to buy new clothes because you must. And my personal favorite, getting rid of old clothes cause they will NEVER fit again, God willing and my trying =) .

The weight gain is probably all Water. I explained to my wife once, a professional hockey goalie will lose about ten pounds during the course of one game. A pro athlete. All water weight. So if you think about it, five pounds of water weight is nothing for us.

Stick with it. Dont give up hope. You are doing great!!!!!!

[tym4me 206]

Many good ideas an support here already. The only thing i'd throw in... Are you actually tracking all you consume either on your phone or writing? Are you watching your sugar an salt in take? Also are you making sure you are drinking your full 64oz of Water a day?

It will happen..

[Kime-lou 648]

Weighing at night isn't the best time to weight. But, if you do choose to weigh daily (I do) do the same time each day wearing the same thing (or in the nude). I do this and I log it. My weight bounces. For instance yesterday I was at 191.7 today I was 194.8. There is no way I gained that much in a day- no way. So I know it has more to do with my TOM and Water retention, so I don't let it get to me.

If you do choose to weight daily or multiple times a week, just make sure that you don't allow it to dictate you mood and feelings. As long as you are following your plan from the Doc/NUT you are fine.

[Cindy2013 99]

Thanks for the encouraging words. I know I'm not drinking enough, so I can work on that. I typed a whole paragraph about my other surgery that was on Thursday, but it disappeared. I didn't realize it wasn't there when I posted the original post. I had a pain pump implanted on Thursday, and after thinking more, I'll bet I have a lot of Fluid retention. You know how IV fluids are. I think having 2 surgeries so close together has played with my emotions too. I haven't been able to be up moving around much, and so there is bound to be Fluid retention. I'm realistic enough to know that I won't really lose anything for the next couple of weeks while I let my body recovery. I think I just panicked when I saw the scale, because I certainly don't want to gain. I have a 5ish inch incision in my abdomen and a 2.5 inch one in my back, so I'm pretty ouchy.

Dumb question here, but what is TOM? Anyway, thanks for the encouraging words. I am moving to soft foods today (yay, no more pureed stuff), and I'll be very careful with what I put in my mouth!

Cindy

[☠carolinagirl☠ 18,721]

time of month

[Cindy2013 99]

time of month

Duh. {Palm to forehead} It's been 12 years since my hysterectomy--can you tell I don't think that way anymore?