5 months and HOPELESS! Please help!

[Miters36 0]

Hi all,

I am 5 months out and have lost 88lbs which is AWESOME. The whole time though I have been constipated, trying EVERYTHING just to be able to "go" every other day or so but nothing has worked. So I have been using laxatives every weekend to "clean myself out" as I work Monday thru Friday and can''t take them during the week.So unfortunately I can go like 6 days without a BM which is not good.

An issue I'm having is the past few weeks, I am not losing like I was the first 5 months and I'm going out of my mind! Example: I weigh myself in the morning when I get up and say my weight is 177.4lb.s. OKay, fine. So I eat a 6oz. yogurt and a few mini rice cakes.And

weigh myself say a half hour later (just for this purpose) and my weight goes up to 178.2lb.s!!! This is NOT normal for me! Usually after eating that, my weight wouldn't move at all, or go up maybe an ounce. But now it goes way up, even if I drink a Protein shake or water! What's the deal??? Is it because of the Constipation and being "FOS" literally?? (I also walk 2 miles a day on top of a very active 8 hour job.)

Another example is yesterday, I weighed 177.6lbs in the morning. I had 2 Protein shakes,Water and 8oz. oatmeal throughout the whole day. I weighed myself that night around 10pm and my weight was 179.2lbs! Now I know weight fluctuates during the day and that's fine, but this

is NOT NORMAL for me.

Can someone PLEASE help me figure this out?? I'm losing faith in myself and having any more weight loss and I have 47lbs still to lose! PLEASE HELP! DESPERATE! thank you

[weho 103]

Are you eating fruits and veggies? And drinking plenty of Water? Have you talked to the surgeon or nutritionist about this? I have my days, but it usually corrects itself. So sorry you are going through this. My weight goes up and down like crazy...I only weigh in the morning for that reason. But that other issue needs to be addressed. Hopefully someone can help with this.

[SKCUNNINGHAM 298]

First of all, make sure you are drinking 60-80 ounces of Fluid each day. Water is the first thing you need to be regular.

Second - you need to make sure you are getting Fiber. Fiber comes from veggies and fruits and, for me, benefiber packets. You can take up to three a day, and the disolve into Water with no problems. The other thing I do to keep things moving is to use Miralax. I add a capful of Miralax into my diet almost every day. Either in my Breakfast smoothie or in my water that I drink. If I skip the miralax for a couple of days, my system blocks up. Also - the more you exercise, the more likely you are to stay regular. If you are doing all of this and still stay constipated, go see your doc, something may be wrong.

You are driving yourself crazy weighing multiple times per day and it is serving NO PURPOSE. Don't weigh more than once per day. Your weight fluctuates throughout the day for a variety of reasons. The only reason you want to weigh each day is to be accountable for monitoring your weight. After you weigh first thing in the morning, HIDE YOUR scale so you won't be tempted to torment yourself with it during the day.

I hope you get better soon!

[weho 103]

Great information skcunningham!

[Coookies 13]

Agree with the previous 2 respondants!! Stop weighing yourself so many times a day... I do the same thing and if my weight goes up, meh.. its okay... if it goes down, yay....but i don't obsess about it (much)...

Have you tried Benefiber yet??? I just ordered some, but based on the reviews it seems to work really well, but you have to take it 3 or 4 times a day i think...

This is gonna sound weird, and some people may get all pissy at me for suggesting it, but i have found that on days when i cook my dinner with too much olive oil, that i tend to have better success with a BM... Our bodies do need oil, and EVOO is a great option... Another thing that works for me is if I have a very sugary coffee for Breakfast, with nothing before or 2 hours after.. the sugar triggers dumping syndrome in me, and it may for you too... Just a couple of ideas... for anyone else reading this, if you don't like my ideas... suck it..... (this being said with love)... peace..

[kellyw74 258]

You need to stop taking laxatives!! That is probably a BIG source of your problem!!

People THINK that just because they simply aren't going that they are constipated. That is NOT TRUE!! Have you thought about how much food you eat and what you are eating? If your primary source of food intake is Protein, you will have nothing to poop out. Our bodies use it all up for energy. And, what small amounts of other stuff we do eat, doesn't leave much to come out.

I use to be a HUGE pooper. I would go 2-4 times a day! Without fail. I MIGHT go once a week now or once every 10 days! That doesn't mean I am constipated because when I go, I go. I don't sit there and feel like I have to and don't or strain or bleed or feel horrible, I go!!

That is what Constipation is. The need to go, but can't. It is a HORRIBLE feeling. Bloating, bleeding (sometimes), uncomfortable straining, it feels like it is right there but won't come out. Not simply not going for a few days.

When you take laxatives that are not necessary, you are really doing damage to your system by forcing your body to do something it doesn't need to. Then it won't do it on its own.

Be careful with laxatives!!

Kelly

[itscometothis 12]

I think you just have to be level headed about it all. What I mean is, you have to know that it would be physically impossible to gain any amount of pounds of fat just by eating breakfast. It is physically impossible. Therefor it is not fat weight. And that's what we all want to get rid of, fat. Maybe if you look at it that way you won't be so freaked out. It's not fat. Also, when we chronically weigh ourselves we set ourselves up for constant disappointment. We have sleeves... we are going to lose weight whether we like it or not..lol The fact is, it could be Water, it could be that you need to go..lol It's not normal for all of us to lose 88 lbs in 5 months either, but we don't question that.. ya know? just try to put things into perspective.

Hi all,

I am 5 months out and have lost 88lbs which is AWESOME. The whole time though I have been constipated, trying EVERYTHING just to be able to "go" every other day or so but nothing has worked. So I have been using laxatives every weekend to "clean myself out" as I work Monday thru Friday and can''t take them during the week.So unfortunately I can go like 6 days without a BM which is not good.

An issue I'm having is the past few weeks, I am not losing like I was the first 5 months and I'm going out of my mind! Example: I weigh myself in the morning when I get up and say my weight is 177.4lb.s. OKay, fine. So I eat a 6oz. yogurt and a few mini rice cakes.And

weigh myself say a half hour later (just for this purpose) and my weight goes up to 178.2lb.s!!! This is NOT normal for me! Usually after eating that, my weight wouldn't move at all, or go up maybe an ounce. But now it goes way up, even if I drink a Protein shake or water! What's the deal??? Is it because of the Constipation and being "FOS" literally?? (I also walk 2 miles a day on top of a very active 8 hour job.)

Another example is yesterday, I weighed 177.6lbs in the morning. I had 2 Protein shakes,water and 8oz. oatmeal throughout the whole day. I weighed myself that night around 10pm and my weight was 179.2lbs! Now I know weight fluctuates during the day and that's fine, but this

is NOT NORMAL for me.

Can someone PLEASE help me figure this out?? I'm losing faith in myself and having any more weight loss and I have 47lbs still to lose! PLEASE HELP! DESPERATE! thank you

[Soon2BMiniMommy 92]

Amen, Kelly - you said it. You do really need to get off the laxatives, Miters, really. Our bodies and colons get dependent on them and then can't function normally. Once you stop taking them, it will be a couple of weeks for your bowels to become 'normal' (your normal, anyways). Then be sure to do what everyone else has said - Water, fruit, benefiber, Water, Fiber, water, did I mention fiber? Water? Oh, I see that I did

As for gaining a pound or two from morning until nighttime, that IS PERFECTLY NORMAL!!! Everyone's weight fluctuates during the day. If you look online for weight fluctuations during the day, most everyone fluctuates between 2-4 pounds! I know you say this is not normal 'for you', but remember you have lost 88 pounds! You don't know what your 'normal' is anymore. Your body is going through huge, huge changes and adjustments and it won't level out for a long time after you hit your goal, or set, weight. This may be your new normal. As stated above, it is physically impossible to gain a pound or two of fat in one day, especially with the amounts of food you eat after surgery. So, just relax on this one....only weigh once a day, same time, DON"T obsess. You may hit a plateau, but don't worry, you will move again. I know I haven't had the surgery yet, but I can't tell you how many 'plateaus' I have read about on here (HUNDREDS!) and everyone eventually moves past them.

Oh, did I mention get off the laxatives!! It's heroin for your poor colon!! Good luck, Sweets.....we're here for you!

[KellyL 173]

Yes I agree, if the scales are driving you crazy, then you need to stop weighing, especially numerous times a day. I would actually suggest weekly over daily weigh ins.

The other issue is more of a concern. Try to get more Water and fiber in. If not getting fiber thru food, then put benefiber in everything. Hopefully that will help you. If not call your dr.

[MegInNOLA 531]

Honestly, I thought I was the only one who went like a week without "going" until several messages lately on this board, but now I have solved that problem for me--citrus fruit. Yep. I eat what amounts to a grapefruit's worth of segments a day (not all at once!). That change, which I started last week without intentionally trying to (we were on a cruise ship and it was there and I love grapefruit), has made all the difference. I noticed the change almost immediately and have continued eating grapefruit daily since arriving back home. I had no idea that it would be this way, but that really is the only change that I made in my diet during the week's vacation, so it had to be that. So far, it's still providing a good benefit.

I completely understand how uncomfortable "not going" can make you, but I agree 100% with the others above that taking the laxatives isn't really a good idea--you don't want your body to begin to rely on that. Stool softeners and upping your fiber might be a better way to go, and/or if there has ever been food that worked for you in the past, see about trying that.

It really can get better--hang in there and keep trying different things. You'll find the right combination.

[ChooseToChange 19]

I just picked up some flaxseed oil since the powder isn't working for me. Whole foods has a 100% guarantee so keep your receipt.

[klus263 9]

I was using Miralax every few days to help keep me soft (I know, TMI) but have now switched to the Walmart brand of benefiber. I use the clear which I mix 1 tablespoon in the morning with 16 oz of Water and/or with a drink mix powder to flavor my Water and then again in the afternoon. This mixes well and has no taste what so ever. I cannot eat enough fruit or veggies to get my Fiber in any other way. I may not go everyday but this was the only way I could get in enough fiber without causing serious pain. I had a hiatal hernia repair at the time of my sleeve and if we push/strain too much I could get another. Now my husband does not have an issue at all with his plumbing (LOL) and he does not take any extra fiber at all. I just do this when I take my Vitamins. As for the scale. I gain and lose all during the day (for me this is normal) so I just keep to morning and night weighing....It is an addicition I can not give up but I understand. As long as I am not gaining and not losing it again, I am not going to worry. Good Luck

[Miters36 0]

Thank you everyone for the informative replies. Some great information in there!

FYI, I don't normally weigh myself several times a day and if I do, i'm well aware of the fluctuations. Lately I've just noticed my body seeming to hold on to EVERYTHING, even weight from fluids and just food.(and it

doesn't seem to want to give it up!) (I do like the sugary coffee idea too. I believe that has worked for me here and there. Hey when you're desperate.....you'll do about anything to poo)

Thanks everyone! I plan on trying several suggestions! GREATLY appreciated!!